Hazelbunny

I am a stay at home mom but I didn't tell anyone but my Mom, my DH, and my best friend. With my other friends I just said that I was having surgery to have scar tissue removed from prior surgeries. Which was the truth since they did that while they were in there - just a half truth.

I am a week out and I have lost 10 pounds!! I am still amazed every day that I just am not hungry like I was before.

That sucks that you have to wait but better safe than sorry.

I gained 2 pounds before surgery. Thankfully I am one of those super healthy fat people (I exercise alot, have great blood pressure, etc) and he said after surgery that my liver was perfect. It is really hard to restrain yourself from the Last meal syndrome. But now I am on the other side and wondering what I got myself so worked up about.

I was thinking the same thing this morning!! I am tight tight tight in the morning so I sip, sip, sip my protein shake until about 11:00. After that things loosen up and I am able to have my mushies and more water. I didn't truly realize how much I ate before I got banded. I mean, I knew I had to eat alot because I was fat but it really opened my eyes - by 11:00 I would have already eaten a full breakfast, a big snack, and already be thinking about lunch!

I know all the surgeons are different. I absolutely love and trust my surgeon so I follow his advice even if it is different from others. I was allowed to start mushies 3 days out but my surgeon allows soft cooked veggies and fish on the mushie diet. But if he wanted us on clear liquids for a week I would have done that too. It is kind of weird to see all the different diets so I just go tunnel vision and follow mine.

I am so glad I am a patient of Dr. Spivaks. I am 6 days out and DH is making Tilapia for dinner tonight and I will be able to eat some. I have seen some people on here who have to be on clear liquids for 2 weeks, and then full liquids for 2 weeks, and then mushies for 4 weeks.

*Snort* I went into Stepford mode right before surgery too. I cleaned, I did laundry, I cooked. I guess some sort of weird nesting instinct.

Hope your gas pains are better! I got banded by Dr. Spivak and his rules are different than a lot of surgeons. I could have full liquids the first 48 hours including jello and Protein shakes and a soft diet (mushies) for the next 4 weeks. My DH is making tilapia tonight - I am pretty excited about chewing something! For my mushies I did the same thing as when I made baby food for my three kids. cooked the veggies, pureed them, froze them in ice cube trays, and then popped them in ziplocs. Of course with my "baby food" I used seasonings.

CPAP is a machine for people with sleep apnea. I never got the diet from Brenda but I ate my way around the universe before surgery. Despite the admonition to not gain any weight before surgery I actually put on two pounds. I was worried that I would have a fatty liver both because of my size and my eating extravaganza but Dr. Spivak actually commented on what a beatiful liver I had - perfect size and perfect color. I was really relieved and feel kind of silly for tempting fate.

I SOOOO had last meal syndrome!!! I ate my way around the universe the last two weeks before my surgery. A lot of us use food like addicts - facing giving up my addiction was scary. But now that I have had my surgery I am so glad I did it!

I am having very little pain but I am tight tight tight! in the morning. I have to sip very slowly and eating anything even mushies is out of the question until about noon. I am only three days out so I hope as the swelling goes down this will improve. Anyone else like this??

I had my surgery on Monday and all I wanted to do when I got home was sleep. I had my DH precrush two "servings" of pain meds before I went to sleep at night so when the pain woke me up all I had to do was mix it with applesauce and be done with it - I couldn't get liquid pain meds because of many painkiller allergies. I made sure I walked around the house regularly but I didn't have any troubl sleeping - as long as I was on my back. Sleeping on my stomach or side is not possible yet.

Recovery is going well. I had surgery on Monday and haven't had a problem with gas pains yet so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have been suprised by how NOT hungry I am. I have two spoons of jello and I am stuffed. I know this won't last forever - only until the swelling of my tummy goes down but I am enjoying it while it lasts. It has been an eye opening experience to realize how often my mind jumps to food as a solution. Even water can be difficult if I don't take small sips - I guess I didn't pay enough attention beforehand because that caught me by suprise.

I have always wanted to belly dance - besides some of the best dancers have shaky bellies. I plan on going the plastic surgery route when I have lost my weight. It is amazing what they can do now with the body lifts.

I actually asked this question several surgeries ago. Apparently the gas can stretch your diaphragm and because of the way that the nerves run the pain is perceived in your shoulder area. One of my hoodoo remedies is to remember to take very deep breaths from the moment you wake up from surgery - it is uncomfortable but seems to really help with recovery.

Stephen - I think I saw you there yesterday. Did the nurse ask you what made you choose between the lap band and gastric bypass? I was the second one in - Dr. Spivak was great. I had the burping all day yesterday and also haven't had the issues with the gas pains. I slept great last night too but I have a CPAP and it is easier to let go and just sleep because I know I have the machine on. I haven't felt any hunger yet either which is different from any of my other surgeries - usually I would wake up ravenous. I have been trying to finish 4 ozs. of Carnation Instant breakfast this morning and it has been kind of hard. Water goes down great though.

I love Dr. Spivak!! I had my surgery this morning and when he was in there he saw some scar tissue from a previoujs surgery that was pulling on my intestines and he went ahead and cut it out. Waking up without that pulling sensation was fabulous. I am feeling so much better and I am only about 12 hours out from surgery. It went great!!

Brenda didn't give me a pre-op diet at all - she just told me not to gain any weight before the surgery. I love Dr. Spivak - he is doing my surgery tomorrow. All doctors have different procedures - I like him as a surgeon so I trust his method.

Did any of you find yourself obsessively cleaning your houses before your bandday?? I get banded tomorrow and I am cooking and cleaning like I will be out of town for a week - even though I am coming home the same day. I even seperated out enough outfits for each of my kids for a week despite the fact that all three of them are perfectly capable of dressing themselves without my intervention. It seems like when I scheduled my surgery there was so much time and now it is tomorrow and I am freaking out a little bit. I am mostly excited but also nervous.

The hospital called for all of my surgery arrangments on Monday. It really feels real now - at least my nervousness is gone and has been replaced with excitement.

I am glad you did - I didn't even think about it but I am an automatic infection whenever I take antibiotics. Only three days til surgery - I am so excited.

OMG!!! Hope you are feeeling better. You had me until raw meat....*dialing doc for advance difulcan prescription*

So I have a question that I forgot to ask Dr. Spivaks staff and thought y'all might know. Why can't you have slim fast drinks but you can have Carnation Instant breakfast - what is the difference?