Wow - Okay well I'm new to this forum, not really sure what I'm doing. I am 38 yrs old, and have 7 1/2 weeks until I am banded. I have read everything I can find on Lap Band surgery, and feel prepared medically............ but mentally - I am scared!! I am scared that if I put myself and my family through all of this, and it doesn't work - what then??? I am 114kgs (sorry not good with pounds - I'm Aussie) and am not very tall at 5ft 4....... putting my BMI at 45. I have waited 10 months for my insurance period to expire, so I can get this done, I have tried every other weightloss plan/diet known to man, and I have researched every detail............... why then do I feel like screaming or crying half the time, and excited the rest...................I feel lonely, and scared! I can't see myself losing the weight, and changing my life like so many of you have....... it does not seem real.

I don't have many close friends I can talk with, and the ones I do have don't understand.................. I'm hoping for support and motivation from this forum, and I look forward to getting to know you all - Cheers Karen

Hi Ann, I'm doing pretty good - thanks for asking! I have been posting here and there, but mostly reading. Well, I am 5 days post op and on my second day of full liquids. I haven't had any trouble swallowing or anything, but I do get very full very quickly, so it's hard to get all the fluids in in a day. Still not hungry, so THAT is a blessing - sounds like a lot of folks get hunger pangs by this time. The only problem I really had was severe calf cramps (like charley horses) which I now attribute to dehydration. That has finally improved somewhat.

I took all my bandaids off except the big one - but left the steri-strips on. I am curious to see my "battle scars". It looks like the small ones will be barely noticeable once they are healed. Still with some discomfort in the port incision, expecially with getting up and down, but I can finally walk upright now. :Banane35:

I go back to work on Monday the 22nd, but I am nervous about it. I am a physical therapist. I don't do alot of lifting because I work primarily in breast cancer rehab, but it is still a taxing and tiring job. We'lll see what happens! I have super low endurance and energy, although I have tried to walk at least a mile a day....

Every day I feel better than the last, and that is encouraging! I know this was the right decision, and I know you will all do great too! It's nice to have such a great support group during the nervousness period and the afterwards adjustment period.

Good luck to everyone!!! :clap2:

Jenne

<p>We went back to the doctor today. My son has RSV. Yuck. He had this when he was very little, and ended up in the emergency room with respiratory problems. However, he is not having any respiratory symptoms at all. His doctor said that since he is older now, he shouldn't get as sick. It is contageous, but usually is just a cold in an adult. I am praying for no illness for the rest of our crew. Only one more week!!</p> <p> </p> <p>Penne, it sounds like you are doing great!! It is so encouraging to hear all of these success stories. I made the mistake of going to the thread for people with comlications last night. Boy that freaked me out. I know people do have complications but that is a risk with any surgery, and risk seems very minimal to me. There are tons more success stories. I just should have saved reading that until after my band.</p>

Hi Ann, I'm doing pretty good - thanks for asking! I have been posting here and there, but mostly reading. Well, I am 5 days post op and on my second day of full liquids. I haven't had any trouble swallowing or anything, but I do get very full very quickly, so it's hard to get all the fluids in in a day. Still not hungry, so THAT is a blessing - sounds like a lot of folks get hunger pangs by this time. The only problem I really had was severe calf cramps (like charley horses) which I now attribute to dehydration. That has finally improved somewhat.

I took all my bandaids off except the big one - but left the steri-strips on. I am curious to see my "battle scars". It looks like the small ones will be barely noticeable once they are healed. Still with some discomfort in the port incision, expecially with getting up and down, but I can finally walk upright now.

I go back to work on Monday the 22nd, but I am nervous about it. I am a physical therapist. I don't do alot of lifting because I work primarily in breast cancer rehab, but it is still a taxing and tiring job. We'lll see what happens! I have super low endurance and energy, although I have tried to walk at least a mile a day....

Every day I feel better than the last, and that is encouraging! I know this was the right decision, and I know you will all do great too! It's nice to have such a great support group during the nervousness period and the afterwards adjustment period.

Good luck to everyone!!! :clap2:

Jenne

Great to hear how welll things are going. I am about two weeks away from my band date. I hope it goes as well! Keep up the great work!

Hi Ann, We don't have flintstones in Australia, but I take one Blackmores sustain multi vitamin a day. I is a big tablet, so my dietician said to crush it up, which is what I do. I then blend it with 200mls of 100% applejuice and some benefibre (to keep me regular) and it seems to do the trick. I can't taste the multi in the juice at all, so that is a good thing.

I find that in the mornings I am not hungry until about 10 am, and sometimes I don't even feel like my juice, but I have it anyway, just to make sure that I get my multi in daily.

Cheers - Rastis

I went to Walmart tonight to buy things for my surgery. I got centrum chewables and milk of mag and colace. i also got liquid tylenol, and gas x strips. Beside the prescription meds are there any other meds i need????

I got quite constipated from the meds they gave me in the hospital and ended up having to have suppositries to help me go (not very pleasant). So now I take a dessert spoon of benefibre everyday, (I don't know if you guys have that in the US) it's disolvable and has no taste at all, and it is now keeping me regular. Metamucil does the same thing - but I think it has a fair amount of sugar in it, but if it works give it a go!!

Take care and good luck with your surgery - Rastis

I received this book from my dietician, and I have found it quite interesting as a guide of what to eat. It is not a very thick book, but all the same I refer to it every day.

The book cost me $15 and it is called "The Food and Nutricion guide for gastric banding - by Trudy Williams" any enquiries about the book write or phone: Publisher at Wesley Nutrition Centre, PO Box, TOOWONG, Australia 4066.

Phone: +61 7 3870 8616, fax: +61 7 3870 8678 or online orders can be done on website Trudy Williams & FoodTallk: diet, gastric band, lap band, food portion serves

I hope this helps!! My dietician also gave me another couple of sheets that I found really helpful, I will try and type them up at some stage for everyone.

Cheers - Rastis

I will check into the book. sounds great. We do have benefibre here. I'll get some of it too. I am a nurse and i know how bad constipation can be after surgery. I certainly want to be proactive in that department. Thanks for all the advise.

This is a meal plan that I received from my dietician a few days after banding - I hope it helps someone!!

Love Ratis

AN EXAMPLE OF A DAILY MEAL PLAN

for the first 4-6 weeks of banding

Pre-Breakfast - 100mls of Fruit (unsweetened) or vegetable juice

Breakfast - 2-3 tbls pureed scrambled eggs OR

1-2 tbls pureed porridge + skim milk OR

1/2 weetbix + 2 tbls skim milk (milk to soften)

Mid morning 100mls skim milk OR

An egg flip using skim milk

Lunch 100 mls vegetable + 30 gm chicken/egg soup pureed OR

2-3 tbls pureed meat

eg - 1 tbls pureed meat + 1-2 tbls pureed vegetables

Mid afternoon 100 mls skim milk OR

100 mls fruit juice if not consumed earlier

Dinner As lunch OR

2 tbls skimmed natural yogurt + 1 tbls pureed fruit

One hour after dinner 100mls skim milk

Note: Supplemented low fat milks or low fat soy milk may be used instead of skim milk

Other fluids are to be consumed through the day and not at meal times to ensure adequate hydration (liquids intake). Eg - 50-100 mls water, tea, coffee, low joule (diet) drinks

Remember water is important especially in hot weather and for exercise.

This is the post op diet that my surgeon suggests

Post - Operative Lap-Band Diet

Week 1

Week one is the "clear liquid" stage. Below you will find the liquids that are appropriate for this week.

• Jello

  
  

• Popcicles

  
  

• Crystal Light

  
  

• Koolaid

  
  

• Water

  
  

• Tea

  
  

• Coffee

  
  

• Chicken Broth

  
  

• Beef Broth

  
  

• Lipton Diet Green Tea

  
  

• Campbell's Soup At Hand

  
  

• Fruit Juices

  
  

** Purchase chewable gas tablets, such as, Gas-X or Phazyme. This is used to ease the post-operative gas.

Week 2

This is known as the "mushy"stage.

• Oatmeal

  
  

• Cream of Wheat

  
  

• Grits

  
  

• Pudding

  
  

• Ice Cream

  
  

• Yogurt

  
  

• Scrambled Eggs

  
  

• Pimento Cheese

  
  

• Cottage Cheese

  
  

• Tuna with Mayo

  
  

• Mashed Potatoes (smooth, no chunks)

  
  

• Baked Potatoe

  
  

• Sweet Potatoe

  
  

• Applesauce

  
  

• Creamed Soups

  
  

Week 3

• Any canned fruit in water

  
  

• Any canned veggies (must be soft, not crunchy)

  
  

• Any home grown veggies (must be soft, not crunchy)

  
  

• Bananas

  
  

• Canned Chicked with Mayo

  
  

• Crackers and Toast (*be careful--other types of bread can get stuck in the stoma)

  
  

• Bacon and Sausage

  
  

• Grilled Cheese Sandwich

  
  

• Any type of Cereal

  
  

• Any fish or shellfish

  
  

• Pasta

  
  

• Rice

  
  

Week 4

• Salad (no raw carrot or celery)

  
  

• Hamburger Patty

  
  

• Hard Cheese (cut up small and chew well)

  
  

• Chicken Breast

  
  

• Pork Chops

  
  

• Lean cuts of beef (tenderloin medium cooked, cut up small, chew well!)

  
  

• Apples (no skin)

  
  

• Grapes

  
  

• Melons

  
  

Looks so much better to me than this liquid diet

Hi everyone - I've been away for the weekend and now back at work, so haven't checked in for a while.

Did anyone else find that, once you made the Big Decision, that all of a sudden you felt hungrier and went off your "sensible eating" plans completely? I've found that I am using the banding like an excuse - "well it will all come off after I'm banded, so who cares if I pig out now", "better have some of that yummy stuff, coz who knows when you'll ever be able to eat it again". *sighs*

I know these are all stupid head games I play with myself, but it's awfully hard not to give in to them and November 27th seems such a long way away, and is only the first step in the journey...

Hi everyone - I've been away for the weekend and now back at work, so haven't checked in for a while.

Did anyone else find that, once you made the Big Decision, that all of a sudden you felt hungrier and went off your "sensible eating" plans completely? I've found that I am using the banding like an excuse - "well it will all come off after I'm banded, so who cares if I pig out now", "better have some of that yummy stuff, coz who knows when you'll ever be able to eat it again". *sighs*

I know these are all stupid head games I play with myself, but it's awfully hard not to give in to them and November 27th seems such a long way away, and is only the first step in the journey...

Yep, can totally relate to what your saying my friend and i looked at each other after the lap band info night and I said so what we gonna do???

Diet for the next 11 months or go out and feast?

I am still confused about which road we will go down - i would say we will not be satisfied with feasting for the entire 11 months - we spoke today on the phone have made the decision at least to start exercising.

I mean logically anything we do prior to banding is going to help the goal - so really to feast like people destined to die is only prolonging our long term weight goal ----- as u said just head games....

I think it is a process after the decision ... u know a developmental kinda step....I am sure we will not be happy stuffing our faces for long.

You however dont have too long to wait best of luck - hope all goes well

kind regards M:whoo:

Hey Fanny, I had many last suppers leading up to my banding date, and I don't know if this is bad or not, but I didn't feel guilty about doing it either. But in saying this, I was getting to the gym every second day to try and counteract what I was putting in my mouth.

Hope you had a good weekend, I was starting to wonder where you were!!

Cheers - Rastis

Hey guys - I have been a bit scarce lately, I'm sorry, just really busy, and every spare moment is spent looking for a permanent job for hubby. Only 1 week until my op now - not worried at all, just looking forward to the journey starting in earnest. I have lost 4.5kgs on my scales - but too chicken to compare them to anyone else's yet..... I know I can put on 1kg at the drop of a hat....so just focusing on keeping to the pre-op diet to take the effort off my liver, so that it is nice and pretty for the op............. how's everyone else going?? hugs K

HI All,

Weekends are alway tougher! I know what you mean Fanny. My Dr. said no last suppers but I am feeling like I must eat all the foods I won't be able to eat after Oct. 30th. I know I use food for emotional reasons. I also know it will be easier for us if we follow the rules now.

I am going to start again tomorrow. I will do better, I wil do better I will do better...:help: