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I had my surgery on 01/05/2016. I am 41 years old and have been battling weight problems most of my adult life. I am looking forward to this new journey.

David Letterman has not cornered the market on Top Ten Lists! I have developed a list of my own. As the weight falls off, here are 10 things I am desperately looking forward to: TOP 10 LIST Things I'm Looking Forward To As The Fat Fades 10. Flying on a plane without a seatbelt extension or being horribly uncomfortable! 9. Buying matching bras and panties. It is really hard to find good supportive bras in my size that are pretty and have panties to match. 8. People to stop saying ”You are sooo pretty” with an unspoken “but” at the end. They really want to say: “You are so pretty, BUT if you would lose some weight you would be much prettier!” 7. Going to the doctor and not having to hear how if I don’t lose weight I will basically contract every disease known to man! 6. Buying a LBD (Little Black Dress). I have plenty of black dresses, but none of them are little. 5. Rock a short hair cut! I know people say hair adds pounds, but for me it is security. Once I am smaller, I would love to sport a jazzy short-do! 4. RUNNING! I don’t want to jog, walk briskly, or trot. I want to run! Feel the wind in my hair, sweat pouring down … RUN. 3. Shopping in the regular store! I honestly don’t mind plus-size fashion, but I just want to HAVE to shop in the Big Girl store. 2. LONG LIFE – I am only 36. I want to live to see my kids get married, my grandkids, and even my great-grandkids. If I die, I don’t want fat to be the foe. 1. Taking a family photo. This is a very emotional #1. My sons are 5 and 6. THEY take a lot of pictures, but WE have never taken a family photo because I refused to take one fat!. Every year, I vow to lose weight and of course it never happened, so my family has never taken pictures. I cannot wait for this day! That’s about it. I am sure this list will evolve! I would love to see your Top 10 List! Please share …

Awesome and it sounds like you're well on your way there - 22lbs lost! I don't have a top 10 - I just want to be happy, healthy and look good in a bikini!

Wow, fantastic. Congratulations. You are doing great and this is very inspiring to me who is only 10 days post op.

So...I currently weigh 138 at 5'1". I have no idea what my accurate BF% is because I've lost 130 lbs this year thanks to a modified duodenal switch surgery (aka Loops DS/SIPS) that also helped address my PCOS symptoms. Oddly enough, I'm a size 2/4 at this height and weight. I have a lot of loose skin, some of which I'm getting addressed at the end of September with a tummy tuck and brachioplasty, so I'm hoping to lose some more inches that way and get a more realistic understanding of my weight and measurements (although I'll still have loose skin left on my thighs and butt and boobs, but my stomach and arms are definitely the biggest problems.) My cals are a bit weird because the amount I can eat (and the amount recommended for someone who's had my surgery due to malabsorption/less room in the stomach for food) makes my average calories around 1000-1400/day depending on whether it's a workout or rest day (this is cutting.) But I need to figure out how to calcualte my TDEE with adjustments for my limitations due to the surgery as well as macros. Does anyone know how to appropriately do this after WLS? I do SoulCycle 3-4x a week and do toning (eg: barre) or weight training 2-3x a week and have been doing this for about a month. I haven't lost a single pound but have lost 1/2 an inch on my waist and an inch each on my thighs, hips, and calves. Measurements: Waist: 27.5" Hips: 36" Bust: 32" Thighs: 20.5"

Has anyone else suffered any emotional problems while on the pre-op diet? I did it for 7 days before learning that my surgery was moved back 2 weeks. By day 3, I was a wreck. I cried at the drop of a hat. Really...I started bawling after hearing a song on the radio...it wasn't even a sad song. I had to leave work one day because I couldn't stop crying. I was also very irritable...to put it mildly. Normally, I'm a relatively laid back person...but I was clenching teeth and slamming doors at the littlest things. Last, but certainly not least, I got stupid. Really stupid. I would lose my train of thought mid-sentance and frequently walk into a room without any idea why I'd entered. In general, the word I'd use to describe my emotional state during this pre-op diet is rollercoaster...without the ups. Oh, there were physical effects. I lost 6 pounds in four days. I was shaky, nauseus, and cold all the time. But I expected most of that. The emotional symptoms caught me completely off guard. I kept track of what I was eating and realized that I wasn't eating nearly enough. I know the idea is to lose weight, but 500 calories a day is simply not enough. Although I was really bummed that my appointment was moved, I am seeing it now as a chance to capture the lessons learned and do it right the next time...which starts Thursday, 10/23. Lessons Learned: Buy Protein powder! I picked up Ultimate Nutrition Protein Isolate in chocolate creme at GNC. It was $19.99 for 57 servings. It tastes great and mixes up pretty well. I'm going to pick up vanilla before the 23rd so I can mix it with juice (I'm allowed a few cups a day). Start the day with a Protein shake. Do not attempt to survive on a cup of sugar free fat free yogurt. Eat every 3-4 hours. I ended up going 5-7 hours between "meals" because nothing sounded good to me. I will force myself to consume SOMETHING every few hours to keep myself from getting shaky. Take a Multivitamin. Every day. I bought chewable ones since I won't be able to swallow the traditional, massive Multivitamins. Don't cook for the family. During these two weeks, they're on their own. Not that I cook a lot for them...but making eggs and toast every morning for my son was torture. Coming home to the smell of garlic bread had me ready to gnaw off a limb and eat it. Along those same lines...avoid family meals if at all possible. I will be spending a lot of evenings at the library. Have a plan for how you'll spend your time, when you'll eat, and what you eat. Here's my plan (yes, this is more for me than for you): My son has karate or cub scouts on Tuesday and Thursday evening. Even if I don't take him...we don't eat a "normal" dinner on those nights. It's just sammiches or Soup and we don't usually eat it together. I have therapy on Wednesday nights...which means I'm not home til after 7. That gives the boys plenty of time to clean up dinner. This Friday will be a challenge...but we usually go grocery shopping on Friday nights. On the way home, we pick up fast food (I know, I know). I am planning on picking up a bowl of soup from Panera. That way I can feel like I'm eating out without messing up the diet. We play D&D on Saturdays with a group of guys. We don't snack at the table (everyone has a weight issue) and dinner is pretty solo. This coming Sunday, we're spending most of the weekend at the local zoo "Spooktacular." Costumes and animals...and $8 hot dogs. We never eat at the zoo and you can bring your own food. So I plan on eating beforehand, bringing protein Water, and a cup of Soup at Hand. Next Monday, I've got another appointment in the evening. Which means I won't have to watch the boys eat whatever delicious, carby-goodness they plan on preparing. I am taking off Halloween to go to my son's fall festival at school. I know that sounds like torture, but the parents really don't get to eat much at these things. I plan on eating right before hand, bringing protein water, and eating right after. We're having family portraits taken on the 2nd. That will be a challenge because we're going to a friend's house where there will be food and schmoozing. Thankfully, my husband hates this woman and the visit will be brief. I've never been so happy about his feelings toward her. The following Monday will be the hardest night for me since we have absolutely no plans. I'll have to book a client call or something for that evening. If not, I may go to the library to work instead of doing it at home while the boys eat. Whew...I feel like I wrote a book here. :biggrin: If you made it this far, I'd love to know if you had/are having emotional issues during the pre-op diet and if you have lessons learned to share with us.

Vera, have you tried Balsamic vinegars? (about 10 cal. tbl.) You can mix them w/ oil and spices for a marinade also. But I think it's the creaminess we're craving. Hidden Valley has a Ranch Lite w/ 40 cal. tbl.) I love stews, Soups, or a pot of Beans any time of the year. I think it's wonderful comfort food. And aren't we getting our vegetables in that way? (Any excuse to try to make it right. LOL)

Actually I lost 10 pounds the first month, but then gained it back over the year and half.... so now I'm back to 195. I know 10 pounds gain is not a lot considering I haven't had much restriction or haven't been dieting at all, but I am still mortified that I stretched my pouch. I guess I wont know until I make it to the doctor. The thing is, the reason I've been putting this away for so long is that I'm sooo embarrassed to face the doctor and tell than how irresponsible I've been. :cursing:

Hi everyone, so I had registered here awhile ago but never really participated, but now I think I need all the help I can get. I have had the surgery year and half ago (19 months now), and I have not lost a single pound. I am really ashamed about it, but there is nobody in my life that knows I have the Lap-band (and I mean NO ONE, friends or family), so I really have no one to talk about this. I have also moved to a different state for a job right after the surgery, so I haven't seen my doctor (or any lapband doctor) in over a year. Before you judge me, yes, I know I was not mentally ready for this, but this thing has been inside for almost two years, so it's time I get my life back in order.... Few things about me: I am in my 20's female. I moved to different city 2,000 miles for a job, so I have no family or close friends here to help me get through this. I weighted 195 lbs before surgery and weigh exactly the same right now. I have had one fill after surgery, and at first I felt little restriction but it went away with time. I have also been vegetarian for 10 years now, so I survive on carbs. Is there any hope for me??? Is it possible I had stretched my pouch over the time? I know I need to start by finding a doctor in my city, but what else do I need to do to get on the track??? Any little suggested or words of incouragement will be greatly appreciated :cursing: Also, if anyone from NYC, maybe can recomment a doctor here. Please help, I feel like I lost control of my life :scared2:

Four... no matter what language you say it in... I just fit into a pair of size FOUR jeans... yes, me! I love thrift store, bargain hunting. Its a huge thrill to me to find something that i love for less then $10. From my amazing, full length wool coat for $8.88, to my wool peacoat for $6.88 to my Ralph Lauren cords for $3.33 or my Stuart Weitzman pumps for $4.50... I love a bargin, but I have to admit, pulling those 4's off the endless jean rack and looking at them and thinking "no way" - to them sliding in and fitting me perfectly... shocker! Do I think every pair of size 4 pants will fit me... not necessarily. But I had someone tell me that my other jeans were looking too baggy on me - they were 6's... Its time to do some more shopping... I just love my sleeve!! The other nice thing about thrift store shopping... when something doesn't fit you anymore, it doesn't hurt so much because you spent so little on it, you can just put it back into the circle of life at the thrift store and find a new treasure... and it helps a good cause!! My daughter is getting married this saturday, and my son leaves for London the day after Christmas to participate in the New Years parade there... so my next week will be crazy - so my guess is, this is my last post before Christmas so... Merry Merry Christmas to everyone. Hold your loved ones close, make sure they know you love them. Be a blessing to all you come in contact with, and the best gift you can give yourself, is to help others in need! Lori You can read the rest of my blog posts about my journey from band to sleeve here: search for Lori's Blog at occforum or follow me on facebook! https://www.facebook.com/LoriOCCMedical

When I went in for my first meeting with the surgeon in early November, they weighed me (281.4). When I went in for my EKG, etc. in mid-December, they told me that my surgeon would not operate on me if I weighed more than 281.4 on my surgery date. It would've been nice if I'd known that in November... I'd already gained 6 pounds by then! I know people often lose 10+ pounds during their pre-op diet, but I don't want to risk it, so I am trying to lose those 6 pounds between now and when I start. Yet I keep being tempted to have "last suppers." I just (like, 30 minutes ago) found out when my surgery will be and now my need to lose this weight seems very real! I hadn't really been taking it seriously before, but now I definitely am!!

Hi. I have had the balloon for almost 4months. My weight and height similar to yours (211, 5'5") I chose the balloon because I did not want major surgery. I wanted something relatively non evasive that would kick start weight loss while helping to retrain my brain to see food differently, retrain my stomach to adjust to smaller quantities and retrain my psyche into not needing food to comfort myself! And yes, the balloon has done all that. Its been a very uncomfortable adjustment. Its not easy to have this thing take over a huge portion of your stomach. There are lots of uncomfortable side effects, besides being full. But that is what has changed my relationship with food. After four months, I can easily say I have no cravings of any sort. I do not crave cake or burgers or fries like I did before. If I see them, yes, I will take a few bites, and those bites are enjoyable, but I can also walk away...because I know if I eat too much I will hurt my weight loss goals and there are undesirable side effects. Is this new outlook on food sustainable after the balloon is removed...I don't know. And I am afraid it might not be. But I am eating so much healthier than I have ever done before and honestly relieved that my carb/sugar carvings are gone.So am hopeful I will be more aware of what food does to my body, moving forward. As I am sure you have read in your research...the balloon is just a tool. It is not a magic pill to weight loss. I have to count my calories (I keep them 1100 a day) and I have to exercise (3 times a week is good, but 4 times guarantees a good weight loss that week) I am very aware of every food I eat....I always try to make good choices (not necessarily perfect, but good enough). So at a burger joint the other night, after having a great weight loss, I wanted to have a nice meal with my family - I had a burger, no cheese, whole wheat bun and asked for a side salad instead of fries. Was it the best choice, no I could have had just the salad, but it was wonderfully satisfying. The balloon keeps me full so I am not starving all day on such little calories and allows me to eat only a 1/3 of my former portions. I have lost 23 pounds and hope to lose 10 more before its removed in 2 months. You will read plenty of people who lost much more (40-50lbs)- but always take into account their starting weight because others may have a lot more to lose than you do. I did not qualify for the sleeve or lap band or by pass, but really was not interested in anything so dramatic. I just wanted to lose some weight fast, get healthy again so I could enjoy working out again. Please read lots and lots before committing to this. The side effects are unpleasant and require major adjustments in what and how you eat. But it does work and you will lose weight. Good luck!

I was on soft foods just about 10 days I think? at my one week check they said 10 days to two weeks (14 days), but my swelling went down quickly and I wanted something - scrambled egg was my first nibble. one bit was all I could handle but it was lovely. also had refried Beans that weekend.

The first 6 weeks most surgeons order us not to lift anything over 10 lbs, and such.... You need to walk and make sure you don't dehydrate. Not doing these things can land you back in the hospital. Of course you are fragile for a while after surgery... thats just normal to be cautious for a short while until complete recovery. At 6 weeks I feel great and ready to really engage with all that life hands me.

All of the bariatrics surgeons in Colorado have less than 10 vsg surgeries under their belt according to obesityhelp. This doc is the only one in his practice. Soo...I *will* become a pain in the arse..I *will* stand up for my rights!! lol Thanks for understanding you guys! Lisa

HI All it is 10:44 here and I am set to have surgery in the morning with Gatrh Davis and my stomach HURTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! like I have gas or something that wont come up I have no appetite and I am worried , I took gas-x about an hour ago and no changes. Is this normal ????????:embaressed_smile:

Hi, So I’m 10 days post op and in liquid diet phase and it’s dreadful. My plan as per my dietician is 4 weeks of clear liquid 4 weeks of puréed phase and 4 weeks of soft foods before real food.I am fed up with my food now and want to have some real food. How do I overcome this?

After 3 years....my surgery is coming Monday Nov 13 1130 am. I am looking forward to this big change in my life. Hard work, good health, excercise, energy for work, home and love life and most important a goal of 70 pound weight loss. My girlfriend is flying in and we are having surgery the same day. She will be staying at my place for 10 day recovery. Wish us well!!! I will post again when I am home from surgery. Angie

I was banded on June 5th this year and i'm down 51 lbs. I've been filled twice, i'm at 5 CC in my 10 CC band. I felt huge restriction for the first 3 weeks after my 2nd fill, but now, no as much, so I may analyze it a couple more weeks, but I'm thinking i need another fill. I dont "pig out" persay, but I do eat more than I was able to a month ago. ANyway, congrats on your loss... keep it up!!

I guess I maybe hit the Maximum days I was allowed to edit the original post so I'll just add onto a new post...where there is a will there is a way! :thumbup: 248. TGC - March 20 249 Andrea1 - March 4 250. Shaunni78 - March 10 251. Hazel-eyes - March 14 252. Shoop3010 - March 25 253. JulieC - March 25 254. Boadicea - March 18 255. Tess415 - March10 256. Dosh - March 25

I was approved by Aetna HMO:thumbup:!! My surget date is Nov 10, I feel really Blessed, Aetna gave me no problems, I started this journey on June 19, 2008. Many Drs appts later it's finally coming to reality and definatly worth every minute sitting and waiting for Drs and lab work. Good Luck everyone:smile2:

I feel as if it will never arrive...the accumulation of a lifetime of emotional and stress eating, bad habits, addictions and now...at 42....a do-over. I am being banded at 10:30 Wednesday the 22nd. I quit smoking 11 weeks ago cold turkey ending a 24 yr on again off again love hate relationship with tobacco. I have gained a few pounds in the past couple of months and after a nasty round of bronchitis in February, I still have this lingering nagging cough...I worry about this. Has anyone else gone into the surgery with respiratory or coughing issues? My surgery was originally slated for the 15th but I found an abscessed tooth and had to have emergency oral surgery on the 14th and they had to push the lapband off. I am afraid...elated..and excited to know that in about a year....should all go well...I will see my 8th grade body for the first time in 30 years...God help us....please remember me on this journey... Katie

Sorry you're struggling right now. I have a couple questions: why do u have to lose 10 pounds? What purpose is it serving (insurance company?) also- when do u have to lose it by? If it were me I would be so stressed about that. I would personally do nothing but Protein shakes and Water for a couple weeks of it meant qualifying for the damn surgery. Is it really hot where u live? If it is and you're anything like me - I'm not doing squat in this weather. So- Hang in there. Switch your thought process a bit. You already lost some of the 10 so youre on your way there. Don't you give up. If you give up. Then I'm giving up (how's that for guilt?)

The bandster "rules" as I remember them (many of these rules are variations on rules for RnY patients to maximize the benefits of their pouch). These are not necessarily in any particular order: 1. The Water rules: I. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.<O:p</O:p II. No drinking with meals - the liquid either washes the food through the pouch/stoma faster allowing you to eat more before feeling full, or it makes you "stuck" and you PB.<O:p</O:p III. Waterload prior to mealtimes so that:<O:p a) you're hydrated your pouch gets that initial stretching so that the "full" sensation can kick in sooner. Even though the water should pretty much drain right through, the stretching effect can last 30 minutes or so, which helps you to feel less hungry. To waterload - start drinking water an hour before you want to eat. About 15 minutes for you want to eat drink as much water as fast as you can until you feel full.<O:p</O:p IV. Wait at least an hour after eating before drinking again. Again, this helps the pouch stay full longer, maximizing the stretching/full sensation.<O:p</O:p 4. CHEW CHEW CHEW. Worst case scenario, inadequate chewing can result in obstruction requiring doctor intervention to remove the offending piece. Less drastic ramifications of inadequate chewing can be severe pain and/or recurrent vomiting until the offending piece has been expelled. 5. SLOW DOWN when eating. Eating too fast, even if the food is well chewed, can result in your pouch filling faster than it empties, resulting in the “golfball” feeling (which is really, really painful/uncomfortable), and/or vomiting the overflow. 6. Eat solid foods. Solid foods pass more slowly through the stoma, allowing the pouch to fill and create the stretch that turns off hunger and creates a feeling of satiety. 7. Protein first, veggies, and then if you have room, other stuff. Since your portions will become much smaller, you must make every bite count nutrition-wise. Get your nutritious foods in first before you indulge in empty calories, otherwise you will be too full to eat the stuff your body needs to be healthy. 8. Stop eating after 20 minutes. It is possible to eat so slowly that the pouch empties either at the rate of eating, or faster than the rate of eating, which means you can eat too much in one very long sitting. Limiting your eating to twenty minutes at a time helps keep your portions under control. 9. Avoid liquid calories. liquids generally pass right through the stoma and don’t create a lasting feeling of fullness. You can really go overboard on calories by consuming caloric liquids. (Yes, ICE CREAM is considered a “liquid”… ) 10. Keep up with your correct fill level - too loose and you will eat more than your body needs before you feel full. Too tight and you will resort to mushies/liquids and eat around the band (or vomit a lot, which is the number one cause of slippage). 11. No carbonation (CONTROVERSIAL - many do anyway) The number one reason cited for this is to avoid “stretching” the pouch, as carbonation expands. Personally I don’t buy that, since the pouch is not a closed system and gas can be belched up to relieve pressure. I would be more concerned about the high acid content and the possibility of that damaging the lining of the stomach. Regardless, some docs say “okay”, some say “never”, some say “as tolerated”. And regardless of what their docs say, some people indulge in carbonation. Some find they are unable to handle carbonation, as it is just too uncomfortable. Others have no problems with it, and still others will make some effort to eliminate at least some of the carbonation before drinking the beverage, either by letting it go flat naturally, or helping it along somewhat by stirring, shaking, etc. 12. NO NSAIDS!!!! These types of medications can cause ulcerations in non-banded patients, so are particularly dangerous for banded patients where the medication in pill form has a chance to be caught in the upper pouch or stoma and lay against the stomach wall, burning a hole in the lining of your stomach and possibly increasing your risk of erosion. Also, it's not just the physical presence of the pill in the stomach that is problematic. There's something about the way the drug works in our bodies that causes increased susceptibility to ulcers and bleeding. Liquid Tylenol is generally recommended as an aspirin substitute, but always check with your doc before taking any medications. ALWAYS check with your band doctor before taking any kind of medication. Many band docs will closely monitor those patients that must take NSAIDs for whatever reasons. http://lyberty.com/encyc/articles/nsaid.html NSAIDs : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Aspirin (Anacin, Ascriptin, Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin, Excedrin) Choline and magnesium salicylates (CMT, Tricosal, Trilisate) Choline salicylate (Arthropan) Celecoxib (Celebrex) Diclofenac potassium (Cataflam) Diclofenac sodium (Voltaren, Voltaren XR) Diclofenac sodium with misoprostol (Arthrotec) Diflunisal (Dolobid) Etodolac (Lodine, Lodine XL) Fenoprofen Calcium (Nalfon) Flurbiprofen (Ansaid) Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Motrin IB, Nuprin) Indomethacin (Indocin, Indocin SR) Ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail) Magnesium salicylate (Arthritab, Bayer Select, Doan's pills, Magan, Mobidin, Mobogesic) Meclofenamate sodium (Meclomen) Mefenamic acid (Ponstel) Meloxicam (Mobic) Nabumetone (Relafen) Naproxen (Naprosyn, Naprelan*) Naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox) Oxaprozin (Daypro) Piroxicam (Feldene) Rofecoxib (Vioxx) Salsalate (Amigesic, Anaflex 750, Disalcid, Marthritic, Mono-Gesic, Salflex, Salsitab) Sodium salicylate (various generics) Sulindac (Clinoril) Tolmetin sodium (Tolectin) Valdecoxib (Bextra)<O:p></O:p> Note: Some products, such as Excedrin, are combination drugs (Excedrin is acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine).<O:p></O:p> Note that acetaminophen (Paracetamol; Tylenol) is not on this list. Acetaminophen belongs to a class of drugs called analgesics (pain relievers) and antipyretics (fever reducers). The exact mechanism of action of acetaminophen is not known. Acetaminophen relieves pain by elevating the pain threshold, that is, by requiring a greater amount of pain to develop before it is felt by a person. It reduces fever through its action on the heat-regulating center of the brain. Specifically, it tells the center to lower the body's temperature when the temperature is elevated. Acetaminophen relieves pain in mild arthritis but has no effect on the underlying inflammation, redness and swelling of the joint. Paracetamol, unlike other common analgesics such as aspirin and ibuprofen, has no anti-inflammatory properties, and so it is not a member of the class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. <O:p * Naproxen Sodium " Naprelan contains naproxen sodium, a member of the arylacetic acid group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)" "The chemical name for naproxen sodium is 2-naphthaleneacetic acid, 6-methoxy-a-methyl-sodium salt, (S)." 13. Be extremely careful of food/products that expand with water. Rice, Pasta, potatoes and bread are the most common food items that people have problems with. These food items either swell in liquids and/or tend to combine in the pouch into large, globby, sticky balls that are too large to pass through the stoma, which results in the “stuck”/“golfball” feeling, and/or vomiting until the offending piece is expelled. Eating these foods in combination with other, less sticky foods can often help reduce the incidence of problems. Fiber products, such as Metamucil and psyllium husks SWELL in water to many times their dry volume. VERY, VERY dangerous if this swelling takes place in the pouch. If you need to add fiber to your diet, try a non-bulking agent such as Benefibre. If you do taking a bulking agent such as Metamucil/psyllium husks, be sure to wash it through with lots and lots of water so that it will bulk in your lower stomach, not your pouch. 14. Avoid Vomiting/PBing (productive burping) at ALL Costs. Vomiting/PBing is the NUMBER ONE CAUSE of slippage. In addition to being the number one cause of slippage, vomiting/PBing usually results in (and/or from) an irritated stoma/pouch, which causes swelling. Continuing to eat after a vomiting/PBing episode is likely to increase your chances of repeating the episode, and people can be caught in a vicious cycle where they eventually will have to get an unfill to allow the stoma/pouch/esophagus to heal. The best ways to avoid vomiting/PBing: a) CHEW CHEW CHEW SLOW DOWN your eating c) Avoid overly dry foods. Help lubricate dry foods with gravy/sauces. d) Avoid/be extremely careful with foods that swell/recombine in the pouch, such as rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. Take extra care to consume these items slowly, and chew them very well. e) Avoid/be extremely careful with foods that do not breakdown well even with chewing, such as hardboiled eggs and rubbery foods like calamari. The “After the Vomiting/PBing” Rules: a) Stop eating immediately Do liquids only until the next meal. c) If you still have problems at the next meal, do 24 hours of liquids before trying solids again. d) If after 24 hours of only liquids you still have problems, you should probably make an appointment with your band doctor, and stay on liquids until you can be seen by them. e) If you are unable to tolerate even liquids after 24 hours you MUST see your doctor right away. Dehydration is a very serious risk. 15. Don’t Cut/Crush Pills without Doctor Approval. You shouldn’t have to break/cut/crush your medications as a general rule, but people on the tight side, or those who must take very large pills oftentimes will have problems. NEVER break/cut/crush a medication without checking with the prescribing doctor first. Some medications are meant only to be taken in whole form, and it can be dangerous to take them cut or crushed. Time-released formulas are a good example – cutting/crushing a time-released pill means you would get too much of the medication too quickly. 16. Get a prescription for an anti-nausea medication and keep it on hand. Phenergren is one of the common medicines for this, and comes in oral and suppository forms. If you have a tendency towards motion-sickness, make sure you take Dramamine or the equivalent BEFORE the motion-sickness activity – I believe 30 minutes is the suggested timeframe. Read the instructions and plan ahead.<O:p 17. Don’t Skip Meals. Eating regularly helps keep your blood sugar stable, and helps keep you from being too hungry at the next meal and then eating too fast or too much.<O:p 18. Exercise. Exercise is always an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and will help keep your metabolism revved and your goals on track. Exercise also increases muscle mass, which takes up less room than fat mass of the same weight. So even if the scale isn’t moving downwards, you’re losing inches – plus, muscle is what burns fat, so the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism. This is why men generally tend to drop weight more quickly than women – they generally have more muscle mass, so their metabolisms are faster. <O:p 19. AFTERCARE. FOLLOW-UP, FOLLOW-UP, FOLLOW-UP. Regular follow-up with a band doctor will help ensure your success and band health, and keep problems to a minimum or nip them in the bud. If your banding doctor is far away, make sure you line up an aftercare doc BEFORE you get banded. This cannot be stressed enough.<O:p 20. Be your own best advocate. Learn everything you can about being banded, and the common warning signs of trouble. TRUST YOUR GUT. If something doesn’t feel right, CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR. Sometimes relatively minor problems can escalate into major problems because of delay in diagnosis/care.<O:p 21. Find and participate in some sort of support group. Most people are more successful when they have a support group. Plus it's lots of fun, and you learn a lot about being banded, and life in general. 22. Do not lay down sooner than 2-3 hours after eating. Laying down with a full pouch can cause reflux. 23. Do not leave reflux untreated. Reflux is a symptom that something is wrong – you are either too tight, are eating too close to bedtime, or are suffering from an esophageal problem. Unfortunately, reflux is the bain of many long time bandsters. If you are already following the guidelines for reducing reflux then you need to see your doc for prescription antacid medication. It is critical that you do NOT leave this untreated, as stomach acid in the wrong places can cause severe damage, and create pre-cancerous conditions.<O:p</O:p "ACID REFLUX CAN KILL YOU. YOU CAN ASPIRATE STOMACH ACID, GET REALLY BAD PNEUMONIA AND DIE." - GeezerSue<O:p</O:p The only solutions I know of are modification of diet/habits, medication, reduction/removal of fills, band removal (worst case scenario).<O:p</O:p You may find that something specific you are eating/drinking is contributing to this problem. If you're not interested in having a little fill removed, you may try eliminating these things from your diet for a while, and see if that makes a difference: 1. acidic juices/fruits, like citrus 2. caffeine - coffee, tea, chocolate 3. spicy foods Guidelines for reducing/avoiding reflux (in order of least to most aggressive):<O:p</O:p 1. Do not over eat. 2. Avoid acid producing foods/drinks, like caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate), peppermint, citrus fruits/juice, spicy food. 3. Do not lie down sooner than three hours after eating.<O:p</O:p 4. Do not eat or drink 3 hours before bedtime.<O:p</O:p 5. Switch evening medications to morning if okay with your doctor.<O:p 6. Take an OTC med to control reflux.<O:p 7. Elevate the head of the bed (helps keep the esophagus above the stomach so there's no backflow). 8. Have your doc prescribe anti-reflux medication.<O:p 9. Get a slight or complete unfill.<O:p If these things do not help you, you must seek the care of your physician for additional help. 24. After the fill protocol. Most docs recommend doing only liquids for a day or two after a fill to allow the stomach to adjust to the new restriction and allow any residual swelling to go down. Also is a cautious way for you to test out your new fill level.

My surgery was on the 22nd very late in the day. I didn't get to my room until about 11pm and they got me up to walk at 2am. I did ask for a dose of pain medicine after the walk. They gave me Demerol in the IV. I think this pain was just from the actual surgery not necessarily the gas. I never did have gas pain. The second day right before I went home I got hiccups and they hurt like (insert your favorite expletive here)! My doctors advice was to take the liquid Lortab to cover the pain. I had to take it three times when the hiccups returned. I have been two days free of hiccups and pain medicine and I woke up yesterday feeling like a new man. I cleaned our pool and took out the trash before my wife even woke up! I have all sorts of co-morbidities but I can't believe I am off some of my meds already. I had to do a 10 day liquid diet before the surgery and I am glad I did, it sort of prepared me for the post op diet. My advice is to follow every rule they give you and to walk, walk, walk. Just laying around makes you weaker and sorer.