I've been hanging about the site for about a week now because I am about to be banded, and I want to learn as much as I can from people who are walking the walk and talking the talk. The site is supportive, interesting, and lots of fun. I've learned a lot about this business of being banded, the fills, and what to expect post-op. This is why I decided to join. I am less frightened about the operation now, but more freaked out about the fills; the procedure sounds a little gross.

Hi Green,

I also go for the band this Thursday. I wish you the smoothest recovery.

Ciao... for now.

Hi green, I can only speak for myself, but when I woke up from surgery I felt better then I thought I would. I have never had any surgery, so I was a bit worried about pain, but it was managable. They give you a lot of drugs in the IV I think. The pain for me was mostly localized, like when you tried to sit up, that kinda stuff. Other then that, no problemo. They encourage you to sip water right away.

Thanx, both of you. And all the best luck to you, bibytz.

I had the same experience as Cloe the pain was localized, i did have an uncomfortable feeling in the chest area, which they said was just from gas.other than that i was pretty much okay. I did not have to take any of the pain medication at all during recovery. I went back to work after one week.

Maria:)

I woke up, believe it or not, with pain in my lower back. There was discomfort around the incisions, but nothing like the pain in my back. Weird eh? They gave me Demerol and gravol in the recovery room but generally they don't give much pain medication because it's not usually needed. The person who accompanied me the day of surgery, went to the drug store to pick up pain medication (liquid codeine). I stayed in a hotel because I lived too far from the clinic. As soon as I got back to the hotel, I took the pain medication and went to bed. I awoke twice in the night to take more pain medication. The next morning I felt good, but the 6 hour drive home did me in. I was very uncomfortable, I had a pain in my stomach, literally. The next day I phoned the emergency number and the Dr called back right away. The Dr deduced by my symptoms that I had inflammation in my stomach and the band was very tight, hence all the pain. The only thing I could drink was Water until the pain subsided. It took exactly 1 week which is what the Dr predicted. I spoke with the Dr every 2 days and needed another prescription for pain. I was very impressed with the care, even if it was only by phone.

I am only telling you this because some complications could happen. The day of my surgery, I met two people that had been banded who told me that they had no pain at all. When I woke up in the recovery room, there was someone there who had her surgery just before me. She was bubbly and happy and pain free. Because I did have a considerable amount of pain, I was worried that there was something seriously wrong with me. It turned out to be minor and I worried for nothing.

I went on the LBT chat line and asked several people about the pain I was having and I also asked some of my fellow Canadians. From my observations, most people have relatively no pain.

This is all very interesting to me because, as you all may remember, the day I get cut is this Thursday, and I am both really looking forward to it, and getting kinda nervous. I am so sick of my own personal fat, and yet I have a low pain threshhold. In fact, I have the pain threshhold of your average man! I am still on Green's Farewell Foodcourt Tour. Yesterday I had the big-sized Subway sandwhich with a non-lo-cal sauce. I am, however, supposed to be eating lo-cal cottage cheese and yogurt. Haha. I think I will start smartening up on Tuesday.... because today I am taking one of my oldest friends out for a birthday lunch. (I think I will order a nice salad.)

Pre-op Green sez: Thanx for all your input and support and friendship.

The pain threshold of the average man. lol.

I work in a hospital lab and anytime there is someone that faints because having their blood taken, it's a man.

We have "bring you kid to work" days and we love to show the Anatomical Pathology Lab. We have some organs on display and most of the kids are fascinated. Every year there is at least one kid that feels faint and it's always a male

Green, my Dr told me the pre-op diet was for my benefit. It would make it easier on me for the surgery and that it would help me to be compliant after the surgery. I did OK with following the diet, a few slips, but mostly OK. Some surgeons, I hear, won't perform the surgery until you have lost 10% of your body weight.

Anyway if you can, try to stay on the pre-op diet as best as you can. It's for your own good.

<<<<<Hugz>>>>>>

Hi guys, Thanks for the replies..I guess I'll just try not to worry about it for now. Worse comes to worse I beg other people to take my shifts or call in sick.

Are we allowed broths in the pre-op diet? I have Dr.Coburn and cant remember what they said besides the three optifast shakes and lettuce. I swear I had it written down...but not anywhere around.

Hey ,if any of you are from PEI...wow how beautiful..wish I could of stayed longer, I could get use to a slower pace of living.

Off topic...my kids go back to school tomorrow :clap2: then finally some time to my self!! Love my kids to bits, but I got my own motorcycle last month and am dying to go on long rides while the kids are in school. Keep my mind off food.:hungry:

Hey swanny,

Nope... no broths! Nothing fun at all! Optifast and 'green' veggies, but only those that grow above ground (is what I was told) lettuce, spinach, celery, ... everything boring. And of course you can't really add anything to it to TRY to make it taste better.

*I* would add a tablespoon of some low-cal dressing or something, but that's me, and not recommended. I tried eating veggies while doing Opti-hell too, but I just couldn't stand them plain, and just gave up.

I live in NB. I went to PEI for the first time for Canada Day, and yeah, it was awesome. I would love to live in Charlottetown, some day!

Here is info/directions for Cobourns pre-op diet, taken from the Cobourn/Mumford group:

Pre-op Diet

900 calorie diet

If your surgeon puts you on the 4 Optifast per day then you are not allowed

anything but the Optifast and the low calorie drinks. If in doubt, please

check with the clinic as the pre-op diet can change with time.

3 Optifast shakes per day. (225 calories each)

225 calories, which may include the following:

Green leafy vegetables

Lettuce

Cabbage

Spinach

Kale

Watercress

Bok Choy

Chard

Beet greens

Other low glycemic vegetables

Celery

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Brussel Sprouts

Green onions

Radishes

Zucchini

Cucumber

Alfafa Sprouts

Bean sprouts

Mushrooms

Asparagus

Foods to avoid

Most red, yellow and orange vegetables

Corn

Peas

Yellow Beans

Squash

Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Carrots

meat, fish, poultry, dairy, cheese, oil, butter margarine

Allowed berries(use sparingly as the calories add up quickly)

Strawberries

Raspberries

Blueberries

You can drink tea, coffee, crystal light, flavoured Water, water, anything that is low calorie. Drink plenty of water to flush the fat out of your system. No sugar or dairy allowed in the tea or coffee. You can use splenda if you need a sweetener.

Ideas for making Optifast more palatable

vanilla Optifast

Mix in blender with lots of ice.

Instead of water, use cold coffee, cold chai tea, cold mint tea, crystal light,

nestle flavoured waters.

If mixing with water, try adding sugar free flavoured extracts(DaVinci

brand), instant coffee, crystal light crystals, baking flavour extracts.

chocolate Optifast

Mix in blender with lots of ice.

Instead of water, use cold coffee, cold mint tea, nestle flavoured waters,

crystal light.

If mixing with water, try adding sugar free flavoured extracts(DaVinci

brand), instant coffee, crystal light crystals, baking flavour extracts.

The more you blend it with ice, the creamier it becomes. Add lots of ice

and blend for a few minutes and it will become the consistency of a

milkshake

Hope that helps!

Mandi, you're amazing!!!

Argon...you are great! :high5:

Thanks so much.

Ooops..I had some broth for dinner,but if thats all the cheating I do..I'm doing well. I won't have it again then. I don't think the 60 calories are going to be setting me back.

I guess I better have some more veggies then, I've been getting dizzy and thought i was going to faint today.

I've tried drinking coffee black...it's really gross. I guess I'll becoming a tea-toddler from now on.

Thanks for the tips to spice up the choc. opti.....the only idea I came up with was the instant coffee.

My doc said I could have milk but that it has got to be skim.

testing ticker..

sorry testing again...should have it this time..

Green, been thinking of you, hope all went well with your surgery. Let us know.