I wanted to start a thread for those of us who are waiting "with bated breath" for our surgeries in March.

I am supposed to start Optifast on February 26th. I am currently waiting for the shipment, including my surgical package to be delivered. Once I get my package I am supposed to call the clinic.

Ever since committing to this surgery (which I am paying for myself via a personal loan) I have been obsessed with reading everything I can about it and about people who have had it. I am still kind of hoping for some kind of "divine word" about whether or not it is the right thing for me to do.

I am "only" 75 lbs over my ideal weight but am type II diabetic. I am trying to figure out if my reason for doing this is my health or my vanity or a combination of both. The diabetes needs to be gone (when I am 20 lbs lighter it is gone) but I am sure looking forward to losing the weight and actually keeping it off for more than 20 minutes...

AM Check In:

I am 5 days post-op. I am still tossing between slimfast shake, sugar free popsicles, water and broth.

Want to make it a little less liquid - pour some of your water into a wine glass and drink it like white wine. Place your broth in a bowl and on top of a plate (like the restaurants do). Sit down with your broth and water and eat like you are at the finest restaurant in town.

Also read on another thread that you cut your food up like you are feeding a toddler. If it is precut then you don't have to worry about if the size is to large.

We will be opening the door for you @ 6am for you to come over to BANDLAND - Can't wait!!!

This is mon. my 12th day on pre-op. I went to do my pre-registration at the hospital this a.m. I have to be there 6:00 a.m. Wed. Getting close guys. I am so ready to get this over. Get the post-op over and resume a "normal" life as a bandster. I can't believe I have stuck to my pre-op diet without ONE cheat! 3-4 Sfast daily. I can only do two. A couple of days I only got in one. one small salad earth grown stuff in it only, and ff dressing, I could substitute it for one Sfast after the third day of diet. SF drinks. That's it. I have lost 13 pounds in 13 days. So far. Hope more is off tomorrow. Think about me wed. See ya.

Hey Pam, I have been following you all over this board:)! Glad to see everything is pretty "coppa setik" for you. (I know there has to be a better spelling for that. Is that French? Just kidding!

I have been busy getting ready for Reno. We are coming up tomorrow as my DH has a doc appt. and we need to get new tires on my car. So plenty of time to do some shopping on Tuesday for anything I may have forgotten. I have been kind of busy today getting "stuff" ready.

I kinda ate my "last supper supper supper" tonight. Ate some steak, summer squash and salad. It was very good and I also drank my bariatrix shake. I am going to try to be very good the next two days! I really wasn't that bad but I probably ate more than I should have. I forgot I also had mushroom and onions!

Hope your feeling great! I am excited but in a way calm and serene too! Just happy this is happening for me.

Did they weigh you before surgery? I have lost my weight but I keep thinking oh my god what if my scale is wrong and they refuse to operate!

Gail

Before today gets away from us, tell me what time surgery is tomarrow for you.

You maybe start getting second doubts like I did the day before, get those doubts out of your mind and replace them with skinny healthy thoughts.

I am 1 week post op and not hungry.

You are going to tell yourself after this is over; you are so glad you did it!

And when you go see your Son he is going to be amazed at how young and good you look.

You are going to be a new woman in less than one year from today, think of it that way!!

Hi! I am four days post-op and frankly, I feel great. I had little pain and am back to work. My one problem is that because my stomach will tolerate such small amounts of fluid,15-30cc, I have to constantly be concerned about dehydration. I am keeping a log of my fluid intake. I used to be someone who drank large amounts of fluids constantly, now I can't. As a Diet Pepsi addict, I am shocked at how uninteresting it is all of a sudden. I think that is because of the perpetual sense of fullness that I have.

I am finding water and fitness water great substitutes, even at an ounce at a time. How are all the rest of the March bandsters?

WOW!

I must have -0- restriction. I drink and eat just like normal. Have taken too big of a bite of something and felt a little uncomfortable (I think that was the supposed restriction stoma), but other than that I can't tell a difference at all.

If I had not seen the XRays I would swear he did not put a band in, and he was tricking me.

The night before my surgery I went to the website with all the pictures - that was my motivation. Good Luck Gail

Congrats to all the new bandsters!

I can't believe how quickly March is passing us by!

Hey momlambert! I'm getting banded on the 29th too! I'm also self-pay and a BIG worry is complications that I will have to pay for. I lived in Provo for 5 years. I feel like we have alot in common. Tell me more about yourself!

I just wanted to wish all the March Bandsters the best of luck with their journeys this month! I'm in the April '07 club and come by to visit your thread every day to see how ya'll are doing! I can just FEEL the excitement over here and it's so cool!! I hope ya'll will think about us next month and help us along!! :hug:

So I went bck to work last night feeling tired, but overall pretty good. After about 2 hours though, omg my back was hurting. I sit at a desk for 12 hours and answer phones, so I wasn't straining anything except just sitting there forever. I had taken my heating pad and that helped at first. I got up about every two hours to just walk around and for some reason, sitting forward in my chair seemed to be more comfortable than leaning all the way back. I got through it all though. Had some tightness in my chest, I'm guessing it's gas, couldn't seem to burp though...I don't think I've burped yet, so I can't wait for that moment! I did go to work prepared, heating pad, gas x, chewable tylenol, jello, broth, special k water....I never realized how much the people on my shift talked about food. One even went to Walmart on a break and brough back one of those little packs of chicken and mayo and crackers and was showing it to me saying that it was so good and I'll love it in a week when I can eat again......yah try 2.5 weeks til I can have that. I'm not hungry, but I want a hamburger! Oh and I slept on my side last night the whole night...with a pillow up against my tummy. I slept gooood.

So I went bck to work last night feeling tired, but overall pretty good. After about 2 hours though, omg my back was hurting. I sit at a desk for 12 hours and answer phones, so I wasn't straining anything except just sitting there forever. I had taken my heating pad and that helped at first. I got up about every two hours to just walk around and for some reason, sitting forward in my chair seemed to be more comfortable than leaning all the way back. I got through it all though. Had some tightness in my chest, I'm guessing it's gas, couldn't seem to burp though...I don't think I've burped yet, so I can't wait for that moment! I did go to work prepared, heating pad, gas x, chewable tylenol, Jello, broth, special k Water....I never realized how much the people on my shift talked about food. One even went to Walmart on a break and brough back one of those little packs of chicken and mayo and crackers and was showing it to me saying that it was so good and I'll love it in a week when I can eat again......yah try 2.5 weeks til I can have that. I'm not hungry, but I want a hamburger! Oh and I slept on my side last night the whole night...with a pillow up against my tummy. I slept gooood.

Hlayne

You are one day behind me and last night was my best night I have slept regarding comfortability. I am a sound sleeper so I usually only wake up once during the night and roll over.

I am already doing mushies, I could not keep to the liquid diet.

Hamburgers? I just want something BBQ'd. When I walk my dogs I smell all the houses that are cooking dinner and BBQ'ing and I want to dive in to their food.

Did it bother you; that your co worker brought in food? Were you hungry for it? My coworkers eat all day around me and I have not WANTED anything yet. I would like a nice salad with ranch dressing from the salad bar but know it would hurt going down so it is not a "trigger" for me yet.

I go back to my post op appt on Monday, we will see what he has to say and how big he thinks my stoma is right now.

I don't feel any restriction, but my appetite is suppressed (thank goodness)

Hey momlambert! I'm getting banded on the 29th too! I'm also self-pay and a BIG worry is complications that I will have to pay for. I lived in Provo for 5 years. I feel like we have alot in common. Tell me more about yourself!

Nice to hear from you! I'm actually being banded on March 19--guess I had a typo in my post. Yes, it's a huge worry about $$ for complications (I had a post on that in another thread if you want to look it up--people were very helpful).

I was born in Provo but moved when I was 3 months old but when my husband retired he wanted to go to BYU to get at PhD in Math so here we are. We spent about 20 years of our married life outside of Utah (Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tokyo) but now our children are gone and our parents need us we are back. I actually graduated from BYU last August at age 57--very exciting! It only took me 39 years to get my degree :straight

It looks like you have five daughters??? Well, I actually have nine--plus one son. The oldest is 38 and the youngest is 20. Our son is in the middle. The funny thing is, we have five grandsons and no granddaughters. Three are due this year and we don't know yet what the gender of the October baby is--maybe our first girl? Grandkids are the best!

Are you anxious to be banded? I'm going ahead but still have a bit of reservation--especially about the money for complications aspect. Scary. My DH is especially worried about it and I don't blame him but I'm more scared about staying like this the rest of my life (which will probably be a shorter life without the band!). Tough decisions!

Where do you live now? Thanks for the note--tell me more about yourself! Karen

:update:

I have never before had this in my life and I'm still not sure how it happened, but it would appear after speaking with my dr, that I have Thrush. Isn't that what babies get? ANYwho, he is calling in a prescription that I will pick up on the way home.

T

Strange isn't it?? My 15 year old daughter was told she had thrush a few weeks ago. I work in the medical feild and I thought it was prone to babies. But, it is for anyone that has not been eating... which was her case... she had not been able to eat for a few weeks just not hungry. well if you were on a preop and not eating thta could be your case too. Then I need to be careful as well, I am on day 5 of my pre op. Oral antibiotic took care of it.

My surgery is scheduled for March 19th. I'm on my 2 wk pre-op diet now...it really sucks!!! But can't wait for the 19th.

BandSTAR is home from surgery and YAY it's over. I made it through. I have NO pain...it's wierd.

BandSTAR is home from surgery and YAY it's over. I made it through. I have NO pain...it's wierd.

Keep us posted--NO pain would be a record of some kind. Let's celebrate! Congrats!