I am SO excited about my upcoming surgery! I have been on somewhat of an emotional roller coaster since "the date" has been set. Just wanted to join this forum to meet others going through the same experiences and for support as well. I am an insulin Type I diabetic and am hoping the lap band with help with my diabetes too.

Any suggestions/warnings/words of encouragement before my surgery?? Hopefully not too many warnings though!

1. Definetly have someone drive you home - and take a pillow to hold on your stomach to prevent the jiggles and pain that comes from jiggles. I did ask for a cup of crushed ice togo since I was so THIRSTY!2. I didn't get to the true RESTRICTION till almost month 5. So no need to have had the mentality - Last time I can eat this or that. Not True - so don't get into the LAST MEAL syndrom.

3. Be Brave.

Best wishes.

Thank you for the tips! I am trying really hard not to put myself under too much stress and push myself too hard. I keep thinking "if this works" then I have to kick back to reality and realize it WILL work, not an option.

Another question, have you found that most surgeries were out-patient? I am seeing a lot of overnighters on these forums. My doctor said it should be out-patient.

Oh, and I live in AL but graduated from Tabb HS! Noticed your doc in Hampton Roads.

I was in and out the same day.

Some insurance requires overnight stay, or if there is any questions that they want to continue observations.

How cool is that.

I will be in Atlanta next week and maybe visit Moody AL.

How far are you from Moody or Atlanta?

Moody is right down the road! Maybe 5 minutes. Do you know someone there? Or traveling on business?

I am so glad to hear about in and out in one day! I hate hospitals and really do not want to be there any longer than I have to be. Also, hitting restrictions? Is that when you begin to feel the lap banding working? or feel the restrictions from eating? Sorry for so many questions, they come to me in spurts and it is great to have a place to ask them as they come to my mind, and actually have someone who can answer them!

Restriction - when you eat you feel the restriction of the band not allowing you to gulp food - must be thoroughly chewed - small bits work best and eat slowly and purposely, or you will feel tightness, (if you continue-stages-->)mouth will fill with slime - and can become severe and painful - maybe even resulting in coming back up and out.

You will have restriction immediately after surgery due to swelling of the stomach from being irritated-then for most goes away. 6 week usually doc does a fill and you should have some restriction - but could take a few more fills to get to the the sweet spot -- I read somewhere majority get there in 3 or less, a generally all within 6 fills. It took me almost 6 months to get to consistant sweet spot.

As you lose fat - especially in the beginning it will reduce restriction and you need a fill (or typically)

Some have never needed a fill after surgery - or only 1 and are fine for a year or more.

This is very different for each and everyone of us.

Best wishes -- keep the questions coming.

FYI: Here are the basic Bandster rules:

Ten Rules for Success - Guideliness and Nutrition

1Eat only three small meals a day.Once properly adjusted - you require only small amounts of food to reach fulliness.By eating three meals a day, you will fill your pouch, feel full, then allow enough time to empty it to feel hungry again.You only need to fill the pouch three times a day with appropiate food to give the body adequate nutrition.

2Eat solid foods, slowly, and chew thoroughly. (approximately 15 to 20 times a bite).The brain takes 20 minutes to detect that the stomach is full.Chewing thoroughly will permit you to eat adequate amounts of food, without food clogging the stoma.A properly adjusted band will permit you to eat only a third of the volume of food you were used to eating.

3Stop Eating as soon as you feel full.Because yo uare eating slowly, you can detect when your pouch tells you that it is full.Stop. Push the plate away. Just because you CAN shove more food in, doesn't mean you should.Remember your band can be at risk if you push it to it's limit.

4Do not wash down your solids with liquids.Liquids creates a slurry of food and allows it to slip down the stoma faster, which defeats the goal of getting the pouch full in order for the hunger signals to turn off.Don't drink within 20 minutes before a meal, and an hour after. (Some recommend 2 hrs after a meal.)

5Do not eat between meals.If you eat three regular small meals of solid foods and are properly adjusted, you should not be feeing hungry.You may have psychological hunger, also called head hunger and emotional hunger, but it is not real hunger.Learn ways to examine possible causes and ways to defeat it.

6Eat only good quality foods.Cereals: Prefer gains like beans, lentils or whole wheat bread or oats.Vegetables: Prefer broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, leafy greens (spinach, collard greens), mushrooms, onions, peppers, oumpkin, tomatoes, and winter squash.Fruits: one piece for breakfast, one at lunch, and one for dinner. Try apples, apriocots, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, plums, pears, watermelon, and mango. Avoid canned fruit, dried fruit, and coconut.Meat, poultry, and fish: Serving size=deck of cars; most people need two or three servings a day. Prefer light meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, legumes, egg whites. Avoid hotdogs, bacon, peanut butter, sausage, duck, fried poultry.Milk, cheese and yogurt: Two servings a day, three if you are a teenager or pregnant or a lactating woman. Prefer nonfat and 1% milk, low fat cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt. Avoid whole milk and whole cheese whole yogurt, milk shakes and ice cream.Fat: you do need fat. Three servings a day is good. Prefer avocado, veg. oil, almonds, and nuts. Avoid maynnase, lard, butter and margarine.

7Avoid fibrous foods.Certain vegetables (asparagus) and fruits (pineapple) and some meats contain many fibers that may clog the LAP-BAND, even if they are thoroughly chewed. Eating these can only cause regurgitation and vomiting. This in turn can upset the normal function of your band.

8Drink enough fluids during the day.Drink at least six to eight glasses of fluids per day.Many banded people drinl a great deal more.As the body burns off fat, it creates waste product that the fluids are critical to providing a channel for excretion through the urine.

9Drink only low-calorie liquids.Drink only low-calorie liquids. Water, tea and coffee without milk and sugar and other non-caloric beverages, are acceptable.Crystal Light can be a satisfying alternative.Consuming carbonated beverages are for the most past not encouraged.

10Exercise at least thirty minutes a day.Phyiscal exercise consumes energy and sustained exercise increases your metabolism.You can start off slowly with walking and using a pedometer walk 10,000 steps a day and then add more strenouse exercises, such as joining a dance class, yoga, or wahtever is of interest to you that will offer you vigorous exercise.

Best wishes!