cissy

1 day pre-op: liquids and bananas Week 1: easy to swallow liquids (Water, apple juice, crystal lite, tea, slim fast, ensure) Week 2: full liquids (including blended cream soups (my favorite is cream of potato), fruit smoothies, Protein shakes, boost) Week 3: soft foods (yogurt, mashed potatoes, bananas, soft fish), STOP drinking liquids that are high in calories (apple juice, slim fast, boost, ensure -- UNLESS you are drinking it as a meal replacement) but continue to drink lo-cal drinks (water, crystal lite, tea or coffee sweetened w/ equal, splenda, etc.) Week 4: solids He also says NEVER use powdered drink mixes such as instant breakfasts or Protein powder, and NEVER drink carbonated drinks, and try to avoid steak, bread, Pasta, rice, oatmeal, flour tortillas or any other sticky foods.

Beware of making online hotel reservations in Dallas! I made mine on orbitz.com yesterday, got a confirmation code & everything. They called me this morning and said that they are not honoring ANY online or call-in reservations in the state of TX. The hotels are taking walk-ins instead for evacuees. She basically told me sorry and good luck finding somewhere to go. I guess it's a good thing I also have relatives in north Louisiana...

I'm in Houston too. Already made hotel reservations in Dallas. I'm getting my butt outta Dodge!

1. stop shopping at lane bryant 2. walk stairs without my knees hurting 3. have regular periods 4. give DH the son he wants

Tonight, 7PM central time on NBC

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2001, and my GYN put me on glucophage. That medication made me so ill (diarrhea, trembling, weakness), so I stopped taking it. I have gained 40 pounds since my diagnosis, and she kept stressing to me that I needed to get some of this weight off of me or I was at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. My odds of becoming diabetic were extremely high, since both of my parents are diabetic. My insulin level was like 40, where the normal maximum was 17, and my glucose level was around 120, where the normal maximum was 99. My hormones were WAY out of whack. I knew I couldn't lose weight on my own. I didn't have anything preventing me from overeating. I finally made it up in my mind that I needed to get this weight off for my own health. I need to see my daughter grow up. Did I know that women with PCOS had less chance of losing all of their excess weight with the band? No. Would it have changed my mind about getting banded? Probably not, because losing ~PERIOD~ is my main focus for now, so I got banded. Think about that... you don't have to lose ALL of your excess weight to be healthy and to get rid of the PCOS symptoms.

Hi everyone! I was just banded on Sept. 14. Yesterday was a struggle to get down even liquids because I was still so full of gas. Today is a good day so far. I've already taken a walk (2 laps) around my cul-de-sac, drank a full 16.5 oz bottle of Water and had a Slim-Fast drink. I'm just a little sore at the port right in the middle of my tummy. Bandages come off today, so I'm curious to see what my scars will look like. Everyone stay stong and the best of luck on your weight loss!!!!

Hi everyone! I was just banded on Sept. 14. Yesterday was a struggle to get down even liquids because I was still so full of gas. Today is a good day so far. I've already taken a walk (2 laps) around my cul-de-sac, drank a full 16.5 oz bottle of Water and had a Slim-Fast drink. I'm just a little sore at one of the incisions right in the middle of my tummy. Bandages come off today, so I'm curious to see what my scars will look like. Everyone stay stong and the best of luck on your weight loss!!!!

I still haven't been able to expel any gas either by burping or farting (excuse the term) yes, it's been extremely hard to drink anything, but I'm trying my best. Thanks!

Sounds strange huh? 1 day post op and my stomach has been growling, but I'm afraid to put anything in it (even liquids) because I my stomach still feels really tight. Each time my stomach growled, I had a couple sips of water or juice and then I was fine for a while and it started all over again. What's up with that??

Hi Linda. Congrats on your upcoming surgery! I'm from Houston, but don't know much about the area around Renaissance Hospital. Click on the link below to see if what I found on Yahoo! Maps is what you're looking for. http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypResults.py?Pyt=Typ`&city=Houston&state=TX&zip=77093-3405&uzip=77093&country=us&msa=3360&cs=9&ed=ITJjtK160SwfiYtMmmxVAoeRhlNGgSimY9TRJRDPZvrESLCfS_PagsJCEXRG4HbWYyzwsrCIY7Fh6Q--&tab=B2C&stx=7737307&stp=y&doprox=1&sorttype=distance&desc=Hotels+and+Motels&offset=0&FBoffset=48&allbiz=1

I am now a resident of Bandland! My surgery went great. Don't remember a thing except waking up to a beeping noise. Quick question- did anyone have trouble burping afterwards? I'm still sore at the top of my abdomen, and before I left, the nurses kept telling me it was gas, so I haven't taken any liquid Tylenol. Is it OK to go ahead and take a chewable gas-x now or do I need to wait?

Oh yeah. I had to do liquids today, so I went to the grocery store last night. I think I'm all set for a least a week. Thanks everyone for the well wishes!

Tomorrow is my day!!! I'm anxious. I woke up at about 4:45 this morning thinking that I needed to get to the hospital. Oops! I have to be there at 5:30AM so I'm going to bed early. I know I probably won't be able to sleep because I'm so ready to get my new banded life started!!!

sounds good. do you have a yahoo address where I can PM you? ...or you can PM me. my screen name is in my profile

I'm smack dab between Willowbrook & Greenspoint. If I leave my neighborhood the front way, I come out at BW8 & Veterans Mem. If I go out the back way I'm at BW8 & Bammel. I haven't had a chance to volunteer yet. My job sent out a mass email this morning saying they needed folks on weekdays, so they're giving us a "freebie" to go over there and it won't count against vac or sick.

OK- I know I will be banded next week. I'm not on a pre-op diet to jump start the weight loss. I've been eating everything in sight! I've never been a big eater, I just always ate the wrong things. Why is this happening? Is this some sort of mind thing where I'm thinking "I better eat it now because I won't be able to eat it later"?

Hi Candy, when you get to the end after you've picked your ticker ruler & the slider, and it says you're done, scroll down a little to the box called "bbCode". Copy the text inside that box, and then paste it into your signature here. Click preview signature and it should be there. Hope this helps!

The problem I have with going on short-term disability is that the insurance company that my firm coordinates with is notorious for sending paychecks late. If going on disability can be avoided, I'll do it, just to make sure I get paid on time (I'm the breadwinner in my family).

I am getting banded on Sept 14. I was scheduling the time off with my manager but then thought about my company's rules regarding sick days. They say that after 5 consecutive days of being absent, you have to go into short-term disability. I know I was thinking about the worst-case scenario. My question is, how long (on average) were you off from work? (I have a desk job in the stressful financial services industry.) Thanks!

Cathy- since you would consider changing insurance companies, United Health Care covers weight loss surgery where there is a diagnosis of MO (with my plan, the diagnosis came in the consultation appt with the surgeon). It only took them 10 days to approve me, and my surgery is in two weeks (Sept 14). I really hope everything works out for you! I understand how it feels to be 100 lbs overweight, because I am too.

I received the approval letter from my insurance company yesterday. I called to schedule my surgery, which will be on Sept. 14 with Dr. Spiegel in Houston. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. Here's to a new me!!