Kristy29

Had my appointment with the nut today. According to their scale I am down 27 lbs, which coincides with my 3 lb weight gain from this morning. I can now eat soft foods, including fish, chicken, cottage cheese, yogurt, veggies and fruits. So after the appointment we went to the mall since we drive an hour to the doctor but only spent 10 minutes there. I had forgotten to bring a protein shake, so we went to Ruby Tuesday for lunch. It was my first real meal since surgery and I was in a restaurant, yikes! I ordered Salmon Florentine, which is salmon topped with spinach and artichoke sauce. It was perfect because the fish was soft and the sauce made it even mushier. I shared with DH, so I only ate 1/3 of the salmon, and I had mashed cauliflower on the side. It was so nice to have a real meal again, but I was so nervous. It took me a long time to swallow my first bite, lol. I also found out that I do have fluid in my band, 4 cc's in 10 cc band.

Hey all. Glad everyone seems to be doing good. The first week post op I lost 10 lbs, but now in the second week I think I am the same. It sucks. I have been eating Protein Shakes and Soups, and my calories have mostly been around 700. Yesterday I went down another pound, but then started on mushies so my calories went up to 1200 and today I went back up 3 pounds. It sucks because I have an appointment today. I swear that every single time I have gone in to be weighed I have been up 2 or 3 pounds on my scale that morning. It's like some cruel joke, lol. BeachBunny, I went out to Friendly's the other day. We used to go out to eat 2 or 3 times a week and I hadn't been out since my surgery, plus I am still not working so I was getting bored. I had some soup and some applesauce, and it felt good to feel normal again.

Hey all. Glad everyone seems to be doing good. The first week post op I lost 10 lbs, but now in the second week I think I am the same. It sucks. I have been eating Protein Shakes and Soups, and my calories have mostly been around 700. Yesterday I went down another pound, but then started on mushies so my calories went up to 1200 and today I went back up 3 pounds. It sucks because I have an appointment today. I swear that every single time I have gone in to be weighed I have been up 2 or 3 pounds on my scale that morning. It's like some cruel joke, lol.

Well, yes, I totally agree with you. I think it is common knowledge, but that's because I know it. I do think that even when things are supposedly common knowledge, that doctors should still discuss them, because there are people out there who don't know, so assuming they do know could end in these kinds of situations.

Well, the contract was a general contract about the surgery, but it included the part about the birth control. They don't want us getting pregnant until after we are done losing weight. If I were to get to goal in say a year and a half though, I'm not going to wait because I signed the contract. I also know that losing weight won't be an automatic cure, but I think the woman on the show should at least have been told it was a possibility she could become fertile. As a result of her not believing she could become pregnant her child received no prenatal care and his life was put in jeopardy as a result.

So I'm one week post op and on full liquids. I am allowed 3 protein shakes a day, and they are supposed to be a max of 110 calories each. I do have one that is 120 calories though. So total calories I should be taking in is about 350 calories. I have been cheating a little with some soup, and yesterday I pulverized a cheese stick in my mouth and ate that, and still my calories were only 450. Today I woke up in the morning, but was tired and laid around on the computer for a couple of hours. Then I took a nap, and now that I am awake again I am still so tired. I don't like feeling this way, just the thought of going for a walk or going out is so daunting. Is it going to get better, or am I going to feel this way until I move on to mushies next Friday? Is there anything I can do to get more energy?

I have found that the ready-to-drink ones are better tasting than the powders. One I recently found at Target is Pure Protein, I like the cookies and cream. Also the Unjury chicken soup one is really good. It tastes like a cup o soup.

I was banded August 26th at Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis NY. Monday the 23rd I went to my surgeons office for pre-op. There they told me that the hospital would be calling me on Wednesday to tell me when to be at the hospital. Wednesday morning a woman called me with some pre-op questions, and told me that someone would call between 2 and 5 to tell me what time to be there. When 5 came and went and no one had called, we called them. We were told someone would call after 6. We were out and had given our cell phone number and told them to call us there, but when 7 came and still no call, I called home and there was indeed a message from the hospital. It said I had to call them back, so I did and I finally found out, after 7 pm, that I needed to be at the hospital at 6:45. Well, ok, but thanks for waiting so long to tell me. I live far from the hospital and if I had known any sooner I needed to be there that early, I would have stayed in a hotel near the hospital the night before. So we woke up on Thursday morning and I dragged my feet and we left a little late. When we got to the hospital we went right up to the surgical floor. A man at a desk there called over to the pre-op room and told me to wait in the waiting room. 5 minutes later they called me to the pre-op room and told my husband to stay in the waiting room. I changed into my gown and put on paper socks. They weighed me and asked me a million questions, then brought me to a bed. A nurse came over and my anesthesiologist. He was cute and reminded me of Ragan from this season of Big Brother, and he was very nice and funny so he put me at ease. The nurse tried to do my IV in my left hand but failed. Then the anesthesiologist did it in my left arm and it worked. After that they came and said the doctor had arrived and we would be going in soon since I was first surgery of the day. I hadn't said goodbye to my husband because they told us we would see each other again, so I asked to see him. The nurse said we will call for him. She left and came back and asked did you see him, and I said no. So she went and got him herself. I gave him a quick kiss, got teary eyed, and I was off. I never saw the doctor before surgery, and I didn't like that I only saw my husband for a few seconds. After I got in the operating room, the anesthesiologist told me to get on the operating table, and then he put a mask on me and told me to take deep breaths, and that's all I remember. When I woke up in recovery, a nurse was calling my name and I kept trying to wake up but I couldn't keep my eyes open. She called me sleeping beauty. A few minutes (I think) later a nurse from the bariatric unit came and took me downstairs. When I got there they put socks on my feet and made me walk on my own into my room. Once I was in the room they put the compression socks back on me and made me comfortable in my recliner. Then they asked if I had family and I said yes my husband is in the waiting room, so she went and got him. I later learned that when she came to get him it was the first time anyone had spoken to him since I left him; no one ever told him my surgery was over and I was ok. When he got to the room, I tried to sleep because I was so groggy, but the constant pumping of the compression socks was annoying me. They gave me ice and told me to eat/drink it slowly. I remember drifting in and out of sleep and taking lots of sips for awhile. Around 1 pm, I finally wanted to walk, so the nurse got me up and helped me walk down the hallway. They took the compression socks off me and after that I was able to sleep good because it was no longer annoying me. I continued to get up every half hour or so and take a walk, and the nurse kept asking me if I peed. So eventually I went and tried to get her to stop asking. I didn't feel I needed to go, but once I got there, I peed a lot, lol. The fluids from the IV really worked. So after that she told me I could go home, but that the doctor had just finished his last surgery so I could wait for him to come down if I wanted, so I did. Once he came down he talked to me for a few minutes. I had thought I had to wait until my first appointment on Tuesday to move to full liquids, but he told me I could start on Monday. I told him he made my day. After that the nurse came in and gave me my post op instructions, I changed into my dress and we left. We stayed at a hotel that night because we wanted to be close to the hospital, so as soon as we got there I took my pain med. Then I started the sipping for 20 minutes, then walking. I felt pretty good and was even able to talk to my mom and a co-worker on the phone. I watched Big Brother and was watching Big Brother after dark (which starts at midnight) when I fell asleep in the chair. We set an alarm to wake up at 4 for my next pain med and at that point I moved to the bed and slept on my back. I slept until 9 am. Overall it went way better than I expected and I was in less pain than I thought.

Aw man, Zen, you are on purees already? I'm jealous. I am still supposed to be eating only protein shakes and clear liquids until Friday, but I admit I've had some soup. Can't wait until the next stage which includes cottage cheese, runny eggs, and yogurt, whoohoo.

Hey guys! So I was kind of bad today. We went to a garlic festival because we got free tickets. I could have eaten so many things, but all I had was some garlic chowder and a fruit smoothie. The chowder had potatoes in it but they melted in my mouth. It was really good.

And they almost fit! I could wear them now, but they'll be even better with 5 or 10 more lbs gone. I don't even like them that much, but I like that I could wear them if I wanted to, lol.

It is not considered to be part of a low carb diet. I don't mind not being able to drink it, but I miss eating cereal. But then, cereal isn't part of a low carb diet either, lol.

Well, my doc says no milk at all so you are better off than me.

I am one week post op, and most of the pain is gone. When moving around there is still a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but not any pain. sleeping was hard at first, but that's because I usually sleep on my stomach. When I was laying on my back, the pain was manageable but then it was hard to sleep that way for me. Once I was asleep though I stayed asleep. I haven't taken pain meds in a couple of days, and was able to switch to just tylenol 3 days post op. I have been sleeping on my stomach again for the last 3 nights, and going from sitting to standing is not a huge project like it was just a few days ago. Hang in there, it does get better, even if you feel like it never will!

This is so true. I haven't even been banded for a week, but I am already having to relearn how to live life without food. For me, my trigger was boredom. Well, since I have been recovering from my surgery, I have been home. I am so bored, I am used to being busy every day. And I am on liquids, so I have to deal with it in ways that do not include food. It's so hard, but I will be proud of myself when I get through this period successfully.

I am 6 days post op and I just ate a string cheese. Eek!!! I was so hungry! I pulverized it so much in my mouth it was liquid going down.

I chose the band because bypass and the sleeve scared me too much. Yes, you are adding something to your body, but with the other two surgeries, you are permanently altering your body. I like that if for some reason I have complications with the band, it can be taken out and I am back to how I was before. Of course, I do plan on keeping it in there forever, but I like to keep my options open. I also liked that the death rates with the band were much lower than the bypass, and also lower than the sleeve. Another thing I didn't like about bypass and the sleeve was that you must take Vitamins for the rest of your life. Of course, as a bandster I should take my vitamins, and I will. But with bypass, you must. One of the reasons for getting the band for me was because I wanted to get off my diabetes meds, and I didn't want to just have to start taking different meds. Of course, gummy vitamins are much more fun to take than pills anyways, I look forward to it, lol. I hope that helps, it's a hard decision and I wish you luck.

I am sure once I am all healed they won't be painful, but everything is still sore in there. Oh well, live and learn, that's what this is all about, right?

Hm, I haven't been prescribed pepcid. I haven't had any trouble with heartburn either, and I don't have any history of reflux. I think it was because I ate too much, too fast. I was eating a Soup that was quite thin. I made a 1/2 cup, and I thought I ate it slow. About 10 minutes after I ate I started feeling really bad, and am just now starting to feel better. I got gas, hiccups and shoulder pains, and it was awful. Maybe I'll never eat again...

NightNurse, you should be able to get in enough Protein even without the shakes. Always eat your protein first, and if that is all you eat at a meal, it's ok. High protein foods include greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, tuna, etc. Also, have you tried any of the unflavored protein powders? You can add them to your food and you don't even know they are there and they up your protein amounts greatly. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

Normally, I like to taste my meat. chicken on the bbq with little flavor, steak with no flavor, etc. I enjoy the taste of the actual meat. My husband is not like me and he douses everything in sauce, but I don't like my food that way. I am afraid when I start eating food again I am going to need to moisten my food more, and I'm not going to like it. So what do you use to moisten your food? My doctor recommends light mayo, light salad dressing, salsa, etc, but none of those sound good to me on chicken and steak.

Well I had my first post op appointment today. I am down 10 lbs. As of yesterday I am on full liquids, which to my doctor means Protein shakes with my Clear Liquids. Well, I am still hungry on that, so I am also doing some small amounts of strained Soups. My next appointment is September 10th with the dietitian and that's when I get to move to mushies. I can't wait, lol. 2 days after that I have a baby shower to go to. I am considering skipping it because I don't know what I'll be able to eat. It's my husbands cousin and I am not close to her, but I already bought a present. Wish I knew what I would feel like and what food they will have to know if there will be some things I could at least pick at. Dh's family doesn't know about my surgery so if I go and don't eat they will wonder why.

My problem with these programs is that they are all so religion based. I personally don't believe in god, but why shouldn't I get some support too? My husband was having trouble with alcohol awhile back, and I made him go to AA. He went once and never went back because all they talked about was god. I wish there was a way to get support for your issues without having to believe in god, I mean we are still humans even if we aren't christians.

Last time I had anything to eat was wednesday night. Since then I've had water and tea and that's it. Oh, and popsicles. I am freakin hungry! Tomorrow I am allowed to have protein shakes, and I was looking forward to that, but now I don't even want that. I just want food. I don't even need bad food, just any food. I have to be on protein shakes for 2 weeks, there is no way I will make it! And besides, I am supposed to go back to work before the 2 weeks is over, and I stand on my feet for 8 hours at a time. While I am on protein shakes I will be eating 300 calories a day, how will I ever have the energy to work? :thumbup:

And how much have you lost? My doctor's diet protocol is 2 Protein shakes per day and 1 meal, no carbs at all. Lean protein (chicken, turkey, tofu, tuna and fish), and veggies for the one meal. Seems like that will get real old, real fast. I feel that I could have lost the weight on a diet like that without the trauma of surgery. It seems really harsh and not how I want to live my life. I feel that eating a healthy balanced diet, but in much smaller portions than I used to, and cutting out terrible things like fast food will get me to my goal. I have tried dieting, and it never worked. My husband thinks I need to follow this diet, and I feel like we are going to spend the next year fighting about it.