sxevan9

I titled this thread "Listening to my Body" because that is exactly what I realized I have to do since surgery. This past weekend I experienced my first case of :tt2:heartburn, indegestion, acid reflux.:cool2: So many different names you use, but they all mean the samething. At first I had no idea what it was, but after a day of feeling that way I realized and than again it was only after a dear friend of mines came to the house and I told her I was feeling she said it sound like... Since I've never had:frown: heart burn, indegestion, acid reflux:frown: I had know idea what I was feeling. The feeling. My throat and chest was hurting. Everytime I swolled it just hurt. First I thought I was had a cold I was developing. Don't laugh, it was my throat and chest hurting why not. But didn't have any of the other sysmptoms. Nothing I ate was going down right, I just didn't feel good. The cauase.... Wendesday after my last minute shopping, rushing around picking up this person and that person and knowing I had to go home and start preparing my Thanksgiving meal. I made a very drastic mistake. I'm almost ashmed to say this, but we are here to share and that is what I'm doing. I went and picked up fast food for dinner for my house, so I would not have to cook. I already had guest in that evening. Of all things I got.. Popeyes Spicy chicken. 1st mistake. When I arrived home I rushed and ate a pcs of chicken 2nd mistake. and than jumped right up and started cooking 3d mistake. So not only did I buy the wrong food I ate the crap too fast without chewing it up properly and than jumped right up and started working. Needless to say why I ended up with :sad:HEARTBURN, INDEGESTION, ACID REFLUX:frown:. Whatever you want to call it.. Lesson Learned... Don't eat crappy food, for any reason at all, no matter what. Take my time and chew whatever I eat and for goodness sake Listen to my Body:cursing::cursing::cursing:.

Thanks for the advise. I ordered the book yesterday and it was shipped today, from Amazon. The funny thing it was out of stock at every Borders book near my home. Must be a good book.

I was banded on 10/23 and also have the Realize Band. I don't have much discomfort now, but when I first had the surgery I did feel a little twinge where the port was inserted if I flipped wrong in the bed at night or try to lay on my stomach, but now eveyrthing is fine. I think the sweeling is longer than I expected, but don't second guess yourself you will be okay. Good Luck

Welcome to the group. Congrats on making what is a very big step in a new you. Where in Maryland are you having your WLS. I also live in Maryland, but my WLS was in Washington DC. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.. we all are in this together and need the support of each other to acheive our goals.

First of all.. YOU GO GIRL. 34lbs lost already, you are doing wonderful. Every doctor is different. My doctor had me on liquids for two weeks, but when I went to the office for post op which was about three days prior to my 2nd week they moved me to a modified regular diet. He told me to just make sure I don't eat anything that is hard to digest like steak and to also make sure I chew my food very well. As far liquids the rule I was given was not to dring any calories. I drank a lot of apple juice even though it had a few calories, it wasn't alot. Congrats again on joining the world of the banded.

I'm happy to hear that things are going well for you. You are my insperation. You are knocking on Onderland. Look how far you have come. Please check in and keep us posted on your continue progress. We will throw you an on-line party when that Onderland is reachd.

I had my post-op appointment yesterday and I've lost a total of 23lbs. That includes the post op 10lbs and 13lbs since surgery. My doctor said I was doing good, but the hard part is now. Since the swelling is gone I'm not going to feel any restrictions. My first fill is not until 19-December. He told me to stay with my modified 1200 calorie diet exercise and maintain. He said if I could maintain what I've lost until I get my restrictions and hit my "sweet spot" that would be great. If I lost anything in the process even better. So with that in mind just keep devloping "good" eating habits and when you start your fills you will be ready to go...

Hey Niki, Glad to hear everything went well and that you are doing so good. Take it easy though give your body time to heal and keep us posted. We are only a week apart from our surgery dates. :thumbup:

Good Morning Everybody, Wanted to check in... I was banded 10/23 @ 7:30 am. My docotor required one night stay in the hospital. I was realeased yesterday ( 10/24) around 1:00 ish. I think I would have preferred being home that first day. You can't sleep in the hospital, they think it okay to keep waking you up asking you if you are okay. LOL I'm doing well not to much gas pain, but I do have gas... my son asked how in the world do I have gas if I don't have any "real food" in my stomach. You know that is a good question. I'm moving around the house like a turtle, but all in all I'm good. I'm so glad this day has come and I'm only looking forward. I'm in my first week of post-op diet first two the three days of clear liquuids. I got some unjury products from the hospital www.unjury.com and the chicken Soup mixed with low sodium chicken broth is very good. I recommend you try it if you need something with high Protein for post op. I've also got some muscle milk from GNC wihich has a high protein count also not bad (banana creme flavor). Keep up all the good work ladies.. we deserve this new start.

Dawn.. That is the best news. I'm happy you got your date. I've decided not to wish you luck, because you don't need it... You have this in the bag and I know you are going to breeze through the pre-op diet and surgery. Keep us all posted.

I was banded on 10/23 and was told that the only restriction that I'm feeling right now is swelling from surgery. Once the swelling is gone I will probably not feel any restriction, but to keep up with my food stages and also main the 1200 calorie diet. You won't start feeling restrictions until your first maybe second and third fill, but all in all it is worth it.. this process is much slower than gastric bypass, but all in all it will work. You are on your way..

Eight days since my band... and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm glad I took off as much time as I did..don't think I would have been ready to go back to work any sooner than Monday. Even than I figure it best to take it easy. liquid Diet - 2 weeks of pure h*@!. This is a challenge. May not be bad if you live alone and don't have to watch other family members prepare and eat meals while you drink yours out of a glass or with a spoon, but I know it is "part" of the process. I have five more days until I graduate to mushies and I can't wait. LOL That sounds funny excited about mushies. Hope everybody is doing well and I will keep everybody posted.

I have the realize band also. Have you gone to the realize website yet. Congrats on being banded .. we had our wls a day apart.

Thanks for the information April. I've read several post about the couch to 5k and was planning to do some reaserach I really appreciate the link for the podcast.. Now all I have to do is fugre out how to put it on my IPOD. LOL

Don't let anybody stop you from doing in your heart what you want. Tell that doctor you have the support required to be successfull and this is what you have decided. It isn't any reason for her not to provide you with a positive letter. Stand your ground. I'm sorry to hear that you are even getting this push back. My Psych visit was great. After talking to my doctor she said "This sounds like something you have decided to do for you after doing for everybody else for so long" support. This doctor sounds like she needs to go and see a Psych. Okay that might not have been nice, but where does she get off, saying this to you know how hard it is to even come to this choice. You will be alright. You march right back in there and let her know you didn't appreciate those comments and to be more positive and give you your dag on letter.

My procedure isn't self pay, but I tell you I've spent so much money alreaady it is a shame... I have Cigna and everytime I go to a doctor outside of my Primary Care my co-payment is $40. So for the entire six months I was under the supervised weight management (and those appointments where 2-3 times a week) $40, Phyc appt (twice) $40, the surgeon's office (three appointments ) $40 and get this my doctors office charged $350 for a seminar to go over the pre-op / post op nutrition and this was required. This in my opinion was a rip off because everything we talked about I have already talked about with my own Nutrionist. Plus .. Oh yeah I'm not finished I have a $250 copayment and I'm responsible for 10% of the first $10,000 of the cost of the surgery which is $1,000. I have not added it up but it is cheaper than self pay and oh yeah.. It is all tax deductible. Thank Goodness

I'm sure you guys recall all the drama I've gone through with the my doctors office staff to get my paperwork submitted to the insurance company and not being notifed once I was approved.:huh2: I honestly thought I was smooth sailing now since I have my date. And don't forget the drama about trying to make spend an additional :laugh:$483 on Optifast products for this crazy three week pre-op. After battling all this I get a call yesterday at :cursing:4:50 from the nurse at the doctor's office and they tell me I need 1. Pre-op Physcial (within six months of surgery) 2. Chest X-Ray 3. EKG 4. CBC (Blood Work) 5. Cam- 7 (Blood Work) Of course I asked why would I JUST be told this when I'm a week and half away from my surgery 10/23. This should have been told when I gave my paperwork to be submitted, or maybe within the two weeks straight I called to get my paperwork submitted, or how about when I received my date and if all else when I came in the office to get the pre-op diet. But less than two weeks before surgery. Does this sound stupid to anyone else? So now I'm waiting for my Primary Care office to open to see I can beg my way in for an appointment to get this taken care of because of course if I can't my surgery will have to be postponed. And I've already scheduled the time off of my job. What I don't get.. don't this doctor's office know that the lapband community is small. And if they provide poor service it will impact new clients? Needless to say I'm PISSED.

My doctor's office (Primary Care) worked me in on Thursday so I will get the Physcial, EKG and orders for everything else taken care of on that day and the following day get the blood work and the actual XRAY. I've realized something... We all have to work hard to have this surgery. We have proven the test of time. The six month weight managment, mental health eval., test etc. If we have not shown our committed we are to our new lifestyle. I don't what else we can do to prove it....

Just realized you are from Maryland. What part? I'm in Suitland. I decided to do the Lapband Surgery because the procdeure was less invasive. I didn't want my internal organs rerouted. I also knew the weight loss would be slow and figured it would allow me the opportunity to work out at the same time so i could tone my body. I didn't want the weight to drop off so fast and than end up with the probelm with all that skin. I didn't know to much about the sleeve, they didn't discuss it in my seminar, but I did check just now to see what was the difference in this surgery and I must say I don't think I would have leaned toward this either. I don't like the idea of 1/2 of my stomach being removed and the remaining being shapped like a banana. I would think that you could stretch that out just like people are doing with the gastric bypass procedure. I feel this is best for me, because I understand that is just a tool and I will have to do the work to see the progress.

Everythng is going to work out .. don't let the pass predict your future. You will be succesful and you are going to be able to sport that awesome new gear on the next cruise. You have such a big support system here and just like it was said now a tool to help. Good Luck and keep us posted.

That is good news.. Congratulations. I'm an October Banster also officially "Smashing Pumpkin". Good Luck and keep us posted.

Hi..Most Insruance companies that require six month supervised weight management do not accept Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem etc. You need to check with the insurance company just like the other post suggested, because if six month is required you will have to start seeing a Dietition. My appointments was every two to three weeks over the six month period. On top of that I also had to go a Physholgist and get cleared, receive a referral from my PCP and also provide a copy of my last complete check up. If you start now seeing the Dietition in January when your insuranse will cover the procedure you will be half way there. Good Luck

Welcome ladies.. I know you will find all the support you need plus with this forum. I've come to think of the ladies on this group as sisters. Chokolateqt I'm also in the DC area. I live in Suitland Md. I'm scheduled to be banded on October 23rd. Which doctor did you go to? If you need a work out buddy let me know we can motiviate each other.

My pre-op diet starts today. I met with the Nutritionist at my surgeons office yesterday. My diet is 3 weeks. YEP three weeks and get this they want you to do it all on Optifast. Needless to say I had some problems with that especially since for three weeks the price would have been $488. I told them I don't have $500 just laying around to buy shakes, Soups and bars. They actually tried to justify it by saying this is what you would spend for food shopping and we ask you to put it towards the product. I don't know about any of you but I don't spend $500 for food and I have three people in my house... and I guess my other family members are not suppose to eat within that three weeks? Anyway after they realized that wasn't going to happen I received a more realistic or as they call it "Modified Low Carb 1200 Cal Diet Plan". I wouldn't have been able to use Optifiast anyway because it has artifical sweeteners and that gives me terrible headaches. So my questions Lap Band Sisters what type of pre-op diet do you have to do and for how long?