New People to the site

[BlueMoon~T 276]

I'm not sure if this is a question as much as a statement?! For newbies this site can be very overwhelming. I've found chatting with people to be the most positive experience; however, it has also been the most negative. I know, I know... It's just like anything in life you take the good and throw away the bad. However, discouraging people to make yourself feel better or preaching at someone when you are struggling with the same issue doesn't bode well with me. If I need help, I'll ask. If I don't ask you then that usually means I don't really respect you're approach and would prefer to ask my mentor. I just wanted to tell all the other newbies "Hello!". Hang in there and you will connect with some very amazing people who will help you and love you along your journey. Just be weary. To those of you who have been around awhile, remember it only takes one bad apple. Don't let yourself get in the way of helping someone who is looking for encouragement. Nobody likes a lecture!

[Connie26 33]

I am fairly new here as well! I love it and I find most are very supportive! 1 thing that does scare me is the negative stories... I joined this forum for that reason- I want to go into banded life knowing EVERYTHING that could but hopefully won't happen!!! I just definitely have to keep an open mind. My surgery is scheduled for August 5th.

[2muchfun 8,927]

"Nobody likes a lecture".....Oh the irony! Lecturing the forum to not lecture in one of your first posts is quite ironic isn't it? I don't know if your comment looked good in your mind or are you just staking out your territory as the new kid on the playground?

Many people come here for advice. Some may look at the advice as a lecture, others may see it as guidance to make it through some tough times. Some people come to the forum and need support, positive support, some come to inspire others with their success and others need a kick in the a$$.

Many members only post supportive comments. Some of us(me) seem to lean more towards the no bull, just the facts kind of comments that can be misconstrued to be mean or lecturous.

Take the comments as you want, leave the ones you don't want. Sorry if this sounds like a lecture, it's not. It's advice from just one forum member. Welcome to the forum and I look forward to your supportive comments!

tmf

[Kitt3000 757]

It's almost like informed consent. As a new bander, I was not prepared for the level of discomfort after the surgery. Upon reflection, I realized the doctors office smoothed over that by saying everyone is different (true), I watched utube videos of the procedure, it looked pretty straight forward with very small amounts of blood, not traumatic. I have had surgery before, not that big of a deal. So when my first experience with co2 gas inflating the abdomen surgery was performed, the breath taking pain from the gas looking for a way to dissipate, completely caught me off guard. I would have loved to know from folks who experienced this that it was normal, it hurts, and it will go away after a few days, as well as coping strategies. It would not have changed my mind about being banded, it would prepare me for " normal" and "lucky" if it did not happen! at least you know nothing is wrong. The surgery part, no big deal. I already love my band, it was the right choice for me.

[hely88 883]

Thanks for your comments. I am sorry you had a bad experience and you are right you have to take what you can use and leave the rest. Good luck on your journey!

[mrsto 2,925]

This site is like a slice of life. Even though we've never met face to face, we find those whom we gravitate to, and those we are repelled by. Yes, there certainly are those who respond as if they were the all mighty authority, but when posting in an open forum, you have to take the good with the not so good. Pick & choose what feels good to you, and walk away from the rest. If you have a question that you feel might bring on a collective attack, then the safest bet would be to send a private message to a few that you feel comfortable with.

Someone else made a post this past week, and within the post flat out said "don't come at me on this, because I will come back". I did want to respond to that post, but the defense was already up, so I walked away. This is a place I come to communicate with others who share a common thread. I'm not here to assert my anger in the world, and do not have the need for people see things my way. If someone gets something positive from one of my posts, great! If not, then they can read down the page and hopefully find something of value in the next response. We cannot control how people respond, or what they say on this site, no more than we can control what people say or do in our immediate lives. If you find a few people who rub you the wrong way, scroll past them to the ones who you value.

[indenial 12]

I chose this forum , because it said Spring Banders. I have a date of May 8th. I was so intent on getting approved and getting a date I really wasn't thinkng about the pre op diet. Now I could really use some support and advice. I'm 3 weeks away and have to start a liquid diet in 2 weeks.

I'm curious to know how ya'll did your pre op diet. liquids , what liquids you used ect. May sound crazy but I feel like this will be the hardest part. a liquid diet for 2 weeks. The other thing I'm nervous about is no drinking Fluid when eating after the band.

Then Thirdly. I was curious on how people beagn to motivate and start exercising.

Would love to get some feed back. I havn't posted a pic yet, because I hate my look right now. Maybe I can post a before and after after I get some of this off. Has anyone else felt like this?

Alot of questions I know. But these are the thinks on my mind now.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

[2muchfun 8,927]

I chose this forum , because it said Spring Banders. I have a date of May 8th. I was so intent on getting approved and getting a date I really wasn't thinkng about the pre op diet. Now I could really use some support and advice. I'm 3 weeks away and have to start a liquid diet in 2 weeks.

I'm curious to know how ya'll did your pre op diet. liquids , what liquids you used ect. May sound crazy but I feel like this will be the hardest part. a liquid diet for 2 weeks. The other thing I'm nervous about is no drinking Fluid when eating after the band.

Then Thirdly. I was curious on how people beagn to motivate and start exercising.

Would love to get some feed back. I havn't posted a pic yet, because I hate my look right now. Maybe I can post a before and after after I get some of this off. Has anyone else felt like this?

Alot of questions I know. But these are the thinks on my mind now.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

You're new to the forum so take what I say with an apology up front. You've hijacked this thread. It's not a problem since many of us do it. But, just so you know, when you do this, only a handful of people will see your post and you won't get many responses. To get the most exposure you should start your own topic in any of the forums and your topic will appear on the right side of the page where hundreds of people can see it and offer you great advice.

I know hijack seems like a volatile word but it's really not. And I'm only responding so that in the future you will receive more and better advice?

Having said that, my doctor didn't require a pre-op diet so I'm not much help. As far as exercise goes, I needed no motivation. I already know that I've always been more successful losing weight when I exercise. Start by walking, then maybe jogging. I prefer biking. Some here like to bike on the roads but I'm a chicken**** and only bike on walking/biking paths. Exercise for me has to be fun and something I enjoy. If you hate walking or working out in a gym, you probably won't be likely to do it. Good luck!

tmf

PS...I like your kitty. I have 4.

[B-52 7,113]

I belong to a variety of special interest forums.....one of them is "Travel"....

I am currently interested in planning a trip to England, so I read all I can, posts from other people who have done the trip....

I read posts where people say they hads a wonderful joyous time, and others who said they were absolultely miserable....lost their luggage, was a victum of a pick pocket, hotrel did not have their reservations, etc, etc....

I read it all...good and bad...take it all under advisment, THEN MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS AND PLANS!!! Along with my Travel Agent (Doctor)

I would not like it if people told me what airline I MUST use, or else I will loose my luggage....I can ask people what airlines they use, and why...but it does not mean I have to do the same....

I would not like it if people told me what hotel I MUST stay in, or else....

If someone looses their wallet, all their travel money, etc, it does not make them idiots....what it does is show me, from their experience, that I should be careful in that area....and I may ask them "How did it happen" "where was your wallet, in your purse, you pants pocket" etc.....I REALLY want to know....

And then you begin to learn that some of these people have not even been to England in the first place...they're just repeating what others have said(?), or they are planning to also, or they have been there, but only once and very briefly....they are in the early stages themselves and yet they act like they know all the answers....

And most of all, be judged by the decisions I have choose to make....

This is the internet....if it's on the internet, it must be true...right?

All I, or anyone else should expect, is people sharing their stories, without embelishing, and let the readers see it all from A-Z.....

[mrsto 2,925]

I chose this forum , because it said Spring Banders. I have a date of May 8th. I was so intent on getting approved and getting a date I really wasn't thinkng about the pre op diet. Now I could really use some support and advice. I'm 3 weeks away and have to start a liquid diet in 2 weeks.

I'm curious to know how ya'll did your pre op diet. Liquids , what liquids you used ect. May sound crazy but I feel like this will be the hardest part. a liquid diet for 2 weeks. The other thing I'm nervous about is no drinking Fluid when eating after the band.

Then Thirdly. I was curious on how people beagn to motivate and start exercising.

Would love to get some feed back. I havn't posted a pic yet, because I hate my look right now. Maybe I can post a before and after after I get some of this off. Has anyone else felt like this?

Alot of questions I know. But these are the thinks on my mind now.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

Because every doctor has a different protocol for the surgery, you will get MANY varied responses. Mine goes like this.....

Pre-op diet was a low fat, 1200 calories a day for two weeks. The last two days prior to surgery was full liquids. After surgery, I was on full liquids for two weeks, then transitioned to mushy/soft/smooth foods. Now, 10 days after mushy, I'm adding ground turkey, ground beef, chicken and thinly sliced deli meats. In 10 more days I'll add another layer of food & so on. Too much to type, but it's a progression of adding things back slowly.

As far as exercise, before I actually had my surgery, my doctor recommended (recommends to all patients) to start walking 20 minutes per day. He says.....walk 10 minutes out, then 10 minutes back. For him, that is a realistic starting point, given that most of us haven't been doing much of anything. Right now, I'm walking between 30-40 minutes, which is fine.......for today.

I'm with you on the pictures. I don't post my photos here because I like the anonymity of this site. This surgery was a very personal/private choice, and the internet is a very open & vast venue. But my pictures on Facebook, and my business website, are old; about 7 years old......before I'd gained ALL of my weight back. I cannot bring myself to post who I allowed myself to become...AGAIN, but have every intention of posting new pictures once some of the weight comes off. So I totally get you on this!

Good luck!

PS: 2muchfun above is right about the best place to post. You will get more responses that address your questions, if it's in a forum that you either start, or is the same subject matter as your concerns. When I first came on here, I had no idea where, what, how.... But you'll figure it out soon enough

[buckeyegirl4 19]

So confusing! This sight has been amazing to me! I know, good AND bad about the band. All advice AND advisors have been a tremendous help. People are different but the before AND after photos say it all. I just want my band AND a chance for a better quality of life. Thanks everyone...

[gypsarella 9]

I know you're nervous, Bluemoon, and want to just hear great things. But I am one (like 2muchfun) who wanted to know EVERYTHING and then form my own conclusions. It's my opinion that these forums are to network with real people who have had the experience so people who are considering it or who are newly banded get the truth of what their journey may be like. Otherwise, it would be just the same as a paid advertisement, just fairy dust and moonbeams....sign here.

As far as the gas pain in my shoulder, yeah, I had it for the first week. Even now if I "stuff" my band I get that same pain back. Not pleasant and I "get" the point of control all over again. After the first year if you continue to stretch your pouch to a certain size, you won't get that full feeling and you'll just be eating more. The way you have to fix it is go on a 5 day pouch shrinking diet which is back to liquids and mush to gt it back in shape. After the first few years food rarely "comes up" anymore. I still feel uncomfortable if I am eating too much.

For instance: Before the band I could easily eat two burgers as well as fries. Right after banding, I ate the patty and 1/2 a salad and did not miss the bread. That lasted a year or so. Then I was able to eat 1/2 of the burger and take the rest home. A few years later, I added some fries. Now I will eat a whole burger, feel very uncomfortable, and give my fries away at the table. Yesterday while out to lunch with my son and husband, I ate maybe 6 fries, felt full, and sliced off 1/6 of my philly cheese steak sandwich and had to wrap the rest up. I am thrilled. I didn't WANT it! Many times my husband has brought home giant steak sandwiches (thinly sliced) and he eats the whole thing and I eat a quarter. But I learned early just because I didn't finish mine it does not mean it's up for grabs. It's still mine....for another day. I label it with my name. The same goes for Chinese food. I never want to feel I have to "eat my share" because it's so good and it'll be all gone. We each eat what we want that night. Then I divide the leftovers evenly and mark our names. Mine can last for days. So even though I have relaxed on the type of food I eat, I'm now trained to eat much less than I used to.

My one problem was with myself. I insisted on being filled a little too tightly and where I got fills she did not have a Fluoroscopy machine. She just has us drink Water to be sure we can get it down. I was constantly getting food stuck. It caused pain and my esophagus swelled up. I had to have all the fill removed by her several times and allow things to heal for a month. I learned, but after maybe 6 times of this, I now have scar tissue on my esophagus. So even though I had, say, 2.4 cc and could eat carefully with that, I finally settled on 2cc for my best fill. I go back every year or so to check, and guess what? It doesn't evaporate like I've heard some say. She always withdraws it and compares it to my file, then gives me a fresh fill.

You should also remember that we are all going to react to foods differently. I can eat iceberg lettuce, but not the less crispy kind. I can eat pork, chicken, ground beef, but no more steak. I don't know why. It's just too chewy and not worth the trouble. I really don't miss it. I avoid (but not cut out entirely) potatoes, rice and Pasta because they go down too easily and would take up all my space.

I do break a rule and I'm just being totally honest here. I love Diet Coke. I never stopped drinking it. I do moderate it and only drink one to two cans a day. some say the carbonation can corrode the band. I haven't had that problem, but I expected to, except it doesn't sit in the pouch. It's my vice.

I'm posting anything and everything I can think of from all I've gone through. If you have any questions, feel free to ask anything. I'm also a nurse. I may not be the perfect banded person, but I'm human and adjusted to a banded life well without really missing stuff I can no longer eat.

[Rojasanoll 920]

Just remember, the free advice comes from personal information which some have gone through. It is there personal struggle that they encountered. Take the good and bad here. But include your doctor/dietitian is your decisions. That's who you're paying.

Best wishes

[mrsto 2,925]

I know you're nervous, Bluemoon, and want to just hear great things. But I am one (like 2muchfun) who wanted to know EVERYTHING and then form my own conclusions. It's my opinion that these forums are to network with real people who have had the experience so people who are considering it or who are newly banded get the truth of what their journey may be like. Otherwise, it would be just the same as a paid advertisement, just fairy dust and moonbeams....sign here.

As far as the gas pain in my shoulder, yeah, I had it for the first week. Even now if I "stuff" my band I get that same pain back. Not pleasant and I "get" the point of control all over again. After the first year if you continue to stretch your pouch to a certain size, you won't get that full feeling and you'll just be eating more. The way you have to fix it is go on a 5 day pouch shrinking diet which is back to liquids and mush to gt it back in shape. After the first few years food rarely "comes up" anymore. I still feel uncomfortable if I am eating too much.

For instance: Before the band I could easily eat two burgers as well as fries. Right after banding, I ate the patty and 1/2 a salad and did not miss the bread. That lasted a year or so. Then I was able to eat 1/2 of the burger and take the rest home. A few years later, I added some fries. Now I will eat a whole burger, feel very uncomfortable, and give my fries away at the table. Yesterday while out to lunch with my son and husband, I ate maybe 6 fries, felt full, and sliced off 1/6 of my philly cheese steak sandwich and had to wrap the rest up. I am thrilled. I didn't WANT it! Many times my husband has brought home giant steak sandwiches (thinly sliced) and he eats the whole thing and I eat a quarter. But I learned early just because I didn't finish mine it does not mean it's up for grabs. It's still mine....for another day. I label it with my name. The same goes for Chinese food. I never want to feel I have to "eat my share" because it's so good and it'll be all gone. We each eat what we want that night. Then I divide the leftovers evenly and mark our names. Mine can last for days. So even though I have relaxed on the type of food I eat, I'm now trained to eat much less than I used to.

My one problem was with myself. I insisted on being filled a little too tightly and where I got fills she did not have a Fluoroscopy machine. She just has us drink Water to be sure we can get it down. I was constantly getting food stuck. It caused pain and my esophagus swelled up. I had to have all the fill removed by her several times and allow things to heal for a month. I learned, but after maybe 6 times of this, I now have scar tissue on my esophagus. So even though I had, say, 2.4 cc and could eat carefully with that, I finally settled on 2cc for my best fill. I go back every year or so to check, and guess what? It doesn't evaporate like I've heard some say. She always withdraws it and compares it to my file, then gives me a fresh fill.

You should also remember that we are all going to react to foods differently. I can eat iceberg lettuce, but not the less crispy kind. I can eat pork, chicken, ground beef, but no more steak. I don't know why. It's just too chewy and not worth the trouble. I really don't miss it. I avoid (but not cut out entirely) potatoes, rice and Pasta because they go down too easily and would take up all my space.

I do break a rule and I'm just being totally honest here. I love Diet Coke. I never stopped drinking it. I do moderate it and only drink one to two cans a day. some say the carbonation can corrode the band. I haven't had that problem, but I expected to, except it doesn't sit in the pouch. It's my vice.

I'm posting anything and everything I can think of from all I've gone through. If you have any questions, feel free to ask anything. I'm also a nurse. I may not be the perfect banded person, but I'm human and adjusted to a banded life well without really missing stuff I can no longer eat.

All SO well said.....

[BlueMoon~T 276]

Thank you all for your responses. I realize, even though I haven't been banded yet, things are not going to be easy. I know its going to take hard work and dedication on my part. I also realize in typing this that I don't have a true understanding of how I will feel until I'm actually going through it. I read a lot of things in the forums. The good and the bad. I am a realist and I know there will be struggles. If I had all the answers I wouldn't be where I am in the first place. Some people's responses here have proven my post to begin with. I guess being snarky to someone is "helpful". On the flip side, most of you have the same thought as me. Take the good and just throw out the yucky. Thank you everyone and good luck!