Here's a list of January Bandsters. Let us know if we've missed anybody!

Txpeaches - 1/02/07

1721Summ - 1/02/07

Jenslapband - 1/02/07

Irishamerican - 1/02/07

Angyl2314 (Jen) - 1/03/07

Kellie Reachell (Kellie) - 1/03/07

Skmsu (Susan) - 1/03/07

Cricket - 1/04/07

Babygotback (Audree) 1/05/07

Fiyagirl (Sherry) - 1/05/07

Tinabartlett - 1/05/07

Maillady2 - 1/05/07

Susantunanoodle (Susan) - 1/08/07

Eldonh - 1/08/07

Honeylin - 1/08/07

Tulip - 1/8/07

Girlinnyc - 1/08/07

SeattleEbeth - 1/09/07

Moog24 (Michelle - 1/09/07

PinkyBandito - 1/09/07

Bhamguy31 - 1/09/07

Cdgmom (Amy) - 1/09/07

Travelbug - 1/09/07

Zevesther - 1/09/07

Klo (Kathy) - 1/10/07

Wph74 (Whitney) - 1/10/07

Angelburch - 1/10/07

Mindful (Paige) - 1/10/07

Mikeomando -1/10/07

Roses733 (Rose) - 1/11/07

Loridee (Lori) - 1/11/07

Sheilamj1fan (Sheila) - 1/11/07

Justine717 - 1/11/07

Patp98465 - 1/11/07

Mommi-hammi - 1/12/07

Rms78645 - 1/12/07

Inner_me (Chris) - 1/12/07

Cjkerr (Carole) - 1/12/07

InTheBreeze13 - 1/12/07

Saraincincy (Sara) - 1/13/07

Lala - 1/15/07

Happylady - 1/15/07

Patsygrn - 1/15/07

Andrea1973 - 1/15/07

Sula - 1/15/07

Smilliegal - 1/15/07

Peacej - 1/15/07

Slate2633 1/15/07

Pinky12202 (Linda) - 1/16/07

Marjon9 - 1/16/07

Sula (Shawn) - 1/16/07

Reesh - 1/16/07

Soon2bthin.com - 1/16/07

Bandqueen - 1/16/07

Chunky Monkey - 1/16/07

Muttman - 1/16/07

Enterprise01 - 1/17/07

Revolution - 1/17/07

Prissever - 1/17/07

Sunshine2 (Tonya) - 1/18/07

5jacks - 1/18/07

Imsusie0929 - 1/18/07

Stephanee - 1/18/07

Shellyfromohio (shelly) - 1/18/07

Ddcokk85 (Lisa) - 1/18/07

Phlyinphebee (Rene') - 1/19/07

Nicknack34461 - 1/19/07

Shayne9927 (Shayne) - 1/19/07

Lap - 1/19/07

Deb-Texas - 1/19/07

Mammaw - 1/19/07

Cinward2001 (Cindy) - 1/19/06***

Jun0610 (Maria) - 1/22/07

Rsbell - 1/22/07

Purposedriven4 - 1/22/07

Ds5001ds - 1/22/07

Nursiepooh - 1/22/07

Kilopitre - 1/23/07

RidinmyHDdream (Carol) - 1/23/07

Zuzu - 1/23/07

Nella337 - 1/23/07

Redstart - 1/24/07

Nomophat - 1/24/07

Lauriann - 1/24/07

Shesha - 1/25/07

Edieday (Edie) - 1/25/07

Huberslave - 1/25/07

Rockergirl - 1/25/07

A.Isabella - 1/25/07

Donnalynncrain - 1/25/06***

Shues138 (Andrea) - 1/26/07

Jeanettej505 - 1/26/07

Bandida - 1/26/07

Susanjuneau - 1/26/07

Stacyrh - 1/29/07

Charlottesweb91 - 1/29/07

Trishd - 1/29/07

Mom of 3 - 1/29/07

Monsoleil98 - 1/29/07

Nurseratchett (Joanne) - 1/29/07

Sherilynn - 1/30/07

Texasbighair - 1/30/07

Gig8 (gigi) - 1/30/07

Cchristys - 1/30/07

Ladyleo868 (Christine) - 1/30/07

Kima - 1/30/07

Rsbg1 (Ted) - 1/31/07

TracyV - 1/31/07

Callieanna - 1/31/07

Sportsscribe - 1/31/07

Your247realtor - 1/31/07

1bunni4me - 1/31/07

Thatgirl - 1/31/07

Mfw1941 - 1/31/07

Brew2000 - 1/31/07

Lapbandhopeful - 2/02/07

Okay, I received great news today. I passed all the pre-op tests and I am first in line for my surgery on Tuesday morning!!!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I believe the nurse had me upset yesterday because my blood pressure was 124 over 82 yesterday and 110 over 72 today. Also, no skipped heartbeats. Perfect EKG today. She didn't make me feel very good when she tried to scare me yesterday and I was so happy today. I started my pre-op diet today (my own decision) and I am doing well so far. I am looking forward to finally joining everyone here in band land!!

Yay! I'm so glad everything worked out!! :clap2:

Hey gang... question for you. I keep feeling like I have to burp, but nothing happens. Plus, I'm afraid to force it. Anyone else get that sensation? Most of my gas is passing out the other end (haha), so I'm not sure what's up with this wierd non-burp thing.

Enterprise01 - I am right there with you. My mom is still putting my socks on for me -- I just can't bend! LOL! My whole abdomen still feels sore and distended. We'll get through it though! Hang in there!

Maria

Oh yes it has been 8 days since my surgery and I have been walking around like a hog burping , It just comes up and there is no stopping it for me , and I have never been one to burp or pass gas like that so i am just thankful that i am having it some from the mouth and not my a**.

Oh man, it would feel so good to just let out a huge belch. I am jealous! :mad:

Hey all,

12:30 is my appointment with the crooked Cardiologist. Hopefully my clearance will be faxed over to my surgeon...UGH!

As far as the panties go...I'll save mine as a souvenir - tent, parachute, tablecloth, car cover.....

Never had a problem belching before (Oh...how ladylike!)...hope I don't after the band!!!

Post surgery for me and I never burped any gas. Minimal flatulence. I just had this huge ball that moved up and down my chest, and eventually it dissipated about 6 days after the procedure. It moved to just below my left collarbone where it will ache off and on, but really not to bad. I did the Gas-X.

Question for the gang...anybody have any allergic reaction to the EAS whey Protein. I have a rash on my front torso, down to the tops of my legs..only on the front. Nothing on my surgery site. Not terribly itchy but looks lovely!! Especially with the greenish/yellow bruises...I'm ravishing, let me tell you!! HA I thought initially it was the Imitation Soup, but I haven't had any of that since Sunday.

For those of you who are having some trials in healing post-surgery..it really does get better. I feel very good, have been working full days since Monday, (surgery was on the 16th in Mexico) and I'm down about 14 pounds. Hard to tell on my scales and I only weighed in when I got home on Friday morning till today. So...keep the faith and keep plugging away.

Have a great day all.

Shawn

Hey all,

12:30 is my appointment with the crooked Cardiologist. Hopefully my clearance will be faxed over to my surgeon...UGH!

As far as the panties go...I'll save mine as a souvenir - tent, parachute, tablecloth, car cover.....

laughing at your choice of collectibles.... Hope it goes well with the cardio dr. let us know.

Hey gang... question for you. I keep feeling like I have to burp, but nothing happens. Plus, I'm afraid to force it. Anyone else get that sensation? Most of my gas is passing out the other end (haha), so I'm not sure what's up with this wierd non-burp thing.

Enterprise01 - I am right there with you. My mom is still putting my socks on for me -- I just can't bend! LOL! My whole abdomen still feels sore and distended. We'll get through it though! Hang in there!

Maria

I had that happen to me for like the first week. Like I wanted to burp and as if the air wanted to come up, but as if the stoma would close.It was a very uncomfortable feeling for me. It went away though thank God!!! I just kept on popping Gas X

Shawn your rash might be a reaction to the band or the surgery. I would definitely recommend you get it checked out asap. Even if it is just an allergic reaction, you are WAY better safe than sorry. Not trying to be a downer.... just concerned.

I'm not going to be banded in Jan. :mad: I'm still waiting for my insurance to come through. For those of you who are into praying, please say a little prayer that I will be approved. I'm a student who plans on going to med school in two years and I can't afford paying for school and the band.

You January Bandsters have been a wonderful example of how great LBT can be. You all are such an inspiration. Very encouraging to see and to be a part of. Lots of love, Sheila

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I'm not getting back to you until now. I did get a spirometor and after about 4 days the pain started getting better. I also used a heating pad all night for three nights and that made a big difference. In addition, starting on Weds, I was out and about all day long doing errands with my sister and walking.

How is your food going? I'm on creamy Soups and Protein shakes and I'm feeling very hungry. The first week, I couldn't even get a full Protein shake down until the third day and I wasn't hungry at all.

Hi! I'm doing great, go back to the doctor today for my first preop visit. I have used my sisters vita-mixer and just making a thick soup out of everything! A friend brought tortilla soup over yesterday and I just left the chicken in and everything and put it through the vitamixer. I've noticed I'm taking in alot more now than I did a week ago at this time. I had a whole can of tomatoe soup for Breakfast. Have to admit that I cheated 2 days ago and ate some mexican casserole (one of my favorite dishes), couldn't eat much of it and felt miserable for a short while, but I was careful with LOTS of chewing and slow swallowing and felt that every bite was worth it! :biggrin1: After reading this site and hearing all the complaints about pain and gas pain, I feel so blessed. This really has been a pleasant experience as far as surgery goes, never had the "bent over" "hard to straighten up" feeling, really no gas pains either. It just a new experience for me to learn how to eat again! I want bigger bites, I want to be able to swallow and not worry about every bite I put in my mouth. BUT I am so proud of my new tool, and fully intent to take full advantage of it.

Three days post-op, I started eating applesauce, cottage cheese mixed with ricotta, eggs, yogurt, and polenta. On day 4, I was eating grilled salmon and asparagus, which I've been having every night for dinner since. The asparagus is going down fine, but tonight the salmon feels kind of stuck -- sort of a pinching sensation. It's funny, because the doc's instructions say no meat but fish is fine. I've had a few Nutrisystem meals with beef, chicken, and ham in them and had no problems. For lunch in the past week, I've had Nutrisystem chicken salad, whipped sweet potatoes with cheese, chocolate chip Cookies, and Fettuccini alfredo. No problems with any of those.

I just can't stick to a liquid diet. I haven't found a Protein drink that I think is even tolerable, and if it doesn't taste good, I'm not going to eat/drink it. The solid food agrees with me much more.

If you're still having nausea, try drinking a lot of ice cold Water. That helped me a lot. You're right -- we have to keep telling ourselves that it will be worth it.

Enterprise, I'm a little bit stunned by your posts. This might sound kind of harsh, but you don't get to CHOOSE what you eat and when. Well, you obviously are, but you shouldn't be. Your doctor's guidelines are there FOR A REASON, and you're throwing them out the window because you don't think Protein drinks taste good?! It's not about what tastes good at this point, it's NOT about what "agrees with you" or what "goes down." For many people, unless they have post-op swelling, they CAN eat anything...including chocolate chip cookies and alfredo. But they don't because getting banded means starting a new relationship with food. A BETTER relationship with food and one that does NOT include chocolate chip cookies and alfredo.

The first 6 weeks after surgery is about healing. Has no one explained this to you? When you're banded, your stomach is sutured up and over the band. The stomach then forms scar tissues and heals *around* the band. So the 6 wks post op, with liquids and then progressing to soft foods, allows your stomach time to do this without churning food.

If your doctor said it was ok to move on to applesauce and cottage cheese (these are all soft foods), then fine. But asparagus is VERY fibrous...it's a SOLID food...as is meat such as beef and ham. Most doctors say soft fish because that's more of a soft food.

By moving on to solid foods so soon after surgery, you're risking your band. Do you really want to be one of those people who have a slip just because you don't LIKE the post-op rules?

Seriously, folks...sticking to liquids will NOT MAKE YOU WEAK. Post-op anesthesia can make you feel weak, recovering from major surgery can make you feel weak, deyhdration can make you feel weak. But at this point, calorie deprivation will NOT make you weak. You have plenty of calories IN STORAGE (otherwise, you wouldn't need banding). And you WANT to use those calories, so quit telling yourself you need to eat such and such because you're weak...it's not true. Even with protein...if you stayed deficient for weeks and weeks, it'd be bad...but not getting in your protein for a while is FINE.

Cindy

My doc said he doesn't do a fill until 5 weeks.....I'm going to starve to death by then! I've been really good till today (5 days post-op) and tonight I'm starving! Finally decided I needed something besides soup.....shouldn't have done it but there was some micro-ravioli in the cabinet that the kids wouldn't eat and I did! I only ate about 8 or 10 of them and I mushed them up really good and wow it was fantastic! Didn't think I would ever say that about ravioli!!

Good luck to all of tomorrows bandsters.....thoughts will be with you!

LOL, I kinda did the same thing. My son was eatting some raviolis and they smells SO good, I took about 5 or 6 of them, added some beef broth and stuck them in the vita-mixer and drank them! Not quiet the same as the regular ole ravioli but I really did enjoy it!

Enterprise01 - I am right there with you. My mom is still putting my socks on for me -- I just can't bend! LOL! My whole abdomen still feels sore and distended. We'll get through it though! Hang in there!

Maria

I wish I had had my legs waxed before the surgery. I shaved the morning of surgery (8 days ago), and now I look like a Sasquatch. I wonder how long it will be until I can bend enough to shave my legs.

Ok, Oldtimer stopping in with a reality check. :mad: First, let me say that I'm posting this because I STILL do this...it's something I'm constantly working on. If I were a perfect bandster, I wouldn't be struggling with the last 20 lbs that I want to lose. I've been where you are (newly banded) and I've had these types of things said to me and I'd like to think that, as much as I didn't want to hear them, they've helped me.

First, most of us are obese because we have an emotional attachment to food. For us, it's not just about eating for nutrition and health. Ideally, what we eat SHOULD be about nutrition and nothing more. But we eat when we're happy, sad, lonely, stressed, bored, or sick. We eat in celebration, we eat as part of a social activity, we eat because it tastes GOOD.

The first step in changing this is to recognize it. Yes, losing weight and maintaining it IS about giving up your relationship with food. You need to accept that.

Next, you have to start changing how you THINK about food. I've been reading lots of posts about people STARVING, certain foods being SO good, something "being worth it," etc. Not trying to pick on any one person here...we all do it. But those types of phrases are FULL of emotional attachment to food. NO one on this board is starving. Talking about some food being so worth it or so good...well, what is it worth? Is it worth staying obese for the rest of your life? If so, then why did you get banded? If "cheating" once meant that you'd lose your band, would you do it? Probably not. But that's what we tell ourselves...this ONCE won't hurt, or if I chew really well, it's OK if I eat this solid food too soon. Well, it ain't true folks. It doesn't matter how much you Vitamix or chew a solid food...it's still more solid than a liquid or soft food because the proteins and fiber in are different.

Then, as you progress in your banding journey, it becomes really easy to say that this ONE cookie won't hurt, or this one bite (or two) of hamburger will be ok...and in most cases, that's true. But then, the scales stop moving and we wonder why? Because it was one cookie, one bite of hamburger, one sip of this and one nibble of that...and before you know it, you've had too many calories for the week.

I'm not saying that we can never indulge in a cookie. I'm saying that, while you're actively trying to lose weight, you need to tell yourself "Not yet." Reward yourself with a new outfit, or jewelry, or make-up...but you need to start transfering your "love" of certain foods to things that won't make you fat.

So, back to the "emotions follow thoughts" idea. If you tell yourself that you're STARVING, then you start to believe it. You start to feel deprived and you start telling yourself that you NEED to eat something...none of which is true. So try changing what you THINK. Instead of thinking that you're starving, tell yourself that Yes, you're hungry and that's a GOOD thing. Because that means your body will use some of those stored calories for energy and you'll lose weight. Use that hungry feeling to really begin learning the difference between head hunger and physical hunger. Use that hunger as an excuse to drink more water instead of eating more food.

Same thing for those foods that are "SO good and SO worth it." Instead of being happy that you ate raviolis (which really are NOT a nutritious food no matter how you look at it), tell yourself the opposite. Such as, gosh, those are just refined pasta, high fat blobs with very little nutrition. I should feed my body something HEALTHY if I'm really hungry...not some over-processed, high fat junk food.

Your emotions follow your thoughts. So the next time you think that you're starving, remind yourself that no, you're just hungry. The next time you start thinking that a cookie would be SO good, tell yourself that no, you're just wanting a sugar fix and try having a piece of fruit instead. It really does help...

Cindy