LindaD

I had my surgery today. I lost about 20 pounds on the pre-op diet, about 46-48 altogether over the past few months. So a good kick-start. Today has been OK. Abdominal pain, hard to get up and lay down and turn over, etc. It seems to get better. Really tired and woozy. Heading to bed here soon - I've slept a good portion of the day. Here I am this morning: Dr. Wagner was great!! Everything is going fine and let's raise our sugar free popsicles to continued healing!! I'm finally on the other side - I started this journey in April of 08, was denied by insurance once, switch surgeons, and FINALLY I'm here. I'm on the band wagon!!

My husband and I left at 6:30 this morning, got there at 7 (appointed time). We did paperwork and then they started the prep - IV and heparin and all that. They wheeled me into the operating room at 8:45. The next thing I recall was coming out of it in recovery at 10. They observed me for nearly 2 hours but we left before noon and were home in our own house shortly after. I have slept most of the afternoon. Some pain, and wooziness from the pain meds. But other than that, it's all going fine... no nausea, no gas pain (knock wood). I'm on the other side!!! I'm with the band!

I weigh myself daily when I'm "on track" and expecting to see good results. I don't get discouraged if it doesn't move every day, though, so it's not a bad obsession. What I find is that in the periods where I'm NOT stepping on the scale, it's because I know I'm off the wagon - I know that the numbers will go up and I'm sort of in denial about it. (Well, not really in denial, but not wanting to face it in terms of the realities of the numbers). I'm A-OK with weighing every morning.

I'm on the last day of it. My surgeon wanted a 2 week liquid plan. I had an issue in that I had a business trip in that first week. I didn't over-indulge by any chance, but I did eat some in that first week. I really started the plan 1 week before. For the first 4 days, I added about 3-4 ounces of protein around 5PM. I was just struggling too much. Still, a 4 ounce serving of protein is pretty darn little for a full day. These last 3 days, I've followed it perfectly - not a bite. No calorie liquids only. I've dropped almost 15 pounds in this week. But I feel sick, weak, tire, cold, and I have headaches. I can make it through, and I'm sure my liver is shopping in the Juniors department by now, but I can't imagine that this is good for my body at all. It's really pushing it.

My banding is tomorrow but my inclination is to tell you to relax. Get your restriction in place. Let yourself heal! Most of what I have read on the band indicates an expected loss of about 2 pounds a week. I also think our bodies have to occasionally stop and catch their breaths before letting more of the weight go. Honestly, I think you need to lower your expectations. I know how frustrating it can be to hope for faster results. (And when I'm here in a month frustrated by the same thing, remind me of what I said. LOL)

I had never heard of them before but they've just opened up in St. Louis so I look forward to trying them. In about 6 weeks, maybe. :lol

I've done about 2 1/2 months of Phentermine, which is responsible for about 30 pounds of my loss. I've stopped taking it as I approach surgery because it elevates blood pressure and heart rate so this past week or so, it's all me trying to follow the liquid diet. I'm on a very restrictive liquid pre-op diet and that's been responsible for the rest of it. I was down another 3 this morning - had to change my sig again. It seems crazy. My surgery is tomorrow so I might end up a couple more down, I guess. It would have been cool to lose 50 BEFORE surgery but I don't think that will happen. LOL I feel really weak, too, so I'm just looking to make it through today...

Mine is the following day - Friday. I'm doing OK on the pre-op diet, losing weight like crazy and sticking pretty close to it. In fact, I have to go change my signature again because I was down 2 more pounds this morning. LOL I've stocked up on Soups and have a list of mushy foods to keep on hand for when I'm ready to move on. I need to send my husband out for some sugar free popsicles but that's about it. Other than that, just hopeing for smooth sailing on Friday and beyond. Good luck to you!

47 hours and 20 minutes for me. :thumbup: I can't wait... It's been over a year since I set this all in motion. A long time coming.... Good luck!

Looking forward to being on top. Looking forward to going to a concert without feeling self-conscious about the seats being too small. Looking forward to traveling up to my NYC office where people haven't seen me since February and having them go :mad5:. Looking forward to having someone flirt with me. Looking forward to cleaning out my damn closet. I no longer want to keep sizes 18 through 24. :lol I'll get rid of all the stuff as I pass out of that size and buy new stuff iun 16, 14, 12... and eventually I'll only have 1 size in there.

I'm doing clear liquids (not broth or anything with calories) and I've added about 4 ounces of Protein at around 5PM. That is getting me through. And I did talk to the nurse on this topic. I don't give 100% blind trust to anyone. Yes, I know I'm letting him operate on me. I have done my homework and verified his background, track record, etc. I have met him multiple times and assessed my "gut" feeling on him as someone who can take care of me. But I do and will continue to question the medical professionals I engage directly as well as to seek information from other sources. Here, I was merely trying to collect input from multiple people. I wasn't going to accept or reject anything just because it did or didn't agree with me. I wanted a sampling of opinions, simple as that.

Headaches. Can't seem to sleep the night. Tossing and turning. Cold all the time - my feet are FROZEN even with socks on. I started my stupid period a week early. (That NEVER happens). Good lord, 3 more days... get me through it. I have not been perfect on the preop diet. I've had about 4 ounces of Protein each day around 5PM. Still, the weight is just falling off, which is good. I'm glad I'm near surgery... I'll still have all the time to pass AFTER surgery before I can have solid food again. Each day is a day closer.

I think, in general, when you're truly hungry, food smells and tastes better than other times.

Not banded yet, but we recently tried the KFC Grilled chicken and it was really good. Tasty and juice (I had dark meat) and I think from what I hear that will be acceptable after surgery once I heal and start solid foods. Also, El Pollo Loco is supposed to have really yummy chicken and maybe a few other things that might work. My last thing is the Japanese place at the mall food court... they have wonderful teriyaki chicken and I'd just get it without rice. (I have no idea what else right now, but I think non-breaded chicken will feature pretty big in my future. LOL)

what are you most looking forward to?? I will be SO glad to get to a place where my shorts don't ride up between my thighs. I want to buy and wear cute belts. I want to be able to shop anywhere and not just plus-size shops.

I want to go skinny dipping with my husband somewhere dark and romantic and a little risky. I will buy ALL new underwear and bras... matching sets, cute ones. I know I'll spend a fortune on this. And I'm not sure when I'll get to these, but I want to FLASH at Mardi Gras and I want to sunbathe topless at a beach that allows that. (On good lord, I'm an exhibitionist trapped in a fat chick's body!!!)

I'm from May (scheduled for Friday of this week) and on my pre-op diet. My doctor requires Clear liquids for 2 weeks. Water, diet soda, flavored water, SF Jello, SF popsicles. Nothing else - no Slimfast or Protein shakes or actual food. Just clear liquids. I haven't been perfect the whole time. The first week I was out of the country on a business trip (but I did tell the surgical office this). I have had a small portion of protein each day the last couple days. Today, so far, I've been perfect. It's my intent to follow it to the letter for these last 3 days before surgery. But I'm so hungry.

My surgery is Friday so I'm on the pre-surgical diet which is very restrictive with my surgeon. I'm sooooooooo hungry. Two more days after today... And then the AFTER surgery hunger. LOL

It raises your blood pressure and heart rate.

My date is May 29th - Friday. I'm so excited! Been waiting a long time... To the original poster - there is a forum here dedicated to those being banded in May 2009 - you'll have plenty of company in that forum. Good luck!

OMG, I had to read that one out loud to my husband. :lol: I'm also gratuitously stealing that line "and I didn't stay at the Holiday Inn last night..." so thank you for that. LOL

I'm scheduled for next Friday, so right at the end of the month. That's me, the caboose - bringing up the rear. :lol And speaking of bringing up the rear, I'm hoping that the loss of weight will.... oh, nevermind. :wink2: I'm 35 pounds down before surgery and expect to drop 5-10 more with this no-calorie liquid thing I'm trying to follow. That feels like a good kick-start even before the surgery.

I think it can be either or both, so you'd probably want/need to clarify if unsure in a specific post. My insurance requires a 6 month physician supervised diet and exercise plan. So that is, of course, pre-op. Some people might call that a pre-op diet in that it's pre-op and a diet. LOL I think most of the time, it seems people are taking about the more restrictive eating sanctions that are imposed for 1-2 weeks prior to surgery. For many, it's a liquid diet but also can be a low-carb or a low-calorie. Surgeons seem to vary greatly on this.

My surgery is next week. I travel for business and I think that once I'm able to resume travel, I will always take Protein bars. I don't have too many worries about most of my travel, but I will need to go to India sometime this summer and I know many people struggle with getting sick over there with regard to food/water. I am going to have to be so careful because I just can't afford to be newly banded and sick so far from home. I'm thinking of eating JUST Protein Bars while there, and only bottled Water from reputable labels. I'm a bit worried.

Ideere, Have you talked about what he's feeling to make him act that way? Perhaps he's scared - maybe he's putting up walls because he's terrified that you will lose weight and find someone else. I'm guessing this is quite common. I think the dynamic of an overweight woman and her spouse is interesting. I often wonder if there are studies on it. I mean, it seems a pretty complicated 'balance' and when something like a major weight change happens, it upsets the whole balance. I don't mean that this is true for ALL couples where one is obese. But IF the obesity is a key part of the balance then it's going to make this change very difficult. If he chose you partially because you were obese (maybe he's attracted to that, maybe he thinks it will give him more security because other men won't pursue you, maybe he thinks it will give him more control because you will be insecure and eager to please, etc.) and you no longer are, that is a significant thing. It changes everything for him - in one case, his attraction to you, in another his security around being the "only man" who wants you, and in the last his ability to assert his will onto you. And - conversely - if an obese woman "settled" for a man who is less than she deserves, simply because she thought that was all she could get, then once she loses the weight, watch out. Suddenly, her self-worth goes up, she gains confidence and she re-thinks why she's with this jerk at all. Then the balance of the marriage shifts radically. I'm sorry about what you're going through. I'm merely wondering if his actions toward you are more out of FEAR than ill-intent. Good luck with it all.