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The good, the bad, and the ugly...here's some ugly: Had a rough night last night. I started testing out some Isopure clear when I got home from my trip, but diluted it with Water because it tasted so strong. After almost a week of no Protein I thought it was a good idea. That's what I get for thinking! After I went to bed, my new little sleeve had a fit! It woke me up two hours later, returning the nasty stuff that I had fed it! It was the worst feeling...I coughed and gagged on the stuff for a while, and took a vow against isopure for a while!!! Back to plain old Vitamin water once my sleeve has a rest for a few hours! Gotta keep it happy! Also had noticed my legs and feet were swollen after the return flight home, and had gained some pounds of water weight. I had cut my BP pills in half before leaving for Mexicali because I was having occasional dizzy spells when I stood up, and my BP readings were normalized, I suspected it was dropping because I had lost 17 lbs :patriot: Then I totally stopped taking it while in Mexicali because my BP had dropped WAY lower than normal, probably due to all the post-op medications. But I checked it this morning and it is back up at borderline high, :patriot: so I restarted on the 1/2 dose. Am already getting rid of some Fluid from my legs and feel better. I have an appt. with my internist next week (she's been in Europe so I've been "self-doctoring) to be sure everything is looking OK. I think she will be surprised at the wt. loss already. Am also having LOTS of gas at both ends now...so I "hit the chewable GASX" and took a nap late this morning, finally feel a bit better ...probably will be seeing (beware TMI) some peacock poop soon. Two steps forward, one step back. Oh well!

:tongue2:IT'S SO FUNNY TO ME THAT I WOULD GET SO EXCITED ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT! I WAS JUST WANTING TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE FELT THE SAME WAY!! IT'S NOT TMI BUT I WILL SAY PEOPLE WILL SOON FEEL THE WAY WE DO TRUST ME!! I'M SO HAPPY! THANKS HUGS & SMILES:wink:JENN!

Ha ha! That is great! I am not nearly close to where you are, but I will say......doing a trim job has become possible again.....TMI I know, but it is the little things like that that keep me going! Right on!

Hi hope everyone is doing good...I am still having gas and runny green stuff (I know TMI) I have been taking gas x for the whole 9 days post op. I emailed my dr and I'm waiting for a response. My port site is still hurting but I hear it last 4-6 weeks, so hang in there.

You know at 4-5 days I had no idea what I was "feeling" in my stomach. It was all just one big.......mess feeling. Gradually you will start to "feel" it again. I can tell if I really need to eat or drink a shake now. That just came back a week or so ago. I think the fullness right out might be swelling. TMI Alert: Ahh the big bowel question. Well....... I had surgery on August 26th. I had a movement (if you could call it that just a few squirts) on August 31st. Then I had some more squirts on September 4th. Then I got worried when the 16th rolled around and I had done nothing so I emailed me team and they said it was ok to take some Milk of Magnesia. A word to the wise: You DON'T need an "adult" dose. Again, You DO NOT need an adult dose:scared0:. I took 3 oz and it was wayyyyyyyy too much. The 24th rolled around and I had been on full liquids and muchies and felt constipated for the first time so I took 1 oz. It was too much again. If I need it again i will take a half ounce. Talk to your surgeon before taking MoM though. You want to make sure your stomach is clear for it. I would not worry about movements on clears at all. After you start full liquids maybe. If it has been a few weeks yeah I would ask.

OK so at my post-op appt the doctor said I could move on to regular foods and I have been doing good, until tonight. I was eating some chicken that I had boiled so it was nice and tender, I also had bell pepper and onions in it. Well i guess I was not eating slow enough but I had a pepper and it got stuck and let me tell you that is the worst feeling. TMI but they are not lying about the foam that comes back up. It was nasty so after about 5-10 minutes it finally passed and I was able to finish my meal. Let's just say I really focused on chewing and eating more slowly. Moral of the story, we may not have restriction but things will still get stuck, so chew, chew, chew and eat slowly. Take care guys and remember me at your next meal so you will head my warning. Bye guys. Til tomorrow.:mad:

I did a lot of research on what I should be drinking for my 2 weeks pre op liquid diet. Last week I finally found something I really like. It's 20 grams of Protein per serving and also has no sugar as well as chromium to regulate my blood sugar (which regulates mood). Also (a little TMI) I am not getting "backed up" using this because it has digestive enzymes (which is a great thing :tongue2:) Same company also does a super greens drink so that I am getting my fruits and veggies servings so I am not missing out on any Vitamins or minerals while I'm doing the pre op liquid diet. My surgery is scheduled for 10/6/09. I know I can do it! If any one is interested in what I am using send me a message and I'll send you some info on it.

TMI...the only good thing I found about lactose intolerance was it was really easy to resolve a bout of constiptation! Chug a glass of milk or some ice cream!

I started losing my hair at the three month mark. It was coming out in clumps when I applied shampoo, conditioner and product or when I combed/brushed it or just even slept. Not to make light of cancer patients, but I felt like a chemotherapy patient. It stopped coming out in such large amounts after a couple of months. The hair loss was very noticable....in fact, my hairstylist mentioned that my hair's texture has completely changed. The hairs are now growing back. I have many Patches of two-inch-long hairs all along my hairline, part and pretty much everywhere. I changed to a shampoo/conditioner that was meant for weak hair. I also took Biotin about three times a week. When I asked my surgeon about the hair loss, he said it was a result of rapid weight loss. He also said the hair WILL grow back. The funny thing about taking biotin is that it accelerated the hair growth on my legs, armpits and bikini area (TMI?). Good times......:tongue2:

Girl you are getting soooo close...I really envy you right now...I'M SO DONE BEING PREGNANT! My knees hurt, my back hurts, I can't stop pee'ing, my crotch hurts and i'm tired of being sweaty....TMI-I KNOW I'M A WHINER BUT I NEEDED TO GET THIS OFF MY CHEST! How are you? Keep us posted, I want pics as soon as your bundle of joy arrives!! I'm planning on taking my laptop to the hospital with me to give me something to do when laying there for 3 days. Bye for now, Renee

Okay Bunnies - Here is my update. 1. WEIGHT- 246 ya baby! 2. FILLS- I have had 3 fills. With a total of 1.6 in my band. (I have a 4cc band.) 3. RESTRICTION- Good level of restriction. I am eating a cup of food per meal. (unless I have slider foods.) I feel satisfied and have no hunger pains for hours after eating. 4. RULES-I feel like I am doing good with the bandster rules. 5. ANYTHING ELSE- Going to have some lab work done to check my Vitamin levels. Noticing more bruising so I am wondering how my Iron is? I have been taking a liquid multi Vitamin A few times a week, along with calcuim, E, and NeoCell. I have noticed some hair loss, nothing to alarming. TMI alert - I notice I poop less than I use to, and it is often harder. On the verge of to hard. Yikes! Hard to eat Fiber, and I am terrible about adding it in to my diet. Right now I have the powder and think the chewable tablets would be much better for me. (I could count them as a snack...a little humor there!) I drink coffee in the morning and then hit the vitamin Water. 60 oz a day.

I remember. :smile2: I lurk around now again - generally don't have much interesting to say (unless you count my post in the 20's forum about getting naked with a new partner...LOL...that will probably be more TMI than what you said, Linda). I'm not where I imagined I would be by now, either. Around about the time I STOPPED my very quick downward slope on the weight-loss was because I filed for divorce. The emotional strain was just too much. I eat my emotions. Yep, still do. The times when I've gone overboard with it (eating past the point of fullness because I was trying to drown the feelings), I have PAID the price. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch...more ouch. Hopefully I remember the pain next time I think THAT was a good idea. Two more months to our 2nd Bandiversary, huh? Well, I'm bound and determined to be well within "normal" range for my height by then according to my BMI. I still want to lose 37 more lbs total, but I have 8 to go to be "normal." I got lazy with my weight loss over the past year. I'd eat well sometimes, others not so much. The band has ALWAYS been a Godsend, however. Whatever the lowest weight is that I get to, I cannot for the life of me gain more than 10 lbs over that. So that has been fantastic and I'm grateful everyday for that. The past couple of months, I started buckling down on my fitness. Not so much my diet. I didn't limit WHAT I ate, but I did my best to make "better" choices. But I didn't guilt myself if I wanted a piece of pie or some chocolate, or whatever. The key is - I've been working out like a maniac for two months. Got down to the lowest I had been (which is recorded on this board in the "list"), and then one lb further than that. And was stuck. So the past several days I've forced myself to low carb in addition to the working out...and I'm down another lb. My goal is to low-carb it for the next two weeks (until the 1st). I'm going on a vacation with the new (very hot!) boyfriend and I wanted to look my best. :smile2: I don't want to worry about carbs on a vacation, but will really do my best to not overdo it with sugar. When I get back, I'll probably get back on low carb for a bit...don't know how long. I've used low carb in the past to blast off the lbs, but I think the body starts to build a tolerance to it and an INtolerance to any kind of carbs, which is not good when you want to go back to eating like a normal person. So I basically plan to only use it for jumpstarts...kind of like getting me off the plateau I was on (it worked like a charm). All-in-all, I'm happy with my band. I'm coming to peace with the fact that I haven't lost ALL that I thought I would have lost by now. But I'm learning the value of hard work and determination when it comes to shaping my body. I bike 75 total miles a week, I run 15.8 total per week, swim about a mile and a half, and do a kickboxing class. I'm stoked about all the fitness things that I was NEVER able to attain when I was 66 lbs heavier than I am now. Sorry for the long post. Figured I'd give an update on one of your member lurkers and share some of the insights/experiences I've had over the past two years. You guys are great - I keep an eye on what you're doing. :biggrin:

Hey everyone! Just checking in. I noticed there are 2008, 2009 and soon to be 2010 bandsters! Can you believe we've had our bands this long? I'm still glad I have this band (even though I didn't lose what I thought I would). It has helped me so much in losing what I did, helped me maintain now during pregnancy, and I can't wait until breastfeeding time when my metabolism gets to kick in, I can get a fill, and really go to town. (Sorry, TMI guys? haha) Anyway, I know I would weigh a lot more at this point if I hadn't had the band. Take care everyone.

Glad to hear things are getting better Steve! I drank the green tea too in the beginning... and did the smae thing... 4 of them a day was my 64 oz. Now I do the crystal lite- it was too sweet for me in the beginning, but my taste has changed... I LIKE SWEET:w00t: Now.... onto the TMI- Bob said it best........ and I thought i was gonna die laughing! But he hit the nail on the head- cause I have the same issues! I never was a "regular" kinda gal.... but going only once every three or four days suxs. I drink PLENTY of water, and I have been taking stool softeners, but still have issues........ any and all suggestions will be welcomed!!!!!:thumbup:

Not to ask to me TMI but have you had a bowel movement? As a post op nurse on of things we keep an eye on is your BMs as anesthesias put your gut to sleep. If this is the case (no BM) I would call your doc, if your having BMs all is good. Good luck. Crystal

I am getting diarrhea on the protein too but sorry for the TMI - its around a two hour period (evening). I usually eat the protein b/t 12 and 8 pm. Drinking water all day. Tried some fiber pills didn't do much. then again the barium swallow also causes diarrhea and i had that yesterday. I start mushies tomorrow and will be doing same as u eggs and tuna, and flaked sole. I may treat myself to soup (but here is where I don't know what the calories are because I'm not making it myself). on second thought I will wait

I only have a few things that I have problems with. Really dense breads(bagels are out), spaghetti and stringy pastas(but I can have other pasta that I can really chew well), sticky rice, and tough meats. But other than those few things I can eat just about anything but everyone is different because I love eggs. Also, all doctors are different because I eat all the things on that list from your doctor except tough meat and sticky rice, fluffy rice I can handle. So once you have your surgery you will have to find out for yourself the things that bother you. Ohhhhh I almost forgot I don't much broccoli anymore not because I can't chew it well, it now gives me too much gas (TMI).

ok probably TMI but I just posted 2 pictures in my profile album.

Hey Suzy! WTG on becoming a foster mom! That's so cool! And I admire those who can do that. I don't have the... I don't even know how to word it. I guess I wouldn't want to let any of the kids go once I've got them! It would break my heart! We adopted DD when she was an infant so I understand the paperwork and hoops you have to jump through. We had to do the whole nine-yards b/c in CA you are considered only the foster parents til the agency/State release control after 6 months. Even tho it wasn't a fost/adopt that's how they play it here. Like it's a 6 month trial period in case we change our minds (like bloody hell!) or the agency "finds" something or whatever. In our case the 6 months was also used to terminate the unknown birthfather's rights in court. PJTP: I feel like crap. Literally. I got stuck on my shake this AM. Switched to hot tea and it's been going down but taking a lot of time. Strange b/c I was able to eat/drink just fine last night. No problems other than what happened at lunch yesterday. I'm freezing too. TMI ALERT: I just got thru retching everything that did manage to get thru my band. I've been gurgling and some stuff has gone thru but it all just came up and I couldn't stop for a minute, even after there was nothing left. I slept til 10 this AM and yesterday and today both, had awakened with a sore throat, still sore. I'm thinking I'm coming down with something and that's why I'm having problems. Scared now to even try the tea. I don't want to start retching again. :thumbup: Shaky and light-headed too. I decided to do a couple of loads of laundry so I don't have to do it ALL when I get home. Started packing too as this is our last day. (We head home tomorrow. DD and I should be back at our house by Sunday.) But I have to be careful when I stand up too fast. Have to sit down before I fall down kind of thing. Was feeling okay, not great, so I went ahead and started the laundry but now I'm feeling worse. Otherwise I wouldn't have started it yet. I'm waiting for the last load to dry and once it's put away, I'm going back to bed. It's gotta be warmer in there. I hope! Mom took DD and a bunch of them went off to some viewpoint somewhere to see some of the big peaks. When they get back Mom and Step-Dad are going to hook the bike trailer up and take DD on a ride. She'll enjoy that and I can sleep more. Okay. I'm going to go check the dryer and hope it's done so I can go back to bed. See ya!

First of all...welcome to the couple of newbies I came across while catching up on the pages and pages of posts. Have been away from the computer since last Thurs. Cannot wait till we have wireless service available at our lake place. Hopefully next year. Had planned on coming home on Monday morning. Got hit by the flu at 4am on Monday morning. DH had gone home Sunday afternoon. A couple of our little visiters from the lake had the flu last week and one had a very snotty cold. Of course, we both spent a lot of time playing with them over the weekend. I got the flu and DH got the snotty cold. There was no way I could drive home till today. Did not throw up but butt was attached to the toilet (tmi) for over 24 hours. Also had extreme dizziness. Completely sapped me. Was not easy trying to get the calories in but forced myself. Still weak and shaky but much better. I was just bragging last week that I NEVER get a virus. Not saying that again! I did think of you all and worried that you guys would be worried that I wasn't posting. Too many posts to respond to...was going to try. Just want you all to know that I read them all but I'm too lazy to respond, catching up on laundry, cooking, etc. Surprised DH with a chocolate/strawberry cheesecake that I made this morning. You wouldn't think something so simple could produce such a big smile and big hug. Sharon...so happy you have your DD back in your lives and Eli's life. Wishing for her a LONG and HAPPY recovery. Cheri...sorry to hear of your job worries. Hoping for you that your job is yours again next year. Great.....cannot wait to see photos of you in your MOB dress. I am sure you will be beautiful. Have a great time on your camping trip. A little destressing and enjoying nature. Laura...hope gyn can get to the bottom of your troubles. Would be great if you did not have to have such painful monthlys. Cute photos of Nelson. Good going on putting aside your feelings with your "friend" for the sake of Nelson and his buddy. Phyll....good to see that you are off and running and looking forward to getting down south again. Meredith....you rock! Don't know how you keep up with everything and still stay focused on your lapband life. Yep....condiments can have so many hidden calories. When I was in the weight loss stage, I used a lot of chunky salsa for dressings....mixed it with a little FF sour cream. I know I have missed responding to most of you....sorry. Need to run and catch up. DH is sooooo good about keeping everything perfect around the house while I run off and play. Plan on heading back to lake in the morning. Have a friend that is coming that is going through a "surprise" separation. Didn't see it coming and she needs me for support for a couple of days. Will talk to you all later.

Call your surgeon. Do it now. I'm shocked you've suffered this long. S/he can change your pain meds. Make sure you follow the post op diet; but tell him you have trouble (if you do, it sounds like you do) getting the daily liquids in. Very important that you stay hydrated; dehydration can start with a headache and progress from there. And (sorry if this is TMI) if you've been taking an opioid based pain med (like vicodin, hydrocodone, lortab) then you are probably constipated. If that is a problem for you tell him THAT, too. Even though you've only been on liquids, something should be moving on through. Ok? Hang in there. We're all different.

I hope that it gives immediate relief. Sometimes I can't even eat cheese! Milk sours and separates in my pouch, and then stays there, sometimes until I have to throw it up TMI sorry. I really hope they don't take much out though. I REALLY don't want to gain!!!

It might be TMI for some people.

Hi, all. Well I am at the 3-4 week stall. The scale hasn't moved in 7 days. It weighs to the ounce and it hasn't moved up or down even one ounce. I had my husband come and stand on it just to see if it was "stuck". lol So, glad to read so many others report this otherwise I would be VERY discouraged. Also, forgive me for TMI but I've only been to the bathroom once in the last 10 days. I've taken Miralax for 3 days now and I'm getting in about 70 oz of Water. Anyone else having this trouble? As for food, eggs won't go down but egg beaters do. I've tried to eat some type of fish 3 times and have thrown up each time. I thought that was suppose to be one of the easy foods. ???

TMI alert here.... When you decide to skip dinner just so you can play with the whipped cream and sf chocolate syrup in the bedroom.... :tongue2: