17 days post op not losing & uncomfortable

Ok, so...I haven't lost any weight in almost a week and when I sit, I'm uncomfortable...if feels like the port is up against my ribs...so bending and sitting makes it all feel squished. Does that make sense? I have a follow up in a week...my surgeon is 8 hrs away. Where exactly is the port anyway? Also, I was doing great the first couple of weeks, then day 15 ...I was starving and able to eat normally. I tried not to overeat, but I wasn't full like before. Do younthink my dr will do a fill at 4 1/2 weeks. Any ideas? Plus to top it off...I caught a darn cold...ppppplllllttttthhhhh!!!

For the first few days to weeks you are still swollen from surgery so you don't feel hungry, now that is going down so you are feeling hungry. This may go one until you get a few fills and you start to get some restriction, it is not too lovingly called Bandster Hell. It will pass but it's not real fun, all I can suggest is drink loooots of water to feel fuller.Most docs wait 6 weeks to make sure the healing is complete. You cn point out how far away you live and "maybe" he will give you one early but it's up to him. Good luck, all these things will end eventually.

You are going to hear this more than once, but it is the truth...the recovery is 6 weeks.  The recovery period is for healing, learning new eating habits (portion control, protein first,tiny bites, chewing, eating slowly) and not really for losing. The most important thing you can do now is eat what you are supposed to eat and eat as often as needed within the guidelines your doctor/nutritionist gave you.
I ate at least 6 gimes per day during the first 6 weeks post op...

Breakfast: 1 poached/scrambled(soft) egg 
Snack: lf cheese stick + couple of tablespoons sf applesauce
Lunch: Tuna Salad with 6 rf wheat thins (tiny bites)
Snack: Tuna Salad with 6 rf wheat thins
Dinner: Meatballs (made with ground turkey) + zucchini sauteed in olive oil, garlic, onion and red bell pepper, sliced thinly.
Dessert: SF ff jello pudding cup or Instant SF pudding made with nf milk + 2 scoops compatable flavored protein powder...makes 5 four oz servings with 15 gr protein and 13 carbs.

You will not feel "full" the way you did pre-op.  You have to look for those "soft-stop" signs such as a hiccup, burp or runny nose and stop eating then.  If you eat until you feel "full" you risk hurting yourself and can put your band and your future health at risk.

Drink your 64 oz of water in between eating your meals...so if your breakfast is at 8am, water at 9am, snack at 10:30, water at 11am, lunch at 12:30 and so on...

You'll be fine...remember that average weight loss with the band is 1-2 lbs per week the first year.  If you go to your 6 week check up and weigh 5-8 lbs less than when you went in for surgery, you are a huge success!

My port is on my left side below my ribs.  It was the most uncomfortable part of my recovery and still reminds me that it is "there" almost a year later.

Hang in there, this is a journey and surgery is just the first step of thousands you will take before accomplishing your goals.

Steph

Thanks Steph for this info. I was just reading everybodies replies and this is just great. I have been going back & forth in my brain about eating and the different food. Im still on post-op liquid. lol. But this is really good info to follow. I know everybody is different, but I like the approach to you took with the band. I know this last week I have lost 3lbs and gained them back. I was very confused. lol
But I now understand about the healing process.  
THANK YOU !!!

Lynn

I actually gained almost 7 pounds during my recovery period .  During the first six weeks after surgery it is healing and I ate alot of carbs and high sodium foods at that time because that is what you should be eating or at least I was during that time.

When I started back to solids then I started to lose again.

And through this weight loss journey you will get stuck many times at the same weight and you might not lose anything for a good 2 weeks to 6 weeks we all go through that .

I havent lost anything according to the scales for almost 4 weeks now but I'm following the rules that is all  I can do and wait it out and wait .

I never get the full feeling like I did before. I eat my cup or cup and half of food and I'm good to go. I get the satisfied feeling not the full feeling anymore.

Every doc is different on fills my doc will not give any fills till six weeks after surgery that is just his rules .He waits till we start solid foods before he gives fills.

I'm actually down 13 pounds since my surgery 18 days ago now....but I haven't lost anything since about day 12... thanks for all the info!