dancinglamb

Some doctors say that you'll never be able to take pills/capsules normally ever again, some say it won't be a problem once you're 6-8w post op (mine happens to be in the latter camp). I take several maintenance medications and was able to switch a bunch over to different formulations for the six week duration to granules that could be sprinkled onto applesauce/pudding. Others can be chopped into small pieces so that they don't get stuck. The only medications that CAN NOT be chopped up/ground to powder form are extended release meds. (So, in my case, I had to go from Wellbutrin XL 300mg to Wellbutrin 100mg 3 times a day until I can go back to the regular pill.) So, I'd talk to your pharmacist, pulmonologist and surgeon about that specific med and explain your concerns. I'm sure that they will establish a protocol for you. (The reason I suggest the pharmacist be involved is that surprisingly, the majority of physicians are NOT familiar with the actual appearance/size of medications. I had to actually bring mine with me to the office to demonstrate what it is that I take each day.) With regard to the calcium, there are several out there that are chewable. My surgeon has prescribed me ones specific to Lap Band patients from this place bariatricadvantage.com. The only thing that I've figured out that makes them different than anything else is that they don't have calories or sugar. But if you google, you will find all kinds of chewable calcium. As far as preop meds go, anything that you need to take the day of surgery - with the obvious exception of coumadin/asprin/ibuprofen products - you can take with a sip of Water. I've had several surgeries and that's *ALWAYS* been the case. The last thing they want you to do is to have some sort of pulmonocardiac/diabetic/whatever episode on the table. Good luck -m ETA - I'm speaking of my firsthand experience. I'm not a doctor, I'm not your doctor - go talk to him or her about this sort of thing to be sure! :crying:

Hey Girlie- What you are feeling are the stitches your surgeon used to close the superficial fascia layer of your abdomen. No worries. They will eventually absorb and dissolve. They're likely combined with adhesions (scar tissue). If you no longer have scabs on the incision sites, you can massage the sites with some Vitamin E (just prick some capsules) in a circular motion, then side to side, and finally, in a kind of deep back and forth motion to loosen up the tissue. (Just don't go fast. The idea is to loosen the underlying scar tissue, not to create friction.) Eventually, it should go back to normal. It might feel a little sore in the beginning to massage them, but you will find yourself doing it more and more often, which is actually beneficial. HTH -m

David- I'm sorry to hear of your pain and misfortune. I'm just curious as to what happened. Anatomically speaking, the band is nowhere near the colon. Are you comfortable elaborating further? Godspeed in your safe recovery. -m

Yep, I have one living here too. It freaks the dogs out. How gross is that. Seriously. From what I've read, it doesn't get much better, either. It doesn't seem to make much difference whether I've eaten or not. Actually - the more I think about it, it seems worse a few hours *after* I've eaten, rather than on a completely empty stomach. Maybe some 'veterans' have ideas? -m

Yes, I really feel it's hardest when I'm around my kids' food. My biggest downfall has always been picking off their plates. But I found out the other day that strawberries are actually pretty low in calories (28kcal/cup, have no carbs *and* have Protein value (2g) to them. So, maybe they aren't so evil after all!:smile2: -m

It didn't seem to go so well. Good GOD, I was hungry. I started off with a big honkin' mug of tea (2c. worth), thinking that would at least stave off any hunger for a while. I then moved onto my first of three permitted Optifast chocolate shakes. I was satiated for only about two and a half hours before getting really hungry again. Unfortunately, I was out running errands and didn't have my lunch shake with me, so I figured Water would have to do the trick. I drank about a half liter (didn't help that I had to do some food shopping for the kids. ). I got home, had a big mug of chicken broth (2c.), waited an hour, then had the second shake and took a nap. I went to the bariatric surgeon's support meeting (it just happened to be tonight), where I drank another 1-1/2 liters of water before finally giving into my 3rd shake. At this point, it was only about 7pm. I started driving home around 8:30 and was still utterly starving and was getting the nauseous shakes. I had a Muscle Milk Light shake with me (I showed it to the Dr. to compare to Optifast and he OK'd it as an alternative). I decided to bite the bullet and just drink the damn thing... *sigh* Once I got home, I put the kids to bed, took a shower, was STILL hungry, and gave up and had three slices of lunchmeat turkey (they told me I could have lean meat if I couldn't take it anymore). I then threw in a 1/2 liter of Crystal Light Iced Tea for good measure. Oh, and to be completely honest, I had a strawberry and a half while making the kids' lunches for tomorrow.:wub: So much for sticking to the program. I really feel like a failure, and it's only day one. My main concern, though, is that the Optifast shakes only have 14g of Protein to them. So, ostensibly, if you're having three a day (as the doctor has instructed me), that's only 42g of protein a DAY. That's pretty freaking low for two weeks, no? I'm really worried that my hair is going to fall out. (I started taking Biotin tonight, btw.) To top it all off, I'm having some major gastric upset. Complete auto-eject with some extraordinarily loud and angry noises coming from my stomach. What's up with that?! I finally had to take some prescription Lomotil because I was afraid to leave the house otherwise. I have classes tomorrow till 3pm, there's no way I can do this and sit through lectures if I have to keep running to the bathroom.:eek: -m

Never even heard of the place. Gotta say that the menu looks like something I would've probably loved, uh, once upon a time :smile2:. I can see how you would've had a difficult time. I bet they would've done some of the seafood without the sauces, or maybe just one of the steaks plain with one of the salads. I'm kind of afraid to ask what your DH ordered! -m

Well, it's good to hear that he's not intentionally being a jerk about the food thing. Maybe if you told him what it is that you need him to do, he'll be more helpful. Sometimes, they really are just *that* clueless, that you have to spell it out for them.:biggrin: And if he insists on bringing stuff into the house, maybe you can persuade him to only bring in enough for himself so that there aren't any leftovers. Tell him to go get in the car and take a ride to Dunkin Donuts or Friendlys or wherever if he RREALLLLY needs that fix. It will taste that much better when the hot fudge is hot. (sorry!) And Girlie - I'm so jealous. You get FIVE shakes AND a meal?!!!!! I get three shakes and 64oz of Clear liquids. If I'm really nudgy, I can add a *little* bit of lean protein, though they prefer that I don't. *sigh*. If I can get through this with a preschooler, toddler, and roly-poly husband, so can you!!! :thumbup: -m And Jeez, what restaurant was that? The only one I can think of was Cracker Barrel and even then (as rarely as I go there - only 2 in a 2hr radius), I love their food, so it can't be there!:biggrin:

Yes, but FLUSHABLE ones. Otherwise, it will be a *very* bad time to have a clogged/overflowing toilet! -m

A poo pill! What will they come up with next?! How awesome is that? I wish... Nope. Got the instructions for the Phosposoda. :biggrin: Thanks for the headsup on the lemonade. I was going to go with gingerale. -m

Maybe you need to have a talk with your husband about what's going on - both from your perspective AND his. But not when tempers are flared or when emotions are running high. Tell him about how you feel he (and your other family members) are sabotaging your efforts by doing stuff like bringing home ice cream, etc. I would just be careful to do it in a manner that's not accusatory. Make certain that it's coming FROM you, but not AT him, kwim? Then ask him what his deal is. Is he threatened? Does he feel like you're going to leave him once you're thin? Maybe this is his underhanded way of ensuring you won't do that. People don't like change. Positive or negative. It's much easier to just 'be'. But I think that if you put it in a manner of, "look, I'm doing this with or without you - BUT, it would be a hell of a LOT easier if you'd support me. And I know that you love me, so I can't understand why you wouldn't", he might be more willing to do so. As far as the Subway thing goes, a deal isn't a deal if it's not the best thing for you. Kind of like buying something at costco on sale isn't saving money if it's not something you would've bought in the first place. :biggrin: Right now, you need to think with your brain and not your pocketbook. I know, I know. It kills me too. But you'd be a lot better off with Protein than veggies. Not only will it keep your blood sugar and hunger level constant, it will help you lose the 14lbs faster. And finally. The restaurant. What kind was it that you couldn't eat the food? Unfortunately, we - as bandsters (future or otherwise) are ALWAYS going to come up against this sort of thing. We just need to make smart choices. There's nothing wrong with asking for one or two appetizers instead of a big fat entree, or having Soup and a salad. Or just asking them to put sauce to the side. Yeah, it might seem a little like "When Harry Met Sally", but right now, who cares. Chances are, you'll never see those people again. And what's more important? Somebody in the kitchen thinking you're a bite in the ass, or meeting your goal? Hugs! You'll get there!!! -m

I've been doing the Airborne twice a day and upon the recommendation of my pharmacist, started Claritin yesterday. I'm feeling a LOT better, so I'm kind of hoping/suspecting that it's allergies and not actual sickies... Whew! -m

It may also be seasonal allergies (can't tell since everything started blooming in the past three days). I'm scheduled for surgery in 9 days. What do I do? I took Airborne this morning (I figured it couldn't hurt, right?), and I've been taking the Vitamins the surgeon had my buy. Has anybody had any experience taking Asmanex inhaler meds pre-op? Sudafed? I'm kind of wondering if I successfully stop the postnasal drip, maybe the other symptoms (losing voice, sore throat, occasional dry pestering cough, nasal congestion) will abate... Thoughts? -m

Good, God. Drink it fast. It's not tasty. Kind of salty, if I remember. Get it as cold, cold, cold as possible. And then put it over ice and drink it with a straw to bypass as many tastebuds as possible. Then look out!:scared2: 4:00?? Girlie, I hope you don't go to bed early. You can't push it to around 2pm? Seriously, the last thing you want to be doing is running to the bathroom every ten minutes when you're trying to get to sleep (like you'll be able to sleep, but you know what I mean). I'll be doing the same exact thing next Sunday and I already have my four magazines (two for each bathroom depending on where I end up in the house at any given moment ). And be prepared for a somewhat raw bottom.:sneaky: Good luck! -m

Yep, have to do the Phosphosoda. It's a saline laxative. NOT looking forward to it. You might want to mix it in with some Gatorade (just not a red or purple coloured one), to make sure you don't get dehydrated from the uh, associated effects of the laxative. Whatever you do, make sure you do it early enough in the day so that you're not up all night running to the bathroom. Oh, and get some good toilet paper and magazines. You'll be spending a lot of time on the potty. (And from previous experience, the colder you can make the stuff, the easier it is to drink it. I'm talking just short of frozen. Seriously.) -m

JerseyGirl- Where are you having your surgery done? I see your doctor is in Glen Ridge. I live in West Orange :biggrin: -m

Today was Day 5. I'm down 6lbs (woo hoo!), and am nowhere near as hungry as I was in the beginning. Honestly, those first two days really were the worst. It was like some sick game show.:thumbup: I have it down pat to three Optifast shakes, about 2.5 oz of turkey, one slice of low-fat/low carb muenster cheese and a freakish quantity of Crystal Lite iced tea (40-80oz depending on how often I feel like peeing:thumbdown:). Today I threw in some sesame rice crackers and some Swanson's chicken broth because I think I feel a potential cold coming on and I really suspect it's directly related to the huge drop in food intake. The Bolthouse stuff sounds good, but I'm only allowed Clear liquids other than the shakes. *sigh* Almost there, almost there, almost there, almost there......... -m ETA - I do have to tell ya, I was SOOOO proud of myself today. We were in Target and my 5yo wanted one of those big honkin' hot pretzels. I didn't have even one nibble. Do you know what kind of restraint that took?! I SWEAR. I heard it calling me. Really.

I received confirmation yesterday that the Proctor was scheduled and I'll be getting the Realize band (I'll be the first one at my Surgeon's practice to have it). I asked if I'd be eligible for a discount since I'd be his guinea pig. I don't think he appreciated the humour.:thumbup: -m

(emphasis mine) Jill- If you're doing this to yourself *now*, what are you going to do after the surgery when you absolutely CANNOT cheat without risking serious injury to yourself and/or your band? I won't lie. Yes, the pre-op diet sucks big time, but it's only a couple weeks. I figure I can do just about anything for a couple weeks. It does get progressively easier as the days go by. And if you have to take it half hour by half hour, then so be it. Today was day 5 for me, and as of this morning, I was down 6lbs. Just because somebody else is cheating, it doesn't make it OK for you to do it too. Presumably, you're an adult. You need to make your own choices. Make them good ones. Maybe you should watch the live video of the procedure in the FAQ section so you can see just how important it is that your liver is small for the surgery. Either that, or maybe you're just not ready. There's nothing wrong with admitting that you're not there yet. Better to find out now than after the band is in place... hugs -m

T- I've been thinking about you nonstop through all this. I have no idea how you stuck it out on the paltry meat diet. Seriously. Hats off to you. How are you doing? I see you're progressing through the approval. Lemme know if you ever want to meet halfway (Westchester ???) :redface: hugs -m

Yep, this describes it almost exactly. Know what though? Today is day 4 and I"m not nearly as starving as I've been. It's 6:30pm, and all I've had today is two Optifast shakes and about 48oz of Crystal Light. I've still got one more shake today, and will probably have some hot tea to warm up. It's a beautiful day outside and I'm inside wearing a sweatshirt (I'm normally ROASTING ). -m

Oh, definitely not dehydration. My teeth are floating from all this Crystal Light!! :redface: -m

In terms of food, comfort, stuff from the pharmacy what were you glad you already had at home? What made life a little easier for you in those first few days? My husband doesn't drive (once a NY'er, always a NY'er...*sigh*), so I'm trying to assemble everything now. Anyway, now that you're on the 'other' side of the proverbial band, what do you guys recommend I have waiting for me at home from the grocery/pharmacy? So far, I have, From the pharm: Gas-x strips Rx filled for painkiller Pill cutter/crusher Kelo-cote From Target/Grocery: Jello pudding (I hate regular clear jello) Applesauce Tea broth Cream Soups (mushroom, chicken, tomato - all without stuff in it) Crystal Light Muscle Milk shakes Water (obviously) Little 3oz cups to put the stuff in I know that I'm going to need the pillow fort to sleep at night. Thankfully, I'm pretty good at building one from all the experience of the pregnancies . Anything else? Can I do small amts (think 1-2 tsp in a 2c.) of tiny well done pastina in broth if I blenderise it just to give it some oomph? Thanks! -m

This is day three of the liquid pre-op diet. I had migraines back in highschool, and then had then crop up 8m ago. I"m followed by a neurologist for them (in fact, I just saw her on Monday), and have a protocol in place for their treatment (Topomax, Maxalt, 800mg Advil, Reglan PRN). The dragon breath/taste is well on its way, and I can't tell about the urine because it's so diluted from drinking 64+oz of fluids/day. I haven't looked at my tongue, but will the next time I pass a mirror :huh2: I'm about to hit the sack, so I'll take some Advil and call it a night. Hopefully that will help. -m