goinforhealthy

Hi Vannessa,

Welcome! I am not from VA but from ND. But would love to encourage you and help you along. I am on day 11 post op and it really has been the hardest 11 days ever!! Not eating and just drinking plus pain from surgery has been hard, but worth it. The first month is the hardest from what I have heard, just because of the different stages of food. I always say the easy part was surgery. The hard part is using and not abusing the tool!

Good Luck!! Talk to you soon.

Hey all!

I am a 32 yearold newbie who is waiting on her first appointment with her surgeon on August 16th. I have already completed my three months of supervised dieting, have written my letter to the insurance company and have about two years worth of receipts that I can submit to the insurance for my approval. I am hoping for a date sometime in mid to late September. This entire process is rather daunting though and I would love, love, LOVE to connect with someone that I can share my hopes and fears with. I would love to learn from someone who has successfully gone through surgery and is on their own journey, or is close to completion of it. Although, I'm sure nobody really completes this journey, we are all in for the long haul. I am currently at 340lbs and know that I will probably have to lose a good ten to twenty pounds before I have surgery. So, in an attempt to comply I am trying to just...be more healthy. I've cut down on my diet soda intake and have not been stopping at the drive thru's. Those two things alone, plus Water increase, have made me feel better already. My goal is to hit 160lbs and see how I feel when I reach it.

I would love to have more friends here too! So, if you just want to chat and have a supportive friend you can always add me!

Thanks,

Vanessa

strained Soup, mashed potatoes, refried Beans, cottage cheese, Jello, pudding. This is the list I got (minus the mashed potaters!)

BTW I am self pay too and I think that puts on some added pressure. I spent over 11,000 and its hard! But just know that strangers are here for you!!

Hey there,

I also got divorced from my ex because of abusiveness. After getting my collarbone broken and being punched in the head while holding our 9 month old I decided to leave after seven years. It was hard, still is to be honest. I am remarried with three more kids and very happy with my husband but my ex seems to have that psychological hold, the..."your fat, your never gonna be good enough hold". After becoming a christian I realized that he no longer has that hold on me. I CHOSE NOT TO FEEL THAT WAY. NO ONE CAN "MAKE" YOU FEEL A CERTAIN EMOTION. It is hard, but cry, pray, journal and listen to songs that lift you up.

I too am struggling with eating at 10 days post op. I want nothing more than to go grab a big burger or tj's and eat eat eat. My life has always been about eating. Eating when I am sad, happy, bored. Everything. I have five kids (stepson included) and I am a teacher. I keep thinking to myself, can I really do this? AND THEN, I read all of your success stories and know that I have been through hell and back and I CAN do this. Nothing worth having is ever easy to get!! is it worth it? you bet YOU ARE!!

Yes, you can switch if you need too. Find someone else who does fills and find out more about them. I am also so confused about the diet because my doc is very strict. Here is the rundown:

up to day 5 post op-liquid

5-9days five preselect foods (cottage cheese, yogurt, refried Beans, pudding, egg beaters)

9-21days (five preselect foods PLUS ham salad, egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad)

3 weeks solid foods but nothing you would need to cut with a knife (ex: steak)

6 weeks normal solids

When normal I should eat about 1/2c 5-6x's a day. 65g Protein or more a day. I was told specifically if you cannot eat more than a bite or two after your fill, your band is too tight!!

You still need your nutrients! The thing that gets me about this diet I have is, why can't I add Soups, mashed potatoes, things like that? Ya know? but they are very concerned that you don't eat that stuff and yep, I have cheated a little. I don't want to hurt my band but if I can have pudding, why can't I have mashed potatoes? right?

When did everyone else start eating normal again after surgery?

I have an excellent surgeon( not a support system), but when into my post-op appointment, he was very short with me and I had to chase him out of the room to finish answering my questions.. I thought he is busy then I realized he was talking in the room about brochures to his staff. It really upset me. Can you change surgeons once you have surgery to a more supportive office staff? It probably depends on your insurance, but has anyone ever done that and regretted it?

Same here hun! I am on day 9 and mushies. But my mushie stage seems to be different from everyone elses! my doc said only 4 foods during this stage that I can eat. I have been cheating to get some stuff in but man I am starving and all I can think is what did I do to myself! I just wanna do taco johns!!

Thank you!! I feel this way too!! I am getting through this one day at a time. day nine here for me and thinking...was it really that bad to be fat?

SAME HERE. REally dry. I am 6 days post op and I just wanna guzzle! My tongue and throat are white and I have a terrible taste in my mouth. I do sometimes swab and if too full just rinse my mouth out.

Good luck.

Hey ActivityGRRL,

I feel that way too! I feel like I need to lay down in order to get some relief. I am learning that it means I am eating way too much. My nutritionist keeps instilling in me not to eat until I am full, but to just eat small amounts. I can eat every three hours. It was crazy to be on a liquid diet for so long. I literally ate such big bites and savored and then spit it out! Crazy I know but I was soo starved for some food! Just know you are not alone!!

5 days post- op. Back to work.. feeling OK. Have to learn to not drink so fast... i drink my Protein shakes and then i am so full it hurts. I have to remember to take my time.. something i have never done when eating and drinking EVER...didnt realize the pain i was feeling was my full feeling...Is it supposed to be painful? I feel like i have to lay down or stretch out to make it go away.. maybe it's gas,

Yesterday was an ice cream festival.. i went thinking i wasnt going to eat anything.. but i had sherbert,,,,it was not sugarfree,,,but i ate it. Is sugar going to really hurt this process??? I hope not.

Hey ladies,

I wouldn't be too worried. From what my doc and nutritionist stated to me, you won't really begin to lose weight until after your first fill. I was told to expect to be hungry for 4-6 weeks and not to worry if I haven't lost a ton of weight. I also really remind myself that I have lost 15 pounds already and that was more than I could do without the band!

Keep your chin up ladies! You can do this!! Most importantly, you are not alone!!

Hi Julie,

I was banded Thursday too! I would love to email and have a band partner! victoriahundley@hotmail.com

Hi Everyone,

I was banded Thursday (7/14/11) so I guess I'm 3 days out. Stayed overnight in the hospital - standard procedure for my surgeon. I'm doing well, except for the left shoulder pain. The only time it goes away is when I'm flat on my back. Hoping this really doesn't last too long. Having to remind myself to eat something is such a strange feeling. Don't think I've EVER had to do that before in my life!

Hi all,

I was just banded on July 14, 2011. I am having a very difficult time with Protein shakes. I am not getting in much Protein at all and that really worries me. I have had a liquid bm and thought that would help but it hasn't I have a ton of stomache growling and so I feel like I should eat! When I do a popsicle or chicken broth I feel very full and burp alot. I have only done 1oz every 15 minutes but I haven't been able to do more than that. I am also struggling with all the food commercials. I really didn't think I was an emotional eater but I miss the chips and dip at night while watching tv. I feel hungry and can't wait to start my soft food diet on day 5. According to my surgeon I can start four select soft foods 1. refried Beans 2. yogurt 3. cottage cheese 4. egg beaters.

Any suggestions?

Hi, I am three days out and feel the same as you! I can't really do much and I have a lot of stomache rumbling! I am so hungry! Any suggestions?

Well I did and everything went well, Im able to drink without a problem but i am very weak and dizzy and am only able to sit up for an hour or two and then have to lay down, anyone else have his problem? I really want to get up and moving.

Hi all,

I just had surgery on July 14. I do feel really tired and my stomache hurts. I am starving. I have been doing chicken broth, Water, Protein and popsicles and my stomache growls constantly. I also burp alot after drinking. I stick to 1oz at a time. I have lost almost 11 pounds. Which is due to not eating anything for the last five days.

Is it normal to be this hungry? I also can't wait to start cottage cheese, refried Beans and yogurt on day 6. I am counting down!