jacqs

We have a whole thread of March Bandsters uniting, come join us over at http://www.lapbandtalk.com/forum/2641-march-2013-bandsters/ !!!

Listen lady, this is the place to vent! It's a dramatic transition and it SUCKS. The first week of my pre-op diet, I slept like 12 hours every day/night because when I was awake all I could think was "When is the next shake?!" (I know it's a luxury to have the time to sleep that much, I'm thankful for that) But after Day 4, I got this sense of empowerment because I wasn't that hungry anymore. It really sucked at first but I did get to a place where I felt good and then the scale rewarded me with some poundage lost so that helped motivate me more.

Congrats d9leigh!!!

Congrats on getting your surgery dates ladies! I'm stoked, we have such a good group of March Bandsters, looking forward to having the support. Doggylover - poutine sounds amazing, say "good-bye" to that delicious dish for me too!

I asked my doc about the pre-op and he said the same thing; surgery is easier if the liver is less fatty/smaller so restricting carbs, sugar, and fats before surgery helps make the laparoscopic procedure easier for the surgeon. YAY FOR MARCH! It's coming soon!

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 10 years ago; medication did nothing, birth control didn't really help and the symptoms have just gotten more intense as I get older ugh! Congrats on ovulating finally! That's a big win!

Hi All - Since so many of us are on the pre-op step (or soon will be) I thought it might be nice to share what shakes you've tried, what has been tasty and which brands are just blech! I've been doing pre-op since Jan. because I thought my surgery was going to happen a lot sooner than March. My two favorites are 1. Premier Protein shakes (comes in vanilla or chocolate, I get it at costco so it's affordable) 2. Pure Protein in the can (it's a little more expensive, I get it at Trader Joe's) I also make my own in the blender with protein mix and usually a scoop of flavored non-fat Greek yogurt to help cut the chalky taste. Any others that you guys have tried??

Excellent! Congrats! We're March 6th Surgery Buddies I cannot wait. I'm ready and three weeks is starting to feel like an eternity. I have all my pre-ops this week on ... Valentine's Day.

Welcome the March Bandsters!

yes, the infamous "food funeral," i often wonder if that is one of the reasons behind the pre-op diet, so that the patient doesn't binge like a crazy person right before surgery. it definitely has not been easy, drinking the Protein shakes and eating as if i have a band but not actually having the limitation it provides. i had a mini breakdown yesterday when i realized i was one month away from surgery...excited that it's close but also bummed out because 4 weeks sounds like forever!

Hey parisshel & rachel - welcome! March is going to be a very good month! Hang in there sharon, once you've got your band, it's going to be so much easier because you'll have some extra help. (at least that's what i keep telling myself!)

How did the surgery go?? I hope you're feeling ok, walking a lot, and stayin' positive! Ahh yes, the laser hair removal for us fair skinned, dark hair ladies. I did it for over 20 sessions and while it helped, it wasn't nearly as successful as I hoped so I put it on pause while I work with my doc on the hormone crap and try to lose some more of this weight. Sort of felt like money down the drain. I'm excited for you, taking care of yourself is the best medicine!

CONGRATS! Having a date is a big deal. Keep me posted on your pre-op progress!

Ah yes, the carbs. I keep telling myself that if I can start early, it will only get easier once I have my band! Hang in there!

PCOS is one of the main reasons I'm getting banded as well. Seriously cannot remember my last period, I can grow facial hair like a dude, losing weight is so hard, and then there's the bouts of unexplained acne and mood swings. Yay. I have high hopes that losing weight will alleviate these symptoms. I was also on metformin but after two years of pills and no change, I decided it was time for weight loss surgery. Getting my band on March 6, 2013 and I can't wait.

I'm getting my band on March 6! Can't wait and look forward to sharing the journey with you all!

I finally got my insurance approval only to find out that my surgeon's hospital doesn't have availability until March! So now I'm scheduled for my band on March 6, 2013. I've been doing a pre-op diet of 2 shakes and one small meal per day since Jan 2. So far only a couple mis-steps but I'm really looking forward to having the band as a tool to help me out. And I look forward to chatting with other March Bandsters!

Holding a pillow against your stomach while trying to get up the junk can be helpful if it hurts to cough.

I agree with everyone, see the doc! I can't speak to the port pain because I'm still pre-op but I have been experimenting with lots of different ways to make the protein powder shakes taste better! If you don't have one, I would get one of the mini handheld blenders, they're not too expensive and work great for camping or traveling. Blending tastes better than shaking! I've found that Greek yogurt really helps cut the chalky taste so I've been using a combo of water and greek yogurt (non-fat, high in protein!) Other tricks... Add flavor drops. I use the ones found in the water aisle (Dasani, Mio), nice and tiny for carrying around and you can add a no-calorie flavor to your shake. Citrus juice, straight from the fruit so no added sugar. It may sound gross to add lemon, lime or grapefruit to a vanilla flavored protein powder but it works, the acid cuts the powdery flavor. A little peanut butter. Adds protein and lots of flavor, especially yummy with chocolate flavored protein powder. Pre-made shakes. They can be expensive but my nutritionist recommended a brand that Costco carries, Premier. It's more affordable to buy in bulk. Ordering online at Amazon.com can also be cheaper than picking them up in a drugstore or grocery store. They don't have to be refrigerated until you're ready to drink one so that might be good for when you're on the road and faced with only fast food options. Good luck!!

Glad you're feeling better! The first week of my pre-op diet was hard, I slept a lot. I am also taking in ~ 80 grams of Protein, usually through a pre-made shake (my favorite so far is the Premier brand with 30 grams per shake). Try a chocolate flavor shake to see if that helps with your chocolate cravings. When I'm really feeling rough, I put the shake in a blender with half a frozen banana and a small tablespoon of Peanut Butter and it does the trick. It's super energizing and tastes like a treat.

Don't wait for them to call you!! I got my insurance approval before the doctor did and I called them the same day to get the ball rolling. I understand your frustration, once I did get in touch with my doctor, I found out that the soonest date available was March 6, 2013! I had already been on the pre-op diet for over two weeks in anticipation of a quicker turnaround. But I guess it's good to practice patience now and be happy that after waiting so long, we got approved! That's a huge step that so many other folks are still battling with. Hang in there!