sweetbean70

Hang in there! If you have problems w/ your blood sugar dropping too low, it can make you feel sick to your stomach. When I was waking up from my surgery, I was very nauseous. The nurse had me sip on some "strong" Hawaiian Punch and put an alcohol swab over the bridge of my nose. I know it sounds goofy, but the alcohol swab worked wonders! :confused:

Hello! I was just banded on 6/8/09 and I am feeling pretty good. I have a little soreness in my rib cage and slight bruising where the port is. I am in the mushy stage for another 10 days. I, too, have felt the pangs of hunger that come w/ healing. I, too, would have loved to awaken from surgery at least 50 pounds lighter. I knew this would be a slow process, but I do feel the benefits of the weight loss pace is worth it. My surgeon told me that the first month after surgery is all about healing and adjusting to the changes the band brings to one's life. I am proud to say that (knock on wood) I have stuck to my "mushies" and have had no issues. I am sure that I will probably put on a few pounds once I start adding solids back into my diet. I am NOT going to fret about it! I will focus on more exercise. I have been eating about every 2.5-3 hours because of my blood sugar dropping too quickly if I wait too long between food. To make a long story (sorry) short, I want to lose a total of 150 pounds over the next three years. This is a lifestyle commitment that will not be reversed by years of bad habits overnight. Good luck to you all on your journey!:confused:

LOL! I know exactly what you guys/gals are saying! A few years ago, I had an acquaintance that went on NutriSystem and lost 50 pounds. I swear to God that if she had offered me her "waaaaay too big clothes" to me one more time I would have done bodily harm!! When my current clothing gets too big, I so want to bag them all up and dump them in her lap. :ihih: PS: She has gained all of her weight back plus a little more.

I just got my Realize Band yesterday (6/8/09). So far, the most difficult part was waking up after the surgery. I had a lot of gas pain and nausea. My best friend and husband went with me. We had to be at the surgery facility an hour early (for me) b/c my bf is going to get banded also and she was completing her surgeon consult, nutrition class, and psych eval while I was having my suregry. We then had a 2.5 hour car ride home (Cincinnati, OH to Newark, Oh). Once I got home, I took more meds and went straight to bed. I was up and down all night. Not because of pain or nausea, but b/c I had slept all evening. I have had 2 sf popsicles and some apple juice. I feel really good now... just a bit of a headache. I am sooooo looking forward to a shower this afternoon! :thumbup:

Hello! I'm on day 6 of my 11 day pre-op diet. I kind of did things a bit backwards by scheduling my surgery date and then going in for my EKG, psych eval, nutrition consult, etc. Because of my timeline, I didn't have a full 14 days to do my pre-op diet. I am being banded on June 8. At my surgery consult, I told the nurse that I didn't have a full 2 weeks for my diet and she told me that it wouldn't be a problem b/c I'm "pear-shaped." This means that I do not carry most of my excess weight around my liver, but rather through my butt, hips, and lower belly. My pre-op diet is a combination of Medifast and Healthwise products. With the Medifast, I also get to eat 1 meal that is "lean + green" (6oz of lean protein and 3 servings of a green veggie). I thought I would try to eat only the products, but I felt so crappy yesterday that I had a baked chicken breast and some sliced cucumbers w/ white vinegar and black pepper (yummy). I feel much better today. I also noticed yesterday that I had an awful taste in my mouth and was constantly thirsty. (TMI) My urine was also very strong smelling. I asked the nutritionist at my surgeon's office about these symptoms and she said that I was probably in ketosis. This happens when you are burning up your fat storage. :frown:

LOL! It is so good to know that the band is going to help me in the exact opposite direction during "that time of the month." I can always tell when my period is on the way b/c i constantly find myself in front of the fridge or raiding the pantry for something to eat while the whole time I am telling myself that I am not hungry. I am getting banded on June 8th and if the surgery doesn't throw off my cycle, my "visitor" should arrive around the 20th (sorry, TMI). I will have to keep an eye out for the tight feeling.

Hello. I am looking for a reputable wls surgeon in the central Ohio area to get fills done. My friend is planning on having her surgery done in Mexico because she is paying for her surgery out of her own pocket. Thanks!

Hello. You should take a moment to read the post on the PCOS board that is here on this forum. It is VERY insightful and reassuring to find out how others w/ the disease are handling it. It helped me tremendously:)

Howdy! I am planning on getting a tattoo and I have the design all picked out. I'm going to get a beautiful butterfly. Down the side of one wing, I am going to have the date I am banded. At the bottom of the butterfly's body, I am going to have the date I reach "one-derland." Down the side of the other wing, I am going to have the date I reach my goal. :thumbup:

I can soooo relate to lying about weight on the dreaded driver's license. My goal is to actually have my true weight listed on my DL when I go to renew it in Aug. of 2010. I am getting banded on June 8 at 11:30am (17 days, 15 hours, and 8 minutes... not that I'm counting down or anything.

WOW!!! :eek: I have no idea what size I will be wearing when I finally reach my goal. I was born wearing plus size diapers!! I truly do not think I will ever be able to wear single-digit size clothing. Right now (band is in 3 weeks), I wear a baggy 26/28. I am 5'9 and have always had the build of a refrigerator w/ boobs. Could it be that I was just deluding myself all these years about being "big boned" or being able to be a walk-on for the Steelers? I will be thrilled if I can fit into a size 12 comfortably. :sad:

Hi! I live about 45 minutes east of C-bus in Newark. I grew up on the east side of C-bus and my folks still live there. I am being banded on June 8 in Cincinnati.

On second thought... I think I will name my band Junie B. (as in Junie B. Jones) since I am getting Banded in June. Can you tell I am an elementary school teacher? :scared2:

Howdy! I think I might name my band... RINGO

After making the decision to be banded (3/27/09), I told only a few select friends and family memebers b/c I didn't want to listen to anyone's negative crap and/or "oh-so-helpful suggestions. As I am now approaching my surgery date (6/8/09), I have done a complete 180 about telling people I'm getting banded. I am politely letting people know that I am having surgery to help my kidneys (I have kidney disease), to lower my blood pressure, to lower my blood sugar, and to lower my cholesterol. In other words,,, FOR MY HEALTH. Naturally thin people seem to just jump to the conclusion that having WLS is for those "heavy" people who don't have the willpower or mental fortitude to just "eat less and exercise more." At least 99.9% of the people having WLS do it to improve their health or to avoid future health problems... not to have a tight, little body (it is a bonus though).

Howdy! Dr. Curry is doing my lap band procedure on June 8. I live about 45 minutes east of Columbus, but would love to hear from you and your experience w/ Dr. Curry.

What a great idea! :frown: I will... 1) sit with my legs crossed 2) fly without needing a seatbelt extender 3) ride all the rides at Kings Island & Cedar Point 4) wear a bathing suit that does not have a "skirt" 5) tuck my shirt in 6) not fear a scale 7) wear something sexy to a social gathering 8) proudly walk into the room at my 20-yr college reunion 9) walk into any store and buy something "off the rack" 10) wear clothes that actually fit...not baggy

Hello! I just wanted to post a "small step victory" I had this morning: I'm being banded on June 8th by Dr. Curry in Cincinnati, OH. On April 14th, I weighed 325lbs and was put on Metformin for insulin resistance by my PCP. Dr. C told me (the next day) that he wanted me to lose 15lbs by my surgeon consult on May 27th. When I weighed myself this morning (5/6), I weighed 304.4lbs. :thumbup: I was soooo pleased w/ myself! On my way to work I remembered that I promised a student I work w/ a breakfast sandwich from McDonalds for reaching a goal. Instead of ordering a combo meal w/ a large OJ for myself, I ordered the student a breakfast sandwich and a yogurt parfait for me. I didn't succumb to the temptation of a sausage/egg/cheese muffin w/ a hashbrown. I ate my yogurt and drank a low-carb SlimFast. I kept reminding myself how great it felt to see those numbers on my scale this morning.

Hi! How about the name...June Jubilee? JUBILEE: 1) an occasion for celebration 2) a time of emancipation (how appropriate since we are being freed from obesity)

How about JUBILANT JUNE BUGS for our nickname???

Thank you all so very much for your words of wisdom! I am so looking forward this time to swimming with the manatees and not being mistaken for one. :thumbup:

Howdy! I just got a June 8th date for my surgery and I am so excited. :ohmy: I would like to hear from those who have been banded and then went on vacation. I am going to Florida on August 8 for a week. I would love any advice!

CONGRATS! Let's stay in touch. Together, we will be...SUCCESSFUL BANDED SISTERS!!! Are you from the Cincy area? I live in Newark.

YAHOOOOOO! I've got a date for my lap band surgery w/ Dr. Curry of JourneyLite in Cincinnati, OH. I'm going to the seminar in Columbus on May 7, pre-op workup and nutrition class on May 26, surgeon consult and psych eval on May 27, and... (drum roll please) SURGERY ON JUNE 8 :ohmy: The surgeon wants me to lose 15lbs (I've already lost 6lbs) by my May 27th consultation and I have to do a 2 week pre-op high protein/low carb diet prior to surgery. I am soooo psyched! :thumbup:

Finally...a doctor who listened to ME! I went to a new PCP with a list of concerns and questions about PCOS. She ran a slew of blood tests and urine tests. She put me on Metformin (500mgx2/day) to help me with my insulin resistence. I go back in 3 months for more blood work to check my sugar levels and if my hirsutism isn't any better in 6 months, we are going to talk about meds to address that.