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I love the people on this site too. You are all so courageous. Every one of you should be proud for being pro-active and meeting this horrible health issue head on. I am truly blessed to be recovering so well. I haven't had pain meds since the recovery room (I hated the morphine) and right now I have so much energy I feel like jumping up and down. My only small complaint is that I think I am constipated. I know there's not much to make a BM (TMI?) from, but I did cheat and have a bit (1/8 cup) of oatmeal yesterday and a tiny amount of flakey fish the day before. My sleeve handled it fine. My colon -- not so much. I wonder if Benefiber would do the trick. I don't want to take a laxative.

It's been four days since surgery for me, and still a no go. I started miralax on day two, but it hasn't helped. I have been able to pass gas, but that's it. At what point should I become worried? Thanks, and sorry if TMI.

After surviving a leak, I've been put back on liquids along with my tpn. I'm on full liquids now. I tried to drink 3 oz of wonton broth and a had a couple bites of sf pudding and it is sitting at the top of my throat and I keep feeling like I'm going to vomit (sorry if tmi). Am I trying to take in too much at one time? How long does it actually take liquid to travel out of the stomach? I'm trying to space out when I eat to make sure I'm not putting too much in my stomach at one time. I seem to stay confused on how to eat now,,maybe I was one of those that shouldn't have wls, I don't know. Too late now. Feeling very frustrated.

Not TMI at all. Great info. Thanks!

ok this is gross but I am going to go there....as a med tech that has looked at specimens under the microscope I can verify that celery does NOT digest. The fibers come out in your stool. Because I know this and have seen it myself I am staying WAY away from putting that into my much smaller pouch. If I eat it at all I make sure it is cut very fine and not in long strands! Sorry if TMI!

I agree with clk, I even have had a hysterectomy and every month I gain and lose with in that one week. I am a slow loser as well. I lose about 1 lb. a week, so I know how bad that weight gain looks. I try to stay away from the salty meats around that time of the month, because I also swell ( I can tell with my ring ). As for the constipation, it's common because you're not putting as much food in as before. (tmi) I go about once a week now. If it goes longer than that I have a prune.

I am curious, maybe a little disappointed, but I promised myself I would NEVER write about a stall. Well technically, I'm not. This is my three week weigh in. I expected no or very little loss based on what I have read here. I started solids last Wednesday and knew I've been consuming more calories, maybe 500-800 daily. My weigh in this morning shows a 2 lb gain. Has this happened to others? I know I am a slow loser. I lost 5.5 lbs during my liquid diet and 8.5 over the next two weeks. I read where many lose upwards of 25 lbs during that time. I am patient, but I can't imagine a gain.. Has anyone else experienced this? My Dr did make me throw away my hydrochlorothiazide which is a diuretic, could this be the cause? I have consumed a lot of ham/cheese roll ups this week as a source of Protein and low calories, maybe the salt is causing Fluid retention? (TMI) Also having a constipation issue. Using benefiber without any real relieve yet. Any suggestions? . Words of encouragement anyone ?

There will ALWAYS be someone thinner, making you feel like a cow. I remember being 125 pounds in high school being jealous of my extra skinny mini friend. We're never pleased with ourselves. Be happy that you can wear cute clothes, ride rides at an amusement park and reach your backside to clean it! hahaha...TMI??? Remember where you were, not where you 'could be.' YOU HAVE CONQUERED!!!!! HOOOO AAAAHHH!!!!!

OK so since last weeks blog got deleted, ill do a quick update. STATS: surgery 12-12-11 5'7" Hw: 265 GW:250 DoS:238.1 CW:212.1 DOWN 26 LBS...OH YEA! So here it is week 5. And honestly i think im doing pretty well.. Ive had ups Ive had downs, but overall im doing good... CAUTION-- this might be TMI.. lol So on the 14th, mother nature decided she was gonna rear her ugly head, gotta love that time of the month. And so far i havent really dealt with any stalls.. i had a minor gain the 3rd week, but that came off with some so i wasn't to unhappy and it only lasted a day or two so wasn't to bad. Anyways, so i have been steadily loosing approx 2 lbs per day before my TOM, and then once it started i gained 2 lbs.. damn water retention..lol. anyways So even tho im back to 212, im just sitting at this number until my cycle ends. its a little frustrating, but its just something im going to have to deal with. I guess the reason that i brought it up is because now im just going to laugh... this means every month im gonna deal with this. LMAO! ugh the joys of being a woman. Ill tell you why its funny to me.. before surgery i had been on DEPO for 9 years. I haven't had a freaking period in 9 years... ugh now im gonna have one every month. lolololol... FABULOUS! Anyways thats my rant and rave for the week.. other than that.. YUP im still hitting the gym 5 days a week, and it feels great!... JUST STARTED KICK BOXING... and lemme tell you.. that is a work out and a half!.. lastly, i have my follow up with my surgeon on the 27th! Im hoping she releases me to start doin full workouts.. i want to start working my abs!

Im sorry to hear about your nausea, but it sounds like you are really doing wonderful. I keep wanting to try a boot camp class but my doctor really wants me to wait till i go in for my post op with the surgeon on the 27th so i figure i will wait before i start anything else that will force me to really work out. I am still hitting the gym 5 days a week, and i recently started running again, i make sure thats its a slow and steady run and im not pushing myself ridiculously hard, but i am taking it a little further each day. So hopefully im not over doing it, but i feel so good after my workouts. the only thing that has stopped me dead in my tracks is it that TOM, lol.. which really puts a damper on things. It started yesterday and in one day i gained 2 lbs. i was down to 212.1 sorry if thats TMI. lol... but other than that i think im doing well.. hopefully i am done by this weekend so i can get back to running.

I had Dr K and have been very successful! Natalie is a Doll! I cringe too when I hear about the bizarre pre-op diets they have patients do! I have a friend who had to only eat no sugar jello, black coffee and sugar free tea. That was all she could have for 7 days! What on earth was wrong with that doctor? She was feeling faint by the 2nd day! I think many doctors do these bizarre diets pre-operatively to just torture the obese, like, "if you really want this LapBand you're going to have to suffer for it!" Like we haven't suffered enough already! Dr K's diet and Dr Weaver's diet is the true Liver Shrinking Diet! - Carbs is what causes the liver to swell, not fat, not calories! Carbs! Anyone who knows anything about nutrition and the body, knows this! Off my soapbox now! Glad this thread has been started! I need to get in and see Dr Weaver! I was waiting to get my finances in order after the holidays, some dental work and some business trips I hadn't been reimbursed for yet! Yikes! TMI! I'm sure no one really needed to hear my woes! Take care folks! dee~

Okay since Wednesday, I have had two throwing up episodes. The first time was salad. This morning it happened again. I apologize for the TMI but I really want to know if this is the norm. I had about half an omlette, chewed and ate slowly. I started to feel uncomfortable in my chest area and next thing I knew, I was running to the bathroom. The food came up like balls and lots of slime came out too. I'm assuming this is normal. I'm a bit confused because I did what I was supposed to and I really didn't eat that much at all. Obviously, I did something wrong but I'm not sure what. Even though this part of the band is gross, it makes me super excited to know that it's working!! Also, it felt so much better after I got it out. As an update, I was in a wedding last night. It was a lot of fun and I received lots of compliments. I hope to have pictures later. I was too busy to take any myself, but I'm sure others have some. I felt soo pretty and the dress was really flattering! This band has made me feel so much better about myself and I am grateful for that. Oh, and I also caught the bouquet for the first time ever!! And I danced my behind off (good exercise!). Anyways, I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Poo makes a difference too! If you aren't regular then your weight WILL go back up before it goes down! This is a major issue with me! I will lose 5 lbs and then gain back 2-3 a day to 2 later, and then I have to up my water and fiber before I go back down to where I was! It can be frustrating but now I just don't weight myself if I haven't been regular in a while. TMI? Maybe. But so true.

ok, so I had my lapband 5 weeks ago on Dec.7 and right now I am eating a regular diet. Although I've been told I'm in bandster hell right now because I have no restriction and I'm eating a lot more than I'm supposed to, I feel like it isn't right! Could it be that I can eat almost as much as I did before the band??? I've been told by my support leader that even though I feel I could eat more, that I really shouldn't. But that's why I got the band!! To use this tool to help me feel fuller faster!!!!! I haven't lost any weight since dec.19. I keep fluctuating by a pound or so (depending on how constipated I am...I know...TMI) but I haven't lost much and I'm not really eating the quantity I'm supposed to. Anyone have some wise words for me?

A timely thread for me...I'm in so much pain! Yowch. glad I searched before I posted Before it was mildly annoying, now I'm in hell. I try to poop and its just...stuck....TMI :D

Did anyone or is anyone currently experience extreme constipation during the pre op diet?? I've been on the low carb diet for two weeks and I start my liquid diet tomorrow and I can't stand this everyday constipation!!! I've taken the laxatives the NUT told me to take but i feel like i'm taking them all the time and i don't want that to mess anything up. Melissa

TMI, but I've had multiple occasions to swallow since banding and no problems. But lmao when I read this. Looking back, I could have used this as an excuse for a little while. Wish I had thought of that... great post

so far the only discomfort I have is the nausea (knock on wood) and the heprin shots are no fun. they brought me chicken broth, diluted apple juice, jello and a Popsicle for dinner. broth good, apple juice ok and jello and grape Popsicle were horrible - immediate nausea, close to barfing. Just brushed teeth and that has me a little queasy. Still have the catheter. I think they want to measure how much. sorry if tmi!

Yes, there is much less total volume going into your digestive tract so you're gonna poop less. Although (TMI) I know that the day after I had a BM I'm going to see a loss on the scale

After thinking about it for a long time, I have decided to put all of my fears and concerns down here in writing, no matter how irrational or insignificant they may be. I like to imagine that a few years down the road I will come back here and read this and think "Oh, how silly I was for being afraid of that!" So, here goes... I am afraid of being one of those unfortunate ones who doesn't lose a significant amount of weight with the band. I am afraid of dying on the table and leaving my family to pick up the pieces. I am afraid of having too much excess skin after I lose the weight and having to battle the insurance company to have it removed. I am afraid of the pain of post-op and recovering from surgery again. I worry that even with the band, I will not be teaching my son to have a healthy relationship with food. I am freaked out by the idea that I may become attractive to other men, and that I will not be able to deal with any attention that I might receive from them (that one takes a lot of bold-faced honesty to actually write down) I worry that my band will slip or erode, and that I will have to have it removed or revised. I am afraid that I will sabotage myself subconsciously and consistently "eat around the band." I am afraid that my boyfriend will not know how to handle my weight loss and either leave or cheat. I am afraid that I will have to struggle so hard to lose weight even with the band that I will give up and decide to be fat and happy vs. thin and miserable. I am afraid that my fibromyalgia will get worse after I lose weight. (I have had several acquaintances with fibro and WLS tell me that this has happened to them) I am afraid that my fibro will keep me from exercising and therefore cause me to gain all my weight back. I am afraid that I will become so paranoid about gaining weight that I will become obsessive about tracking calories, and lose my joy. I am afraid of having the surgery, losing all this weight, and still dying of a heart attack at 50. I am afraid of being labeled as a "cheater" for having surgery instead of doing it the old fashioned way. I am afraid of being under the magnifying glass when it comes to people who I choose to tell, and that they will constantly be watching me and waiting for me to mess up. I am afraid of dealing with my bipolar grandmother once she finds out that I have had this done. She is super judgmental and can be very mean and thoughtless sometimes. I am afraid that some other family members might start getting passive-aggressive when I start really losing weight, as if I were competition to them instead of just being happy for me. I am afraid of losing my boobs. I know this is probably tmi, but they're already on the small side for my weight and I don't want to end up flat-chested. I am afraid of losing my promise ring. It is already starting to get loose and I have only lost 10 pounds. I am afraid of losing a bunch of weight, having my rings resized, then gaining back so much weight that they don't fit anymore. I worry about becoming seriously depressed again after my surgery. I did with the last ones, and nobody told me beforehand that it was normal to get that way post-op. I am afraid that I have already done too much damage to my body and that even after losing weight it won't heal. I am afraid of being denied by my insurance company and not being able to have the surgery in the first place. That's all I can think of at the moment. The rational part of me says that most of these are silly, and that the rest of them won't be as big a deal as I think they will. But in any case, I have them written down now so that I can look back at them in the future.

Okay...this is going to be TMI, and I am sorry for that. I was one of those individuals who had problems initially with explosive diarrhea. It was so bad I thought I was going to dehydrate. Then I went onto full liquids, and had the absolute opposite problem. I spoke with my surgeons office and they told me I could take peri-colace. The only problem I have with this is that it can be habit forming and will cause problems with bowel patterns. I have learned that mira-lax is very gentle and it does work and is non-habit forming. It seems like bowel issues are definitely part of the changes that come along, but also don't forget if you were getting narcotic pain relievers and are still taking them, they too will cause constipation. Water is one of the most natural things for constipation though.

Well first, be sure that it really is constipation. At this point out you are barely eating anything and you should only be eating Protein.. so your body may actually be using everything you put it. I know I didn't (and still don't, sorry TMI) go very often at all. At one point though it had been a couple weeks, and I took a tsp of milk of magnesia. It was kinda gross going down but it worked. The milk of magnesia was what was suggested in the small packet I received from my doctor. In the meantime, just focus on getting in your liquids and protein and don't worry about it so much.

So, today I am feeling a bit weird. Weak. Stoned (as one of my bandster friends said). Or like I just took some antihistamines. I think this is because I did not eat nearly enough yesterday. Not just protein, but anything. I wasn't hungry. I'm not hungry today, but I'm making myself eat. Frozen fruit pop, stock with protein added, jello. The doctor even said I can do yogurt at this point but, as I'm not a huge fan I would prefer not. I also did not get enough water in yesterday, so I'm having to remind myself to drink, drink, drink. Which leads me to the letter G. G stands for Gas. Yes, gas. I have gas. On surgery day, the gas was really noticeable. It made me feel like someone punched me in my gut (another G). As the days progress, the gas gets less, but it is still there nonetheless. Thus, I make a point of getting up and moving frequently. This results in some rather significant belches, followed by my utterance of another G: "That was glorious." I'm not saying this to anyone in particular, as I live alone. I'm not even saying it to my cat, who is very sad that she cannot climb up on my belly for cuddles. I simply say it because each large belch really is glorious. The not so glorious end of the gas is the farting. When I feel a fart come along, I must extricate myself from my bed and go to the bathroom because, more often than not and my apologies for the TMI, the fart is accompanied by diarrhea. Granted, this could be worse. My bathroom is only a few steps from my bed and the diarrhea is not of the sort that results in an RBA (raw, burning a**hole). So, as it is right now, I am accepting of the farting. Yet another end of the gas is the third G for today's installment: Gurgling. When I walk, I gurgle. When I lay, I gurgle. And when I drink, I gurgle even more. I have a veritable symphony of gurgling going on in my gullet. I should start laying some notes down on staff, that's how musical my insides have become. I am like Pooh Bear. There is a rumbly in my tumbly. Tomorrow, I am hoping for less gas and more feeling like myself. But for today, I will continue my Will & Grace marathon and enjoy the cacophony of sounds emanating from my abdomen.

today is my second day on the pre-op diet. I am on 4 Protein shakes a day. I am not big on sweet things. I can't eat a lot of sugar without getting sick, meaning when my husband wants to go to waffle house, if I eat I'm in the bathroom halfway through the meal with the runs. I also don't do well with artificial sweetners. They make me sick to my stomach and I don't like the taste so I try to avoid them. I figured I'd have to suck it up for this, and I am. Except my shakes are sweetned with sucralose... my least favorite.. .and apparently my body is not dealing to well with it. I have the worse runs I've ever had in my life. I'm talking less than 15 seconds from stomach cramp to coming out the other end. I have a headache, and I'm sweaty and I'm nauseous. I don't think it is the protein, because I do Protein Shakes fairly regularly... just ones that are actually sweetned. I'm worried about getting through the rest of the week, and also the first week post op. Since everything is sweetned with sucralose, I'm not sure what to do. I am debating cancelling all the orders I made online for the post op drinks because they are all sweetned with sucralose. Anyone else have this problem? Should I suck it up or call my doc? are there any drinks that aren't artificially sweetned or maybe sweetned with stevia that I can switch to? back to the bathroom!!! agh.