I know there's a special section for this, but it doesn't seem to be too popular so I'll give it a whirl here..

Anyone here to be banded in February besides me?

My surgery date is February 15th.

Feel free to add me on Facebook for support, etc. =]

http://www.facebook.com/DakotaRaeBanded2012

I think my doctor is much stricter than others. I was banded on 2/17. I had 3 days of clear liquids and now I have 2 FULL WEEKS of 3 protein shakes a day! Nothing else(other than water) and no exceptions!!!!! I have been having a VERY hard time with this.......I don't feel like cake, cookies, etc, but at this point, I would give anything to just have a teaspoon of cottage cheese!!!

Don't many Drs. allow these foods after 1 week?????

I only had clear liquids on surgery day and I went to full liquids on day 2. Haven't wanted much of anything. I am on day 4 and am just starting to feel like I could eat something. Until now I have just been taking in only what I had to.

You will live on soups! I did not like soups til I got banded. Now it's clam chowder, lobster bisque, cream of tomato, cream of mushroom, potato soups of all kinds... lost 144lbs on that my friends! I can eat other things but it's just easier with the soups. Feel great and everyone is saying that I'm thin now! Everything in my life has changed for the better. Congratulations to those of you just banded...hang in there. It will get much better soon. YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR SCALE! lol!

I think my doctor is much stricter than others. I was banded on 2/17. I had 3 days of clear liquids and now I have 2 FULL WEEKS of 3 protein shakes a day! Nothing else(other than water) and no exceptions!!!!! I have been having a VERY hard time with this.......I don't feel like cake, cookies, etc, but at this point, I would give anything to just have a teaspoon of cottage cheese!!!

Don't many Drs. allow these foods after 1 week?????

It's strange, to me, too, how so many Doctors are different with the pre op diet as well as post op. I have surgery next week, but after surgery, the 1st week is supposed to be clear liquids. By 2nd week, can add protein shakes, and pureed foods, yogurts, etc... 3rd week can have mushies.

I don't know if I could deal with protein shakes only for the whole 2 weeks. Wow. I wish you well. None of this will be easy. I sure don't look forward to the 1st or 2nd week for sure, but at least I can have soup broth. I love love love sweets, but I don't think I would want them only for 2 weeks. It may be easier than you think, but who am I to say?

Banded on the 17th and so far so good. Actually ventured into my first can of creamy mushroom soup today after being on a liquid diet for the last 2 weeks. I was suprised that after about 1/3 of a can I was stuffed. Its gonna be a long road LOL

I'm 4 days post op. Trying to learn what a hunger pain is vs a gas pain. This has been a very mentally draining week. The physical part seems like the easiest. I watch the scale going down. Worried I'm becoming obsessive about it but the lapband HAS to be my main focus right now. I'm ready for the normal days. This too shall pass....

You will live on soups! I did not like soups til I got banded. Now it's clam chowder, lobster bisque, cream of tomato, cream of mushroom, potato soups of all kinds... lost 144lbs on that my friends! I can eat other things but it's just easier with the soups. Feel great and everyone is saying that I'm thin now! Everything in my life has changed for the better. Congratulations to those of you just banded...hang in there. It will get much better soon. YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR SCALE! lol!

.. i love soups as well and dont mind the thought of soup being a major part of my diet either. you have done great job. congratulations to you. its great to read of your success

I so agree. It's hard to tell the difference between hunger and gas sometimes. I find it necessary to eat/drink something every 3 hours or so or I get nauseated. It's been 21/2 weeks for me. Glad I took 2 weeks off to give myself time to learn how to cope with my new stomach!

Like everyone said, all surgeons seems to have different protocols regarding pre and post op diets... Mine had me on Atkins induction for 2 weeks prior, but just had band today... Here's what my next 4 weeks look like:

Week 1 ... Clear liquids only

Week 2 ... Full liquids, protein shakes

Week 3 ... Light mushies

Week 4 ... Full mushies

I am officially banded!!!! I am so excited I could shot it from the roof top!! I am already down 11 lbs since I started the liquid diet! I will touch base with u guys tomorrow. Feeling good!

I am officially banded!!!! I am so excited I could shot it from the roof top!! I am already down 11 lbs since I started the liquid diet! I will touch base with u guys tomorrow. Feeling good!

...what wonderful new... its done !! lol... and i dont blame you for wanting to shout it from the roof tops.. i would too... hahahaha.... i hope that you recover really quickly. judych

...what wonderful new... its done !! lol... and i dont blame you for wanting to shout it from the roof tops.. i would too... hahahaha.... i hope that you recover really quickly. judych

...that should read news... lol. .. sorry. typing too fast.

Awsome Judy....congrats to our new jurney !

I had an interesting experience yesterday I thought I would share. I had my surgery tues so I was 4 days yesterday. I had to go in for a follow up. I had my surgery in phoenix and I live northern AZ. I drove down to Phoenix and back and noticed yesterday afternoon and evening I was very tight. I don't know if it was the altitude change but that is the only thing I could figure it could be. Does anyone know anything about altitude change and tightness?

Hi! I've been lurking for a couple of days and finally decided to post. My surgery was 02/22 so I am 4 days post-op. I've been doing great physically, other than some gas on the first day and soreness around my port. I hate hospitals so I was quick to get out of there right after surgery and have taken time off to recover at my grandmother's house. This morning (about 2 hours ago) I had my first protein shake and I am super full. I think I have never been so excited about a protein shake.

My head is all over the place. No regrets whatsoever. Just a lot of time to analyze my relationship with food and how it must change. I feel like I've gone through this before, 6 months ago when, after 16 years, I quit smoking. I've had to re-define myself in every old/new situation I am in. And while I was going through the toughest part of that process I would think: this is the first friday night of my adult life without a cigarette.

Today I have to do the same: This is the first saturday of my whole life without eating unhealthy fatty comfort foods.

My family and friends have been very supportive and I am very thankful for that. Everyone had the same first reaction, which from what I've read here is pretty common: "you're not big enough". But they all understood when I told them that I didn't want to wait until I was. I'd always been "chubby" and then graduated to overweight after college, obese was next. 4 days ago I stood on the scale before my surgery and weighed in at 202 lbs (height: 5'5). I am 28 yrs. old, and am ready to make the changes necessary now to lead a long healthy life. I already didn't give a damn for much too long, booze, drugs, whatever. I knew the band was right for me just by turning around and looking at my family, their obesity and comorbid diseases convinced me. People think this is the "easy way" to do it, I disagree...this takes a whole lot of conviction.

I've always hated that my character is judged so severely because of my weight, that people are allowed to label me as lazy, lacking in will power, etc. because of a combination between genetic disposition and a complex addiction to food. So today my main issue is what to say when after I've succeeded (I know I will) I'm asked how I did it. This might seem a little..."ugh" but I'm actually in a position where my honesty can reach thousands, where if I reply with the truth and say "I was banded and I followed through" and not pretend I just did another diet and more exercise, some of the taboo of WLS for at least some people, might be lifted. I'm not famous, just considerably well known within my business and have been honest about every other aspect of myself, including my sexual orientation. Why would I be so ashamed about this that I would lie? Why would I be ashamed about actually doing something positive about my health?

Anyway, sorry about the long rant. Congratulations to everyone banded this month! I hope we all keep sharing our progress, doubts, motivations, etc. here and supporting each other. We should all be very proud of ourselves and take this bold move not only as an opportunity to be thin, look better, or be healthier physically but also as a chance of a lifetime to redefine ourselves.

Stay strong!