January Bandsters???

[loridee11 523]

Hi all,

I'm so excited. I'm being banded on January 11th. I just started my 5 day pre-op diet (liquids) so wish me luck! I keep telling myself I can do anything for five days!

Have any of you set goals for yourself yet? I'm starting to think about what weight I want to be and when and what my final goal should be, but I've always been overweight so I'm not even sure where to start.

Wishing you all luck and I am so grateful to have everyone here.

Lori

[sherilynn 1]

Cindy!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!

You really put a different perspective on it for me. You are right; once I have my 1st PB, it will be my 'right of passage' to Bandster land. :clap2: I'm still not looking forward to it. Believe me, I'll use your lesson learned as my own...I don't think I'd be brave enough to attempt a roll/bread of any sort; for my PB fear will keep me off those carbs anyway.

Again, mucho thanks for making me feel a bit more at ease.

[Sula 0]

As I was doing chores around my house and watching the blizzard roll in, a thought came to me. I am going to enjoy the "little black dress" that I've never had. Brought a smile to me and happy thoughts. Hmmm, me in a little black dress! I can go for that!! :clap2:

Sula

[smilliegal 0]

Hi from from Smilliegal, I'm scheduled for January 15th and finished all my preop labs yesterday. 6th day into the preop diet and already 7 lbs down. My doctor is Jonathan Spitz out of Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL, Glad to talk to other January bandsters. Good luck to you all. Smilliegal

[lala 0]

Hey Smiliegal- I'm having surgery on the 15th in IL, too! Joliet, though.

We'll be band-buddies!

Make sure you check out the IL thread if you haven't already done so. We are planning an outing soon.

[PeaCeJ 0]

Hey, Smilliegal and Lala - I will be banded on the 15th too! I am in NJ, but I have a son in Rockford, IL. Is that close enough?

[cdgmom 0]

Hey everyone,

Jen, you sound like you are doing great - I am very impressed!!

Thanks to all our early banders that are telling us what to expect.

Cindy, you are a wealth of wisdom - thanks!!

I had an interesting dinner last night. My kids are at their Dad's this week-end so my husband wanted to take me out to dinner. I'm on my pre-op diet and allowed 4 oz of meat with 1 cup of vegetables for dinner so I opted for steak and figured I'd take half home. I ordered my steak medium thinking that a good juicy steak would not be on my diet for a very long time after the band. Well.... they totally overcooked it and it was dry and grisly, I have been trying to eat like I have the band and chew all of my food to mush. I couldn't even chew it enough to turn it to mush - it was gross, I told my husband that I would be spitting it out if I had the band and he better be prepared for things like that. Oh well, so much for a last chance steak! I didn't have to pay for it though, cause the manager comped it because he saw more than half on my plate and I didnt ask for a doggy bag.

Counting down the days to band land.

Amy

[cinward2001 0]

Amy, one of my favorite meals is steak and steamed veggies. There's a good chance you won't have to give it up although different people have trouble with different things.

For me, the only food I've really given up is stringy meat (see the post above about roast) and a lot of breads and pastas. But even then, while at macaroni Grill today, I had a few bites of their bread.

I really do try to treat banding as a lifelong experience...and for me, that really doesn't mean NEVER eating bread, or pizza, or junk. It just means limiting it a LOT and being very conscious of when I do eat those things.

Cindy

[cinward2001 0]

I don't think I'd be brave enough to attempt a roll/bread of any sort; for my PB fear will keep me off those carbs anyway.

That's a great attitude to have! It's kept me away from a lot of stuff and actually, it WAS easier in the beginning. I think that once you get those refined carbs out of your system, it's easier to avoid them. Once you start trying them again, then you just want them more.

You'll also find that for many foods, when you chew, chew, chew, it changes the texture and flavor and they're just not very good any more.

Cindy

[angyl2314 1]

Cindy, thanks for the information. I cannot believe how good I feel. I am feeling new things in my body and trying to be intune with everything. It's weird but I can feel where the band is. Ick lol. My name is Jen, but since there is another Jen, you can call me Jenny.

For everyone getting banded, GOOD LUCK! Everything has been so much easier than I thought. This liquid stuff is rough, but then again I didn't have a liquid pre diet. I am 3 days post op, I get kinda hungry between meals, but have been sipping the carnation instant Breakfast and Water. Seems to be working.

This might sound bizarre, but something that helped me get over my "fear" of the surgery was actually watching a 1.5 min video of the procedure on YouTube.com. It just helped me to understand how hard the doctor would have to try to hurt me...lol. Seriously, it made a big difference with my nerves before hand.

[shues138 35]

I am so much more informed about PBing thanks to the last few posts. I was so worried that it was going to be like when you have the stomach flu and you vomit so much that you feel like you did 100 stomach crunches. At least I know what to expect.

I have another question to ask, how long after you had your surgery did you start drinking? I'm a social drinker and enjoy an occasional glass of wine way before dinner. I can't drink any fluids with food. I guess that's good because my nutritionist advised me not to drink 1 hour before and after eating.

Also, are any of you bandsters getting an oral endoscopy before the surgery? My surgeon requires one, I'm getting it on the 11th, I think I'm more nervous about that then the surgery itself. My mom's been in the medical field and when I told her I had to get it, she was like "oh that's the worst ever!" :faint:

I guess I'm going to have to deal with it, I have a high tolerance for pain so as long as they knock me out pretty good I think I'll be okay.

I also had another thought today. I leave on the 14th for vacation that's hopefully going to be an annual thing. I'm so depressed about packing because nothing looks good on me. Then I thought that, in a year I'll be able to pack with excitement with my new body. What a focus of motivation!

Hope everyone has a good weekend, I have to work tomorrow :cry

[5jacks 0]

cdgmom......know what you mean about the steak! I wanted pizza, my favorite food ever! to be my last big hoopla. When we got it home it just wasn't very good! Then by the end of the night we were all sick! Oh, well, will probably not crave pizza for a while! Good luck to all......can't wait to hear from Audree, praying everything is going well!

[jenslapband 0]

Shues, I don't think I am to ever drink alcohol after being banded. Maybe that is just my doctor.

The endoscopy was very easy...didn't feel a thing and it is very quick.

[juno610 1]

Shues - as far as alcohol goes, the only things I am not allowed are beer and champagne (the carbonation thing). I too am looking forward to a glass of wine! I was told to keep it in moderation though -- a basic weightloss thing -- alcohol calories add up too!

Maria

[angyl2314 1]

I really need to stop weighing myself. I am down 6.5 lbs since Wednesday, but I know this is not typical and an unrealistic trend for future weight loss. I am setting myself up for something bad =( But next topic, since my surgeon did not clue me into the fact that I had staples, I have no idea how to maintain them. Any advice?

-Jen