SashaWLS

Hi.. I did it - I'm on the other side. Was the drs first patient at 8:30 am, got home by six... Am drinking just fine, surprisingly more than I thought I'd be able to get down... The best so far was the cup of matzohball-soup broth from Ben's Delicatessen....but I can't sleep and my throat is killing me from the breathing tube. That's by far the worst part, my throat. Otherwise I'm sore but not in pain, nor too gassy... Thankful for this group?

mine's on wednesday, so I'm in the same boat... good luck to you!!

My surgery is in 3 days and while I've been fine, I'm suddenly a bundle of anxious nerves... thinking about taking a xanax and going to bed! ugh...

I totally relate to your post and all the replies... I haven't been banded yet (april 18th) but this is totally my worst fear... I will say that my surgeon warned me that if I was ever told to "try harder" or "muscle through it" or "just go see the dietician" that the band probably isn't tight enough. I'm nervous to see for myself what this is all about.

Counting down. Tick Tock. Tick Tock. I get banded April 18th, in exactly 1 week!!! I've already done one week of the liquid diet — 1000 calories a day, 2c veggies, nothing else... It has been ok, I found one I like and I've been really fine with it so far. But today I messed up and didn't carry enough shakes with me and by the time I got home at 7pm I had only had two and was ravenous! Ended up downing a shake and eating part of my daughter's dumpling (roughly 1tbsp pork) while I waited for my salad to be delivered. I feel really guilty, but it's my only cheat so far so I figure I'm the only one who knows. I guess it's normal to throw my nerves into obsessing over my liquid diet, right? When did you find out that you were cleared by insurance? I haven't found out yet, though I assume it's ok... I guess I should call them and double check.

I wanted the sleeve because I have absolutely no intention of having this reversed... I want this to be permanent... But after doing a lot of research and not rushing into surgery, the decision came down to a numbers game... -- The mortality rate for the sleeve is 1/200... In the band it's 1/2000. -- 1% of the people who get the sleeve have a leak, and if they do, they're in AGONY in and out of the hospital for possibly 5-6 months at a time -- 1/3 of the people who get bypass or sleeve gain it back with no other option afterwards than to get the band (i.e. carny wilson) IMHO, the sleeve is a fabulous option when it works. But the risk that it could turn out to be a total disaster is way way way too high for me... I have a family that loves me and a 4 year old daughter. I don't have the right to gamble with something that could take me out...

There's a video of my surgeon (who's also had the lap band surgery) talking about how he likes to have a couple of drinks every day. Towards the end he talks about how he could lose probably 10lbs more if he were to cut out the couple of drinks he has a night.. But that those drinks are good from a cardiovascular and pleasure point of view. http://mc-rms01.med.nyu.edu/qtmedia/013_is_it_possible_to_get_too_thin__medium.mov So there we have it. A world class surgeon's opinion probably trumps ours...

Does it have to be an all or nothing thing... Making lifestyle changes doesn't necessarily mean becoming a nun... :-)

It's my most comfortable position, and I'm afraid I won't be able to later... Are you able to?

I started yesterday and posted a very similar post about hating all the drinks I had tried... But today I found one I like -- Lean Shake, you can get it at GNC. The chocolate tastes like a Yoohoo..

Thanks for all the suggestions... I will try some of these! But I did find one that I really like at GNC — "Lean Shake" — it's much thinner than the Muscle Milk Light, so it tastes a lot like a Yoohoo...

Today's day one of liquids, I'm being banded on April 18th... Isopure is sort of ok. I got one big one down, but it leaves a weird coating in my mouth so I can't do more than a few sips at a time without getting grossed out... I managed to down a Muscle Milk light, which was pretty think and kind of gross, but at least I got that in... But now I'm so hungry!!!!!! I ordered the

I hope to be in your shoes someday!! Congratulations.

I'm thinking about all you just-banded folks!! Thanks so much for posting your experiences, it's so exciting!!!!!

Congratulations, socialdad!! Can't wait to be on your side of the world. The anticipation is killing me, but I'm just ready to get this over with!!!

*cough* right.

I told my boss and one co-worker, my parents, and my 10 closest friends. But I'm not telling anyone else for now...

Hi Kami, I haven't started the pre-op diet yet, but it sounds like yours... A couple of shakes a day, 1c veg/fruit, etc... I have to go look at it again tonight and buy some shakes, but I'm not too worried because I've done 10-day fasts before and know how to get into the mental groove... So I think I'll be feeling better once I start the diet, because I'll have STARTED already. This anxiety of anticipation is making me nuts because I know I can eat still, and I don't know if I will be able to afterwards. But I feel better having said it out loud, and I'm so grateful that I'm not alone here!!!! Where are you from? I'm in NYC going to Dr Fielding.

Hi there... For what it's worth, I was SURE I wanted the sleeve, but my doctor talked me out of it. It's great for many people, but 1% of the people have a leak, and that could mean 5 months in the hospital in agony. And even if it is very successful, 1/3 of the people end up gaining all their weight back—not because they overeat, but because their stomachs stretch after the wounds heal as part of the healing process... If you gain all the weight back, your only option is the band. My dr said he has banded 100s of sleeve and bypass patients. He said that while the bypass and sleeve are 3x as fast for weightloss, it evens out over the 3-5year mark and that the band is a better choice.

Hi everyone... Will be banded on April 18th, and tomorrow's my last day of real food before the liquid diet and I'm freaking out... More than freaking out, I'm having a very real physical anxiety attack... My palms are sweating, nerves are all twisted up and I've got hot adrenaline rushing through my body. The idea of all the "you can never ever have this again" foods are totally stressing me out. I'm not worried about the actual surgery or pain, I'm worried about the food. I feel like an addict about to have his fix taken away and I'm in a panic. Please someone tell me that I'm going to be ok? I've done my research and I'm sure I want to do this, so please I don't want any responses that it's the worst decision you ever made. I don't know what I am expecting this to be afterwards, but I feel like it's going to be the end of my world and I'm SCARED!!

I don't know what you should do, but I have a friend who got the band at age 70 (she was 260lbs) and she's kept 80 pounds off for the last 8 YEARS.

I'm April 18th... Getting NERVOUS!! Finally feel like I've finished overeating and having 100 last meals and I'm almost thankful the liquid diet is coming up so I can be done already. hahaha. Excited!!!

Hi Lisa, I'm getting banded the day after you (!!) and feel EXACTLY the same way. Now that it's all scheduled, I'm freaking out. Every meal is a last meal, I'm emotional, I'm depressed... I look forward to connecting with you again when we're on the other side!

Hi there... Can't believe the surgery is less than a month away!! I've been so excited for so long, but now I'm starting to get scared. Mostly I'm scared that I'll be a failure at this, just like every other diet I've been on. I know the lap band is "a tool" and that it won't cure me. But that's exactly what scares me. I fear that I'll be one of those people who eats sliding foods, or who does whatever the bad people do to not lose weight... This last month has been such a food nightmare for me. Every meal is a last meal and I feel disgusting and tired and depressed. I'm sure that part of that is how badly I've been eating. You can't eat the way I've been eating and feel good. There's a huge part of me that can't wait for the liquid diet just so this binge can be OVER already! I don't know. Is this going to work for me? I'm flakey and disorganized, I just don't know that this is something I'm going to be good at! All that said, there is a glimmer of hope. I'm a binge eater, not a grazer, so if nothing else this will probably stop that... *sigh*

I'm up and down to the fridget 10 times an hour, and I use going to Starbucks as a way to take a break at work. I am always fixing something or making something... I'm trying to imagine, after being banded, what I will do with myself! Does this drive you crazy?