LindaV

Hey Houstoncg, Welcome to bandland. I was banded on Monday! You should check out the "May 2006 Band Crew" thread. It's a great place to find support and people to go through the process with. I have been "eating" (term used VERY loosly) mostly yogurt smoothies, whdy Protein shakes, and some yummy cream potato cheese soup (blended very well). I am going to try blending some bean with bacon soup for dinner tonight. Someone told me that was good. How are you feeling? Most of us who had surgery this week are feeling a little better each day. How are you eating/drinking? Those of us who have been posting are having varying degrees of success/struggles in this area. One person has even resorted to making Protein ice cubes to try to get her protein in -- I thought that was pretty inventive! I have been lucky. I am getting my protein and Water and other nutrients in without too much trouble. I think it was definately worth getting the band if, for no other reason, than I have more hope about eventually leading a healthy active lifestyle than I have had in years. I am especially inspired by looking at the "before and after pictures" on this site. Good luck and keep posting!

Hi Missyfan, Welcome to LBT! Contrats on getting through the surgery process and getting a date. You should post an introduction the the "May 2006 Band Crew" thread. I was banded on Monday and it's been great to have the support of other May bandsters. Good luck!

Yes P'Nut - You're right. Soup night is on THURSDAY the 25th of May! I was a little sore last night from my coughing spasm (which happened because I the pizza finally got to me and I attempted a "chew and spit" which caused a crumb to get caught in my throat--another story for another time :nervous) Anyway, I chose the easy way out - codiene! Then I decided to get on line. Anyway, yes, it's the 25th. Maybe we'll see Hippo's Hope and Dasharoo there.

Our average price per gallon here in Idaho is $2.79. I can't inagine paying what they are paying in Europe and Australia!

Hi Sleepyjean, I packed on all this extra weight and sustained it through eating about two meals a day. I used to actually shock myself at how much I could put away at a sitting. I am also finding "hunger" painful. I usually have an ache in behind my breastbone around six in the morning that drives me to the fridge for a few sips of yogurt so I can go back to sleep for an hour or two. Unfortunately, I have over-eaten once or twice as well and the feeling is very similar to that of hunger. It will definately be a challenge to learn our bodies "new" signs, especially since we didn't do all that well listening to the "old" ones. I think I am trying to eat the same way banded. I will sit down and drink 8-16 oz of water in about 10 minutes. I don't get up unitl I am done. I do the same thing with my protein shake. I can get one in in about 5 minutes (that's 8 oz nf milk + 1oz of whey protein powder). I don't feel like I have much swelling from my surgery on Monday because I have been able to do this since Tuesday. I think if I could only do a few sips at a time, it would drive me nuts. One thing I do do is I keep my water in a lg. 32 oz container. My goal is to drink 1.5 or 48 oz daily. I made it to 40 yesterday. Today I havn't even gotten to 8 yet.--OK, I just did 8 oz. Well, that's my update for the day. I am really tired today. My son had an 8 am soccer game and I was afraid to have a protein drink before the game because what I drink usually goes through me pretty quickly and his soccer field was the farthest from the lovely out-houses today. Not getting my morning protein in seems to have made a huge difference in my energy level - even though I had one when I got home at 11 am, I still crashed and slept for a couple of hours and still feel kind of out-of-it. What is everyone else doing to get yourseves "going" in the morning?

Hi Dasharoo, Wow, you went to Mexico! I was banded at St. Al's. There is a support group that meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at St. Al's that is great. You don't need to have been banded there. It's where I found out about this website and have met some great people. Do you work outside of the home? Where in Meridian do you live? Photonut (Susan) and I try to get together in the morning to walk. If you are free you are welocme to join us. She was banded about 4 months ago. There is also a yahoo group called IdahoBandsters. They get together once a month in the Boise area for a Soup night. I'm looking forward to going this month on the 26th. Apparently there are some who go who have been banded for 5 + years. I can't wait to meet them! I feel about the same as you. I am still a bit sore, but it is getting better each day. How is your eating going? Hippo's Hope (also on this site) who is also from this area was also banded on May 1st. She went to Salt Lake City for her surgery. Well, it's getting late and my son has a soccer game at 8 am. So I'm off to bed. Oh, you should post an intro on the "May 2006 Band Crew" thread. (I think thats what it's called. You can do a search. Talk to you soon!

I just got banded on Monday and I did not even begin to put a dent in all of the frozen meat that I froze in huge portions (to fit my former lifestyle) I plan on having a lot of dinner guests until I get through it. My mom still doesn't believe that one small steak will feed me, my husband and son (who are both thin eaters) and that there will probably be enought for a lunch for my husband. I can't wait to prove her wrong! Oh, you could always start a mulch pile. Your plants and garden would certainly benefit!

You go girl. You are the teacher and you are in control when you homeschool. If I can be of any more help or you just need some encouragement--feel free to post or PM me.

Hi hanrah, Welcome to LBT. I am fairly new here too. If you go to the search menu and type in "Ticker Help, Please?" It will bring up a thread started by Hippo's Hope by that title. I can't remember who answered the post, but they gave very detailed information about how to do your own ticker. If I can do it be assured you can too! Good luck!

I too love Cold Stone. I havn't actually darkened their door for over a year because of the addictive nature of the stuff! :tired Now that my surgery is done, I feel like I will be able to induldge occasionally with out going overboard. In other words, 1 scoop instead of 3. I think I can fit that in once in a while. A little indulgence can go a long way when you are banded--at least that's what I'm hoping. Good luck with your pre-diet. I was totally envious of those who went to It doctors who didn't require one, but, I did lose 16 pounds before surgery so it's 16 pounds less I have to lose after. Hang in there--you can do it!

TXPeach, Call your doctor. You can get a prescription for the nausea. Just make sure you tell him you need to drive. Mine sent me home with Phenergan (sp?) which works great but totally knocks me out. I hate feeling sick. Are you sure you aren't dehydrated? Dehydration can cause pretty severe nausea. You can tell if your urine is really amber colored and you can also tell if you take your pulse laying down, then stand for about 30 seconds and retake it. If it really goes up a lot (120 +), you should definately call your doc. I was so nauseated when I was pregnant, I got dehydrated several times. It can be dangerous so be careful and make sure you are getting enough water. I havn't had to deal with the nausea since the anesthesia wore off--THANK GOD! I home school my 10 year old and, luckly, we worked ahead this year so we finished 4th grade last Friday--before my surgery. My little guy is pretty independent so if I am wiped out he can fend for himself. He has actually been a lot of help to me this week. I must be doing something right! I overdid it a little today too. My goal of having dinner on the table went by the wayside when I had to lay down around 5:30. It gets better every day though. It will for you too once you have the nausea under control. I'll be thinking about you and praying for you to feel better. Take care and call your Doc!

Hey Vinesqueen, I was just banded this week but have really enjoyed reading your encouraging posts over the last month as I have followed threads. My heart broke when I read your farewell post. I'm glad you are back! Anyway, the reasing I am resopnding is to offer a solution in case you have to have another PICC line or any other central line again (hopefully not!) When I was pregnant, I had such severy nausea and vomiting that I had picc lines for about 8 months. I am very allergic to adhesives so the home health nurses got a product called BARDS Skin Protector for me. A lot of colostomy patients use it to help prevent irritation at their colostomy sites. BARDS comes on gause and you rub it on your arm or line site (after applying betadine and letting it dry), let it dry and it provides a protective barrier between your skin and the adhesive pads that are there to protect your port area. I still had some minor itching but I never had the skin breakdowns that I would have had without the BARDS. I think you can arrange to have it there when a line is inserted and a pharmacy can provide it for when you need to change the dressing. I hope this is advice you don't need to utilize, but, just in case, here it is. Good luck with all your testing! I wish you the best.

Hi shannieemma, Welcome to LBT! I was just banded on Monday--here in Idaho. I know there are a lot of people on this site who were banded in Mexico. I would try doing a search for the doctor's name. Good luck to you!

I think I had as many typos as you. It really makes me mad that good parents who want the best education for their kids are forced to submit to rules and regulations that are not always the best for an individual child!

Plunder Bunny, That's a really tough position the school district is putting you in--and it sucks! It is also why so many families are option out of the traditional education system. I know Sylvan has it's own testing that is done and they are a national organization. If you daughter is testing at grade level through Sylvan's tests, I would probably push the subject further with the school district. I would just keep going above people's heads until I was satisfied with the answers I got. Are any of your daughter's teacher's sympathetic to your problem? They might be able to suggest a course of action or someone at the regional or stage level to contact. I agree with you, your daughter's age is a concern. Kids can be ruthless about things like that. She will be maturing so much earlier than the other girls in her grade level--emotionally and physically! I think if you are not presented with an adequate solution by the school district or someone above them, you are absoutely right to consider homeschooling. I am not familiar with the homeschooling laws in TX. Fortunately, Idaho is one of the easiest states to homeschool in. People move here for that reason. I think Texas has a Virtual Academy. They use the K12 curriculum (which is very structured and academic), but, they do their own placement testing (which isn't exceptionally difficult), so that they determine which grade level an individual student should be at in each subject. You can check them out at K12.com If not virtual academy, check to see of there are other at home charter or umbrella schools in your area where you can decide on the curriculum that best fits you child. In California, many of the private Christian schools operated as umbrella schools for homeschool families (children in CA must be registered in a school--you can file an afidivit to be your own private school as well). Sometimes schools will be more agreeable if you just do independent study at home. They provide the materials and you turn in the work. If your daughter can pass the chapter/unit tests, you have met your obligation and she should be able to progress at her own speed. Anyway, good luck and I hope some of this helps. I would still check to see if you can find a local on-line support group. Home schooler tend to be very familiar with state homeschool and public school policies. It is likely that you would get more helpful advice there. Good luck with this.

Hi All, DrewsLou--glad to hear things are going better. mychevygirl--congrats on getting your band! As for me, I am feeling pretty good today. My energy seems to be back and lasting through most of the day. I have done 3 load of laundry, loaded my dishwasher, gone on a walk with my son and our dogs. I feel really good. I also went to a local coffee house with my husband and got some piñacolata gelato. Of course, since it was a small amount, I started ingesting as usual which is spooning it in and swallowing. About 12 bites later, I thought maybe I should slow down and when I let it melt in my mouth a little, TO MY HORROR, I realized that it had shredded coconut in it! :embarassed:. I thought OH CRAP, I HOPE IT DOESN"T GET STUCK! I drank some Water, finished the gelato (discreetly spitting the coconut into a napkin), went home and a quick phone call to PNut assured me that if it were going to get stuck it would have done so already. THANK GOD!!! From now on, I am definately sticking to liquids!!!!!!:nervous Take care May Bandsters and keep the rest of us posted!

I could see my tubing during the barium xray. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I believe the tubing is cut to the appropriate length for you body. As long as it is contained inside the abdominal wall, it can't do much damage. Even if it is free-floating, it is soft and flexible. If this were going to cause a problem, I think we would have heard about it by now.

Wow!! These posts are so very inspiring! I was just banded this past Monday. I have experience all of the negative sides of these things--I can't wait to experience it from the other side.

Hi, PNut told me about this thread. I have been homeschooling my son since 1st grade. We just finished 4th grade. I would be happy to try to answer any questions you might have. You might also want to see if there is a yahoo homeschool group or other on-line support group in your area. Those can be very helpful. Just make sure it is a group that is open to all philosophies (ther are many in the homeschool arena). Anyway, I homeschooled for two years in California and have done the past two years here in Idaho.

Hi All, Hope - glad to hear you made it home ok. I havn't been too hungry either. I did manage to get down a little over 700 calories today. I'm still working on my 48 oz of water (I'm at about 18 now) DrewsLou - I am 3 days post op too. Most of the hunger I have had to deal with seems like head hunger but it's terrible when it does hit me. I have found that yogurt smoothies (store bought) have helped a lot and today I made a potato cheese soup with gold potatos, velveeta lite cheese, nf milk and sour cream. I blended it very smooth and fairly thin (cream soup consistency). I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I ate some. My nutritionist and band doc both told me that if it could fit through a straw I could eat it. Photonut told me she blended up bean with bacon soup in a blender and that that really helped curb her hunger. I might try that tomorrow. I find if I feel like I am eating something that tastes good I don't feel quite so deprived. Anyway, other than that, I am feeling a little better each day. I am still sore around my port area and still have some gas in my chest but I can deal with that. I thought I was going to die doday when I got a tickle in my throat and started coughing. OOOOUUUUUCCCCHHHH! I finally ran upstairs and grabbed the cloraseptic throat spray which numbed my throat and stopped my coughing fit. I'm sleeping well in my recliner. Hopefully I can return to my bed sometime this weekend. I'm pulling for and praying for all the rest of you May Bandsters!!

Hi N, I was banded on Monday and I have been having chest pains too! They come and go. I almost always feel it when I am sitting on the toilet . I think it is gas from the surgery. Hopefully it will work its way out soon. When were you banded?

Sleepyjean and txpeach, I am glad to hear you guys are doing well, too!

Hi All, Well, I too am officially banded. Thanks so much to stichy, seminole, Londoner, Drewslou, 3loves and everyone else who was praying for/pulling for the first of us May Bandsters. My experience has been pretty good. I loved much getting a bunch of high fives and good lucks from the nurses before getting wheeled into the OR. I felt like the whole hospital staff was pulling for me. The rest of Monday is pretty much a blur. Thank God for morphine. :notagree As long as I was asleep, I wasn't nausious. Be early this morning, the nausea had passed (without vomiting) and I was feeling pretty good. My swallow test went well and I have been able to get down abut 32oz of Water today, plus some broth and some Protein Drink. I am glad to have the surgery over and ready to get on with my new life!! I will be thinking of the rest of you "Mayer's" and I will be praying for you. You can do it!!!!!!!! Are you back yet Hope? I am really looking forward to hearing how you are doing.

I will enter Bandland in 14 hours! WooHoo!!!! I can't wait to have the surgery and get on with my life. I don't do very well resting when there are things to be done so taking time to heal will be a challenge. Susan and Dawg--good going on the weight training! Keep it up! I can't wait to go walking together again in this beautiful spring weather. Hopefull, Hippo's Hope can join us too! She'll be in Bandland tomorrow, too! Ok, I'll talk to you guys on the other side!

Hi May Bandsters, Well, I get my band at 9:30 Monday morning and I can't wait. I too have done my grocery shopping this weekend. I stocked up on nf milk, yougurt smoothies, popsicles, fudgesicles and bean with bacon soup (a tip rom Pnut). I also have plenty of ON protein shake around (I like chocolate). I walked the isles saying "farewell" to some of my favorite foods like bread. I'll miss them, but will difinately have a better life without them. Good luck everyone!!!!!!!!!