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Hi Misjanete! Congrats on your band - same day as Melissa and I. If either of you have AOL addresses we could chat sometime in instant message - might be fun in addition to these posts. After my first night at home (I live alone), I'm doing pretty well. Slept about 7 hours and since I have a new bed with a really firm and tall mattress I was a bit worried about getting in and out and being comfy but so far so good. I haven't taken any pain meds - only tylenol. I don't like how percocet makes me feel, plus I know it slows down and dries out the bowel functions and I don't need that to deal with. But I'm not really too uncomfortable from the incision sites and the shoulder gas pain is almost gone too. Day #3 and my big concern is paying close attention to my protein, water, and vitamins/biotin. I'm not going back to work until Monday, so I have the next four days to figure out what I'm going to be eating for the next week. After next Friday I get to progress to the 'mushies' .. at least I think that's the plan. good luck to you guys! Hope all is going well for you too! Judy

HOPING - don't be too hard on your boyfriend. If he's never had to struggle with weight, I'm sure it does seem simple to him (and everyone who thinks - just eat less and exercise more- is the answer) that you can lose weight without a tool like the band. I've only been banded for 2 days so I'm no expert about life after the band, but I can tell you that at age 57, the past few years of my life after menopause, which you gain 15-20 pounds overnight w/out warning, have been so much less enjoyable than they should have been. I know I sit at home a lot 100% because I don't like how I look and I have no stamina to go places and do things. So my advice would be to lovingly tell him that you appreciate his concern and you know he only wants what's best for you, but after doing the research, you think this will make your life together much happier. Then go for it ! Good luck with your decision Judy

Hi Melissa and everyone! I was banded yesterday too, but had to spend the night because I was at an out of town hospital. I'm home now and feeling just fine. Like Melissa, I had my moments when I said 'What the heck am I doing??' but I knew it was the right thing to do and my family is so proud of me I know they will support me. Dr has me on full liquids so they brought me cream of wheat in the hospital this morning - I thinned it out with some milk and had a few spoons full. I'm not interested in causing ANY problems down in my new small tummy. I'm drinking some proti-diet now - the orange tastes pretty good to me. I see the Dr next Friday but as of right now I'm feeling fine. The incisions are ouchy .. like a cut .. and a little bit of shoulder pain, but other than that I'm feeling really good. The Dr said my liver was good (which means I was a pretty good girl on my pre-op diet)! I'll be anxious to hear more about how all of you Octobandsters are doing as we all progress through this adventure!! take care Judy

Melissa - the ride is only about an hour and my brother is a non -stop chit chatter and the most positive person you'd ever want to meet - so he'll take my mind off the surgery. I suppose its too much to ask him to run through Mc Donalds for an egg mcmuffin on the way down? (ha ha ha) Hey - the great thing about the band is that someday I will be able to have an egg mcmuffin (or half of one) again!! good night for now... Judy

Melissa - I won't be able to be online tomorrow/today (well, TUESDAY) because I have to spend the night at the hospital. But as soon as I get my (shrinking) rear end in the door here at home on Wed, I'll get online and tell my story. I know it will be a positive one because even if there is pain or whatever - as long as I get that band on - I'll be starting on my way to healthier and more active/enjoyable life. I'm not sitting on my couch - watching tv alone - anymore !!! I'm going back to bed now.. try to get a couple more hours of sleep. All of you 16th-ers are in my thoughts and prayers. :Banane35:

Melissa - you are a sweetie! Your thoughtful message just made me feel so good this morning as I try to get back to sleep for just a few more hours before my ride arrives to head for Columbus Ohio. My older brother and his wife will be taking me down there so I'm grateful for that. I didn't tell my kids (adults) about my plans until I had arranged for a ride. My daughter is 7 months pregnant and has two little children so I didn't want her to worry about getting me there, and my son is a middle school principal and I hated for him to try to get off work. Anyway - in 12 hours - I'll be out of surgery, and on the road to recovery. Bless you Melissa - we'll have to keep in touch kiddo! Judy

I'm right there with you. Can't sleep this morning (imagine that) but I am no longer questioning my decision. I know what I will be doing today (or what Dr Myers will be doing) will change my life for the better! All aboard !!!

AWESOME ! Sorry about the pain, but glad you got through it ok. I'm going in tomorrow morning but won't be able to report here until Wed sometime since I have to spend the night in the hosp. Thanks to all who are praying for me and thinking about me. It's great to have supporters like you guys. (I'm not reading ANY banding horror stories tonight .. I might crawl under my bed and not show up for the surgery if I read one more) :faint: Until Wed... Judy

I hate to sound stupid but what's "sliming"? I'm having my surgery in two days and reading that someone who's been banded for almost a year still can't go out to eat is starting to scare me. I was told by others that they can eat most things, just smaller amounts. Maybe I've made the wrong decision... :omg:

I'm with you Melissa! My surgery is Tuesday as well and I'm so excited I can't sleep (online here at 3:30 in the morning)! The pre-op diet has gone well and in 4 days I've lost 7 pounds so hopefully the liver is shrinking appropriately. I have to spend the night at the hospital since I live alone and 60 miles from the hospital, so I won't be able to post anything until Wed sometime. But the good news is by the time I get home on Wed I should be out of that 'foggy' post anesthesia stage. Good luck and prayers to all my fellow Oct 16th bandsters (and everyone else too). Dr Myers (surgeon) told us at the first seminar I went to that people who don't have weight problems think weight loss surgery is the easy way out - but it's far from that. He's right - none of this has been easy, but I just know its the best thing I will have done for myself since I got my college degree at age 50! Will post as soon as I can on Wed! :-)

Hi David Good luck tonight. I'm watching the baseball game and I want pizza and potato chips - instead I'm having crystal light and some cheese. The mental connection between events/occasions and food is tough to break. I can't wait until Tuesday. I hope my surgery goes smoothly, I wake up with a minimum of pain, little or no hunger and zero nausea! I'll let you all know when I get home .. on Wed.

Hi Hunter ! So far not too bad. Day three of six down and I haven't hurt anyone yet. Tonight I'm anxious to watch the baseball game and typically I'd be having some fun 'game' food. Instead I'll be having Jello and popsicles. But so far it's well worth it - I've lost 2 pounds per day ! How are your plans going? Only 4 days till my surgery! yippee!

Hi David Yesterday was my first day of pre-ops. It wasn't any fun but today is going better. I only have to do six days so I'm 1/3 done! Good luck to you! When is your surgery? Where?

It seems some pre-op diets are liquid and some are just low-cal and low-carb. I started my liquid diet yesterday and around 6 p.m. my stomach was killing me. I had a small piece of cheese and it took care of all my cravings for the rest of the night. I looked online and found a document that showed requirements for a pre-op diet for lap band. It stated to eat lean meats, low fat dairy products, veggies, etc. Does anyone think the cheese is a big problem? I'm going to ask the Dr tomorrow. Just curious as to what you guys think.

My program fee was $2000 but it seems fair since it covers the Psychologist ($500), unlimited meetings with the nutritionist, a three month membership with the local gym, complete with a trainer to help get back on track with exercise, and all the pre-op foods and a months worth of post-op Protein drinks. I'm probably the luckiest one here - aside from the $2000 program fees, I don't have to pay a penny. I reached my max out-of pocket ($350) earlier in the year. I read about all the money that some of you have to pay and some of you even leave the country (I can't imagine that!). I really appreciate my good fortune.

Carrot - I know everyone is different, but I've had a couple surgeries in the past 3 years and I was terrified before my first one since I had never had any surgery before. It was a piece of cake. It was a laproscopic gall bladder removal and it was just fine. My Dr says this surgery will be much like that one. Its normal to be worried and there's not much you can do about it, but after its over - you'll feel like a million bucks. Not only because its over, but because you conquered your fear and went through with it. One of my favorite quotes is from a Scott Turow book called Presumed Innocent. It goes like this. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to carryon, with dignity, in spite of it" Good luck sweetie - you'll do just fine!

Hi ! I talked to Annie yesterday when they were here in Mansfield. I still owed some on my fees and since my surgery is next Wed, I thought maybe instead of taking it out of my own money I'd apply for the Care Credit (18 mo no interest) account. I was approved so I can now pay the rest of the money without using my own funds. I tried one of the liquid diet drinks last night and it was actually pretty tasty. Sort of tasted like kool aid. Tomorrow morning starts the real deal. I'm having a few potato chips (my real weakness) tonight before bed.. then throwing the bag away. Onward and upward (or should I say downward?). This is very exciting for me!! I hope I don't get too cranky though.. I'm babysitting my grandson on Friday night, don't want to take it out on him.

Hi! How nice to get to hear comments and discussions from Banders who aren't too far from me. As I said, I live in the Mansfield area and I'm not banded yet - but in only 8 days I will be :clap2: I don't know what the family situation is for the rest of you, but I'm single (divorced) and was thinking maybe it would be fun for some of us to get together - maybe halfway between Columbus and Mansfield somewhere for our own little LB group ! Something to think about. Looks like Juli is the only one of us who is already been through the surgery. I'm just getting ready to start the pre-op diet on Wed. Judy

Hi Everyone! I'm so glad I found this thread. I mean I like 30 year olds and all.. but their issues are quite different. I'll be 58 on the 21st of October and I'm having my surgery on the 16th. My daughter told me today (when I told her about my surgery) that they were planning a nice dinner party for me on my birthday and we agreed to wait for a few weeks when I can actually eat 'something'. I'm also very excited and looking forward to having the next 30 years of my life be much more enjoyable when I've lost about half of me! I live in Ohio - so anyone else in this age group from Ohio .. would be fun to keep in touch! Good luck to all of us! Judy

Hi Hunter and Heather. My surgery is the 16th !! I think Dr. Myers is great. I had some serious reservations about some non-medical issues a few weeks ago and when I met with Dr. Myers he was really understanding and didn't try to talk me into having surgery. He just said 'call me back when you feel like you're ready'. That was the best thing he could have done! Are you two in Columbus area or some other part of the state? Dr Myers has been doing bariatric surgery for a long time, but only started doing Lap band this year sometime I think. Anyway - lets keep in touch!

LUVMYBOYZ - I'm like you - not really worried about the surgery, just hoping I do well on the pre-op program. Mine is 6 days of a very low carb diet (some powdered crap they gave me to mix up and drink). I guess I shouldn't call it crap yet since I haven't even tasted it. I'll just keep telling myself that I can do this ! Three days until I start that plan (Wed the 10th) so I'm trying to at least have a taste of things I will be missing at least for a while. Good luck ! I'm hoping for no headaches. I hear the low carb diets can give you some nasty headaches sometimes.

Juli How was your pre-op diet? I'm sort of worried about drinking all that mixed up powder stuff. I haven't bought a blender/processer yet. What would you .. or anyone else.. recommend for that? Judy

Hi Hunter It depends on your insurance I think. I only had to go through the psychological, nutritional, and medical process. My insurance only made me wait 3 months. Some require six months. My surgery is in 10 days. Four days till I start my pre-op diet. I'm more worried about that than the surgery actually. Let's keep in touch, ok? Have you met Dr Myers yet?

Hi guys! I'm in the Mansfield area - about 50 miles north of Columbus, but I'm having my surgery at Riverside in Columbus. I'm a bit older than you two .. but sounds like we still have a lot in common. Let's keep in touch!

Hi ! My surgery is October 16th. My name is Judy and I am from Ohio. I'd love to be added to the 'TENS' list! Thanks!! Great idea!!