jena

No amount of brushing will help! If I can smell my breath, I know everyone around me can. When I was on Atkins, it wasn't unusual to have bad breath, but I didn't expect this on the post op diet. Anyone else experience this on the post op diet?

Hi Five girl!! Go DC! Jena

I can't believe we're one week out either! Come on May 30th!!! I've lost 10 pounds in the last week, but I've got at least 100 more pounds to lose than you do. Jena

That's a bruise, right? I was banded on 5/8 and I woke up with a giant round bruise on my lower tummy. It's as big as a large orange/small grapefruit and deep purple. Now it's purple/light purple/pink with green around the edges. It doesn't hurt, but like bandgroupie said, it looks much worse than it is. As a matter of fact, it looks pretty horrible. Jena ETA - I didn't have any swelling that I noticed. Just the giant bruise on the left side of my stomach.

You mean I can't have my steak? Waahhhh! How about ground beef? Or I could get shrimp. Thanks for the warning! Jena

I'm not a scrapbooker, but I think that would be fun! I would be willing to do something about cooking and nutrition for bandsters. Jena

Or, you could use a neosporin band-aid! They make them already loaded up! Jena

All I can say is "GO!" I had mine done a week ago, and even though the post-op diet has been hard, both physically and mentally, I am so thrilled. Tell your mom that you only need 2-3-4 days to get it done. I arrived May 7, a Wednesday afternoon, went directly to the clinic and had some of my tests run. The next day, May 8, I had the surgery. Friday May 9 my step-mom and I went shopping, then Saturday we left for the SD airport. Let us know what you decide! Jena

Whew! Thanks for your replies. I think I'm okay! =D> > Jena

I asked Dr. M. how long before I can get back in the pool and she said 3 weeks. That would be May 30, only two weeks away!!! I'm going to have a steak dinner then swim some laps on May 30!!! Jena

Hi gals! I've only had a problem when I ate/drank too much too soon. Burping, though, even after drinking water, is a serious deal. It's like a gas bubble gets stuck in my chest, kinda right between my boobs. It takes some effort to get it on up. I've been thinking about going to TJ for my first fill. it's going to cost me $584 at Fill Centers USA if I use floro. I wouldn't think of doing it without it. Then it hit me tonight, as I slowly ate my 1/4 cup of soup, that I may not even need a fill at 6 weeks. Duh. So I'm going to wait until I can eat too much and start gaining weight to schedule the fill. Okay...David C. or David A.??

I knew where I thought my port would be, the leftmost incision, but that incision is small. The largest incision is just left of the middle of my chest. It's also the incision that is sore. I'm assuming this is the port, but it seems like others have theirs on the left side. Does anyone else have theirs in the same place as me? Jena

Thanks everyone. I've learned my lesson. Ugh. While I'm drinking my clear liquids tomorrow, I'll read the guidelines again. Jena

Thanks! I did and it feels much better now. I think I'm back to clear liquids tomorrow :-? Jena

Okay, so I was hungry. I ate 2 cups of cream of potato soup - just the soup part. Now, a couple of hours later, I'm hurting under my left rib. I mean like HURT. Any comments? Sympathy? I was banded last Thursday, by the way. Jena

Okay, I vote for Paris, FR. =D> SD would be first for me if the folks from the OCC would come. Las Vegas would be my second choice. Atlanta should be considered. All of you left coast and Canadian folks should come on down and get a taste of the deep South! I could arrange for us to have some real Southern cooking, fried chicken, biscuits, mac and cheese, banana pudding, sweet tea...oh. wait. Maybe that's not such a good idea. Jena

I'm a Southern gal, and last night I could not take the hunger anymore. (banded on previous Thursday, have not had a meal since mid-day Wednesday) It was not head hunger, I have drank like a fish but I was hungry. So...I have some instant grits in the pantry and I fixed myself a watery bowl and I was satisfied until this morning. Drank a SlimFast for breakfast and had another bowl of watery grits for lunch. I have been drinking and drinking as well. I feel full now and I'm a lot more comfortable. Jena

Hey! That's a great idea! Thanks Jena

Can you add an "anywhere, I just want to see everyone" to the poll? I would love to go, wherever it's held. Jena

Lisal, you are my hero! I'm almost 1 week post surgery and I'm working very hard to do exactly what you are doing. I started working on the eating part the 7 or 8 weeks on my pre-op diet. Your success with changing habits is inspiring! Jena

I'd like to go tomorrow for the boob job! Ha! I'm just afraid that when I lose the weight I'll have saggy boobs with these nice implants hanging around my waist. TMI? Jena

It was great meeting you and your husband. You are both amazing people. I've done great except for starving. Hunger won't kill me, hunger won't kill me, hunger won't kill me...my mantra. Gloria and I had a great trip home, there were some interesting people on the plane and it made the trip go by fast. Today is the first day I've been uncomfortable with soreness. I haven't had any problems with gas or burping. I don't know what the deal is with that! Once I feel a little gas building up, I take one of those gas-x strips and that helps. Check out the thread Lisa started for the May 8 bandsters! Jena

As Scarlett O'Hara said, "Tomorrow is another day." Jena

Call and email the OCC as soon as possible. Do you have Dr. Ortiz cell phone number? If you need it let me know. You may be well on your way to getting dehydrated, so act quickly. Please let us know what happens! > Jena

Hi Lisa! Gloria and I had a great time and it was a pleasure meeting you and your husband and the other May 8 bansters. Are you going back for your fill? I'm pretty sure I'm going back to OCC for mine. What about you others? How are you doing on the post op diet? It's a real struggle for me, I'm hungry all the time, and not head hunger either. I'm drinking like a fish. Not alcohol! but protein water, vitamin water, water water and more protein water. I've had a couple of yogurt smoothies today. How's everyone doing as far as going back to work, bruising, soreness, etc? Today is the first day I'm uncomfortably sore. What I think is the port, largest cut in middle/left of my chest, is really sore. I hope I haven't done anything to it. :lb12: That's why I want to go to the OCC for my first fill, to make sure everything is fine. Maybe we can schedule our fills the same day and have a reunion cup of broth! ha! Jea