Froggie D

Has anyone strated their preop diet yet? What do you have to do? How is it going?

There are lots of other comorbidities like reflux, apnea, joint pain, severe stress incontinence - maybe you have not looked deep enough. Find a doc who will work with you. Most insurances also have an appeal process you should ask about. I think sometimes they are testing your commitment by denying first. Tey again!

I am thinking about you and offering up my support. My surgery is April 7 and I am counting down the days. You will do great on the preop and the surgery. It will be worth it!

I have been using butter substiitutes and margarines so long that I don't even like real butter. I use the spray and it works great to give just the flavor without a lot of fat.

Are you on blood pressure meds. You should check that out if you are.

We are all with you! Keep positive thoughts flowing and you will sail through with flying colors. Keep us posted!

Someone on here said she gets a burger or chicken sandwich with the bun and uses the bun just for handles, tearing off strips of it and throwing it away and eating just the meat. I thought it was a great idea!

Wow, thanks for the wonderful post. I have been working for a year and half to get to this point. I get banded April 7. I have been fat for 48 years, starting at age 10 and I wish I had had this option years ago. I do not have a preop diet, except for liquids two days before, so I have started dieting a month out. I am worried about my liver being too big and I was eating terrible before, including candy and ice cream nearly daily. I am eating two Protein shakes, breakfast and lunch, and eating lean meat and veggies at dinner. I just can't stick with 3 oz and 1/2 cup, but my extras are cauliflower, cucumbers, yellow squash, avocado, and chicken breast and shrimp. I have lost 10 pounds so far. I have stopped drinking diet pop, am drinking at least 60 oz of Water a day. I have not gotten myself to get out and walk yet, I am not eating slowly, I am not chewing enough, so many things to work on. I feel guilty because I have not done it all yet. I am afraid I will fail. I want to succeed and I think I can do it, but I have failed at losing weight for 40+ years, so it is hard to believe things will be different this time. Funny, though, I have succeeded at most everything else in my life - two grown, happy children, a pretty good marriage, a college degree and two advanced degrees, a good job, a wonderful grandaughter. So why does my weight make me feel like such a failure? Sorry I am so long winded, but it really reacted to your post. You seemed to understand. Thanks again! I would love to continue to talk with you. I would like to know about your surgery experience, your time up to your first fill, how many fills, etc. Froggie D:rolleyes2:

Wow another one of us! I am scheduled for April 7 and I am soooooo excited and pretty scared too. Congrats!

Aunt Susie you are an inspiration to me! I am being banded on April 7 and I am getting very anxious about whether or not it will work for me and if I have the fortitude to not eat a lot during bandster hell. I obsess about food and if I could experience not thinking about food all the time, I would be the happiest person in the world!

My dietician says that is a soft sign that you have had enough to eat and to watch for it. She described burping, hiccupping, sneezing, watering eyes, deep sighs, etc and said everyone is different. She siad if you listen to it, you are less likely to overfill and have problems.

I hope I can say that in 5 weeks. I get banded on April 7!!!!!!!!!

My surgery date is April 7 and it is coming up fast. I have been eating horribly for the last few months so I am doing some dieting now. I would appreciate any ideas folks have. During the week I am fine with an unsweetened soy milk and soy Protein powder shake for Breakfast and again for lunch. When I get home I am having lean chicken or shrimp and steamed brocolli or cauliflower. I eat some raw veggies like bell peppers, celery, or other really low carb veggies. Of course I add sugar free Jello and sugar free popcicles and broth. The weekend is harder and I find my self eating more at home so I am sticking to meats and low carb veggies. Today I had scrambled eggs with peppers, green onions, and lean deli sliced turkey. I topped it with some of my soy cheese with less than one carb per slice. I have found Propel Water packets that have no Aspartame in them and are clear (don't look like you are drinking KoolAide). Aspartame makes my joints hurt, but Splenda does not. I have totally stopped drinking Diet Coke and caffeine. This is day 7 and I am down 10 pounds. I hope to keep this up until my surgery. My doctor only requires two days of liquids before surgery so I am lucky. I figure I had better start shrinking my liver now so the surgery will go well. I have been a successful Atkins dieter in the past (never stays off though) and this seems to me what the preop diet is doing, cutting carbs to use up glycogen stores. Am I right? My next step is exercise. I hurt and hate to walk, but I know I have to get started. Any feedback? I feel I am doing well, but need support to keep it up!:thumbup:

I thought I was going to get banded last August so I did a few Last Suppers and then started my own preop diet and lost 15 pounds. Then the surgery did not happen (a long story) and I had to postpone and get a new surgeon. I gained back the fifteen and put on 5 more. This week I have started back on my diet (two Protein shakes, Breakfast and lunch, and very lean chicken breast and steamed veggies at dinner - I am not cutting down to 3 oz of chicken and half a cup of veggies, though) because I am scheduled to get my band April 7!!!!!!!! I ate a lot of Last Suppers between September and now - 20 pounds worth - so I know what you are talking about. Every day I would dream up one more thing I was going to miss. I actually got to the point I was tired of trying to think of things to eat. I have been on my diet for 5 days now, I am feeling much better energy wise, and have lost 9 pounds. I know most of it is Water, but I feel so much less bloated up. I am determined not to get to my surgery and be turned away.

I am so sorry to hear they found this. I understand that the treatment is not very fun, but think how much better you will do with the band if you are not fighting this bacteria too. Hang in there - it will be worth it in the end!!!!!!!!!

Can someone tell me where to go to set up one of those cute little things at the bottom of your page that shows your progress?

Not all of us on here had been banded yet. I am getting mine April 7. I have been working toward it for over a year. This website has been wonderful for gaining information. Be sure to go all over the site to find various info and people at various stages. Most people take about a week off but many are only off three days. My surgeon does all his surgeries on Wednesday so you can take off three days and have the weekend to rest and be ready to go back to work on Monday. Of course, it depends a lot on what kind of work you do. I had no issues with my insurance other than it can be a long process. Each one requires different things. Just be patient and do each step and you will get there. The issues I had were with a surgeon and his office. They were not helpful and rude. They did not follow through with what they said they would do, so I ended up changing surgeons. My new one and his office are great, but it set me back another 6 months. Best of luck to you. It will be frustrating getting approved because once you make up your mind to do it, you are ready but the process is just starting. You have to jump through the hoops and it will happen.:thumbup:

I am scheduled to get banded on April 7 and my dietician told me that my surgeon does not like us to use Crystal Light as it has citric acid in it and that can be hard on the stomach. Anyone else not able to use Crystal Light? Anyone have stomach problems from using it?

I was tired a lot and my doc sent me for a sleep study. I got a C-pap and had no idea how much better I would feel. I never even take a short nap without it now. If I fall asleep without it I wake up with a sore throat and headache. My family will wake me up and tell me to go put on my C-pap. It is worth the trouble if you really need it. I am looking forward to not needing it any more if I lose enough weight!

If your clothes are down another size, something is happening. Hang in there!

I just found out I am scheduled for April 7. I have been working toward this since October 08, so the wait is almost over! I am not required to do a preop but I am starting one on Monday anyway. I will do two Protein shakes and one lean meat and veggies for dinner. I am afraid of the fatty liver possibility. Glad there are a number of us to share stories and support each other. Debra

I am being banded April 7 and I pray to lose my appetite and not want to eat!

Wow, this is great to hear about. I thought is sounded pretty weird but it seems it is real. Thanks for sharing!!!

I am getting banded on April 7. My dietician was telling me about "Soft signs". She said lots of people have a physical response when they eat enough to just fill their pouch and not be overstuffed. Things like a sigh, a deep breath, watering eyes, a sneeze that signal to stop eating before you eat too much. She said not everyone can identify a soft sign. Anyone experience this?: [/html]

Wow, I am so glad I posted this thread. I have heard from so many really cool people making wonderful progress and starting new lives. Well, I am soon to be among you. I got my date today - April 7! I can't wait. I know I can do this because so many of you have done it. I know it will take hard work but the pay off will be fabulous. I want to be off my Metformin, stop using my C-pap, be able to walk and play again. Debra:thumbup: