hi everyone,

I am still in the researching stage of banding, but really looking forward to having surgery before the end of this year.

I am avidly reading as much of the posts as I can, and am getting worried about all the talk about exercise!

I am currently about 310 lbs (5'8") and am so exhausted all the time. By the time I have cleaned up around the house, taken care of the kids, cooking etc, I am ready for bed again!

My question is, how do you all find the energy, just after surgery, surviving only on liquids, and then mushy food, to go for mile long walks, and swimming and all the other things I am reading about?

I am scared that I'll be shattered after the op and practically WEAK from just living on liquids that i won't be able to exercise and will miss out on essential weight loss.

I can see being able to lose weight when I have gotten rid of maybe 25% of my excess fat but what will I do until then to speed up the weight loss?

Sorry this is so long but I can't seem to find any information on this miraculous energy surge?! Maybe its just pure enthusiasm and "Band High"????!!!! I'd be so grateful for any of your comments

thanks

Hey, Bright, it's not everyone who talks about exercise! I'm like you: two kids and a full-time job are PLENTY to keep me busy and ready for bed by 9:00 p.m. That's not to say if I didn't have an hour free in the middle of the day I wouldn't want to go for a 3-mile walk, but it's just not in the cards at this point.

That said, I definitely have *more* energy already less than a week after banding. It's probably not more energy than I've had at high-rev times in the past, but it's way more than I had last week.

I've always been an all-or-nothing person. So when I'm losing weight and feeling better beacuse old clothes are fitting, my mind takes over and wants to do more.

You don't have to start big. Right now, I take the dogs (my 2 children) for a walk every night that's only 20 minutes. When I have extra time, I might go to the gym and do more. In my opinion, anything is better than sitting on the couch. Start slow and you'll probably want to do more. And when we want to do something, we seem to always find the time!

thanks Alexandra & Lisa...

I guess eating junk food and chocolate all the time isn't going to help my energy levels - I'm so tired all the time!!

The surgeon who i hope will do the operation emailed me today to let me know there is no waiting list, and i can have the surgery two weeks after the initial consultation.

I just have to sort out the money which should take a week or so and then I guess I will have a surgery date for about a month's time!

does anyone have any advice about what i should try to do diet wise for the the next month? I read something about Protein shakes decreasing the size of your liver?? Is "Slim Fast" a Protein shake by the way???!!!

sorry for all these questions - seems like i am the only person in Ireland waiting for this surgery! Actually I think I am!

thanks folks

No question that chocolate and junk food can sap your energy. Last year I went high-Protein for a while and was shocked at how my energy level increased. For me, there is no such thing as a "sugar high"--just a long, ugly sugar low. I don't avoid sugar entirely, but if I would ever eat a whole candy bar I know that 20 minutes later my eyes will be closing.

Presurgery diets seem to be all over the board. My personal opinion is that some doctors might stress them in the hopes of getting even partial compliance and staving off "last supper" syndrome. Which is a good thing, I'm sure! If your doctor doesn't give you any firm pre-op instructions, you should at least make sure you don't *gain* weight before surgery.

SlimFast is a commercial version of a protein shake, but there are better ones on the market. For my money, a powdered version added to ice, milk, and vanilla yogurt in a blender is a much better bet.

Congratulations on your quick progress!! Are you paying cash for the surgery? What does it cost in Ireland? (Or do you have some form of social insurance? Please forgive my ignorance. )

hi Alexandra,

I have read many of the posts on this forum, (I'm not used to message board thingys or what ever these are properly called!) but "Slim Fast" is the only brand name I recognised as we don't have many diet products in ireland except for Weight Watchers stuff.

Yeah, I have to pay for the surgery - about £7,000 sterling, which will be about 11,000 euro (dollars and euro are about the same value these days!) Not everyone in ireland has health insurance - it is way cheaper than in the USA - we pay about $1000 a year for standard health insurance. But then, the insurance only pays for most "normal" illness - for example maternity care cost me about $1000 extra - you can choose to go"public" as we call it, but it will have long waiting times. Someone I know had to wait almost a year for their child to have his tonsils out!

As for elective or cosmetic surgery - you have to pay! The Lap Band surgery isn't even done in Ireland - I will have to go to London which is kinda scary - hope the plane ride home doesn't hurt - it's only an hour and a half away anyway

hope this answers any questions!

by the way i have protein powder and it tastes foul! I guess i must try another type......

Hey Bright ..

My doctor put me on a liquid diet for 2 wks before surgery, and I drank only Clear Liquids for the last 48 hrs. I lost 12 lb on it. Only after surgery did I learn that this was to encourage the liver to shrink so it would be "out of the way" of the laprascopic instruments. After surgery, I was told that if a patient doesn't comply or lose at least a nominal amount of weight pre surgery, they might have to convert from Laprascopic surgery to Open. Yuck!

I stuck to my pre-surg diet, but if I'd known why they ordered it, it would have been a huge motivator for me.

And as for the exercise thing .. like Alexandra, I do about 20 minutes of walking at least several times a week. It beats channel-surfing! Start slow.

Best of luck to you!

thanks Jeanie,

I really want to get started now because my doc says he can schedule my op two weeks after the initial consultation. I figure I'll need more than just those two weeks to "get ready" diet-wise, and should really have a month or so of preparation. Thanks so much for your advice.

Hope you're doing well and feeling good!

Dear Bright,

I am 5 weeks post-band and have more energy than I EVER imagined! I attribute it to switching out a large amount of my carbs (almost all I ate pre-surgery!) to large amounts of Protein. I add Sanalac ("premium" powdered fat-free milk) to the pre-made Slim-Fast to add protein to it. Slim-Fast DOES have a fair amount of carbs compared to many other "protein drinks", so I feel a bit better adding the powdered milk. For the Slim-Fast in the powdered form, I make it as directed, but also add the powdered milk to it. Does NOT taste bad at all---you just need to shake or blend it well. For Snacks I eat a lot of yogurt, lean deli ham and turkey, Protein Bars and low-fat string cheese.

I did not have any diet restrictions pre-surgery except for the night before (nothing after midnight) and had no problems with my liver being too big or in the way. I've read both sides to this on these boards and it really sounds like it's a personal preference for individual doctors.

Good luck to you and I'm sure you'll have more energy once you start adding that protein and dropping the carbs!!

Dear Bright,

I agree with Lisa. I like yourself have two children, own a company and have a huge house to manage. I never really like walking here in the hot sun of TX, so I swim with my kids, go to the gym 3x a week when my older one is in school and thats my regime. You would be surprised how you find the time when you are motivated. I started with a BMI of 54 and now I am at 47.8. I never exercised in my life and always found an excuse like I am tired, no time, bla bla bla. IF you really want to exercise, whether it be walking or something else you will MAKE the time. I notice the inches coming off, not just the lbs and it can make a big difference when you hit the plateaus that seem endless. Now I am assuming you live near Dublin where there are facilities, but if there isn't invest in a bike and ride around 3 x a week and stick the kids on the front and back!!!!

Babs in TX

-37 and counting

6/23/03

Dear Bright,

I forgot to say something and did not want you to think I was a total insensitive clod! THe first 4 weeks or longer after your surgery, you are not supposed to do any strenuous exercise anyway. Walking is a great thing to do, even a couple of hours after surgery. But other than walking, there really isn't opportunity to do much else until your doc is convinced that your body has healed sufficiently to start a real exercise regime. In the first two weeks, you will not have much energy because you are on a liquid diet and also because you are healing.

By the way, I lived and worked in Europe from 89-99 and lived outside of Amsterdam, NL. My business partner was from County Cork. I have never been to Ireland, only Northern Ireland. Went to Belfast a few times for business. Traveled a lot for my work, mostly UK, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy Portugal, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Africa and Middle East. My hubbie is Dutch 100% and I am a Puerto Rican- Italian American. Decided to come back to US 3 years after my son was born. I started to miss my home after a decade!! I speak Dutch, spanish and English and I love to travel. We may have the opportunity to meet one day!!!!

Babs in TX

6/23/03

-37 and counting

Hi Bright,

In my opinion, try to stay away from Slim Fast.....it is loaded with sugar and will NOT increase your energy. In fact, you'll probably get the sugar low that goes with it. I'd choose milk and an egg or two, which are a good source of Protein without any sugar. Or tuna, or cheese (you get the picture!) Carbs are what make us lethargic. If you can eat good protein without them, you will get a natural energy boost.

Babs ~ Wow u lucky thing - you really have travelled - I love Amsterdam - have stayed there a few times. And we mostly holiday in France. Kids here are taught french from the age of 13 as a second language and can choose german and spanish too. I can speak french and german too, not to mention Irish which is our official language! They're all a bit rusty now except for ordering croissants in Paris and "du vin" in Bordeaux which got me into this mess in the first place!!

Of course you haven't really been anywhere until you've been to Ireland! You are hereby officially invited to stay with us anytime

Thanks for all your advice about the exercise tho, was really worrying me - i won't feel so bad hibernating for a while after the surgery so.

Lisa ~ thought Slim Fast was to good and handy to be true! I didn't realise until I started looking at my prospective high Protein, low carb diet, just how much carbs I eat! Ok basically that's all I eat! I'm not very fond of meat and chicken unless they're in a bun covered with cheese and mayo or stir fried with noodles.....

thanks for the tips tho....

Dear Bright,

Thanks for the invitation. You might find me knocking at your door one day. My first goal is to get on an airplane without asking for an extender. That goal should be reached by Christmas!!!

Babs in TX

-37 and counting

6/23/03

Hey it'd be great to meet you!

Oh don't even mention the seat belt extenders! I'm going to have to fly to London to have my op and I'm dreading the flight. There are no surgeons here in Ireland that can do the lap band AND i'm going to have to fly back and forth to get fills etc.

Incidently, one of the surgeons I emailed about doing the surgery mailed me back last night and refused to take a patient from Ireland as he has had "problems with adequate follow up care" - this kind of spooked me - even tho two surgeons are willing to do it - one even said he fills patients from Ireland tighter to save on travel expenses - I dunno - sometimes this whole idea seems nuts - what if I have some kind of emergency and nobody in this little island can help me?

anyhoooo take care Babs

Bright,

I understand the nervousness you have. But Dublin must have someone who can do your fills with flouroscopy? Don't let them fill you immediately post band. Wait two months and then have a fill. In the beginning, you won't need one. You may never need one. But be sure when you do, that you research how fills are supposed to be and what is to be expected.

Today, I had to go to the hospital to have a 2nd fill. The first one did not work at 1.25 CC. I felt less restricted than before I went. I called my doctor to order the second and it was then that they told me that it is possible that the first radiologist did not remove the air bubbles which would mean that my restriction would be limited. SO they decided that rather than go to the same hospital and radiologist, they would send an order to a clinic here in the area that specializes in band fills. I knew that my insurance would not cover this,, so I said, who at the hospital where my procedure occurred, knows how to do a proper fill?. They gave me one doctors name and I was scheduled with him. When I got to the hospital, it turns out he was on vacation for a week and no one told me! I did not want the previous guy touching me, so I asked for a different person. I then explained to the radiologist how I wanted it to be done (whole other discussion...) minus the air bubbles, with the needle still in me when I did the barium swallow so in the event it was not enough he would be able to add more saline. I am happy to say that I think it worked this time. I oculd feel the liquid as he put it in and felt restriction which I did not feel the first time. I am quietly sipping on my Atkins Protein shake now and will try to see if I can eat tonight.!!!!!

LESSON:::

BE EDUCATED! Since all my fills will have to be done at the hospital under flouroscopy and it is hard to determine what level of experience each person has, know what a good fill is and know what it feels like. Dont be scared, just do your homework!!!

Babs in TX

6/23/03

-37 and counting