SpecialK

I was just banded on Monday St. Patrick's day and today at Easter dinner with family, they were inquiring just how much do you want to lose??? I said Oh, heck, easily over 100 lbs! and probably alot more than that... dodging and weaving from telling them its really 180 total pounds I'm trying to lose. I didn't want them mentally backward calculating if I lose 180 and I'm a healthy weight what they heck does she weigh now!! So, my first goal is 10% of my starting weight. They say there are medical statistics that say just losing 10% of your body weight dramatically increases your mortality and other health factors. So, I'm looking forward to posting when I know I have 10% accomplished.

I agree with the first response - go to your nearest Hospital or Urgent Care and get it checked out. I wouldn't wait for the surgeon's office to open tomorrow. They really emphasized at our post op check out list of things that if we were feeling shortness of breath to call 911 or get someone to take you to a hospital.

Yes, I'm trying to resist the temptation to not get on the scale every day and I did stay off it Tuesday and Wednesday and then was so pleased to see it go down on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today, I couldn't believe it. I'll try to be good and only weigh every other day but no promises! I did good today because I packed my own Easter meal and took it to my Mom's house. It was mentally hard watching them eat a favorite meal of mine and me not have any. My Mom even offered a little taste of this dessert that looked so good but I bit my tongue and said no thanks. She said, are you sure you don't want some... Don't you love mothers who like to feed you! Anyway, I stuck to plan and now I'm home in my 'safe' zone of my own house away from those Easter goodies. I went to church this morning and felt fine and have been out driving myself around little bits and things so I'm pleased with my energy level which I have to say is due to keeping the protein and fluids up because it isn't calories.

Hi Scrappy - I find that if the protein drinks are really cold, thus using ice cubes to be crushed in the blender in lieu of some of the Water, that its more like a chocolate shake. 2nd the chocolate shake brand I got from GNC is called Wheybolic Extreme 60 (chocolate) and a 3 scoop shake made with 12 oz of water is 60 grams of protein. So if you can choke (hee hee) down one shake, you're keeping your protein up. Best wishes to get stronger each day.

I am finding the Full liquids stage easier than I thought. Cream Soup thinned down with skim milk, Vegetable soup thinned with beef or chicken broth and blenderized like crazy - its amazing to me what you can turn to liquid! I tried my chocolate Protein shake last evening with frozen skim milk ice cubes, 1/2 cup skim milk and frozen cherries - whipped in the blender - and it was yummy.

I haven't been drinking as much Water as I did pre-surgery just because of trying to remember not to 'flush out' what Protein source I took in with Soup or Protein shakes. I'm going to have to make it a much more concerted and planned intake. I do have it downpat in the a.m. to have my coffee with sugar free creamer in it, enjoy that and then have my morning Protein shake. I think I also have what you are describing as a weird sensation at the breast bone area but its not painful to me and its not keeping me from taking in fluids.

Hi. I was banded on St. Patrick's Day March 17 and am doing fine. I am really giving my blender a workout! I found a mix for creamy potato Soup and after preparing it, thinned it down with skim milk further, and then boosted the Protein level with unflavored unjury. That was filling as one suggestion. Also, I'm a chocolate and Peanut Butter girl so when I heard I could make one of my chocolate Protein shakes and boost the flavor with a tablespoon or two of creamy peanut butter and blend that up really good, it tasted great. A real treat from my point of view. I am totally off pain medicine as of yesterday (day 4 post op)- only took 1 pain pill on Thursday and 1 on Friday and I'm going to consider myself switched to liquid Tylenol now as needed. Something I'm really happy about -- I have found I can sleep on my side and even on my tummy with a pillow to help cushion my port incision and be fine! I never was a good person to sleep just on my back so getting back to a normal sleep position is wonderful. I lost 10 lbs post op and now 4 lbs since surgery!

DITTO! what everyone already said. We're human. Take care!

Greg - I guess Easter would be one of those big "work days" for an organist! Enjoy the celebration of our Lord and then take care of yourself too. All - I got out of the house yesterday and walked around a Tuesday Morning store just browsing and then picked up some groceries and back home and I was a little tired. I am amazed that my weight is finally going down and not in 1/2 lb increments like I was experiencing on WW and efforts on my own. Down -4 lbs this a.m. from the weight I weighed in at the hospital on Monday. Woo Hoo!!!!!

I was thinking since Easter is usually a traditional ham dinner with mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, I'd consider bringing along some Ham Salad - eat some of her mashed potatoes and bring and mush up green bean casserole, they cook pretty soft. I'm still on liquids so this isn't what I get this year at Easter but I'll get through it. It is only 1 day of the rest of my life!!

Wow Greg - back to work so quick! I'm going to stay home and pamper myself a little, maybe go back on Wednesday. I did sit at my computer for a period of time today and electronically got my taxes input and filed so I at least accomplished something other than napping and watching TV. LOL....

Scrappy friend - I bought two small candle warmers that are about 5-7" in diameter and was told to put my ceramic coffee mug or ceramic bowl on the candle warmer plate and it will keep food warm since it takes time to eat. Actually I bought 2 of these at Bed Bath &Beyond for about $6 each and I plan to take one to my job to keep my lunch hot.

I just got a nice warm shower and boy it felt good. I'm using a nice anti-bacterial body shower liquid soap so I hope that will help keep the wounds all clean until the steri strips start coming off. I guess I want to jump in here and say that these surgeons are really good its just the office logistics things that need improved so I'm still hanging in there. They know they've got to improve. In the hospital itself, it probably isn't unusual for a very difficult case to run over the time the operating room was booked and they probably can't predict it or could be a trauma case came in unexpected and pushed the whole schedule off. I am pretty sure they keep the ORs booked tightly to get the most out of the investment in that minimally invasive surgery center. Anyway, I'm glad to be home!!! LOL -- my blender is really getting a workout chopping things up into liquid and making shakes.

Yes, feeling pretty good this a.m. I called and got my post op surgery appointment with Dr. Price for April 11 so that isn't too bad. When I asked about scheduling my 1st fill appointment with Dr. Choban in mid-May, they said they couldn't do that until I see Dr. Price or unless his nurse (?Judy) told the scheduler it was okay to do it. So I left a message for Dr. Price's nurse to see if she will okay letting me get a fill appointment on the books. I just didn't want to wait until April 11 to hear him say get a fill appointment scheduled and it be the end of May before I get one. By end of April, who of us without any restriction in our bands are going to be feeling better to want to eat but just having to control our hunger -- I believe is period without a fill is what is referred to as bandster hell. I'm just going to take things 1 day at a time!

Okay we got to see 2 players eliminated last night -- Maggie right up front and then at the end we saw Brittany get the boot. Everyone looked great with the makeover that Macy's and the runway guru Tim Gunn did with them. Jay and Mark sure are emotional at getting to see their wives. Mark was just home so how homesick can he be and they've had a few different things now where contestants got to go and do fun outings and see family. Dan looked great with his punky haircut. Having watched Jillian's face last night during the weigh off at the end again, she was so bummed to see Brittany fall below the line with one of the Blue team guys because she was pretty sure they'd vote for Brittany and that's how it went down. It does feel like they are extending the show or stretching things, they show the same clip, go to a commercial, then come back and show that same clip again before moving ahead. Really trying to fill the air time I guess.

Special K here checking in from home.! Did just fine and I am so looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight and not being awake every hour on the hour to go to the bathroom or get blood pressure, temperature taken. Debbie - I think I know what happened to you. Sue, Greg and I were all 2 hours behind schedule getting our surgery yesterday. Dr. Price and Choban may have been working together or something because there apparently was a really difficult case (GB I think) earlier in the day that threw the whole schedule off. Anyway, we got through it and that's what counts. Dr. Price told me to call tomorrow and schedule my surgeon follow up appt and 1st fill. Dr. Choban stopped by my room right before I left and said she may have Melissa Webb, RN bariatric coordinator do the fills possibly to help out. I'm going to call and see what I find. Last, Melissa did check on me before I left and she said they are making progress hiring a new bariatric nutritionist and that we should just call back in a week or so and we should get into a post-op class okay.

Me too, home and glad to be in my own bed! They don't let you sleep at all in the hospital but I'm officially banded. Doing fine. Little sore throat from the tube they put down your throat but I figure that will go away quick enough.

Okay friends, I'm up and ready to get the day started. I guess I should say I was up before the alarm and also woke up several times during the night, I guess a few pre-surgery jitters. I feel confident this is the right decision so I'll post tomorrow when I am home from the hospital since our docs and hospital require an overnight stay.

Thanks for the info about leaving the PJs and robe at home. I guess I'll endure the ugly gowns for a day. They gave us socks with those treads on it so I probably won't bring slippers now that I think of it. Less to take in, less to bring home. I'm going to bring a book and maybe a little game - solitaire, soduku, or mini-Scrabble electronic hand games. Don't have a laptop except for work so that's staying home.

I have chicken broth, Unjury chicken soup protein mix, Vanilla and Choc protein mix, skim milk, SF pudding, 80-100 cal FF lite flavored yogurt, frozen fruit like strawberries, cherries, and I'm freezing some bananas after peeling them to be able to put into the blender with the Vanilla protein shake mix. I have low sodium soups that I was going to puree in blender/food processor. SF hot chocolate, SF cough drops - I was told your throat might be a little sore after due to tube down it, Chloraseptic for your throat for same reason. Be careful and don't use SF cough drops if you have any tendency at all to chew it or swallow it. Need to just let it melt in your mouth.

I'm getting banded tomorrow and have about 180 total to lose and I came here to the March 2007 thread for some inspirational stories and yours just filled my heart with hope. Thanks for sharing your story. I definitely will take your advice about the gym and getting exercise because I want this weight off so bad I can taste it...LOL :biggrin::wink:

Since I started this thread once I found out my banding date of St. Patricks' Day, I want to just say good luck to everyone and I'm praying for all of us to have a successful surgery and recovery. Here's a funny one to tickle you -- I bought GREEN nail polish and painted my toes!! I told my doctor and he just cracked up laughing.

My banding date is Monday -- tomorrow! I'm so excited but nervous at the same time. I have a feeling I'll need to take something to help go to sleep tonight but maybe not. I have all my grocery shopping done and I think I'm ready. Just need to do laundry today so I don't have to think about that after getting home. One question I haven't seen is --- did you take your own pajamas and robe to the hospital or just wear the ugly hospital gown! I think I'd be more comfortable in my own but would like to hear what others did.

Hang in there Sarah. Remember Protein is the most filling. Protein shakes or SpecialK protein Water helps me in between. Next that helps me with hunger is dairy like skim milk, yogurt, I put the yogurt into a vanilla Protein shake and some flavoring to help. I can't put fruit into them for me for now post surgery on Monday, but I think you're far enough out that putting frozen strawberries into vanilla shakes, frozen cherries into chocolate shakes, or frozen banana or whatever in, gives you more flavor and fills you up. I'm sure I'll be begging you for ideas too in a few weeks.

Welcome WTLI -- I would start by going to the website of each of the major programs that have bariatric programs - OSU, Barix, Mt. Carmel, and Riverside and each of them offer an educational session to start. Second, and this is very important, check your health insurance plan to see which programs' doctors are In-Network. Some like me found that only Mt. Carmel's doctors were on theirs, others found Riverside or OSU. We have had a couple cases where folks started going to Barix thinking they were In Network only to find out after almost 6 mos of working with them that they were not, and it would have to be self-pay out of pocket. If you are a Self-pay, insurance doesn't cover it at all, Hippiegirl went to Cincinnati and Growingpanes went to Detroit and I think both had their surgeries done for about $12K. You can Personal Message those folks for details. Hope this helps you get a start.