1019Joanne

it IS going to get better! The first few days are miserable to get through, but you will be on the other side of this in no time! I slept in a reclining chair for the first few days, since I could not lay down in my own bed. My best advise - drink lots of water, take your prescribed pain meds, and walk walk walk! Your body needs to rehydrate after the sugery, and the water does make you feel better. Take the pain meds when you need them - no one likes to be in pain! Walking, moving your body, will get the leftover gas (from the surgery) to move out, and it also gets your muscles and joints going again, since we are so used to moving! I wish you good things on this journey!

Congratulations on the 20lbs and on the shopping spree! It's so very nice to treat yourself to new things, and especially in a smaller size! Keep up the good work!

so scary! Thanks for sharing the info on potassium, and how very important it is to our bodies! I think that sometimes we are so focused on what we cannot physically eat, that we forget what we need to eat to keep us going! Hope you are feeling better!

make the best of this - the earlier date means that by Labor Day weekend, you will be ready to visit with people, and feeling more like your own self! This is just a small hiccup on the road to a new you...Best wishes as you start this journey!

yay - the fills are a breeze! I think the anticipation of the fill, for me, was so much worse than the actual fill itself! Congratulations with the weight loss!

You never know where you are going to find someone who understands.... This past Saturday was my youngest daughters high school graduation party, and toward the end of the party, I tripped over a root of a tree (a root that I had warned people about over and over about through the day,but failed to heed my own advise) and after getting the party all cleaned up, I really had a chance to check out my foot, and then I decided on a quick trip to the emergency room, since I could no longer get my foot in any of my shoes, and the top of my foot was a beautiful shade of purple. The emergency room was quiet for a Saturday night - and we got in pretty quickly. Several nurses asked what I had taken for pain management, which was nothing, since I recently had a fill, and pills and I are not getting along very well. The doctor who first checked in on my ordered 400mg of childrens Motrin, and pretty soon a beautiful nurse knocked on the door and said "can I ask why childrens Motrin, and not adult Motrin?" - I explained about my surgery, and my recent fill, and my nurse gave me a hug, and said she, too, is a bandster, and that she understood perfectly what I was going through! It was such a comforting situation, and I knew that no matter what the xray showed, I was in good hands. This nurse checked on me several times, we compared stories, shared experiences, and bonded over our bands in the ER - and not only do I have a new friend on this journey (she is already at goal) but I hobbled out with no broken bones, just a severe sprain of my foot. You just never know where you are going to find support....and I am so happy that I found this nurse, who took the time to double check orders, and make my visit to the ER easy!

don't be afraid of the needle! really! it's ok! you will hardly even know you are being poked! I was terrified when I had my first fill, and that nervousness was for nothing! Best wishes on this journey!

Best wishes to you! I will be cheering you on from here! You can do it!

Happy Birthday to you! today is the day to celebrate your new life! Have fun at the beach! and I wish you many more birthdays to celebrate!

Hang in there! Day 2 and 3 are just around the corner! I agree that you need to call your doctor, just to check in and make sure all is going well with your recovery. You really do need to try and get some liquids in you - SF popsicles are an awesome suggestion - and water! Sip it, and just keep on sipping. gasX strips helped me with gas pains after my surgery - but it might not work for everyone. My suggestion is to talk a little walk around the house every couple of hours, and get that gas moving around. The good news is, that day 1 is just about done! Keep up the good work!

one you learn your band, you can eat just about anything - in moderation. Chew everything well, and just be comfortable with what you order when you go out, and you are going to be just fine on your work trip! Best Wishes!

sixteen pounds and no fill yet! You are awesome! Keep it up! So proud of you!

love love LOVE the dress! You look great! So happy for you! Isn't shopping so much fun now! Enjoy every minute - you deserve it!

It's been almost 9 months since my surgery, and just over a year from when I started the whole band process. Lately tho, I thought I was stuck in a holding pattern, a plateau of a huge magnitude. I went to my regularly scheduled appointment with my surgeon yesterday, and dreaded the walk to the scale. I even told the PA that I knew I had not lost one pound over the past 7 weeks. and he agreed with me.....since I had lost 3! I am not going to disparage the weight loss, since every single pound I lose is another one off of me. I talked at length with my doctor over my eating habits (and it helps that I track my food intake daily online) and I was totally honest with him - including a stop at Dairy Queen over the weekend - and my exercise routine. We decided to up the cc's in my band ( I had 6 since February) and now I am at 7 cc's in a 9cc realize band. Today, I feel full. Really full. I am following my doctors 4 day after fill diet, and I am ok. I know this weight loss plan is a journey - and not short one at that. and I am so happy I really did lose weight over the past few weeks....so here I am....keeping up with the "band"wagon!

Congratulations! Yahoo! ONEderland!

best wishes!

CONGRATULATIONS! You really ARE a lucky god! LOL - but seriously, when you think back to where you were one year ago and compare it to where you stand today, I am sure you are healthier, happier, and 100 lbs lighter! I wish you continued success!

Congratulations on this journey! I wish you a quick recovery! I am almost 8 months post op, and I know this is the best decision I made for myself in a long long long time! Here is to the rest of your life!

you did it! You made it to ONEderland just in time for your birthday! I am so proud of you! Keep up the good work!

I work in telecommunications, and I agree that yesterday was a BAD day! But, back to the reason why we are here.....sometimes a short lapse in the way we eat makes us realize what is important, and gets us back on track - with more focus on the long haul. Best wishes! Have a better day today!

you need to get a reusable water bottle - and drink drink drink all day long! I work in an office setting, and I drink at least 24 oz of water while at work -sometimes more - since I know that is the only way to keep my body going, and stop the hungries, never mind the dry lips, etc. Hang in there!

In a year, you are going to be so happy that you did NOT chicken out. This is the start of a whole new you, and congratulations! You are going to be just fine! Best Wishes!

Yum....I cannot wait to try this! Thank you for sharing!