skinnybitch

i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 1-1/2 - 2 years ago... I had my surgery on 10/17/11 and have been off my meds completely for about a month and a half now. so far so good. I just increased my frequency of going to see my therapist to every week instead of every 2-3 weeks. Not suggesting that going completely off your meds is for everyone, but.. i was mostly a depressive.. and most of my depression came from being overweight... im far from my goal weight still.. (ive lost about 45 lbs) but I *know* i will get there, and that alone keeps me feeling good.

I've heard stories of people going in for surgery and then waking up and being told that they still do not have the band, they had to stop the surgery because the liver did not shrink enough. One light meal a day is ok, but have 2-3 Protein shakes in addition to that throughout the day, also, this may be too late for you, but for others reading... My doc had me start that diet a month before surgery to make certain that my liver would shrink enough. This also kinda mentally prepared me for eating so much less after surgery and I lost about 15 pounds in that month before even having surgery!

I am on day 4 of my 7 day pre-op liquid diet and not doing well at all. How mandatory is the 7 day liquid diet? I have drastically reducing the amount of solid foods. I'm doing Liquid Protein with my coffee in the morning, chicken Noodle Soup for dinner, but have been eating campbell's Tomato Soup and a tuna sandwich with it for lunch. I get very dizzy when I do not eat a solid meal. I have really bad hunger pains that gives me chest pains when I do not eat. Replacing two meals I've found is easier but I must have something solid once a day. Is my surgery in jeoperdy?

yes! write about him all over the internet! that will help others avoid his office. i had a rude and crappy surgeon at first that scheduled my surgery date.. then AFTERWARDS i got a call from the office that he had "changed his mind because he didint think i would be successful". i quickly found another surgeon who was able to come to the rescue and has been wonderful. good luck to you, and i hope you find a much better doc!

Let me add this... My goal is not to be "ultra skinny", it's to be "ultra healthy". Just because I use the fact that I want to prove my doc wrong as motivation, doesn't mean that I'm not doing this for me. It's just the extra motivator I need to really push myself. As far as I'm concerned, that works for me.. If I was able to just use the fact that I wanted to be healthy as my motivation by itself, then I might not have needed the band in the first place. Just another tool to get you to your end goal. Whatever it takes.

I actually had my doctor back out of surgery at the last minute, after he had already scheduled it and my mom bought her plane ticket to come take care of me. He told me he did not believe I would be successful. I was so angry and upset, but I didn't let that stop me. I found another surgeon that was able to keep my surgery at the originally scheduled day and I'm about 2 months post op and have lost about 45 lbs. my new doc is super impressed by how quickly I'm losing. I trUly believe that my previous surgeon helped me lose so fast. I've set out to prove him wrong. Use it as motivation to prove them wrong!

I usually eat scrambled eggs with reduced fat cheese for breakfast... lunch is random lately.. But about 2 oz of Protein and 2 oz of other foods... Sometimes I just do 4 oz of protein. Lean taco meat with cheese has been my fave lately. dinner is usually 2 oz of chicken and 2 oz potato. My only snack is usually at night and I have a huge sweet tooth so I have to have some dessert. I try to keep it sugar free, lately I've just been drinking a glass of low fat chocolate milk and that satisfies me. Don't worry about the stall.. I've already had one.. And then last week I went up and down 5 pounds in one week.. We all have our bad days... A lifetime of bad habits aren't going to magically disappear because you have surgery. For me, It's just acknowledging it, and being able to move forward. If I have a bad meal.. It's ok, I just try not to let it stretch into a bad day. Also during the holidays it's been pretty hard... It's just this time of the year that makes me want to eat junk food. But I am doing my best and I keep pushing forward.

I would talk to your dr, I'm not sure. I've only heard of women getting heavier periods, but I wouldn't be surprised if the opposite were normal.. But def ask your dr. I've lost about 45 lbs

Eeek! Everything Ive always heard has said that it probably means you're too tight.

I'm about 2 months post op and mine have actually been heavier then normal.

i started putting mederma on it right away.. but.. i didint like it. not because it didint work, but because my tummy would be tacky even after i showered and cleaned the area well (it was also $30!!!). i switched to a stick of 100% cocoa butter. (around $2 at cvs.. looks like a push pop tube) im a little over 2 months post op and my scars are disappearing nicely. i highly recommend it!

i was banded 10/17/11 and got laid off 11/4/11. I didn't do any emotional eating (miracle!!!) and have been using my unemployment as an excuse to really get my exercising into gear. I walk Monday, Wednesday, and Friday..and sometimes on the weekend. My longest walk has been 4 miles with a friend (when you're not alone you can go farther!), and today I did 3 miles by myself. I think being so active has helped keep my mood in check.. Im also eating at home for the most part to save money... but I do sometimes meet up with a friend for lunch or something.. I AM a cheap date now :-)

As far as the bad days... I've had 2 or 3... but I try to keep it to a bad MEAL rather then a bad DAY. Also, when I go out to eat, for the most part, I try to eat high Protein so it's not that bad. I know it's hard to make the good choice Vs the bad choice.. but do what you can. If you see that you can't keep yourself from eating bad when you go out, then try not going out.

I know that everyone has got to do what works for them, but this has been my experience and I hope it will help you!

I would be scared to have it done if I went thru what you went thru. I don't know that I could. But keep on doing what your doing. Even if you don't have the surgery, you'll always have support on this forum!

I'm so sorry that happened to you. I say it doesn't hurt to talk to a lawyer. The fact that his story is changing and he is trying to brush it off as nothing is a little suspicious.

Side note: I'm so proud of your for losing all this weight so far without surgery, as you should be proud of yourself, too! I know it's hard.

ive not heard of that... but then again im only banded since October. But you shouldn't cut down on your liquid intake just because you can't drink while eating. i try to get at least 120 oz. of liquid a day

its not broken. welcome to bandland

I also tell everyone. I have a blog that I link to on my Facebook page.. everyone has been SOOO supportive. The only thing I got tired of is any time we went out to eat (which really isnt that often at all) , I would never get questioned about how little i was eating, but i would get questioned because i never order a drink.. so my hubby would feel the need to tell the waitress that i had surgery. after a few times, i asked him to not say anything and that i would handle that. he understood and it hasnt been a problem since.

While it is wise to ask your doctor these questions, this IS a forum. And you are free to ask whatever you like especially since I'm finding that every doctor says something different... My doc told me to do liquids that same day, then mushies the following day, and onto solids..

Did you have a fill recently? I bruised a little bit after my first fill. It went away.

I woke up today with a huge bruise near my port. it doens't hurt but i was wondering if anyone else had this happen? I had the surgery about 3 months ago.

You can also ask your doc for anti nausea meds (Im kinda surprised he didint send you home with some) Also, at about 4-5 weeks out I randomly was experiencing nausea so bad that I coudlnt take any pills for fear of them coming back up. So instead they gave me anti nausea suppository which worked really well,

Congrats!

Woo hoo! Congrats! I look forward to the "But you're already so thin, why would you need the band" comments

My surgery was at 9 am, I had a panic attack when they transferred me to the operating room table. They put me under right away so I was fine, but he kept me over night just in case I had another panic attack.

Do yourself a favor and lose some weight!! Not only will it get you in the mode of this lifestyle change, but u are more likely to get approved, and I've heard of people that didn't lose enough weight before and they had to stop mid surgery and schedule for another 2 weeks out because liver was too large. You don't want to put yourself thru that. Start your preop diet ASAP! I started mine a month before surgery and I wish I'd done it sooner only because I would have lost more. That is REALLY weird that your dr is discouraging Protein shakes! My dr had me on 2-3 Protein Shakes a day and a sensible dinner of lean meat and veggies. My dr told me, even now, that I should try to get in 1 Protein Shake a day, if not more. He also said you will not gain weight from protein shakes, so when you've already eaten, and you are STILL hungry (I remember that feeling) a protein shake is the way to go. If you don't have the willpower to diet now, you're going to have a hard time after surgery. While surgery makes it easier for me, I still have to put in the hard work and self control of diet and excersize.

It sucks that you don't have anyone close to be supportive for you . The best advice I can give you is that everyone has an opinion. But that's all it is. Don't let the negativity shake you. You've done the research, you know what you want. Try and google support groups in your area. Check out meetup.com Ive found a ton of support groups in my area (Central FL) and so far they have been so helpful and encouraging. (although keep in mind you may come across some bypass or sleeve patients that also have an opinion about your band.. Don't let it shake you!). As for your boss... I'm pretty sure she is breaking some kind of law by discussing your personal stuff around the office.. Go to her supervisor maybe? Hope this helps! And good luck in your journey!

Honestly, no. I ended up not getting a fill today. I'm still not completely sure what I should be looking for to see if I need a fill. I'm losing weight.. (8lbs last month) I'm not really hungry in between meals... Usually get a little hungry right on schedule. But Im not sure if I feel restricted at all. I measure my food with a food scale so I don't really leave room for over eating. As for how they know how much to fill, I'm not sure.. I guess it's at the doc's discretion.