should_be_working

WTG, Jerry! I am so happy for you. You've had a great start!

John, It sounds like you're doing really well! I wish that full filling would last until the first fill. For me, it lasted about 2 weeks. I still have 5 more weeks until my first fill because of my doc's vacation schedule. Aargh.

Let us know how it goes! My DH and I used to live in Mason. Are you anywhere near there?

Kate, I met my DH about 2 weeks before I attended a Single Mothers by Choice seminar. I think that when you're happy with yourself and moving forward with your own life, you are much more attractive to the opposite sex. I love my husband to death, but I never could have imagined the depth of love that I feel for my daughters. I wish that for you also.

Kimo, That's a lot of solid food after only 6 days. I know that every doctor gives different guidelines and yours (4 weeks on liquids) seem strict, but I haven't seen anybody whose doctor would let them go to solid foods after six days. I agree that what's done is done, but I don't want to give the impression that you should keep doing this. This isn't a diet to lose weight right now. It's a diet to heal from surgery. I think the foods that you are eating could be very dangerous for you. Please call your doctor, tell her what you've already eaten and ask if you can move on to mushies. How much protein is in your shake mix? Mine has 22 grams/serving and they do a pretty good job at staving off hunger. I wish you the best of luck. There isn't a single person on this board who got here because of an excess of willpower. This is hard for all of us.

I'm exhausted. How can anyone have enough energy to exercise when they're only getting 600-800 calories/day? I am getting plenty of protein. I can get through the day as far as my work and my household go, but if I didn't HAVE to do those things and I had some extra time, I'd be napping, not exercising.

I had the same thing happen on the evening of day 2 and the morning of day 3. I think it was from taking the Vicodin pills which got hung up. It really helped me to sleep in a sitting position in a recliner for the first few days. It was at least 2 days from the first dry heaves before I felt like I could walk around without working myself into the need to stop and gag. I did keep drinking, btw, which I think is the only thing that kept me from becoming so dehydrated that I would have had to return to the hospital. I stopped all Vitamins though and started cutting my vicodin pills in half and taking them very, very slowly. I wish you much luck. Post and let us know how you're doing.

Thanks for the support, everyone. In my head, I know that regular exercise will make me feel more energetic. I just need to get my body to understand that! Jachut, I know that you are on maintenance at this point but I do have a question for you. Once I start eating regular food again, I have been advised to aim for 3 meals of 1/2 cup each and to focus on eating healthy Proteins first. The remainder of the meal should be non-starchy veggies or fruit. I am not supposed to snack. It seems to me that 1.5 cups of food per day is still going to result in a very low calorie intake for someone who is also trying to exercise, especially if I am conscientious about making healthy food choices. Kate, I'm not sure if the TOS here allow us to post links to other sites, but I track my calories, Protein, carbs, sodium, etc. on The Daily Plate. It's super easy and they also have a nice weight chart.

I believe it's from the air that they pump into your stomach during surgery. It took me about 10 days to get past it. Walking really is the key.

I had my surgery around 1 p.m. on a Wednesday and left the hospital by noon the following day. I was exhausted from the anesthesia and pain meds but they barely let me sleep... someone was constantly checking my temperature, blood pressure, etc. Walking up and down the hospital hallways was a PITA with the IV. Plus, I had to share a room/TV. I was much more comfortable when I got home. My DH isn't particularly solicitous (thinks he is, though) but I got by okay.

I agree. I was talking to a guy in the waiting room at my doc's office and he's been losing for 6 months without a fill. My surgeon also waits 6 weeks but I have to wait 8 because of his vacation schedule.

My patient manual specifically states the number of calories that are provided in their sample liquid diet, but it doesn't do that for mushies or the regular diet. Have your docs given you any guidelines for those 2 phases?

Decolady, I have DDR and I love it! It's an amazing workout and so much fun. I just wish I had more control over the type of music. It's definitely high impact so if you have bad knees or ankles, it might not be the best choice. Also, you'll want a better dance pad than the flimsy one that generally comes with the game.

I'm probably not much help here as I just started mushies, but my doctor still wants me to limit my portion sizes to 1/2 cup per meal even though I won't have a fill until 10/21. Given the small portion size, I find that I still have to supplement with a protein shake and that takes the place of any snacks that I might have needed otherwise. If I make good food choices (low fat, low carb), my total calorie intake is still very low. That is what prompted my other post. At 600 calories/day, I have almost no energy.

I was just banded last month and haven't flown yet although I do have travel plans coming up next month. Do you attribute this to the altitude changing the pressure in your band and causing more restriction?

I got the Realize band and the first fill isn't until 6 weeks post-op. At least, that's when it's supposed to be. Unfortunately, my doc is going to be on vacation during the 6th week and I'm going to be out of town during the 7th week so I won't get a fill until 10/21 -- 8 weeks post-op. I'm so aggravated. I'm just transitioning to mushies tomorrow but I can tell you that I'm already starving. Post when you've had your fill and tell us what it's like. I'm very curious.

Clear for 2 days, full liquid for 2 weeks. Looking forward to mushies on Thursday! I agree, though, that you should contact your doc before moving on.

My doctor has recommended against it but he was a little wishy washy, leading me to believe that it would be smart to avoid caffeine but that it probably wouldn't hurt me if I did. What are other docs recommending?

Great advice from Liz. I use an online journal too and I love the idea of printing it out and taking it in. I think we are all a little paranoid that they will assume that we are just overeating. I use this one because it has a nice weight graph and it breaks down your total food intake to give you the totals for the day of protein, carbs, sodium, etc. Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate

My 7 year old fell, hurt herself and was crying. I picked her up without even thinking about it and set her on the kitchen counter so that I could inspect the injury. She's the one who reminded me that I'm not supposed to lift her. Oops. I didn't feel anything pulling or ripping. I'm not taking any pain meds right now and am only a little sore, but I could kick myself and I'm crossing my fingers that I didn't do any damage. She's fine, btw.

I believe the reasons that I was told to avoid it were that (1) caffeine is a diuretic and many of us flirt with dehydration, and (2) caffeine causes blood vessels to constrict which is not good during the healing stage. I've had terrible headaches from caffeine withdrawal so I had my first cup of tea today. I'm going to drink it in moderation (one cup per day) for now.

I'm also supposed to aim for 60 grams of protein and I don't see how it can be done without a protein drink. The one I got is the GNC Max Protein which has 22 grams of protein per serving. I drink two of them each day and use a scoop and a half instead of just one scoop. Today I also had tomato soup. Other things that I've tried are yogurt, pudding and sugar free popsicles but those don't provide much nourishment.

I'm still swollen, but I'm only 4 days out from surgery. Here's an odd side effect of the swelling... I need my reading glasses for the computer monitor now. I guess my eyes are even swollen a little. My incisions do occasionally fell warm to the touch. I thought it was pretty normal but have been watching for fever. They aren't particularly painful, weeping, etc., although the itching has started. I still have numbness around my c-section scar. Good luck on that.

I agree with you, Justin. That's one of the reasons that I haven't shared the fact of my surgery with anyone except my family and my closest friends. This was a difficult decision for me. I really don't need anyone else to judge it. Lazy? I've worked harder at diet and exercise than just about anyone I know. I've lost weight lots of times. I'm also not stupid. There comes a time to recognize that you need a little extra help. To ignore that fact is to invite heart disease, diabetes, stroke, etc.