Mommyto1

At the time I had my surgery, I was on a leave of absence from work to take care of a family member, but I could have returned to work by a week post op. I rested the first few days post op, but by Tuesday (I had my surgery on a Friday morning), I was ready to get back to my normal schedule.

I had minimal pain. Left the hospital with a prescription for Tylenol w/codeine, and barely used it. My pain/discomfort was mainly from gas. Other than that, I was up and around the next morning. I had surgery on a Friday and by the following Monday (10 days post op), I was back at the gym doing the treadmill and exercise bike with no discomfort.

I've been terrible with taking pictures. I have a picture from the night before I was banded and I'm planning on taking an updated picture next week for my 6 month post-op picture.

I really want to try Zumba, but I haven't got to the point where I feel like I'd be able to do it and I don't want to pay all that money for it to sit on a shelf. I had used the Leslie Sansone Walking DVD's a few years ago and I really like them.

Congrats on your weight loss & being smoke free! You look awesome!!

At the beginning it can be very discouraging. You've gone through this surgery, you don't seem to be losing and you're hungry a good portion of the time. I'm about 5 1/2 months out and I can tell you honestly, I wasn't sure how this would work for me at the beginning, but I'm down almost 60 lbs. and I feel so much better. I can only imagine how great I will feel (and look) in another 6 months. It's really tough in the beginning, but it will be worth it.

I love the Chocolate Splendor from Unjury. I wasn't a fan of the Chicken flavor, but the nice part about Unjury is if you get the item and you don't like it, contact customer service and you can return it and they'll usually replace it a flavor that you like.

I was able to start on protein shakes 3 days post-op, but each doctor has different preferences post-op. I would call you doctors office to and check, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to start on protein drinks

Happy Birthday!!

I think everyone gets nervous before their first fill, but it really isn't a big deal. 4 cc's doesn't sound like that's too much. My doctor had told me, that most people don't start to feel restriction until they have 7-9 cc's in their band. I had a fill last month that brought me up to 8 cc's and it was too much for me, so I got a slight unfill and at 7.5 cc's I finally have restriction.

Just stick with your diet. It does get better. I was banded in October and the first month or so was the toughest. I was hungry all the time. I think most banded people refer to it as Bandster Hell, and that's what it felt like for me. Once I started getting my fills, I found that I was satisfied with less food (although until you reach restriction, you still do get pretty hungry at times). It's been about 5 1/2 months and just a little less than 60 lbs. lost for me and I wouldn't change my decision for anything. I feel so much better than when I started this whole journey.

Definitely not a favorite for me. I use Unjury (the Chocolate Splendor and Vanilla) and I really like them. I bought the Chicken Broth flavor around the time I had my surgery and I couldn't eat it. It was too salty. The company actually let me exchange it for one of the flavors I like. I thought it would be a nice alternative to the chocolate/vanilla, but it didn't work for me.

Here's how I look at it. Did I take the easy way out? I don't think so. I've totally changed the way I eat, I've started to exercise (which I hadn't done in years) and I've lost weight. Could I have done it without the band? I had tried it, so many times and had very little success and very short term success. Maybe the band gave me my motivation to finally get myself into shape. I wouldn't have went through this surgery if I wasn't going to take the weight loss seriously. Ultimately, I was over 150 pounds over weight when I started this journey, I'm now 90 pounds overweight. I still have a long way to go, but I finally feel like I'm heading in the right direction. So, I really don't care if people think getting the band is the easy way out. I'm doing what I have to do to have a better & healthier life.

People are unbelievable! A girl in my office (no one in my office knows I had the surgery) made a comment that the band doesn't work and that if she were to have WLS, that she would get Gastric Bypass because "that's the one that really works".

Congrats!! It's so nice when you can go shopping and buy clothes in smaller sizes.

You're doing great! I'm about 5 1/2 months out and I've lost a little less than 60 pounds, so an average of about 10 lbs a month. Keep up the good work

If you feel like you don't need a fill, I would tell the doctor you don't want one. My doctor pretty much asks me how I'm feeling and if I say I think I need a fill, I get one. At my last appointment I was giving 1 cc (which brought me up to 8 cc's total, since being banded in October) and it was too much. A few days later I went in for a slight unfill and since then I've felt pretty good. I think I've finally got to my "sweet spot"

Good for you!! Congrats on your weight loss and getting into Onderland!

The website for the Realize band is www.realizemysuccess.com When you were banded you should've been given a card. If you register you band number, you get full access to the site.

The first few weeks are very tough, but once you get pas this, it's so worth it. I was banded in October and the first month was the hardest. Now, about 5 1/2 months out, I've lost about 60 lbs. and I feel so much better, physically and mentally.

I've definitely experienced that. It usually happens when I've eaten a little too much.

I've been losing since being banded in October, but I've still gotten 4 fills because I was hungry. Since getting my last fill about 3 weeks ago, I had to have a slight unfill because I was getting sick after everything I ate. Since getting that unfill, I feel great. I'm not hungry as often and I'm satisfied with much less food.

I was on clear liquids days 1-3. Then full liquids from days 3-14. Then puree food from2 weeks-4 weeks.

My sore throat lasted a few days. Ice pops definitely helped.

I haven't told anyone other my husband, my side of the family and only 2 close friends. Other than that I haven't told anyone else. I'm not telling my inl-laws because some of them would be very critical. Now everyone is noticing that I've lost weight I just tell them ive reduced my carbs and portion sizes. So far no one has questioned me.