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I have had this problem most of my life. I have tried ALL of the stuff suggested and nothing. My MIL gave me a product that is what I consider a miracle. It's called Dual-Action Cleanse and you have to order it online or call them. (www.DualActionCleanse.com or call 1-800-941-0163) I DO NOT SELL THIS PRODUCT OR HAVE ANY REASON TO SOLICITE FOR THIS PRODUCT. I put that in caps because I don't want anyone thinking I have any reason to tell you about this but helping. Most laxatives & stuff like Activia give me horrible gas. :thumbup: I've been gasy after banding anyway and don't need the pain or help. You take this everyday for a month and then a month off. (take everyother month) I just started so I don't know quite what to expect next month. My MIL swears by it and it works so good I can't believe it. I mean 95% of days I have a healthy BM. Sorry if this is TMI.:crying: I plan on continuing with this because I have NEVER had these results. I hope this helps someone else.

Well, I'm going to give myself a little pat on the back tonight. It is the worst part of my TOM (TMI for all of you probably sorry :tongue:), AND I had a horrendous toothache (not sure what's up with that, need to see the dentist tomorrow) BUT, I still did my Couch to 5K session! Becky, you are going to have one pretty garden to look at while you're recovering! Have a great night everyone!

Hi! And can I just say, HOLY MOLY! Some of us (you, OTBT) are doing very, very well!!! :wink2: Congratulations on all the weight loss! After my 2nd fill, I had a rough couple of weeks -- I was taking bites that were too large sometimes, having a PB, and not giving my body sufficient time to recover from it. My doc wants me to follow his post-fill diet (2 days liquids, 2 days mushies) after a PB, and I kinda forgot that. So, I had one very bad experience really throwing up (sorry, TMI), and that's what brought me back to the doc's office to figure out what was going wrong. Bottom line: I'm being way more careful now with my bites. Other than that, all is good. I really need another fill, but with all that nonsense above, plus having to travel on business all next week and be around people 24/7, we decided to skip the fill and just wait till I get back. I'm hoping my weight loss will roll along after that fill... So, bandmates, has anyone reached that magical sweet spot? :smile:

I'm not banded yet so I don't know if you want my advice but for me - if I don't get enough Water the day before, look out! IF I can go, it takes FOREVER! Sorry, TMI!!! Anyway, check your water intake and see if that needs to be increased. Even banded you still need 64 oz a day.

Hey! That just might work! I am already having trouble with the french cut undies! (is that TMI?) I can't imagine wearing that outfit -- and not getting some results! They might pay for our plastics, just so that we never visit their office dressed that way again!

Not sure if I should get another fil on Friday or not. I have 5cc in my APS band and I have lost 7 pounds in the past 2 weeks....4 of which were re-gain from previous loss b4 restriction. I can still eat more at a sitting than many I have read about, but I do have to be careful about how quickly i eat and being mindful about chewing etc. If I cancel my appt and re-schedule, I know I won't be able to get in again for another 4-6 wks. If I go and decide not to fill, they will put me in sooner....I guess I will see how this week goes. My clothes are really getting too big finally I feel a difference. People are beginning to notice, but mostly ask if I have changed my hair. Sort of like they know something is different, but not sure what it is. I have been having some horrible lower abdominal pain that radiates to my left buttock...I really think it's gas, but also having some TMI..........icky BM issues..... I am waiting for some results from bloodwork and ......samples....yuck. Which reminds me I really need to find a bariatric friendly local GP. I went back to my original GP whom I left because he would not write a letter of support for the surgery. I found a great doctor, but she's in Manattan....close to my surgeon...but hours away from me. Not convienient. When I went back to my GP with GI complaints, he of course blamed the whole thing on "dumping syndroms associated with what you have chosen to have done to your stomach and intestines." Trust me I tried explaining the surgery....but he would not listen. Eventually he decided to do some tests to make sure it was not anything else..... Really need a new doctor. Christine

I am still in pain I was banded on the 13th I feel like my side is ripping where the port is every time I try to sit up or stand up straight. My incision looks ok too. Have you tried the Gas-X strips they have really helped with the gas. I even went to the bathroom for the first time today since surgery don't know if that was from the strips sorry if that TMI. Try Kashi Golean with skim milk blend it with ice cubes it's like a milk shake! Good Luck

I'm tight in the mornings, so I usually have a protein shake or yogurt for breakfast and I mix in 2 or 3 spoonfuls of Benefiber. If I get stopped up I rely on good ole MOM (milk of magnesia). I'm running to the potty about an hour after that. Pre surgery, I had multiple bm's a day and they were the sudden urge types, now I go once every couple of days or once a day. Maybe TMI, but oh well.

Ok, I really hate to go here, so read no further if you didn't have to go here the night before your surgery. My dr. requires you to have a "fleet enema" the night before surgery. I've had 5 or 6 surgeries under general anesthesia before and this has never been required. I think it is a personal preference of my doctor?? Anyway, I'm reading the box and it looks like this is a two person event, LOL?! It has you "assuming position" before using it and the box speaks in context pointing out what the person receiving treatment should be doing, as if you'll need assistance when you're in this position? Anyone, did you do this yourself? Did it work the first time (God forbid it takes twice)? Was it really horrible? This will be the worst part of the 24 hours leading up to and after... Thanks!

Actually, no...just the opposite. I was very surprised. I guess when your underwear is a wedgie, there's no reason to pull it out. I still wear the old undies during housework, or to sleep if I'm wearing just a t-shirt and THOSE give me wedgies. One thing about the thongs is that I can only get them from LB. They're the only ones with enough wisdom to know that you need more material in the front to cover the belly - even if you don't want it in the back to cover the @$$. Other places don't use enough material and my belly fat hangs out from underneath. :biggrin: Attractive, eh? TMI? Although, to be honest, as I'm losing weight I need to get more. I've updated the sizing of my shirts and pants, but my bras and undies are sliding around on me. My boobs have extra material bunching up on top and around them, and my panties are sliding constantly to the left and right, and are so very uncomfortable! Anyone else dragging their feet about updating their drawers?

That is a scary story. My pain is not excurciating, just an aching pain that increases with pressure. If I push right in the middle of my abdomen the pain increases on the left side around my port. I have not went number 2 in about 4 days so that could be some of the problem. I sat back and thought about changes in my diet and I realized I have been drinking A lot of milk which I normally avoid. Milk makes me gassy. So, I am going to lay off the milk and try a few stool softners to see if it passes. I do feel better today and my hubby said I was rather gassy lastnight in bed....I know TMI. I really hope it is just a mix of lactose intolerance and gas pains. I will give it a few days, I am not in horrible pain, just slightly uncomfortable. My 1 yr old son did have a staph infection about 2 weeks ago, it just appeared on his buttocks one day. It was not MRSA thank god and it has resolved after 2 weeks of medication and "bleach water" baths. I was very careful when handling him and wore latex gloves for every diaper change. I bleached the entire house and all of our clothes. We did not share any untensils or cups for a few weeks. Thank you for your input, it is much appreciated.

LOL...maybe a little TMI. I usually don't have a problem, but I gotta say...my daughter is almost 11 now and I never stopped buying baby wipes. I love them. They beat Charmin hands down. As for the thong - I love them. My best friend's sister-in-law is chubby like us, and we found out that she wore them. So, we were like, "HUH? Fat girl thongs - no way." But, we were at Lane Bryant and decided to buy a couple to see if we liked them. The SIL swore by them. I loved them so much, I tossed my old ones and bought all new thong undies. I still have my low riders for when I wear my low riding jeans. Thongs and low riders DON'T MIX.

TMI? Why yes, yes it is!

You go girlfriend!!!! Maybe I'm old fashioned and don't wear bikinis anyway but I hate thongs, what about skidmarks:lol: Or is that TMI brandyII

That all makes sense to me and even though it's Mothers Day, I decided I was going to walk on the treadmill again. One thing it does do is keep me "regular", I know TMI. My daughter is getting gastric bypass surgery on the 27th and has been on her liquid diet for almost 4 weeks and had been watching the Food channel to compensate for lack of food and today made me home made crullers for Breakfast. So obviously I need to walk on the treadmill. They went down pretty easily, I think because they were home made, another story. Sorry to hear of the loss of your dad, I went through that myself two years ago and know how that can complicate how you take care of yourself for many many reasons. Everyone deals with grief and stress differently but it's never easy:sad_smile:. If I'm at a certain stress level I do well and then there's a different stress level where I totally bomb out! With WW I have the points in my head and probably because there's a fixed number and I go over it I feel like I'm totally screwed and probably am not but there's something about that number that messes with my head:mad: Anyway I'm going to try to follow the three meals and exercise and focus on more healthy and allow myself a treat now and again so I don't binge on the sugar stuff because I feel I'm in "starvation mode" or whatever. Anyway thanks for your support and sorry about your dad, brandyII. And that sugar issue was definitely not brought up to me!

Hey Amy! :hurray: And hiyas my fellow double V's! I'm here and still swimming! Doing good, losing slowly, but's it's all good as long as the scale is moving in the right direction. I haven't had as much time for the computer lately, been crazy busy at home with projects around the house and in the yard. Amy, you've lost the same amount of weight as me! :Dancing_wub: Sadly a size 16 is still a dream for me, 214 pounds on a 5' 2" body is still too much for that, but I'm working on it, and feeling great with my progress! My second fill has given me some restriction - I swallowed a piece of fish that wasn't chewed enough, and oh boy, I felt the bandster initiation! :tt1: It didn't come back up, but it did get stuck for about a minute, and I was really surprised at how much "slime"/saliva you can make in that one minute, LOL! Bleh. I hope this is not TMI, just the truth of bandster life. Since then I've reeeeally slowed down my chewing and have been really paying attention to bite sizes and such. I know, I should have been doing that all along, but one forgets every now and again, yanno? :hurray: I am still hungry a lot, so I'm not sure what I'm gonna tell my doc at my next fill visit (May 28th), whether to push for just a small fill or leave it, since something got stuck. I really would like to be less hungry, but I don't want to be super-tight either. It seems the sweet-spot is very close! Ok sorry to ramble on here . . . I do hope all of my fellow Victorious Valentines are doing well . . . please keep in touch, and just keep swimming! (or walking, running, biking, etc., etc. :Dancing_wub:). *Warm HUGS!*

Hi fellow Shrinkos! I was banded on May 6. I am still feeling blah. Today is better, though. It hurts to get out of bed. My gas pain is in my lower abdomen, not my shoulder at all. I am walking like a feind because I don't want to sit down or lay down (it hurts to get up). That may be helping my gas move down. Also (beware of TMI...) I am having mild diarrhea. How can I? I am only drinking Water and tiny sips of apple juice?!? Anyway, it feels weird knowing that I have a band inside me. It's like being pregnant before you can feel it. Good luck to my fellow May Bandsters! I will post more as I am able.

Hi everyone. One month bandiversary. Surgery date 4/8/08 (Hi Carol from Joliet). Had first fill appt. Had barium swallow. (I have the Realize band). Have optimal restriction w/o fill! I have not really been in "bandster hell" like others have been describing. Down 13 pre op, then 10 more. total of 23# gone forever. No longer take IBS meds. Have not had any diverticulitis flare ups and hemmoroids (sp.) TMI.... are quieted down. Life is good. No regrets. Next fill appt. June 5th...hope the "phantom restriction" continues. One mystery tho. went to gyno appt. yesterday a.m. bp was 120/70, GREAT, at "fill" appt. bp was 150/90 WTH??? That's a HUGE discrepancy. Anyway, got to start taking more frequent bps at home. Clothes getting baggy. :frown: Dr. Trace Curry, Cincinnati, OH self pay, surgery 4/8/08

Glad to help and glad to hear you are doing better. Yep it's so hard to break old habits - I will still take that extra bite that I know I don't need or really want and I know if I sallow it I will pb - so most time i spit it out I know tmi :cursing: Congrats on the 75lb !!!!!

Arrgghh, what does everyone do to deal with constipation? I am miserable!! I know, a little TMI, sorry!!

Okay so I actually am checking in again. I came home and went straight to bed. But I didn't sleep more than 2 hours. I dreamed about running, so I got up and went for a run. I haven't eaten dinner and I don't know if I am going to. I figured out that I ate 200 calories worth of licorice so I still have 250 calories to spend for the evening but I am just not hungry now. However I will probably force myself to eat something. Otherwise I will go from 1pm to 4:30am without eating anything and that is not healthy. So the after effects of the licorice are awful. That much pure sugar burned my tongue. I am not kidding you. My tongue almost feels raw! Then there is the fact that it gave me (TMI WARNING) ...the runs. Well that ought to teach me. Now DH feels like he needs to watch me. I told him that I was fine. It was stupid and next time I will have a plan. I started craving this stuff when I was putting the baggies together last night and I should have just eliminated my afternoon snack and planned to have the licorice. See even us OCD types can have slip ups! Well I need to take a shower. I stink after my 4 mile run!!!!! No records set tonight though. I don't run very fast during training but at least I ran the entire way. No stopping. I felt much better about my day now that I went. For the first time in my life I LOVE SWEATING!

You know Carol....I'm not sure it was a PB or a slime....but more than saliva came up. TMI, TMI. Anyway, the whole thing shocked me...cause I have eaten cheese. Actually, sometimes for "dinner" I'll slice off 5 or 6 tiny little slices of cheddar on six whole wheat thins. So, I didn't think the cheese would hurt. Maybe I got too much of the sauce...I don't know. I haven't been brave enough to try on some of my smaller jeans....I just know that the current ones are getting really baggy. A Goodwill store JUST opened in Athens so that will be great. I bought the nicest jeans I've ever had from a GW store in Columbus. Avenue brand I think for $3. Anyway, if I lose another 5 lbs. or so I'll try those on. Sounds like you're doing great. I wonder how Cindy and Cora are doing. Talk to you later.

I didn't go to church today, slept sort of late. Slept better last night than a long time, I kept waking up, I kept spitting up, but I would go right back to sleep. Isn't that a lovely fact to know!! Is that called TMI? I went to SteinMart last night in search of the elusive shoes, didn't find the shoes, but got a cute top. It is a 3x, I get sort of down when I need a bigger size, but it was so cute I didn't mind. Well I am off to take shower! Have a great day, it is sunny here and I think it is supposed to be almost warm. But I am going to be inside, so don't really care! Jane

(I originally posted on the pre-op forum but I wanted to share with upcoming banders) Hello all I was just banded on May 1, 2008. I checked in at 5:30 am, was taken to pre-op @ 20 minutes later and here is how it went. I was assisted by a nurse and a nursing student. I was given my lovely robe and slippers and a numbing shot for my IV site. I met with the anesthesiologist and his nurse at this time also. I hit the bathroom one last time then I was wheeled off to the OR. I know this is TMI, but I gotta tell ya - try if at all possible to have a bm the morning of your surgery so that you will not have to do any pushing afterward. I remember scooting from my bed to the operating table, taking a deep breath then waking up in post op ( recovery). Before surgery I made sure to tell the nursing student to watch my face when I woke up so that if I had any pain I could get my pain meds started asap. Well, as soon I started to become aware, before I even opened my eyes, I heard the nursing student say "she's frowning!". The post op nurse asked me to rate the pain and I was given the appropriate pain killer and back off to sleep I was. I woke up @ 10:00 am to get moved to the outpatient recovery room and was able to visit with my family and watch tv for a while. I took a swallowing x-ray test and met with my surgeon who said that he wished all his bandings were as easy as mine. I guess my pre-op liver shrinking diet was worth it afterall. I have small kids so I stayed with family to be waited on while my hubbie took care of the kids at home. It was so nice - my family served me broth hot tea, Jello, Water and my pain meds. They also read all of the literature and talked about how proud they were of me for being so brave and making a healthy choice. I slept well on my left side and woke up at 4:oo am for some pain meds then was up and about reading throughout the day. I took a nap from noon to 3:00 p.m and was rested enough to come home tonight. I am still using my pain meds - though not every four hours like I was at first. I took great care not to use my stomach muscles even when they were feeling ok as I didnt want to be sore later. I also walked up and down steps several times and I think that is making my recovery so much easier. Some of my concerns: I was afraid of being aware of the breathing tube being taken out. - It was out before I becare aware of anything. I was scared about the whole naked thing - I was draped with blue paper sheets and the portion of my stomach that was operated on was the only thing showing. I was worried that my large chest would get in the way - The girls were taped up out of the way. YAY!! All in all, do not fear the pain... it is so doable and the surgery is so worth it! Update - Now two whole days out and still feeling great. I make sure to rest when needed and will not hesitate to knock back a pain killer when needed. I have not had to use all of the doses but its nice to know its there if necessary. I am also walking up and down my apartment stairs the keep the gas moving out:smile2: i am also still sleeping on my right as the left is still uncomfortable.

Oh, God it's been a horrid month... First, my mother has some kind of colon infection that causes ulcers (Colitus (sp)). We find out because a few weeks ago she decides to pass out and vomit all over her bedroom (she lives with DH & I, she has severe osteo-arthritus). Anyway, I call the ambulance and her BP is 40/20...she almost DIES in the emergency room (she became septic). After 3 days in ICU she finally recovers, is in the hospital about 10days and now is home resting and recovering. I'm thrilled she's alive, too bad nobody can enjoy her recovery. Her back is very bad with bulging disks etc. about once every 3 years she has injections in her back that helps her deal with the pain. She is VERY overdue for them but missed her last appt because she was in the hospital. We've rescheduled but it's basically been me playing caregiver because she can hardly get out of bed. Not being mean here, I love my mother but it's taking it's toll on me, mainly because I'm having an issue myself...(TMI Incoming) For the last month I've had one HUGE, HORRIBLE period...just out of the blue. I'll slow down for a day or two then BAM heavy bleeding, clots etc. I'm really worried...but, everytime I make an appt to see my doctor something happens and I have to be home with my mother. I'm about ready to scream..... I feel sick and miserable ALL THE TIME. I've NEVER had periods like this, EVER. My emotions are all screwed up and my body is SCREAMING for all this to stop. My mother finally has her appt on Tuesday, and maybe just MAYBE I can find out what the hell is my problem on Wednesday. Sorry guys, just venting but I feel like I'm going to EXPLODE from all this. I'm so miserable and depressed....on top of that we've pretty much burned through all our savings (I've been out of work) and now that I'm so close to surgery time, I don't want to return to work because I'll just have to take off in another month or so for surgery stuff. (besides my mother is a FULL TIME JOB) So, in addition to everything, money is getting tighter by the minute. AHHHHHHHHH *CRY*