paracelsus51

I haven't used anything on these. Only the port scar is really noticeable after four months. I did use vitamin E oil on my really huge hyster scar and it seemed to help. My dermatologist recommended Curad scar therapy.

I couldn't've done the liquid diet beforehand. I can barely stand clear liquids. I am not saying it's ok to not do your doctor's plan. I had a restricted diet beforehand with no carbs to shrink my liver, which is something I could do for two weeks. It was really tough for me as I used bread and crackers to control my GERD. It wasn't easy. As the other posters said, if you don't have the discipline now, what will be your excuse afterwords when you could really mess yourself up?

Oh, I hate when the nurses tell you the wrong thing. I have learned to call and ask, even if I feel stupid. Due to the uterus from hell, I am very pain tolerant. I do however love liquid vicodin. I know I can't drive on it, but it's the best thing I've had. The pills just make me sick. The pain will fade, just keep that cell phone handy. I've got three weeks before my next surgery. I also got a letter today from my insurance company denying an appeal by one of my doctors (who's office people are idiots), so they will be asking for payment back, even for a consult on GERD surgery. I am going to appeal as this is beyond stupid. I've all ready had to pay way too much. This is so NOT my year. The plastic surgery will make you so happy, you won't care about wimping some pain. I am having my face done next year to repair a skin cancer removal. I never saw myself going to a plastic surgeon. Of course, now there is some other stuff sagging that if I ever get the money, I will have lifted. Well, put back where they belong.

Isn't it amazing how just a small amount can really make a difference? I am still completely empty and have to be GERD symptom free for three months before they will even think of doing even a small fill. And it will be a small one. I don't know how people stand not being able to drink. I haven't budged in weight for a few weeks now. I am happy I haven't gained anything. How is the leg doing? Although surgery is no fun, it does require your body to use lots of extra calories to heal.

Well, it's been busy in here. I think you will love the tummy even more in a few months when it all settles down. I haven't fit into size 9 anything since I was a kid. Mexico is a lot of fun. I wouldn't recommend going in October as it just rains endlessly. It's a really good deal right now too. My GERD has calmed down quite a bit and I am very happy about that, as that is the main reason I got th band. Since the doctor put me back on the birth control pills for my ovarian cyst, I really haven't lost much weight. I think four pounds in a month. Hormones really mess me up and cause a lot of cravings and hunger. Of course, I can't eat nearly as much, which helps. It's bad though, since even though I am full, I am still starving and I know it's the hormones. Blech. I am going to end up having surgery next month to remove the ovarian cyst since the pills aren't doing anything. I have to sleep flat on my back all the time and drug every day for it. It's very annoying. I don't like it, but the alternatives are not that attractive. I am with you on the general anesthesia. Mine is outpatient surgery, but surgery still sucks.

Yep, I was surprised at how much my labs changed after surgery. Still happy to be taking one less pill. I got stuck tonight. It was annoying, but fortunately whatever it was went through after a bit of cacking. Chicken breast is dangerous. I wonder what I missed since I eat chicken breast all the stupid time. I do soup and soft meats and really haven't tried anything tough. I do have an addiction to Cookie Crisp. I crave it now. Fortunately, you can eat quite a bit of it for a low calorie count. I am having some oatmeal. I eat a lot of oatmeal, probably extra for the next couple days, just in case. It seems to stick with me and has other benefits. Avoid peaches and cream flavor, yick. I have to start exercising too. I get some every day, but have to get back into the workout program.

I am not losing anything right now. They put me back on the pill and boom, water weight and mood swings. That and I want to eat. Not hungry, can't stuff anything more in, but want to eat the side of a cow. I remember now why I don't miss those things. I hope I don't have to keep taking them. Hopefully your H1N1 (or Heiney flu as one of our principals called it) won't last long. They aren't giving shots here until October at least as the resistance only lasts about six months. Aren't recliners one of the best things ever invented? I wonder what people did before they were around. They are better than bed for being sick too. Keep the head up so you can breathe.

I hope they are wrong about the infection. I think you would have to wait until that cleared up to get any revision. I would go with the sleeve too before I would do bypass. I just don't like the idea of my insides being messed up more than they have to be.

Well, I guess I could go with Dave. I am told Betty is not a good name either.

It sounds like you are stressing yourself out and that will tighten you up. You might have to work on some mental exercises and maybe practice eating something from takeout. Learn not to psych yourself out. I can eat out. I always get Water with my meal, which I may or may not drink as necessary in public. I play it safe, though, end up ordering whatever with mashed potatoes, please leave the goop off. I find that I can eat ribs as the meat is softened. I also tried hard shell tacos. I get two of them with no lettuce and that is about right for a serving after I break off part of the shell. I even had some chinese with no issues, no rice of course. They were confused by that. It just takes some time to chew up the meat and veggies. I do order a regular meal as the kids meals are always the same chicken nuggets, hotdog, grilled cheese or corndog with french fries. My family happily finishes off anything I leave on the plate. I don't even try bread, rice or Pasta. I am going to try spaghetti squash and see how that goes. I am developing a sense of when to stop eating as I am not bringing a scale with me.

Yes, be very happy you changed before you had to experience poor aftercare. That can really mess you up and make you suffer unnecessarily.

Ya know, I never thought of naming the thing. I do like the name Bob.

I had an unfill and there was almost immediate relief. Of course, they want me gerd free for three months, so I can't go back until December. Great to have internet, isn't it?

I love seeing how my innerds work. I've had fluro twice now and you can really see what's going on. I got my bloodwork back today. My cholesterol and triglycerides are way down to almost normal with no meds at all. So, basically I dont' have to take those pills anymore, unless it goes back up. That's great because I all ready take enough pills and it saves me $50 a month.

I love fig newtons. Right now I have no fill at all, so I can eat a bigger variety of things. I was surprised to find that watermelon is a bit of a challenge. I still have to chew well or the food doesn't move down very well. I also find that I have to measure everything out as I can't tell when to stop exactly. I also am glad the folks at work know as they bring in tons of cookies and bread and donuts and and bagels, so when I say, op, can't have that, there's no pressure. I am off to the doctor tomorrow for blood test results. I've been off my meds since surgery and they want to see if anything has changed. I am thinking I am going to have to start taking a cholesterol pill again. How's the tummy coming? The Doctor's had their big makeover show today. Lots of plastic surgery.

I am self-pay as WLS totally excluded from my plan. Total for everything was $9950. No overnight stay. I am lucky that the insurance paid for pretty much everything else.

Did you get hold of your doctor and find out for sure what was wrong?

I have dizzy spells having to do with my sinuses. I've had them for years. If they get really bad, I have to take meclazine, which is available over the counter now. It happens every few months. I have low blood pressure and always have. I am also hypoglycemic, which means when I eat too much sugar or carbs at once or don't get enough Protein to balance it, my pancreas produces too much insulin and drops my blood sugar and I crash. That is a horrible feeling and involves fainting and being really sick feeling. Doesn't seem to be affected by my weight as I have had it since I was a teenager and not overweight. There is also the possibility that as you lose weight, your body breaks down the fat, and the fat has hormones and various whatever was in your body at the time it was stored. That can mess you up a bit. I have a friend who uses this as her reason for not losing weight.

No, I meant is the popping in the front or side, or could it be your back or hip popping or possibly a pulled muscle?

Yep, this summer when I had the skin cancer removed from my face it swelled up like a balloon and got infected. It also drained for several days a gross and annoying thing. It's been a fabulous year for me. It's back to being flat, but, as my lips are not moving down to where they belong (they had to remove a lot of tissue to get the cancer, so the left side of my lips are being pulled up), it will probably have to be revised. I feel a real need to be able to close my lips. It's been less than three months and it looks tons better, so don't let the seroma throw you off. I don't have a uterus. Getting rid of that thing was one of the happiest days of my life. I hope the hormones work. I really don't want to have anything else done, if I don't have to. The big one is 3 cm and is just making my side, back, stomach and pelvis hurt at random. I think they just thought I was kind of whining. But, geez, OW! Then fine.

I am three months out and still tender, but no popping. Is it joint popping or something else? I would get on the phone with the Doctor's office and ask.

You can go up and down quite a bit during the day. Also, if you are eating those frozen meals or commercial foods they have tons of salt in them. I found that I bloat up quite badly if I don't stay away from them.

I am chewing one children's vitamin. I am pretty senstive to vitamins, so taking an adult one is too much. They taste pretty much the same as I remember. I am also supposed to chew two antacids, like rolaids or tums for calcium. I am not short of anything, so I don't need anything extra or special. Both are cheap and easy.

Whoa, missed a few days there. Tummy tuck should be a treat after the first few days. Patience is a hard thing. Those treatments seem to go on forever and all kinds of things in life come up to interfere. Of course, other people telling you that doesn't help. Nurses are needed everywhere. We are building a new nursing school here to produce even more nurses. You shouldn't have too much of a time finding work. Hopefully somewhere you really like. Yep, it does make a difference mentally when you really start liking yourself. You don't really realize how much you really were affected by your appearance until it changes so much. You also have more energy to resist it. Don't let them suck you down. They are inconvenienced by their job, let them find another one. Go back to school and find something you like. It's really a pain to go to a job you hate or that just doesn't make your brain work. I am working on getting into a PhD program right now. I am finishing up my masters. It's a lot of work, but well worth it in the end. I found out my problem was an ovarian cyst. Never had one before in my life. So, now I am back on birth control pills for a few weeks so hopefully it will shrink. That took four doctors to figure out. Everybody assumes it's your band. Had that tested and nothing. GP was not really concerned about it. I went to the proctologist thinking it was my intestines and he ordered a CT scan and, boom, cyst. Explains all the pain everywhere. Not to mention the moods swings and greasy complexion. Hopefully the pills work. I go back in four weeks to have an ultrasound. Both myself and the ultrasound technician are on jury duty at the same time. I am hoping neither of us gets called in.

I had my hysterectomy four years ago and with abdominal surgery you get what's called "swelly belly." At first it would swell as much as 5" a day. It was very annoying. It doesn't do it too much anymore and I don't regret it for a moment. Mind you, I didn't get the tummy tuck at the same time, so no support wraps, just my trusty pillow. I would totally get my breasts lifted, but no implants, don't need them. Just be nice if they didn't point towards the ground like torpedoes. So, go for it and get excited you will love how you look! I had a CT scan today. Still having this pain in my left side and back. I have been assured that it is not my band, so since there are no masses, CT scan. I had to drink two bottles of barium. I cannot recommend this at all. It was berry flavored. I have no idea what kind of berry they were aiming for. They also injected me with this stuff to highlight the urinary tract and said I would feel some "warmth." Actually, it makes you feel like you've wet your pants, only you haven't. That was just very odd. I find out the results tomorrow. I doubt they will find anything. I have had so many tests and they can't figure it out. Then I give up and it flares up again and I go back. I have family history, so I can't ignore it. But it's annoying none the less. On the upside, my GERD has receded finally. It's hardly bothering me at all and I haven't had a PVC in days. I am on full liquids for another week. I am mostly complying. It's a pain as they bring in bagels and donuts to work all the time. I am supposed to attend a luncheon tomorrow, but I can't eat anything there, so I'll just be setting up. People at work know about my band, so I just tell them I can't have something and they don't question it and are very supportive.