I am now one month away from being banded so I decided to start my own journal/blog to chronicle this adventure.

Last night I had an interesting dream. I dreamed that the colleagues I used to go to WW@Work with, all went to a seminar for a weight loss diet that involved eating very small amounts but with whole wheat pita. I said that I was not going to go because I was being banded, but I found myself wanting to try it and then being indecisive about getting the band. A reflection of my (as Jack would say) 52nd thoughts.

I yo yo from being so excited to terrified and can hardly wait to wishing it was 2 months away! (Although I have gained 5 lbs since I had my consult - eating all this junk to give in to the cravings).

I am so glad I found the board with all of you. You are all so supportive of each other and seem to genuinely care that we all do well. I know I am making the right decision and reading the posts make me feel that there will not be any surprises. I have confidence in Dr. Yau and the team. I think they too have my best interests at heart and will look after me.

Then...it will be up to me to make this work. I can. I will.

Susan

I'll change my ticker once a week - but I can assure you I will weigh myself a couple times a day!!! Watch me move my food addiction to scale addiction! LOL I am fessing up about it cause I know myself and I will do that. hmmmm... come to think of it maybe I'll change my ticker everyday!!! A girls' got to be addicted to something!

It's almost hard to believe isn't it??? We are close now LL, to join the banded.

Are you nervous about the actual surgery?

NO, I don't feel nervous about the surgery really. I am ok right now about that. I do hope that I will not feel sick from the anesthetic (sp?) though. I had to have day surgery about 20 years ago and was really sick after. So not fun at all. Just one of those things. Never bothered me before. I am hoping that it won't this time. If it does I know I will live through it. One of those... this too shall pass things.

One thing they told us at the seminar at TLBC is that they give you a great anti-nausea drug during surgery. I am sure they do the same at Dr. C - maybe email them and ask.

I think Andrew was saying he also had pickles! lol I am hoping so cause I am thinking I am going to need something to crunch on other than lettuce!

Dill pickles were my saving grace. I ate a huge jar from Costco that my wife instisted I would never finish. Just look at the labels and make sure that there is not too much sugar in them.

Also, look for the sugar free Davinci Syrups. They also helped spice up the routine, I got them at a shop that caters to diabetics.

Also, I have noticed that there are the new salad spritzers that are something like 15 calories for 10 sprays. I thought to my self the other day that they would have been great to have on my salads for optifast.

I also would put the Kraft Calorie wise italian dressing on my salads, and had a couple of ceasar salads throught the process. I figured that these "little cheats" would stop me from falling off the wagon completely.

As long as you stay in ketosis while avoiding fats you will get the result that you need.

Andrew

NO, I don't feel nervous about the surgery really. I am ok right now about that. I do hope that I will not feel sick from the anesthetic (sp?) though. I had to have day surgery about 20 years ago and was really sick after. So not fun at all. Just one of those things. Never bothered me before. I am hoping that it won't this time. If it does I know I will live through it. One of those... this too shall pass things.

I specifically mentioned that I got naseua from anestetic and they assured me that they would give me medication to combat that.

What I found to be worse was taking crushed demerol on an empty stomach. I always chased my demerol with a chewable gravol. I also liked the Gas-ex strips, they helped with the gas, plus the minty flavored helped with the horrible taste in my mouth.

Andrew

:help: OMG!!!

I need a port-a-potty at my desk!

:help: OMG!!!

I need a port-a-potty at my desk!

I found it easier to move my desk into the bathroom. :heh:

Why? Or do I want to know.

Andrew

I found it easier to move my desk into the bathroom. :heh:

Why? Or do I want to know.

Andrew

Good idea! Because I have peed about 20 times today.

lol I know the pee game!! It does slow down. You have started to lose!! Congrats! Susan! It flushes out your system so keep on drinking!

Hey thanks for the reassurance Andrew! I will be sure to tell them about the nausea. It can really make things yukky. I was never good at being sick. Well that kinda sick anyway...lol

I have tried thos spray salad dressings and they are awesome! I didn't really think they would be all that great but there are good. I also use them on steamed veg instead of butter/becel.

How do you know you are in ketosis?

I made it through day 1 of the pre-op! The first hours were harder than later in the day. Now I realize just how hard it is going to be for 2 1/2 weeks, BUT..I also know that I can do it and the results are worth it.

Andrew - I also want to know how you can tell if you are in ketosis....

Andrew - I also want to know how you can tell if you are in ketosis....

I would not be as woried about the ketosis as I would be about sticking to the diet. I also am not sure if the pre-op for the TLBC is designed to promote ketosis, maybe one of the others who did thier pre-op will know.

Anyway, there are a couple of ways to know if you are in ketosis. After a couple of days if you are true to you diet you will notice that you are less hungry, you are losing weight, you may urinate more often, you may notice a slight acetone taste/smell to to you breathe/urine. Some people get a hightened sense of well being.

The only sure-fire way to tell it to get Ketostix from your pharmacy, which you pee on and it will tell you if you are in ketosis. I would not bother with this though as long as you are follwing your pre-op you will be getting the effects that the Dr. wants whether you are in ketosis or not.

Hang in there, and just keep reminding yourself that this will be the hardedst part of the process and that you are going to be true to the pre-op as you can be in an effort to ensure that your surgery will go as planned.

Andrew

Hi there, I just got off the phone with Sue and she was so helpful with the pre-op diet info!! Answered all my questions.. Those sprays for salad are fine to use pre-op as well as the flavourings you mentioned Andrew. I will have to go and see if I can find some. lol I asked about the pickles and she said it should be ok they are cucumbers after all lol just no sugar.

This is really coming together! I told them about the nausea after surgery and she said they will give me something for that. I still have a month before I start the optifast.... I hope the time goes by quickly.

Hey Leslie I don't know what flavour of Optifast you have but I had the vanilla and when I made my Optifast shakes I would first take the cold Water and put in a couple teaspoons of instant espresso and add that to my Optifast or cold coffee instead of water and then add ice and whiz it up. I would pretend that it was an iced coffee drink. I found that the coffee was the only thing that would sort of mask the Optifast taste.

Good luck with the pre-op ladies. The results from the pre-op are worth it. :clap2:

Good luck with the pre-op ladies. The results from the pre-op are worth it. :clap2:

Thanks Dame J - I could feel a difference in just one day!

I was just thinking that I would never have done this yogurt and cottage cheese diet as a "diet". It is hard and crazy!!! In all the diets I have tried, very few were of this nature (like the cabbage Soup one or grapefruit diet). I always counted calories or WW etc.

I am only doing this for the band. (but the weight loss side effect will be nice)