Big Dan

I am three weeks post-op too and I have noticed that I need to eat more to get the full feeling that lasts a while. It is still only 1-1/2 cups of food but after two weeks of eating nearly nothing I feel like a pig! To make myself feel better I compare that quantity to what I used to eat (my whole meal now would have been a weak appetizer two months ago) and also I try to make sure what I eat is healthy and has lots of protein and little to no sugar or fat. I am looking forward to my first fill which will be 2-3 weeks from now to get some of the restriction back.

I believe it is quite natural to feel a little crappy after starting the pre-op diet as that diet makes you stop eating a lot of sugar and also lowers your calorie intake compared to what you are used to. I was on Metformin 2x per day for Type II diabetes. I was only diagnosed with diabetes around New Years so I've only had it around six months or less. I've been banded only three weeks and already I don't need medication for it anymore! My blood is around 100 in the morning and 90ish two hours after eating. That was one of the things I was really hoping and praying for and I am so happy to see it working!:wink2:

Congratulation! I was excited and scared at the same time too. It went better than I thought so I guess I didn't need to be nervous but there is no way anybody could have convinced me otherwise before. You'll do fine and once the weight starts coming off you will be so glad you went through it all. :biggrin2:

I know I haven't been brave enough to try popcorn yet, but as I am only 3 weeks out from surgery I think it is too soon to try foods that could be a problem. I really miss eating popcorn at the theater though.

I have eight holes from the operation. I was told it should have been seven but they made the first just a little too high so had to make a lower one. Not a big deal as they are very small and already mostly healed. I probably won't be able to see some of them after a year. I was in a lot of pain on the operating day and was thinking I made a stupid choice for a couple days but then as things started to heal I started feeling better and once I was able to start mushies I started to feel much better about my decision. I really like the fact that I've lost 20 pounds since the surgery less than three weeks ago!:thumbup:

I was told no drinks 30 minutes before until 30 minutes after and I have been following it. I actually started doing that months before my surgery so now that I am banded it is already 'normal' for me.:biggrin2:

I have to do full liquids (which includes yogurt and cream of wheat) until Thursday and then I move to the pureed stage for 4 days. Then it is on to mashed foods for a week or two and then on to soft food for about the same amount of time. I know I am anxious to start adding more stuff, but I also don't want to rush it and cause a setback. I am also back at work today. Physically I am ready but I'm not too sure about the mental part yet.

I don't know about the rest of you but I am finally feeling human again. Today is my first day back on full liquids after clear liquids for a week! I am mostly done needing pain reliever but my incisions really itch! Anyway, I just thought I would check in now that one week has passed.

I feel something similar to that once in a while too. It passes quickly for me though. I am actually feeling pretty good today. I am still taking the pain medicine but have decreased the dosage.

Yeah, I have noticed that I am not hungry yet either. I'm afraid that won't last long though. It would be really cool if it did though.

I have been lucky in that I have not really had much shoulder pain but just plain gas pains. To put a tracker on your signature all you have to do is click on someone else's and that will take you to the ticker website and then you set up your own ticker and it will give you the link to insert into your signature.

Well, I am now banded and at home recovering. The doctor said their was nothing out of the ordinary for me except that he had to make seventh incision in me because of my size. I just got home a couple hours ago. Yesterday sucked but I am feel better today. I hope the rest of you did well too. Time to go take a nap I think.

I'm not sure as I have not been banded yet, but I believe from what I have read that it is fairly common for a couple weeks.

From what I have read on here the pre-op diet varies greatly. Some don't have to at all and some (like me) have at least a 10 day liquid diet.

Tomorrow is the day! Wow am I nervous. Good luck to all of us getting banded tomorrow!

Well guys/gals we only have a couple days to go! About 56 hours! Anybody getting excited or scared? I have to say I have a good dose of both of those.

Yep, me too. :rolleyes2: 8:00am on the 28th to be precise. I am also quite nervous but right now I want to be done with the liquid diet so bad I would be happy to have it done today if I could!

Sorry, couldn't help it. It was an involuntary response.:biggrin2:

Ouch! I think I just sprained something! J/K, your pictures turned out great. You are certainly an inspiration! Thank you for sharing.

I agree, I love roller coasters but have avoided them for the last few years because I didn't fit. That is one of the things I am looking forward to.

I haven't started the pre-op diet yet, I have a little over a month before my surgery. I have been trying to sample different drinks to see which ones I will be able to stand when I have to live off them for a few weeks. I can't stand the Slim Fast drinks. Carnation Instant Breakfast are not much better. I tried Unjury and they are not too bad. I'll have to try the Wal-Mart brand and see how they are. I am so not looking forward to living on liquids!

Thanks! I wish you well also. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! I don't know all the answers (far from it) but someone here always seems to have an idea.

Well, it wasn't quite as fast as it seems. I actually started the whole process last June. I want to the first information seminar where you get the first packet of forms to fill out. I filled them out and mailed them in. I should have heard from them in a couple weeks but they lost my packet. I didn't know this because I waited a couple months (I was real busy with work so I didn't notice how much time had passed) for them to contact me for the next step. Anyway, in November I decided that I was going to have to contact them so I stopped by their office and filled out the paperwork on site. That way they could not lose it again. From that point it started going pretty fast. It seemed like an appointment every couple weeks until now. I have Health Partners for insurance and once it was submitted (that took two tries too, but I only waited a couple weeks to notice this time) it was only about 10 days until approval.:eek:

I had my consultation with the surgeon and now have a date set! My surgery will be April 28th at 6:00am.

Do you mind me asking what an AP-L band is and how it is different from another?:biggrin: