Topdownbug

My swelling must not have gone completely down yet. I smooshed up a little bit of very moist meat loaf in with a couple bites of mashed potatoes and gravy. It tasted heavenly - but was sort of painful ..'going down'. So I decided to get back on full liquids for a few more days. Dr said to wait until 2 weeks after surgery - that will be Tuesday - so I'll try some 'soft stuff' then and hope the pain is gone. So - I'm not experiencing the same thing as you guys. There's just no way I would even consider eating 'real food' ... actually I'm afraid of the soft stuff right now!

Kaycee - I have to agree with your statement "Sue's Eye, I think I'd be a little worried about you, because though your picture is small, you seem to be a very beautiful girl. " But - I have to say ... even though YOUR picture is small... I doubt any of us can hold a candle to your beauty! Who does your hair anyway ? :biggrin1: (by the way, I've uploaded my photo several times but can't get it to show up on my posts.... suggestions anyone??)

Last night I was reading online a detailed description of the procedures the surgeon uses when doing the LapBand surgery(don't ask me why??). I was surprised to read that they put the patients legs in stirrups and the surgeon stands (this is a quote), between the patient's spread legs. So.. I'm guessing the Dr will notice such a thing. They did ask me if I had any 'other' piercings. Also, my Dr routinely uses a catheter in the ureter (not sure if they all do), so a piercing 'there' might really upset that process. I'd get rid of it if I were you . One less thing to worry about ...

Beverly - do you have any trouble eating the bread on your yummy Subway sandwich? Which kind of bread do you get? I'm worried about not being able to eat bread - maybe I will be able to eat some kinds afterall?

Thanks everyone - I know deep down inside this wasn't a mistake, but sometimes I just miss food ! Again, living alone and only a few people know about my surgery, so I really don't have too many people to VENT to - other than my adult children. The last thing they need is to hear their mom whine about something like this. The weight loss part isn't as bad as hearing all the list of things I can never eat again. When I asked my surgeon before proceding with this surgery - what will I be able to eat once I'm through this - he said ANYTHING. Then he did qualify it by saying 'some people have trouble with stringy meats like chicken and steak - and SOME DOUGHY BREADS. That didn't seem like a big deal. Then I read about all these people who can't even tolerate one bite of any kind of bread. The chicken and steak isn't such a big deal to me. A friend of mine who had gastric bypass two years ago said he can't eat chicken - except processed - like McNuggets. Cookie - you are right - I need to RELAX. This is going to take a year or so to get to where I need to be. There will be plenty of foods that I LOVE that I'll be able to eat again. Sorry about the pity party - but thanks for the support. I needed it! :car:

Oh - I was so excited to see the Dr for my first post-op appointment!! I woke up early and got to work early so I could leave around 11:40 to get there by my noon appointment. When I stepped on their (low down lying varmint) scales, I weighed 4 pounds more than I did this morning on my (wonderful) scale. When I complained to the nurse, he smiled and said 'yeah, our scales seem to weigh high'. I wanted to slug him. Then he told me that the weight doesn't matter - only the actual difference from the higher weight to the lower weight (duh!). The thing is, this Doctor is only in my town one day a week and they carry that danged scale around like it's a briefcase. So how do I know its calibrated even close to what it was when I was weighed 2 months or even one month ago ?? Then.. I thought I would be allowed 'soft foods' today and the Dr said not until 2 weeks after surgery - which would be Tuesday ! I am starving for something that's NOT SWEET! These Protein drinks and shakes are starting to gag me. So, what do I do - I come home and read topics on here and in my Lap Band books about all the things I will never be able to have again... I live alone and tonight I'm having one of those 'what the hell have I done????" nights. :car: I know I've lost more than the measly 12.5 pounds he wrote down ... For crying out loud- I haven't eaten anything for 16 days !! Ok, I'm done ranting now - but I still feel sorry for myself tonight. Tomorrow will be better .. it better be!! Judy

Thanks ! It took me two weeks to find out what PB meant. Maybe we should have a 'glossary' somewhere on this forum?

What does NSV mean? Congrats though! I'm only down by about 18, but I'm looking in the back of my closet for some winter clothes from a few years ago when I was about 25 pound smaller. I found a beautiful almost new black blouse w/fall colors on it that is a 2x. I tried it on over my pjs and it almost fits! Two months ago the 3x things I have were getting snug... I hung the blouse on a hanger on my dresser as a goal to wear on Thanksgiving Day! makes it all worthwhile!!

I agree with you Dozy - after only losing 18 pounds I already feel like a new person. It's been 10 days since my surgery and today I barely even realize I had surgery. I'm getting hungry but tomorrow I think at my first post-op appointment I'm going to get approval to have mushies. Can't wait !

Wow - I've only been banded since Tues 16th, but I had a close call today. My 4 yr old grandson was visiting with me and he wanted a snack. I gave him some crackers and Peanut Butter and raisins. I ALMOST popped a raisin in my mouth without even thinking !!! I'm going to have to be very careful until I get used to thinking more about anything I put in my mouth! YIKES! :omg:

Judy- you're out of control! I'm lucky (I think). The closest dealership to me is at least 45 minutes away. I really think the Harvest Moon is one of the prettiest colors. I still miss mine. I wonder what the new colors will be?

Judy BB - Are you scolding me publicly? That's good because I probably need it. I will not weigh myself until the Dr does it on Friday at noon. I have not cheated one teeny tiny bit from the Dr's rules. (mostly out of fear). So give me some advice. Here's what I'm having - about three Protein drinks (like fruit juice) per day 60 calories each - 15 Proteins each. One (no sugar added - 150 calories) Carnation Instant Breakfast drinks w/milk - about 12 proteins each. Some Soup - 2 proteins - 160 calories. Maybe a sugar free Jello - or popsicle. zero calories Add those calories up - not very many. How can I get more and still be on full liquids only? I'm with you on the exercise. I bought (in Jan) a new eliptical machine which instantly hurt my knee - I wish I had gotten a treadmill instead but I'm stuck with a brand new shiny eliptical machine. I'll ask the Dr on Friday if I can start on that - or go to the fitness center and use the treadmill. I appreciate any guidance you can give me since we are long lost sisters and you've been through this before. I'd like to put my photo on my posts, but I can't figure out how. I uploaded one but it won't show up ... help?? Toppy

I'm not sure it matters. I used my highest weight on my ticker. I had lost about 5 before the pre-op diet and 10 or so on the pre-op diet. I'm finally back down to where I was last week... so starting from there now. Of course you can be in our convoy Babs! Your yellowbug is a cutie I'm sure. Judy - I saw that Triple White.. I don't usually like white cars, but that one was pretty neat. Did any of the rest of you get the guitar that matches you car? I was lucky and got one. Its still in the box - figure it'll be worth some money someday .

Imagine, I had my surgery last Tuesday - didn't tell anyone at work what was going on. My birthday was Sunday and on Monday (first day back to work) they have a big CIDER AND DONUTS (donuts are my second biggest weakness) party for me !! Most of them knew I had had some kind of surgery, so I was able to say that I just didn't have my appetite back yet and thanked them as they all ate my birthday party goodies. I could say I'm proud of myself - but 6 days after surgery even a nibble of a donut would have been a bad choice for me. I suppose I could have had the cider, but I'm not a cider lover, plus I didn't want to risk the ""digestive"" results of drinking cider. I'm feeling quite safe with my ProtiDiet drinks, carnation instant breakfasts, Soups and Water. Why mess with it when I'm feeling pretty good so far. We'll see what happens after Friday when I think my Dr will put me on 'soft foods'. Can you really put a cheeseburger in a blender? :mad: I have three candy jars in my office - and a pretzel jar. I'm not tempted by the candy - never have been a chocolate nut. The pretzels looked good to me yesterday - but I knew that was a no no too.

You're right Judy - the scales are only one measure of success, but sadly that's the one that seems most ingrained in our minds. I weighed myself this morning (my one week bandiversary) and I weigh one pound MORE than last Tuesday morning before I left for the hospital. Now I gotta tell you - I probably haven't had more than 600 calories on any day in the past 8 and I haven't been stationary either. I haven't hopped on my eliptical machine yet, but I've been doing housework and up and down my stairs - so I know I'm buring some calories. I'd like to think I'd have lost about 5 pounds last week (crazy I know). I'd love to go for my first post-op Dr visit and have him be excited about my weight loss since I weighed there on Sept 28. Using today's weight, I will have only lost 11 pounds in four weeks - including the pre-op 'concentration camp' diet . Eleven pounds just does not seem like enough to me for being on bread and Water -without the bread- for two weeks now !! :mad: My daughter tells me she can really tell that I'm losing weight and I do feel better - but that darn scale seems to really be the final word in how I feel about my weight loss. Maybe I shouldn't get on it at all?

I've read and heard about the hairloss factor, but for the life of me I can't figure out WHY there would be hair loss with LapBand surgery. I can see why it might happen with gastric bypass because of the difference in the way food and nutrition are being absorbed. But with Lap Band, the digestive system hasn't been re-routed. The only thing we're doing is eating much less food, right? As long as the protein levels are kept high, why would there be hair loss? I've looked in several LapBand books I have and online and can't find an explanation for this. How is it actually different than just going on a diet and eating less? Whenever I've done that, I didn't have any hair loss. I talked to a woman last week who had some hair loss but it stopped in a couple months and all grew back in. Has that been anyone's experience?

Cookie - where in Canada do you live? I'm in Ohio - and (other) Judy is from the Carolinas. I can see us all next Spring. Arrange a Bug Band meeting somewhere centrally located and the three of us drive in with our new HOT, THIN selves in our adorable cars!! That sounds so cool to me! I'm still honeymooning with my Shadow Blue Bug, so I'll be able to hold off for a couple more years before I get the "BUG" to buy another one. I'm making extra payments on her and since I lucked out and got a 0% interest loan (promotion from VW Credit) she'll be paid off a little earlier than planned. I have to use my discipline with both my food AND my Bug buying now?? That's too much to ask a woman! I'm up in the middle of the night with darn reflux/burping again. I hate that feeling but its not gone away. I'll put a call in to the Dr tomorrow - just to see if there's something he wants me to do. Headed back to bed in a few minutes. Day #2 of 'back to work' tomorrow so I need my rest. Take care.. Happy Tuesday BugSisters!

Cookie - the Red is nice! I especially like it with the tan top. Honestly I could have a whole fleet of them with all the cool colors they have . I haven't looked at the VW website lately because I know I'll a new awesome color .... Can't wait to see Marsha.. I hope she's ok. My first bug got rear ended and I was so upset.. poor little girl. Keep us posted on the purchase..

It will be a week tomorrow for me and honestly it's been pretty smooth. No real problems and I went back to work today. I felt a little bit weak at first but better as the morning went on. I did leave a couple hours early because I felt like I was getting worn out... no sense in pushing it. I had Campbells 'Soup at Hand' (velvet potato) tonight for dinner. It took me a couple hours to eat it all but YUMMMM. It was the first warm thing I've had since surgery. I recommend it for anyone looking for a nice full liquid meal. Only 2 grams of Protein, but it was quite tasty!

Top Up Bugs

Ok - I think I have it now!

I downloaded the software and it let me try a sample, but when I tried to save my newly resized photo, they wanted me to pay. Hmmmm.... I'm bummed. I wanna show off my BUGSSSSSSSSS!!!

I'm trying like crazy to attach some photos to this post, but everytime I do they are way too big! What's the trick? Anyway - Judy - you and I seem to have a lot in common! Babs and Cookie and Judy - maybe we should start a BugLovers Thread? I'll keep trying to attach photos of my Bugs - they are Harvest Moon w/black top. Shadow Blue w/tan top and Reflex Silver (hardtop w/sunroof of course)

Nice Cookie! My Topdownbug is my third New Beetle. I am quite attached to them, but when the convertibles came out I had to have one immediately - so I did. Then when the new colors came out - I had to have a different one - so I do. This little beauty is only a year old and she only gets driven in the nice weather so she only has 6000 miles on her so far. I try not to look at the new colors when they come out. I need to get more equity in this one before I make another change. They are so much fun !! I feel like I'm 17 when I'm in my BUG ! Enjoy yours too! Judy

I'm wide awake at 1:00 a.m. - 6 days after banding with an attack of gastric reflux !! I was taking Prevacid in the morning and an over the counter at night before the banding, which worked well, but my surgeon said to not take anything at first and see how it goes. From the first day post-op I've had some reflux, but this morning/tonight is the first real 'acid' that's come up. I did take a Pepcid before bed, but I'm taking a second one now so I can get back to sleep. Tomorrow is my first day back to work since surgery - I need my rest. Maybe my Dr will put me back on Prevacid? I'll phone him tomorrow. I have plenty of them here - just hesitate to take them he doesn't approve. ok... try to get back to sleep ...