momcof3

I have been going to Curves for about a year now and love it. The Curves I go to has the computerized machines now - it keeps track of your progress and tells you when to stop based on your previous workout. I can see on the computer screen which areas I need to work on and also how many calories I burned. I have tone up a lot since starting. I go 2 - 3 times a week and it only takes about 40 minutes. I will be 2 wks post op on 9/9 and I am going to go back to Curves this week but will be taking it easy on anything involving my torso.

I had two days of clear liquids, 2-3 weeksof full liquids(I will be done with this on 9/15), 2-3 weeks of pureed, 2-3 weeks of semi-soft, and then I get to eat regular food by week 12. I have to wait for them to call me to advance to the next stage. I am sick of Cream of Wheat and sugar free pudding, and tomato soup. I am even getting tired of sugar free popsicles. The highlight of my day is my calcium chew. I have lost 12 lbs since my surgery on Aug 26 - bringing me to a total of 42 since May 9. I am thrilled to have lost the weight, but at times I mourn the loss of food - my case manager said that would happen. 285/243/ goal 170

I am now 10 days post-op and still on full liquids. Last Friday 245 Today 244 How can I have only lost one pound when I am only eating 1/4 cream of wheat for Breakfast, 1 yoplait yogurt for lunch, and 1/2 cup tomato Soup for dinner? I did lost 10 lbs the week after surgery, but this is ridiculous. I know I should be grateful for losing anything ( I have now lost 41 lbs since orientation), but I am so hungry.

You are lucky. I was on clear liquids the day of surgery and for two days afterwards. Then I went to full liquid - which I will be on until Sept 15, then I will go to pureed for two weeks, then to semi-soft for two weeks. I don't go to regular food until about 12 weeks after my surgery. I am getting use to being hungry. I have lost 10 lbs since my surgery on August 26 - bringing it to a total of 40 lbs since my orientation on May 9. I'm sure it will slow down now and I will have to be patient.

I am 9 days post-op and I was "glued" shut instead of stitched and no steri strips or bandaids. The edges have fallen off by themselves and although my incisions are starting to itch, I wouldn't try to get the rest of the glue off. I was told to let the glue come off by itself. I can take showers but no baths, swimming, or hottubs until week 3. Banded 8/26/08

I was banded on 8/26/08 and had planned on going back to work today - one week afterward. But I ended up staying home. I have to drive 20 miles each way to work and sit at a desk all day. I am feeling pretty good but it is uncomfortable and gets painful to sit straight up for long periods of time. I tried just taking a Tylenol yesterday and didn't have a nap and by evening I was in pain and feeling weak. I would take at least a week off if you can and then play it by ear.

I hope you are feeling better. I had just logged on to the forum to see if there was any information on loose bowels and saw your thread. I was constipated the first day, but after going the first time, I have gone at least twice a day and it has been super loose. I just graduated to full liquids yesterday so I was wondering how I even had anything to go. I think it may be the artificial sweetener in the sugar free pudding, sugar free jello, splenda in the caffeine free ice tea, and the sugar free popsicles, plus all the water. I am hoping my body is just cleaning itself out as it has not been this empty for this long probably ever.

I had my surgery Aug 26 and took the liquid Vicodin regularly up until today- I took my 3 tsp at 6 am and then again at 2 pm before going to the grocery store (don't worry I didn't drive, my parents took me). I am going to take it before bed as I have been having a hard time sleeping. If the pain is bad, take the pain meds. If they didn't expect me to maybe need it, they wouldn't have given me such a big bottle. My Vicodin says 3 tsp every 2 hours.

They are steri-strips - which are put over the stitches. Yes, you are supposed to let them fall off by themselves. I ended up getting glued shut, but they had explained the stitches/steri-strip instructions to us at my pre-op class. You are not supposed to get them soaking wet either - they can get wet, but dab them dry afterward. Hope this helps. I had surgery on Aug 26. I have not any hiccups. I was told to sip 1 oz of liquid every 15 minutes to avoid gas and air. The couple of times I have forgotten and drank more, I have gotten a gas bubble. Pam

Congratulations! I can only get better. You have a great attitude.

I felt the same way yesterday when I started my full liquid diet - which I have to be on until they call me on Sept 15. Who would think I would get so exicited to eat 1/4 cup cream of wheat or a sugar free chocolate pudding cup. I had my cream of wheat for Breakfast this morning and a sugar free popsicle a couple of hours afterwards. My program is pretty strict - no smoking of any kind, no alcohol, no straws, no gum, using my Spirometer etc. I have been reading some of the posts this morning about some people wanting to smoke pot, cigarettes, drink alcohol, eat solids too early, etc. I think every program's guidelines are different and as we are all adults, it is up to each of us to decide what we are going to follow. I plan to follow my program's guidelines and food directions they way they were given go me. I have to be accountable to only myself as far as what I decide to do and also then how successful I am. I don't think they require psychological counseling and all the classes just to be a pain to us - overeating is an addictive behavior and if I get my overeating under control, I don't want to transfer that addictive behavior to alcohol or drugs. Why would be have surgery to get healthier to then only have other unhealthy behaviors? Just my opinion - not meant to offend anyone. Pam orientation 5/9/08 285 lbs surgery 8/26/08 255 lbs 8/30/2008 248 lbs

I chew on Flinstones Complete a day and one Kirkland Calcium Chew a day. I was told not wait at least 2 hours after taking the vitamin before I do the calcium - something about the vitamin cancelling the calcium if they are taken sooner than two hours apart. I was also told to wait at least two hours after drinking tea before taking my calcium. I get both my vitamins and calcium chews at Costco.

Congratulations! How are you feeling today? Only two more days and all of the August Bandsters will be banded - wow that went fast.

I guess I can join this now. I started at 285 on my orientation day May 9 I weighed 255 on 8/26 - my surgery date I weighed 250 this morning - so I lost 5 lbs since my surgery day on Tuesday. I was almost afraid to get on the scale as they said to wait until one week after surgery, but I was curious. Pam

I have learned that each program and doctor have different guidelines. I did the clear liquids the day of the surgery and the next two days. I did chicken broth, sugar free jello, water, and caffeine free iced tea with Splenda. I wasn't really hungry until last night (my last day of clear liquids). I got to move to full liquids today - I had thin cream of wheat = 1/4 c for breakfast, a sugar free chocolate pudding for lunch and I am going to have applesauce for dinner. I have to stay on the full liquid diet until Sept 15. I was told to start taking my Flinstones Vitamin and Calcium Chew the day after my surgery - I just have to chew them until they dissolve. So may that is what has given me energy.

Congratulations on the surgery. I had my surgery four days ago and I finally felt much beter today. I was able to take a shower and I advanced to full liquids. The first couple of days were pretty hard - but it takes some time for your body to recover. Although Lapband is less evasive than gastric, it is still a major surgery and our bodies have to heal and adjust. I hope it gets better for you soon.

Congratulations to all the Aug 26 banders and the Aug 27 banders in advance too. I had to be at Richmond CA Kaiser yesterday at 6:30 am which meant leaving Sacramento at 4:30 am. My dad and I got there early, but didn't want to chance traffic on the freeway. I had my surgery at 8 am and was down in Radiology at 10:45 drinking the stuff to make sure everything was okay. I was in the car on the way home at 12:30. I was lucky and had an excellent nurse who did the IV and I have to look hard to see where it even was today. I walked into the operating room, laid down and that is all I remember. I haven't had any nausea, but the port incision is the one that hurts. I started in my bed last night, but moved down to the recliner at 11 pm for the night. I had to get up about every 2 1/2 hours to go to the bathroom and I also took a Gas X strip and pain meds. The recovery room nurse called me today to see if I was ok and if I had any questions. All of the staff was awesome at the hospital. I am home from work until next Tuesday and hope some of the pain goes away so I can sit at my desk at work all day. We did it!

I had my banding yesterday at 8 am (had to be there at 6:30 am which meant leaving Sacramento at 4 am) and left the hospital at 12:30 to come home. I am feeling pretty good - is painful to get up and also to bend over. The only incision area that really hurts is where the port is. I started out in my bed last night, but moved downstairs to the recliner at 11 pm for the night. I got up about every three hours to go to the bathroom and I took more pain meds. I had sugar free Jello this morning and for dinner. I tried beef broth, but it was nasty. I had one sugar free popsicle last night. I brewed some caffeine free iced tea today and it tastes so yummy. I haven't really been hungry and I get to move to cream of wheat and sugar free pudding on Friday. The surgeon and the nurses and all of the staff at Richmond CA Kaiser were awesome. The recovery room nurse called me today to see if I was doing okay and if I had any questions. Glad to hear Jason and the rest of use Aug 26 banders are doing okay. Pam

I was in a really comfortable recliner for my pre-op preparation and the walk to the OR only took a couple of minutes. The Richmond CA Kaiser only has 3 operating rooms so the whole area is pretty small. They have construction going on to have more OR rooms. I tried beef broth today - yuck. The chicken broth I just drank was tasty though. I am suprised you went to Walmart already. The furthest I have walked is across the street yesterday afternoon to get my mail. Is your port site really sore? It kills when I get up or down and I can't bend over to pick anything up off the floor. I checked with my surgeon about drinking Protein drinks and my program doesn't want us to drink them - even later. He said to eat my protein as it will fill the pouch and keep you full longer. I get to take my first shower tomorrow and that will be nice. Do you have sutures and dressings? I was glued shut with no dressings. Take it easy - no more shopping trips. :thumbup: Pam

I am glad you questioned the waiting 2 hours after a meal to drink. I just rechecked my binder and I actually have to stop drinking 10-15 minutes before a meal and wait 1 hour after a meal to drink again. My nutritionist said that if you drink with a meal or shortly thereafter, the liquid will make the food you ate go through your stoma faster and you will we hungry. I think I need to make a list of important items to hang up so I don't forget anything.

In my program we are not allowed snacks. We get three meals a day and that is it. I will have to stop drinking 15 minutes before a meal and 2 hours afterward. I am having my surgery tomorrow.

I think it depends on the program. I have Kaiser and you have to have a BMI of 40 with no medical problems, or 35 with medical issues. Kind of sad though, because do they want you to gain weight so you can have the surgery? Not very preventative is it. Good Luck.

I don't have to do a liquid diet today. I had to take 3 tblsp of Milk of Magnesia this a.m. and I have to stop eating at 6 pm with only Clear liquids until midnight. I have been on a 1200 calorie food plan since orientation and it goes right up to today at 6 pm, but I am going to have Soup for dinner at 5 pm. I made my trip to Walmart already yesterday and got my Gas X strips after reading about them on the forum. I have been writing down questions to ask tomorrow as I think of them. I need to ask about the Protein drinks as they did not mention them at all as an option for after the post op clear liquid days. Good luck and I will think good thoughts for you tomorrow. Pam

Hi Jason - I am getting banded the same day as you, but in Richmond CA. Pam

I am interested in the Elk Grove group as I actually live on the border of Elk Grove and Sacramento. Please let me know who to contact to find out when and where they meet. You can e-mail me directly if you want at momcof3@frontiernet.net . I think you need to choose whichever procedure you feel most comfortable with and want. It is a personal choice and as you are the one who has to deal with the process and the after appointments, it needs to be what you want to do. Good luck. I am getting nervous about Tuesday - I reread my binder this morning going over the steps I need to take tomorrow and then on Tuesday. I have all my Clear Liquids for the first two days after the surgery and my modified liquids for the period after that. My case manager is going to call me the day after the surgery and then my nutritionist is going to call me when it is time to go to the pureed food stage. Pam