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I'm having a bit of a nervous breakdown I think. It hit me when I was in the grocery store stocking up on the stuff I need for clears diet tomorrow. I came home and just started crying. I want this surgery more than anything but I must admit the reality of relearning and developing a new relationship with food is making me so sad. When I tried to decide what I was going to have for my low carb low fat dinner thats what sent me over the edge. I started thinking about all the things I wanted and I just broke down. I think once I cry and say goodbye to these habits I'll be ok. I know I am making the right choice. I'm just trying to deal with what I'm feeling right now. I'm going to make some powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken Soup now, its been about 5 hours since my last shake and I'm sure low blood sugar is playing a role in me being so emotional. Oh and sorry if TMI but PMS x 10 isn't helping one little bit.

hello everyone. I made it through with flying colors. Those of you that reminded me to keep positive and go into it with a good attitude seriously made all the difference. My surgery was delyed a few hours because of issues with the surgeries before me, So I finally had my surgery about 2:00 then to recovery for a couple of hours. i seriously had a great experience - as great as this type of thing can go. Not sure why but I didn't need a cathiter (sp?) nor did I have a drain. i was up a walking last night, but had a little nausea but they took care of that. This morning I passed my leak test and had my first post 'meals'. Mostly broths because the Jello is just too sweet. I was able to drink apple juice. I'm not in that much pain although I did press the morophine button a few times over night. I'm off all wires and IVs and they gave me a dose of Loratab a little while ago to take the edge off the feeling that I did 1000 situps . I'm doing my laps around the floor and using my breathing machine as directed. They were going to send me home today (although i'm glad they didn't) but they can't until I pass gas - but my bladder is working just fine. TMI? sorry. I hope everyone is doing well today and I Iook forward to the next chapter of this journey. Thanks again to all the well wishers, i really appreciate it - You're the best!!

Hi Guys, this is long but important. I can't be bothered with spelling, sorry. I have not been around much because I had a complication. I was also struggling with whether I should post it or not. I am not shy so the topic does not bother me but I don't want to scare people away from this wonderful life changing surgery. I decided it could be a good cautionary tale to keep people on program with fluids. Don't screw around. Sip, sip! It is THAT important. I, like many others, have been struggling a little with constipation. When you don't eat much there is not much there to make a BM. No big deal right? Well not for me....... I started to feel constipated for the second time since surgery on Monday, Sept 30th. I kind of ignored it as bathroom habits are all out of whack for everyone now. By Wednesday I was feeling really constipated and uncomfortable. I emailed my team and they said drink Milk of Magnesia. It will be ok. It was not even close to ok. Wednesday afternoon I could tell I needed to have a movement but when I would go to the bathroom nothing would happen. I didn't strain because I thought it would just happen on it's own when ready. Wednesday evening this "mass" (as you will see later) was really trying to come out. I was starting to get involuntary pushing on the toilet trying to expel this movement. I could tell it was large and very hard. This is when I started to notice a lot of blood, mucus, and Water moving past the mass. I was also cramping very badly and upset about the whole situation. I called my mother who is a nurse. She felt I might be "impacted" and needed to contact my team in the morning. She recomended I take a Valium (to stop the painful spasms) and try and get some sleep. "Impacted" is when there there is a large mass of BM that will not move on it's own because of the size and hardness. I did not have a fever or any other problems. I did not feel my pain was worth a trip to the E.R. I took a Valium and went to bed. At about 4 a.m. Thursday I woke up with the feeling of needing to have a movement. I went to the bathroom and the involuntary pushing started. The only way I can describe it is when you have bad diareha and can't control the way it comes out? That is the contractions I am talking about. I couldn't stop pushing. After about 30 mins of this I was ready to tell my husband to call an ambulance. I was in terrible pain in my rectal area. I finally passed a movement the size of a water bottle that was rock hard. No joke. No exageration. Needless to say a lot of blood and mucus followed. It was very painful and traumatic. I screamed through the whole ordeal. My husband was very upset and didn't know what to do but tell me he loved me and hang in there. My mother was sleeping after her night shift (I didn't want to wake her) and I was feeling a little better (though very sore) so I went to work. I emailed my care team and told them what happened. Later in the morning I started to spot bleed from my rectum and started to get worried. My team told me to get to my PCP who was waiting for me. I was begining to feel a lot of pain at this point. Of course I got a flat tire on the way to my doctor's office and had to walk the last 3 blocks. No easy feat when you have been through what I had just gone through. He examined me (NOT fun) and found I had fissures and tears all throughout my rectum. This is what was causing the bleeding. I now have an internal pain killing cream I put in with a syringe thing, a cream I put in also, more Loritab, and Valium for the rectal spasms that almost make you want to pass out. I should heal in 7 -14 days. Walking makes the area spasm so walking much is out of the question right now. The whole experieince has been very painful. To top it off I am in a stall right now. My weight is flucuation 2 lbs, back and forth. Why did this happen? Because I did not get enough fluids! I really believe this was the root of the problem as I live in a hot climate and sweat during the day often. I also was getting no Fiber (none of us are at the begining), and eating lots of cheese for Protein (well lots for us with small tummies). It was a perfect storm. I am using Metimucil's Clear Metamucil Clear & Natural now. This stuff is great. I am starting with 1 tsp a day to get my system used to it. It has no taste. I can't even tell I have put it in my water. I am eating less cheese. I am getting all my fluids and not kidding myself about getting enough. Measuring is the only way I know I am getting what I need. Please talk with your doctor about adding this fiber to your diet and make sure you are getting fluids. This whole thing was my fault for not getting fluids. I have learned my lesson. Don't follow in my footsteps.

Ooh, sounds good ill try that next time, M&MS are small they won't stretch my tiny tummy ..... I have a sensitive tiny tummy.. too many M&Ms get me the old dumping syndrome tmi I know but keeps me from being bad

HI Sammywammy, I'm 5 months out and promise you it does get better, albeit slowly!! Along my journey I have experienced stomach aches, shocker tummy rumbles, terrible (sorry tmi) smelly wind, PLUS many trips to the bathroom , nausea, stopping on the side of the road to vomit and the odd occurance of dumping. I still sometimes eat something (or a combination of foods) that makes me feel queezy or that sends me to he bathroom in a hurry. The first year is trial and error, and everyone is different about what they can tolerate. Some weeks it feels like Im back to square one and can barely get anything down, then the next week Im eating like a horse (well a small horse thats had GBP ). I now have some "safe" foods that I fall back on. You will find yours in due time.

OMG!! This thread is so funny and awesome!! All I have to say is I move around a lot more (different positions), I want it a lot more and ITS WAY DEEPER!! AWESOME!! Sorry if TMI

Sleeved on 2/18, so far so good. Gas pains are starting to go away, just had my first BM (sorry for TMI), and I'm down 11 pounds since Monday. I'm ecstatic that everything has been so good so far, I've only taken 2 Percocet since I left the hospital and that was the first day. I'm walking my dog about 5 mins 3 times a day and I feel great. I'm only getting around 40-50 ounces of liquid in a day though. That's the one thing I need to work on.

This is kind of a TMI one, but hey, I'm sure we're all in the same boat to some extent! Just wanted to ask - has anyone been experiencing aversions to foods/types of foods you were formally addicted to (for me it was sweets, especially chocolate or ice cream)? I am now constantly jonesing for salty stuff, and things that are crunchy - crispy crunchy not wet crunchy like a carrot! hahaha I can't get enough salt - to the point that I have been so desperate at times that I have shaken a few small chunks of sea salt out of the grinder and sucked on them one at a time. Love the parmesan cheese chips you can make, because they totally satisfy both the salty and crunchy craving, and it only takes 2 or 3 then I've had enough. I'm still experiencing dumping, but not as intensely or as quickly as I had been in the first few months. The first 6 weeks or so, if I had anything too sugary or fatty, it would either send me into an immediate hot flush with extremely smelly and explosive diarhea and I'd be on the toilet for ages, or it would send me into an immediate dead-cold sweat with lightheaded dizziness and I'd have to go lie down (absolutely had to be horizontal) for at least 20 minutes in pitch black (or something over my head to make it so) before I could recover and then I'd have to hit the toilet for a loooooong time. Now, I don't have those episodes so much, but I will feel very yuck, just very very unwell, semi-nauseous, and needing the toilet quite badly. I actually don't mind the dumping because in some ways it's very handy - makes me stop and think before I eat something, consider what the reaction might be and when........because I don't want to be without access to a loo if it's #2, and I don't want to use someones and then stink it all out! Nothing more embarassing than everyone knowing you were the one that made that oh-so-important room repulsive to use. hahaha Also, my hair.....or my lack of hair. Good Lord it started falling out about 3 months ago and it hasn't let up since. At times it seems like the fall out has slowed down, but then I will take a shower or brush my hair and look at that...another toupe in the drain or a tumbleweed in the brush. My ponytail is so thing now that I use toddler size ponytail holders and my fringe is so thin it constantly looks greasy no matter how clean it is. I get plenty of protein and I take my vitamins and supps religiously........I'm thinking it might be the Metformin I still take. It can have hair loss as a side effect. I'm going to see my doc about cutting the dose in half now. Aside from the hair loss I have no complaints, and I don't regret my decision to sleeve for a second, even when I'm pulling a huge glob of hair out of the drain! I figure it will grow back eventually, and if it doesn't, oh well. It's not the end of the world. Makes wearing a wig easier....not as much hair to put under the cap. hahaha

Not TMI at all but awesome! Healthy sex is just that... healthy. Hope you had a good time and this starts the process in healing the bad body image a lot of us hold in our minds about ourselves.

Ok now that I'm not in so much pain I was sleeved on the 20th and had a HUGE hernia repair. I had extreme pain when I woke up. My BUTTON was my BEST FRIEND. I was so sad when they took it away I was up and walking the night of surgery...that wasn't bad. Nausea from the anesthesia was my enemy. It made me dry heave until the doc gave me medication to stop it. I got put on a liquid diet on post op day#2 and I was sent home that same day. I was 316 on the day of surgery, 321 on day#2 post op, and this morning day#4post op I was 314! Pain is minimal but sorta constant on my left side. And it kinda feels like I'm sucking my tummy in when I'm not. Only pain med I take maybe twice a day is liquid extra strength Tylenol (only 5ml) I drink all my liquids 2oz at a time....so far the protein shake goes down the smoothest. I have trouble with water...it tends to hurt when it gets to the opening of the stomach. And my TMI moments.....I started passing gas AND my first BM on day#3 post op

The barium tastes like Mylanta and its a lot to drink but just be warned at least this happened with me, I had some diarrhea the next day. Tmi I know!

I know this is tmi but im a little over 4 mo post op and for the past week my breasts have been SUPER sore!! I have the implanon implant birth control and i dont have a period. I took a pregnancy test a couple days ago just in case and it was negative....thank God!! But this is freaking me out. .....anyone else have this happen? xo Hilary

Certainly leave it no longer. You can do it. I am day 13 of a 14 day diet of Optifast plan. Before I started it i was scared that I just wouldnt be able to do it. I also knew that If I cant do this now then I would never manage after having my Op. Yes, I did have a couple of headaches and bouts of nausea for the first five days but after that it got easier. Keeping busy is also good. I have done heaps of cleaning. Where I live must be in shock. This might be TMI but i feel a change in the shape of my body. Maybe that is the my shrunken liver talking. Stop thinking. Thousand of people have done this before. You can too.

So we're told that we have to drink, drink, drink. So I am drinking, drinking, drinking. BUT, not to give too much TMI Fluid in is not equaling fluid out. I'm swollen like a tick. I even ate some watermelon last night as that ususally pushes right through, but it isn't happening. Now what?

Same thing happend to me being over weight is never excluded from TMI lol!!! I can't even tie my shoe without my face turning red when I bend over.

Nope but love the term :phantom pooo:! Could it be constipation? Is your poo more solid than it was before surgery? That may cause your symptoms. I'm just about a year out. Right after surgery I only went #2 every 4-5 days, then was very constipated for a couple of months (rock-hard poo), then got ridiculously gassy for a few months until I practically eliminated breads, and am now back to normal both with regularity and consistency. Sorry if this is TMI.

I just laughed out loud! You and your ass really need to start getting along! Although I admit... me and my ass have not discussed a schedule of evacuation or anything. I eat bran buds, I take stool softeners, I take fibre pills, I occasionally use suppositories and I toot, but actual evacuation of ???? rarely happens. Where in the hell does it go?!?!?! I am forever full of poo! Sorry, TMI. I never have diarrhea, it's always the opposite! I go a week without having a BM and then the suppositories have to be brought out. I should look into this MOM stuff. Clearly we (me and my bum) need to have some MOM our lives.

Well I'll tell you what, you are right, your perception and relationship with food will change. Mine came before the surgery when I was pre-op and I had some major stuff going on and I could have gone out and had a hot fudge sundae. (or french fries or a belgian waffle) but I couldn't, I was on my pre-op diet. I felt what it was like not to be able to fill that void with food... so I ended up going and buying some new clothes because I went down from a size 18 pants to an 11 pre-op. And I am reluctant to report that shopping has sort of replaced food. I am only a few weeks post op and I am struggling with all kinds of things, wanting to replace food with other things and since I am post op, not feeling up to the rigorous exercise I'd like to undertake. That's what you gotta keep reminding yourself. The first big aha moment for me came when I completely stopped taking all my meds. I am just waiting to see if my bloodwork says I need to continue any of them. Also, post op I have a TMI problem most bandsters don't really deal with and hoping a course of anti-biotics take care of it, but it also has a huge effect on how I feel about food at the moment. I can honestly say, I don't turn to the refrigerator. I am probably in a weird place mentally at the moment so I wouldn't say my result is typical.

I'm home all day and needed soemthing to fill up the time - So, I too Wheetsin googled OH - this is what I found: Besides, grazing on fats leads to explosive diahrreah or greasy stools that sometimes leak out into my underwear when I pass gas. ( I know, TMI, but I have to go here in order to explain my food choices.) I have messed myself several times while in my car, but I have discovered that if I eat rice and other complex carbs with the fats, I can bind up the grease without losing control of my bowels ....and I was worried the first few wks of post op on the band, not "trusting the fart".....

I also have PCOS and have always had trouble with periods. Up until a month after I got my band I had never started my period on my own before. I always had to take the pill to get a period. I had one in October, then again in November but in december I started having them twice a month and then would spot a few days... then nothing a few days. It was very all over the place. I finally went in and decided it was time to get back on birth control because I still have over 100 pounds to lose to goal so I got the nuva ring. I put it in and all was fine until I started my period 4 days before I was supposed to take it out. So I removed it early and within a few days I was having the worst period of my life. I bled over tampons and pads together every 2 hours. It lasted two weeks and I went back on the pill and it still didn't completely stop it so after a week on the pill and still bleeding I went to my obgyn and she doubled up my pills for 3 days and said she's not sure what caused it to be that bad. I also got a yeast infection from the heavy bleeding for 2 weeks. She said that was common. I'm just now recovering from it. I'm never using nuva ring again! hahahaha. I'm now taking Yaz birth control pills and I'm much happier. I was on ortho tri cyclin for probably 7 or 8 years. Sorry if this is TMI

Living in South Louisiana, spicy food is the norm. I'm almost 9 months out and haven't had any issues with spicy foods yet. Of course, crawfish season is just around the corner and it isn't good unless you have tears running down your cheeks and your sinuses are flowing (TMI, huh?! LOL), so I guess that will be the real test!

How's everyone doing? I have a personal question to ask and I hope its not TMI. Is anyone experiencing sexual issues since your weight loss? I have completely lost my desire for sex. It seems odd to me, I would have thought losing 65 lbs would make me want sex but it has had the opposite effect on me. I am hoping its temporary but its not something I really want to ask my surgeon about. Anyone else in this same boat?

Again, The Phantom appears... Hey Y'all... I was SOOOOO horridly busy at work this week that I couldn't even make it to the boards... and when I got home, it was late and I was tired. I thought of you often and missed you guys the whole time. Patty - I guess your job was Heaven sent - Angel included. Who could ask for more? I hope that all the stupid stuff gets sorted out soon. I don't know if anybody has celebrated 12th night in the US ever. It's an old, old holiday. Shakespeare wrote a play about it - but that's most all I know. Have fun researching that. Maybe it's a good one that we should bring back into fashion... :] Betty - No, I am not doing anything I can't talk about - we were just out running around yesterday. Dang it was COLD. We went to Fry's Electronics in search of a spare cord for my lap-top - but ended up finding it at Radio Shack. And we also hit Walmart for some stuff. DH wanted varnish for the kitchen cart we picked up at Ikea on our last trip and I needed some more low-carb shakes and SF pudding. By the time we got back, I just wanted to veg out. Ira - hopefully that 2nd fill will do the trick - but if you lose restriction again, you get on back to those docs and make them put some contrast in there and check for leaks. We don't want any back-sliding on your progress due to technical difficulties... You are our favorite LapBand Poster Dude!! Besides - you are SOOOOO close to goal. Eileenie - I'm Guinea Pig for a couple of folks at my office, too. Happy to do it, too. And I have decided I am going to forego guilt over food from now on. If I want pepperoni crackers, I am going to eat them. So long as I am losing weight, I am not going to "diet" per se. I will just be sure to get my nutrition stuff in and then eat whatever I want in moderation. Oh and anybody who volunteers to clean at Eileenies is welcome to come here, too. DH is a fab cook - but a lousy housekeeper. Fortunately his other skills compensate for the housekeeping... (is that tmi?!?) Oh, and Eileen - you are failing in your duties as a Mom if you don't get your @$$ into the docs for your Girlie exam. No excuses - JUST DO IT. Even I, the worst person ever about going to the docs, has had a recent girlie exam! Sherry - (you know, I always want to call you Sherry Baby - but I am betting you have had your fill of that in your lifetime...) - I had that pulling thing too. It was awful and it caused pain I could do without. It was just the infamous panni pulling on everything. I solved the problem by pulling on my comfiest girdle and keeping it on. It's not really tight - it just keeps everything from moving around too much. I have been wearing a girdle 24/7 since surgery - to keep those panni pains at bay AND to give my skin a fighting chance of shrinking with the weightloss. I have been wearing a sports bra when I am not wearing the regular one... Bestform makes a nice comfy one for big girls that slips on over your head - no tags and nice cotton/spandex. I told my DH that I am a superhero, fighting the evils of gravity. I hope you feel much better, soon. I hate the thought of you having to go back to work feeling so poorly. Get lots of rest. xo. Anne - I agree - and entire forum for XXX would cause a plethora of threads to appear. I guess I just want to see this site be mostly about the band - but since our thread runs wildly in many directions, I really I can't... :]. Of course, our thread stays largely in the area of support - if not just for the band, it is still support - so maybe I can get away with saying that this site should be about supporting each other in all areas with emphasis on the band. In the mean time, I guess I will just read what I have time for (which isn't much, these days) and respond to whatever I feel I can contribute to... A little ribald fun is one thing - but sometimes it does venture into the Gross and Tasteless... Cindy - Big Hugs!! I hope you get through all the testing and stuff without a breakdown. You cry, and vent and do anything else that you need to do here. That's all that is keeping us sane. And that Heart of Gold shines through - even when you are being a smart ass. :] And how tall are you? I am thinking maybe my goal of 150 is too low. I know that the last time I was down around 200 I looked pretty good. Hmmm. I am going to have to ponder that mystery. Of course, at 150, I think the charts will still show me as Obese - by like a pound or something. Geesh! Oh, and Cindy - STOP IT!!! I moved here to get AWY from the cold!! I can hibernate even if it's warm outside... and so can you!! :] Pat - I must confess, I still don't have all the stuff that we bought at Ikea put together yet... At least two bookcases remain in boxes... And Eagles are awesome. We were at the Oregon coast one year - parked on a lookout pointed out to the ocean - and a huge eagle rode a cliff current up right in front of us. It was really cool. Of course, we didn't have a camera or anything - but it was great to see. Of course, we don't feed birds at my house. Luring innocent birds into a cat's yard is not exactly acceptable, in my book. We still get a ton of birds though. Thankfully, my cats have no front claws and the birds are pretty sharp. We have only found one feathery carcass, so far. I don't want to hear one word about how de-clawed cats are defenseless. I have seen my cats catch both mice and birds with no front claws. I have had my share of scratches from playing with them and they can still put up a respectable fight against the neighbor's cat who has recently decided that he likes OUR food dish better than his own. Anyway, I hope you get a picture of your eagle. I would like to see it. Dianne - Codeine is clearly not your friend!! I hope you get rid of that medication! I am glad you had a good time with GMA. Keep your chin up about DH's meeting with the boss. Maybe he is going to get a raise or something. Maybe an increase in bonus? Hopefully it will all be for the good. I love the Personality thing. So funny. I guess they can't teach that bedside manner stuff. It's nice that you and the nurse hit it off, though. The docs are important - but it's the nurses who will be there after the deed is done. Zan - I hope you are having a great time. Check in when you get a minute. You know, Even when I don't have the time to come visit, it comforts me to know that there are folks out there thinking good thoughts about me. I hope all of you know that I am thinking good thoughts about you - even when I am not checking in. Love & Hugs Irene

I’m 9 days out and really struggling with pain. I had an incident with TMI pooping today and now my stomach is in so much pain it feels like every move I make I might pass out from pain.

Still hanging at the 216-224 range. It's gotten to the point that I have "rules" that are so bizarre that my husband is pushing me to see my WLS. I don't want to go back for fear I'm going to hear it's my fault I haven't lost more... Jill's Rules - not really mine, what my body is dictating: *Can't eat before 10am; thankfully, coffee goes down okay. *Can't get breakfast down(1/4c oatmeal, 1/4c egg sub, 2 slices turkey bacon or yogurt and fruit) in under 45 minutes. *Can't be wearing a bra or anything remotely fitted around my waist - food will not go down. *Can't sit down to eat - three bites and I'm backlogged. *Attempt to sit down to dinner - see above - then run to the bathroom, throw up food plus a nasty looking mucus ball(TMI-I know!) Then - surprise! I can eat..as long as I stand up to do it. *Hungry all the time - and it's not in my head - my stomach growls so loudly my co-workers crack up in meetings. *Obsessed w/chocolate - never was before. It's either because it will go down and gives me instant(temporary) energy or because if the serotonin release. *Vomitting can be triggered by something as small as the thin slice of a radish or a 1/4 tsp size piece of chicken and can go on for hours. *After throwing up, the area around my port seems to puff up. Despite having my haital hernia fixed a surgery, I feel like I have acid reflux. When I list it all, it does seem a bit ridiculous for me to continue to suffer. I guess I should just be glad that I'm no longer 286 pounds. Healthier with well-controlled blood glucose, but still the biggest gal in the room. Still not taken seriously or talked down to because I'm plus sized. I suppose it's time I just suck it up and accept that this is as good as it's going to get.