Jodi_620

I have been on Metformin for about 5 years now. It did help regulate me and helped a little with the facial hair. My endocrinologist seems pretty confident that if all goes well with the lap band I will no longer need the Metformin.

Chewable vitamins are best. I am on a daily vitamin (Flintstone vitamins) and Calcium (Caltrate chewable).

Are you using GasX? If not, get the disolving strips that you put on your tongue, they come in mint flavor and cinnamon.

What and how much are you eating? Are you gaining? You are still in the healing phase so your goal at this time really is not to lose weight. But I am at the same stage as you so I understand that you also want to maintain or lose during this time. I was banded on 5/30. My surgeon requires two weeks liquid, two weeks protein before going to soft foods and my first fill will be at six weeks. But once you start getting fills, then your weight loss should start.

The idea is to keep the food in your pouch so you feel full and stay full longer. Drinking during the meal can wash the food into your lower stomach defeating the purpose of the band.

Yes, I had second thoughts too. I was like Jack, sitting in the pre-op room I suddenly truly wanted to jump up and run out of that hospital...hospital gown and all. And I am not sure if we are silly but in the beginning my biggest worry about the whole process was giving up the Diet Pepsi too I just didn't think I could possibly do it. I gave it up on the first day of my pre-op diet and the first 2-3 days were the hardest only because I had caffeine headaches, I just kept popping Advil until I got through it. I replaced the Diet Pepsi can with Crystal Light and it wasn't nearly as hard as I had imagined. Eating without drink has been a little more of a challange but it is not like I feel I NEED a drink but I am having trouble shaking the HABIT of reaching for a drink. When I remind myself that I can't have it I do just fine.

Thank you everyone for your support. Things are getting better every day. I am still having breathing problems, if I move around or talk too long I eventually start "panting" for breath and a deep breath will still bring that terrible pain below my breasts. My lungs are hurting a bit from all of this labored breathing (kinda feels like a chest cold). But I am able to do a little more each day. Was able to get some nutrition down for the first time yesterday...1/4 cup of V-8 juice in the AM and 1/4 cup of Liquid Protein in the PM sipped on each for about 30 minutes. Got on the scale yesterday and found that I am up to 22lbs lost since the beginning of pre-op diet!

Still in ALOT of pain. I am having trouble breathing and if I move wrong or take in a deep breath it feels like my insides are going to spill out. There is an incision just below my breasts in the center and that is where the pain is. I feel like I have to hold onto this area when I move just to hold everything in. I was scared and called the on-call physician on Saturday I could barely get enough breath to talk to him. He said that the pain was from hiatal hernia repair, it was supposed to be a slight hernia. I stayed pretty much drugged up Fri, Sat & most of Sunday. I am forcing myself to move around today.

Well everyone-This will be my last post as a pre-bandster. My surgery is first thing in the morning and I probably won't be back online until sometime afterwards. Wish me luck!!!

:thumbup:Congratulations on getting your band-date...June 20th is my birthday! Last Supper Syndrome...I like that! The days leading up to my pre-op diet, I had several "Last Suppers". I ate all of my favorites but everything went a little faster for me so I only had about five "pig out" day between approval and the start of my pre-op diet. I agree with Thenume, go ahead and eat a little bit of all your favorite foods.

I haven't used them in a while but if I remember correctly, sodium-wise Healthy Choice brand is better than Lean Cuisine.

That depends on what your particular plan allows. They often cover somewhere between 80%-100% but it could be as low as 50%. The only way to be sure is to call and ask.

And same to you Coco...I didn't do Memorial Day this year. We usually have my hubby's family over for a BBQ, he had to work part of the day and with my diet, everyone was understanding when I skipped this year. Instead I worked in the yard and smelled the BBQ smells wafting through the neighborhood and that was hard enough! ````````````````````````````````` Thanks, To be free. The time went by pretty fast, the first four days were the hardest for me. ````````````````````````````````` I wish you both all the best!!!!

Well I am on day 13 of my liquid protein diet. I have done well and today was the true test. Up until now I have just avoided food situations but we had our monthly lunch meeting at work. This month was a catered "Fiesta" lunch with chicken wings, rice, salad, tortilla chips and cookies/brownies. :frown: I sat with everyone and had my mug of chicken broth and didn't cheat!!!! I haven't yet told everyone about what kind of surgery I am having and wondered how this would go (would they ask questions?) nobody asked they just sympathized with me having to watch all of them eat. I go in for my surgery at 6AM this Friday!!!! :sad:

I go in to be banded on Friday and I will be getting my hiatal hernia repaired as well. I was told that the surgery will take a little longer. I was also told that the shoulder pain may be worse or stick around for a few days longer than normal with the additional surgery, was that true for you all?

You are welcome Lisa...looking at your list, things look pretty good for insurance approval. Best of luck!

Surprisingly well. The first four days were the hardest. I gave up my beloved Diet Pepsi on the first day of my diet so that made things a bit more difficult. I dealt with headaches from the caffeine withdrawl for the first two days. The fourth day was the worst- I felt awful and almost gave up, I was hungry, dizzy, irritable and I wanted carbohydrates so bad. But I toughed it out and by day five things were much easier-not easy but easiER. I just take it one day at a time and any time I feel hungry I take in some protein. I have lost 13 pounds.:smile2:

I don't have the same insurance but here are some more comorbity conditions that may be accepted: Cardiovascular Disease (High cholesterol, hardening of the arteries or other heart problems) Diabetes Hypertension (High Blood pressure) sleep Apnea GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) Degenerative Disk Problems in the back Degenerative joint problems(hips,knees, ankles and feet)

I have United Healthcare and they are covering my surgery. I have a BMI of 41, I had absolutely no problem getting covered they didn't require anything from me. But from the information you provided, it is possible that you will not be able to get insurance to cover it. Most policies have guidelines of a BMI of 35 to 40 with comorbities OR a BMI over 40. Your current BMI is 34.6. Being just under 35 with no health problems there is a good chance that they will not cover it. With the guidelines I mentioned at your height you would either need to be 251lbs-285lbs with comorbities or 286 plus pounds with no health problems.

This one stumped me when I first came here too. It stands for productive burping. It happens if you do not chew your food enough or if you eat too fast; you burp your food back up.

I haven't been banded yet so I can't answer all of your questions but I just wanted to "chime in" on the diet soda thing. I was a Diet Pepsi addict. That was my biggest worry...I just couldn't imagine living without it. I didn't go anywhere without a Diet Pepsi bottle/can in my hand and drank about 6-8+ per day. I started my liquid pre-op diet a week ago today and I haven't touched a Diet Pepsi since last Thursday. :thumbup:The dietician recommended that I wean myself off slowly but I wanted to make all my changes once the pre-op diet kicked in so I quit cold turkey. I did have a pretty bad headache for the first two days, Advil helped with that though. I replaced it with water and Crystal Light (those little "on the go" packets are great), and you know what?...I really do not miss it like I thought I would. The hardest part is getting the caffeine out of your system.

My surgeon explained it much like AthinnerDenise did. The Vagus nerve is on the top portion of the stomach, it is like a sensor that detects when our stomach is full. When we fill our stomach to the top, the food reaches this nerve and the nerve sends a message to our brain that we are full. Without a band we have to put a lot more food into our stomach before it is full and triggers this nerve. But since the band is placed on the top portion of our stomach, we eat a lot less before the food triggers this nerve. The band also holds the food in that upper portion longer so have that full feeling longer. With the band, since it takes less food to get the "full" message, it takes less time to fill your stomach so you get full faster than without the band.

As I am sure you are well aware we all are given different instructions on the pre-op. For me, as far as flavor I can have any flavor I like. I can mix it with water or Hood Milk (whatever that is...I never bothered going out to look for it). I can't have regular milk during my pre-op diet.

Thanks for your reply Renee. I suspected that it had something to do with tracking my progress. Before she left the room for me to go through with the scan she told me that I could take a look at the picture on the monitor when I was done, I assumed that she would explain afterwards what exactly I was looking at but I went straight from there to sit down with the surgeon and I never did get to ask the nurse about it. You are right, it does show every lump and bump and roll...I stepped out of that booth and I was like... :rolleyes2:

That is exactly what my nutrionist recommended that I use. Along with the Atkins or EAS prepackaged shakes. She said she would prefer that I not use Slim Fast or anything that says "meal replacement".