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I am soo excited... I just got home from the hospital for my 1st class for pre - surgery. have 3 more classes to go, then I'll be banded-- (maybe in August) woot!! I did learn some stuff from the dietitian, & the exercise counselor. But mostly I already knew, & common sense.. I got a lot of papers w/ tips and pics of different strength training & diet tips... Wanted me to be on a diet and start getting used to chew slowwwly w my food.. and wanted me to start exercising & gradually increasing the amount and time. I'm ready!! Tomorrow is when I start.. Wish me luck!

... what did you eat your first day? I don't know what to make!:Dancing_biggrin:

Mine was similar, also minus the yogurt, baby food & pudding. They called it "thin" liquids, basically anything that can fit through a straw. I'm sure glad that phase is over. I just started solids this weekend. YAY! I must say, the early phase passed quickly. MUshies were good - they didn't look like much, but were tasty.

Hi. I know this is a hard time, BUT... it is really best to do what your doctor told you to do... not what others on here get to do. If you look hard enough, I'm sure you can find advice that someone else got that is much better than what your doctor told you to do. You don't want to advance in your eating quicker than you are supposed to. It can cause damage to your band. I remember how hard those first weeks can be - I was hungry in the recovery room. Just hang in there. You will soon be eating "real" food. You can do it. Don't risk a slipped band - you will then have to tell your doctor that you didn't follow his advice but found some "better" advice on LBT. Good luck to you and take care!! Becky

Hi there- I also was banded this week, Monday, and am having a lot of trouble with hunger, but my surgeon requires 2 more weeks of liquid only, and cream soups aren't a part of that. I don't fully understand why the protocols are so different. I'm having trouble even thinking about trying to get down any more Protein shakes, so right now I'm pretty much sustaining on ice-tea. It's great to see that everyone is doing so well, but I'm just wondering if I'll ever feel "normal" again. I think it will be great to only want a little bit, and that's what the band is supposed to help with, but I don't know if I can do another 14 days of only Protein Shakes. I know that a lot of other people have done the pure liquid for many weeks prior to their surgery, and I only had a couple of days, so I'm lucky I guess. I'm sorry to be so discouraging, I'm just wanting to not hurt, and and not be so uncomfortable all of the time. I had a meltdown yesterday when my mom made me a shake (I know she was just trying to help) and I just burst into tears because I just don't feel like "eating" anything because I'm so uncomfortable. Good luck to you all. I wish you the best. Poppet:frown:

Huh. I had surgery Monday and can almost drink normally but no way on food. Four tablespoons of pudding and I'm done. It's so weird how much people differ. I'm having lots of head hunger but have had zero real hunger so I hope that means chemically things are working.

It's really hard when you don't yet have restriction. We have this surgery so that we won't have to diet any longer--and until we do have restriction, it sure feels an awful lot like dieting. Which sets us up for bingeing, if we're predisposed to that. What are you eating for typical meals? Are you getting enough good-quality, dense Protein? That makes a big difference, hunger-wise. When you say you went back to your old habits, what does that mean? Did you have a real binge, or did you simply deviate a bit from your doctor's directives? The odds of you having caused any damage are very slim; I think you can safely relax about that. But do try to figure out what is motivating the overeating. Is it hunger? If so, try to tweak what you're eating at mealtime, work out an eating schedule that works better, etc. If it's the emotional stuff--and there can be LOTS of that, as we face giving up our old friend, food--you need to tackle that, as well. It's really difficult when our heads and bodies are saying, "EAT!" and we know we can't/shouldn't. The trick is finding ways to turn those voices off. If you have good alternative activities, that helps. I tend to head out for a walk when the only alternative seems to be eating. At night, I've been known to just go to bed, rather than hear the "eat!" argument in my head any longer. It gets TONS easier, though, the closer I get to restriction---and the same will happen for you.

Thanks for the welcome! Well, I’m saying! I do exercise and that’s not too much of a problem. However I really need to get back to logging my food! IDK, will I ever get it? Lol I’m really trying though. J I just need to make sure I’m buckling down with my workouts more than ever. I find that if I’m not at full speed with my workouts I’m not losing and in some cases I’m gaining. Sad but true…

Long time lurker, first time poster. I had the RNY done on the 10th walking in with a bmi of 35. I did it mainly to help with my Diabetes which was diagnosed when I was 34 years old (6 years ago). This was done under the advise of many doctors and a few years of research. So I am holding up alright. On a pureed diet until the 31st - then I go to soft meats. Lost some weight already - about 35 lbs. But the biggest thing that is getting to me is my blood sugars are not lowering - they are always in the 200s.. I have been taken off all my diabetes meds and they put me on a sliding scale. Anyone have any insight for me? Everyone has been telling me that the people who walk off the table diabetes free are the exception and that most people have to wait a bit until the smoke clears from the surgery. Anyone? Thoughts?

I am frustrated when people only talk to me about weight loss. My hobbies and interests are the same now as they were before. I am not a food cop and I do not care if someone is eating healthy 24/7. I get irritated when people think I am judging them.

****LUCKY DAY 13**** Hi friends...it's day 13 for me since surgery. I feel and look great. I'm down to 165 which translates to this progression: Jan 23 188lbs Feb 10 181lbs Feb 15 174lbs Feb 27 165lbs My clothes already feel loose and people are starting to notice, big time....I have been consuming soups and liquids at least once every 2-3hrs. I can't take much down, no more than 2-3oz except smoothies. I make a killer smoothie with Frozen Berries, Lakeland Coconut juice, Half of a banana blended and its delish! I can take about 4oz of that but in sips and over time. Love keeping that at my desk, totally curves my appetite. Last week I was very good about my walking. The last day I walked 2miles was last Thursday. 3days since a good long walk kinda bums me out, because tonight i have an event and i am not sure i can get the walk in without being exhausted when i get home. I will do whatever it takes to get these walks in everyday. Wednesday makes two weeks since my surgery. I am finally getting use to this new appetite and mentality. Although this situation with the liquids is getting old already. At first it was kinda of fun to find different things to drink, fun soups, great yogurts etc but now its just getting to me. I want something to CHEW on for the love of Christ. I don't miss food, i don't care for it, i just need to find more variety. I still have another week before dr.'s orders will allow for soft foods, tuna, cottage cheese, apple sauce, pudding, puree vegetables, mashed potatoes. I am terrified of eating at restaurants and events. This weekend was my first experience being out of my 'comfort zone' with food and one of the worst for someone in this post surgery condition. In Miami it was the South Beach Wine and Food Festival an event that i not only work but also love to attend. This year was different, i could have cared less partially b/c my fear of being around all that food but also i am just over food. I think its the same stuff over and over and over again. I gave up some pretty expensive tickets all in the name of my sanity. On Friday, i worked the event and never walked in the doors, i did everything i could from the outside and left early. My grandmother made me black bean Soup and i ran home to eat that...so good. On Saturday i had an event late at night and thank goodness it was passed canapés, because they crossed my path but i never even blinked. I got extremely hungry during the event while it was in full swing and i took a break. I took a 10min break and sat down and had my soup. The key to bad circumstances is to fill up. Even though it takes 2-4oz of anything it is just like when you are full and eating large amounts of food, once you are full that sensation of disgust after is still there. When i got home almost 4hrs after my last meal, i tore up a small bowl of black bean soup...yes at 2am. Don't judge.. lol The next day i passed on the Paula Deen Brunch and the grand tasting village. Even though i could have gone and i am not tempted to EAT desirable things, i was just fearful that friends would want me to try something or drink wine or that i would be without something to eat for a while and I might panic. Especially since i don't want to tell anyone and i do need to eat my soups etc by 2hrs. I know this is a problem but i will ease into it little by little. I am going to try with friends that know my situation just so that i can start to ease back into normal life with my new stomach and not have to feel like i am explaining to the world. This to me is forever... Also my nutrition is worrying me...i am not eating but a mere 500 calories a day and not getting enough Protein that is for sure. going to my doctor on Wed for some b-12 shots and going to up the consumption of my Protein shakes. Lessons learned so far: Plans your meals or have plenty of back up just in case Throw a single packet or two of Protein Powder in your purse. Worst case scenario. You can mix it in a bottle of Water a voila! a meal MILK products are not your friend. When on the liquid portion of your diet do not expect to evacuate every day, its more like every 4-5 and if you feel constipation take Milk of Magnesia before going to bed, you'll thank me in the morning. This is all for now. I start back up with my trainer next week so i am excited about that and major GOAL is 150 right now. Hoping to get there soon. Until then....feel free to ask questions. I am happy to help with what little experience i have with this and as with all things, I am not a medical professional nor does this post imply any medical advise or suggestions, these are personal accounts. Good night SPT friends. xo 134 and Happy!

Have fun Babs! We'll miss you. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your pumpkin pie while it's in season. I'm not planning on any holiday extravaganzas with food or family. Hey, there's a first time for everything! This will be my first Holiday season with my new friend the band and am looking forward to it. Even though I did buy the ingredients for a pumpkin pie that I will cook today for my son. It's his birthday and he'd rather have pie than cake! That strikes me as odd but if thats what he want thats what the cook will fix. Happy Holidays! TTFN

I regularly jog up and down the aisle at the grocery store carrying the biggest bag of dogfood I can find...usually 38 pounds, which is roughly what I have lost with the band. No wonder I felt like crap!!! My 2yo wonders what's going on, since I never buy any of the bags I pick up, I just heft to one shoulder, the other, on a hip, on my head, walk, jog, heave and ho. I just make sure the aisle is empty, but then I don't care if I get caught. It's a great idea! Especially since the frozen food aisle is next over...easier to pass on by the evil ice cream.

for the surgery and it dawned on me that I am truly a 100% pure old fashioned smart ass. As I am looking at the class titles all I can think is a more fitting title for how these people treat those of us in the class. Now, for the most part they are definetly supportive, but they are also condescending. I don't do condescending well at all, I tend to get pissy with people that treat me with that particular attitude. Here are some of my smart ass titles (along with the original) Original is bolded, mine is italicized. Weight Management 1 Weight control for dummies part 1 Weight Management 2 just in case you didn't get it the first time PreOp GBP Nutrition Clinic We still don't think you got it Support Group (now this is the mandatory one I made comment of before) Listen to me talk down to you cause you are still fat (serious, that is how it went, pissed me off with this waste of time) Occupational Therapy Clinic This is a leg lift, this is a bicep curl... do these Ok, so maybe they are funny to me and no one else, but I got a chuckle out of my frustrated translations... and trust me, I am very VERY frustrated with the process at this hospital. *sigh* Oh well, I am jumping the hoops, doing what needs to get done, and hopefully in 3 weeks (might be a month) I will have my date. Cross your fingers I don't kick someone where it counts. :)

I'm scared to death. I'm not happy with either candidate for the presidency. In fact they both scare the sh$t out of me! I'm afraid of what I can eat. I'm afraid I might eat something with tainted milk in if from China. I'm afraid of the economy. We are on the brink. I think that for Bush to actually make a speech about it, it is worse than the public knows. I know that they have to look at the collateral damage from public panic before they do a speech like that. I'm scared to death and I'm one of the lucky ones. My job is stable, my mortgage rate is fixed. I carry no debt other than my house. I have no children. I'm having an overwhelming urge to move into a cabin in the middle of nowhere and raise and shoot my own food.

I'd definitely ask your dr. With my post-op diet I'm on liquids for 2 weeks, then mushies for 2 weeks, then real food. chicken and all that isn't allowed until my mushies stage. I wouldn't risk eating them before asking the dr as he/she will know if your stomach and band are healed enough to handle that type of food.

I was banded on 12/21 and can eat soft foods as tolerated. I can only eat so much and then I get a full feeling and don't swallow so well. If I pushed through that and kept eating I think I would feel some of the things you are describing. I think by tomorrow you will feel better, however, I would portion out your food so you know how much your new pouch can comfortably handle. It feels like each new thing is a test for me. I can not do fried foods at all. The only meat I can eat right now is chili and I had a quesadilla with chicken that was kinda ground up. Good luck.

Time to digest isn't the point, though. the purpose of the liquid diet is to shrink your liver, which sits right in front of where the doctor has to work. So, while it might be okay to "fudge" and eat some real food a ways out from the surgery, I definitely would not do it within the last 48 hours or so beforehand. Stay strong! You'll do great! Good luck Monday.

It takes about 6 weeks or so for things to heal up. What I do is measure everything putting only the 2 or 4 ounces on my plate - and then eat with a baby spoon so that I don't eat too fast. This way I know how much I am eating so I can journal it (my dietician wants me to journal daily). I eat until I feel full (most of the time that means I eat until I belch, but tonight it was until I got a tight feeling). If I haven't eaten my entire portion, then I put it in the fridge until my next meal time. I have found some 1/2 cup containers that for storage, as well as some 1ounce and 2 ounce containers too (those are "baby food dishes" - but they don't look like they are for babies - just the outer packaging was). It really helps.

how your stomach reacts seems to change as time passes. I have had a pretty good experience so far. I have noticed that my tummy reacts a bit differently. I am 6 weeks post op. I believe for the most part, it is either when I forget and drink and eat to fast, or when I am trying a new food. It reminds me to be kind to it

Is it normal to have a craving for food 1 week post op? Today I ate a popsicle and small jello in 1 seating is that too much 1 week post op

I turned 43 today. I'm three days into my pre-op diet--I'm on the road to a thinner, healthier me. This is the best gift I can give myself. It will last the rest of my life. I'm sticking pretty much to Isopure protein shakes, chicken, tuna, cheese, cottage cheese, and almonds. I'm getting in about 100 grams of protein a day; my minimum is supposed to be 70. I'm doing great. My carbs are supposed to stay under 30 a day; this is soooo not a problem. Hubby took me out for dinner to celebrate. We went to Outback Steakhouse and I got the center-cut filet (medium rare) with a Caesar salad. I enjoyed every single bite, because I know it will be quite awhile before I can eat another steak or salad. It was delicious! We're looking to buy some riverfront property on the San Marcos river here in Texas. I went out and stomped around on the piece we're most interested in--most likely it's in the flood plain. I wish it wasn't. It's gorgeous. We so want to live on the San Marcos river after I graduate from dental hygiene school in May 2008. George retires from the phone company after 30+ years in December 2009. Life just keeps getting better for both of us. We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on July 4. We've been together for almost seven years. After several failed marriages between us, we took our time getting to know each other. We are perfect for each other. Anyway, back to the lap-band. My sister had a band placed five years ago and has done very well, despite having stretched her pouch. She's lost all of her weight and has been training daily and running marathons for about three years now. I started investigating different weight-loss surgeries for me about a year ago. At first I thought I'd do the vertical sleeve gastrectomy with duodenal switch, but since I have Crohn's disease, my gastroenterologist wouldn't approve it for me. Then I thought the Rouen-Y--same response from my doctor. Well, then I figured that the lap-band would be okay, because it could be reversed, if I had a life-threatening flare-up of my Crohn's disease. My doctor said he thought that was a great idea. In April, I went to a bariatrics seminar held at Seton hospital here in Austin, Texas, and Dr. Mark Sherrod presented all of the information, pre-qualification factors, etc. and he was so personable. I enjoyed the presentation and spoke with him for sometime afterward. My husband came with me and enjoyed it as much as I did. He really liked Dr. Sherrod too. I made an appointment and saw Dr. Sherrod for the first time on a doctor/patient basis in May. With a BMI of 43, I was definitely a candidate for the surgery. There was a ton of paperwork to fill out, questions to answer, future appointments to schedule, etc. that kept me very busy. I went back on June 25th for a meeting with anesthesiology (for an EKG), the psychologist (to make sure I had realistic expectations), an exercise therapist (to give me ideas on what kinds of exercise was reasonable for me), a nurse with the bariatrics team (to discuss the actual surgery, possible complications, etc.), and a dietician (to discuss my eating habits, the pre-op diet, and post-op diet, and lifetime eating habit modification). My gallbladder decided to go bad, and after a couple of gallbladder tests, that came back strongly indicating a malfunctioning organ, Dr. Sherrod was kind enough to take it out for me on June 29. Whew! I feel so much better. I had my gallbladder removed at the Central Park Surgical Suites on 38th St. here in Austin. And I had such a terrific experience that I've canceled my lap-band surgery at Seton hospital, and have scheduled to have it done at the Central Park Surgical Suites. Dr. Sherrod raves about the staff there, and I can certainly understand why. I had my very own nurse who made sure that I never felt any pain. She was priceless! I don't really have any misgivings about the upcoming surgery. I know that I will mourn the loss of my best friend (food), but honestly, my best friend has let me down for 20 years. It's a sick, sick, sick relationship. Food doesn't make me feel better about myself, it hasn't made me healthy, it turned my mom into a type II diabetic, and I know I'm next. If I had a human friend who treated me the way food has, I sure wouldn't have kept that friend around for 20 years! So, the lap-band goes on July 19. It's a tool to help me control how much I eat. And since I will have such a tiny stomach, I will have to be super smart about what I put into my body. It's no different than when George stopped smoking four years ago. He used the patch, the lozenges, and the gum. They were tools to help him curb is addiction. The band will help me curb my addiction. I'm very excited about starting my new life. I'm only 43, if I treat myself well, I could live another 40 years and enjoy my grandkids and their children, and maybe even their childrens' children. How cool would that be? I'm going to commit to posting here once a week. I sure I can do it once school starts up again. We shall see.:kiss

Back in Statesville after another week helping Mom. The pile is shrinking, but it's still big. Adding to it now, real estate. Swell. A little over a week, now, post-op, and I went way off the reservation yesterday and this morning. I had to have food. I bought me some Angus flank strips and some shredded cheddar and made me a couple of steak and cheese omelettes. The shame. At least it was high-protein. I doffed off a couple more pounds this week. I'm healed up enough, now, I guess, to add a little exercise to the routine. I'll be becoming more familiar with my neighborhood beginning this week. On with the show...

Liz, during your second fill, did the doc take out all of the first fill you got, before he/she put 1.4cc in? How much came out? Here's some feedback from me...sometimes the first fill doesn't work at all and you need another, or another! to start feeling the restriction. The size of your band also plays a role. Folks with the VG Band tend to need more fills, not always, but usually. You will know if this fill is too tight if you get any reflux symptoms or if you are not able to eat small quantities of regular food after a few days of liquids...moving to mushies, slowly working in the real foods. Be very careful of PBing as that causes swelling and then you are really in need of a small unfill. When you get filled, some folks experience a bit of swelling in the stoma from the "squishing". After a few days, and eating carefully, it usually goes down and you are able to feel your new level of restriction. As for needing another fill in the future, when you lose weight, you lose it from the inside, too. You have less fat surrounding your internal organs (whew!) including your stomach. The fat goes down, the tightness of the band descreases, but you can bump it up again as you lose. It's not a matter of stretching the pouch...you shouldn't do that!...and you can't, really, eating small quantities of liquid/soft mushy foods. It's a matter of losing enough internal fat that the fill loosens. If you go another few days and are still only able to take small sips of liquids, you may be in line for a small unfill. Keep posting and getting feedback. Too tight is not good and it's miserable! Keep sipping, see if the swelling goes down and you open up a bit. Good luck!

Yesterday I got a tiny bit hungry, and so I had some yogurt with protein mix in it, and then later some chicken broth. That seemed to ease things. But this morning..... I woke up STARVING! It was like my stomach woke up and said "hey! it's been 3 1/2 days since there's been anything in here! what's up??". I had pudding for breakfast, and I was full before I finished the little cup. I thought, "yay!". Then 45 minutes later... starving again! I waited until lunch and then had chicken broth, which again helped. For a little bit. The thought of more protein mix in yogurt or milk makes me feel BLAH but I am going to go for it in a little bit. I am headed back to work the day after tomorrow, and I think I will go get unflavored protein mix. I am not super sore any more though, that's the good news. It just feels like I did a big stomach work out at the gym, and I can deal with that. The gas pain is almost all the way gone. Only 10 more days of clear liquids! I can do it! In order to remind me that it's not ALL about me, my house decided to act up and have a plumbling problem. That rocks... It's a Saturday, too. Nothing like having to call the city on a weekend day. Hopefully it will be a problem in their end instead of ours and we wont have to hire a plumber. Huh, with the plumbling problems, for a few minites I forgot all about the growling golf-ball that is inside of me and begging for food. Oh, I am down 10 lbs from before surgery, for a total of 50 lbs since this past January. Only 115 left to goal!