Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

Having a very hard time with the 2 weeks of liquids before surgery. My DH has been in Hong Kong 3 weeks and between work, my three kids and all these doctors appts I am about to lose my mind. I wish I could take more time to post, but I've got to get everyone up and to school/daycare and then take my train to Manhattan. My DH will be home on Sunday so next week I'll be able to facus a bit more on me...just have to forget the fact that DH and I have been having a rough time the past few months.

Anyway, new day, I will only drink these shakes today. I will stay postive and I will make it through to the 24th when I will finally get some much needed rest.

Congrats to everyone post op. You guys are doing so very, very well!

PS I've lost my ticker!

Christine

Hang in there, Christine! Not too much longer and your surgery will have come and gone, and you'll be eating real food once again.

Oh! AND your DH will have returned!

Eyes on the prize, eh?

You can do it christine!!! We're all here for you.

Go Team Shamrocks!

POD-7

I'm pretty good today, although my sleep isn't great - I wake up a little bit before 7AM, feeling like I overate the night before. Which I didn't, I swear! I walk around a bit and feel a bit better, but now I'm wondering if I'm doomed to have this odd overfull feeling when I wake each day. I know my MD, who has a band himself, says that he doesn't usually eat breakfast; he's had his band for 8 years or so, I think - is this why he doesn't eat Breakfast? The other thing, too, is that I wake feeling gassy, and I'm wondering if that, too, is the New Me.

I've been pretty good about the liquid diet thing for the last three weeks, and felt pretty good about continuing, but this morning I watched the first episode of the new season of TOP CHEF. There was deep dish pizza, and duck a l'orange, and crab cakes, and MAN I wouldn't mind having something to eat. Something real...

Otherwise, everything's still the same, maybe a little better.

Fenton, I just had to chuckle when I read your post about watching TOP CHEF this morning, I know what you mean about watching and wanting something to eat. I don't get my band until a week from tomorrow and thank goodness I only have to do 2 days pre-op of liquids and 3 days post op liquids but they do have me watching my choices of food right now, so I chose myself to make myself eat low calorie foods just so I could lose some weight on my own before surgery and I got really hungry yesterday afternoon, I finally settled on a protein drink and managed to get by til I got home and had my Healthy Choice Dinner. It's not easy, but I'm determined this will work for me even though I'm dreading the liquid diet portion of the diet, but I'll do what I have to do. Just couldn't resist chuckling over your comment above, lol.

food Network is the DEVIL, I swear! I'm blocking it so there is no chance of stumbling by "Death by Chocolate" or some evil doer like that!

Sorry to hear your mornings are a little rough, Fenton.......perhaps this too, shall pass!

I'm on day THREE of my liquid goo phase....feeling good about it. I even went to one of those meal prep places and made a bunch of dinners for my family so they will have something easy and GOOD to prepare while I'm drinking my life away.....ahahahahahahahaha.....in a good way!

I did try and convince the dietician the vodka was a clear liquid as were Jello shots.....she hit me with my file....damn.....

Have a good day everyone!

Fenton, if you don't mind me asking (and this is kinda personal), when you say you woke up kind of gassy, do you mean the feeling or actually having to pass gas. i'm having my procedure on the 19th. This girl I used to work with, she had gastric bypass. Everyone called her t-bomb behind her back because she farted all the time. She said it was because of her surgery. I have been terrified that after the procedure I will be doomed to a lifetime of uncontrollable farting. I know this sounds silly, but as a single gal who would like to date again someday, i'm thinking that uncontrollable farting might be a potential turn off.lol

Well, it's more just a feeling of being gassy, but also I'm a frequent burper and farter now. The thing is, nothing has smelled bad - let's face it, all of us are capable of producing noxious gases, but I feel like since my banding I haven't been farting so much as decompressing, letting of excess air.

I think that bypass surgery, because of the way you get replumbed, can be associated with malabsorption syndromes which are both gassy and foul-smelling. I don't think banders suffer anywhere near as much with that.

But to be honest, I'm still waiting to find out when this will settle down. As I say, my surgeon has had his band for something like 8 years; I'll ask him when I see him on Monday.

I was banded 03/03/08. A week 1/2 out post op and still sore and having a little port pain. I have been on liquids now for 12 days, and it really hasnt been as bad as I thought. Right after surgery I didnt even have an appetite for a few days..then it gradually came back. I am hungry quite often but I just keep telling myself only a few more days. It is hard seeing food commericals on t.v....they look so good!! But...I just keep telling myself I have to do this. Not only to lose weight but its crucial to be on liquids right after so the band can heal. I am glad to say I havent eaten anything solid the whole time on liquids. I am very frustrated because I havent lost much weight..and would think I would seeing how I am on only liquids. I am still swollen too but that is expected. I am going to the doc. tomorrow so I will be moving to the next phase. YEAH!! I get to eat a little bit of real food. Have been waiting for this day all week. Anyways...will keep you posted on my progress. Good Luck to you all!!

I was banded 03/03/08. A week 1/2 out post op and still sore and having a little port pain. I have been on liquids now for 12 days, and it really hasnt been as bad as I thought. Right after surgery I didnt even have an appetite for a few days..then it gradually came back. I am hungry quite often but I just keep telling myself only a few more days. It is hard seeing food commericals on t.v....they look so good!! But...I just keep telling myself I have to do this. Not only to lose weight but its crucial to be on liquids right after so the band can heal. I am glad to say I havent eaten anything solid the whole time on liquids. I am very frustrated because I havent lost much weight..and would think I would seeing how I am on only liquids. I am still swollen too but that is expected. I am going to the doc. tomorrow so I will be moving to the next phase. YEAH!! I get to eat a little bit of real food. Have been waiting for this day all week. Anyways...will keep you posted on my progress. Good Luck to you all!!

Howdy band-date twin! It sounds like you are really doing well! Keep it up! Don't worry about the weight loss right now - the healing is so incredibly important. Our excess baggage will be melting off soon enough afer we've healed and had a fill or three. :grouphug:

Congrats on being able to finally eat some real food! I'm stuck on liquids for 2 more weeks, so I'm glad someone is getting to enjoy themselves!

Keep us posted on you, too!

Have you had any port pain? I have only been sore until this morning. I woke up and right below where my port is I have sharp pains. Do you know how easy it is to rip the port?

Have you had any port pain? I have only been sore until this morning. I woke up and right below where my port is I have sharp pains. Do you know how easy it is to rip the port?

I started to have sharp pangs yesterday off and on. And yeah, it's under the port area. It's a very strange sensation. They don't last long but they do hurt. It's like fleeting sharp pains.

I don't know how easy it is to rip the port but I can't imagine it being *that* easy since they do stitch it to muscle.

I go for my follow-up on Monday, so if I keep having the pains, I'll mention it to him then. So far, I haven't had any of those pains today.

I see you are from Texas. So am i...I actually had my surgery in Dallas. My dr. is Mark Watson. I live in Austin but insurance would only pay for bariatric center of excellence.

Hello march bandsters my name is Tammy and i am going to get banded on the 28th.I am very excited and nervous at the same time.They are getting me in pretty quickly. I had my first appt to talk about the band at the end of Feb. and less than a month i'm having surgery, but i did have to wait two years for tricare to start approving the surgery. I must say though i love the idea of having this support all on one page. Great idea!