make33

My 17 days were of a no-carb diet: I was allowed low-carb yogurt, cottage cheese, crystal lite, sugar-free fudgsicles, etc. My Bariatric Center gave me an instruction booklet with exact details. It was the sugar they were more concerned with than just being on liquids...:grouphug:

Wow, we are so tickled to have you join the family, Dan...! After I had my pre-op visit with the surgeon, it was about three weeks for my surgery date... :grouphug:

Hey, how about Curves?? The women there are our size and the comraderie is worth the time! AND the best thing is that it's only 24 - 30 minutes! How hard can that be?!! (I just passed 5 years there) Julie had a good point--why not get some DVD's and work with those at home until you get your groove on! As everyone said, once you begin to lose weight, you're going to find you'll be leaving all that clumsiness behind (my shirts have never been so clean!) and your energy level is going to skyrocket!! :grouphug:

I had been scheduled for October 17th and then they called and said they had an opening on the 9th for me-------I know EXACTLY where you are!!! Yes, it's just a couple of days, but you keep thinking "it's a long way off" and suddenly you're almost there!! You will be fine--my best wishes to you! :grouphug: PS Now you have to change your signature--egads!

There are some unanswered questions to this puzzle: how many co-morbidities do you have? Do you have a history of issues with surgery? What is your weight? And finally, are you self-pay or is the insurance company picking up the tab? The reason I ask is that hospitals generally are trying to kick people out as quickly as possible nowadays--or perhaps you have a doctor who's being very careful. I was in for one day and I felt like I was really being taken care of--so you may just want to sit back and allow yourself to be monitored / catered to for that time. (Being at home post-surgery isn't all it's cracked up to be!!) :grouphug:

Here's my ultimate favorite: Belgian chocolate flavor from Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, books, DVDs & more and it tastes terrific in just water! (Yes, it comes in smaller sizes!) AND I get free shipping!:grouphug:

When in doubt, there's always the Internet. First one I'd try would be Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, books, DVDs & more where you get free shipping on some Protein items. Best wishes in your surgery...:grouphug:

My Bariatric Center's instructions never mentioned giving up coffee and I must admit that I never did! Egads, how traumatic!! :grouphug:

Whoa--I would say SO!!! That's a shocker, and a good thing to find out about only afterwards!! Glad you're still here, cookie! :grouphug:

We are all rooting for you, Mary--and praying that you get an answer to just what is causing your issues. I'm so sorry for you. Keep everyone informed as to your status...:drool:

When a girl in my office bought her eliptical, her salesperson warned her that if she stayed on too long her feet would go numb. He said it's an issue with that piece of equipment. Weird, huh??!!! :drool:

"Hi. My name is Make33 and I'm a chocoholic!!" (C/A Meeting talk: Chocoholics Anonymous)!!! That's the old me--now I avoid chocolate any way I can (other than my Protein shake) by simply not buying it. Luckily in my office the candy is out front and I would have to walk out in front of everyone and get a piece--much too degrading! BUT, I'm no angel for sure. I love potato chips and wheat thins, so my answer when I simply MUST have some is to look on the bag/box and find out what "one serving" comprises: usually 15 chips/crackers. I then count them out and close up the bag/box. And I do not allow myself to go back a second time! Funny the games we have to play with ourselves in order to win this battle of the bulge...:drool:

Okay, Rascal, I researched gastric bypass dumping syndrome on the Internet and here's what it had to say: Weight loss surgery patients who have gastric bypass can suffer from what is called dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome is described as a shock-like state when small, easily absorbed food particles rapidly dump into the digestive system. This results in a very unpleasant feeling with symptoms such as a cold clammy sweat, pallor, butterflies in the stomach and a pounding pulse. These symptoms may be followed by cramps and diarrhea. This state can last for 30-60 minutes and is quite uncomfortable. A small percentage of long-term post-operative patients build a tolerance and do not dump on foods that would normally cause dumping syndrome with the malabsorptive gastrointestinal system. However, most patients learn to avoid the foods that cause dumping because it is so unpleasant. Foods that typically cause dumping are sweets, fats and processed carbohydrates. If a person is dehydrated the symptoms of dumping will be exaggerated. Hope this helps you understand what they were talking about...:huh2:

I would say that the problem is that you CAN eat sweets with the Band--and therein lies the problem! Yes to be totally honest, there are ways around the Band, and that is why anyone considering getting banded should be totally committed to a new life change. And it's why I get on my soapbox with "last supper syndrome" persons--you really have to want to be a new you, because the Band is just a Tool to assist us. Unlike that, bypass gives you no alternative but to lose weight. And I think I remember reading about a "dumping syndrome" with bypass--but someone else will have to address that--because I'm not knowledgeable in that area. Best wishes to you in whichever you choose...:huh2:

Gee, I am so sorry you've been so sick. I really wish I could say that I've experienced the same, but other than gout and ketosis (normal weight loss stuff), I've been better this winter than before. Questions: do you take a complete vitamin daily? Did you get a flu shot last fall? Just thought I'd give you some sympathy....:smile:

Your Bariatric Center will tell you to just sip your liquids after surgery--and somehow, that's all you're going to want to do anyway. A heads up, too, is that if you have juice the first few days, make sure you water it down 50/50 or you'll get nausea (and boy, did I!! I forgot and the hospital gave me straight cranberry juice, which I love!!) Hey, best wishes to you!!:thumbup:

I got a binder of information from my Bariatric Center and followed everything to their letter. The S/F fudgsicles were allowed on my pre-op diet--but no mention of them after that! Does fat free cheesecake have carbs???? I'm going to bet it's a "no" to that--it wasn't on my list for sure!:thumbup:

Well then, I'm going to bet we have driven past your house numerous times!! The place where we go is called Mountain Ridge Trails--is that the same place? All I know is that we went to a Quad Fest in 2005 with friends and had a great time--except for the 4000+ people that they say were there! :thumbup: Since then, we get an annual pass and do four-day weekends twice a year (we also go to a place in Bradford) there--really a good place to ride quads. Best of luck with your upcoming (soon I hope) surgery, Steph! :thumbup:

OMG, what a small world! I''m about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh--had my surgery in Greenville (next to the Ohio border)!! UPMC covers a LOT of territory now, doesn't it?!! PS We Quad Ride in Somerset a few times a year!

I was where you are last June, after starting in March. When you have your pre-op visit with your surgeon (mine was a month prior to surgery), then you will know it is time to get prepared for your future life. The information you will get from your Bariatric Center (or surgeon) will fully explain what you must do prior to surgery, and if you are truly serious about making this life change, you will follow everything to the letter--no matter how tough it may seem. Those that have the "last supper syndrome" are just kidding themselves and honestly, Baboo, I don't feel any of them was ready for surgery. :thumbup: Good luck to you--I know you can do it...

What fabulous news for you Steph!! Hey, your "UPMC"--is that as in the Western Pennsylvania UPMC??????? That's MY insurance company! Maybe there is hope for my flabby belly after all (when I reach goal)... I sure hope it is the same! :thumbup:

All I can say is that this Lap Banding surgery is very serious and is for persons who have determined that their lives need to change. If you are hedging because of your love for food, then I suggest you wait until you have had enough: enough of the co-morbidities, enough of the ridicule, enough of the guilt after. Please don't have the surgery just because you were approved by your insurance company. This has to be for you, when you are ready and prepared for it.

Had my date changed (from October 17th back to October 9th--whahoo!!) which did freak me out because I only had four more days instead of 12!! My hospital is only one in a whole circuitry here in Western Pa, so our UPMC's are all the same. Is the new hospital part of your hospital "chain"?? I'm sure your surgeon is more comfortable at the new hospital, so I'd go along with his wishes (even though you were mentally "all set to go"). I find that there are great personnel in every hospital, as well as a few bad ones. My best to you in your journey, moonshadow...:sneaky:

Well, I've got to say that I have a Protein shake every day (and if lacking, twice a day) and I would hardly say I have that problem!! Au contraire!! Now I use the powdered (belgian chocolate) whey protein isolate (not the canned garbage) and I mix it with Water. No clue but all I can say is that I've never found it to be the case with me...

I was on liquids for a week post-op, followed by four weeks of soft foods (aka mushies), such as cottage cheese, yogurt, applesauce, even baby foods!! At five weeks, I started on solid foods very slowly. My Bariatric Center gave me a booklet that had step-by-step instructions which I followed to the letter. I just hope your band hasn't slipped...