matilda01

It's my 3-week bandiversary today. I saw my surgeon on Friday, and he said I could start on pureed foods, so I went home and scrambled a couple of eggs with low-fat American cheese. I realized that was probably too much to eat at one time, so I only ate half. It was delicious! He said to stick to things like yogurt, scrambled eggs, etc., for the first 4-6 days, then move to things like refried beans, chili, etc. In the few days since I started pureed food, I've gained 2 lb. What the heck? I'm logging my food intake on Livestrong.com (I love that Web site!) and never go over about 550 calories in a day. Yesterday was the first day I was able to get in 60 grams of protein. It's pretty hard to get all the protein in when I'm not eating much. He did say to supplement with protein shake if needed. I got rid of all the leftover Easter candy...way too tempting for me! I went back to work on Saturday and Sunday and had no problems, didn't even get tired. I just work at my computer all day anyway (I transcribe medical reports for a hospital). Going to take my dog for a couple of long walks today...time to get some real exercise in. No more dreams about food!

I was vitamin D deficient and so was my coworker (we had our surgeries 1 week apart). I live in western NY and it tends to be cloudy here in the fall/winter. Lack of sunshine will contribute to vitamin D deficiency. They gave me a prescription supplement that I took once a week for 12 weeks. Didn't delay my surgery at all. At my postop visit I asked him if I should get a new prescription for vitamin D and he said, "No, just get some Viactiv." No worries for you!

Guess what? I decided to check Craig's List before I went to BB&B with my coupon. Somebody there was selling a Magic Bullet AND a Magic Bullet To Go with all the pieces and 3 recipe booklets for $40. I asked him if he'd take $35 and he agreed. We just picked it up and it looks like it's in very good condition. There are even extra cups (I have about 8 cups). So now I basically have 2 Magic Bullets and can take the To Go to the cottage and travel with it! Running everything (but the motor, of course) through the dishwasher now. So if you are thinking about buying one, be sure to check Craig's List, you just might get lucky like me!

OK, now I think I need a Magic Bullet. I have some questions.... 1) Where do you buy it? Can you get it in stores or is it better to get it on-line? 2) What do they usually cost? 3) I don't have a food processor anymore. Should I get a food processor instead or is the Bullet better (at least for the mushy stage, which I start in 10 days). Oh, and for mushy recipes, check out the food/recipe section here on LBT. There are pages & pages of mushy recipes. I found a bunch I can't wait to try!

Day 5 postop and today started out as a pretty good day but ended with a case of the blues. I found out this morning that I don't have to go back to work until after my followup with the surgeon on 4/09. My work is going to put me on disability and I'll get my full pay. Yeah! As the day progressed, I got kind of blue. Not sure why, maybe I'm sick of not feeling like myself, still having pain from trapped gas. On top of that, I feel like I have to burp really badly but nothing happens! The burp is right there, waiting to erupt, but I get no relief! Ugh. I took a 20-min walk in the sunshine and it was lovely even though it was absolutely frigid outside. Felt okay for a while after the walk but ended up in tears tonight, feeling sorry for my burpless existence. After the cry, I did feel a little better. Tomorrow is another day, maybe I will burp! :wub:

Dee, It sounds like you and I are experiencing the exact same type of gas pains. At one point in the hospital, I seriously thought I might be having a heart attack. It hurt so badly and I could only take very shallow breaths. Thankfully, that horrible feeling didn't last long. I also have that feeling of needing to burp but can't burp. I'm sleeping in a half sitting up position because lying flat just makes the gas worse. I hardly even notice the pain from the incision, it's really incidental compared to the gas pains. But it is a bit better today definitely and I'm going to keep walking. Oh, and the nurse suggested taking 10 deep breaths every hour, and while it is hard at first by the 10th breath, I am much stronger. Have you tried that?

I gained, too. When I weighed myself yesterday in clothes I had gone up 7 pounds. This morning I was back down about 4 pounds. I think it has to do with the IV meds and maybe even the gas. I'm not taking in many calories at all (maybe 300 in a day because I have to stay on clear liquids until Monday). Whatever caused the gain, I'm sure it's temporary!

I'm back! I got home a couple of hours ago and promptly took a nap. According to my surgeon, the surgery was picture perfect." Let me tell you though, the gas pain in my chest was scary awful. I felt like I couldn't breathe when I first got to my room. The nurse thinks it was because I was in the post anesthesia area for a while (due to my room not being ready). That meant I was on my gurney, flat, for about 3.5 hours after the surgery. The gas just sat on my chest I guess. Anyway, when I got to my room, the nurses had me up walking and that helped a bit. Still had to take lots of pain med by injection right up until this morning before I left for home. What everyone says is true...walking, walking helps! I can breathe better today, but deep breaths are still kinda hard. At the the hospital, every time I woke up I walked around the nurse's station over and over and over. When I woke up this morning, the gas pain in my chest was better (not gone but better). Gas-X didn't help a lick. Walking is the key! I feel kinda itchy today, not like an allergy itchy, I just find myself gently scratching my skin. Maybe I'm just dry (it's cold here again in western NY).

Hi fellow March 22 surgery people, Woo Hoo! Our day is almost here! I've lost 10 pounds since I started the liquid diet on Tues, 3/16. Gotta take magnesium citrate at 2:00 today (why, I am not sure, I've already been "running" to the bathroom today :smile:). I am not scared (yet), but I really just want to get this done! :thumbup: :thumbup: :laugh: :drool: :tongue: :smile: :smile2: :tongue2: :laugh: :laugh: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Neat! Same day! Do you have a preop diet? This is the start on my 3rd day, and after just the first 2 days, I had lost 6 pounds! yippee!

Day #2 of my liquid preop diet. I started a day early because I was getting so tempted to eat poorly and just decided to start the preop diet. So far so good!

Welcome, Robin! I know how you feel. Nervous, scared, happy, all at once! You will find lots of support here at LBT. Tons of information here and people at all lap-band stages. I, myself, am preop....having surgery 3/22. Most days I am really excited about, but sometimes kind of scared and worried that I will be the one to have problems, but I am forging ahead and ready to go! :thumbup: :thumbup: Good luck!

Wycole, I've been watching your videos on Youtube. They're great and very informative for me as a preop person. I'm having my surgery on 3/22 and will be taking a week off. A coworker is having her lap-band placed on 3/30, so I really should get back (the only other person in our office is very new on the job). From your experience, a week seems to be about right? I have a very sedentary job so the surgeon thinks as long as I'm off the prescription pain medicine, I'll be good to go back in a week, but it's nice to hear from actual people how they feel about that!

Sounds really delicious! I'm printing your recipe off and will definitely try it. Thanks for sharing.

Four weeks and 2 days for me. Has anyone started their preop diets? How are they going? I'm starting my 5-day preop on St. Patrick's Day.

Hi everyone, My surgery is set for 3/22. What type of preop diet is everyone doing? I'm supposed to do a 5-day liquid diet with Atkins drinks and sugar-free Jello, broth, etc.