priscilla

Hey Astrotoes - a kettle of fish sounds awesom right at the moment thanks. Glad Gaffer is kidding about the steak - didn't want to stay up all night worrying about him. Yasmina, so sorry about your infection. Thank goodness I have had no trouble. Dame, hope your hand bruises are disappearing too. I get curious stares and point to my husband. Just kidding! Gaffer and Becca - one more sleep to go for you (well, 2 with the anaesthetic). From dreamland to bandland.:clap2: Good luck.

Argon, hope you are going to tolerate more/better food soon. Just think of optifast and you really will upchuck. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have food do that to you - especially cheese! Love cheese (better as a pizza topping). Maybe your fill is just too new. Not that I know anything about that yet. My heart is with you and hope this is a short-lived phase for you. You know, I keep looking at the amount of weight you have lost and am awed and amazed. Keep it up - you should be so proud of yourself.

I'll send out good vibes Becca and Andrew for your surgery in TO. I am 6 days banded and feeling good! Liquid diet is not bad, especially the smoothier soups. Gas pains all gone and suture/wounds sites mending really well. You will breeze through it and wake up in a whole new realm of nutrition - a second chance to get it right. Absolutely fantastical. Again, good luck and let us know how you are soon.:clap2:

Geez Gaffer, this lobster is the hottest issue on the post. It really was 3 1/2 lbs (with about close to 2 lbs of meat, yummy!) I hope no band doctors are reading these posts - but if they are, I plead under the Canadian version of the 5th. Well, what the heck - here is the real scoop. I had this fantastical lobster at noon on the day before my surgery. I fessed up to the doctor and he said as long as it was not a STEAK (Gaffer - there goes your steak) or really heavy food and had no carbs whatsover, fish was a good choice. Salmon is good, etc. etc. I think the worry they have as that we will take ourselves out of ketosis which is the state that you are in after optifast for 2 wks. and then the hunger pains come back. Makes sense, because they do not want us to be hungry after this surgery right? Gaffer, don't do the steak - if something goes wrong with your surgery, then I will feel personally responsible for having strayed off the path and encouraged you to do that too.:bandit

Gerry that is an amazing weight loss! You are a winning loser already:omg:. Keep in touch - this board is wonderful for support.

Amen Sisters and Brothers! Mine came when I saw members of my family younger than me well on their way to obesityland. Time to swing into action and take control of this lifelong BS (Beef Situation). My daughter has done the lapband too and is as delighted and excited as I am. Going through this together really makes us determined. Let the good times roll!

Hey Dame - you are one lucky lady if you did not get bruised. You should see my hand where the anaesthesiologist pricked me 3 times - then once half way up my arm, finally asked him to take the crook of my inner arm - and it worked like a charm. Hand looks terrible black and green. Belly bruising is not too bad - bottom incision is the worst. Had a little oozing blood in a couple of spots but compared to some post op pics I've seen, I think I got off lucky. We went shoe shopping the day after surgery, found some great sales and got back to Heritage House and packed and then off to the plane in the afternoon. Got home at 10:30 pm Mountain Standard Time. :biggrin1:

Astro, I just realized you are one of the ladies I met with Heather and my daughter. Got confused cause your signature line said Banded 02/06/07. How are you doing? It was so good to see you and Heather. Are you happy you did this? I think everyone has a few YIKES! minutes or hours in my case. Glad I got over it. Life will go on better than ever. Keep in touch. Yours truly, Lobster Girl:hungry:

Astro - how did you find out about that? Confession time - I ordered the biggest baddest meanest looking lobster that weighed 3 1/2 lbs. plus a ceasar salad and ate it all! Best damn meal I ever had after 2 weeks of opticrap. Oh, and let's not forget the butter! No secrets left - that's it.:hungry:

Hey - how are all you Feb bandies? Just got done on Feb 7, met 3 other people which was great - all being done on Feb 7. Thought I should start a Feb Band thread so we can keep in touch and let others know of our "recent" experiences. Dr. C and staff were marvelous and very confident. Before I went under I had a quick little inner panic moment. When I came out of it I had a little inner anxiety moment that lasted about 2 days. Finally fessed up to my daughter that I actually for about 24 hrs. wanted it out of me . Then BAM! I got over it. Now I'm absolutely in love with the idea of having an "inner conscience". Did the gas shoulder pain thing and it's almost gone. Having my fluids and lovely optifast (1 daily). Tried some cottage cheese and did great on it. Diet jello - good. Gardennay creamy soup - good. Coffee - great! Went through my closets and turfed out stuff cause I've lost 20 lbs. since Jan 23. Took out my next smallest sizes of clothes - tried them on and won't need to shop for about 6 wks I figure. All in all, this is an unbelievably positive thing and I am so optimistic and, oh yeah - NOT HUNGRY! How totally supercalifragilisticexpealidoshus (sp?) is that? Keep in touch and in tune everybody - let the support follow you! I'm gettin too happy - better go now. :kiss :clap2: :clap2:

Hello - I just had to respond to your post about your feelings of "regret"? I just had surgery on Feb 7 and I absolutely felt the same way you do. I kind of panicked thinking "Gee I've got this alien thing around my stomach, what have I done, maybe I should go back to the doc and have him take it out?" Today I feel like it was the best thing I have ever done for my health. I am excited when I feel full after just 1/2 cup of coffee. There is still some uncomfortable moments, but every day I feel better. Please try not to dwell on the "device" inside of you. It will use up emotional energy that you don't have right now. When I was having those moments of "oh no", I just focused on how great it will be to move around more freely, be more active and never have to diet like I used to and then gain back. You and I are newly banded and adjusting to our new perspective on life. Remember you are as normal as everyone else who is going through this and just jump on this forum and get your thoughts out. You will get so much help and support because we are all really really here for each other and aren't we courageous girls for doing this? Feel proud of yourself - you are getting your control back. All the best to you:kiss2:

Hey Andrew - you can also add mushrooms to the filet of cabbage" to give it a variance in chew texture. Yesterday I even used poultry stuffing spice and I almost had myself convinced that I was eating Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks for the thumbs up Cloe! It all helps keep me on track.

Day 6 of Optifast - lost 5 lbs! Coffee crystals in vanilla is okay. Coconut flavour in chocolate is not bad. I also have sauteed cabbage and onions and garlic with lots of no cal spices for supper for my veggies. Throw in a little chicken in a mug and chicken broth and you have a feast folks!:hungry: Hunger has absoutely gone away. Got to force myself to drink - look forward to my "filet of cabbage" every night though. My husband is living on cabbage too - minus the shakes. He goes off to sneak a hamburger somewhere though - I can smell it on him. Keep smilin' it helps. Thinking of all you optifasters out there - misery loves company:clap2:

2 optifasts down and 1 cup of steam broccoli - Joy! How am I gonna get another shake down before bedtime? If it could just taste like popcorn there would be no problem. Grin and bear it everyone. The end goal is worth the present.

Hi Gaffer and Astro - I just downed my first one - vanilla and added some orange essence into it - not in love with the stuff but I can do this - I can do this, I can do this....looking forward to chocolate one. Good luck and let's keep motivating each other. If I find a way to dress up the taste I will pass it on to everyone. Let's have a group hug:girl_hug:

Yes, we will get the new advanced band - yippee! Apparently it is less apt to cause problems or lose saline. Keep in touch.

Dr. Coburn is my doc too. Starting Opti-fast tomorrow - yum!

Thanks for the updated info on the band - I am looking forward to getting it on Feb 7.

Hey AstroT. My operation is at 12:00 noon - I'm gonna lose weight cause I have to give up lunch that day! Hey Cloe - thanks - I know you are right and I can hardly wait for it to start.

Hi everyone - all the newbies including abSteph, Astrotoes. I know what you mean Astrotoes by your "Oh my God, what am I doing" days. I have had many of those. I have to say though, that with the help of everyone on this board (even though they don't know how much they have helped me) I am absolutely certain at my core that the Band is the right WLS method for me. I get banded Feb 7 with Dr. Coburn too. I steeling my mind for the Optifast diet:biggrin1: . Jan 24 I start chugging that stuff and am willing to hold my nose and down it all at once if I have to. Good luck everyone who is a bandwannabe.

Anyone have any experience taking conjugated linoleic acid and its effects good or bad? I read some interesting material on the internet about scientific studies done using this nutritional supplement (Omega 6 fatty acids/conjugated lineolic acid) to assist persons in reducing abdominal fat and lowering blood sugar levels. Any feedback would be appreciated. If Dr. C is in the house would he be able to give any insight into this topic?

AHubar- congratulations on your new gym routine. For the past 2 days hubby and I have been working out on all that exercise equipment we have in the basement. I did 5 minutes on the circuit the 1st time, 10 on the 2nd attempt and am about to go down again - whew! am I ever out of shape. :cry I also hate sweating! "Working out is a good thing" (my new mantra)

Welcome Sean - I have not looked at my pre-op diet plan yet - don't want to scare myself too quickly! I will look at it two days before I go on it and then have only 2 sleepless nights.:heh: We will have long chats I'm sure about how the diet is going. Gaf - we start the diet the same day - so we can commiserate at will. Actually, it will not be too bad; in my lifetime I have done ridiculous diets including the grapefruit and eggs (only!) one. That was way before Atkins Diet in the mid 60's. Yeah, Yeah, I'm old - so what? Anyway, I did liquid protein when it first came out and tasted like an old steer had crawled in that can and then slowly rotted to death. Yech! OPtifast sounds good - especially the chocolate stuff. I lived for a year on the Cambridge Diet in the mid - late 80's and lost a whopping pile of weight - funny thing is, it found me again. 2 weeks will be a walk in the park:nervous . Well gotta go to bed - this old bird is tired.

I start my pre-op diet on Jan 24 also. Goodluck Sean, with your journey. We can compare notes about how the liquid diet goes:phanvan .

Yes Gaf, it is Feb 7. Have only told my husband. Other family members don't know about about this type of surgery and I don't want them stressed over it. Once I start losing weight I will explain it to them. Got to protect them that loves ya! Good luck and we will keep in touch I'm sure through this wonderful way of communicating and getting and giving support.