jen_1381

A tip that may help with the Protein shakes - my dietician suggested buying some sugar free coffee syrups (like the Torrani that come in 100s of flavors) and add a little to a vanilla Protein shake if the shakes alone get dull to you. Don't add too much - the chemical that makes them sugar free can cause diarrhea - but enough for flavor helps with the blandness that can come along. I have to do 2 weeks of full liquids, which is basically just Protein drinks or tomato soup! As far as other foods - for the full liquid portion most dieticians allow yogurt as long as there are no chunks or seeds (vanilla, honey, coffee flavor, etc). Tomato Soup (but watch the calorie count in that - I purchased Campbells plain Tomato over Cream of Tomato and saved myself 120 calories per serving). Also, Carnation Instant Breakfast mixed with Skim or 1% milk is allowed on my plan. Keep in mind, every plan is different though. Good luck!

Good luck! Sleep well.

I'm scheduled for this Friday, surgery at 11:30 and they said as long as all goes according to plan I should be home by early evening. I bounce back great from surgery though, and have certainly had enough experience under the knife...I think it varies on the person and insurance.

It's funny you say that because my surgeon made it obvious he favored the sleeve over band. Maybe because the weight loss with sleeve is faster? I know sleeve isn't for me - removing, stapling - not my game. I assured him that I hold myself to a very high level of responsibility, and that I know what I need to do to be successful with this and he seemed fine after that. Good luck to you!!

I hear ya...must be because it's Friday and the sun is shining, but french fries sound DELICIOUS right now! I know those days are past me, but it's frustrating! I'm just keeping focused on my goal and my progress. Plus, I have surgery in 7 days, if I can't stay strong now there's no way I'll make it through. Be strong!!

Just keep focused on the goal! I've been at my modified pre-op diet for 4 days now. My surgeon told me one wasn't necessary since my BMI was borderline but I opted to do the diet anyway but add in a salad for dinner. It's really helping me sort out real hunger from head hunger and thirst. It's amazing what just drinking some water or Powerade Zero can do! I've lost over 9 lbs since Monday...you can do this too!! Good luck with your surgery, mine is May 18th.

I can't believe Monday is almost here. I have my appointment with the Surgeon - AKA last step of the process before surgery - and will get my surgery scheduled. Finally! I'm not a patient person, and this whole two month process has been brutal! I've been stuck in this limbo for about a month. I started the Pre Bariatric Surgery eating plan. Five meals a day, high protein low calorie, and I was completely rocking it. I lost 11 pounds, was exercising daily, and was feeling amazing. Then my BMI dropped to 34.2. My insurance requires a BMI of 35 so I asked the Dietician and Surgery Coordinator what I should do and they both said I needed to gain a couple pounds before I saw the Surgeon since they submit my numbers to insurance when I see him. That completely took me off my game. I was all set to see the Surgeon two weeks ago, then came down with Strep Throat AND the Influenza. Had to cancel, and go through another two weeks stuck in this crazy frustrating weight balancing act. I'm just so excited to get my numbers submitted to insurance for approval so I can get re-focused. I'm actually hoping that I'll be able to start the Pre-Op Skim Milk diet pretty soon, but at the very least I can start the Pre Bariatric Diet and get my mind back in the game.

I saw my surgeon, Dr. Jan, on Monday and after about an hour appointment, I'm scheduled for surgery next Friday, May 18th. I was utterly shocked at how fast he was able to schedule me. Even though he said I didn't have to do a pre-op diet if I didn't want to, I decided to start yesterday with two protein shakes during the day, unlimited zero-calorie clear liquids, and a healthy dinner (salads mostly). Just being in a strict routine feels good. I'm not sure why exactly, but I've always done so much better in a controlled environment; when he said it was up to me, I felt that if I didn't chose to do a pre-op diet, I would have a MUCH harder time with the two weeks of clear liquids post-op. So far it's been successful, I've lost over 6 pounds. My focus now has shifted to long term success and keeping up on my end of the deal. Dr. Jan isn't so much of a fan of the band because there is quite the failure rate. He prefers the gastric sleeve most of all. I wasn't ready for such an invasive surgery, and I insisted that I hold myself to a very high level of responsibility, and I will not fail at this. I don't want to say that Lap Band is my last hope, but I really have tried SO many other things that I don't know what else I could do if this doesn't work. I'm not going to think of that though - I'm staying positive and just thinking of what a very successful band patient said: ONLY GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS. I'm not going to eat things because I "feel" like it anymore. I'm not going to snack because I'm bored. I'm sorting out my head hunger from my stomach hunger. I'm looking at everything I put in my mouth and the impact it will have on the scale.

My motivation is mixed. Part of me is getting banded to be healthy. My whole family is diabetic with high blood pressure, and coincidentally, obese. I don't want that to be me. But another part of me wants to finally be comfortable in my own skin. To, like smilinginside, be able to walk past a mirror and actually stop and think "I look alright today!" instead of grimicing. I have an amazing, supportive husband who I know loves me no matter what size I am, but I know I can be a better person if I was happier with myself. To achieve that I have to be comfortable with myself. This process so far has proven to me that I can do things I never thought I could, and I'm just starting.

I have to agree with honk...but maybe because I'm also not a drinker, and I'm still pre-op and completely focused on the vision of giving my body only what it needs. It seems like the most successful bandsters focus on protien, veges, then fruit, and staying hydrated with water. The surgeon that spoke at our seminar also highly discouraged alcohol just because replacing a food addiction with another substance is entirely too easy. But again, I'm not a drinker, and I'm pre-op

Okay, it may feel like overkill because that is a LOT to do, but it sounds like the doctor is just being very thorough. I've worked in outpatient surgery for about 5 years and can try to help as best I can. Upper GI with & with out barium - are you having any type of swallowing or stomach issues? Acid reflux? Abdominal pain? This just maps out the anatomy of your stomach and your swallowing. sleep test - normal screening test for anyone with obesity. To screen for Sleep Apnea, which can be deadly during anesthesia. ECG - rapid heart rate. They want to make sure your heart is in the correct rhythm. Stress test - high cholesterol and rapid heart beat. They want to make sure your heart is in good enough condition to handle the stress of surgery. Chest xrays 2 views - normal for rapid heart rate. To check for any abnormality of the heart and lungs. OB-GYN pap smear, colonoscopy, mammogram - "normal" routine screening tests everyone should have at some point. Most likely, just ensuring that your body is healthy enough to 1) withstand surgery/anesthesia, and 2) you aren't going to get all geared up, get through surgery and find out a few months later you have colon/cervical/breast cancer. Hope that helps!

Congrats!! Such a big milestone!! I can't wait until I can say that

I saw my surgeon today for the final step in the whole process (which I started on March 7th). I was ELATED when he told me I could be put on the schedule for next Friday, May 18th. I've been waiting so long for this to happen (okay, it only feels like forever...it's been two months). The WLS program I'm going through really impressed upon us that people always start with 2-4 weeks of a Pre-Op diet of nothing but skim milk, 24 oz, 3 times a day, plus any other zero calorie liquids you'd like. Most people lose 10-15 pounds in the Pre-Op diet phase. Honestly, I was a little excited to jump start my weight loss. After meeting with the surgeon today, he said that my BMI was so boarderline that the full 2 weeks of the milk diet isn't necessary, and that I should just follow a high protein, low calorie eating plan before surgery up until the day before. Just clear liquids the day prior, nothing after midnight. He said I could do the milk diet for a few days if I wanted, but it wasn't necessary. So I'm thinking....should I do it anyways? I think it would be good to jump-start my weight loss and ensure that I'm in the right frame of mind. Start practicing the discipline I think I've learned Plus, I think I would feel better with less chance of surgery being cancelled due to a fatty liver (which he said they have done and will not hesitate to do). I hear people *HATE* the pre-op diet but I feel like I'll have greater success with it. Thoughts?

The Post-Op diet is pretty strict. It's two weeks of clears, two weeks of pureed, then two weeks of soft/easy food. I decided to start today with doing a modified version of it...focusing on milk as breakfast and lunch, zero-calorie clear liquids in between, and a low cal/high protein dinner. I've had a "fatty liver" on ultrasounds in the past, I just want to make sure I'm doing my part, and the milk diet is supposed to help reduce the fat around the liver. Plus, I think this will really help me sort out my "head hunger" and "real hunger".

Can I just say THANK YOU for the reality of the post! I'm seeing my surgeon in two days to schedule surgery, and I'm thinking just a day or two off work will do. I wasn't anticipating the possibility of explosive diarrhea...that may put a damper in my work day! It sounds like today you're doing a little better...compared to the first few days anyways. Have you stepped on the scale yet to see where you're at from pre-op? Hope things keep going on the up-and-up!

I'm still pre-band, but I'm getting a fair amount of...I guess judgement? from people. It's not necessarily mean, but I've heard from almost everyone "why do you want to have THAT?!". It's so easy for people to suggest diet and exercise. That plan doesn't work for everyone. Even the psychologist during my psych eval said that I didn't strike her as someone who would need to have this surgery (I'm 235 lbs on avg). I thought she may be the crazy one. The bottom line is, I want to have it done and feel like it's my best option to be successful in weight loss. Nobody else has to wake up and fall asleep in my skin. Everyone else's opinions are just that - their opinions.

Congratulations all around - on the baby girl, the dedication to the first 6 months of dieting, and the re-dedication to the new 6 months!! I was fortunate to be able to skip the supervised diet, but from what I've heard from everyone it goes by really fast. Keep us posted!

I'm not banded yet, but the big thing I'm training myself to believe now is that it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. You will get there, but only if you keep your determination set and stay focused. Plus, even if the clothes aren't feeling different, you've lost almost 20 lbs in a month!! Think of how much healthier your body is getting. Hang in there

The one that I had was actually kind of fun. The big "test" they are talking about is usually the MMPI study. It's a psychological test, which asks a lot of various True/False questions like: I would like to be a Forest Ranger. I would like to be a Photographer. When at a party, I don't like talking to new people. Just answer honestly. They aren't hard questions at all. Mine was a two-part appointment. The first session I did the MMPI as well as filled out an Eating Inventory. The second part was 1:1 with the Psychologist. It was very relaxed, she was very informative. They are mainly there to gauge whether you are ready for a big life change or not. She offered me a lot of suggestions and tips to be successful. For me personally, it was a great thing. I had never been to a psychologist for any type evaluation (the first thing you want to say is - I'M NOT CRAZY!!) but I'm a perfectionist and we talked about how the perfectionist lifestyle can't always work in real life. She also detected PTSD which I'm following up with a regular counselor for and honestly, it's been a blessing. I feel like after surgery I'll be on the road to being physically and emotionally healthy. So I know it's a lot easier said than done, but just relax, be honest, and take it all in. They're just another part of the team that want to see you succeed.

I've been waiting and waiting for what feels like FOREVER (okay, it was 3 weeks, but still!) for my appointment with the surgeon. It's the last appointment before scheduling surgery, and I was so far ahead of the planned schedule. Well, my appointment was last Wednesday and I was SICK. So sick!! I got sick Monday night; high fever, vomiting, coughing, sore throat, all my glands were swollen...I was so so sick. My abdominal lymph nodes were so swollen they were pressing on bundles of spinal nerves in my back...I couldn't even lay down! Wednesday rolled around, I thought all morning I would force myself to go, but when the doctors office opened at 9 I called and cancelled. I knew there was no way I could drive, I was still running a fever and couldn't talk at all. I was, and still am, so frustrated! His next available appointment isn't until May 7th, so I have to wait 8 more days. I finally am better, I had the actual Influenza (and yes I got my flu shot last season!) and it was absolutely one of the most miserable things I've ever been through. When I cancelled, I remember telling myself that "you are too sick, don't look back at this and be mad" but I am. But okay...another 8 days....

The dietician was actually the one that told me I could have one cup (one measured cup, not coffee cup) of regular coffee a day. For me, that's not going to cut it. I would drink a pot of coffee a day (honestly) so I quit. I do have tea, one cup of earl grey tea in the morning which has no caffiene. I feel SO much better since quitting! I used to drag in the afternoons and feel like I HAVE to have a cup to make it through. Now I don't even crave it.

If you feel like you will need their support, then it might be best to muster up the courage and talk to them. Be open, honest, and just let them know the reasons why you're wanting surgery. If you have other support people, then I wouldn't worry about telling everyone. I just told my mom and sister last weekend, and I'm almost done with all of my pre-op work (and I talk to my sister almost daily). For me, it's a personal decision that I made for myself. It's my life, I only get to live it once, and my mind is made up!

It's been a bumpy week, but today at work we got an email that the new EMR charting system (the reason my surgery would be potentially delayed until after July - making this girl VERY unhappy!) has been delayed until October, lifting the "no vacation" ban and freeing up my spring and summer! I'm so excited, I see the surgeon in exactly one week and from there we will schedule surgery and get final insurance approval. I'm so ready to get to the next step!

It's NEVER too late! Those grandbabies are going to need you - a healthy, happy you - around for a lot longer. It's going to take hard work and dedication, but you've definitely got the motivation. It's got to be something you do for yourself...but use them as inspiration! Plus - think of how many pokes you'll be saving yourself over the next handful of years. Do the research, find a good program and doctor, and dive in! Keep us posted.

It's most likely irritation from the intubation (putting the tube down your throat). When you drink something cold, can you feel it go all the way down through your chest? I've had that happen after a few surgeries. Weird feeling! The soreness goes away after a few days but the cold feeling can stay a while.