I just found out my surgery will be in July (granted my pre-op testing goes okay) SOOOOOOOOO

Here's a thread for everyone getting banded in July 07!

Does anyone have any good ideas for a neat name we could call ourselves?

Anyone finding that they are less hungry after the first fill? Please post!! I need hope. . .

Kathy- glad to hear you had a good time.

Anna- good job!

Lindaa- lo siento, I haven't had a fill yet!

Only4Me

Congratulations on the HUGE weight loss!! 21 lbs is amazing and I'm impressed. I hope I get good news from the Doctor when I go on Friday.

Everyone

Today is my first "legal" mushies day (I wrote "legal" because I'm a notourius liquid stage cheater") and I think I'm gonna make turkey salad by doing a twist on lynette's chicken salad recipe. What has everyone on mushys been eating with their protein?

Only4Me

Today when you went for your post op appt. did Dr. Geiss or his PA say anything about when you could get your first fill or whether they did it under flouro or not? What about your stitches?.....Did all the steri strips come off yet and have you noticed the ends of your stitches coming out (like clear strings sticking out of your belly)? Only 1/2 of my steri strips came off and 1 of the incisions look like it was only a scrape.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers you guys, it really means a lot...... I am so psyched for my fill tomorrow because my appetite is coming back. I also need to start working out. Have any of you started working out yet? what are you doing? I think I might start out by walking 30 minutes a day.

Felicia - That's how I started - I am trying to do 40 min a day at lease 3 times a week - either before or after work

Saturday I walked for 1 hr :clap2: (I hate exercise:)) so this was a great nsv for me...

jackie - my doc said that there's been "a few" times where he actually hit the tube instead of the port. He's in Denver so he won't be doing my fills (although, I'd trust him to "get it right the first time"). I understand that sometimes it takes more than one stick to get the port. I can feel mine (the outline too) so I don't think getting it in the right spot will be too much of an issue...now to get the right amount of fluid! There's another story!

Only4Me

Today when you went for your post op appt. did Dr. Geiss or his PA say anything about when you could get your first fill or whether they did it under flouro or not? What about your stitches?.....Did all the steri strips come off yet and have you noticed the ends of your stitches coming out (like clear strings sticking out of your belly)? Only 1/2 of my steri strips came off and 1 of the incisions look like it was only a scrape.

I saw the PA-Deirdra- she was great!! She removed all of my sutures. She said that they are made of glucose and although they disolve on their own, it will take months to go away. She also said that the first fill if I need it would be in 4 more weeks. (6 weeks after surgery)- she also went over transitioning to mushy then solid foods. (as I have been having problems just with full liquids at times. I had to ask her what size band I had, and she said that the size of the band would give me a different experience than somone who has a larger band. She said that most of the problems that I am experiencing (spasms in the esphogus, and pain in the chest are probalby due to the fact that I am still swollen inside (everyone is different some people heal quicker and are only swollen for a few days and some people it could last for up to 4-6 weeks, so she urged me to be realisitic when adding mushies. and if I have a problem to go back to full liquids for a day and then try again but very very slow, and chew chew chew.

What has everyone on mushys been eating with their protein?

I make protein shakes. The type I have gives me 23g from the powder, plus 7g from the soy milk. I drink 2 a day and usually time those for between meals. One when I would normally snack in the morning and one in the afternoon ( which has always been a problem time for me). The shakes I have are YUMMY. I never have to worry about whether or not I'm getting enough protein in my day as it's never been a chore to force myself to drink one because they're so nice.

As for food, I've gone back to the days when my son was a baby (prior to teeth) and he loved his mashed vegetables. Pumpkin, zucchini, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, yams.... anything that can be mashed, I'm cooking for myself. I loved eating his leftovers back then and I really, REALLY enjoy them now. And the bonus is I don't feel guilty about what I'm eating.

I've cut out so many carbs since my band and to be honest, I haven't really missed them. I feel so FREE! I hope it stays this way.

cazulay - You think YOU'RE spending a lot on groceries? Now, I'm not complaining (too much) because we sort of had a choice of moving out here, but $2.99/lb for apples...APPLES! The fruit selection sucks out here! Frankly, I'd be willing to pay for good produce, but it's not even GOOD! Most of the stuff gets frozen on the way out and, if you aren't aware, frozen apples SUCK! At least I was able to harvest two HUGE zucchinni from my greenhouse today! Good luck with sticking to cheaper/healthy foods!

OK, so I'm not losing. I'm enormously frustrated! I feel like I'm barely eating and didn't even feel like I was cheating yesterday when I had a very small (2-3 bites worth) piece of birthday cake! So, I'm excersizing and eating less...what's the deal? BTW I've never felt like I looked fat before...now I feel like a big freakin' blob! Even wearing my control top pantyhose and a cute church outfit yesterday made me very self-conscious! This is a whole new feeling for me! AAAAHHHHHHH!

Only4Me

I think I must have a bigger band than you because nothing's been getting stuck with me. This may sound a little twisted but, I'm a little jealous because that means that your restriction is really good where as mine is not so hot right now. Still though, like everyone keeps saying, we are all different. My situation might mean that they'll give me a fill sooner than 4 weeks away. Did you try the egg salad? I just came back from the grocery store and I'm psyched to make my 1st

"legal mushy meal!" I'm gonna make either tuna and avocado salad or turkey salad. YUMMMMMMM lol

Walking record

I walked around my neighborhood for 35 minutes and actually walked to and from the grocery store. This is a NSV for me because I almost NEVER walk to get groceries.

Silntwhispers, welcome to the Lucky 7's.

Marcy, the heck with the apples, you get crab for dirt cheap, and I'd be oh so happy with that price, LOL!!!!!! But I know what you're saying.

ssankofa, congrats on your NSV. Walking to the store is a great thing, you can't buy too much cause you have to carry it home!! I put my powder into mashed potatoes, chicken salad, whatever I can get it into.

Jackie, my doc doesn't do fills under floro, just lay back and he does it right in the office.

Felicia, I'm going to start walking 3 times again this week, and I'm going to add in weights 2 times a week.

lindaa, after the fill I had to go on liquids again fo 2 days, and I'm not really hungry because I've been adding in so much protein each day. This helps me feel full.

Hello everyone! Hope y'all are doing well today. I went back to work. What a bummer. I got so tired around 2 pm. I have gotten used to taking a nap in the afternoon and it hit me at work

I agree with the cost of healthy food. No wonder everyone in the US is fat. It is cheap to eat high fat, high carb foods and so, so expensive to eat healthy. Just remember, you are eating less so the cost will balance out for you. However, my son is not eating less and it is real expensive to feed him.

I am eating anything without restriction. The only thing limiting my intake is my self control and we know that isn't too good. If it was I would not have needed the band :eek: So far it is holding out. I think I can make it a couple of weeks til I can get fill.

Marcy- I am with Lynette. The price of seafood balances out on the fruit,and I believe the same can be said for quality!

Sunny- it sucks to work. I can't wait to retire- only 31 more years to go!

OK, I did not lose this past weekend but went back to Curves today and had a great time, especially because they took my measures and they came out great! Here's what they look like, from June 26th until today, Aug. 13th:

Weight: - 27.5

Body Fat Lbs: - 16.63

Body Fat: - 1.7%

Bust: - 3.75 yeah!

Waist: - 0.5

Thights: - 2.5

Arms: - 1

Abdomen: -2.5

Hips: - 1.5

Total Inches Lost : - 11.75

So, if you haven't taken your measures, go ahead and do so. Sometimes the scale doesn't move, but you can see progress thru the tape measure.

Hey gang! How are you? I've been doing well. I've been exercising (just the treadmill for now) and it's giving me a lot of energy.

But today was bad for me. I did my exercise, but I ate a mushroom quesadilla. I know it's a no-no b/c I'm still on mushies. I picked at the refried beans (which are fine on mushies), but that quesadilla...I started out just eating the insides, but the tortilla looked and smelled so good...and the quesadilla won.

Well, I guess I'll brush myself off and get back up. I realize what happened and why...I didn't have lunch today or my afternoon protein drink. So, I guess I did it to myself. As I always say, I live and learn.

Just had to get that off my chest! I feel bad for what I've done.:cry

Ok 1st off I am so excited they moved my 1st fill from Oct 24th to Oct 2nd. I would love to have it alot sooner but that is better than what it was right? Also I weighed today and I have lost another pound which puts me at 14 pounds now. Yeah!! My first goal is to lose 20 LBS by Labor day so I am not that far off. I just might make it. Well I am heading off to work now so I will talk to you all later.