NancyintheNorth

I have had hubby keep the scale in his car. It comes out once a week and will tomorrow for my first one week weigh in post op I'm a bit obsessive and weighing myself every day would just feed into that. I don't feel that's healthy for me. Also, I see that you've lost 50 pounds in 3.5 months, that's about 15/16 pounds a month. That's not bad at all. That's fabulous I think

I'd call the doctors office and speak to someone. It's possible that you aren't ready for surgery. The band isn't a miracle, it's taken me lots of planning and work. The band will meet you halfway, but you must do your part. Rather than waste time and money, fess up, and work on the mental aspects of the surgery and what it would mean to you to lose weight. Please be kind to you!

Right now - I'm less than one week post op. I use a combination of shakes and unjury - the chicken Soup is very good. Once I'm on solids, I'll still supplement with a shake or two.

I have always drank tons of water - easy to consume 1.5-2 liters a day...but after my surgery, getting in 1/2 a liter is a challenge. I'll keep trying and will use lemon - thanks for the tip!

I agree with Danni - work on your upper body. If you don't have weights, improvise. Use such things as canned foods or plastic Water bottles. Keep doing anything to move. Best wishes!

way to go, I'm on day 5 after a lap band YOU GO GIRL!

I use My Fitness Pal too, love it

I don't think this person is a friend. How would she feel if she was constantly be compared against. Different bodies/different surgeries/different philosophys. Even had you had the same surgery, I suppose it's possible that your experience STILL may have been different from you. This person isn't your cheerleader, isn't happy for you that you made the right decision for you, but rather is competing with you in some twisted way. As you honor her choice, she should honor yours. That's part of a loving adult relationship of any type. Nancy

I'm tired, really tired and pretty weak. On the other hand, I'm soooooooooo glad to be on this pre-op because it's helping me so much in gaining control. Yesterday it dawned on me that the Unjury Chicken Soup wasn't discussed in any of the handouts I have. I checked with the dietician and she says it's off limits during this phase, so yesterday, it was just Slim Time for me. I tried the chocolate during lunch and used the chocolate and put in a fair amount of peppermint extract. Made me imagine that I was eating Girl Scout Thin Mints. Any trick will work for me. Other than being tired I feel fine, hungry at times but I just continue to swamp myself with water. I'm glad that I drank a lot of water before I started this (it's maybe the ONE good thing I've done for a long long time), otherwise I'd struggle to get it all in. Along with surgery, I'm also spending time with a therapist who specializes in obesity and family issues. I've long been convinced that my eating difficulties are related to 'stuffing' emotional issues. I can see now how I had few outlets for my emotions and that translated into me eating to sooth myself. I have to learn new behaviours. I'm glad I'm doing therapy at the same time. I think my odds of relapsing will be lessened if I could just get a handle on why I do what I do (binge eating, overeating, etc.) and how to stop doing what I've always done. It's not to say that I think I wouldn't relapse - god that scares me SO much. My parents were alcoholic and they never relapsed but they talked about how easy it is, and I equate this to something like alcoholism - an addiction. Once I start with the carbohydrates and the sweet stuff I am lost and reigning myself in is very very difficult. I'm blessed that I can have this surgery and for now, I'm grateful for the pre-op diet.

Have you had your surgery? How are you doing?

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy way to go!

so happy for him. he's the only one on that show that I like

I sort of thought that as time went on, this liquid pre-op would get easier. In some ways it does and in other ways it bites. I'm tired of just liquid and vegetables. Ah, I'll soldier on. I keep reminding myself that once I hear what I've lost during this pre-op phase that I'll be happy with myself. I do far better earlier in the day, as the day wanes on from about 4pm onwards I'm out of energy and interest. I'm working on making that a positive. I find myself pretty reflective as I work through emotional issues. If I don't work through some of those issues I don't feel I'll be successful because we all do this to ourselves for some reason. On Tuesday when I left my therapist I wanted donuts. In a former life I'd stop, go in the drive through, and buy two donuts and eat them in a huge hurry because I was on my way home. But after leaving her office, I wondered why I wanted them. Sure, there is their great taste, but I know it's beyond just how they taste. I think part of it sugar addiction. I've often wondered if Skippy dog food had a sugar variety if I'd eat that too. I wanted to feel full. I could finally name that. I wanted to feel full. Full of what? Warmth spreading from within me when I eat, enveloped in sugar love. So I really examined that, really thought about it and of course, didn't buy the donuts, which not long after I got home I'd forgotten about them anyway. Can food be love? You can surely love food, but isn't there something 'right' or correct about loving what well balanced food can do for you as a tool. Making you feel better, making your body work for you (me), filling it with nutrition. I can love food, and do but I think an important distinction is that I abuse food. I eat unhealthy food, I consume it in great quantities, I use it maybe to remind myself that I'm not all that great, not all that loved. **** that's awful. Just free thinking here. 6 days until surgery

rhodywoman - thank you so very much - I bought it and have just begun reading it. I love stuff like this.

thanks to both of you for your comments!

Yesterday I had my lap band put in. But before all of that, I want to back up and tell you about the last days of the pre-op diet. I have to say that I battled head hunger and maybe real hunger the entire time. I actually looked forward to SlimTime. Some days were very tough, and others seemed to sail by and that was great. I weighed myself at home using my scale because I won't always be weighing myself on their scale and I'm so pleased to say that I lost 15 pounds on the SlimTime, I was ecstatic. In any case - onto surgery I had my surgery at Smart Shape or otherwise known as the Surgical Weight loss center in Mississauga, ON on March 5th. I was in a tiny panic as traffic was absolutely awful, and I thought I'd built in travel time, but as it turns out - no. I was 10 minutes late, and the team was thankfully very gracious about it. I still waited probably 1/2 an hour. The staff there are the best, so caring, thorough and wonderful. I was taken into a room that had a heated comforter for me to be under, and I changed into the gown. I met with the nurse, we went over my medications, took my blood pressure and weight. Then I met the dietician and my care coordinator, both who are inspirational and very kind. Dr. Cobourn came in and we shared a laugh or two, and then the anesthesiologist came in, and we went through allergies and I told him how much I hate needles. He had a look at my veins and was hoping to put the iv in my hand. I told him that in previous surgeries that had been tried with no success he asked to try it anyway and I said yes. I was then led into the surgery room, and really, I never ever look around the room, I never ask questions, I just closed my eyes and spoke only when I had to speak. After trying my hand he gave up and used my arm. He gave me a relaxant of some type, and then told me it was time to go to sleep. He asked me to take two deep breaths after putting the mask on me, and next thing I knew I was awake in recovery. I had no nausea - YAYYYY and everything went as planned. I could hear the nurse talking on the phone to my beloved. I was eventually sat up in the bed, then asked to dangle my feet over the side, and then asked to get dressed. They had a hard time finding someone to go down with me to find hubby as the nurse couldn't leave as another patient was in the recovery room. I don't really remember the ride home. I slept most of yesterday but did get up and watched tv last night with hubby. I had a hard time sleeping last night. Maybe because I'd slept all day. Today I'm okay. I've walked a bit and will walk more. I want to feel better quicker and I know for me that as soon as I get out of a chair and moving a bit that that will help. I wish I could call all of you and thank you individually for all of the support I've received on this website. I'm truly grateful. I had a far better idea of how I would feel, of what to expect because of you! Nancy

Thank you all so very much. I had my lap band put in yesterday. Had I not found this forum, and had so much friendly and ACURATE advice, I would have been lost. I knew what to expect, I had a good idea of how I would feel, I know lots more about taking care of myself, I know that I belong to a community, and I know that this surgery was absolutely right for me. You give in great ways - by offering words of comfort, by advice (which often times is call the doctor), by support. Truly I'm grateful Thanks

I would greatly prefer that the meetings to be closed - i.e. no +1 Thanks for compiling thoughts Alex

Tomorrow March 5th is surgery!!!!

Thinking of you and wishing you health!

Name, real or screen~ NancyintheNorth Goal weight for March 31st~ 230 Weight on March 1st~ 253 Age~ 53 City/State~ Ontario Canada Dietary goal for March~ finish pre-op, get banded, lose weight Exercise goal for March~ 30 minutes every day Personal goal for March~ figure out fit bit and use it and stay true to food plan Date banded~ coming up on March 5th (in 2 that's TWO days) Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ don't know yet, won't weight myself again until Wednesday

How much weight on the pre-op diet did you/have you lost? Thanks!

simply fabulous - thank you for your insight Jean

Thanks much Chasing I know that whatever I am losing will be my number, which will be different from everyone else's number. I have not cheated and intend not to. Thanks for your response. Nancy

People ask...they shouldn't but they do! When I'm asked I say it's a small procedure, nothing life threatening and I absolutely lie. I've told them it's a hernia. Why do people want to know. Whenever I've been told of an upcoming surgery or procedure I wish them health. I don't think it's illegal for colleagues to ask, perhaps your employer it may be. It's just poor taste.