Pippz

bigsexy, I am a single mother of a 7 year old and had the same exact thoughts as you. You sort of have to look at it from the airplane perspective, though. How many people a day have surgery? Ask around, I bet everyone you know has had surgery. And the cameras make it very noninvasive so it's not NEARLY as risky as some things. Plus at our weights isn't it more likely we'll die at home, etc than in a controlled medical environment? As for the food addiction, I completely relate (I think we all do). What I've been telling myself as I get sad because I can't have this or that (yet), is that the "sick" part of me is the one that's sad and grieving, because the healthy part of me is having a BLAST right now. Just knowing I"ll never go to McDonalds and order 2 extra-large meals again and have that horrible GUILT is awesome. That guilt is worse than anything, I swear! Hang in there. Just one more week of self-torture before you're on your way to a new life!

OH thank the high heavens - I slept on my tummy last night with minimal discomfort. YAY!!! Post-op tomorrow. I'm still having that uber-full feeling but I'm hopeful it'll be a little easier today. I'm down 37lbs in about a month. I'm in shock over that number, I completely don't even believe it!!! People ask why I'm not happier about it, and it's just because I don't believe it I guess!

Okay - one more thing. I know I've been raving about the atkins shakes, but I just had one of my mom's weight watchers vanilla shakes (made from powder and skim milk). I put it into a blender with ice and made it nice and thick and BOY is it yummy!! I'm going to make my mom buy some more of these on her next trip to WW!

I know every surgeon is different, but mine doesn't want me taking ibuproferin for pain ever. Because our pouches are so small and it can irritate stomachs (cause ulcers) he said to just use tylenol from now on, and to definitely stay away from aspirin which can do the most damage. Toni - sorry to hear about your migraine. I get them occasionally so I feel your pain!!

Hi everyone! After a "perfect" day yesterday (2 protein shakes and some soup at dinner), I woke up this morning feeling very very full. So far today I've only been able to have one protein shake. I feel very full right now but am trying to sip tea slowly. Anyone else experience this? I slept on my right side last night for the first time (My port is near my right-rib). I keep getting this deep-stomach feeling like I have to burp too. I'm really happy because I know I won't be able to eat a lot, but I am worried about getting dehydrated. -Michele

Lucy, how long is very slowly? From what I was told, liquids pass MUCH faster than normal foods. This morning, with all of my soreness/gas gone, I wanted to see how much I could drink at a time without feeling sick. I probably had 1/2 cup of protein shake in about 10 minutes. I got a little nasious and was full for about 45 minutes after that. I imagine now that the swelling is going down we can drink much more at a time than we will be able to after our first fill. That's just liquids though, I'm sure once we move onto solids the 2-4oz will be our limit! Can anyone on solids (or almost solids) confirm that the "full" feeling returns once you start eating real food again?

That made me chuckle. I've been doing the same exact thing. Mine are gross too, and my post-op isn't until Friday (10 days instead of 7, ugh) I just had my first atkins shake. Yummiest things EVER. yay to no more clear liquids!!!!!!!! After the fills my doc only wants two days on a full-liquid diet. Soooo excited about not having to drink plain broth for a while!

they didn't ask me to do an enema, but my surgeon's office did require me to take a laxative the afternoon before surgery, if that helps?

Oh I wanted to add something about portion sizes. My doctor's nutrionist gave me very specific guides for portion sizes in a 7-page printout. On the liquids they say not to have more than 2oz at a time (every 15 minutes). For the blends and mushies, not more than 1/4 cup per serving. It says that the first few months' meals will be no bigger than 1/4 cup and that by 6 months you *might* be able to have 1/2 cup 3 times a day but not to push it. I hope that helps everyone?

I didn't get the barium swallow either, so don't feel bad. :-) I work for a big company and just went downstairs to get some Soup broth (still on clear liquids). It took a while because there was so much stuff in it and all these guys kept walking by cracking jokes about me taking all of the broth (I don't know them, either). Thank god my supportive coworker was with me or I would have given up and walked away very sad! I guess I just need to be more prepared for this stuff. OH and whoever mentioned about the food commercials. NO KIDDING. I was so so mad all week laying in bed watching big mac's twirl around the TV.

Ugh, hunger is back as of last night. It comes and goes, but not fun!!! I really hate this burping thing. I spent most of yesterday outdoors in the hot weather and I feel SUPER dehydrated. Also maybe getting a UTI? I'm drinking as much cranberry juice as I can take today. I don't want to have to add even more medicine into my already overwhelming amount (haha - 4 pills plus a vitamin. Takes me 2 hours to take all of them!). Today's my first day back at work and I think I'm ready for it, but I'm also bummed. I have a LOT of work to catch up on. That's the problem with my job. No one else does what I do so the work just sits there piling up for me! I hope you all have a great day. And good luck to everyone getting banded today! I can't wait to hear from all of you! -Michele

Hi everyone!!! I'm sorry I haven't posted earlier, I spent the first few days after surgery sleeping at my parents and swore off the PC for a few days so I could concentrate on recuperating. I was banded on Tues the 12th. To be honest I haven't been weighing myself religiously, I've been a little out of it and just trying to work on "feeling" better instead of the weight stuff. Today was the first day I felt almost 100% normal, but this gas is horrible!!!!! Also that burping feeling is very annoying (you keep feeling like you have to burp but can't). Otherwise I am very very happy with my surgeon, my hospital experience (norwalk, CT hospital - nicest people I have EVER met. They all sat down and chatted with me). In the recovery room my post-op nurse got someone from another department that had a band put in last year come talk to me. I thought that was such a nice gesture. I could cry thinking about how awesome the hospital staff was there. They're not my local hospital but I will be going there for any proceedures from now on! If it wasn't for the GAS, I think i'd feel normal. The gas makes it hard to sit at times, but I've been chewing my gas-x and taking lots of long walks. I'm a little sore where my port is, it's about 3-4 inches below my rib cage, a litle to the right. It's more on my "stomach" than I thought it'd be for some reason. I don't have stiches, I have those little strips. I've been able to shower since day one but didn't until day 2. I had bad problems with nausea for the first day and a half. It still comes and goes, but it's mostly gone. PHEW. I can't believe it's over and I did it. My surgeon was hysterical. He's such a funny guy. I was really afraid of getting the anastesia and he distracted me by cracking jokes about everyone in the room taking a trip to hawaii. the last thing I heard was "Okay now get Michele a Marguerita!!" before waking up. He's so awesome! I've been on clear liquids and have to stay on them until my post-op on next Friday. That's about 15 days of clear liquids all said and done. Today I went to a restaurant with my friend and had a yummy thai broth that was my first "real" food. The first few days it was really hard getting down enough liquids, but today was much easier. I really hate that people are afraid to eat around me. No one wants to mention food, but I keep telling them its okay! I'm pretty satisfied with what I've been eating. I had a chewable vitamin and two sips of juice the other day and I was full for over an hour, HAHA. Okay I know I keep blabbing. I do have one question, though. How long does the gas last? It's better than it was before, but it's still far from gone. I've been walking over a mile and a half each day for 3 days but it's still there! -Michele

Thank you for the suggestions! I will have to try the pea protein powder and wheatgrass juice! I can't sleep. :-( I'm not really nervous. I keep waiting to feel nervous but it's just not happening. Did anyone else just not feel nervous at all before surgery, or am I just postponing this feeling somehow? ugh

Thanks, Toni. I actually want to be a vegetarian after this surgery (I've always wanted to be and I think now I'm finally ready to commit) and we went to this AMAZING vegan restaurant and all I could have was broth. :-( I was trying to be in good spirits, but I'm really really depressed tonight! Okay off to bed I go. Just one night more of this and I'll be a new person. Oh - about the flavorless powders. I got a Soy one. I haven't tried it yet, but they had it at the vitamin Shoppe and it doesn't smell like anything! I think the Whey has a funky aftertaste so I'm REALLY looking forward to trying the powder! Goodnight ladies and gents. Hopefully tomorrow I'll feel better.

Hi everyone. I decided to go out with my friends today for a little fun (and distraction) before surgery. We went to NYC for the day and walked at least 6 miles (ugh I'm in so much pain). Also I couldn't eat much while we were out (my surgery is tuesday - I'm on clear liquids). I feel like CRAP. I had fun but I don't know why I did this to myself today! My head is POUNDING. I hope it gets better. Okay, sorry. That's my whine of the day. Can't wait until I detox 100% from caffeine, fat, carbs, etc so I don't feel like this anymore!!! good luck to everyone tomorrow! You will be in my thoughts!

my "technical" pre-op diet is less than 1,000 calories a day with no fat allowed. I've been trying to do the liquids-only diet (not clear, but basically 3 shakes a day). So far I've been able to do that about every other day. On the days I need something solid to eat I do a salad instead of one shake. I'm required to do a clear-liquids only diet 2 days before surgery. I'm going to try for 3. I've lost 20lbs in the last two weeks so I have a litle extra energy and motivation now. Plus I found a halloween costume I want. :-) My sister in law is working at a new place that wholesales costumes so I had to pick mine out now before they ship and run out of stock! I figure starting liquids a few days early won't hurt. :-D

My pre-op diet is going better today. I just got a pecan Boost shake and blended it with ice and pumpkin pie spice. It's soo yummy! Boost has great shakes but they're tiny for the calories they contain (240ish). I won't drink one unless it's been blended with ice. i'm still trying to figure out a good pumpkin-pie smoothie that's either warm or cold. I did find one that contains pudding and is high-protein/low-fat/low-cal. I swear... these dumb harry potter books always get me craving pumpkin!! how's everyone else doing? I can't believe this week is almost over. Just 4 more days for me! I said goodbye to my coworker that's been the most supportive today. She's off tomorrow and I took off all next week, figuring the day before surgery I'm going to be way too cranky to want to sit in the office with my OTHER coworker that I can't stand.

I am right there with you. But hey, this is why we are getting the surgery in the first place, right?? Just let it go and move on to tomorrow. I've been on my pre-op diet for 8 days now (I think) and have cheated on two days, once really really bad. I started getting super depressed when I realized I have a disease and do my best when I can. Most days I have been wonderful it's when I get overwhelmed or stressed that I binge eat like that. This surgery won't let me binge anymore so I know I will be okay. Try not to let it bring you down. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. If we could do this on our own 24/7 we wouldn't need surgery. That said - I find that as I get closer to my surgery I am very afraid to cheat anymore. I'm afraid the doctor will take one look at my liver and tell me to go home and try again. I'm sure as your surgery is closer you won't cheat anymore either. :-)

I've come to realize that I'll probably never like a powder-based shake again. With recent sales I don't really need to, either. I am in love with all of the Atkins flavored shakes, as well as the Boost! protien-rich ones. I got them on sale today (the Boost) for $1/each. At first I was worried about $ with buying all these liquid shakes instead of protien, then my stupid self remembered spending $50 a day on takeout and decided spending $1.50-$2.00 on a shake isn't going to kill me. :-) I'd really recommend the atkins shakes. I haven't had a bad one yet. As for the Isopure. I think they taste good but they have a STRANGE aftertaste. I got a 1 gallon jug and mixed together 1/3 ice, 1/3 pre-made crystal light iced tea (or lemonade), and 1/3 the clear isopure Protein Drink (with 40 grams protein). It's 100% tolerable to me that way and keeps me going on this pre-op diet I'm on!! You shouldn't wait until after surgery to try out all of these shakes. You'll want to make sure you have a nice stock of the ones you actually enjoy on-hand after surgery. :-) -Michele

I've been tested for diabetes every 6 months or so for the last few years. I had one "borderline" test but never any medicine or anything. It is a surprise to me though. No one in my family has diabetes! I guess being so overweight can mess with even the best genes. I asked the doctor if I should go to someone about the diabetes and he said he thinks it'll be gone shortly after surgery (it's never cured but the symptoms can go away). I am shocked but I'm not too worried. He didn't sound that worried about it. He did seem a bit surprised though. Those results were sent to him over a month ago and no one had bothered to call me about it!!! I swear... I know some of these offices are busy but still! It's a bit upsetting. I could have really made myself sick by now (if, for example, I gave up on having the surgery). Oh well. I'll count my blessings and not stay angry. I'll be banded soon! As for telling people... I know it really depends on the person. I don't really mind people knowing about my personal life (I'm a bit boring anyway). Then again on the other hand there are people at work I really don't like. But I still told some of them. The way I feel about is that they aren't going to like me (or me, them) no matter what. But I'd MUCH rather have them talking about me having WLS than them talking about how they think i'm starving myself, etc. Those sorts of rumors are worse than the truth, I feel, in this case. I work with some cute guys and I don't want them hearing from the wrong people that I'm starving myself (therefore might be putting it back on shortly!) rather than I made a smart choice that's more likely to keep the weight off. Just my two cents! thanks for the kind words everyone! OMG ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW! It really is going faster than I thought it would.

I just got home from my pre-op. I'm all set!!! One week from tomorrow. Startling news to me though - while we were reviewing my bloodwork we found out I am diabetic!!!! I've been tested roughly every 6 months for the last few years so I'm sure it's a new thing, but wowsers. This surgery came just in time! Off to go do some reading on diabetes and maybe take a nap. The pre-op diet has left me soooo drained. Michele

It's so interesting how the doctors have different diet plans. My diet allows those pre-made ISOPURE drinks as clear liquids. Go figure! They all have a funky aftertaste to me, but I manged to find one I like. I've been mixing it with crystal light (1/2 pre-made crystal light to 1/2 isopure) for my pre-op diet. I'm re-reading Harry Potter to distract me (for the 3rd time). They keep talking about pumpkins. I love pumpkin anything!!! So much for a good distraction. :-(

Hearing your stories is VERY helpful. I've been so sad this weekend on this pre-op diet. I have about 9 1/2 days left before surgery and this really can't go fast enough!!!! So glad to hear everyone is doing okay (or is being monitored carefully). Did your hospital have wifi or internet connections? I'm about to call mine to see if they do.

I didn't really care about the liver thing (well I did, but not really) until I watched the "live" surgery linked in these forums. You can actually see the liver and how it would get in the way. I've been MUCH better about my pre-op diet since seeing that!

Good Luck!!! :-d