AmySays

I'm glad to hear it's getting easier for you, Nancy! I know that Day 4 was a breeze compared to the first 3 days. I'm on Day 8 now & although I've had some moments where it was difficult, it passes quickly. My bad habit is not going to bed at an acceptable hour. I have 4 kids, a rambunctious husband and a dog... once they all go to bed, I'm just so happy to have the house to myself for the first time all day (we homeschool) I stay up WAY too late. That's a dangerous time for me... that's when I would always eat. I just need to find some other time to enjoy my "me-time" during the day and I need to get myself to bed by 10:30-11:00. I can't keep up with these 2:00am bedtimes and expect to be up and running by 8:00am anymore, lol. Plus, if I go to sleep, I'm not hungry!

Leigh, you are SO right! You brought a big smile to my face when I read your post. I'm so happy for all of us!

Amazon has them in 2lb tubs for $32. It comes out to about $1/serving. I've used the Fuzzy Navel flavor for the past week.. today was Day 8, I think. My cappuccino flavor came in this evening. I'm excited to try it in the morning! Thinking I might try it with almond milk (I've never had almond milk, but I bought it for my pre-op and haven't braved it yet, LOL). Anyway, I really like the Fuzzy Navel!

Cassie, I'm so glad your surgery went well. Keep checking in & let us know how you're feeling! You were banded & home quickly, that's fabulous!

Once Upon a Time... there was a girl. And let me tell you, this girl was awesome. Incredibly funny, kind-hearted, full of energy, beautiful and ready to tackle the world! This girl had four amazing children and loved them so incredibly much that she kept the biggest souvenir she could from each pregnancy. So after 10 years of having these amazing children, this awesome, funny, kind-hearted, full of energy, beautiful girl was.... fat. But that was really ok, because she was still the same person she always was. The End. Ok... so there's that fairy tale. And there's a lot of truth there, really. I gained weight with each pregnancy, tried and failed to lose it, only to gain it back again and again. Same old story. After I had my 4th child, I hired a personal trainer and with his help, lost 60 pounds and felt terrific! Then we moved. No support system, new gym, you know the excuses. About 20 pounds crept back on, but I was still proud of myself. Then we moved again, this time out of state where we knew NO ONE. I made some friends, ate out a LOT, drank my fair share of Bud Light Lime & Twisted Tea, stopped going to the gym altogether and the weight came back, full force, plus 40 pounds. I think I was born with some sort of self-confidence gene that most people don't have. I was always confident in exactly who I was, no matter what my body looked like at the time. I remember the very first time I ever had a crack in that confidence... it was about 6 years ago when I had lost that 60 pounds. I was at a womens' retreat with church and had accomplished a tremendous feat. They have this hill that goes from the lake up to the campsites and I swear to you, it has to be about a 65* angle. It felt like I was walking straight up a wall. But I made it. And I didn't just walk up the hill, I RAN up that hill. I felt like Bella scaling that wall when she smelled human blood the first time she went hunting after she turned. I digress... I made it up the side of that mountain and just collapsed at the top, chest heaving, pulse racing, heart about to burst. And oddly enough, in what should have been a time of great joy, all I felt was sadness. I couldn't believe that I had lived my life on the sidelines for so long. I was disparaged that the Lord had given me this body and I had wasted it. I never thought I'd go back to "that place" but I did. I gained all the weight back, and then some. And now I'm at a point where I don't want to let myself down anymore. I'm still that awesome girl with a great husband and four amazing kids. I STILL don't have any real negative body image issues (although I also know I SHOULD), but I know I'm ready for a change. I'm ready to set a good example and be healthy for GOOD. I'm ready to be around for my kids, I'm ready to jump on trampolines & go on rides at amusement parks without a second thought as to whether I'll fit. I'm ready to sit in the bathtub without having to shift to one side to let the water drain out. I'm ready to get naked in front of my husband of 11 years! I'm just READY. My surgery is scheduled for 12/12/12. Sounds like a good day to start my new life to me.

YaY! I'm excited for you!!

Hi skinnymoo, welcome to the club! I'm on day 6 of my pre-op diet now and it's getting easier each day. I thought saying goodbye to my DP was going to be so hard, lol. I had switched to sweet tea with an occasional DP over the past month. I cut my sugar to almost nothing in the sweet tea after starting the pre-op diet (artificial sweeteners give me a worse headache than having no caffeine). Now I'm drinking just plain ol' tea... no sugar at all. I guess over the days of cutting out all sugar (other than the tea) it became way too sweet for me. I was thinking that I might have one last small DP (to officially say goodbye) at some point over the next week, but I really don't think I need it now. Glad you're here, good luck! p.s. I DID read your words in Taylor Swift's voice, btw.

I don't know if there is a brand that only does frozen greek yogurt, but the other day I saw that there were single serving cups of Oikos greek yogurt in a tray inside the freezer door with the ice cream at the grocery store. I know my kids love it when I freeze their Gogurts, so I assume this would basically be the same? I think I'm going to try it.

I mix with water. You could mix with sf lemonade or 100% fruit juice, but I don't think it's necessary.

I've told my husband and mom and one friend. I talked to another friend while I was just considering it, but she didn't seem too supportive, so I haven't talked about it again with her. It's a very personal choice. You can only tell the people you really think will support whatever is best for you without worrying about how your life changes will effect them. Wishing you the best!

Hi Sarah, I'm in Houston as well. I'm being banded on 12/12, just a few days after you! I can tell you that the pre-op diet does get easier after day 3. I'm feeling much more satisfied than I was on Days 1-3. Who is your doctor? I'm using Syntrax Nectar (purchased on Amazon for around $30). It doesn't taste bad at all. Glad you found the forum. You'll learn so much here!

I haven't used Isopure. I'm using Syntrax Nectar. 23g protein, 0 fat, 0 carbs per scoop. It tastes pretty good too. I use the Fuzzy Navel flavor, but I've heard the cappuccino flavor is good too... getting ready to order that now.

Uhh... haha? I accidentally went on my "no pea" rant on the wrong thread. Since I can't just delete it, I'll leave it here for educational purposes. You're welcome, lol!

I had to do a bit of research because that "no peas" rule was making me twitchy. I don't even like peas all that much, but when someone writes, "NO PEAS" on something, I want to know why. I found a couple of unverified, yet plausible answers. Apparently peas are very starchy (like potatoes) and convert to sugar at a fairly rapid rate. Other veggies to avoid for this reason are: potatoes (duh), corn and lima Beans. The other answer is ~ GaS. Peas are high in Fiber and can give you a gassy, bloated feeling, which must be expelled from the body in the most unattractive way. So there you have it. No peas, please!

I had to do a bit of research because that "no peas" rule was making me twitchy. I don't even like peas all that much, but when someone writes, "NO PEAS" on something, I want to know why. I found a couple of unverified, yet plausible answers. Apparently peas are very starchy (like potatoes) and convert to sugar at a fairly rapid rate. Other veggies to avoid for this reason are: potatoes (duh), corn and lima Beans. The other answer is ~ GaS. Peas are high in Fiber and can give you a gassy, bloated feeling, which must be expelled from the body in the most unattractive way. So there you have it. No peas, please!

My family & I went to Dimassi's Mediterranean Grill in Houston for what would become my "Last Supper". I had a small greek salad, roasted cauliflower, 2 chunks of lean, marinated chicken, grilled tomatoes, hummus with 1/2 of a pita and a tiny sliver of baklava. The next morning, before Breakfast, I got the call with my surgery date, so I started my pre-op diet that day. As it turned out, other than the baklava & pita, I can easily have that other stuff post-band, lol. So even though I felt a little gyped on my "Last Supper" after I found out it WAS my LAST SUPPER, I'm actually pretty darn proud of myself for the healthier choices I made. I will say, it was nice to walk out and not feel stuffed to the rim. I can't wait to be used to that feeling!

That's terrific to hear, Bekah. I just love coming to LapBandTalk... hearing everyone say how well they are doing and that they are 100% glad they had the surgery calms my nerves.

Jumping on the December Bandwagon... 12/12/12! I'm on Day 4 of my pre-op diet. For those of you on Days 1-3, it DOES get easier. I have a friend here locally who had her's done in November & she told me that it will be better after Day 3 and I can verify that she was completely right. So, hang in there...

I was told not to use the gummies because they may get stuck. Has anyone had a problem with them? I'm taking the chewables every day, but they are just nasty!

Welcome to the forum! I haven't been banded yet (12/12/12 is my date), but I will say that you've come to the right place. There are so many well-informed, experienced bandsters here. I have 4 kids & need to be fit to keep up with them - and be there for their graduations, weddings, future grandkids! Good luck & I can't wait to hear about your success.

Hmm, I like dill pickles. I need to re-read my info & see if I can have those, lol! They also make "Pickle Pops" popsicles, need to see if those are SF, LOL. Just the thought of them sort of turned my stomach before, but now (day 4 pre-op diet), I'm thinking they don't sound too bad. I have a shake for Breakfast, a shake for lunch, then 3-4oz lean meat Protein, 1C green veggies (excluding peas - anyone know why??) and 1C allowed fruit if I'm still hungry. I can have SF popsicles, SF Jello, Water, tea, coffee, broth. No specifics on salt intake, other than "try to make good choices". It's so interesting that these doctors have so many different directions for the patients!

Yes. It ended up just making financial sense! Especially since I had the hernia, as well.

Got my date... 12/12/12. Nervous, excited.. nervous. I go from one emotion to the other. Am I doing the right thing? I can't wait until I can wear normal clothes again. Am I taking the easy way out? This is going to be a lot of work!! No way is it the EASY way out. I just go back and forth and I have these internal battles on an hourly basis, LOL. It doesn't help that my support system (almost every freaking one of them) is playing "Devil's Advocate". I probably sound crazy, I promise I'm not. I think I'm just a little anxious.

I'm using Syntrax Nectar. It's really good. It has 23g of protein, 0 fat, 0 carbs per scoop. I'm using the Fuzzy Navel flavor right now, but I've heard the Cappuccino is good too. The Fuzzy Navel has very little protein powdery taste to it, which is a plus for me. I've just been mixing it with water, but I imagine if it were mixed with 100% fruit juice, it would be even better (although that would up the sugar content). It's around $30 for a 2 pound tub (about 32 servings). *edited to add: The protein powdery "taste" is actually a smell. I focused on it earlier and I'm not really tasting it at all, I can just smell a hint of it. It helps if I mix it (in a blender cup) and stick it in the refrigerator for about 30 min before I drink it.

Hi. I'm Amy & I'm in the Katy area. I haven't been banded yet, but I'm hoping to have my surgery before the end of 2012. I am seeing Dr. Hollis with True Results and have been to 1 support group meeting there. Hopefully we can get some people in the Katy area to meet out here occasionally! I have successfully lost weight in the past, but it has always come back with a vengeance as soon as I stopped watching everything I ate. The numbers on the scale would go up a little bit, I'd get discouraged & just give up completely. Then every bit of weight I'd lost would come flooding back, along with even more pounds. I enjoy working out and have a membership at the Y and 24 Hr Fitness. I'd be happy to have workout buddies too. Working out has never been an issue for me. I'm hoping the band will be the final tool I need to stop this vicious cycle & I can move forward with a healthy & active lifestyle. Thanks to Tammy for starting this Katy group!