lovelylynn

I am so with you!!! I had my first salad yesterday, almost 3 months after surgery. I was so scared to try it, but it went down very easily, and I have had one fill. I couldn't eat a lot of it at one time, and had to chew chew chew the snot out of the lettuce to get it small enough to swallow, but my goodness did it taste good!! I was missing my salads!!

I was banded March 19th and stayed away from coffee for about 3 weeks. Now I am back to my coffee fix every morning. My doc and nutritionist say no caffeine at all. But, I have been having one cup of coffee in the morning for over 30 years, and I wasn't about to give up one simple little cup of coffee a day. I never drink more than one cup a day and don't see any harm in it. Never heard about the acid causing a problem for the band, or it leaching calcium from the bones. Sounds like scare tactics to me. :thumbup:

Actually, I did try real food today instead of the protein shakes, and, I really didn't get hungry at all!! I guess the fill tech knew what he was talking about!! I would never switch doctors, I love my LB doc. He had nothing to do with my fill. I only saw the fill tech yesterday, not the doc. Thanks for all the advice!! I guess I have just been lucky and have not overeaten and got stuck!! I am going to be more careful now, chew my food well and eat slower, now that I know I actually have restriction. I saw it on the fluoro, I saw my small pouch and a pencil thin opening where the barium got thru after I swallowed. So, I know it is there, I just haven't felt it.

I was banded on 3/19, and yesterday was my first fill appt. My doctor does fills by fluoroscopy. So, they do a barium swallow to check your restriction before they give you a fill. The scan actually shows that I have restriction!! I was shocked. I saw my pouch right there on the fluoro screen. I was so amazed because I feel no restriction!! The fill tech said I don't need a fill yet, that I have good restriction. I am so shocked because I can pretty much eat whatever I want with no problems!! I sometimes forget to chew and swallow big bites and have no pain or discomfort. I asked him how I could have restriction with only a "prime" that was put in my band at surgery, which is 3cc. (I have a 10cc band). He explained to me that it was because of the fat around my stomach!! He says as I lose fat, the band will become looser. My confusion is this...if I have restriction, why don't I feel it?? I still eat too fast too and don't wait before bites to see if I feel full. I just assumed I didn't have any restriction since I had not had a fill yet. So far, my weight loss has been due to willpower and eating right, following the post op diet. I am still not on regular foods yet. I am on soft and mushy foods. I am hungry between meals. I having drinking 3 protein shakes per day to get my protein in. The fill tech told me to stop with the shakes and eat protein foods like lunchmeat instead of the shakes. Anyone else experience this? I am so confused.....:thumbup:

I have experienced heart palpitations for years. Sometimes it is a rapid pounding out of my chest type palpitation, and sometimes my rhythm is not right and my heart will 'kick in' to the correct beat, that feels like getting punched in the chest. Sometimes I get both. I have had heart monitors, ekg's and stress tests over the years to find out what causes this. My cardiologist says it is normal, but some people feel it more than others. I had to have a stress test before being banded, and it was normal. I have depression and anxiety, and have found that if I am under stress or worried about something, I get the pounding palpitations. The only thing that helps me is trying to relax and do a hobby that takes my mind off things. I also take prozac and trazadone. My phsychiatrist put me on a daily blood pressure med that helps lower your heart rate. It is called clonidine. It helps tremendously when I am feeling anxious and get the heart pounding sensations. Unlike you, my palpitations have slowed down since surgery. I have found that eating a heavy carb meal will also bring on the palpitations (but not since surgery). Other things such as hyperthyroid can cause palpitations too, or if you have hypothyroid, the med you are taking for it may be too strong. I think some other hormones can cause problems as well, but don't know them off the top of my head. So, you may be experiencing anxiety. I would see your doctor and discuss your symptoms, they may want you to see a cardiologist too, just to make sure all is ok.

So, had my post op appt today. (2 weeks post op) I only lost 2 lbs. I guess that is to be expected, no exercise and starving my body, slows the metabolism. I start mushies today yay! My first fill will be in 3 weeks. Hope you are all doing well.:thumbup:

Are you on blood pressure meds? That will make you dizzy if you are taking them and your blood pressure went down due to weight loss. What about insulin, are you on that?

I was banded March 19th. I started full liquids last evening. I don't know how much I have lost because I am waiting for my post op appt next week. Still having lots of gas, but I think that is from swollowing so many times a day, gas can't help but be introduced in every swollow. Use gas x a lot!! I still cannot walk very far. I went to wal mart today and had to lean on the cart the whole time. If I try to walk without leaning over, my incision and I think my port kinda pull and feel uncomfortable. So, no serious walking yet. I feel hungry pretty much all the time. But, I think that will lessen now that I am on full liquids.

Mine is at 1020 am. But, it seems like the doc is always 1-2 hrs late, so, maybe I'll see you there in the waiting room!! If you think of it, let me know what you are going to wear the night before, and I'll look for you. And, I'll do the same. Lynn

I am on clear liquids the first week, only clear broth, water, jello, tea, and isopure(clear protein drink from GNC). The next week I am on full liquids, protein shakes and liquids that are not clear. I can't wait for even that. I am so tired of the clear liquids!! Mushies on week 3.

Oh, my appt is next Thursday too. I was mistaken. You can walk ok. I can't. It seems to pull too much on my incision. I move more and more every day though. Today I felt pretty good, my incision is hurting, so I just took some ibuprofen. Hopefully the hurt is a healing hurt, and not something else!! Lynn

Yeah, I too have been having the gas really bad. Not too painful though, just uncomfortable. Today was the first day I was able to push some gas out if you know what I mean :confused: I have been using gas -x too. I actually felt better today after my first BM post op. I used an aid though, a suppository. Sorry to be so graphic...I heard that most people get diarrhea, not me!! I would welcome that!! It is so hard to push with this cut in my belly!! I am afraid of straining too hard too. Hopefully all is ok. I feel ok anyway. Are you getting hungry yet? I am, but not too bad. I just keep sipping and sipping away at broth, water, isopure and crystal light. I think the isopure is helping the most, since it has protein. I have been sleeping in a recliner since my surgery, but tonight, I am going to climb the stairs to my bed and hope I can get comfortable. Hope you all are doing well. Lynn

Wow, we had surgery the same day!! By SILS too!! Are you going to the Dr on this Friday for post op appt? My surgery was scheduled for 130 but was not done until about 4pm. How has day 3 been for you? Lynn

Good luck to you Tammy!!! Better to be not sick when you have your surgery, you certainly won't want to be blowing your nose or coughing a lot. It will hurt!! I know you are nervous, I just got my band two days ago, and I had to push myself not to say 'stop' when they were wheeling me to the OR. Surgery is just plain scary!!! Take care, Lynn

I too used Dr Enochs for my surgery, yesterday as a matter of fact!!! He is great, such a nice man.

I got my band yesterday too!!! My surgeon said everything went fine. I have the SILS (single incision lap surgery), right in my belly button. I only feel pulling when I try to walk, the pulling is at my port too. I hope it doesn't take long to feel normal again... I haven't had a BM either, I am not taking anything for it. I think I'll get my hubby to get me stool softeners or benefiber to try. I really am dreading having to push for my first BM after surgery. (sorry to be so graphic!!!) How are you feeling 1 day after the band? Lynn

When did you have your surgery? Mine was yesterday. So far, not a lot of pain but I feel pulling when I walk. I can't get up by myself yet either. DH pulls me up. I have lots of gas too, intestinal and abdominal. I can't push it out yet, hurts the belly too much lol!! I am going to try and get up more tomorrow and walk, I think that will help alot. Take care, Lynn

Thank you Rose, that helps a lot. I actually have a ton of Medifast shakes from my last diet!!! But, I went ahead and bought some amplified wheybolic extreme 60 from GNC. It has 60 grams of protein. But, I will not be doing a whole serving of 60 at a time. I will stretch it out to last a long time. I'll try to use up my medifast shakes too.

HI, I am having surgery this Friday, March 19th. I am nervous, but I guess that is to be expected. I am unclear as to how much we are allowed for the liquid diet. Do we drink as much as possible, or only a few teaspoons at a time? I know to sip on water all day, but the other liquids I am unsure about. Also, how much protein are we supposed to get on the clear liquid diet 1 week following surgery?