Sugarbear

I think you can set your computer to write for you in English. Someonr that is computer smart can tell you where to set the language, I believe incomming or out going.

Hi everyone. Went to the support meeting last night, may have seen some of you there but of vourse don't know anyone by name. They had a couple of speakers from the psyc. eval. office. There were some people that got pins for there weight loss. Two had lost 100 lbs!!!!!! That is encouraging, huh!? I meant to get there a little earlier so I could visit a little more but just couldn't seem to get away from the house early enough. I'll try and do better next time. Hope everyone is doing well with whatever stage they are in. Hope we get some new people on soon. I told Dr. K about this thread and if she remembers she will tell others and possibly send out a broadcast email to everyone. Take care everyone and keep posting. I was going to go back to March bandsters for a visit but don't remember how to get there?

I have never see any one in the chat room either, and I have checked so many times. I never go there anymore. It would be nice to chat with members in real time.

Let me know if you set a chat time I would join in.

First off....is anybody going to the support meeting tonight???????? I am. Hi Lisa, thanks for the info, I did want to know that. Guess I was using the wrong terms. haha. Vlynnfogg, I think that is so great you are doing that with your husband. If my husband ever decides to do it maybe I'll try it with him too. That was the fastest weight I ever lost! I think it was 17 or 18 pounds in two weeks. Don't know that it was particularly healthy to lose that much that quick but for two weeks only I guess it was okay. I only drank 2 Slimfast a day most days. I go back in a little over 5 weeks for the second fill. I really just start solids Wed. So this first fill may be more effective than I think it is when I venture out to more of the solid food. I have stayed close to things like soft cooked veggies, ect. I did have a little cherry cobbler yesterday. First dessert I have had since I started this journey. Old habit, just couldn't pass it up. Can anybody eat a hamburger? I have a friend that can and it doesn't bother her, not the meat or the bread. But she only eats a small portion of it. I think she said 1/2 or less. Let your husband know I am rootin for him.

Hi Priss. You sat through Easter dinner, without a bite except Jello! Hurray for you!! It does get easier, but at the same time it is still tough. Only someone on the liquid diet would understand that. I believe after the fourth day you can have a garden salad, only veggies added, fat free dressing. That might be nice for a change too. I am glad this is the only holiday you will have to go through while on liquids. Hope everyone was supportive. It got easier about the fourth day for me. Until then it sucked. I will have to admit it never got "really easy." But as my friends told me every day on here, keep thinking about the long run. On top of that, one of the best things is I weighed the day I started and I have NEVER seen that number on the scale again. That is a good feeling Pris. I try to remember that every day, especially when I get a little discouraged and think I should be losing more. This is the first day of the rest of your life. A healthier life. Hang in there. There is a support meeting tomorrow night at the YWCA 7:00 People that aren't banded yet are welcome too if you want to come. I am going too. Keep us posted.

Priss try the sugarfree drinks, like crystal light, or the walmart brand, or any other to help give you a variety of taste. Sugarfree hot chocolate is good in the morning or late at night when you need a something special. Use fatfree milk milk and I think there are a few sf chocolates. I used Hersheys syrup. Oh, you can also have sf popcicles, sf jello. The popcicles were pretty good. I used these right after surgery too. Also if you find a protein drink that is the same calories and protein or better than slimfast you can use that. Someone was allergic to milk and had to go to GNC and find something else comparable and it was okayed. Hang in there and think of the long run. I had lots of encouragement from here. I am here to tell you that I don't know if I could have made it through the pre-op without my "family" here. I was a weenie. I had to have daily encouragement. This will pass, believe me. You can do this.

Hello and welcome Priss! I hope you can work out details for the loan too. Have you talked to PS about financial details? I think they have some suggestions for all that but I did not do that so I don't know about the APR's for what they might suggest . Have you looked into cosemeticsurgery.com? Someone mentioned that site about getting financing, there again I don't know their rates. Hope you find something soon. Is anybody going to the support meeting Monday night? I plan to if nothing comes up. Thanks for the encouragement Vlynn. Now I am beginning to more of a variety of food, with the exception of meat. I will be to that point Wed. Don't know if I will feel ready or not. The thought of getting something "stuck" is very scary to me right now. I really don't miss meat any way. Only time I think of it is in a hamburger, or when I smell a good crisp piece of bacon to go with breakfast. Like this morning, I met my husband for breakfast and it smelled sooooooo good. I did try a piece of dry wheat toast and had no problem with it. First bread I have had since surgery. I am scared of that too. I think I mentioned that I got a fill last Wed. 2nd fill apt. is in 6 weeks. I forgot to ask how much they put in. I have a 10cc band. It is the med. size band. I seems like the second fill is more successful for most. We'll see. At least I am on the road to finding out what will work for me. Doesn't seem like anytime ago I was getting nervous waiting for the surgery date to get here, now I am nearly 5 weeks post op. Everybody have a wonderful Easter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After banding, I had to stay on liquids only for two weeks. If it was a cream soup it could not contain anything in it, if so it had to be strained, otherwise I could have broth, fat free or skim milk, 4 oz of juice per day, and of course protien drinks, like slimfast ect. That's it for two weeks. No weight in the pouch so it can heal in place, and stay stitched. My doctor doesn't put any fluid in the band to start with. The only restriction I might have had would have been from swelling and only for about two weeks. The next week hot thinned cereal, pudding applesauce and very soft moist scrambled eggs, yogurt, everything had to be like puree texture. Next, week 4 soft veggies ect, mushies. weeks 5 before I can slowly transition to solids. Oh, no more than 1/2 cup of food combined at any meal. If you think you have stretched your pouch, go back to liquids and it will usually go back to size. I have read other posts where they had to do that. Hope this helps. All docs are different.

Of course I can only speak for myself, but I don't have any trouble. I have one that looks like a horse pill and I cut it in half. Everything else I take isn't a problem. Now, as I get more and more restricted that could change. I am just not that far along yet. I did cut my BP in half at first, but not now. You have to check with your pharmacy about crushing. Some can not be crushed. I took Toprol XL and found out it is time released and could not be crushed. I tried the crushing with the others and my gosh! It is so bitter!! Good luck in getting everything going.

Just wanted this to be on this page also. Support meeting 7:00 Monday April 9th, at the YWCA, located 3410 Magnolia St. Texarkana, TX Right behind Legends GYM which is located on State Line AVe. I had to hunt last month. In the phone book it gave two addresses for YWCA. I don't live in T-Town so I had to figure that out. I told Ms. Betty that and she said she would mention it to Dr. Heicker. Anyway it isn't hard to find, even for the out of towners. I plan to be there. See ya there......

Hi lo2us. I was 4 weeks out to the day yesterday. I was supposed to go today but they had to do some rescheduling due to out of town bussiness or something like that. I do feel a little restriction, (I think), but not too much. I think I will be able to tell better in a couple of days. I had to go back to liquids for 24 hours, then to mushies. I haven't been past mushies anyway. The most solid food I have had is soft veggies and some fish. I am not supposed to go to solids until week five. That will start next Wed. I guess solids will be meats, raw veggies and fruits, ect. (slowly, as tolerated). It even list baked potato, and macaroni, I would have thought those might have been a mushie. I haven't had any anyway. I had a small piece of fish at lunch, and some spinach. I feel too full, but no pain or sick feeling. I don't seem to get that warning of too full until afterwards. I think I may need to slow down the pace. I do not eat between meals, but when it is time for me to eat the next meal I am starved, so I figure I am eating too fast. I had 1/4 cup of cream of wheat for breakfast. Now, I have just got to learn to drink water or something inbetween. I have never beeb a drinker, so that is the hardest thing for me to get in the habit of. I don't even think of it. I have to make myself do better, maybe that is why I am not losing so much since my surgery date. That and probably not enough protein. Just got to do better. I have bought an expensive tool, now I just have to be more commited to using it correctly. I am glad you are getting things together for your surgery. I am still waiting to hear how much I am going to have to pay after insurance. I will have to pay Wadley out, but I have paid for the doctor. Not sure what I will owe to anethesist. (sp.) Keep us posted when you get your date ect. Have you already been to PS for check up and talk to the nutritionist ect?

Hi Susan. I wasn't sure about the fill. But two weeks ago when they made my appointment I thought it was strange to have to come back in two weeks, I though why not 4? So I thought maybe I would get a fill, but then again I thought most got it at 6 weeks. Anyway I guess that is where it comes in that everyone is different. I havent lost much since surgery either, maybe that had something to do with it? Oh well. It wasn't bad either. Numbing shot, then the fill. Had some water and a peanutbutter cracker, then waited a little bit to make sure it all went down ok, made my next appointment for 6 weeks. Pretty simple. By the way the cracker was very good. I haven't been eating stuff like that.

Hello all. Got my first fill today. Didn't fully realize that I was going to get one! I thought it would be 6 weeks out before I got it. Sooooo I am back to liquids for 24 hours, then mushies. I am glad to get this because I have been starving! I am hoping this will help. Gotta go now. I have tried to edit my ticker so I guess I will see what happens when I post this. Lat time I had to do it twice. I have lost 25 pounds to date. Only 7 since surgery. POOEY!

Hi Lois. I guess they do at such small increments. I have heard where some can tell some can't. Are you on solids? Your fill date wasn't clear. How long from surgery was it? Maybe you can get another fill soon if this one doesn't work. Not sure if you have been there or not but there is a thread in the TX forum, "Texarkana Bandsters" it is for bandsters that have been banded by Dr. H. or Dr. K. Come by and visit if you would like. I am a march bandster, I go today for check-up. Good luck to you. Let us know how things go.

Support Meeting, Monday, April 9th @7:00 P.m. @ywca See Ya There !!!!!!!!!

lo2us, I have a friend that did not have insurance and she did not do the physc eval. I guess she ask to help cut back on the cost, I don't know, but I do know she didn't have to do it. But she did have to do the sleep study. I don't understand the physc thing anyway, they were very through at Precision Surgery about the surgery and you understanding. Of course I guess they are not physc. licensed. I guess they want an analysis if you are able to understand what you are about to undertake. Anyway, maybe you won't have to do it. You might call and make sure. It isn't as expensive as the sleep study. I did not do part 2 of the sleep study. Didn't need it, nor was I willing to pay out the money. Keep us posted. It is great that you will be off work when you have your surgery. It will be less stress on you too. Do your co-workers know you are having it done? Take care.

Welcome Lisaransom1. I am also so sorry for your loss. You are right, God seems to have a way and a reason for everything, even when it is beyond our understanding. You might even get your doctor(s), to send your insurance a letter of medical necessity about any problems you may have due to obesity. Make sure you get a coppies and keep a little file on it. You might also write a short letter yourself. For example, knees, back, high blood pressure, sugar problems, or things you may not be able to physically achieve because of your weight. Any and everything will help. Send it to your medical review board with your insurance. Keep us posted on how things go for you. Good luck.

Elpasso is a long ways from Texarkana. But I guess there is a possibility. You might want to check the regular Texas forum and you might find someone from there. We have a support group that meets in Texarkana TX once a month. They post it on noscales.com, You are welcome to come if you are in the neighborhood.

Hi lo2us. Absolutely no lifting for at least two weeks. It could disrupt your port from the port site. Call and ask Ms. Betty about that and since your toddler is 38 lbs they may restrict you a little longer. Whew! That will be hard with little one. Better be safe than sorry. Ms. Betty is very sweet about telling you things and explaining the why's. I had so many questions one day I decided to drive over there and talk with her. I felt so much better when we were done. That is another reason why I like this thread, because we use the same doc and are under pretty much the same rules of the band. The other threads are helpful but everybody has a far different answer. Sometimes that is confusing. Different doctors ect. and they are soooooo far apart in the post-op and pre-op instructions. I went back at two weeks, then again at 4 weeks. As a matter of fact I go for the four week Wed. They called today and had to change it from Thurs. to Wed. Then I guess I will see when I have to go back. I'll let you know after my visit. I am only at four weeks so I haven't gotton anything "stuck" yet. I haven't tried meats or raw fruits and veggies. Just soft stuff for the most part. You will need to have plenty of soup handy. If it is thick or creamy you will have to thin it for the first two weeks. I drank a lot of broth. They will give you all that info when you go in and set your date ect. Have you done any of the pre-op testing? It is nice to get that out of the way too. Like the sleep study, maybe a psych evaluation. My friend got to skip that because she didn't have insurance. I had to do it. We will be glad to answer any questions, no bother. Good luck on getting your date doon.

AMEN JACK!!!!!!!!!!! I was just banded 3/07. I don't know what caught my eye to read this thread. It is very disheartening. Thank you Jack for putting me back to the correct frame of mind. I am just starting my journey to what I hope is better health. It took me a long time to make this decision and I feel it was a good one and a safe one. I needed a "tool" to help me with long term weightloss, I think I found it. I hope I am as successful as you. When I get down I am going to come back and read your post! Thanks again.

Welcome Cindy. I was banded 3/7, right behind you. I feel a lot better too. My blood pressure is lower than it has been in years. Although I am still taking medication for it I am hoping to wean myself off soon. Have you been to the March bandster thread? Come on over if you would like. It is a pretty big thread. There were a lot of March surgeries. Good luck to you.

bonjoevs, where and when did you have your surgery, and why do you say that? Just curious to know why you feel this way.

Medge, sorry you are having so much pain. Did they do it laproscopic or open? It is possible it could be pain from all the air. You will need to walk around a LOT. Keep moving as much as possible. You may be doing that already, they should have told you to keep moving from the get-go. If this persist call your doctor (surgeon) most aren't in terrible pain, better be safe than sorry. Take care.

Hi Hopefulchurch. First two weeks, liquids. Low-fat strained creamy soups, thin them down with milk or water. Of course broths too. 3rd week Pureed foods. Includes, soft scrambled egg, sf low fat puddings, hot cereals, apple sauce. week 4, scrambled eggs, sf low fat pudding, soft canned veggies, soft canned fruits, creamy soups. week five, Transition to solid foods as tolerated. (slowly.) includes sliced meats, b. potato, macaroni noodles, you can try raw veg. and fruits. You should have a page all this is listed on called Lap-band post-op diet instructions. It came in my folder, and I may have recieved another at some point. If you don't have it, call Amy at 903-798-7260 the dietition and have her fax you one. Hang in there. This is for the healing of the band in it's proper place. Think of the long run. It does get better.