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I've done WW in the past with some success, at least as long as I stuck with it, and was thinking of following it again once I'm back on regular foods. How do you guys determine what your daily points quota is? Obviously it has to be lower than what you're supposed to eat a day.

Jamie, I'm sorry you're having such a rough recovery. Hang in there, it'll get better each day. I weighed myself this am and am "only" down 6lbs since surgery on 8/15. I haven't lost any weight in the last 4 days. I have no idea why this is so discouraging for me, but it is! I mean, heck, I'm only getting about 500 cals a day, shouldn't I lose SOMETHING????? I know the healing time is supposed to be about healing, not losing, but with only eating Soups, pudding, low fat yogurt, and runny oatmeal, I figured I'd lose. I think it's making me worry that, if I can't lose weight on this super-restricted diet, how am I going to lose when I progress to soft and regular foods. I have my follow up appointment on Tuesday and am paranoid they are going to be disappointed in how little weight I've lost since surgery. I know I'm being mental about this and need to just quit weighing and quit stressing, but man! I'm going to drive myself nuts at this rate. No more weighing from now on, except on Fridays!

Diva Girl, THANKYOU!!! I'm so tired of liquids and really wanting some tuna fish. I'm thinking I'll try out your hubby's recipe!!

What are you guys eating? I'm still on full liquids for another two weeks and I'm getting tired of soup and runny oatmeal! I'm actually really looking forward to the pureed stage, which is next for me, because I can have tuna fish and egg salad. Help! :help:

A life-long question answered thanks to my surgeon! I've always found that no matter what style pants/shorts/skirts I wore, they always seemed to ride very high on my waist. My mom works at the hospital where I was banded and she ran into my surgeon today. He asked how I was doing and she mentioned my port is being irritated by my waistbands. He said I have a very short torso and little space between my sternum and hips. That's why my port seems to be right where my waistband is, because it's the only spot he could put it because I've got such a short torso. Never knew that, but certainly explains the fashion problems I have! :scalesno: He did say the port will shift a bit as the swelling goes down and as I lose weight, so hopefully it won't be too much of a problem. Of course if I lose weight, then I can just wear low-rise jeans more!

Ok early August bandsters, how long before you could comfortably wear your button and zip shorts, pants, whatever? I'm a week out yesterday and while I can get them on, they are VERY uncomfortable! I know my tummy is still swollen, when can I expect that to go away? I would like to wear normal clothes again!

Welcome Lisa and good luck Jamie! For me, Gas-x did nothing, but the Maximum Strength Rolaids chewables worked really well. Just make sure you use the ones that say they treat gas and bloating on the front, not just heartburn. Losin' it, I'd bet it was gas pain. Try heat next time. I have a flannel heating pad filled with rice that I throw in the microwave for a couple minutes. The combo of the heat and weight of the rice really help. I've been sleeping with it all week!

Libra, glad you called your doc! My dh is very conscious of eating in front of me too. Not so much now as when I was in the pre-op diet. I told him not to worry, what he's eating doesn't even look good! Good luck to all those getting banded this week!

Michele, yep, I've got the cold sweats, nausea, and light headedness too. I'm pretty sure it's the anesthesia working its way out of your system. I had it after my last 2 surgeries (gallbladder and appendix) too. Not fun and it can take a couple weeks to go away. HTH!

I am 5 days post-op and feeling pretty good today. Yesterday was miserable though. I woke up feeling nauseous and had to get some meds from the doc to stop it. Then I was stupid and went to my gram's for dinner. Ther 70-minute car ride about killed me. By the time I got home I was hurting pretty bad. Took 2 pain pills and slept in my bed for the first time since surgery and it was heavenly! I woke up feeling better than any other day. My stomach has finally stopped gurgling and rolling. Hopefully the worst is past! This bloating is driving me nuts though! I came home 9lbs heavier than I was the morning of surgery and am only just down to that weight but my stomach is still pretty bloated. I look pregnant. Anyone else have a bloaty tummy? How long can I expect this to last? I can't even button my shorts. I've been living in pj pants and elastic waist shorts. I'm only allowed full liquids for the next 3 weeks (my doc is very strict) and am living on runny oatmeal, soup, yogurt smoothies, and pudding. I had some soft-serve ice cream the other night and it was divine! Not sure how many calories I'm getting but need to start tracking. I'm not hungry at all.

I had my band put in on Tuesday, August 15. I weighed myself when I got home and was 9 lbs heavier than I was the morning of surgery. Can you say water weight?! Now, 3 days later, I'm still really bloated and about 5 lbs over my pre-surgery weight. How long did it take you to lose the bloating and water weight?

Diva girl, glad it went well! Sounds like you have had a really good experience. And I agree with you on the cold liquids, they really bother my tummy. My dad got me a non-fat hot chocolate while he was at Starbucks today and it was wonderful. Very soothing for my stomach and stoped the gurgling for quite a while. If you're having problems, definately try something hot! Libra, are you feeling better now? I have another question too, did anyone else notice their skin is really dry the days after surgery? Usually I have combo/oily skin, but noticed today that the skin on my cheeks and chin is really dry, flaking a bit and feels really rough. I remember having the same thing w/ both my c-sections but thought it was just pregnancy hormones. Not sure what would cause it, unless it's irritation from the tape they used during the actual surgery. Any ideas for getting rid of it? I've been using my regular moisturizer a lot, but it doesn't seem to be helping much.

Libra, I agree, call your doc. Mine said if I was at all nauseous to call and he'd get me some meds to help. You only just had your band put in and even dry heaving is not good for it. Give him a call and explain what's going on. I got a hold of my doc this morning and he's calling in a different pain med for me. The loratab is doing nothing, I was so uncomfortable all night I barely slept. I'm not doing too bad today, the liquid Tylenol is doing it's job, but I want to be able to take something stronger at night so I don't hurt so much when I sleep. Hopefully this new stuff works. Still got an annoyingly gurgly/grumbly tummy and passing gas like crazy. Can I ask a tmi question to our early August banders though? How long before you had a bowel movement after the surgery? I'm trying to figure out if that might be part of my problem and if I should maybe take a stool softener or something to get it moving along.

I'm self pay for my band on August 15. The cost includes all the pre-op testing, the actual surgery and band, the surgeon fees, and the overnight hospital stay. Basically everything I need to get banded, including a year of fills. The only separate bill I will get is for the anesthesiologist. The meds are included in the cost of the surgery, I will just get a seperate bill for the Dr.'s time. Any idea how much the anesthesiologist will cost? TIA! :help:

Caroline, Campbell's tomato basil soup is incredible! Very tasty. Just thought I'd pass that along.

I got my band yesterday :clap2: and am not in too much pain right now. But the stomach gurgling and gas is going to be the death of me! I tried some GasX, I'm moving as much as I can tolerate, walking laps around the house, and tried heat on my tummy and shoulders. Any other tips to help get rid of this feeling? I hate it! :help:

Natashiki, glad your's went well too! My doc said I could shower as soon as I got home, but I only have dissolvable stiches, no steri strips or regular staples. That probably makes a difference. And I agree with the Loratab. It doesn't seem to be helping the pain much at all. I'm probaably going to call the doc tommorow and see if I can get something different. Per doc's orders I can't take Motrin, Advil, or Alleve for at least a couple months. Not sure why though. Feel better soon! Oh, and I lost 11 lbs on the pre-op diet. But, I weighed myself when got home today and have gained, are you ready for this? NINE POUNDS!! Can you say water weight?! Wonder what I'll be at once all this swelling and water bloat goes away. :phanvan

I'm back too. Surgery went fine. My biggest complaint was the itching I got from the pain meds. Once that cleared up, I was in pain, but nothing too unbearable. But, tonight the gas pains and the grumbling tummy is really hurting! And not hungry tummy grumbles, but gas moving around grumbles. Took some Rolaids and it's helped some, but it's still there. My post incision is much larger than I thought it would be and is still draining a bit, so I have to keep an eye on it. If I can get even a halfway decent night's sleep tonight I should be doing much better tommorow. I got no sleep at the hospital and I'm exhausted! Glad everyone's doing so well.

Good luck GotGlock and LosinIt!! Clear liquids for me today and then surgery tommorow at 7:30. I'm getting so nervous now. I'm paranoid the surgeon will get in there and decide for some reason I can't have it done. If that happens I'll be devastated! I'm sure I'm not going to get any sleep tonight. Think biting my nails today will mess up the clear liquid diet?

Is egg drop soup considered a clear liquid if I strain it? I have to have clear liquids Monday before my surgery and was wondering if that counts. Thanks!

faybie, can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not allowed anything besides my 4 cans of slimfast, Water, and crystal light. That's my doc's pre-band diet. I can have broth on the day before surgery and man am I looking forward to it! Scribby, that is an insane amount for meds! I hope mine aren't that much. :faint: :Banane27:

Kirsten, I'm right there with you being miserable! I'm getting banded the day before you and am ready to eat my arm. I'm sooooo tired and so ready to eat something salty. I'm tired of SlimFast. I have to do clear liquids the day before surgery and I'm actually looking forward to it since it won't be sweet! How sad is that? I've been trying to sit at the table with dh and the kids while they have dinner, but last night I had to leave the table because I was afraid I was going to rip my son's hotdog out of his hands! Hang in there, we're in the home stretch now and it'll be worth it in the end, right?

I am so with you guys about being tired of sweet stuff! Today is day 7 of nothing but SlimFast and I would kill for something salty! How sad is it that I'm actually looking forward to monday only because I have to switch to Clear liquids and can have broth?! I can switch to full liquids once I get home after surgery and plan to have a nice little bowl of broccoli cheese Soup. Sounds divine! Kwmmwk, hope you're feeling better now. Someone in our group was bound to learn a lesson the hard way, just sorry it had to be you. Don't beat yourself up over it, it's done now. Just move on and stick to what your doc told you!

Good luck Scribby and Pebbles! Hurry back and let us know how you're doing. I'm glad all our early August bandsters seem to be doing so well! It's so reassuring to here what it's like in the first few days after surgery.

Congrats GE Mom! It does sound like sleep apnea. My son has central sleep apnea, which is different than obstructive, and his oxygen levels drop when he sleeps to. Nothing to do about it in his case, we just have to have him on an oxygen monitor every night and when the alarms go off wake him up so the levels go back to normal. Did you have a sleep study done?