comtemplating

Thanks for the responses- sounds like I need some more time. I am walking 2 miles a day so I think with the wii game I will focus on arm exercises for now. I already had my first fill but it was only .5 cc's which is really small I guess compared to what I have read that everyone else has received. I got that 4 weeks after surgery. My dr. offered 1 cc but I was so worried because I was really swollen after surgery so she said it would be best to be very conservative. I go back in two weeks and then two weeks and then two weeks- going to take it really slow but more frequent appts. Good luck at your fill it was really no big deal at all.

I am trying to increase my exercise (banded April 16) as I got the go ahead from my dr. He said to wait four weeks. So yesterday I tried jogging. I got this new game for my wii called eas active. Well part of the 30 day challenge (I put it on the easiest level) requires some jogging. I did it the last two days. Today I feel very sore in the port area. I am really bummed and hope this is only a temporary thing and that eventually I will be able to run again. I am assuming/hoping that it just isn't healed 100% and made it tender. It is by no means terribly painful just sore like I felt about 8 days after surgery. So I am thinking I need to lay off the jogging and give myself a few days and if it still hurts call the dr- I don't think I damaged anything permanent. Anybody out there jogging and how soon were you able to do it?

Good luck to you!!!!! I think you are the first triplet mom I have come across on this board. There are several twin moms including myself (my boys were born May 07). Try and focus on how great you are going to feel and look one year from now- I know that seems forever away but this process is slow and steady so just stay the course. Best wishes.

225.6 today.

Wow- 3 cc's. My dr. only offered 1 cc.

No- I think I am in a simlar position. I had a fill yesterday and they took out .3 and I was experiencing restriction prior. THEN they gave me .5 more (wanted to be VERY conservative because I was so tight after surgery). The dr. said normally they give 1 but gave me .5. Now today only drinking liquids I have incredible shoulder pain that comes and goes as I consumer liquids. I don't know if I should be happy or concerned!!!!! So perhaps we are one of the few that don't need a lot of fills to get to restriction- which would be great but hard to believe with such low fill numbers (but I know it is possible from what I've read about everyone being different). I go back in two weeks for another fill and then two weeks later so we shall see!

So I had my first fill today- was very conservative .5 cc put in. The dr. offered me 1 cc but because I was so swollen after surgery I was afraid I might just be "sensitive" so I wanted to take it slow. When I was done with the fill they gave me some literature to read before my next fill in two weeks- WELL- the paper states not to eat anything two hours before my fill. Today I ate about and hour before my fill. I am having really strong left shoulder pain and was wondering if anyone knows why this might be happening. I thought it occurred after surgery because of all the gas they fill you up with but that of course didn't happen today. The shoulder pain is a trigger to me when I have eaten too much but I have had nothing to eat since before the fill about 8 hrs ago. Do you think the pain is because of the food I ate before the fill and it is lingering- doesn't seem logical as it was so long ago. Anyone know why I am having the shoulder pain?

O.K. Interesting........ I found the salad reference and read it. I guess it comes down to following your own dr's orders and also reviewing what advice/info. you receive from others with your own dr. I "get" what Dr. Vuong is "saying" and so far I like what he has said- everything is open to interpretation. Perhaps his writing style/presentation of his topics doesn't mesh with everyone. Being a former patient advocate I absolutely agree that you don't agree or don't disagree with a dr. just because he is a dr. I'll keep reading posts and further develop my own ideas and go from there. Thanks for the dialogue.

Like what? As mentioned earlier, I am new and am curious.

I think he was referring to statements very recently that he has heard from lapband patients that are stating they are to "chew to liquid". He sounds concerned that such a statement might be floating around the lapband community and wanted to weigh in. I am new to this forum and was surprised to read such a negative response to his post- of course anyone has the right to respond in the manner they see fit but why attack someone who appears highly motivated and extremely involved with lapband patients and is only trying to enhance their success? Take what info. from him that you see helpful and leave the rest but please provide him the respect he deserves for having an interest in our well-being.

227 today. I am very excited. I am 11 lbs heavier than I was last year- I gained quite a bit over the past year and at my boy's 1st b-day I weight 216 (the same amount I weighed 6 weeks after giving birth). I then gained 34 lbs during their second year- very stressful and had a couple months on wellbutrin. SO I am so looking forward to 216 and then my second goal will be 193 which is the weight I was when I got pregnant. Third goal will be 163 which is what I weighed when I went on a cruise with family and friends and really liked the way I looked in pictures. Ultimate goal is sitting pretty at 150!!!!!

I also noticed there were a lot of twin moms on this site- my boys will be two on Saturday. I was just banded almost four weeks ago. Were you banded early May? I think the one thing that made my tummy look "o.k' in terms of deflation for the past two years was the extra weight I carried- it keep it looking full. So I had the same concerns you have shared. I have since lost 22 lbs and have noticed my lower stomach starting to "krinkle". I am not sure what things are going to look like once I lose another 78 lbs. I think that exercising is going to help a lot but I don't think that rock hard abs are going to happen for me but that is o.k. I think I will be able to hide it okay with clothes and a great pair of underwear!

but have great success in the long-run? I am almost four weeks post op and ever since I have had the green light to eat solids I have really been struggling to stay on task. SO..........this has created so many self-destructive thoughts such as "this isn't going to work". I know that people refer to banster hell alot and I imagine I am there. I am hoping to hear from someone who struggled in the beginning but was able to turn it around and has had great success.

Thank you for the responses- very helpful.

So on Thursday I was scheduled to transition to "regular" foods. I breezed through the first three weeks with absolutely specific guidelines to follow regarding food intake. But now my guidelines are very general and some of the info. I was given by my dr. appears conflicting. I really feel like I need a written example of what a typical day of eating would be like now that I am on regular food and some examples of what and how much to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner would be great! Did any of you receive such detailed info. from your dr.'s? I am going to go to a support group at my dr's office this Wednesday and am considering making an appt. with the nutritionist in hopes of obtaining such info. I do really well with great guidelines and feel like this is what I need when starting such a new lifestyle. I think I just need it in the beginning to get on track and get a feel for what I should be doing. It sure doesn't help that the scale isn't budging and my confidence during bandster hell is shrinking. I just feel a little down and actually woke up thinking about food yesterday for the first time since surgery and this scared the heck out of me. Anyone have any info. from their dr.'s to share?

231.4 today

Hi- will those of you that have had surgery this week please let us know how you are doing and what the experience was like? It is very helpful to hear from those that are already healing.

Just read through some old posts and saw that goal weights and heights were being disclosed- 5'7" with a goal weight of 150lbs.

231 today.

Banded April 16th. 1st fill scheduled for May 18th and second fill on June 8th. Can't wait to hear more about people's experiences with their fills- worried about feeling as miserable after surgery (swelling) after fills.

I am looking for some clarification. A lot of people speak of lapband hell. I just got my band on 4/16/09. I had a lot of swelling (I think) and was really tight up until a day or two ago. Now the hungries have set in and I am okay- just trying to drink, drink, drink in between my 1/4 C mushies three times a day (and two protein shakes). My question is related to after a fill.........if I am not in the green zone will my experience with hunger be the same as it is today or will it be better because I will have transitioned to solids and the food will actually stay in the little pouch and help me stay satieted a while longer? I can handle this a couple more weeks but want to prepare if I signed up to have this intense hunger, or lapband hell as some call it, for possibly a couple months until I hit the green zone????? Just trying to get my head on straight and be mentally prepared and on task. Thanks for any replies.

I am still on liquids so I haven't had the experience but was thinking........prior to banding when I had cold food in my mouth I think I would chew more. Especially cold pasta- it kinda sticks to your cheeks. Warm food can easily slide down your throat without chewing it. I could easily swallow tortollini without chewing much. Perhaps chew more? I have had the experience with temperature sensitivity with liquids though as the previous poster said.

Fresh air helps for me but so does a radio. I found a talk show I like to listen to and I walk while listening ( morning radio show). It is a really easy distraction. I think it takes something like 14 days to establish a new habit- just gotta do it- no way around it. I was just banded and am getting ready to get in gear. Gonna get up before my two children and walk and listen to the radio and gradually increase my time. Good luck to you!

When were you banded? I have some really great medicine the dr. gave me for naseasness (sp?). It works really well. Perhaps he might prescribe some? Do you think you have the flu? I haven't experienced a pb yet so I am not sure how that all works in relation to naseasness but perhaps someone might be able to explain and help you figure out what you are experiencing. I remember the staff telling me to keep the naseasness meds available in case I have a "stuck" episode in the future so it must make you naseated. Not sure if you would be stuck for two days though....... I hope not.

For those of us who had surgery about a week ago (or thereabouts) I was wondering if you could share what a day of eating and drinking is like for you. Could you tell me your basic schedule of intake of food and water? I don't know what is "normal" and just want to compare a little as I feel like I am way under the radar. I am so tight in the am I can't get much down without feeling extremely naseauted and probably got about 6 oz. by 3pm and then for some odd reason I feel okay to eat (not great by any means) and I had some broth and a popscicle. I know everyone is different but I am kinda looking for an average.......... I still feel very very sick- port pain is clearing and thank goodness for that but I have lost 16 lbs in two weeks and feel very weak and am worried about dehydration. Thanks for the help.