BJean

I came home from the hospital and immediately put on 4 lbs!! I couldn't understand it but I knew not to get too upset because with all I'd been through and only eating liquids, etc., that it must be a temporary situation. I guess like someone said here, my body was retaining Fluid because of the trauma and swelling. If your incision sites were a bit irritated, you could definitely be retaining fluid. It's your body's way of helping deal with any toxins and with the healing process itself. It makes me feel better and I hope it makes you feel better Tiffany that there are actual reasons why the scale wouldn't reflect you eating so much less than normal. And if you are like me, I've been on so many diets that worked and then they didn't, no matter what I did. So it's hard to stay confident when we've been through things that just didn't turn out well. This time it will. I'm convinced that this is different and we aren't just dieting. We actually do have help - a large portion of our stomach is gone and our body composition has changed forever. Also, our stomach produces hormones and all that changed with the surgery too. I don't know how many stories I've read about people becoming depressed after the surgery. I'm trying very hard to keep that from happening to me and to stay upbeat no matter what. The people who are so supportive here help with that. I am glad you've seen a drop in the scale now - be happy that you have a plan and you're headed in the right direction. We're all pulling for you!

I'm confused. Who're we talking to here ariscus or patty? We were debating with patty then she disappeared and then ariscus took up the cause. Are they tag teaming us?

I have no way of knowing how someone who is developmentally challenged feels about hearing the word "retard" so I certainly accept your word on the subject. However, there's a difference between someone using the term to denote someone who is seeimgly not very bright when they are spouting politics, and someone who is actually developmentally challenged. Not that it is an acceptable term for anyone to use, admittedly. But for someone to call the president or other black person a "nigger" is truly a different can of worms. The way I know this is because of the common usages of the word today. For someone to call another person a "retard" they are accusing the person of not being very bright. For someone to call another person a "nigger" means that they are literally less of a human being, one who is inferior not just intellectually but also in every other way imaginable. So I while I think your point is well taken, I disagree that the term "nigger" is on the same insult scale as some of the other slurs you listed. But then I don't use racial or intellectual slurs as a general rule. By the way, what's a pape? Did you mean pope?

You hang out with patty I presume?

Now give us the background on the word 'retard' and how it was originally used and what it has come to mean today.

I blame the greedy mortgage lenders who came up with the outrageous programs that allowed people to own homes they couldn't afford. The congressional law makers did not think those up. In fact, if they knew it would go that far, they would have imposed regulations instead of trusting that the lenders would do business in a morally upright fashion.

I am not against gun ownership at all. And I get it about the "right to bear arms" and "keeping the the government in check" mantra. But I have to strongly disagree with you here, Leigha. If we weren't such an open nation it might be different, but we have so many people here illegally, some who are terrorists making plans as I type, and true gangster Americans who are willing to kill and be killed for money and power. None of them should be able to buy any kind of weaponry here. And how can we stop them unless we law abiding citizens are willing to fill out the forms and have our names cross referenced and even our finger prints taken and checked out (what's wrong with that?) before we buy a gun? Too many murders are committed in the heat of passion and waiting until it is confirmed that you are a law-abiding American citizen should not cause any gun purchaser any grief if they have don't have plans to do something illegal. Most of the NRA and gun lobbies are controlled by the weapons manufacturers. So once again, big business is controlling our safety in this country. When are we going to stop allowing greed to influence us? Bottom line: we can own guns and still have checks and balances to protect the innocent.

You peeps crack me up!!! I thought it was fortuitous that this BP disaster right off our shores followed the president's announcement that he was endorsing offshore drill, baby drilling. I don't know why they didn't call Joe. Maybe he was out of touch because he was off playing with somebody's plumbing. He was his own disaster just waiting to happen. So are the tea baggers.

I think I had enough experience with the band that I recognize that feeling in my esophogus and so far, knock on wood, that hasn't happened to me. I added up the calories in the tuna, low-fat mayo and a tiny bit of pickle relish with 4 crackers and it is less than 300 calories. What a great treat for that number of calories.

I slept sitting up for the first 6 nights because my doctor's surgical assistant said that if you sleep lying down and favor one side or the other, the gas would settle in your shoulder or side. That had happened to me when I got the band and I knew I didn't want to feel that pain! I don't know why they don't explain better what helps you deal with that. Like the walking. It is such an amazing help to get rid of the gas pain and swelling discomfort. If you're feeling like posting you're doing better so good for you! I've learned that each and every day brings some improvement. Before you know it, you're going to be forgetting all about the bad and painful moments you went through and looking at your scale with a big smile on your face. Good luck!

Hi Swifty. Good operating tip for today. I'm supposed to get tuna with some low fat mayo so I'm glad I read your post before I attempted it. Gotta go grocery shopping for the ingredients. Did you have any crackers? Guess I will have an episode like yours at some point - that's a real reality check, eh?

You're still very early in the game. It sounds like you're doing just great!

I'm having a terrible time getting the Water down. Everytime I drink more than about 4 ozs, it gives me heartburn and I am NOT drinking fast. I'm drinking very slowly and just sipping very small amounts at a time. If I drink water before bedtime I have to use Mylanta to stop the burn so I can go to sleep. Anybody else have this? ouroborous, I can eat more than it sounds like others can eat too. And I'm a short person. I could eat a whole container of yogurt (6 oz) at one meal, over about a 30 to 45 min. span within the 8 day mark. I'm losing a little everyday, but no major drops. I think I can be satisfied with losing a little slower than some people do especially if it means that I feel better in the process. I have to keep reminding myself that as long as I don't eat the junk, I'll lose over the long haul.

goodlife that sounds like an absolute blast. One of my fondest fun memories was of a few days in N.O. with a couple of my friends. Turned out to be one of those times when you hope that whatever happens in New Orleans, stays in New Orleans! LOL

Frankly anything that Tiffy suggests should be golden words for me since she's had such amazing success. Those little mounds of crunchy cheese sound delicious. I am not to the point yet where I crave crunchy. And I'm definitely a crunchy food lover. Today I get to try tuna and salmon and I'm really excited. It even says I can have a few saltines so lunch is going to be a treat. I have only eaten things on my meal plan and when I tallied up the count last night I had eaten a whopping 995 calories! Everything is sugar free and low cal. I just had a day where I couldn't stop eating every couple of hours. And I learned real quick that a few Beans with a little cheese on top really runs up the calorie count. At first they were worth it, but I can have a whole glass of skim milk and Protein powder and have less than half the calories of a small amount of beans and cheese. This is a learning process, for sure!

agives I'll bet pnw is right and you got more swelling from the irritation of the throwing up. It's really good news that you're feeling pretty normal now. I'm still improving everyday and I am so surprised that I think I should pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. The first few days were so awful! Who knew healing would take place so quickly! Hope you're even better tomorrow!

I was thinking about this some more and I thought of another reason why your diet may be better than mine (and iluvaleo's bf's) is that I may not be getting enough Protein because I'm filling up on other things that are better tasting. They print in big letters that it is very important that you drink 3 whey Protein drinks per day. I'm only getting in about one of maybe 2. This whole discussion has made me think better of what I'm doing. I'm going to work harder at drinking the shakes. I don't have that much hair to start with!

I haven't had any trouble taking them since I got home either, goodlife. But I am very very careful.

That definitely IS amazing goodlife! I wonder which of our doctors has been doing this the longest? That may have nothing to do with it. However the doctor's surgical assistant and I had a talk last week and I was bragging on the way they've structured the post-op diet. She said that they used to have their patient's coming after one week and then again at 3 weeks saying they were starving to death. So they had their dietician re-do the plan and she said she worked it out to the letter. Now they have a daily plan that adds up to 1200-1400 calories per day but there is no way in the world that anybody can actually eat it all. So not only are the foods varied, but their patients feel like they're really accomplishing something by not eating everything on the list. I'm easily influenced by reverse psychology, I guess because I fell for it hook, line and sinker. And interestingly the only discomfort I've experienced, food-wise, is a burning sensation in my mid-section. I also learned that I have a hiatal hernia so it could be from that. Or it could just be from having the tube down my throat during surgery or whatever they manhandled during surgery. I do get the messge real quick that I should stop eating and have only had a couple bites too many once or twice. And don't want to do that again. My heart goes out to you. I'm so happy and handling this so darned well that I feel really lucky. I know I would think I was starving to death if I were on your eating plan. But like I said, I'll bet you drop some significant poundage much faster than I do. That will make what you're doing all worthwhile because that's why we did this, right? Keep me posted on your progress, please. It really helps to have someone else at my same surgery date, to compare notes with. BJean

jack I really enjoyed reading your experiences! All I can say is what a wuss. KIDDING!! I am so glad that you're on the mend and I second that emotion, Swiftflow, don't try to pick up anything or scratch anything lower than your butt. KIDDING!! I do not know what's happened to me you guys, but I seriously have been acting like I'm trying out for the comedy show. I think I am already very happy I've done this or maybe it's just that I got that freakin' band out of my system. Whatever it is, I'm in a great mood and although Swift has me beat by a mile with his weight loss, I'm real happy with the way things are going. Hang in there jack, like stacy says things get better every day! And goodlife, symethicone is what GasX has that makes it effective. And my doc gave me the go ahead on that if I need it. Which I have not. I've had a soft scrambled egg, a poached egg, applesauce, banana, cottage cheese, pears, chichen & tomato cream Soups, yogurt, mashed potatoes, baked potato, soft cooked carrots and green Beans and tonight I get black beans and salsa. I am thrilled with the way they set up my eating plan to add something good every other day. In fact, it's probably too good because I'm not drinking as much of the Protein powder as I should in order to get 64 gms. of protein everyday. (goodlife you'll probably NOT lose your hair and you'll be saying "ninnie, ninnie, na-na" when mine does.) I also have trouble getting in all that Water. But I'm not complaining! Tuesday I start fish. Whoo hoo!

My doctor sent me home with the anti-nausea suppositories. I thought everyone got them. They sure don't want me to be nauseated with uncontrolled vomiting. Which it sure sounds like you have. Dang it girl! Just a tip that I've learned... if I eat some Soup or something and then follow it with any Water at all I get that horrible pain that makes me want to pace the floor until it eases up. I looked and my post-op requirement page says no water before or after eating. Not that this is your problem, but it could have contributed. I do so much better when I understand what medications are supposed to do and why I need to take them. I've never heard of Carafate and haven't taken anything like that at all. I can't take codeine so I was sent home with Darvon. It worked well but only needed a couple of them. And the doc did find a hiatal hernia that he didn't know I had. It's still there I think. So when I had some burning when I was first home (I had surgery 4/28 too) he said I could take a little liquid Mylanta. I couldn't sleep last night because of the burning in my mid-section (after eating about half of a small baked potato, so I had some Mylanta and fell right to sleep. Don't try to be strong or tough, listen to your body like everyone has suggested - they said that dehydration is one of the most important things you need to avoid. Keep us posted when you feel like it. We're sure pulling for you that this is a short lived problem!!

Pammi, you're doing the right thing by trying to figure this out now. I was worried about one pill in particular that I was taking because it was rather large and dry (no coating.) I thought I could just crush it but the instructions say to never crush them. My doctor didn't know it but the pharmacist did, that they make it in a crushable form in a smaller dosage. So the doc ordered it for me and I take them twice a day instead of once. You should get the Centrum multi-vitamin that is chewable to take care of the Vitamin thing. They do not always have the chewable ones, so either order them in advance or find a place that carries it. They're great and you can get them in several kinds of dosages. For the other things, you might check into a pharmacy that actually mixes the meds themselves. Your doctor may know of one if you don't. But they will be happy to discuss the possibilities and find a remedy. My doctor had a sleeve patient who had always taken a load of vitamin supplements pre-surgery. He thought he was fully recovered from the surgery, swelling, etc., but one morning he took his pills as usual and wound up aspirating them into his lungs. He almost died but the doctor did an emergency surgery to retreive them. Came up with a handful of Vitamins and saved the guy's life. This is not something to take lightly. It's real important. I haven't had a moment where I thought I would throw up or aspirate anything. But I'm being very careful and only taking one small whole pill per day (blood pressure.) But my recovery is young. I only got the sleeve last week. Take care and keep doing your homework! Hope you get your sleeve date soon.

Cleo's you're good! I don't have time to do the research but you take care of it so well. I heard yesterday about the gains in employment this quarter. Wow. This means so much to America's recovery! I couldn't believe my eyes and ears when I saw Republicans speaking about Obama being slow to react to the oil spill. They not only can't read graphs, they're completely nuts when it comes to criticizing Obama. They complain when they should be bragging. The political division they're encouraging is so mean and counterproductive for this country. I hope their selfish ways come back to bite them.

Cleo's you're a veritable font of knowledge. So many people who have seen their savings go down the tubes but who have an income that has kept them afloat still support Republicans, like they always have, because of the political myth in this country that Republicans want smaller government and encourage individual wealth. What the Republicans have actually given us is encouragement of the extremely wealthy and no serious cutting of taxes or slashing of government programs. When you get into a conversation with them, you realize that they're operating on the great Reagan-isms and myths that the Republican party has always claimed as their own. Furthermore, it makes sense to think that the Democratic ideology of helping others is a threat to their personal fortunes. And if you look at the real evidence the Democrats haven't really been that successful in any meaningful socialistic-type reforms. But the thing that they promise that actually helps everyone but the extremely wealthy, is the protection they try to provide to middle class Americans from the greedy, dishonest predators of corporate America.

Liegha I too think we should all be gun toters. I'd love to pack heat everyday and flash it at anyone who starts acting like an idiot or threatening me. I am pretty sure that a heckofa lot of this angry, mean garbage that gets tossed back and forth by everybody today would come to a complete halt if people knew that anyone who disagrees with them could blast 'em, Al Capone style, if they wanted to. And funniest thing I've noticed... I'm taking my meds, my incision is healing nicely, I'm losing weight quickly and geez, I still find patty's posts revolting. Go figure.