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

Whoa, Frances! What FANTASTIC weight loss! Mad respect!

I say, screw bringing a soup! When she starts up, just dive across the table and throttle her! She's bigger than you, sure, but with your weight loss, you have the advantage of SPEED! Hit her low, she'll go down like a ton of bricks! It'll be an Easter Miracle! You'll become a family legend!

And don't get too full! I worry that your sister-in-law might launch her counterattack after dinner, when she senses you're drowsy...

Got home this afternoon with my band (Yea) and when I turned on the computer and read this, I caught a visual of Frances leaping across the table and taking her sister-n-law down while the other family members cheer her on. Needless to say I laughed until I hurt. I have to say I am very blunt and would quickly tell her it's none of her business and she is just jealous. Of course the next family get together might be tense!!

Hello fellow march bandsters!!! I came back home yesterday from the hospital. Felt good about leaving the hospital. Havent had too much pain. No shoulder pain from the gas!!! thank god!!! but I do have gas pain. I walked alot as soon as I was able to at the hospital. Today so far I've done 10 minutes on the treadmill. I've been having trouble getting up and sitting down too. Sleeping in the recliner is wonderful. I've been getting some back pain in the center...like someone punched me in the chest and it went straight through to my back. About an hour ago, i for the first time wanted to eat something, so I had about 3oz. of chicken broth, a vitamin, and a jello cup that I'm still working on. I cant wait for my staples to come out, maybe there will be less pain.

How long did you all start walking around. I was banded 2 days ago and try to walk a little bit, but get dizzy. Also it is so hard to get all these liquids in, I am trying but I not even nearly there. It is 6pm and I think that I have drank 20oz. I just feel like I am going to explode for awhile after I drink.

Hi all... I am feeling a bit better tonight.. I am having such a hard time choking down the protein drinks.. I also have been walking around today, which gave me some relief.. Although for the first time I'm getting some of the gas pain in my shoulder.. GGAAHHHH... I can't win sometimes! lol... I guess it's better than in my ribs..

Has anyone had this feeling above their breastbone.. It's pressure I guess (it feels like a brick rising in there), every time I sit up, and a few minutes after I swallow anything thicker than water, I get it- It almost feels like a burp that's lodged in there and wont come out.. It feels horrible, and it makes me nervous.. If it wasn't for this feeling I would be able to get the fluids in so much easier! Anyone have a similar experience or ideas? The nurse at the bariatric center said not to worry about it?? But I am.. It's painful! lol.. Thanks for all the great advice, and updates, glad to hear everyone's doing so well!:shades_smile:

~Kerri

I haven't been drinking as much Water as I did pre-surgery just because of trying to remember not to 'flush out' what Protein source I took in with Soup or Protein shakes. I'm going to have to make it a much more concerted and planned intake. I do have it downpat in the a.m. to have my coffee with sugar free creamer in it, enjoy that and then have my morning Protein shake.

I think I also have what you are describing as a weird sensation at the breast bone area but its not painful to me and its not keeping me from taking in fluids.

Hi all, I tried to login yesterday and post but for some reason, everytime I tried to pull this website, it wouldn't load. Anyway, since I was banded on Wednesday, I felt pretty good when I got up yesterday morning and took a dose of pain killer, just in case, lol. I did fine all day as far as the pain went, it was tolerable so I didn't take any more pain meds til I went to bed last nite. I'm finding it is much easier getting out of bed now than it was 3 nites ago. I've been struggling trying to get enough liquids in also, the last 2 days, all I've managed to get in is a 24 oz glass of water, a 20 oz protein drink, and a couple of sugar free jello cups and sugar free popsickles. It takes forever for me to sip sip sip my drinks. Guess I better go get one now and get started, lol.

Hi all, well today is the last day of regular food for awhile. I start clear liquids tomorrow thru Tuesday and then have to be at the hospital Wednesday morning at 8:30am. I am thankful it is early in the morning and not later in the afternoon. I am a little nervous about the whole clear liquid stage I am worried I am going to be starving and a complete BITCH to everyone. (sorry)

Does anyone have any advice on what they drank that would kind of fill them up? I am so excited and amazed on how fast the day is approaching. Please any good ideas let me know

I am having a hard time updating my weight on the Ticker. Can someone give me some TA?

Kerri! Don't worry about choking down the Protein drinks. Just keep your general Fluid intake as high as you can, and take your time with the Protein. If they're thick - like the Slimfast Optima shakes - you might find them easier to drink if you thin them with a little Water. I like Isopure because it's as thin as a sports drink, without an intense feeling that you're consuming something. But take your time with the Slimfast Optima-type beverages, nurse a can over a few hours. It's only for the first few days that we have difficulty getting in fluids - it eases within three or four days. And it's important that we get our water, even more important than our protein.

SpecialK - I think you may be getting pre-op and post-op advice confused. There's no worries about "flushing out" your protein drinks - could you perhaps be thinking of the advice to not drink before or after eating once you have band restriction, because the liquid makes the food leave the stomach faster, and reduces the full feeling? That's irrelevant at this stage.

It doesn't matter how much water you drink - your protein is going to be absorbed just fine. Indeed, I htink that in the early post-op period, the water is more important than the protein - you can go without protein for a while, but you can't go without water for very long. Plus you go into surgery a bit dehydrated.

I'd say focus on getting the water in, and let the protein intake increase gradually as your body accomodates to the band.

Personally, I don't even try to have anything with protein until midday - I just don't feel like it. I drink some water - if I were a coffee drinker, I'd drink coffee - in the AM, then get my first protein fix around noon.

Teri - good going! I hope that today is 100% pain-free! I believe that if you let go of the feeling of being Post Surgical, and get on with your life, you'll be amazed at how well you actually feel.

And Harley's right about the drinkin' and walkin'...

mrodr, I found those protein shakes pretty filling, if not 100% delicious. You just have to accept that it's not a particularly fun ride, the liquids thing, but it's temporary, and it's very important for your surgery.

Carol - those bloody tickers are a pain in the neck! I ended up having to delete and start a new one. You can get to the ticker page by double-clicking or clicking on your ticker in one of your posts. Then you have to enter your password and click on Edit Your Ticker or something, and it'll take you to a page where you can add new info. I have to say, it's something I struggle with every time - that damn ticker won't be satisfied until I'm publicly charting my ovulation cycle!

Personally, I don't even try to have anything with Protein until midday - I just don't feel like it. I drink some Water - if I were a coffee drinker, I'd drink coffee - in the AM, then get my first protein fix around noon.

Hi Fenton, I don't claim to be an expert and I know each doc is different, but my doc really wants us to have some protein within the first 30 minutes of waking up because it really revs your metabolism for the day. So, even if it's half a shake or some Protein powder added to coffee, it's gonna help. Just a suggestion...:cheers2:

Fenton.. lol... You always crack me up! Thanks again for some great advice! I am so worried about the damn Protein shakes.. I got one slim fast down yesterday and about 3oz of an Isopure this morning.. I can't get over the after taste and the skanky feeling it leaves in my mouth and on my breath!! Blecchhhh.. I literally feel nauseous thinking about it! So for now I'm just going to work on fluids, and at least one slim fast... Tomorrow maybe I'll be able to suck down a bit more Isopure:(

Thin2bme- I think the site was down yesterday.. I had the same difficulties. What a pain! My page would load after like 5 minutes, then not allow me to click on anything..

:)Kerri

Chica - that may well be the case, but I just SO don't feel like eating in the AM. I'm actually following the example of my doctor. He himself was banded at 310 lbs, and has been stable at 210 for the last 4 years. He doesn't have anything other than coffee in the AM.

That said, there's all sorts of information about the importance of Breakfast, and I know I *should* have something. I just, uh, SO don't feel like it! I guess, since your MD is so all-fired-up about it, I'll try having a swig or two of yogurt smoothy in the mornings, see how I feel about it during the course of the day.

Kerri - which iSopure are you talking about? The clear iSopure pre-made ZeroCarb beverages taste no worse than most sports drinks, but have the huge advantage of containing 40 g of Protein. More importantly, the iSopure are thin, whereas the Slimfast Optima contain 10 g, and are thick as mud. I found it so much easier to drink the iSopure than the Slimfast.

Again, in the short run - in the first three or four days post-op, I don't think it's a huge deal - but your aim should be to get as much protein in as you can, so the more of that iSopure you can get down, the better. And if you're active, it shouldn't be too hard to get down a bottle or two of the iSopure along with your Slimfast. You're up for probably 16 hours a day! Even if you're hitting only a sip or two of iSopure an hour, you'll make great progress with your protein intake!

Anyway, I suspect that the point is moot, since my bet would be that you're going to be feeling a lot better today, and will be moving around and naturally increase your intake without even thinking about it.

Hi Everyone,

I was banded on the 17th. No problems got to go home the same day. Except for the shoulder pain I am dong well.

I was watching TV yesterday and a commerical came on for dog food and I thought "That looks good", and then I thought "OMG" what is wrong with me. I turned the TV off and went for a walk.

Can't get my ticker to work right either. LOL

Fenton you make me laugh and it hurts to laugh that hard!

I managed to get out of going to the in laws for dinner tomorrow. My DH has to work and will not go alone.

Glad to hear everyone is doing well.

Happy Easter to all.

Okay this is gross but I have to ask . I rubbed my port incision last night and a bit of the scab came off and some white pus came out . It's the only incision that is still a little tender .Has this happen to anyone else ?

Hi all,

Glad to see it wasn't just me not able to get in yesterday. I kind of had a bit of a panic attack thinking I wouldn't have this resource.

Fenton, I did plenty of moving yesterday. I went with my husband to look at motorcycles and tried on a couple myself. I recently took a rider saftey course and went and got my license. So pretty soon I'm going to need a sexy bike to go with the new sexy me. LOL

Then we went to our weekend place and checked on it. Recent rains had the river up and we wanted to check on how close it got to the house and make sure it didn't get in the shed (where I had left my current bike). All was well there. We are about to add some windows to this place so we took measurements. Checked all my bird feeders.

We left there and when we got back to town we went to order the windows, then went by the drug store to pick up a few things before going home. So I was up and out and about most of the day.

I have not taken any pain meds. No gas pain, but I do have that brick in my chest when I try to take in the shakes. I haven't taken in the Protein shakes until today. I was told Clear liquids the first two days so that's all I did. juice, clear broth, Water, ice helped to satisfy the chewing crunching thing.

I will probably go out to my shop and do some quilting today. But that is with a long arm machine so I'm on my feet and moving the entire time.

I agree that moving is key.

T