sunshyne528

omg... tonight was my first episode. I thought I was gonna die! lol Thankfully, it only lasted for about 15 minutes or so. I have never prayed to throw up before. I was so grateful that it wasn't like 'normal' vomiting. The lack of stomach acid seemed to make it less violent and much more tolerable. Y'all described it perfectly - this thread should be required reading for all new bandsters!

ok - so i'm new to banding (2.5 wks - yay) and just went to the doctor/nutritionist yesterday. i was told that most people hit a wall around the 4-5 month mark. She once you've hit a plateau for a few weeks, add 100 calories to your daily intake and maintain that for a week. if that doesn't jumpstart things, add another 100 calories to your daily intake for the following week. she said to continue this process until you start losing again (usually less than 4 weeks). She also said that most people need 1200 calories from the 6 month mark and out. You should call your nutritionist and ask them for suggestions. A lot of times, certain food combinations will create a different calorie-burning process and get you back on track. (sidebar - did you know pineapple helps break down Protein?? my nutritionist is all about food science and she gave that tip if you're struggling after a fill.) hope some of this was helpful! :laugh:

My first reaction: YAY! MY PANTS ARE TOO BIG!:thumbup: My second reaction: OH NO! MY PANTS ARE TOO BIG! I am very hippy and my waistbands have become rediculously huge. I tried a belt and it created an obscene gap in the front and looked horrible. I went to have them altered but it was really expensive. I thought about buying new pants, but am worried that I'll have the same problem after a month or so and will have wasted my money. Soooo... my question is: Does anyone have any cheap/effective ways to keep your pants up and extend the lifetime of your wardrobe?

I just went to my post-op appointment today and have lost 10.8 pounds, which my doctor said was on target. :thumbup: he also said to only expect another 20 tops by the 6 week mark, which is when i'll get my first fill. he said it gets better after that. as for the pants - they were kinda big to begin with. i had lost about 60 pounds in the last couple years and had tried to go shopping but failed. nothing fit right, so now i'm a bit behind the 8 ball. thank you all for the great suggestions! i found out a local hospital is hosting a clothes swap in 3 weeks, so i'm going to that. i also met a girl at the doctor's office who lost 200 and is in year 6 of her banding. she still has a lot of her old clothes and is going to help me out. :laugh: craigslist was also helpful. there were lots of postings for used plus size clothes.

bummer about the shoulder pain - i have a lil bit of that. my heating pad is my friend :thumbup: i feel hungry, nauseous and bloated all at once. my belly is making crazy gurgling noises that startle my dogs lol. doc gave me liquid tylenol 3 (pretty yucky tasting) so i haven't been taking it a lot. thankfully, the pain level is tolerable. trying to keep up on my liquids. looking forward to tomorrow (skim milk & yogurt - yay!) take care!

Hope you're all doing well. I got home this afternoon around 4pm. A lil sore, but nothing unbearable. What kinda drugs are y'all packin'? How are things? Any tips? What's your post-op diet? sooo many questions, i know. lol ((((gentle hugs))))

can't believe tomorrow's the day! yay! i'm trying to figure out what to pack for my overnight stay at the hospital. excited and anxious at the same time :thumbup: good luck tomorrow!! (((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))

sooo - had my pre-op appointment yesterday. i was in and out in 40 minutes. they just weighed me, reviewed what i need to do before and the day of surgery and asked if i had any questions. i was slightly bummed to find out that my diet is supposed be Clear liquids only (SF Jello, SF popsicles, broth, Protein supplements with water). those shakes dont taste right without skim milk - lol. sidebar: i was slightly concerned last night - my dog's food smelled really good. :redface: anyway - hope y'all are holding up alright!

Soo... I fell off the wagon at the end of day 1 and had a salad. I'm supposed to be only liquids only, but I'm not sure what's considered a good liquid choice. do pureed soups count? or only broth? *sigh* i dunno... therefore, i'm trying to stick to 75% Protein shakes and supplement with the occasional pureed veggies/soup. my program was kinda lousy with the food suggestions. as for Protein Shakes - i'm crazy picky and hate things that taste fake, so it has been a struggle. unjury was better than the few I tried from The Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, etc... I have to say that I really like the UNJURY chicken Soup - it's a blessing to have a break from the sweet stuff. I recommend getting a sampler pack to try all their flavors. The other brand that EVERYONE MUST TRY is Syntrax nectar protein - their chocolate truffle is amazing. They have 13 flavors that you can get a sampler of that range from decent to delicious. hope this helped! good luck!

May 3rd is my D-day too! woo hoo!!! we are gonna do great!! the liquid diet this week is kinda killing me, but i'm trying to stay positive. I love the pacemaker analogy - so true! I see it as a "do what ya gotta do" situation. Compared to bypass, it's a much easier/realistic option. just stay strong! (((((((((HUGS)))))))))

omg, me too! lol I'm praying that someone can shed some light on acceptable recipes that help with the hunger pangs. i'm sooooooooooo over chocolate protein shakes. lol too much sweet & not enough savory is my problem, i think. we're gonna make it though, come hell or high water! (((((((HUGS))))))))