Sarah8807

Thanks Maddy! Great idea

I love this post! So true...Im learning a lot about myself by not being able to eat all the time or just eat whatever I want. It really makes you realize just how strong you are!!

I wasn't going to tell anyone (except close friends and family)...I then decided to tell someone I thought was a friend at work. She knew that I was working for months to get approved through my insurance but I think she thought that because it was taking so long I probably would just give up...well I didnt and when I told her that I was approved for surgery her facial expression was anything but accepting. She almost seemed mad...She is overweight herself and swears that she can do it on her own and that surgery is just the easy way out...if she only knew...After she found out EVERYONE I work with found out. Which was fine. Im not hiding my life from anyone. But I work with some really negative nancy's so I would say only 1/4 of the people actually "approved" of MY decision. Either way I dont care what everyone else thinks. I am doing this MY way and as far as Im concerned it takes a really strong person to do what us lapbanders do!!!

Yeah the chili is the one thing that satisfies!! For the butternut squash soup your amounts on everything may very a little as it is hard for me to give exact amounts. I am one of those cooks who just cooks something and doesnt go by measuring everything lol...But heres how I do it... Depending on how much soup you want is how big your squash should be. You would be suprised how much even a small squash makes squash (I peel the skin, take seeds out, and then cube it up into small peices) add squash to your pan (somewhat large one) with about 5 tsp oil or margarine sautee squash until its golden brown and starting to get mushie take a masher (or whatever you use to make mashed potatoes) and mash squash until there are no large chunks (it will be more firm than potatoes) add skim milk (It's hard for me to tell you how much because I eye it, but I would think anywhere from 1 cup to 3 cups depending on your squash) You could use half and half for this to make it more thick but that of course would be more calories... you will be able to tell how much milk to put in when you start mixing it with the squash add your seasonings...I use.... salt onion powder a little cinnamon pepper again....sorry for no accurate measurments, I just add mine and taste as I go Simple and Delish when done!!

Your not alone!!! Im 1 week post op too and have no real "restriction"...Im on the pureed diet and the pureed chili is the only thing that really satisfies me...I also put on a little of the weight back on after surgery. Hang in there! You have people here who can relate Good Luck!!

Wow this is very inspirational!! Way to go!!! That is truely amazing. I've seen a few people online lose weight that fast but its not common. I'm down 20 in two weeks. Hope I can be as successful as you!!!

There are a FEW good lapband books out there. I would start by looking on Amazon or Ebay under "Lapband book" I know there is one lady that I use to talk to that wrote a book about her lapband journey and I think it had some recipes in it...Sorry dont remember what it was called lol. You may also look outside the Lapband genre. I myself really like the Mayo clinic recipe book. Its a huge book full of great recipes (and most are lapband friendly) and they have all the calories and things of that sort in them. Hope that helps..

Hang in there!!! I know how you feel. I had to quit smoking before surgery too...I must admit....I did cheat a little lol. But nothing for the week before surgery...I somehow justified to myself that if I didnt smoke for a week before surgery I would be OK...lol. I am now one week post op and STILL trying not to smoke...but man its hard. Especially when your on a pureed diet!! So just hang in there and try to keep yourself busy This online communtiy is really helpful and sometimes you can just lose yourself in all the conversations, pictures, and so on, and that really helps!!!! Feel free to blog as much as you need to!

Thank you ladies for your support! I really love this online community. Who knew that you could feel so close with people you have never met in person!!

I got banded early Wednesday morning and other than having to get an unfil everything has been good. Im not really in a lot of pain, only when I sit down or get up the wrong way. Last night I got really sick though and was throwing up everything, including water! It was horrible. I called the Weight Loss Surgical Center and they told me to come in. So I went in and then had to wait 2 hours for someone to come in and look at my band. I did the barium swollow thing and It showed that a lot of the fluids were just sitting at the top of my band and taking forever to go through. I guess by surgeon puts about 1cc in his bands during surgery to excellerate weight loss...the only problem is that my stomach is so swollen from the surgery that I defianetly can not tolerate anything in my band yet. I've been good since they took the 1cc out but im scared to go back to sleep. It seems like everytime I sleep my band gets tighter ...Im on clear liquids and have been drinking some warm green tea. I honestly cannot tell the difference between too much air in my stomach or the band being too tight. Im just hoping and praying that I heal faster and I dont have to go through another last night....The doctor said today that if this unfil doesnt work i will have to take steriods to shrink the swelling.....ugh...wish me luck!! lol

Thank you!

Glad you are doing well!! I hope I am at that point soon too!

Just got home from the hospital. Surgery was yesterday. It really has not been too bad. The next day (today) has been a little more painful. Mainly my port area. It doesnt hurt at all when I walk or when Im standing...But omg when I sit down its a sharp pain. I have the liquid pain meds which seem to be helping. I've lost 14lbs as of yesterday when I was weighed at the hospital. I stayed 24 hours and that was great. So far so good. Other than the port pain. I walked A LOT after surgery so I havent really had any of the dreaded gas pain

The hospital stay for me was great. I went to Weight Loss Surgical Center in Overland Park KS, which only does lapband. So it's a small hospital, but all the nurses and doctors specialize in lapband so they knew all the ins and outs. I stayed in my gown for the most part of the time I was there. I've had some gas pain but walking really does the trick with that. I havent had any gas medicine and I've been ok. The most pain is where the incesions are. Sitting really hurts and getting up sucks!! My throat is also a little sore from the breathing tube during surgery. I will keep udating. I hope tomorrow is better, but I really cant complain too much! This was NOTHING compared to my C Section!!

wow...i cant believe that im going to be banded tomorrow (If everything goes smooth)!!!! I've lost about 10lbs so far on this pre-op diet and have been following it (almost) to a T. lol...Ok so I cheated a LITTLE yesterday. My fiance brought home all this Red Lobster stuff and I had a salad with vinigerette dressing and a little clam chowder...I know horrible....Im supposed to be having just clear liquids but wow Im really starving!!! I was about to pass out yesterday. Today ive had broth, sugar free tea, and some squah soup (with hardly any spices in it). I hope I havent ruined it for myself...lol...surely after losing 10lbs in a week ive shrunk my liver some!! Im curious to know what you all had to do for your pre-op diet? I've heard all sorts of things. Like just protein shakes, just clear liquids, other things like oatmeal...I wonder why it verys so much from surgeon to surgeon?? I will TRY to get on here tomorrow and let everyone know how surgery went...Hoping it's not horrible...I labored for 10 hours with my son (with no pain meds) so I feel like NOTHING can be that bad...lol Good luck to everyone pre and post op!!!

Im really sick of all the negativity about lapband around me. I do have about a handful of people (immediate family and a few friends) that support me in this journey, but it seems like everyone I work with has something negative to say about lapband. Today someone told me that lapband is being sewed because people are choking and not able to breathe and then dying! wtf?? I have not heard ANYTHING like this. Then to top it off all of my coworkers comment on EVERYTHING i eat (or drink I should say since still on pre op diet). People have just been flat out rude about lapband to me. I don't get it. I would never sit and discourage someone from something they are working so hard towards. My friends and family say to just ignore them, which is what I try to do, but why would grown adults act this way? All of the people that are being so discouraging are overweight. So it makes me wonder if maybe they are just scared to do lapband themselves so they want to pick on the person that IS doing it?? I dont know...I know I need to just stop caring but it's annoying.............. I do have some good news though. Im 4 days into my pre-op diet and im down 8lbs!!!! whoooot whoot!

lol pooh!! I agree. I am so tired of these people...

Im going on day 4 of my pre-op diet. Which consists of broth, sugar free jello, soup with nothing in it, and protein shakes. Im starving at times! I wrote a post earlier about things going good, which for the most part they are, but omg there are moments when I want to attack some food! lol. Any tips on trying to stay hunger free while on the pre-op diet?

Good luck girl!! You can do it! Let us know how it goes...I have less than a week now. My nerves are shot!

Tan ya, Is this the whole pre op diet you had to do? The two days before surgery? Just wondering. I know a lot of doctors are different in what they require. My doctor has me on liquids for a week until surgery! It sucks! lol. Well good luck!!! Let me know how it goes for you!!