incolorado

Cortney how did it go? Contratulations & hope you are feeling okay!:sneaky:

I wanted to report that I am down 11 pounds in 5 days - 8 lbs on my clear liquid pre-op diet and 3 lbs since surgery 3 days ago. Totally excited! Also - brand new and soon to be bandsters - before I forget, I have a few tips for you. First, I just broke out my heating pad last night and it is awesome! Feels SO good on my tummy and helps with the gas pains. I think it would be good for the back, too, if you get your pains there. Good investment for the newly banded! Second, in my search to find some smaller bowls and utensils, I learned that Crate and Barrel has the most adorable little bowls for our new tiny portions. Go to Crate and Barrel and search for "mini latte bowl." They are .95 cents each, and the perfect size for a serving of pudding or yogurt or whatever. 3.5" diameter - small! Bonus - kids love them, and perfect size for a small scoop of ice cream. Along those same lines, CB2 has cute little forks and spoons for encouraging those small bites we need to take. They are called "mini stainless steel cocktail spoons" and are $5.95 for a set of 6. About the same size as a baby spoon or fork, but way cooler. Totally different subject - you have heard it said before, but for me it is true - the Gas -X strips really help. Don't leave home without 'em. Finally, a food tip for when you get to the liquid puree or mushy stage. Low-fat ricotta with tomato or pizza sauce on top, heated up in the microwave, is delish. I had this for dinner tonight. Hope this helps, good luck everyone!:sneaky:

Sounds like you are are doing well on your diet, good for you! So far (well, only 3 days from surgery) I am so happy I did this. Good luck to you too.

Totally feel like this!!!! It is awesome! I had the slightest feeling of hunger about noon, had a little super thin oatmeal (I am on pureed liquids), and that was it for the afternoon. Small protein shake for breakfast (150 cals) and oatmeal for lunch (about 200 cals?) and I am good till dinner. I know it won't last, but for now it is SO COOL!!!! I even bought some awesome looking cinnamon rolls for my family at the store today without drooling or ripping open the package the minute I got home. It was like, yeah, okay, cinnamon rolls, so what? Imagine that. :sneaky:

Yeah Soco!!!!! You made it to the banded side of life! Look how much you are losing already! I can't imagine doing it without the pain meds! I too woke up with a huge pain in my chest, and it is still there on and off - the gas. I don't know what to do about the protein. The protein shakes now taste way too sweet for me (I actually used to like them! Slimfast anyway) I tried making some SF pudding and adding Unflavored protein - yuck! So glad to hear you made it through okay. Let the weight loss begin!:thumbup:

Me too - wish I had done this years ago.

Congratulations Christie! :biggrin: I was banded on 9/1 also. My gas pain is all in my chest too. Walking helps. Every time I walk, I cough - which hurts the belly but I guess that means progress. Full liquids is good, way better than clear, but I can't seem to find anything I am interested in. The cream of chicken Soup was good...all the Protein shakes taste way too sweet. What else is there? Yogurt I guess. We are allowed to have cottage cheese too, I could try that. Not much of an appetite.

Oh trust me I have plenty to lose! That pic is a little deceiving because it is head on, not the side view, and also most of my weight is in my thighs/hips (conveniently cropped out of the pic):biggrin: I was in a car accident a while ago and had a bunch of little scars on my tummy from small pieces of glass that landed there....they are all pretty much faded into nothing, and I expect the same will happen with these new scars. I agree, all things considered, the surgery was a breeze!

Good for you Amanda. I could use a long walk, not sure if I'm ready tho....

I got the Lapband AP. I think it has to do with which company your surgeon is affiliated with? Mine only does Lapband. Good luck with your liquid diet. Is it mostly protein shakes? It will be over soon!:biggrin:

Okay, nix that. Just took another pill and felt like I was going to throw up. Def. stuck in there for a while. Uncool! Back to chopping up the Vicodin....

Yeah, I think the deal is there is not much restriction there yet? I have no prob with the big pills so far.

Yeah, I think the deal is there is not much restriction there yet? I have no prob with the big pills so far.

Good luck! I am with you, I just had my surgery on Tues. and can't pick up my 3 year old dd. What's really hard though is when she brings me a book to read and pounces on my tummy - that does not work! Luckily she has 3 older sibs and daddy to tote her around when needed. Hope your surgery is smooth sailing!:biggrin:

Just in case I have not posted enough today :biggrin:....here is my update: Feeling much better today, 2 days after surgery. Gas pains are still hanging around, but not constant, and port site is still sore, but not terrible. For your viewing pleasure, I am attaching a pic of my incisions. Not too bad, though that single incision procedure would have been nice!

Tic Tac good luck with your surgery!!!:biggrin:

I got the giant pills, not the liquid. I was chopping them in half, but this morning tried a whole pill and had no problem swallowing.

I complained about gas pains, but they really are not that bad. The whole thing is certainly easier than giving birth, and not as painful as, say, kidney stones. Really, don't base your decision on the fear of gas pains! So minor compared to the big picture! Obviously I have not had any fills, but so far I have zero issues around swallowing since my surgery 2 days ago. Seems like swallowing issues can be resolved by adjusting the amount of fill in the band and/or avoiding certain foods/reducing speed of eating/chewing more thoroughly. Best of luck to you in your decision.

This sounds like it may have been caused from dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance, which is a common problem with liquid diets, esp. when you can't tolerate the liquids prescribed (like Glucerna). As I understand it, tachycardia can happen to anyone on a very low calorie diet, especially if fluid intake is insufficient. On the other hand, it may be something related to a more serious heart problem? Don't know. Anyway, the post op diet is not that bad, at least mine is not, and it is a whole different ball game when you are not actually hungry all the time. Makes it much easier to handle the restricted amounts and types of foods. I am just 2 days post op, have lost 9 lbs since starting my 3 day pre-op diet, and certain that I have done the right thing getting this surgery. What about asking for a more lenient pre-op diet? As you know, some doctors do not require any pre op diet at all. Good luck, hope you work this out.

Amanda, congratulations! I actually felt better yesterday (day of surgery) than today - I have a lot of gas pains and VERY sore today. Only good thing is I am on full liquids, so happy to have some soup and yogurt drink! Keep popping the Vicodin, that's my plan!:blushing:

Congrats! One incision, that is cool! I have a bunch of them...but what hurts more are the gas pains, and feel like my stomach muscles are so sore. Anyway, yippee!!!! :blushing:

I agree, that is so harsh!!! I barely survived 3 days. So happy to be on full liquids right after surgery.

Thanks BooCakes! I am pretty sore today, and sitting in the car for 6 hours on the drive home did not help. I need to walk around some more to get rid of the gas pains. Other than that, all is good! Not too hungry, probably had about 500 cals total of soup & yogurt & protein shake today. Much better than all that broth! You will be on the banded side soon! :blushing:

Hey everyone, I made it to the banded side of life!!! The surgery went great, no problems at all. I have been SOOOO sleepy, and sleeping most of the day. I am a little sore, but not too bad (as long as I keep the Vicodin rolling):thumbup: I lost 8 lbs doing my 3 days of clear liquid diet, so I guess it worked! And, I was delighted to have some Slimfast when I got back to the hotel after surgery. Luckily, I do not have to do clears after surgery, so I am on full liquids. I just sent my DH out to hunt down some soup. We have to drive home 6 hrs tomorrow, not looking forward to that. Hope I can just sleep through it! Congrats to those who got their band today, and everyone else soon to be banded!:mad:

Hey Soco, Are you allowed to have protein shakes or just clear liquids? I just caved and had an Atkins shake. 150 cals, low carb, it won't kill me, but sort of bummed that I cheated a little by straying from the broth. Honestly, I just don't want all that sodium! Looks like I lost 5 or maybe even 6 lbs so far....You know, the exact same 5 I lost earlier this month :blushing: Good luck to you! Soon I will be in the car with my husband on our way to the hotel in Denver. I know he will want to stop by McD's or something along the way. He better not!