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I understand completely! I started my journey in Oct. 2013- the first 3 days are horrible- you are totally consumed with hunger, frustration and doubts. But then you start detoxing from all of the poisons you have been putting in your body for so long and you become more focused. Hang in there- remember WHY you are doing this, and it will be easier!

. I'm starting my milk ad yogurt diet on mon for seven days .... Getting my Band the 7th April ... I'm more nervous about the pre op diet than the op Itself lol , I think it's just hitting me now that I have to change my lifestyle !!! Eeeekk !!!

Sounds like a Dreamsicle! Oh no, now I want a Dreamsicle...

So many Aprilites.
So close all ... Like I said 22nd and I'm so excited.

Hi,
I just started 3/27 and I must say it was very hard. I had one day to enjoy food until my liquid diet. I have had the jitters, and hunger pains. I am managing to stay full, but I'm going to the bathroom every 30-45 minutes. I'm drinking the knorr Soup stock. It is very flavorful along with flavored water. The first 3 days are the hardest. Hang in there were gonna make it!!!!

When I was doing my pre-op diet I thought the same thing - "When does this get easier!?" A lot of people say they felt better after the first few days, but for me it took more like 5. And then around day 10 I got back into a funk because I didn't even WANT to drink the Protein shakes anymore. I think each day is different because obviously we have different emotions every day, but I will say I had more good days than bad ones! What helped me was 1) chewing gum 2) drinking a ton of Water so I wasn't dehydrated 3) sipping broth or tea when I felt like I was starving 4) Eating Jello to feel like I had something other than liquid in my stomach.
It takes a lot of practice and discipline to make it through the pre-op diet and the 6 weeks post op before you get your band filled. It's a complete lifestyle change. Don't get down on yourself because you're struggling. We all struggled and still have struggles after surgery. My motto was and still is "keep your eye on the prize!" Just think how great it's going to feel to be strong and healthy! You're taking control of your life and your health and that is something to always be proud of! I wish you the best of luck in your journey

I'm only on the first day and it is nearly 1 PM here in California! My body is already making all kinds of sounds and telling me that a #15 with 10 chicken mc nuggets, a Mc Double, large fry and large Coke, two strawberry pies and a dipped cone is what I need right now. Must...fight...the urge!!!

Yay! I found my April buddies! I am new to the site, please add me!
I am scheduled for surgery on April 11th. Looks like I will have a good group of friends to journey with on this long, long, winding road. Lol
I started the pre-op liquid fast today. 4 shakes a day, Optifast shakes (EW!). These taste nasty, but they're the only thing the doctor allows his patients to drink.
I've only been doing this for a few hours and I want a basket of onion rings and extra ranch.

Hello and welcome.....you sound like me about 7 months ago!
You are not crazy, weak, or a cry baby!!!!
The preop is hard--it just is...some get thru it better/worse than others. It's like detoxing our bodies of every ounce of crap we put in it!
The first days are hard. You have abruptly changed your eating habits, the quantity and types of foods that you are used to consuming! It is a shock both physically and mentally. Give yourself a few more days to adjust and get used to it...it is a shock to your system! And I'm not saying it's gonna be awesome in three days but you will hopefully start feeling better.
As for beating yourself up about where your weight has gone....think about what you are doing now to fix that...begin thinking and picturing where you will be in two weeks, two months, four months and how great you are going to look and feel.
I also have a wonderfully supportive hubby....consider yourself one step ahead with that kind of support! You will be able to have meals again...just not right now...the preop is important for many reasons...stick with it and don't give up. Whenever you waver think about why you are truly doing this! I didn't cheat once on my preop...I'm no better or worse than anyone else who had to do it...I was just scared of jeopardizing my surgery for something I've eaten so many times before....and would be able to have again...and I do just in much lesser quantities!
And you will be able to eat again and believe me mushy foods will be soooooooo good....LOL......really good. (And I know for a fact because I had a two week preop AND a two week post op all liquids....it can be done....AND YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Hope this has motivated you and given you some hope to remember this phase is temporary...a small necessity to get you to your goal!

Hey ladies I am feeling too. Today is my first time doing the pre op and I am feeling really weak and emotional. I am starting to think more about life and I have even been really nervous and scared about this procedure. I have thoughts racing through my head as to what would happen if something went wrong. I met with my therapist and he shared with me that these are very normal feelings and that I need to be practicing mindful meditation to focus on my goal. He stated that I need to continue to focus on why I'm doing this and believe that it is the right decision. Trust me, you're not alone. Feels good to be in this with you all.

Yep, only shakes. I feel like I am an addict in detox! Lol! Good for you for resisting!

Hello everyone today is my first day of my pre surgery diet. I am scheduled to have my lap band surgery on April the 7th. It has not been too bad, however I would like to add more items to my menu. What else can I mix with my vanilla Protein Shake.< /p>

Yay! I found my April buddies! I am new to the site, please add me!
I am scheduled for surgery on April 11th. Looks like I will have a good group of friends to journey with on this long, long, winding road. Lol
I started the pre-op liquid fast today. 4 shakes a day, Optifast shakes (EW!). These taste nasty, but they're the only thing the doctor allows his patients to drink.
I've only been doing this for a few hours and I want a basket of onion rings and extra ranch.

Walking! Even if it's just a bit more each day, little by little, this will help your body get ready for surgery. Drink a lot of Water to hydrate and cleanse your system. I wrote myself a letter to be opened at 150 lbs. That felt good. I took flip-flops and a robe with me to the hospital. Didn't open the book I brought but I did like having ear plugs and an eye mask. Good to have my own pillow in the hospital and then I used it in the car on the way home.
As far as telling people, that is so individual. I told a few more people than I would have liked to know now, but that's just me. All has been very positive but I just feel so private about it. I don't want people talking about me or monitoring how I'm doing, even if it's all well-meant. I elected not to tell my parents because they are elderly and I didn't want them to worry -- plus my mother has handed me every diet book on the market for the last 25 years and I don't need her "help" with this. This is my project, Project Me.

This is all such wonderful information! Thank you!
Another important question: how many people did you fill in on your procedure? I haven't made a public announcement on Facebook, because I don't need critics. I have only told my parents, my siblings, my husband, and my best friend. At lunch while I was having my Protein shake, my coworkers were asking what was going on with the sudden change in diet. I felt pressured as though I was living a double life and that I should fill more people in on what I'm doing. I try to be private, but wanted to know what everyone thought. How much of an audience or group knew what was going on?

Great to read how many of you out there had it done in March! You are all an inspiration to me!

I agree on LAUNDRY!!!!! I made the mistake of thinking, oh I will be home all week, won't need to do laundry prior. I ran out of sweats and comfy shirts. So make sure you have lots of sweats/jammies whatever if you don't do your laundry.
As far as telling people: I posted to Facebook the night before surgery. I didn't need critics in the weeks before when I had my own doubts. But by the night before, I was already set. There wasn't much anyone could say to make me change my mind. I got TONS of support and well-wishes. I also got two people messaging me for information because they had been considering it, and two distant friends messaging me saying they had Lap-Band and love it. It was very reassuring!
I hate secrets anyway, so it was just in my nature to do it that way, plus I wanted to blog about it. However, I was VERY nervous to press the "enter" button on the post. But, once it was done, I felt good.
- K

Exactly five. My two supportive daughters and nervous but supportive mother, my supportive best friend, and my WLS skeptic husband, who is watching in wonderment. My advice is under-tell, don't over-tell. I work with mostly men, and they don't notice anything, which is a relief.

Not everyone is comfortable with giving out their information. That is something you have to decide. Your going to have critics no matter what you decide as you lose weight people will start asking you more and more how you did it and if you had surgery etc.
I chose to just be open and up front about it. I don't harp on it I just do my thing, drink my shakes and eat my foods and do what I need to do for me. If someone asks I tell them truthfully and I move on. I don't expand and give huge details. If they ask and they have an interest I will expand up on it, but I'm not here to be entertainment for people. I'm here to educate and support others who might find themselves or a loved on in the same position as I was. Just to sit around telling my story to a bunch of skinny B*tches isn't for me they can watch the Real Housewives or some such drama
Most of my co-workers and bosses know and no one harps on it. They all are excellent supporters, I have family and friends who all know and I don't hide it even when I go out to restaurants or other places. If I order something off menu or ask for something different sometimes they ask and I say I have a dietary restriction very rarely will anyone ask what that is..but if they do and do so nicely I will tell them. I find that people who delve deeper usually have an interest for themselves or a loved one.
Those who are critics and harpies have more issues with themselves and I don't worry about placating them in any way.
I don't know if that rambling helped you but the bottom line to it is that it's a personal decisions and people gonna hate whether you doing bad or good, so just do what feels right to you and don't worry about anyone else issues with it.

Oh, yeah, I also was very glad to have a body pillow to sleep against that first week. And remember a pillow for the car ride home. Bumps in the road hurt!

Try to take care of as many things as you can pre-op so that when you are home from surgery you can spend that time relaxing and healing.
The best thing to have in the hospital for me was my toothbrush and toothpaste to help get the cotton mouth feeling to go away.
Bring some comfy clothes to wear home from the hospital with shoes you can slip on and off so you don't have to bend.
When you come home you want to some of the following things:
Heating pad for gas pains you can put under your back and shoulders
Decaffeinated Tea helps to sooth the stomach and helps move gas
Frozen Ice Pops these will help you stay hydrated as well as sooth the internal swelling
Ice packs that you can place on your port and incision sites for relief.
Gas Ex or Beano
Small medicine dose cups you can use these to drink and sip from so you don't gulp your Water or shakes.
That's all I can think of right now...

Laundry. No lifting for awhile.

For the ride home from the hospital, 1-2 bottles of Water and a chapstick/lip balm for my all day long cottonmouth. You dr will give you a list, but those items were'nt on the list, lucky I had them in the car. Pain wise , it was a breeze, and I have a very low tolerance for pain. It just felt like a really bad pulled muscle, and I needed help getting off the couch for the first week. If you can clean the house and do laundry before surgery, do so. Also cook ahead for others, as they will be taking care of you and will appreciate an already prepped/ cooked meal. Google "Freezer Meals" or "Hobo Meals" for some easy ideas. I went back to work after 7 days with no problems. Good luck !

Hi there, so happy for you! Making this choice for myself and my healthy future has been wonderful in so many unexpected ways. I am really happy that I still like food but it's so different now that I can be satisfied by it -- before I would have something but felt I wanted/needed more. This feeling of satiety is such a great thing. A relief. I feel like I'm out of food jail. And I don't really feel like I've given anything up, even though I am making such good choices now and there are foods I don't have. But I don't miss them. At all. If there's something I want I can generally have it -- just in a small, healthy amount. And then magically I am satisfied. Note this doesn't happen right away -- all those followup appointments are so important to work to get the right fill. It can take a while but once there it is amazing. You are doing the hard part right now -- detoxing, cleansing and getting ready mentally. I was glad during this time to have upped my exercise so I had something to step into post surgery. Good luck with all -- so glad you're here!

I can totally relate with what you are feeling because my surgery is coming up and nerves have staretd to overcome me. I have kept this information within a small group of close family and friends, and some of my very conservative family members think this is taboo. They are trying to talk me out of the decision, and they compare what I'm doing to what "Aunt/Uncle/Cousin" did 20 years ago. I tell them that things have changed and that this is a safe procedure. I can't help but feel worried. The worst part is reading the paperwork you have to sign before surgery (that includes all of the risk factors).
I agree with what everyone else has said. You will be fine, and keep in mind what your end result is. You can do this!!!