Astrasmom

Your doing great. Try eating higher Protein foods like chicken or fish. Are you still taking the Protein drinks? I am allowed to have 3 - 8oz shakes a day. I'm really only taking 1 now because I use Protein Bars also

Woo hooo!! Congratulations. We will save you a nice warm seat on the losers bench. Everyone is spooked before the surgery but you will be fine and losing weight before you can even blink your eyes. Make sure you have some Gas-X strips and be sure to walk walk walk after your surgery. Keep us posted on your progress.

hah cabin fever. We all go through that. You will be up and running in no time. Don't rush yourself. Congratulations by the way. I did the same thing as you. I decided a few days after surgery that I was going to walk more than I should have and I paid for it the following day. Good luck to you. And I'm glad that the bad pain is gone.

It's normal to feel discomfort. It's your body healing. I am almost 4 months in and I occasionally feel port discomfort. What types of activities have you been doing? Maybe you over did it a bit? I would suggest taking it easy for a couple of days and definitely don't gulp your Water. You can temporarily stretch your pouch and that hurts. Your port is attached to a muscle. That muscle has to heal. It's probably a muscle spasm. Try putting a heating pad on it.

Welcome BJ. Feel free to read and ask questions. We are like a big family here. Are you banded yet, in the process or thinking about being banded?

Congratulations on taking your first step. I would say take things one day at a time and ask alot of questions. You are in the right place. There is alot of information here. If I had this to do all over again I would do it in a heartbeat. If you follow the plan that your doctor gives to you, you will be successful. I won't lie, the surgery does hurt but that's what your pain medication is for afterwards. It takes about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to be back to normal. Remember you are doing this for you, not your friends. It's pretty suprising when you start losing the weight how differently people look at you. In a good way that is. And the compliments you get are pretty awesome. I have to admit my self confidence was pretty much in the crapper before my surgery. Now I feel much better about myself. Anyway I wish you lost of success and please feel free to ask any questions you like. We are all here for each other.

So many people will say that lapband surgery is the easy way out but there really is nothing easy about this process. I was banded on Oct 23, 2009 and I have thus far lost a total of 67lbs. Let me tell you what I had to do to get there. So before I had my surgery I was a whopping 304lbs. YIKES. Figure it out as to how much I weigh now. I have about 87lbs to go. Anyway in 2001 I had open heart surgery for an Aortic Anuerysm and a valve replacement. Since a porcine valve (Pigs valve..no bacon jokes please) was used I will need to have the surgery again in another couple of years because unfortunately they don't last more then 10 years. Why did I have that kind of valve put in? Because I was young and didn't fancy the idea of taking a blood thinner for the rest of my life. So I have been following a Cardiologist. Anyway for years I have been battleing a weight problem. I have tried every diet that you can think of. And I have actually lost weight. Only to gain it back again by hitting a major sink hole on the highway. One day at a check up my Cardiologist told me that it was time to start thinking about my surgery again. Then told me that if I didn't really think about losing weight I could possibly die on the table or run the risk of several infections. So I think that was the day that I really woke up and said, "Hey you need to do something about this." So I started doing research. And after attending a Bariatric Weightloss Seminar and 6 months of nutrional visits along with other types of doctor visits I finally had my surgery. So now I am down 67lbs and EXERCISING!! But along with that weight loss comes endless calorie counting, vitamin intake, making sure you chew your food so it doesn't get stuck. And lots of will power. People think once you get that lapband in you aren't gong to be hungry. BULL CRAP. You are hungry and the thing is it does take alot of will power because you can keep eating. You have to teach yourself the difference between head hunger and real hunger. You can't let food control you. The band is a tool. It's not a get thin quick type of deal. It does require alot of work. And you can eat pretty much anything in moderation. I don't do bread, pasta or beef. They don't agree with me. So here I am riding the Highway of Life without hitting the pot holes anymore. Oh I do hit those speed bumps once and awhile. I'm only human. I have to 'cheat' once and awhile. But unlike before I know how to control myself. And I know that if I want to be healthy and stay alive, this is the end of the road for me. I have to be serious. This is probably the best thing that I have ever done for myself. I have NO regrets and if I had it to do over again, I would.

It actually is your body not getting enough Protein. The anesthesia is out of your body in 48 hours so I don't think that it could possibly be that. I haven't had any problems with hair loss and I am almost 4 months out. Just make sure that you take your Vitamins and consume enough protein.

Right now it's all a mental thing. You have no restriction so basically it's all up to you and a 'diet'. Make sure you are drinking your Protein shakes and with your meals, make sure that you weight and measure everything. You can eat more then you are supposed to at this stage, so you really have to portion your food out. If you feel yourself getting hungry, drink some fluids instead, or try and find something to get your mind off of food. If you find yourself reaching for something that you shouldn't, WAIT - think of the positive of having the food, and the negative of having the food. Chances are the negative out weighs the positive. Make yourself a food journal and write down everything you have for the day. And don't beat yourself up over a pound or 2. It will come off again. Try increasing your exercise if you are able to do that. Maybe walk longer? There are all types of exercises that you can do in your home if you feel uncomfortable exercising infront of people or can't get out of the house. Even chair exercises. Also try eating higher protein foods that will keep you fuller longer like chicken or fish. I also live on sugar free Ice Pops. They are my lifesavers because they take care of my sweet tooth even though they are sugar free. Hope this helps. Good luck to you.

Everyone is fearful of moving to the next step. The point is this is a learning process. And you will learn different things along your journey. Like what you can and can not eat. I am almost 4 months out and still take the protein supplements. 1 to 2 times a day. It all depends how my mood is that day. If I feel myself more hungry then I tend to have 2 drinks. Sometimes I may even have 3 drinks. There is no reason why you have to eliminate them. But you do have to try different foods. If you don't you will get bored of what you are consuming and go on a binge eating down the line. Don't be afraid of food. Don't let food control you. You control the food. Yes it's easier said then done, but we all need to over come those fears in order to be successful in our journeys. Our moto in our support group is 'Everything in moderation.' Remember this is a lifestyle change, not a give up living your life changing experience. I tend to eat alot of chicken and fish myself. The red meat doesn't agree with me. To be honest with you everytime I get a fill I am fearful of what I can and can not eat, but I know that I have to try different things. Good luck to you and I hope it works out. Your doing great.

Congratulations. The time will arrive faster then you could imagine. I would be happy to help you. I was banded on 10-23-09. You can email me at cc-dmtermini@comcast.net if you like or write here. My name is Dawn.

Hi Elizabeth. My name is Dawn and I'm also from NJ. I was banded on 10-23-09. Congratulations to you. You are doing great. Where in NJ are you from? And who did your surgery? I'm from South Jersey and Dr. Reich did my surgery. I'm down 62lbs all together with the pre-op diet. 52lbs since surgery.

I have heard that pineapple juice works. It helps to break down the food. Try drinking a tiny amount to see if that helps. If you are still feeling this way in a day or so I would call the doctor.

Thank you both for your information. This was very informative and answered my question.

I have been reading a few posts about band erosion and I was wondering what causes band erosion?

Try the Wii Active too. It comes with the resistance band and you don't have to use the fitness board if you don't want to. Give you a bit more of a workout than the Wii Fit does.

Thank you. I have looked for what you were talking about and I can't find it. If you could find it for me I would much appreciate it.

Hi Shellie. You have come to the right place. Be sure to ask alot of questions. My name is Dawn and I was banded on Oct 23, 2009. The ONLY regret that I have about this surgery is that I didn't get it along time ago. I have been over weight for much of my adult life. I will be 43 next week (Feb 17). I am wearing size 18 jeans right now. I was a size 26 when I started. Soon I should drop down to a size 16, where I haven't been in a very LONG time. I know what it's like to be in a world where everyone looks at you differently because your the 'fatty'. Where everyone tells you, "You really should start taking care of yourself better." Even though you are trying your best to take care of yourself but the food is controlling every minute of your life. My self esteem was pretty much in the toilet. Between my pre-op diet and the band I have lost 62lbs so far and am feeling much better about myself. My highest weight was 304lbs and I am now 242lbs. My self confidence is coming back again. I have about 95lbs to lose but now it doesn't seem so hard to get there. I know I can do it and I WILL get there. In 2001 I had open heart surgery for an aortic aneurysm and valve replacement. At the time I had a pigs valve put in because I was only 33 and the thought of having to take blood thinner for the rest of my life didn't do much for me. The only draw back is that the pigs valve only lasts for 10 years (No bacon jokes please..lol) anyway so it's nearing the time for another surgery and this time I am getting the mechanical valve and taking the blood thinner. I do not want to have to go through this again when I get even older. So up until last year I wasn't really caring about much until my cardiologist told me that I am risking the chance of dieing on the table during my next surgery or risking the chance of all types of infections. That's when I said, "My life isn't going on the back burner any longer. I need to do something now." That's when I realized that I couldn't keep putting myself last and I had to start thinking about ME for once instead of the needs of everyone else. I would be no good to anyone if I was dead. So I started the research like you did and finally made up my mind that I was going to do it. I went to a seminar and then it took my insurance company 6 months to approve me. I thought the day would NEVER get here but it did and I am SO HAPPY that I went through with it. The wait sucked but the reward was awesome. My suggestion to you is to find a doctor in your area and attend the free seminar. There office should be able to help you with the approval of everything. I wish you luck on your journey and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. :rolleyes2:

I stayed in the hospital over night. My experience wasn't that bad. But as someone else stated, everyone is different. Get yourself some Gas-X strips incase you have the gas pains. Use your pain medication when you need it, and don't wait until your pain is out of control to take the medication because then it takes twice as long to work. Be sure that you walk as much as you can. Get your rest and heal. Don't be to concerned about weightloss at first because you are healing. That's not to say you won't lose the weight too. Follow the plan that the doctors gives to you and you will be successful. Get yourself some sugar free ice pops. I live on them and they help with the swelling also. Congratulations and good luck to everyone that is being banded. Any questions along the way don't hesitate to ask. I was banded on Oct 23, 2009. Although I am not a 'ole time' bander I can answer some questions. This is the best thing that I have ever done for myself and if I had to do it all over again. I would.

You should be eating 2-3 oz at every meal right now. Have you tried eggs? Are you drinking Protein shakes? It should also take you about 20-30 minutes to eat your food. You really shouldn't have to chew at this stage because you are on puree. Therefore it really shouldn't be getting stuck. Did your doctor put Fluid in your band during surgery? You also need to get your fluids in, inbetween when you aren't eating. Try some sugar free ice pops.

It's the the time between when you are first banded to the time of your first fill. Usually the liquid and mushy stage because you feel like you aren't taking enough in and feel like you could eat a horse if given the opportunity. Some go through it but not all of us. I didn't really have 'bandster hell'.

That's normal too. Just BURP, of course when no one is around..lol I burp all of the time. As for your shake, just sip in slow. As well as your Fluid. Sip slow.

I think that you might want to call your GYN because you shouldn't have your cycle for a week on birth control pills. They might need to change them. And also when I was taking the pill I gained alot of weight, so you could be gaining weight on them also.

Everyone gets nervous at this point in time because you aren't sure whether the insurance company will approve you or not. And after they do approve you, you get even more nervous thinking about the surgery. Allow me to tell you that if you do make it to the surgery part, you will do great. It's honestly not that bad. Of course all surgeries have risks but to be honest if I had to do it all over again I would. Take a deep breath, relax and get through these stages. Before you know it you will have your approval and be on your way to surgery. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted and if you have any questions along the way don't hesitate to ask. The people here are wonderful for support.