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I was banded on 3/9 and am now allowed to eat everything, and let me tell you I'm starving. I can eat so much more than one would think, and get really really hungry. I am having my first fill on Monday and am praying I'll get some restriction.

I was banded on 3/9 as well, but I wont get my first fill untill 4/23. At this point I have no restriction and can eat anything I want. I have had a couple of bad meals but for the most part I am still eating right, Working on small bites and chewing well. As for the hungry part that is why they call this "Bandster Hell". I keep in mind what it is that I am trying to accomplish, and the hungries don't seem so bad. Thanks for your reponse, I feel better knowing that others are experiencing the same thing. I'm finding it really really difficult to eat right, I'm trying but it's really hard. I am also going into that negative "last supper" kind of place, b/c I know that once I have restriction things will be off limits. I guess all I can do is try, and hope that once Monday comes and I get my fill I'll have some real restriction.

I'm back to regular food and it's freaking me out b/c I can eat a ton. Way way way more than I expected to be able to eat - almost back to pre-surgerical amounts. I have to chew well or things feel stuck but thank god I have not thrown up once (had a couple close calls but was able to keep it down) and am really able to eat. Is anyone else finding that they have no restriction? I am sure that I have gained some weight back (too scared to weigh myself) but I get so hungry! My first fill is on Monday and I can't wait - hopefully I'll get some restriction then. How are the rest of you doing?

I am ten days post op and am on my first days of mushies. I am completely petrified of screwing this up and not losing weight with my band so would like to diligently track my calorie intake. Does anyone know of a program that could work on my blackberry so I can track everything in real time? Any advice is much appreciated!

i was march 9th also. it took about a week but i definitely feel like i'm back to normal. i can tell that i'm healing inside b/c i drink liquids much more quickly than i could a week ago, and i'm starting to feel hungry again. how are you all doing?

um yes. i was having meltdowns for the few days before and was seriously petrified. i'm thrilled now that i didn't run out of that hospital but believe me i wanted to. you'll be fine.

You have to ask your surgeon what he allows. Mine (Dr. Fielding at NYU) allows one cup of caffeinated coffee per day, but some feel that it's too acidic or something.

The pain in your chest is most likely from gas pain. The best way to get rid of the gas is to be active, walk around your house and go for short walks outside. I had surgery last Monday and by Friday the gas pain was negligible, and what really made the difference was movement. Feel better!

Benefiber is actually the one that I bought! I didn't get the individual packets, but I would imagine the powder should work the same way.

thanks! it seems they recommend fiber powders like metamucil so i went and got some. i'm not taking pain meds, been staying away trying to avoid this problem. so much for that!

Hi All I had surgery on Monday (today is Thursday) and I'm feeling really constipated. I'm wondering if anyone has any tricks to help go to the bathroom? I've been drinking as much as I can (low cal vitamin water) with two protein shakes and some broth a day for hunger. Any advice?

I had surgery at NYU with Dr. Fielding and I know they do aftercare for people who've had surgery out of the country. The office is busy but it's worth it to be able to take advantage of their vast experience.

my surgeon allows one cup of caffeine post surgery, thank god. he doesn't want us having more than that b/c of hydration issues.

Thanks ladies! I told the nurse and she gave me a pad and the whole thing was fine. I just got home from the hospital and am pretty sore but am working on recovering.

I just got home from the hospital, my surgery was yesterday 3/9/09. I'm feeling pretty ok, have a lot of gas pain so need to start hitting the Gas-X. walked around as much as i could last night to start the gas moving and it did help a bit but not enough. my incisions are quite sore, my surgeon Dr. Fielding at NYU has a new method where he only does two incisions so I only have two but they definitely hurt. Am trying to take it easy and recover. Good luck to everyone who's surgeries are coming up!

So my period was a week late this month (of all the months to be off schedule). My surgery is tomorrow morning and I'm going to have my period. Did anyone else have this? Is there anything I need to do differently? I'm so annoyed that I'm going to have to deal this while in the hospital.

I didn't lose weight on my 6 month diet. I did lose some the first month but gained it back the next month and then fluctuated up and down by 2-3 pounds for the next four months, ending exactly where I started. I was approved by Aetna in one day. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Good luck Gabi! Come back and tell us about it! Thanks for the good wishes ljjluv. My surgery is tomorrow and I am wayyyy nervous. I cheated on my pre-op diet (was supposed to be full liquids but some days did 2 shakes plus one meal), but I still lost 11 pounds so I'm hoping I'll be fine.

I did not lose weight in my six month diet either, and Aetna approved me with no problems. If your other paperwork is in order you will probably be fine.

I think there are a bunch of us being banded today - just want to wish good luck and easy recovery to the first of the March 2009 bandsters!

I'm not really discouraged. I just know that I need to behave myself going forward. I have 8 more full days until surgery, and they need to be liquid. No more picking at the popcorn flavored jelly bellys sitting on my coffee table :wink:

I had a really bad couple of days on the pre-op diet, major major cheating going on. I think part of it is because my surgeon requires two full weeks of just liquids, and I know that so many people do one week or three days. Going forward I can't cheat, b/c I need to have at least one real week of liquids - surgery is March 9th.

I have told many of my close friends that I'm having surgery, as well as my family and some of my coworkers (the ones who have become my real friends). I have only gotten incredibly supportive reactions, and when I bring up the whole "I don't want you to think I'm copping out" issue, they defend my decision to me! They tell me that they have seen me struggle for so many years and diet like a crazy person and nothing has worked, and that if I have found something that could be a long-term solution than they are proud of me for going ahead with the surgery. I don't tell everyone in my life, but the people who I have told (probably around 20 friends + coworkers) have been consistently supportive, and only want to know how they can help me. Just another perspective.

I decided I wanted to get banded in April 2008 and my surgery date is March 9th, 2009. That's almost a year from decision time to surgery, it took that long to do all the insurance requirements etc. I kind of found it helpful because now that the date is almost here I feel like I have researched the hell out of it and know what I'm getting into. Also b/c I've worked so hard to make this happen I'm hopeful that I'll follow all the rules to a T.

I actually had a salad for lunch with a tablespoon of fat free dressing and feel decadent! I also was at the GP this morning for pre-surgical clearance and I weighed myself, and I have lost 8 pounds in the last three days (I weighed myself at pre-op testing on Monday). Some of that weight was newly gained in my pre-band eating fest but not all.