BeckyJane

Visit the September 2011 topic and you'll see you have a lot in common with all of us banded about the same time. Remember that for 4-6 weeks your body is healing. Until you get your first fill the band isnt working optimally. It's more that the swelling and healing and lower activity combined with lower calories has our bodies confused. Stay off the scale for a week. Rest. Let your body heal. Be patient. We're in for the long haul. Becky Banded 9/19

I'm still only on my iPhone fir updates as my computer is downstairs. I can read your posts but not reply to specific ones easily. I am four days post-op and on a combo liquid/pureed diet. I do like my isopure zero carb shakes but can only do a half portion at a time right now. I sometimes add cinnamon or PB2 powder (google it-low fat peanut powder that is very tasty!) Tonight I had 1 oz pureed chicken and 1/3 cup chocolate banana tofu pudding. Yum! Recipe: 1 pkg silken tofu, 1/3 c cocoa powder, one small banana and 2t vanilla all in the blender until mixed. I can't have dairy so yogurt and sugar free pudding aren't on my list of options. Ended up at the doctor today for urinary tract infection. After first dose of meds, symptoms are relieved. I'm finding it much less painful to walk and the gas continues to pass every time I get moving. On my way to health and a size 12! I even went without Tylenol mist of today.

My Lap-Band surgery was yesterday morning and all is well. I'm still in hospital and will likely stay another night. Yesterday was nothing by mouth. Today is clear liquids. My surgeon is conservative. He wants the stomach to rest and recover and then take it slow. This is fen with me! My lungs have needed breathing treatments every four hours. I've been up walking and am sitting Ina chair right now. The incisions hurt and I'm thankful for pain meds! Deep breathing is painful. All in all, the experience has been good and I lime my surgical and nursing team and the hospital. I will list again when I get hone and can catch up with everyone else! On my way to a size 12 and better health!

Surgery Sept. 19! Pre-Op diet for 11 days now! I think I'm over my duldrums and looking forward to starting my life banded. In the home stretch now, for sure. I know I can do two more days. Got called to day and found out I'm scheduled for 8am Monday morning. I know I'm staying at least one night at the hospital. Got my liquid diet supplies and even some chicken "liquified" and ready to go. Getting the laundry done and getting my overnight bag packed. Ready to join those of you who have gone before this month. Thanks for all your input, thoughts, sharing and helps! It has calmed me down on more than one occasion! Becky

It's a busy day on Monday. I've been on a Pre-Op diet for a week and a half and have my surgery on Monday as well! Keep us posted on how you do! Becky

Welcome! I have my surgery this Monday, 9/19. this forum has a LOT of info from those who have gone before us and those who are about to step into this change. Read up, ask questions, and keep up posted on how you're doing! Becky

from my blog today: I got my PB2 today. Adding it to my protein shake makes a nice peanut butter/chocolate flavor. Cause I'm getting bored of just plain chocolate and vanilla. At GNC, they suggested adding cinnamon. Now that also makes a nice change to the flavor! It is a quiet day. I think I'll take a walk. I have a bit of shopping to do later today and a therapy session on my relationship to food. It's complicated, that's what I'm finding out. It does no good to get a band and then still struggle with the same old food issues that have caused me to become obese. Sometimes it seems like too much. This is lot of weight to loose. I've tried it before. What makes me think it will be different this time? A friend gave me this Bible verse: "For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope." Romans 15:4 AMP I need endurance and hope. Both have to come from God. That is my prayer for today, that the God-who-loves-me, Yahweh, will give me endurance for the race and hope for the finish!

Had my pre-op testing yesterday. As far as I know, all is still a GO for next Monday! One thing I haven't seen anyone talk about yet - eating disorders, bad relationships with food, bad habits. That is what I'm going to think and meditate and pray on today. I am seeing a therapist [for about 8 weeks] and most of my issues seem to be when I confuse emotions with hunger. Mostly, I tend to "hide" the emotions, but act them out in eating. So we've been talking about how I feel when I eat. How I feel when personal relationships or life cause stress. How I eat when I'm stressed - and more. I hope to go for prayer ministry later today - I am a firm believer in the ability of God to heal us and restore us - so I'm thinking about these issues. Any of you gone to counseling? Uncovered any "reasons" for weight gain? Had any healing or restoration in your relationship with food?

Surgery Date: September 19 Day 3 of 14 Pre-Op Diet My best news so far - on day 3 of the 14 day pre-op diet - is that I can stop the metformin now rather than after surgery. Maybe my blood sugar won't dip quite as far these next few days! My not so good news: I have a sinus infection and a skin cyst, so I'm on anti-bitotics. Me and anti-biotics don't have a good history - when they upset my stomach, I eat carbs. But not this time! However, if the skin cyst gets infected, I can not have the surgery and it will have to be postponed. I'm not happy as there is really nothing I can do other than hot compresses and the anti-biotics. And patience. I'm really enjoying all that everyone has shared. I think it is giving me a more realistic idea of what to expect - but it also is giving me hope and encouragement. If you can keep on the diet, I will try to do so as well. If you are looking to forward to the new start, it reminds me of why I'm doing this. And if you are in pain from gas, I hear some of the solutions to try for myself! Thanks September Bandsters!

I started a blog about my walk through this banding process. I hope to do daily updates as well as stay in touch with all of you! Banded Becky

Surgery: September 19 Pre-op diet Day 1! The insurance company approved my surgery and I am no longer "penciled in". I will have the Lap-Band surgery on Monday, September 19. Today I started the two week pre-op diet: two Protein shakes, two very small Snacks and a small dinner for about 1,000 calories a day. Oh my. I didn't go "all out" this past weekend, but I did have some special meals with special people and I did ask for a few chocolates from my husband's secret stash, so I guess I splurged a little. So I begin my journey to a smaller me. And better health. And to a more active lifestyle. Whew! I feel prepared, educated about the procedure and life after as a "banded" person. This two weeks will be the hardest as I don't have the band, but I have to eat like I do. I have to say NO to the desire to eat and I have to live through any emotions of life without turning to food. Should be a good training run, I'm thinking. I can only do this with prayer and patience. From me and from you. The Lord will be my strength and I will walk through this change with Him at my side. Future, here I come!

Surgery Date: September 19 Pre-Op Diet starts September 7 I just got the letter from my insurance company and I am approved! On Tuesday, I will call and make my penciled in date final. I start the pre-op diet also on Tuesday. I went out and got my Isopure Zero Carb powder and the things I need for my 100 calorie snacks and the only "dessert" I'm allowed: sugar free popsicles and sugar free jello with fat free cool whip. Yum! I go into to Chicago on Monday to have lunch with my daughter - last restaurant visit for a while. I have to make an appointment to see the surgeon one more time and I will see my GP next week for the 'health and physical' the hospital requires. Countdown begin!

Go to tickerfactory.com and go to the 'weight loss' item. You can choose the design, set up an account and input your data. The site will give you the code to paste into your lapbandtalk profile.

Surgery [penciled in] Sept. 19 Pre-Op diet starts Sept 7 Well, the insurance company again has all my papers - they said they will have a decision within 5-7 business days, so I'm going to start my pre-op diet as scheduled next Tuesday. I got the diet my surgeon wants - two protein shakes a day, two snacks [about 100 cal each] and a hi-protein/lo-carb dinner. I can't handle dairy, so getting my protein in without cheese/yogurt or milk is hard. I have limited protein drinks I can have, but Isopure powder is on the list and I like the taste. I've found some 100 cal snack bars with good protein and with fruits and nuts will have the two snacks taken care of. Eating liquid/light meal for 2 weeks will be the hardest part of the banding - I think. It will take a great more discipline to reign in the eating without a band to help. But all of your comments have encouraged me. It is only two weeks. Oh, and NO caffeine, carbonation, sugar and the like. Those around me in the morning will be sorry about the no caffeine part :-)

Negative Nellies abound. When I do tell someone about the surgery i have planned, I usually say that I don't want to hear about their opinions and that I've researched and have looked at the pros and cons. I ended my Facebook note with: "I know some of you will be of the opinion that this isn't necessary; that all I need to do is what a friend of yours has done. Look at the stats. The percentage of people who diet AND loose all the weight AND keep it off is not high. My aging body needs to loose now while I'm still young enough to enjoy the freedom and ease of movement. :-)" Sometimes you just have to head off the comments by holding firm to the research you've done and your life situation.