heal-thyself

Hi ladies, I had my band placed on 4/19, and it was much more unconfortable than I thought it was going to be. I stayed overnight and was discharged home without real issues. 1) Pain - I have a sharp, stabbing pain in my stomach whenever I eat anything - Water, Protein shake, Vitamin tablet. It's a pulling pain that radiates to the middle of my left clavicle and makes my shoulder ache. This has gotten better with time, but is still present and bothersome. It is only associated with eating and does not get better with pain medicine. 2) Nutrition - I am no where near getting in all the fluids and Protein shakes I'm supposed to. I can only swallow 1 - 1.5 protein shakes thought the day (I'm supposed to be getting 4), and my water intake is low as well - only 12-18 oz. I don't want to drink more because I feel full and if I drink too much, that painful feeling returns. I feel like neither of these things are too big of a deal right now - so I don't want to bother the on-call doctor. But I'll touch base with the office on Monday. Thanks for any advice you might give!

Since having the surgery on 4/19, I have going completely cold turkey from my usual daily Starbucks fix. I usually get the skinny vanilla latte or the grande mocha frappuccino if I'm feeling decadent. Do any of you still indulge in these treats? Maybe in a tiny cup? I know we're not supposed to be drinking out calories, but how else can i get my caffeine fix? Thanks! 235/208 DOS/202/150

Hello all, Quick question for you: what do you drink your Protein Shakes out of? I know for the first three weeks post-op I'm supposed to drink two ounces every hour. Do you make this up two ounces at a time? Do you make up an entire work-day's worth (16oz) and then gradually sip 2 ounces at a time? If so, where did you find a graduated bottle that tells you when you've had your two ounces? Tips? Suggestions? Thanks!

I am getting the band in April and want to get as much information as possible so I can ensure I do everything right. I want to use this tool and put my unhealthy lifestyle behind me. There are 500+ items on Amazon.com that have to do with the band. Anyone find a favorite book to help you in this journey? What about a great post-surgery cookbook? Anything?

Hello all, I am new to the board, not getting banded until April 2010, but am already starting to stress about details! My family is supportive of my journey, but I've made the decision to keep the surgery private from my work. I work in a medical office with approximately 30 staff members. I will be taking a week off from work to recover from the surgery. My surgeon's post op diet plan requires 3 weeks of liquids followed by 3 weeks of mushies. The idea of this doesn't exactly bother me but I'm wondering how obvious this will look to everyone around me - we usually all eat lunch in one big lunchroom together. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to remain discreet while on a liquid diet? I think I have some ideas how to make mushies look less obvious, but I have no idea how I'm going to explain away 2 oz of Protein shake every 2 hrs. Suggestions? Help! Natalie HW/CW/GW 235/210/140