Bandista

I've been trying some eating with the clock. We've had a few lunches together. My goal is to take a small bit every minute. It's amazing how long a minute is! I have found I don't want to put the utensil down so I'm working on that. I out it down and then let myself pick it up again but empty. Breaking that cycle of loading the fork/spoon with the next bite as soon as I've had the last one. So I put down the fork and move my hand away, wait, then pick it up empty, put it to my mouth and put it down again, take my hand away. I resist this and am noticing those places of resistance so I can break the habit of shoveling food in. Then I finally load the fork and when a minute has elapsed I have that bite. It's great mindfulness practice.

Hi there, congratulations! 15 days out and those early few days of pain then discomfort are a distant memory -- just kept getting myself up and walking and my body got all these new messages. The healing but also the new attitude of being a walker and a loser of weight. I don't think my body quite understood that before but it's getting it now! So happy, too. Just happier all-around. Out of food jail happy.

Collarbones, yippee! Now there's a birthday present you have all year round now!

Hi Wendy, good luck today. Seems like just yesterday I had the nutritionist and psych eval appointments then finally got to meet the surgeon. I'm sure your new PCP will not need convincing. I had to meet with an LB program coordinator and we talked about the diet fails over the years, demonstrating that I had attempted many weight loss programs but just couldn't do it and gained more and more weight. And we discussed my reasons -- that desire to be really healthy, in my case off BP meds, reducing weight on joints for arthritis issues, etc. You'll do fine!

This will be your time to focus on yourself. And I've got to say I think I'm addicted to serotonin -- can really feel it. Always have had an addictive personality. Now to be addicted to exercise, that is something! The band is doing that for me. I didn't have the willpower before.

Hi there, good for you to research everything that's out there; you will be so ready whatever you decide. Main thing is you have decided to be healthy -- you are choosing a happy future!

Sending you best wishes as you go forward on this journey of health. Maybe there are less expensive protein powder options out there.....I hope yup find what you need. Once banded you'll save lots as the food bills will go way down.

I'm just two weeks out and holding off on big stretching, etc. When I think of swimming I think of that kind of movement, only in Water. Your surgeon will have good advice for you. We have a hot tub and I wondered when I'd be allowed to do that -- surgery was on a Tuesday and surgeon said wait until the weekend. So for me it was four days until full immersion is hot water. Have done that daily and no problems with glued up incisions or anything like that.

This is not okay! If I were you I would call the doctor immediately.

Personal days are.....PERSONAL. I would just say you're having surgery. If there is prodding (which is illegal) then you can say you have been waiting to address a health issue and the surgeon wants to do it December 5th. Or some such. You don't owe your employers a detailed explanation. A lie could really catch you up later if you change your mind and decide to tell some one. I was very concerned about privacy. Let me change that to I am still very concerned about privacy. Wanted to be under the radar as much as possible but of course people get wind that something is going on. It turned out I had a hiatal hernia which was repaired at the same time. So we went with that for the few people that needed to be told something. My mother has inquired a little too deeply about whether I had a strangulated hernia, when I knew I had to go in, whether it was an emergency, etc. I just kept deflecting and now at two weeks out it has all blown over. Good luck -- so happy you have your date! Exciting times.....

Good luck on the back to work today. I am working also -- and yesterday a huge walk around a lake. I feel better than ever. Could not have done that before. Taking it easy in terms of no lifting and stretching -- but the cardio is great. Best wishes to you!

I have appointments scheduled for fills weekly beginning 12/4. If I do liquids a couple of days then mushies, that only leaves a couple of days to figure out whether the fill is at a good restriction before I'm back there again -- am I getting this right?

This is hilarious! And congratulations on the 48 pounds gone, gone, gone. That must be a great feeling.

This stuff sounds way worse than the actual surgery -- that's going seem like such a breeze......

It sounds like you are in good hands with your PCP working with you ahead of time. The process at my hospital started with a mandatory information session followed by an appointment with the LB program coordinator. Then psych eval and meeting with a nutritionist (did these on the same day). This was followed by meeting the surgeon; got my surgery date at this time. One more meeting with nutritionist to get pre-op instructions, a couple of labs a week apart and then the actual surgery. People have all sorts of different lead-ups to the surgery but that's how mine went. At times it felt so slow but looking back I think the wait time was good for me. I read through all the posts here to get an idea of what makes people successful. I also got a therapist to have a place to talk about the process and address eating issues -- really examined the ways I used food to anchor, reward, relieve stress, etc. And I started a journal to track all the appointments, the tidbits I picked up from this site, thoughts and fears, etc. I'm glad I have that one notebook. I take it with me to all my appointments. Main thing I did was step up my exercise. This really helped as post-surgery I was able to walk, walk, walk -- I am convinced that walking is a big part of my success so far. Good luck to you! For me it's the best decision I've made in decades -- wish I had done it sooner. It is a gift to myself. I am choosing a happy healthy future.

Hi Sweetie, calm down -- you're doing fine! It's very common not to lose weight or even to gain during this time. You've had the band installed and are waiting now to have it adjusted. When do you go in for your first fill? It may take a few adjustments to get it working perfectly for you. That is the beauty of the adjustable Lapband system. Congratulations on getting down into the hundreds. You may want to track what you're eating so you know exactly how many calories you're consuming -- and getting exercising will help tremendously. Good luck to you!

Hi Lovebug, I had the upper left shoulder/chest area pain -- I think it's quite common to have trapped gas there. Walking through it helped me. Also using a heating pad, and one day ice packs really did the trick. I didn't take the narcotic pain meds as they just create new problems and I think they actually slow healing, but I did take Tylenol and Ibuprofen as needed. Glad you're doing so well -- congratulations on this great start to your new banded life!

You'll do great, Misty!

Yes, thank you -- studying up!

It's so funny the way we can't see ourselves. You have lost a lot of weight -- and look at that beautiful neck! You are an inspiration. Thanks for posting these!

Yippee! So happy for you. And the walking, that is the BEST. Today is my two-week anniversary and I am feeling really good. Just back from a major walk around a lake, something I don't think I could do a month ago. You're going to do beautifully, Lovebug. Hope you are able to get lots of rest and watch all the movies you want!

Thanks so much, Hazel. That is reassuring. I exercise every day and am 52. That 1,000 number may be a good eventual goal for me. Meanwhile, only eating when I'm hungry and getting used to listening to my body. Have also attempted some eating with the clock to let a minute elapse before the next little spoonful. That's quite the exercise in mindfulness. Talk about the Slow food Movement........

I started my LB process in June and am newly-banded. This is such a great place for information and support. I learned far more here than in the materials provided by the hospital or my office visits, etc. There are some very knowledgable people willing to share their individual experiences. I was not able to consider a permanent surgery to my stomach -- that was too drastic for me. I like the idea that all my organs are still intact and should it ever become necessary the band can be removed easily. I like it that the band is adjustable, that the tightness can be increased and decreased to find just the right place for my optimal weight loss. I will be seeing my surgeon weekly to assess whether I need a fill, and although that is a little time-consuming I like it that I have this partnership. The accountability. I believe that many hospitals and surgeons prefer other surgeries because this followup time with the surgeon is reduced, and thus the expense. I'm so happy my surgeon is in this not just for performing surgery but my for my long-term weight loss. I am 52 and have struggled with weight issues for 22+ years. I have been hovering in the 240s for a long time and had to hit 250 to qualify for the surgery (a BMI of 40 was my insurance company's only requirement and even though I have high BP and sleep apnea they would not consider co-morbidities). The day of surgery I was 243 (lost some on a pre-op diet) and this morning I am 232. I expect it is going to take quite a bit of time to get down to my goal weight but I am committed to a healthy weight loss. When I started my process I began a journal. First I listed all the things I want to be able to do -- all my reasons for getting surgery. It's been helpful for me to have one place to record office visit info, my own thoughts, research tidbits, guidelines, etc. Also I got a therapist. Over the summer it was helpful to meet with some one to talk over the process and help me make sure I was ready. Even though I've done so much work around my food issues and dieting, self-image, etc., I got a lot out of this because the emphasis was different. I was ready to let go of personal failure. Being unsuccessful at so many attempts to lose weight over the years is so disheartening. I feel like the band is just the aid I need to fight off the hunger and help me get back in sync with my body. Wishing you the very best. What's important is that you have decided to take charge of your health and your future. You are choosing yourself.

I had a sleep study unrelated to preparing for band surgery -- it was some years ago. The hospital had a room set up kind of like a hotel. There was a very nice technician who hooked up all the leads. There was a kind of pony tail of leads that could be disconnected if I had to get up to go to the bathroom. I arrived in the late evening and then got all set up. Watched TV for a while then lights out at 10PM. It wasn't bad. I was such a poor sleeper that I was used to it! In the morning they took off all the leads and I went home. A few days later I met with the doctor and learned that I had woken up something like every minute to a minute and a half. I was prescribed a CPAP (sleep machine) and I use it every night. It allows me to reach a deep state of sleep, something I hadn't had in years. I have nose pillows which are much less invasive than a full mask. I did think that getting proper sleep would enable me to lose weight -- that there was a connection there. Alas, no weight loss resulted from getting my CPAP. Now that I'm banded I am hoping to get enough weight off to possibily do without the CPAP. We'll see! Good luck to you. Don't work yourself up as it is really not that big of a deal. Probably good to have a little sense of humor about the whole thing.

Hi Reed, I hope you had a good night. I was banded on 11/5 and my protocol was one day clear then on to full liquids. I really thought I'd be having Protein Shakes, too. For pre-op diet I had four different ones and I really liked them then, but after my band? No way! Also I bought a couple of ready-made protein shakes (Muscle Milk, etc.). Have not even attempted those. I was able to have broth and really enjoyed the salty savoriness of that, and then some thick Soups. There's a brand called Imagine that has a potato leek Soup that comes in a carton. It's organic, no-dairy, etc. and I really enjoyed that. Also popsicles. LOVED having the popsicles. I'm a tea drinker and had plenty of tea, plus Water with a splash of juice which I like a lot. I didn't do pain medication so I didn't have to deal with any side effects from that. Even still, I had constipation and that didn't clear until I had some laxative tea. My weight was up for the first few days following surgery -- I think it was day four or five that it went down. There was a general release. One thing that has really worked for me is the walking. I started at the hospital and continued at home, getting myself up and outside to walk around the driving circle. One day I did that 40 times. I had left shoulder pain and stiff neck and that seemed to help tremendously. I used a heating pad but then one day I realized that ice works so well for inflammation. A couple of ice packs on that upper chest/shoulder area and I felt much better. This is all a distant memory now as I have felt so great the last week or so. For me it was only those first couple of days. Popsicles and movies got me through. I hope you're able to get out and about and that you can find a way to sleep well. Your body is healing more each day. And as for any feeling of regret or "what have I done?!" I think that is very common. I had a tad of that myself, not sure why as I am extremely happy with this decision. Maybe just a little shocked that it was finally all over after so many months in the works. Take it easy, give yourself all the time and room you need to heal up. Sending best wishes your way!