BASIMAH

I am a new lapbander and I have read numerous posts where people are sharing their personal feelings and concerns about the lap-band procedure and I've seen the most heartless responses. How can people who share in the same weight struggle be so judgmental and cruel? I myself have received some rude responses for my posts. Don't get me wrong, I know that people will be people, you have the good the bad and the down right ugly who build themselves up by putting others down. But, honestly, I thought this site would be a little more sensitive to those with weight issues. Weight issues stem from eating disorders in many cases, and these disorders aren't going to go away over night. Sometimes people make mistakes and turn to sites like this for a little encouragement. I'm sorry, but I have had my successes and I have also failed at times. And because I know I am prone to fail, I can show a little understanding to someone in their time of need. If you have responded harshly to someone who may have been crying out for help or encouragement...shame on you. If not, thank you for your kind words. You never know how your words can hurt or help someone.

How can you go through all of this, actually let someone cut your body open and then the first two weeks not have the willpower to stick to your diet? Maybe you should have got RNY....

Not trying to be mean but you should have found the willpower before you got the surgery IMO...

I lost 20 pounds before the surgery on the liquid, I just spoke to my nutritionist who informed me that my weight gain was not out of the ordinary. But thanks for your kind words of wisdom. If you read my post I asked those who had a similar situation for their responses. I already knew where I went wrong. But I guess you're perfect.

Crap! I haven't gained. I lost last week. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks and it will be a very small loss. Don't know how that is possible, but whatever.

You should be glad you didn't gain. That IS the point isn't it? Or were you just being sarcastic about being upset because you lost weight? I would appreciate more optimism, not sarcasm. But if you weren't trying to be a smart a - - intentionally, then I apologize for my tone.

You gain weight when you have the surgery, they pump you full of fluid.. I wouldn't be worried. You aren't even on solids yet are you?

No, I'm still on on mushies.

I'm 2 weeks post-op and I still have a few Patches of glue left but it's not a problem. I loved the glue, it was like having a waterproof barrier on your incisions. No bandages, no worries of contaminating the surgical area, no hassle with taking showers...it was wonderful. Underneath is dissolvable sutures so there's no need for staple or suture removal. The glue eventually starts to peel off, no pain involved. It just peels away just in time to uncover a fully healed incision site.

Ok. I went for my 2 week post-op follow-up and weighed in 7 pounds heavier than on my surgery date. Before the "You-failed-your-lapband" folks start in on me, let me say that I know where I failed. I wasn't following my diet and I have not started exercising yet. But I will accept my responsibility. It's time to get serious and start working with my band instead of against it. It has been an uphill battle trying to deal with constant hunger. Has this post-op weight gain happened to anyone else?

I found myself getting very disappointed but I had to regroup because for most of my life I've felt like the one always left behind. When many of my co-workers began loosing significant amounts of weight (some by surgery, some by other means) I felt as if nothing would work for me. But I'm not going to give up. I let someone cut into my body for the sake of weight lose and I know I'm not going any further than I am right now. This is it!! And I'm going to make this thing work. I get so hungry so often but I can't eat a lot because I do feel restricted. They say the restriction after surgery probably comes from swelling around the band. Try to go back to soft foods. Solids are no good for us now. Try to eat things that stick to the ribs, like oatmeal or cream of wheat. eggs and mushy tuna salad using fat free mayo for lunch. I like to eat, so I have to be creative with food. I drink lots of Chrystal Light and sugar free hot cocoa. It seems we have the same problems going on.

Hey Kena,

Thursday will be my 2 week post-op and I feel your pain. I know that I'm suppose to eat mushies, but I have messed up a couple of times with chicken and popcorn. I just re-focused and jumped back on the horse again. It has been difficult because I still have the same food cravings as before, but we have come too far to turn back. Lets take it one day at a time. Today, lets start with a clean slate and regain that determination we had when we started this journey. We can do it!

Oh God I wish I could burp like that. My gas stays trapped up and causes alot of discomfort and pain. I take bean-o but it doesn't seem to work. So for those of you who can burp...you're lucky!!!

I know how you feel. I was banded on 1/27 and the hunger is terrible. I am able to eat full liquids which includes strained creamed Soups and liquid yogurt. The worst I've done was eat my creamed Soup unstrained, but i chewed so much that it was completely liquified when I swallowed. Even then I could feel slight gastric pain. You have to follow the diet ordered. You know what I did that put me back on track? I watched a you tube video of the actual surgery, and I saw all the sutures in my stomach holding the band in place. That scared me, because I didn't want to damage my stomach. I would advise you to do the same. Trust me, you can follow the diet much easier when you know what your poor stomach has gone through.

Hi! I was also banded on 1/27. I was so glad to read your question because I've also had some doubts . . . I'm having some pain - nothing unbearable - but mostly I'm feeling challenged by the liquids-only phase that I'm in, and anxious that I may have made a mistake. I'd love to hear more about your experiences as we both continue. This forum does look like a good place to get answers. Good luck to us both!!!

I feel much better today. Thanks for your responses. Its good to know I'm not in this alone. I still have minor pains, mostly associated with gas. Ive been able to eat full liquids without problems. How's your diet progressing? I can't wait til I get on solid foods.

I must admit after recovering from my surgery 1/27, I started questioning my decision. Why am I doing this to myself? I kept asking myself. Does anyone else feel regrets about this surgery? The pain, the restrictions....is it really worth it?

I was banded 1/27 and I know how you feel. The first day after was the worst! I was still a little nauseated from the anesthesia so just thinking about liquids made me sick. I had to force myself to drink Water, and I do mean force. Today, I'm experiencing severe hunger mixed with gas pains. I am able to eat creamed Soups, but I'm so burned out from my pre-op diet. I think the Protein Shakes will be the only thing satisfying right now. I never expected to be this hungry so soon after surgery. Just stay hydrated by any means!

LOL. I know he meant well, but you know how men show affection. They'll give you a football smack on the butt and expect you to translate that as, "Honey, you look nice today". We have to develop a thick skin because anytime you loose weight, people tend to talk about the heavier you as if you were someone else. They forget that fat or thin, it's you the whole time. You're going to hear things like, "You've lost weight, thank God, because you were HUGE!" or "I'm glad you lost weight, you had really let yourself go!". And you'll be standing there like HELLO, you're insulting me to my face and smiling at the same time...

I too am scheduled on 1/27 and I feel your pain. I'm at a point now where I'm so bored with my food choices and tired of Soup, that I have to force myself to eat even though I'm starving. I would rather go hungry than eat soup or fudgesicles. I just want this over with. My energy level has suffered a bit, but I've been taking my multi-vitamins so the fatigue is not that bad. This diet sucks!!! I have fasted from sun up until sunset for 30 days straight for Ramadan every year, but nothing compares to this.

Hello fellow nurses, I am a detox nurse at a substance abuse facility in Chicago. I think nurses are high prone to gain lots of weight. High stress, long hours and a unhealthy diet of take-out and donuts. I work third shift (11pm-7:30am) and I gained tons of weight just eating on my shift. Night eating is the worst! I'm sceduled to get my band on 1/27 and am on day 10 of the pre-op diet. As nurses, it's common for us to care for others while ignoring our own needs.

Wow, I think that is terrible. I live in Chicago and have Blue Cross Blue Shield. I only had to go to 3 in-office appointments. The 2nd and 3rd appointment I saw the psych doctor and was scheduled for the upper GI through the center. When I went for my blood draw, I saw the anesthesiologist and my surgery is scheduled for 1/27(God willing). I did an online seminar, which was great. I think it has a lot to do with your insurance provider.

You said what I've been thinking all along. Why do some doctors require liquid diets while others don't. I felt like the liquid diet was a punishment for being overweight. Why would you do that to someone when there are better, more realistic options?

Oh yes I feel your pain!!!! I am on day 9 and I feel like I'm in the twilight zone. My husband eats regular while I sit at the table with a bowl of Soup. On days 1-4, it pissed me off because I felt this type of diet was unnecessary. I knew you could get the same results with a high protein/low carb diet but I didn't want anything botching up my surgery so I complied. It's to the point now where I have to force myself to eat, because I'm so tired of soup and the other crap, I would rather go hungry. But I don't want this to just be a negative post, lets look at the positive angles. I have lost weight, I don't know how much because I don't have a scale. I've learned to do more productive things with my time, before this diet I would find pleasure only when eating. So, even though the diet seems horrible now, it does get better. Then before you know it, you'll be getting your band.

My band date is on the 27th and I'm anxious and excited. The general anesthetic aspect is a piece of cake. It's actually the easiest part of the procedure. You are going to get a sedative first and you'll start feeling drowsy, when they administer the actual anesthetic medication they usually ask you to count backward from 100. By the time you get to 90 you're under. When you wake up, it will seem as though you're still counting backwards but wait..the surgery will already be over. So don't torment yourself with worst-case scenarios. Look at the positive side, the pre-op struggle is over and it's time to move on to a new chapter in your life.

The creamed Soups have to be strained, but yeah your diet seems a bit worse. See there, just when you start to complain, someone comes along with a situation that will make you appreciate your situation a bit more.

Wow! It seemed like a lifetime for me to get scheduled for my band, which will be 1/27/11 (God willing). I initiated the process in October and was approved in the beginning of this month. My biggest fear is my surgery being put of for some unforeseen reason. I have watched so many co-workers and friends loose weight by means of gastric surgery of some sort and they look and feel great. I then began to feel depressed because I felt like the parade was leaving me behind. I was at my peak weight and feeling horrible. I was tired all the time and never wanted to do anything or go anywhere. I hated looking at myself in the mirror. Now I feel like I'm finally making a step to do something good for myself. I'm excited, I'm on day 4 of my liquid pre-op diet.

Your digestive system just needs to be inactive the day of surgery. Nothing by mouth after midnight the day of surgery is sufficient for that aspect. The only reason I can see for the liquid diet, is to mentally prepare for drastic diet changes after surgery. Other than that, a high protein/low carb diet is more than sufficient for the requirements. But I'm going to stick with the doctor's orders. I would hate for anything to botch-up my surgery.

I am day 4 of my Pre-Op diet and I am beginning to question the purpose for a full liquid as opposed to high protein/ low carb diet. I am aware that the main purpose is to decrease the glycogen stores in the liver hence causing it to shrink. You are also suppose to loose some fat around the liver for a safer surgery. My issue is you can do the same without having to suffer such a limited diet the full liquid offers. My liquid diet allows me to have creamed Soup which has 4g of carbs and 160 calories, as opposed to a can of tuna in Water that I used to make a tuna salad using yogurt instead of mayo wrapped in lettuce leaves. That tuna salad meal was a total of 2g carbs and only 120 calories. Let me tell you, it tasted like a steak dinner after all the soup and broth consumed over the past 3 days. If I was allowed to eat like that for 2 weeks, the pre-op diet would be a piece of cake. You will also loose weight because your body will start to burn off its own fat stores when the liver's fat is used up. But to limit a person to all liquids for two weeks seems like a punishment, when there are more desirable choices that offer the same results. Why don't these doctors use the high protein/low carb diet as opposed to the full liquid? Is there another reason I'm not considering?

Hello my Fellow Lap-Banders,

I am day 4 of my Pre-Op diet and I am beginning to question the purpose for a full liquid as opposed to high protein/ low carb diet. I am aware that the main purpose is to decrease the glycogen stores in the liver hence causing it to shrink. You are also suppose to loose some fat around the liver for a safer surgery. My issue is you can do the same without having to suffer such a limited diet the full liquid offers. My liquid diet allows me to have creamed Soup which has 4g of carbs and 160 calories, as opposed to a can of tuna in Water that I used to make a tuna salad using yogurt instead of mayo wrapped in lettuce leaves. That tuna salad meal was a total of 2g carbs and only 120 calories. Let me tell you, it tasted like a steak dinner after all the soup and broth consumed over the past 3 days. If I was allowed to eat like that for 2 weeks, the pre-op diet would be a piece of cake. You will also loose weight because your body will start to burn off its own fat stores when the liver's fat is used up. But to limit a person to all liquids for two weeks seems like a punishment, when there are more desirable choices that offer the same results. Why don't these doctors use the high protein/low carb diet as opposed to the full liquid? Is there another reason I'm not considering?