Angelator

I'm three weeks post-op and the only "exercise" I've done so far is just walking (on a flat surface). I don't really feel this is that great of a workout, though. I'd really like to start going to a gym and do the eliptical machine, start swimming, etc. BUT, I don't want to risk my health. I know the band is at risk for slipping especially right after surgery, and doing vigorous exercise might cause the band to shift positions. So my question is: when do you think it's safe to step up my exercise routine? How long until you all started exercising more aggressively? Thanks in advance for any input!

I'm worried how morning sickness might affect band slippage. I asked my surgeon about this at length before my surgery, but no studies have been conducted on this and I got the feeling you just have to cross your fingers and hope that vomiting regularly for several months won't cause slippage.

I had my surgery three weeks ago. The first two weeks I couldn't eat too much but lately I have been able to eat more. My band has not been filled, so I've felt hungrier. I've felt the temptation to reach for stuff that's bad for me too. I've had ice cream and several milk shakes since surgery and then afterwards thought to myself, "Now why did I do that?" Getting this operation really isn't a simple answer to all of our problems. We have to put in the effort too. And it's not easy. My advice is to think of strategies to make things easier on yourself. For example, just don't BUY cake in the first place. And if you really are dying for a piece of cake, go to a restaurant and order a piece. A single piece. That way your intake will be limited, but you're still getting your fix. But try not to get fixes too much. food is your drug, and you need to keep it in check. I also would recommend joining a support group of some sort. It will keep the issue on your mind and help you make this more of a priority, regardless of how busy or stressed out you are. More than anything else, though, know you are not alone. It happens to the best of us. Just try to avoid doing it again. :-)

I am moving to Washington, DC in a few months. Anyone know of a fill doctor in that area (northern Virginia or southern Maryland would work, too). Thanks for any information!

I started sleeping on my side after about 5 days, using a pillow BEHIND me to help with support. However, I LOVE sleeping on my stomach and about a week and a half after surgery I tried sleeping on my stomach but it was still uncomfortable. Two weeks after surgery I could sleep on my stomach. That's just how it was for me, though... My advice is to just go with what you feel comfortable with, and have lots of pillows around for support.

My lapband was put in two weeks ago. Since that time, I've had shoulder/upper back pain on my left side that feels similar to the pains caused by gas trapped inside my body. These pains are ONLY on my left side (same as port side). I also noticed that I get these pains much more frequently right after I eat. I have no idea why. The really make me feel like crap--after I get these pains, all I want to do is sit or lay down and not move.

Hope, I have these exact same two pains!!! My left and sometimes right sides hurt once in a while as if I have just exhausted myself from running. It's hard to stand up straight and to breathe deeply when I have these pains because it makes the pains hurt worse. I also have pains in my left shoulder and upper back areas that is exactly like the pains I felt right after surgery (due to gas trapped under the skin). But two weeks after surgery, I still have these pains in my shoulder/upper back area. Both are tolerable but unpleasant...and when I get these pains, I just want to lie down and not move. I mentioned the pain in my sides to my doctor (I described how they felt like I had been running and then got side pains) and he said it sounds like I have muscle cramps, but he didn't really offer a solution (D'oh!). Please let me know what your doctor says about these issues! We are both in the same exact boat! My email is Angela.Meyers@gmail.com

I read somewhere once that your brain uses up 20% of your body's energy (even though it's only two pounds and therefore a minor fraction of your body's "mass"). So even if computer work sounds easy, it still can be draining (at least in my experience). It's just a different kind of draining. In fact, after my surgery, just thinking too much or talking a lot just kind of drained me. It took a few days until I felt energetic enough to sit down and RESPOND to emails (reading them wasn't a problem, though). The thing is, everyone recuperates at their own timing. But the tricky part is that you don't know how long YOU will take until it's all over. So you just kind of have to estimate how long it will take you to recover. Giving yourself only one week would probably be cutting it close. A week and a half or two weeks is probably safer. The last thing you would want is to HAVE to go into a new job when you feel tired and are in pain. And then you might end up leaving a bad impression with your new employer because you won't be functioning at 100% yet. To answer your other questions, I do feel hunger sometimes, yes. My hunger NOW is different from my hunger BEFORE the surgery, though. Like, it's not a ravenous type of hunger where I want to eat a cow. It's just like "oh, my stomach is growling. I guess I'm hungry" sort of thing. I listen to my body to tell me I'm hungry--I'm not just eating out of boredom or because I can fit a few more bites in. And then I eat a little bit, and when I'm satisfied, I stop. This has happened naturally after the surgery as a result of my stomach getting full quicker. Lately I've just been eating a lot of Soup because I've found some Soups that I really like (I even had soup for breakfast!). I live across the street from a grocery store and their deli makes fresh soups everyday (much better than the canned stuff!). I just try to get the "juice" of the soup and avoid any chunks, at this point. And I probably eat something like one cup of soup at a time. Not much. And then I'm full. If I want to treat myself I'll have some frozen yogurt, too (I live down the street from a frozen yogurt shop--low calorie stuff--yipee)!. Plus, that way I can still eat "out" once in a while and make it a social outing with my boyfriend, etc. Anyway, to answer your question, I still have hunger, but it doesn't bother me too much. And when I'm hungry I eat but I don't have to eat too much to be content. I'm looking forward to how much money I'll save on food in the future! Heheh I don't really feel weak today. Felt pretty good today. The first week I definitely did feel weak, though. I think because my body was recuperating from surgery I just felt very drained. Plus the first few days I was eating probably less than 100 calories a day. (There aren't many Clear liquids that have many calories). I don't feel weak from eating less, though, if that's what you mean. Anyway, yes lets do keep in touch. I'll be relocating to the east coast in a few months--feel free to keep in touch! Take care...

Hi Penni, You know what I've been thinking would be awesome to do? I'd love to gather together with a bunch of bandsters who also live in Southern California. Maybe we could just all meet somewhere over tea or coffee and just talk about what it's like with the band, and what it's like getting used to new ways of eating, seeing your body change, etc. I've also been looking for a good therapist who has experience in this arena but in the meantime it'd probably be helpful to meet with similar others who are going through the same experience. Do you think others in the area would be interested? :cheer2:

Patti, The pain has been tolerable--but it is PAIN. I've never been stabbed in the stomach six times but I imagine it'd feel similar to what this operation does to you (only the outcome of this in the end is much more worthwhile!). I counted my staples--there are 25 of them spread out over six incisions (others may only have 4 or 5 incisions but I have more for whatever reason). Plus you won't really be "eating" and will be losing weight very quickly after surgery (it has been one week since my surgery and in that one week I've dropped 12.5 pounds). The day OF surgery and the day AFTER surgery you don't eat ANYTHING, and you don't even drink Water. So you are very weak when you leave the hospital (note: the drive home from the hospital can also be painful because every turn and pothole your car encounters can cause you some mild pain). Because you won't be consuming much calories and also because you're in pain (and also because your pain medication may make you want to fall asleep), you will also not be very energetic, especially in the beginning. At one week post-op, today is the first day where I feel kind of "good." Like, I did not wake up in the middle of the night and need to take pain medication, and I'm starting to feel a little better in terms of what I can do (i.e. today I actually thought--hmm--maybe I can do those dishes instead of swindling my boyfriend into doing them...). Some people get the lapband surgery and are back at work 4 or 5 days later. Those people are my heroes. I don't know how they do it. I, on the other hand, would rather take my time to recuperate really well before rushing back into work, so I took 2 weeks off work and have been taking it really easy. In the past week, I've stayed at home and basically just rested, except for the 30 minutes each day I take to go walk outside (and when I walk--it is slowwwwwwwww. To walk a mile would take me a good 40 minutes). The faster I move, the more I hurt. It's also difficult for me to stand up completely straight because it stretches my wounds. I feel a bit like an elderly person lately. Heheh :biggrin1: It's also difficult to have a bowel movement because it involves pushing with stomach muscles that are in pain. I still have remnants of bruises on my stomach. I know this picture sounds a little grim but I want you to have a realistic picture of what things are like after the surgery. It is all VERY tolerable. I actually thought it might be worse. But as far as taking time off work is concerned, I'd recommend scheduling two weeks off if you can afford it. If you are feeling better before that time, you can always go back early. But after surgery, your priority should be recuperating as well as possible--not rushing back into the daily grind. Good luck!

Hi everyone, This is one of my first posts (I also posted in the "introductions" section earlier today). Anyway, I was banded one week ago--last Wednesday, May 17th (which also was my 25th birthday!). I'm very glad I found this website and I'm also glad to have found others who are going through the same experience as I am--and now, I've found others who are going through it also at pretty much the same time! Two more days and I go to get my staples out. My cuts are itching me like crazy! Can't wait for them to be all healed so I can start putting on all these scar lotions I bought! By the way, embarassing question: has anyone else had to poop after surgery and had "issues" with that? I didn't do the deed until like 5 days after my surgery, and when I finally did have the urge, it hurt to actually do it! All that pushing with my stomach with its wounds kinda hurt! Yikes! I actually called for my boyfriend to deliver a pillow to me in the bathroom (the nurses in the hospital said holding a pillow over my tummy would help when I was trying to get up/down out of bed so I thought--hmm--maybe it'd work for bathroom duty, too?). Anyway, as far as results are concerned, in the past week I've lost 11.5 pounds! I do feel hungry from time to time (but don't seem to mind too much) so I'm looking forward to my first fill to see how the band really works. I'm excited for the future!