bandfan1

Thanks for the feedback!! My surgeon does not require a pre-op diet, but I am going to do it anyway so I am not discouraged in my first month....... 2 days after surgery, I can have only clear liquids and then after that for 2 weeks I can only have 1 slim fast per day. If I don't lose on that, then there must be something wrong. I imagine that my body might shut down a little bit because of the trauma of surgery, but that will go back to normal......

I'm not sure what MRSA stands for, but it is a superbug that is impervious to antibiotics. It is most common in the hospital setting. It starts out as a staph. infection and can graduate to a flesh eating "bug". I was watching Oprah the other day and they were talking about it. Also, my uncle who recently passed away was in the hospital for stomach pain. He died from complications due to MRSA!!!! I guess I should just focus on the good and not the bad. I will ask what precautions Yale New-Haven hospital takes to prevent MRSA. No question is a silly question, right???:tt1:

Hello ladies and gentlemen: I am scheduled for May 1st and I am very curious about the first month of life with the band!! I know that everyone is different, but I just read a post that kinda scared me. It said that any weight loss the first month after the band is due to sheer determination and willpower. Don't get me wrong, I am motivated and will follow docs instructions to the letter, but is this true? Is there NO restriction in the first month? Your experiences will hopefully answer my questions... Thanks in advance!!! :tongue:

Welcome to all of you May flowers. You have joined the may "band-wagon"!!! I'm sure that you are all excited to finally be a part of this thread. Am I the first to go in May? Is anyone else getting banded on May 1st?? I'll keep you all updated on my progress!! This "last supper" thing is killing me!!!! I seem to have NO willpower whatsoever right now!!! I have got to get my head straight on this and start changing my eating habits now. Has anyone else heard about the fact that the first month of weightloss is from "sheer determination and willpower"? I read this on another thread and was curious to know if it's true. Maybe I'll go to the March or Feb. site and see if this is the case. I'm curious to know how "restricted" I'll feel. When I find out, I'll let you all know.... Welcome again!!!!! :tongue::thumbup::thumbup::plane:

LMAO!!! Thanks for the laugh JRTMOM!!! There is just no dignity is there!!?? I'm traveling on the 13th of this month and will have my machine in "tow". I was told by the tech that the people at the airport are pretty familiar with these machines. She said that there are even signs directing people with these machines to go to a certain area..... WE SHALL SEE!!!!!

My doc told me that if my sleep apnea is related to my weight, then I could "lose" the machine. I'm sure that you have a follow up appt. to see the doc and he'll tell you what the readings are. My doc said that he wants to watch me closely since I am being banded and will lose weight... I am hoping that is the case with me. Although I can live with the machine, I prefer not to!!! :smile:

I tried my new CPAP machine last night...not too bad!! It's just a device that goes under my nose!! It will take a little time to get used to, but a good night sleep is my motivation!! Did any of you who have already been banded gain weight before your surgery? I am afraid to step on the scale. I am going to wait til my pre-op visit on Monday and see what the damage is. I started my day today with a bowl of plain oatmeal and pink grapefruit!!! Also, I know that I am paranoid, but has anybody asked the surgeon about MRSA and the steps that they take to prevent it? It is very scary to think about and it probably won't make a diff. if I ask, but it is in the back of my mind.....

Hey JerseyGirl2u, I grew up in Montclair!!! Glen Ridge is the next town over!! I miss NJ!!! Did you know that Tom Cruise grew up in Glen Ridge??

Thanks for your honest feedback guys. I haven't started the shakes yet, but this morning I ate a bowl of oatmeal and had some pink grapefruit with it...... I am hoping to have an Herbalife shake for lunch with berries in it and then a "small" dinner....... Wish me luck!!! :smile:

I love the support here too!! Already some people are saying "Do you really want to do this"? I don't know if they are just very conservative, or jealous!! I had to tell one person that my mind is made up and it's no use for her to try to talk me out of it. The conversation ended soon after that!! One thing that is making me nervous is seeing that there are some people who are either not losing at all or are losing REALLY slowly!!! There are the others who are amazing with their weight loss and I am trying to focus on them. The way I look at it is that if I just do what they tell me to do, then I will be successful. Losing more than 40lbs has never happened to me before and I am determined to lose at least 80!!! I would feel like a TOTAL loser if I didn't have success!!!!! Also, like Beautiful Brown, I have gained a couple of pounds just from sheer mental stress...... I am definitely going to do the protein shake routine 2 weeks before my surgery!!!!!!!!

Dragon Breath is a great analogy!! I used the machine for the first time last night. It wasn't too bad, but I also kept opening my mouth. There is a chin strap that I will use to keep my mouth closed if this keeps happening!!! The tech told me that it may take a while for me to get used to the mask. I lasted until 5:15am this moring...not bad!!! On April 16th I have to send the card in so they can upload all of the info. They will know exactly when I used it, when air was leaking out, etc....technology is amazing!!!!

Allison: Just stay focused on obtaining everything that the surgeon needs. It will go by faster if you are on top of it. Amsderb, I can't figure out how to change my ticker!!! When I have some time I'll eventually get it!!! :bolt: Went to the sleep center to get my CPAP set-up... Not too bad. My setting is 8 (settings go from 5 - 20). Hopefully I will not need the machine at all after I lose some weight. Not a full face mask, just a small device that goes under my nose with little things that go into my nostrils.... Monday is my pre-op appt. Looking forward to moving forward with this. Sandy....welcome to the thread!! Keep us updated on your progress!!!!!

Has anyone experienced weight gain before being banded? I was such a nervous wreck before I got the approval from insurance that I feel like I gained some weight. I'm afraid to step on the scale...as usual!!! My doc does not require a pre-op diet, but I think that I will try some protein shakes for a few days before surgery.

Well I went to the sleep center to get fitted for my mask. I can't believe the technology of these machines. They are so quiet too!! I am not on a full mask, just a nosepiece that is held on to my head with straps over my head. It is so lightweight and less intrusive than what I had on the night of my 2nd sleep study. This piece sits under my nose with pieces that go into my nostrils... My initial setting is 8. I"m looking forward to trying it tonight, although the tech. told me that it may take some time to get used to...... Hopefully I will get off of it altogether once I am banded....

Awesome Harleygirl!!!!!!!! You should reward yourself in some way...not with food (LOL) Don't worry about what other people see...just stay forward focused.... So, what is your next mini goal????? Keep it up!!! I am right behind you!!!!! :huh2:

My doc knows that I am having the band and he didn't say anything about not taking byetta. It is the metformin that gives me the diahrrea, not the byetta. It is supposed to diminish (the diahrrea), but I am still waiting for that to happen. Since the Formet is time-released, you will not be able to crush it after you have the band. You should talk to your doc about that.... Good to know that you were told to inject and then eat...that is pretty much what I end up doing.....when I remember. Maybe getting a good night sleep with the CPAP will give me some of my memory back :huh2:

LOL amsderb!!! I noticed that myself, but just haven't gone to the site to fix it!! I'll have to go there today and try to fix it. It took a while for me to figure out how to even do the ticker....maybe that's why I haven't gone back to fix it. Thanks for the lift about my mom!! Right before she died, she told me that she was worried about me. I feel like I owe this journey to her..... She always tried to help me with my weight, but I was always so sensitive about it that it strained our relationship rather than strengthening it..... I'll let you know how I do with my CPAP appt today...not looking forward to it...... :huh2:

Wow Maincat, great stats!! congratulations on your weight loss!! You must feel like a million dollars!!!! :wink_smile::thumbup::thumbup::confused::thumbup::thumbup:

I have been on byetta for a few months now. At first it diminished my appetite, but I am not feeling it now. I am taking 10mcg's twice a day and I am having trouble taking the meds when I am supposed to. You are supposed to take it 1 hour before b-fast and 1 hour b4 dinner. My schedule is sooooo hectic that I often forget. I am now trying to set my cell phone alarm, but sometimes my son takes my cell. I am also taking 2000mg of metformin before bed (can anyone spell d-i-a-h-r-r-e-a :wink_smile:). I can't wait to get OFF of ALL of these meds!!!!! I am scheduled for band surgery on 5/1. I am not scheduled to see my endocrinologist until 2 weeks after that ... I have seen another injectible medication in a magazine that only needs to be taken once per day. I am going to ask my doc about that one!!! My diabetes is not off the charts, but is still considered within the zone of "diabetes". Hopefully I'll see some positive results after I have lost 10% of my weight!!!

That's great news about you getting the time off that you need Kikival315!! Now you can have peace of mind knowing that you can recuperate without guilt!! I am still trying to work my schedule out. My mother passed away last June and I have taken so much time off from my daycare with her illness and funeral. I am trying to enlist the help of friends for my daycare so I don't have to close. I can't afford to lose any clients!!!! Hey Amsderb, I am going to get fitted for my CPAP mask tomorrow!! Not looking forward too it. I am hoping that it is only temporary until I lose the weight!! I feel obsessed about this too!! :thumbup: It is the main thing on my mind. I'm hoping my vacation this month takes my mind off of it a little bit.......

Chris: This is great information. Tomorrow I am going to have the mask fitted and I will bring my CPAP machine home and start using it. I am hoping that I will not have to use it after I have lost a significant amount of weight. I will be banded on May 1st. Maybe I'll get a few good nights of rest before the surgery. Apparently according to my sleep study, I was having 25 non-breathing episodes per hour!! This explains why I have been so tired and also why I have gained some weight!! When I used the nose mask during the 2nd sleep study, I had bruises on both sides of my nose. Hopefully I will be fitted with a mask that is comfortable and I won't want to pull it off. I know a couple of people who are using CPAP and they sleep very well.... I"ll let you know my progress......

Beautiful Brown, I will have some stories to tell by May 19th when it's your turn. I'm sure they will be FUNNY stories since I usually get very giddy when I'm nervous!!!! Tic tock tick tock!!!!

I hear you Kikival315!! I am so excited that I couldn't fall asleep last night. I know that it will happen for a few nights. As I get closer to my May 1st date I will start getting nervous and scared!!!! "Anticipation is far greater than realization"!!!! It seems that time goes too fast when we don't want it to and not fast enough when we want it to!!!!

OMG!! I am sooo impressed by all of your stats and accomplishments!! I can't wait to join you and post my successes. May 1st is the day for me!!!! This thread is such an inspiration to me. I just can't imagine losing, plateauing, losing, losing!!! It has always been lose, plateau, plateau, gain, gain, gain for me!!!!! When I went to see the nutritionist, she went through my weight history. It was interesting to see that I have always been overweight, but was able to get back within a certain weight. It has been the last 3 yrs that I have crept up from that weight..... Now with diabetes and sleep apnea, it's time for me to take this step... The serenity prayer sits right in front of me and it is also my inspiration: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courager to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference!!!!!!

I can totally relate to the "grandma's bathing suit" comment!! I haven't even thought about a goal reward yet!! Hawaii sounds pretty good!!! You'll be there before you know it!!! We'll all be "10 yrs younger" by the time we're through!!!!