va_viv

Hey girlie! Thanks for checking up on me. Sorry I didn't respond to your message sooner, I've been trying to relax and heal up as much/fast as possible. Guess what? I'm back at work today! Ekkk! I think I might of needed one more day but I'm doing great...no complaints. I can sleep on my side now, YAY!! LOL I stopped taking the pain meds like 3 days ago and I'm getting my appetite back, I'm realllllly over this liquid diet thing. But all in all I'm doing great!

Thanks for asking. How's everything with you? Only a couple months left right?

Girl do I know how you are feeling!!! I am STARVING in between meals; the swelling they talk about has DEFINTELY gone down no more restriction for me. I’m about to start my third week of mushies and I am soooo over it. I can’t take it anymore, I want real food. My nutritionist told me that I should only be eating ? of a cup of food but if I’m hungry to eat up to a cup…are they flipping crazy? A ? of a cup would be torture; I’m doing the 1 cup and get hungry like 1 or 2 hrs after I eat. I’ve only lost 10 lbs since surgery as well and it’s kinda pissing me off. I was hoping to lose 5 more lbs by Halloween but that was a no go. Is this what bandster hell feels like? Like you I can’t wait for my fill, it’s scheduled for Nov 15th…can’t come any sooner.

Good luck! Just keep your eye on the prize…slutty Halloween costumes for next year. HAHA Take care! Vivian

Hey Melissa! I just wanted to say HI and hope all is well with you and your approval, how's that coming along? Did you get the good news yet?

Let me know! Take care! Viv

Hey! I'm doing great, thanks! I'm on my second week of mushies and I'm soooo over it! I can't wait to be able to eat REAL/NORMAL food! LOL But the band is working I've lost 26 lbs. YAY! Hoping to lose another 4 before halloween.

How's everything with you? Hope alllll is well with work & school!

I went to the support meeting last night that Fair Oaks offers. They offer it every 3rd Monday of the month...for post and pre-op patients. It was ok, better then the one in Woodbridge, a lot more people. There were still the bypassers that thought that they were better then the bandsters (or that's the vibe I got) but the handful of bandsters stood up for ourselves. LOL I think I will continue going.

The support group in Woodbridge is not bad, there was only 1 bandster there, that's kinda why I didn't like it. I'm thinking of going to another one, they meet the 1st Wednesday of every month.

Just wanted to let you know about it.

My pain level is about a 1.5. The pain that I really have comes from the gas. It's so annoying! I want to get it out but I can't burp it out, it hurts. My back was hurting really bad at first but now it's gone. I was able to sleep on my side last night, YAY!

How are you doing?

Not fun at all but not totally terrible either. I honestly don't feel any different with this fill, hopefully the 2nd fill will do something.

YAY! How exciting 2 months will FLY by.

Oh what a bummer, but makes sense that you can't do any appts before getting approved. But seriously you'll get approval in like 2 days and things will happen A LOT quicker then you might like. LOL At least that's how I felt. The psych eval will go great, have you decided who to go with?

definitely all of the above, but hungry sticks out more then the rest. lol

I'm a bit nervous but nothing I can't handle. I just can't believe that it's finally here. I'm super excited!

Good for you! I'm happy that everything is going well.

Thanks! I'm excited, I'm hoping that it continues like this.

I haven't gone to any meetings, but there is one next week on Wednesday (I think) in Woodbridge, I'm probably going to go to that one.

How about you? I wish I could find one strictly for bandsters.

Great! I really like Dr. Halmi, and from what I've heard around he's very well known and respected around the country. We couldn't be in better hands.

No worries, 3 mths will fly by. Congrats on sticking to it! It takes a lot of dedication. Just remember, after this you're going to look H-O-T!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tons of luck to you!

Hey girl! Thanks for saying hello I live in Northern VA, in Fairfax County...Springfield area, how about you? I'm getting banded by Dr. Denis Halmi at Bluepoint Group at the Fair Oaks hospital.

OMG! CONGRATS on your banding! YAY! So happy for you!!!!!!!!! 20 lbs is definitely amazing, you're doing awesome. Can't wait to be in your shoes.

How's the recovery going? Hope everything is well! Tons of luck to you and happy thoughts for your band :)

Hey Melissa! Tons of luck to you, no worries the approval will come sooner then you think. Mine took about 2 days, then everything took off from there...and very quickly (sometimes I think too quick lol).

You're ahead of me, I haven't tested any protein shakes but I definitely will soon I NEED to get on it . My pre-op diet doesn't include protein shakes, I'm doing optifast. Lucky you that you only have to do 3-days of the liquid diet, mine is 2 weeks. The first couple of days was rough but I got over it and now I'm doing well, I'm kinda proud haha. You'll do great with yours, no worries. Extending it might be a good idea because after surgery we have to do a liquid diet (as least I do) for a least a week so you'll be extra prepared.

I wish you tons of luck and will pray that you get your approval soon. This is all part of the process and it'll fly by. Let me know when you hear the good news! We're going to look H-O-T!!!

Take care! Vivian

Hey Nat! Everything is going well. No complaints! I went in for my first fill today, ekk. It was a bit uncomfortable because Christina (the PA) couldn't find my port, so there was a lot of searching and pressing down on my stomach. What she thought was my port was scar tissue, I can't blame her though it felt like my port. But I eventually got my fill. I got 3.7 cc's in my 10 cc band. I have to be on liquids for 48 hrs, then soft foods for 1 day then back to solids. Not toooo bad.

How's everything with you? Hope the classes are going well. Have you started going to your appts? Hope all is well with work and school

Viv

Hey! Just wanted to say good luck tomorrow! I'm getting banded as well! How awesome are we? lol

Hope everything goes well and I wish you a speedy recovery!

Hey! No problem. I've found the blogs to be incredibly informative and helpful. I haven't started a blog..have been thinking about it. I'm just an incredibly private person and I hate pictures so the combo of those two wouldn't make for a very good blog. But I'm definitely seeking that support.

Thanks for sending luck over my way...I'm a bit nervous! Your surgery is just around the corner, right? TONS of luck you'll do GREAT!!

Hey! Nothing's really new. Everything is going really well! Today is officially 3 wks post op, YAY! I'm on my second week of mushies and I'm kinda over it already. I'm super hungry between meals so I can't wait for my first fill. They say you should be eating a 1/4 of a cup...serious I don't think so!!! LOL Been eating 1 cup of food. I have 5 lbs to go to meet the 30 lb mark. YAY! Oh and I started exercising yesterday, it sucks but gotta do it! LOL

How are you doing? How's everything going? Are you done with the liquids? How's the hunger? Hope all is well!

Thanks for checking in!

Hey! Thanks for the add!

Yay! Congrats on your surgery date! Seems like Oct. 6th is going to be a lucky day for many of us . How's everything going? Everything is well on my end, just fighting through the hunger of my 2 wk liquid diet...but I'll make it. lol

We're almost there!!!!

Hey! Thanks!

Uggh, I got a call on Friday that my time was changed. I was suppose to be there at 6 am, surgery at 8 am, but I was told Friday to be there at 10 am, surgery being at 12 pm. I'm kinda upset because I REALLY want to go home that same day and the Dr. told me that usually only the first surgery of the day goes home...but if all goes well then maybe surgeries after can too. I reallllllly hope I can. I hate hospitals with a passion so the least amount of time that I'm there the B-E-T-T-E-R! lol

I can't wait either but I'm starting to get super nervous, don't really know why but I'm feeling very anxious and nervous. I know all is going to go well but I guess the fact that it's happening is what's making me most nervous.

Hey! Welcome to band-land! Hope you are doing well and recovering nicely.

Good luck and let me know how you're doing.

Hey! WOW! Me too! Surgery is Oct 6th with Dr.Halmi. Who's your surgeon?

Thanks a million...I'm done with everything just waiting for the surgery. Where are you in the process?

I'm back to being 100%...piece of cake right? LOL I'm assuming you're doing well. Hope everything went well. Did you stay overnight?

Oh btw, I went to the support group last night (at Fair Oaks), it was a little better then the one in Woodbridge, a lot more people. There were still some of the bypassers that thought they were the end all be all but I guess that comes with the territory. Dr. Halmi actually went and talked to us, which was cool.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

PCOS, yeah I have it, was diagnosed in April after so many years of being in limbo to why I kept gaining and gaining.

Sorry about your thyroid!

I'm so glad as well, I can't believe it happened. But now I'm in hell! I can't take it, this weekend I definitely did bad but I gotta keep pushing. How are you?

Wahoo! Congrats girlie! Best of luck to you for the next couple of days! Don't worry it'll definitely get better.

I still have to take those dreaded "before" pictures

HAHA thanks for the va va voom, that's one of a handful of pictures that I actually like.

Take care and TONS and TONS of luck to you!!!

Whaaaat? Only 2 days?!?! Lucky you girl. My surgeon requires all his patients to do the 2 wk optifast liquid diet, I guess it's so we can lose some weight and get our liver to shrink a bit. It's a bit rough let me tell ya, especially because after surgery we have to another 10 day liquid diet (then go to mushies). I cheated a bit yesterday, but it's hard on weekends, weekdays no problem. Anywhooooo, I'm doing the best I can.

So are you getting excited?

WHOOOOP WHOOOOP!!! Congrats!!!! Yay! it'll definitely be a great October 6th for the rest of our lives! 2 weeks to go! I start my liquid diet tomorrow eeeekkkkk..I'm a little nervous but I'm sure it'll be ok.

Thanks for the update!