jingleboob

I'm not having issues with the band, but since the surgery I've become allergic to band aids! The adhesive on them... the band aids covering my incisions caused my skin to blister and pull off... worse scars from that then the surgery... now I'm afraid to use a band aid anywhere! We can develop an allergy anytime... very much hope it's not the band causing your issues! Good luck

Just wanted to share a recipe I've made a few times and the whole family loves... got it from Weight Loss SUrgery Cookbook for Dummies. mix : 1/3 c instant oats 1 1/3 c Wheat Chex 2/3 c crispy brown rice Cereal (available in the gluten free section) 2/3 c sliced almonts melt : 1/2 c natural creamy Peanut Butter 1/3 c honey in a saucepan... it doesn't have to boil, just get hot all the way through. Remove from heat and add 1/4 tsp butter flavoring. Pour over cereal mixture and mix well, press into an 8" square pan sprayed with cooking spray and let cool. Cut into 8 bars. Wrap each bar in saran wrap and they're good for a week... but they won't last that long in my house. I have the calories and everything else at home... I will update. I remember it's 6 g of Protein and I think around 200 calories. An easy and delicious way to get in your whole grains for the day and the kids LOVE THEM. I've been using a little more peanut butter and honey as it just wasn't enough to make it all stick together well, maybe just an extra tablespoon or two. They're crunchy and sweet, I haven't had any trouble getting or keeping them down. And I love having these on hand for a snack or Breakfast for the kids... no bad stuff in it!

those meds are tylenol based... not ibuprofin... so should be just fine. Very important to not take any additional tylenol while on those pain killers though...

My doc said they would like at least 1 year, 2 would be preferable

try smuckers natural peanut butter... just peanuts and a little salt- no sugar. if you need it sweet add a little honey and mix.... soooo good

I did for the first couple of weeks, but it's so small it isn't an issue. if it's smaller than a pencil eraser it will probably go down for you!

I had surgery on August 13 and my first fill at the end of September. I think it was about 6 weeks, and they didn't even consider it before. I've seen some people who were filled 2 weeks after surgery, but I was OK with healing longer first. I didn't feel "restriction" at all until my 3rd fill a few weeks ago. I think I lost about 8 pounds in the liquid weeks after surgery and then went up and down the same 3 pounds for a few weeks. My doctor said that time wasn't as much about losing weight as it was for healing and learning to feel what my band is telling me... and let me tell you, 5 months out I am still learning when my band is about to get angry!!!

you're not losing your mind. you're barely a month out of surgery... surgery is an incredible stress on your body, and stress can affect us in the strangest ways!! it's not uncommon at all to be irregular for months after surgery... I'm on the pill and have had wonderful predictable to the hour periods that last about 2 days, but for the first couple of months after surgery it came days early and lasted 3 or 4 times longer than it would, or it would come days late causing panic! stress can affect your hormone levels which could cause the breast tenderness too... Some people lose weight immediately after surgery... some people take weeks to see loss. your body is still healing and not dropping the pounds is OK right now. Just follow your doctors eating plan. I think I had bathroom issues for weeks after surgery... between the surgery itself and meds, the change in diet, and stress in general I was stocking up on extra soft charmin. loose stools can also dehydrate you causing your electrolyte imbalance... have you tried drinking G2? The sugarfree gatorade? alternate between it and Water if you're having issues in the bathroom. It never hurts to call your doctor... I'd call the surgeon first and if they think your symptoms can't be explained by surgery then they'll advise you to call your ob. But you're not crazy! You just turned your system upside down and it's catching up!

I love it!!! NSV's that OTHER people notice first seem to make me the happiest!!! Keep it up!

I have been meaning to do just this! I used a baby spoon right after surgery for my yogurts and puddings and it really helped. I have been using a salad plate for my dinner plate and that also helps, but I'm heading to walmart after work for baby silverware!

Had food poisoning over Thanksgiving and I was throwing up violently for almost 3 days... it can happen, and it's just as awful as it was before the band. Luckily there's nothing too big to come back out since you've chewed so well...

me too!!! had 3rd fill about 2 weeks ago... up until this fill I thought the band was a scam because I was always hungry and really all I couldn't eat was eggs and bread, everything else slid on by... BUT NOT ANYMORE. I noticed a difference that day when drinking a Protein shake and had to take a break between sips unlike before. It's definetly tighter, and when I follow the "rules" I'm pretty sure I'm at a good level of restriction. I haven't had to follow the small bites, chew chew chew, wait between bites, no drinking during meals rules at all since surgery, but now if I forget I'm in major pain. I just hope my brain catches up with my band and I remember everytime I eat!!! 3rd fill has renewed my excitement for the band...

FINALLY got this book... it's only been out a few months. I have 3 or 4 other WLS cookbooks and was pretty discouraged by them, there were very few recipes I wanted to try, and even fewer that my family would try. WLS Cookbook for Dummies is fantastic! I've got at least 30 recipes I can't wait to try, I know the kids will at least try to eat some of them, and the info about how to treat your pouch and change your lifestyle in the begining of the book is excellent... well written and easy to read from one WLS patient to another.

HIGHEST WEIGHT 311 GOAL WEIGHT 150 SURGERY DATE 8/13 WEIGHT ON SURGERY DAY 278 CURRENT WEIGHT 260 HOW CLOSE/FAR ARE YOU FROM YOUR GOAL WEIGHT 110

it depends what your job entails... if you dont have to be on your feet or lift, like a desk job, you could be back after less than a week. If you're very active, walking, standing, lifting etc, it will be longer. I was out for a week, but I don't have much physical activity in my job, and honestly could have gone back a couple of days sooner if I needed to. I was shopping at walmart the day after surgery! it was really a much easier surgery for me to recover from than my gallbladder was- I was out for 2 weeks from that.

yummmm!!! do you eat this alone... on crackers... or on a salad?

Does overeating or eating a lot of sweets/fried foods, spicy foods give you heartburn? I had reflux for years based on my diet... when I would be "good" and eat healthy for a while I could cut down to taking my prilosec only every other or every 3rd day. I was warned by my dr that it could be a side effect of the band, and I figured since I was already living with reflux and taking the medication then still having it wouldn't hurt more. thankfully I'm completely reflux free now, haven't taken a prilosec since 2 weeks after surgery. Losing weight helps with reflux, as can changing your diet... sweets and overeating always led to heartburn... and I was always overeating on sweets before surgery!!! Different for everyone, but this has been one of the best things that came with the surgery for me

I was told to take bites the size of a pencil eraser and to chew that bite 20-30 times...

those 2 weeks post op... for me 4 weeks until solid food... were the WORST. after about 5 days I was hungry all of the time, liquids just went right through and nothing was satisfying. Up until last week with my 3rd fill I've been hungry. I'm finally feeling what I hope is restriction, but the hunger is something I wasn't expecting!!!

My rings fit!!! At my biggest my ring finger was a size 9... now my size 9's are falling off and my size 7's are PERFECT. Tax return may help re-size those big 'ol rings!

I just got a fill on friday and kind of talked about it with my doc! The port doesn't move. He said it's anchored pretty well to the abdominal wall... BUT the skin and fat over it DO move... with weight loss, position, etc it can appear that your port is several inches away from where it was, but in actuality it's just the outer stuff moving... I was worried because I noticed a hard lump about 4 inches above my port that's been tender after sleeping on my stomach and I can only feel the lump while standing... he felt it and said it was my port. But when I lay down for my fill my port is right next to my port scar... weird

alcohol is pretty harsh on your stomach under the best of circumstances... your stomach is healing right now. Wait a bit... it's not worth the chance of damage for a glass. I'm 5 months out and did add wine to my "diet" about 2 months post op... just a glass or two, but I do avoid it for the week after a fill for those same reasons. My major alcohol bummer is Champagne... I heart it, and the carbonation means it's a big bad no now. Wine just makes me miss it more....

I understand why you don't like your band. It's taken more from me emotionally than I thought it would. I didn't realize how much of my life revolved around food. Get togethers, holidays, parties... anything social is FOOD FOOD FOOD. I couldn't have my grandma's banana bread on Christmas morning... I tried a bite and got stuck and cried and cried. It's something I always looked forward to and I can't have it anymore. I hated the band that day. I find a lot of those issues. I admit that I don't love my band like I had thought I would. I just had my 3rd fill on Friday and am hoping what I'm feeling is "restriction". But I don't start solid foods again until tomorrow. BUt, unlike my previous fills, I can feel water slowly draining from my upper stomach... pudding and chicken salad are making me feel full after a few bites. I didn't feel ANY of that until now. I think I expected it to "work" for me sooner than 5 months after surgery. I lost more weight in the 3 months before surgery than I have since... so I'm frustrated, feel like I wasted money and should have had the sleeve or bypass. But in the end, I'm not following the rules entirely. I'm eating less than before but not always the healthiest of foods. Money is tight and the healthy foods are expensive. Trying to make the best choices out of what I have, but I know it's not ideal. I also know that I'm still not chewing enough, still drinking too soon after meals etc. So I can't entirely blame the band, I'm responsible for a lot of my band dismay. I'm hoping that this is actual restriction I am starting to feel, hope to get that boost I need to kick myself into gear. If I could go back I would choose another WLS, but I'm stuck with this band and I'm going to try to make it work for me. Looks like you've got plenty of people who understand you here, but if you ever want to chat or complain together send me a message! Shannon

We went to an old favorite restaurant for lunch yesterday.. haven't been since before surgery in August... I fit in the booth with a couple of inches between me and the table! I used to squeeze in and be embarassed that my stomach was smashed against the table. Definetly gave me a much needed boost of encouragement. I was pretty loose with my eating over the holidays with the kids home from school all day everyday... definetly put on 5 lbs since Thanksgiving, but seeing the booth yesterday really made me feel like I was making progress. I'm meeting my DH's extended family at a reunion at the end of March for his grandfather's 90th bday... he hasn't seen the extended family in almost 7 years either, so we're both trying to drop a size before we go. I'm still having trouble not drinking with meals, and chewing enough. I find that when I chew as much as we're supposed to I start to gag on the gross mushy saliva filled food and have a hard time making myself swallow. I'm also the saliva freak who has to dump the milk if I catch DH drinking out of it because the backwash possibilities in milk are the worst. It's an issue I'm working on, but the consistency has always been a problem for me. The feel of fish when I bite into it makes me gag, squeaky green Beans on my teeth make me shudder and gag. I have a hard time swallowing bananas Jello or yogurt if they've been in my mouth for more than a second or two. Veggies that are slimy I can't do for the same reasons... tomatoes when they are raw (I can handle cooked), cucumbers I can't do either. The only veggie that I can almost always eat is Broccoli- but I eat it so often I get to the point that it's just hard to make myself swallow it. I need to find some veggie recipes that I can eat without gagging. Consistency of food is my big issue. I can swallow it if it's gross, but not if it's slimy or too jiggly feeling. I've found myself eating the same 3 dinners, lunches, and breakfasts for months and I'm bored! anyone else with these type of issues? how do you train yourself to eat food that your reflexes think you shouldn't?