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Hi everyone I need some prayers I'm going in for my band Sergey on May 8 thats a week from today, I'm so excited! But I have to say as the time is getting closer I'm alittle scared.. I also wanted to get some feed back on what can we really eat or is it nothing but liquid on the preop diet if so like what just protein shakes is all we can have how about egg drop soup

The last thing I needed to get my surgery date was a CPAP machine. I decided to go through the VA for this, because they appeared to be pricy. They scheduled me an appointment after I sent my primary physician the results of my at home sleep study conducted through SNAP diagnostic. I paid $375 for the sleep study test which was done over the course of three nights. The VA scheduled me an appointment date that I thought was fairly far out, when I asked about getting an appointment sooner, they advised I had to have a physician appointment in order to receive the equipment. So, I am excited about getting this last little bit done, but I can wait. I get to my appointment and the guy in front of me is asleep, in a wheel chair, and on oxygen. I go to the counter and make sure he is checked in before I check in. As I am waiting in the lobby I witness every other person checking in do the same thing I did. I am feeling good about people and my fellow vets taking care of each other. The nurse (LVN) calls me back for vitals and the standard questions start. I interrupt her and ask, do you really have to ask the same questions for every single visit? She said they have to because so many vets commit suicide. So I answer all her questions without her asking them. No, I am not depressed, suicidal, having trouble at home, in an abusive relationship, or homeless. Next stop Doctor right? Nope, it is another nurse (I think nurse practitioner, but the fine print was too small to read). He spends 10 minutes advising me why SNAP Diagnostics isn't really very good and that their algorithm for determining pressure is outdated. Why they are going to go ahead and provide a VA CPAP even though the VA in-house sleep study is so much better. He then tells me how dangerous it was for my oxygen to go down to 77% for 20 minutes and how I stopped breathing 22 times. I am thinking, I read the report before I gave it to you, I want the machine, you don't have to talk me into it. He then describes how the new machines works and it is pretty cool, they calibrate automatically based on your breathing. Then I am thinking why did you spend all that time telling me about the math problem SNAP uses to calibrate pressure if the machine is going to do it automatically anyway. Then he says, we will see you back in a month or so to get you fitted for your CPAP. Wait, what about my dangerously low oxygen? I really wanted to go off, but instead stated, I thought the reason I had to wait so long was for a physician appointment in order to receive a CPAP. He then advised that this is my physician appointment. I really don't care if they count a nurse practitioner appointment as a physician appointment, but I am thinking to myself I can read and your badge and it does not say Doctor, so someone is lying to me. But alas, I know if I don't stay calm I will not achieve my objectives. So, I explain to him that I will have to pay out of pocket again to re-do labs if I do not receive this CPAP machine. I also tell him that I know I can buy one on amazon or go through the medical supply store that SNAP recommended. He starts telling me why those are both bad ideas and I tell him I have to do what I have to do. He then says he will see if he can get them to double book so I can see the Doctor today. Then he has the gall to say that my appointment will cause other 100% disabled and service connected vets to have to wait longer. So, I sit back out in the lobby feeling a little guilty, when I get called back sooner than expected by a tech who fits me for the machine and goes over all the instructions in less than ten minutes. She was super nice and wished me luck on my surgery. I thanked her for squeezing me in and told her how much money she saved me. So, I will have my surgery date by next week. Since I am not officially on a pre-op diet I am going to have a 97 calorie shot of vodka later to celebrate not losing my sh** at the VA.

Hello! I'm Andrea and I'm getting banded in 2 weeks. I think we'l have the same doctor. Do you have any experiences to share. I'm really apprehensive about it, but my excutement overrides that. Did you find it hard to get dietary materials here in Korea?

Lol Having a garAge sale in a couple weeks and was pricing stuff this morning. Caught myself thinking " wow, these pants are huge!" lol. They used to be my favorite pair!

I had my lap band put in in Nov of 08, two weeks later i had my tonsils removed and was in ALOT of pain. Needless to say i lost some weight approx 15lbs, once I was able to eat I noticed I had NO restrictions I advised my dr of this and he said just wait and it will happen. Fast forward to Feb 09 I have my first fill and I have NO restriction and that was with a 6cc fill(the capacity on this sucker is 9:crying:) I lost all faith in the lap band and had just decided it did not work for me. I became depressed and gained approx 40 lbs:mad:, Just this past November I decided to just suck it up and try something else. I set the timer on my cell phone and at small meals every three hours and hit the gym 4 days a week 30 mins hard cardio and 20 mins weights. I see results now I have lost just over 20lbs:thumbup: but i am hungry and I'm not ashamed to admit a little cranky. I just went to the Dr again to day and I am scheduled to have the remaining 2.5 cc fill hoping that it will help, I asked what my options are if this does not work. My Dr advised I can stay on the same path with the gym work and the lower calorie meals or do the bypass procedure. I am sooooo leaning towards the bypass because I am sooooo tired of being hungry, fat, and cranky. It is a drastic move and I am concerned with the permanent factor but right now hungry fat and cranky seems kinda permanent also as i have been two of the three for a while now. Any thoughts?:thumbup:

Thanks so much for your support. I will take your suggestions to rest and heal. I now realize from reading all the posting here that it takes about 6 weeks to heal properly and I want this to work so I promise to take it easy. Shirley

I genuinely have no idea what I'm experiencing. I'm on Prilosec (prescription) for 6 months, so I'm assuming it's hunger?? But I've just had the sleeve (4.5 weeks post-op) so shouldn't I not be dealing with this much hunger? It's a lot. I feel this "hunger" for 30 minutes to 2 hours every day. Not in a row, just combined throughout the day. It feels hot (but not like the burn of acid) and is squarely where my stomach should be. It doesn't rise into my chest/throat. It feels like my stomach wants to rumble (like out of hunger) but I don't think it ever actually has. How do I know the difference? I am 4.5 weeks out from VSG and told to take in 300 to 400 calories per day. (I've taken in as many as 550 on workout days when I'm burning that much in my workouts). Thoughts?

i find since my third fill a couple of week's ago i can't eat chip's or bread roll's cake and bread[sliced] is not too bad if it's eaten very slow, so the band make's me satisfied with a whole lot less

I agree with the other post it is all the fluids they pump in yo you to prevent dehydration the water will come out send I was told nit yo weigh myself the first week because of the surgery fluids.

Hi All, I just wanted to share that I am 4 months out and am definately noticing the change in my body. Yesterday I pulled out of my closet 2 shirts that I wore around the winter time, they were so big I had to give them away. My home scale shows another 7 pound lost, BUT I want to wait till it's official on my doctors scale. My doctor's office sees me every 7-8 weeks so my next visit is the middle of August, I will record my weight loss then. I'm currently at 1.85cc after my second fill and I don't think I need another adjustment, but we will see what he says.

omg! This sounds SOOOOOOO delish! and you ONLY had 1 piece???? good good good for you! Sorry Im late - but I hope you had an awesome day and an even better birthday WEEK!!!

Nothing special planned? Are you nuts? Milk the heck out of this day, heck, milk the whole week! Go shopping, to a show, buy yourself some bling! Happy Birthday

I am in the same boat as Victoriana on this one. Drugs definitely cause this reaction in me. I have learned the hard way that if I am on painkillers or sedatives or if I am withdrawing... it is NOT the time to call ex-boyfriends, my boss or anyone else to tell them how much they mean to me... or how much of an ass they are! I will be keeping my phone OFF for the week after surgery!

Any fellow nurses(or any profession honestly) can help me out with this one... I currently work in home care, how long did you all take out of work? Ive had my gallbladder removed but due to other complications (pulmonary embolism) I was out of work for 1 month but honestly felt as though I could return to work the following week.... I know each individual is different but all input is greatly appreciated... TIA!

A better choice for a new sleever is something like Egg Face's Ricotta Bake. It has all the flavor of lasagna without any pasta and it's soft enough for the puree stage. PDX is right that pasta, bread and rice expand to an uncomfortable level in our tummies. I still don't eat rice at all, and very little bread or pasta simply because all three make my tummy hurt. At most, I'll have one small tortilla or one piece of bread, but I always have to wait extra time afterwards before I drink water so that they don't absorb the water and make me hurt.

Has anyone tried the tofu noodles? I saw them in the store today and was curious. I'm still about 3 weeks away from eating them though. I love spaghetti squash btw. It goes good with salmon.

Ok guys, I've heard about 3 weeks stall but this is ridiculous...I had my surgery on january 18th, weighing 194. Around february first I was down to 178. So I've only lost 16 pounds since Jan 18th!!! This is so discouraging. I know part of the problem is I'm not getting enough protein. So this past week, I started whey protein shakes, 1 shake equals 38 grams of protein. I try to get the remainder of protein from food. Also I have not been able to drink 64oz everyday. Should I try the 5 day pouch test? I'm getting worried that I may have failed the sleeve

Hey, just this morning I said to my husband, "Look, I've lost 10 pounds since February!" That's not a bad weight loss -- 10 lbs a month is fantastic -- in fact, I've pretty much lost 10 pounds a month since my 2nd or 3rd month -- the first month you're going to the lose the fastest -- but there after should be a regular, steady weight loss -- some months more, some months less -- but more or less the same. 16 lbs in one month is awesome!! Don't worry, you're still gonna lose! And a 5 week stall is not unheard of -- make sure you're eating your protein, getting in enough calories and drinking your water!

Sorry I might have misspelled. This is a *virus* that causes ulcers and can lead to cancer of the stomach. MANY people have had this and taken the meds to kill it. I was wondering if anyone that has had the ulcers from this has had the lap band? I haven't talked to a lap band surgeon yet (still trying to make the decision to do this). These are MY worries and fears and the reason I haven't had the surgery. Please help to either dispel my fears or give it a name. 1. Husband's not wanting me to have it done. Thinks it will change US. 2. MONEY!! I will have to be self pay, it's a lot of money to take out of OUR account especially if hubby isn't on board with the idea. 3. Afraid that the lap band will damage my esophagus from reflex/stretching/etc. 4. TERRIFIED I will fail. I can't stay on a diet for a week right now...how in the world will this work when I've FAILED sooooo many times. O.K. that's the big fears. :help: Thanks for listening.

I found myself with a similar desire as you when I was at the beginning of my consideration of weight loss surgery earlier this year. I didn't want to do anything "too" radical......just something to give me a bit of help that, along with exercise, will yield the results I wanted. It did not take long.....not long at all, to realize that the procedure I needed was gastric bypass. This was based on five doctor's recommendations, three of them being surgeons. I'm 100% certain they are correct. I'm going through the 6 months of pre-op stuff now. I also work 13-14 hour days, too. When I finally get a day off I'm wiped out. Good luck to you.

I found a website to help you get an incentive to lose weight. It's called dietbetter.com. I heard about it on the Today show website. You join or start games by betting a certain amount of money that you'll lose 4% of your body weight in 4 weeks or 10% in 6 months. The bets start as low as $10 and go up to over $100! I joined a game on April 1st with a bet of $25 that I will lose 4% in 4 weeks. So far I've lost just over 5lbs since April 1st. and i have about 1.8 lbs to go until April 29th. (which i know i can lose!) If you meet your goals you win a portion of the pot! It's a great way to make yourself accountable for losing weight and get rewarded for your efforts too!

I am also doing a dietbet. I am doing three right now. I think two of mine end on the 29th. This is my first dietbet and I have lost more than the 4%. Good luck!

I know broth stinks I'm on my 2 week pre-op my doctor today said to buy cup-a-soup or chicken noodle and strain it then at least you have more flavor. Even beef flavor if I wanted. I know it not a huge help but it might give you more flavor.

I was banded 9 days ago. I have one week left of full liquids, and the smoothies, oatmeal etc., is beginning not to fill me up. I've been doing fine and not feeling hungry up til a day or so ago. I am eating basically oatmeal, cream of wheat, many smoothies with soy milk and protein powder, sugar free pudding, and pureed soups. Lots of liquids as well. I don't really feel 'banded' now that the gas and pressure is gone. I have another week of full liquids, then mush, and 4 weeks until my first fill and I'm feeling worried. I guess I expected to feel more 'different' in some way. Other than a big lump under my stomach I feel like if I did eat a mush food, it would digest just fine. (I'm not going to however...just sayin...) I am following my Drs. list of foods and amounts. Maybe I'm just 'head' hungry?

I kind of jumped the gun on this. I was told both 4 weeks and when the incisions are healed. My 4 small incisions look just like scabs now and I put a waterproof bandage on my port incision, which also looks mostly like a scab. I went into the (seemingly) ice-cold water slowly, got used to it shortly but got out soon since it was break and my daughter (8) wanted to sit with me. After break I got back in for a long while but I got cold (first time in ages) after about 30 minutes. So far no ill effect. I was cleared for light exercise so I swam a bit of breaststroke and felt fine. Just reporting in.