I got my surgery date booked for July 2nd and so far everything looks good (crossing fingers...). What about you guys, anybody else getting banded this coming July?

Right now I'm busy soaking up information and I came across some great blogs of people I could relate to. Thanks to them and to the nice people on this forum, while I'm still a little apprehensive I now have a much better understanding of the journey that awaits me. Not to mention some great tricks and recipes! I have some unused vacation time that I'll be taking after the surgery, it should make for an interesting summer!

Keep in touch!

Peace : )

My surgery is next Wed, Jul 21st. I had to do the protein shakes for 2 weeks pre-op. The ones I drink isn't that bad. They really taste like a mikeshake.

What kind of protein shakes are you using? I am having a hard time deciding what kind to get, there are so many!

I am gettin mines on July 19th sort of scared but ready to have it done looking forward to my big life changing day

Okay, question for all you coffee addicts:

Anyone had to deal with caffeine withdrawal headaches? How have you managed? I'm taking Roxicet for the incision pain but even that isn't conquering my caffeine headache. YIKES! I'm on clear liquids and that doesn't include coffee or tea, they say.

Any suggestions? :smile: I should have fully tapered off caffeine in the weeks prior to surgery, and I did cut back to 1 cup a day, but I guess that wasn't enough.

Thanks, and happy weekend all!

Tea and coffee are in my diet, but I'm not a huge fan of either. I was a huge Diet Coke addict. I've found a Vitamin Water that has caffeine in it, and it's what I've been drinking to curb withdraws. It was ok'ed by my doctor for the clear liquid diet, so it may be worth a try. It's the Energy one.

Anyone who was banded recently, please post how you are doing and what you are able to eat right now...Just wondering how it is within the first 2 weeks after surgery.

THanks!!!

I was banded back on July 7th. Thought I'd chime in with an update.

The first week after surgery kicked my ass. The pain wasn't too bad, as long as I stayed ahead of it via my prescribed pain meds. It just felt like I did a ton of sit ups.

What really got to me was my complete lack of energy. I had surgery on a Wednesday and was set to go back to work on Monday. I did...and lasted two hours. It was just too much too soon. I worked from home Tues-Thursday and on Friday I really felt back to my self. So if you are like me and thinking you'll just bounce back, please take my advice and take the time to let your body recover. I had back surgery in December, so I figured this surgery would be nothing compared to that. But surgery is surgery, and it's exhausting.

As for the eating/drinking. My doc has me on protein shakes and clear liquids. The protein shakes haven't been too bad. Trying to get in my water. Sugar free popsicles are a nice treat. Tried the chicken brother - not for me.

This past Friday (11 days post-op) I was allowed to start eating yogurt...hello heaven!

Going to the nutritionist on Monday and I think I'll be moving to mushy next week.

By far, the two hardest things for me have been the exhaustion and the HUNGER! Good lord, I don't think I've ever been so obsessed with food in my life. (Probably because in the past I would just eat anything I wanted.) But right now, in 'bandster hell', I feel like food is haunting me. Pizza, burgers, chips...I want it all! Thank God for this band!

I don't feel a lot of restriction, so I think I could possibly eat some of the stuff I'm craving, but why go through ALL this just to cheat and go back to old habits that clearly didn't work. Not worth it.

This band has helped me a LOT in modifying my expectations. My mom had gastric and the weight dropped so fast. I'm glad I had others tell me to be patient.

I'm down about 12 lbs so far (including pre-op). On one hand it doesn't seem like a lot, but on the other (more important hand...GO ME! Chronic heartburn sufferer pre-op - none since post-op.

Sorry for the novel, but I wanted to share my update with those of you going in soon.

Best of luck to all. Choose yourself. Follow your doctors orders. Believe that you have the strength because you do. Don't sell yourself short. It's just food. Your health and well being is more important than the instant gratification of food.

12 days out now.

PAIN: I'm almost completely pain free now. The one point of pain I have now is (I think) where my port is. It's a sharp burning pain (hot fire poker or knife!) :scared2:that happens mainly when I get out of bed or roll over. Sitting down too long also makes the whole area feel tight and sore - so I try and make sure that I don't sit too long.

EATING: I probably started eating full liquids too early as I should have stuck with clear liquids until day 8 or 9. I was trying to eat pudding, yogurt, protein shakes from day two and 1/2 cup of yogourt (eaten over 4 hours) would make my stomach hurt so much that I wouldn't eat or drink anything else for hours.:scared2:

After talking to the dietician, I decided about day 8 to refocus on clearer liquids (juice, chicken broth, beef consomme, jell-O) and have found that this really helped. She said that some people's swelling goes down right away whereas my stomach was perhaps still swollen and making it difficult for me to pass the food / liquid through.

I think the swelling is gone now because I'm starving all the time now and now able to eat the pudding without feeling like my stomach is going to explode. Yippee! :smile:

I go to have my sutures removed on Tuesday. I'm hoping to start on mushies that day too.... what I would do for some chicken right now....

Congrats to all us newbies!

By the way - how do we get ourselves a place under the Monthly Lap-band support groups?

Edited July 18, 201016 yr by GreenBean2012

Anyone who was banded recently, please post how you are doing and what you are able to eat right now...Just wondering how it is within the first 2 weeks after surgery.

THanks!!!

Hey there I was banded on July 13th so I am only 6 days post op. The day after surgery for me was terrible, I had horrible pain in my neck and shoulders and absolutely no energy until 4 days post op. The pain in my neck and shoulders was all gone by the next day (day 3 post op). The incisions hurt some the first couple of days I stayed on the pain meds as perscribed but after that I just did the pain meds at night, because I am a stomach sleeper and I didnt' want my body to flip over out of habit then *OUCH* :scared2:. Then I just take advil during the day as needed.

Diet: I am discovering from reading on these boards that each doc is different in the diets so follow your doctor's advice. My doc has clear liquids until day 4 post op then you can have yogurt,oatmeal, anything that can go through a staw. (best yogurt I had in my life :tt2:)

Good Luck you will do great!!! We were all scared/nervous/excited before surgery so that is totally normal. Just keep reading these boards and post questions I have found that most of the people on here are so helpful and remember we are all in the same boat in a sense.

The end result is a healthy new you, and whatever that takes is totally worth it in the end!! Good Luck!! :smile:

i get banded also on the 19th i am so looking forward to this change. Hope ur surgery goes well

glad to hear someone else feels crummy on the low carb diet. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Surgery day is 23rd!! Super excited.

I was banded on July 14th. I am still full liguid diet that started yesterday.

It takes all day to get one protein shake down. I am full on one popcicle and almost stuffed on a cup of jello. I didn't have alot of gas pain but today did experience some gas in my left shoulder. It hurts to sit too long and I have a nice bruise at my port site. Otherwise I think I'm doing well.

Good Luck to those being banded this week.

Getting ready to leave for the hospital. I have my surgery this morning at 0845. Wish me luck and I will see you all on the other side of the band.

Getting ready to leave for the hospital. I have my surgery this morning at 0845. Wish me luck and I will see you all on the other side of the band.

Good Luck!!!

9 more days for me!

Getting ready to leave for the hospital. I have my surgery this morning at 0845. Wish me luck and I will see you all on the other side of the band.

Good Luck!!! You will do great!!!! Make sure and check back in and let us know how you are doing!!!

Good luck to all...I'm being banded July 21, 2010....YAY!!!!!!

Moved to Stage 3 today! Hello foods!

So interesting the difference in what our doctors direct us to eat post-op.

My doc had me on Protein shakes and Water for two weeks pre-op and two weeks post op. I was hungry, but I didn't cheat one bit. (So unlike me in previous weight loss attempts.)

I saw the nutritionist today and she moved me on to stage 3. Mushy and soft foods...but not entirely. I can have chicken and fish and mashed potato. I'm so happy to eat something new!

I was one of those people that thought I wouldn't feel my band really working until my first fill. But tonight I had a 1/2 cup of potato and a few peas. A put in on a small plate and I couldn't even eat half of it. I stopped eating when I felt full. And I'm sitting here 40 minutes later very full. YAY!!

15lbs in total since pre-op. I'll take what I can get!