miamia

Phew I thought i was the only one. I have been so hungry and i feel like i can eat anything. I get my first fill on Fri the 30th and i'm looking forward to it. My weight loss was big the first week but has slowed to a crawl. I know I'm still healing but i was hoping that i could get down more in these first few months. Thanks for the positive messages....keeping my eye on the prize....good health.

Hi,

I started my "normal" food this past weeks at roughly two weeks post op per my Dr. I think I got "stuck" but instead of slimeing or whatever....i got uber nauseous. The food (meat), eventually went through and the feeling went away. I chewed it plenty, it was already in super small pieces to begin.Has this happened to anyone else? Just curious

Congratulations! Welcome to the loser's bench. The port site will get better by the day, mine only hurts when I bump it or twist my tummy too quicky. Happy healing :-)

Hang in there! It'll get better. The rumbling is most likely the gas. I had that, 5 days out its pretty much gone ...I think mostly because I'm moving as much as I can. I know everyone says that but it works.

For the Water and diet, seems like everyone hears something different. I was told min of 64oz of Water per day (Protein shakes, popsicles, Jello count too) and min 60 g of Protein per day. So for my Protein Shakes that's 2.5 scoops. I sip constantly water or shake all day to stay hydrated.

I totally get the sight n smells of yummy but bad food. I just remember it took me almost a year to get here and I'm not going back now!

Katyana is right. Our bodies store hormones in the fat we are all fighting to get rid of. Now that we are burning that aft for energy instead of using food as the primary source all those chemicals are being released into our system. Just like many suffers of PCOS see symptoms disappear others will notice changes to menses as well. Hang in there, your body will work through it and adjust to your new normal....as you will to the new you.

Glad you're feeling better! Walk definitely helps, I was banded on 8/31. Been moving since to help work the gas out. Congrats to all my new fellow bandsters.

I can home with one and I think does help with gas in addition to keeping lung s clear. If u have it use it! It does hurt initially to breath deeply but its important to prevent resp problems. Hang in there, it'll get better each day. :-)

Hi! I'm EJ, 31, from the midwest, Nursing student/Clinical Research Staff. I was banded Aug 30....just squeaked in. I also watch the youtube videos of some of those mentioned above and I have my own to document my journey and for accountability. Cheers to the August All Stars 2011!

I'm 3 days out and have been doing Water , Protein Shakes, Jello and sugar free popsicles. I can start pureed soft Protein tomorrow (tuna, salmon, chicken etc). I can't wait....I'm so anxious to actually chew something. Anywhoo for the next week I'll be on pureed Proteins before i start solid protein. Unfortunately no veggies, fruit, dairy for a while. Good luck all.

I'm 3 days post and the strips are starting to peel back. I go in on tuesday to get the staples out. The surgeon's office told me that the strips would peel on their own and i could trim them back if i wanted. I'm doing so gingerly as to not pull on the wounds.

The Doc told me I could pull the gauze off when i got home on post op day 1 as long as i kept the wounds dry.

I am so thankful for this site...I am 6 days out like two of you and really freaking out. i know its the right thing but i can't shake this nervousness. I had my final consult with my surgeon yesterday and I was almost shaking sitting there. I have worked really hard to get here and know it will change my life but I'm terrified.

I love that there are so many nurses on here. I am a 1st year nursing student starting the class the day before surgery LOL

My eval was about 2.5hrs. There was a meeting with the Dr. for an hour where she asked a bunch of questions.Then I spent what seemed like forever filling out these paper assessments. Didn't find it terribly helpful but i got my letter of clearance so that's all that matters.

Congrats to all my fellow Aug banders! I am barely squeaking in on 8/30. Ready to start the rest of my healthier life. Good luck everyone!

Congrats on your upcoming surg! We were told to bring pillow (tummy support after), pjs/robe, toothbrush, slippers, daily meds + medication list (w/ dosages), CPAP (if applicable), loose fitting clothes to wear home

I'm taking a rolling backpack/day bag because i wont be able to carry anything heavy.

Good luck to you!

I got approved this morning....required a bit of stalking the customer service at Cigna but I have the golden number! I am so excited! Can't believe it happened finally..its been a 2 year journey but finally its time!

YEAHHHHHH!

For those still waiting or working through your pre op requirements...don't give up! You will get there!

Hi Rose!

I'm waiting for approval, climbing the walls waiting for the call. Good luck to you!

So glad there is people in the same age group that I am in. I just hope my insurance approves this for me. This process is so long to get approved. Seems like it takes forever. I hope I learn how to navagate this site is a little confusing to me. But thanks for all the encouragement.

Congrats on your surgery BaileyRose! Hope you have a speedy recovery.

I went almost all of the last two years sort of blah about this until i went in for my last preop appointment....it then hit me that this is really happening. Now that surgery is so close, utter freak out! I hope the nerves will calm soon. I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other..know that this will change my life for the better.

I know exactly how you feel. Exactly. Even up to the morning of my surgery my surgeon came up I me and said "are you excited?!?!" and I said, "uhhh no. I'm nervous haha" and he said, "good, I would be nervous if you weren't nervous."

And yes, I was nervous about the actually surgery and recovery since I had never had surgery before... But I was more nervous about the lifestyle change and that I will fail at this like every other diet I've done. But I know I won't. I have an incredible support system. And I had freaking surgery for crying out loud! I'm 4 days post-op right now and I keep telling myself, "all this pain and discomfort WILL be worth it!" I'm not going through this to fail... And neither will you. :-) you can do this... And you will. Good luck!

Congrats to all of you....I'm waiting for that call. Driving me NUTS!

Hi Sabrina!

You have to make the decision that is best for you. This is your health and your body, noone has to live in it but you. it's ok to take care of you! That's probably the biggest thing I've learned so far. Most of the people on here have lost weight to some degree doing the usual (jenny, WW, etc) but not been able to keep it off. This is a tool to help us do that, it doesn't do all the work but it helps. I can't wait to be banded..I've already changed my habits and my thinking..I just need the final piece to really turn the page on this new chapter.

Good luck to you! Holler if you need support

I know what you mean! I thought my 6 mos would never be over. I just finished last month and am now waiting for ins. approval. To be honest...once I got going with my preop stuff (clearances, gathering paperwork, started working out)....the time flew by. Before I knew it....I was at my 6 mo appointment and freaked out that I was now ready for surgery. Hang in there! It will be worth it.

IM if you need motivation

Like many of you I am really struggling with this decision to tell people. I have told my brother, my immediate supervisor (had to because of all the pre op tests re time off of work). Other than that I don't know that I really want to tell people. I feel like this is a personal journey, a difficult one. I don't know...I'm weeks away from surgery and still trying to sort this out.

Part of me wants to keep it to myself and part of me wants to share it (not with the world ) but with others who have faced this battle with their weight...to let them know there are options...

Hi! I grew up in Oak Park too, went to Trinity in RF. Would love to have local support. I am having the Realize band placed in September at Silver Cross. Let me know if you guys have time to get together!

Hi!

I'm from Chicago, slated to have surgery in September. It's been such a journey to get to this point and I Can't wait!