username2

Hi all!! Just wanted to say that I made it through my two week pre op liquid fast!!! Tomorrow at 1pm I too will be banded! I'm excited and nervous all in one! I am glad that I made the decision to change my ways and hopefully my life!! Wish me luck!

@@gin765 Congrats on making it 5 days without hunger! Once the hunger came back I was a little worried that I would slip back into my old habits but that hasn't happened. I get full so fast now that I cant possibly imagine how I would overeat. I made a mistake yesterday because I let myself get distracted with work and didn't eat anything all afternoon. By the time I did eat I was really hungry and wolfed down some cottage cheese. That was the first time I felt like throwing up...it really felt bad. Lesson learned, eat slow!

@username2...I am so sorry to hear your surgery has been delayed! I can imagine how disappointed you must feel, as I have been in a similar situation of delay. Last December, when I was almost finished jumping through all the hoops, my husband lost his job right before Christmas. For us, no job = no health insurance = no surgery. I was so upset, but that actually helped demonstrate to myself and to him how much I really wanted to get banded. Once he got a new (even better!) job, I didn't have to start completely over, but I did have to repeat several of the test I'd already done, because they were more than a year old. If you can, try to find some good in your situation. Thing usually do happen for a reason. Chin up... I'm sure you will come out on top!

Good luck to all of you who are just starting your journeys! I'm almost at my 1 year bandiversary, and still on my own journey
To username2 who has surgery delayed, I wouldn't worry to much! Your doctors schedule the surgery around your safety, so I would be glad they aren't taking any chances. Also, this whole process is a marathon, not a sprint. I know the feeling of wanting to get this done asap, especially after the weeks and months of planning and preparing. It's awful if you have to repeat the pre-op diet, but in a year it will all be a distant memory. The pre-op diet is really challenging, but it gets your body and mind ready for the big changes ahead.
Good luck!

Let me tell you what's fun.
Walking into ANY store and buying an outfit because you love it, not just because it fits, is fun.
Pulling warm jeans out of the dryer, sliding them on and buttoning them easily is fun.
Wearing bright colors and patterns is fun.
Pushing away a plate of food and enjoying conversation is fun.
Hiking, biking, playing frisbee, dancing without getting sweaty and out of breath right away is fun.
Fitting in a roller coaster, an airplane seat, a movie theater chair, down a bus aisle, etc. is fun.
Wearing heels without foot pain is fun.
Getting up without knee pain, back pain or weight gain is fun.
Not feeling guilty about cheating on your diet is fun.
food controlling your life is not fun. Living your life is fun.

Wishing much success to all !

Wishing much success to all !

I am now on day 5 and am doing ok. The surgery went fine and I went home the same day. Overall the surgery was a bit more intense than I expected. It was by no means unbearable but I was definitely more sore than expected. I am healing well and now the pain has reduced to soreness. My worst problem is intense shoulder pain. The only way I can relieve the pain is to lay flat on my back for a while. I didn't eat anything the day or surgery or the day after and didn't feel hungry at all. Starting day 3 my hunger started coming back and I am now at approximately 900 calories per day without any desire for more. I am also losing weight which is nice to see. Good luck everyone!

I'm 4-days post-op today and think I've turned a corner. Going for only Tylenol today, instead of narcotics. The liquid Tylenol I found is the only thing that seems to bother my cute little stomach. It's so thick and nasty syrupy. We will try crushing the actual pills today and mixing with Water.
I am on a clear liquid diet for the first 2 weeks also. It does includes sugar-free Jello and popsicles, which is really nice, because you actually get to chew those. The both completely disintegrate into liquid upon chewing, so I don't know why you couldn't have them. I've rejected a lot of the Protein powders I've stocked in and have sent my dear husband out a couple times to the grocery store, GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe. Now, I think we're finally getting somewhere!
I have been fortunate not to have any of the terrible shoulder pain folks are reporting. My stomach and intestines started making loud, ridiculous rumbling / gas noises last night while I was sitting on the couch. My husband was a bit shocked.... hehehe. It eventually settled down after an hour or so.
Just emptied the dishwasher without incident or additional pain. So excited for that successful, "normal" activity! I had gone to the pumpkin patch with the family yesterday, which took all the strength I had. Lucked out that they had 100% apple juice boxes at the snack stand. The girl at the register thought I was a nut when I carefully read the label and asked for a cup to pour it in. She very politely explained to me, in detail, the workings of the juice box / straw combination. I thanked her kindly and said I'd still like a cup please, as I'm currently not allowed to use straws. Then, she really thought I was out of my tree! Lesson learned that I'll have to pack a little cooler of liquids when I venture out.
Make it a great day everyone! So proud of all we have already and are yet to accomplish!

It's like a long pillow 2-3 times the length of a standard pillow, it's designed to support the bump during pregnancy (I had a baby in June so had one) but it gave me some support & protected my incisions. Here's a link to one, there are different types but mine is just a basic straight one http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00BUDHTQ4/ref=mp_s_a_1_6/279-2456307-7499534?qid=1445177332&sr=1-6π=AC_SX110_SY165#immersive-view_1445177350728

Good Luck to all..

I wish you all much success

I'm 3 weeks post op now & feel completely back to normal. I did found it more painful than I had expected in the first few days but felt a little better each day. Walk off the gas pain it really eases it & helps stop it building up again. I used a pregnancy pillow to sleep on my side at night which really helped as I find it difficult to sleep on my back.

Hi all! So, I was banded this morning. I had been totally freaking out since last night. However, I am happy to report all went well... yippee! The whole experience and my pain level are so much less than what I had imagined. Staying overnight, because my doctor's cautious and we'd planned that. Have been allowed to chomp on ice pellets, which is a life-saver. Will practice Clear Liquids tomorrow. Bring on the cherry Jello! Be brave everyone... we can do this!

Hi guys!!! First of all good luck to you all as I see that some of you are probably banded already now!! I actually started this journey a couple of years ago and a week before my surgery my ic denied me ( it was a fluke). So here I am at it again and I got approved! Day one of liquid diet. Band date October 23!!!

Surprisingly, I'm actually not too terribly hungry on the pre-op diet. I have, however, had an unbelievable headache for a solid week now. I'd given up my beloved Diet Coke awhile ago, so that surprised me. Spent Sunday in the emergency room getting what they called a "migraine cocktail" drip. I also have a lot more $ and free time now that I'm not spending it in drive-thru's.
Wishing everyone well!

My two-week liver reduction diet starts tomorrow for surgery on Oct. 14th. I was not stressing until today. Ahhhhhh! Be brave everyone!

I am scheduled for Oct 14th. I have been waiting for 8 months now to get banded and now that I am actually scheduled I am a bit nervous. I have been consumed with reading posts, watching videos, and absorbing as much information as I can prior to the surgery. I really want this to be a huge success!

There's no more danger having WLS at 180 pounds than at 250 pounds. In fact, it may be safer, since a 180 pound person has less stress on their heart and lungs. The weight requirements are dictated by insurance companies, not the surgeons. That's because insurance companies don't want to pay out for WLS when they don't feel like it will save them money in the long run. WLS on a 250+ pound person will likely save them the cost of other health issues for that person down the road. A 180 pound person has a much lower risk for future health issues, barring any other co-morbidities.
If a patient is self-pay, there are MANY MANY surgeons who would perform WLS on a lower weight person. For a lot of people, weight loss surgery is actually more about weight MAINTENANCE. If your family member has struggled with her weight in the past and has a very high chance of regaining the weight she's lost, having surgery may drastically increase her chances of keeping that weight off.
I personally had managed to lose SIGNIFICANT amounts of weight "on my own" before I had weight loss surgery. The problem was I always regained it. So it wasn't a matter of being able to lose the weight for me, it was a matter of keeping it off.

Does not sound like an ethical program.
I wouldn't want a shady surgeon doing work inside my body.

You don't mention her height, weight, age, co-morbs or anything else. Without those factors it's possible to determine. Theoretically speaking, anything is possible. Regardless, this is a grown woman and she's allowed to do whatever she feels is necessary with her own body.

Hiccups are not bad. They're variously cute, annoying, embarrassing or some degree of painful, but not "bad."
It may be that you were sipping too quickly. Let a little time elapse between sips. Small sips. That may or may not eliminate the hiccups.
You'll probably also find down the road, when you're eating real food again, that you hiccup part way through a meal. Hiccups are common signs of having eaten enough at that sitting. When you do hiccup under such circumstance, stop eating for a while and see if you're not sated. Hiccups are often referred to as a "soft signal" that it's time to stop.
Since you mention "meek" hiccoughs, here's a tip for the next several days. If you have bold hiccups or need to cough, sneeze, guffaw or some such, hold a bed pillow firmly against your middle (incision area) to brace yourself. The pillow will minimize pain at the incisions from the jolts.
You're fine.
Laurie

Whenever I feel like my weight loss is slowing, I'm more diligent about using the My Fitness Pal app. I like how you can see your overall carbs, Protein, fat, and calories for the day.