vjack

Honk--Diclofenac is what my doc thought caused my gastric bleeding. I think that's a dangerous one for long term use. Thanks for the info

Hi! I had a bit of eggplant this weekend and it was fine. It was an appetizer at an italian restaurant--pan fried eggplant stuffed with ricotta w/marinara sauce. I think the sauce made it a little mushier, so it was easy to eat. (And it was sooo good--wanted to eat it all, but only ate 1 eggplant roll for my lunch). I am newly banded and only have 1cc in my band, so I suppose that could be why it went down so easy. I love eggplant, so am hoping I'll be able to continue to eat it after my next fill. Hope you find a good recipe and that you are able to eat it with no problem!

Hi I had a problem with gastric bleeding before (from prolonged use of NSAIDs), so have totally avoided them for years and years. But..I have been struggling with a knee injury for several months now and my gp recently prescribed Meloxicam (an NSAID). He suggested it take it with over-the-counter Prilosec to counteract any of the potential problems. I am newly banded (6/1/10) so called my surgeon's office to make sure it was okay. They said it's okay to take NSAIDs 4 weeks post-op, but the key is to drink A LOT of Water after I take the pills to flush them through. I've been doing this for three days, and so far so good. Best of luck to you~

Very Impressive, monkeymama!! I was banded on 6/1 and have been a total exercise slacker. I am having knee problems (did before the surgery) and it's just so hard to get up and go before or after work when it hurts to walk. *whine* You are inspiring me. I am going to set a small goal starting today of 15 minutes exercise per day. I know it's not near enough..but I am starting small. I have a pool where I live, so I should be able to swim a couple days a week (got a new suit yesterday). Thanks for the inspiration! And great job reaching your goal!

I was in a hurry and made this recipe this morning. So easy, quick and went down fine! Nonfat Cooking Spray 1 egg 1 tbs shredded cheese 1 medium slice tomato, diced Use: custard cup, ramekin or coffee cup Spray cup w/nonfat cooking spray Add 1 egg, tomato and any seasoning you like Whisk w/fork Microwave on high 20-30 seconds - you will see the egg start to puff up like a souffle! Remove from microwave--sprinkle cheese on top Microwave for another 5-10 seconds to melt cheese. This is surprisingly good -and you can add anything you like (just make sure your cup is big enough!) Has the consistency of a frittata or omelette.

Wow! So sorry to hear what you've been going through. Hope you get some good rest--and good luck with the doc!

Hi- I am 3 weeks post op and am still pretty uncomfortable around my port. It took me almost two weeks to be able to sleep on either side. Now, 3 weeks out, I don't notice it all day long, but I do get pain if I do something that stretches those muscles (like emptying the dishwasher, putting away groceries, etc.) The other funny thing is that my skin is very tender about 4 inches below my port incision. It hurts to even brush my finger gently against the skin. I think it will get better over the next few months, but I expect to get "pulls" for quite a while. Hope you feel better soon!

Hi, I've only been banded for three weeks, but I am thrilled with my decision. Including the pre-op, I've already lost 30 lbs...and I haven't lost that much at one time in years! I hadn't made any positive health changes in a long time-- I'd kind of resigned myself to the fact that I'd always be big, lethargic, achy, etc. So..I thought about the surgery for a couple years, but I wasn't ready until the end of last year. I was still dealing with uncertainty throughout the process, but then something I read or heard really hit home: if you qualify for the surgery, it means that your risk of not doing anything is greater than the risk of surgery. For some reason that really struck me--that by just continuing to do what I'd always done(not much), I'd continue to be at a very high risk for adverse health outcomes. In some ways, the qualification made the decision for me :thumbup: You have to do what's right for you--and I tend to believe when you're ready you'll know it. Best of luck to you whatever path you choose.

Thanks for the feedback, BobKat. Eating with your fingers is an interesting tactic! I'll keep that in mind as I go through the journey. Congratulations on losing 21 lbs--that is awesome! V

Hi! Glad to hear your first fill was a breeze! How are you feeling now? Has your eating changed? I was banded on 6/1, and was scheduled for a fill on 6/28, but I have been really hungry so they will fill me on Tuesday the 22nd. I am losing weight--down 14 lbs sinced I 6/1, but am finding that I'm not satisfied after I eat..and get hungry a couple hours later. The great thing is, I've been having no problems taking large pills, or getting anything down. I'm hoping the fill willl work it's magic, but won't change that. :smile2: I am still very sore somewhere near my port area. I can't feel my port, but it hurts to even touch the skin about 4" below the big incision site. Will be glad to have the NP look at it when I go on Tues.

Congratulations on your weight loss! You've lost a lot of weight in a little bit of time! I totally hear you about the vacation thing. I am Single & 47 and was just banded this week. I've lost 22-23 lbs since I started this process and I can already see things hanging a bit more..so I'm sure I'll be facing the same future. I don't know if I'd want to take the risks of surgery--but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. In the meantime, I just am trying to mentally prepare myself for that future and hoping that I'll get to the point where it won't matter. It would be a shame to give up on your vacation plans. I came across another thread somewhere that talked about sun protection swimsuits-they are longer and fitted. I think they look a bit like a fashionable wet suit but w/long shorts. Might be worth poking around on the web to see if you can find something that will make you feel comfortable AND let you take that vacation that you want! Best of luck! And congratulations!

Thanks, Jennifer! What a difference a few hours can make. It's now just past 8:00 pm and I feel like I've turned a corner. The pain is there, but tolerable. I even got dressed and drove to the grocery store (I sat in the car while my son picked up a few things). Yipppee!! Hope you continue to feel well and have great success!

I was banded June 1st and am still having lots of port pain. Still can't sleep on my side, and still haven't left the house (other than for a day when I was admitted to hospital for dehydration). Ice seems to help the port pain, but when I move it feels like my guts are falling out Hoping tomorrow brings good things...I'm supposed to be back to work! Good luck to all of the recent bandsters!

Hi, I had surgery on 6/1. The surgery went great--and the first day home was fine, but I had a little bit of a rough time after that. I had a hard time sleeping for some reason(probably couldn't get comfortable) and either because of that, or because the fates weren't smiling at me--ended up with a terrible migraine Thursday morning. I was vomiting quite a bit and ended up at the ER. They admitted me because I was dehydrated and to try to get rid of my headache. Luckily, my band didn't slip! I came home one day later and was finally able to sleep well last night. I feel pretty good--except for the pain in my lower stomach. It's lower than the port site sitches, and it's painful when I move, but once I'm settled, it's okay. I feels totally like the pain I had following my c-sections. I'm scheduled to go back to work Monday, so hoping to bounce back after these next two days. I am taking in liquids just fine--yesterday blended some cottage cheese w/a little milk, and it was nice to have something savory for a change. I am still 100% happy that I've had the surgery--and just considering this a small setback on my way to a new life! Good luck to all of you~

Thank you!! Can't wait!!

My surgery is tomorrow --sooo excited! Today is all liquids (including 5 protien shakes). I've lost 10 lbs on the 2 week pre-op diet. Hoping to be down a bit more by tomorrow morning. I've been obsessed with weighing myself every day since I started the preop diet. I know it's not a good thing, but it's so hard not to stay on top of it..I'm thinking it will probably be even more hard to stay away from the scale once I have my surgery. NurseAndy: Thanks for the great list showing our surgery dates--there are a lot of us making life changes this month! Good luck to everyone having their surgery this week! o exciting!

Congratulations! My surgery is on June 1st, too! I'm soo exited! My preop diet is not 100% liquid--can have limited other food (a Lean Cuisine and all the uncooked veggies I want, plus a 2 oz protien, 1 fruit, and 1 tsb fat). I usually have a salad w/protien for one meal, and the Lean Cuisine for the other. And I LOVE the unjury chocolate Protein shakes. I would drink them even if I didn't have to---mix it with lowfat vanilla soy milk and it's great! The big day is right around the corner. Hope everything goes well for you!

Hi there! Can't believe how fast this is all happening! I have a surgery date on June 1st and am sooooo exicted! I am looking for a buddy/mentor who will share their experiences, tips and tricks for a successful weight loss journey w/the LAP-BAND®. I am female, 47, and live in South Portland, ME. My current weight is 288 and I am hoping to get down to 160. Anybuddy want to connect? V

Thank you for replying to my post --it was my first post here. I never thought I'd have the courage to ask for support here, nevermind posting my weight and goal for the whole world to see! It's a whole new beginning. How long ago did you have your surgery? Are you pleased with the results? As I think I may have indicated in my post, my initial worry is really limited to recovery time. I started the journey by attending the first support group meeting in December and have since changed jobs. (I just started my current job the first part of March.) I expected it to take longer to get to the actual surgery part, so I was really surprised when I found out yesterday that they can scheule me on Tuesday, June 1st. So..I have 40 hours of vacation/sick time on the books.which will get me through the weekend. I am already feeling guilty taking the time off when I've not even been there 6 months yet, so I'm concerned that even 5 days after surgery will be enough. I'm hoping that I'll feel well enough to go back 3 days after surgery-so on Friday. I understand that everyone is different, and I've been reading different stories here, but I'd love to hear how your recovery went. How long did it take for you to feel well enough to do your usual activities? Anything you can suggest for making the recovery go smoother? Thanks again, V

Hi! I just had the appt with my surgeon yesterday and already have a surgery date of June 1st! I am so excited! Not too worried yet, but a little anxious about how long the recovery will take: trying to take the least amount of time off work as possible, since I'm relatively new there. When is your surgery?