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

MsHansy: Would it help to chew on ice cubes or those SF ice pops. I have thought about freezing some of the Isopure dirinks and then blending to make a slushy type thingy, but I'm not sure what that would do to the Proteins in the drink. Just think, only a week and a half to go!

Ajoneen, sounds like you are doing great with your eating method. I'm definatly dealng with some head stuff and will be focusing on the things you mention to try to keep control when I get to solids.

Harley: Way to go! You are doing really well.

Busy: Could the shoulder pain/headaches be tension at this point? My shoulder pain definatly changed yesterday. I tried a heating pad on my shoulder and some massage to my neck and shoulder. It did feel better for a while. Whenever I take something for pain it's always for that dang shoulder pain. The belly is totally tolerable in my opinion. Hope you find some relief soon.

My 22 month old DD has been puking all yesterday evening and all night tonight. I am so afraid of getting a stomach virus. I am being really diligent about washing hands, but I have been so close to her the past feew days, I know I've been exposed. I really hope I don't get this virus.....TMI..although if it helped me to poop which I have not done since Sunday I might feel differently about it.

Christine

Edited March 29, 200818 yr by nycm00

Busy - yeah, just drinking liquid is a big bore. but It helps to try SF popsicles, at least some crunch there. I have anothe 2-3 weeks of Liquid Protein, but am surviving.

Yesterday all I wanted to do was sleep... took a 3 hour nap mid day. i haven't done that since the fist few days home after surgery. guess my body needed it though.

Today I am getting outside and enjoying more fresh air. gonna hit a flea market. I will enjopy just walking and looking. Saving my money for the new wardrobe I will eventually be needing!!!!

Congrat to all of us "Shrinking Shamrocks" we all are on our path to a healthier life :teeth_smile::rolleyes2:

Lynn, yesterday at my appointment the doc said give myself 4-6 weeks to really feel "good"...as in still having the tiredness. I think we're all doing pretty darn good!

She also was kind enough to remind me that I'm not 25 anymore....

just spent a casual 90 minutes going through the farmer's market and local flea market. I probably will pay later for the time i spent just window shopping, but it felt great to be out and doing something.

Thanks Harley. I am sure at my appt next week my dr will tell me to be patient and i will not be so tired in the future.

I just bought some isopure, grape frost. tastes pretty good, but the idea of freezing some it and putting in the blender for a slushie sounds great. GNC had some economical puches of whey protein, $14.99, orange creme flavor. 15g fat, 20 g protein, 5g carbs, 120 cal. each pouch has enough for 15 servings. one serving is 5oz liquid to one scoop.

they had tons of other flavors too, chocolate caramel, cookies & creme, banana creme

Busy I too am having really bad shoulder and neck pain. I used the blender to make my shake yesterday and it had bubbles in it. I can't burp yet. I try and it goes somewhere other than out, so I ended up so bloated and miserable I couldn't sit or lay down. I had to stand. I finally took some Phayzyme caplets and within 20 minutes I had relief. I have to be very careful not to take in air when I eat or drink. Feeling better today but still have the pain only not intolerable. Hope everyone is doing better today....Kathy

I was banded yesterday morning... easy in and out didn't even have time to be nervous. In a lot of pain today, hard to cough this junk out of my lungs. The Dr took a biopsy on my liver not sure why, but i guess he will call in a few days with results. The port incision definitely hurt most of all of them. Oh and this morning i woke up to a flooded basement. For somereason my toilet was backed up and the water kept coming out

they do sell liq tylenol for adults, got it frm Oscos

I wonder how well the iSopure Clears will freeze - the Protein probably will stop them from really going solid. But you could add ice and Splenda-based fruit syrups, like the DaVinci syrups, and make a slushy out of it. I'll have to experiment for summer. When I was doing Atkins, I got an ice crushing machine for making SnoCones with - v. successful.

Wishin, when it hurts too much to sit or lie, and you get relief from standing, your body wants you to walk.I guess the action of the muscles on your stomach squeezes the gas out of you or something. Either way, it sounds like you're on the mend - it'll only get better.

Jencys - what a pain in the neck! Probably the last thing you want to deal with when you get home...

It took me a couple of weeks to feel like myself. One thing, though: my sleep has got a LOT better. I don't know whether it's because I'm so tired that, when I get to bed, I completely CRASH, or because correcting the hiatal hernia has cut down on reflux-y problems, but some nights I'm even sleeping 8 solid hours. My big mistake is to allow the cats in - the night before last, the big one jumped onto my port site at about 3:30AM, all 20 pounds of him. SURPRISE!!!

How are you feeling? I was just banded the same day, on the 25th.

Good luck!

Greetings Shamrocks!

I'm doing a little better. YIKES! the gas..... UGH, I am definitely not bouncing back like I thought I would. I had surgery on Tuesday and was expecting to go back to work this Wednesday. I am re-thinking that and may extend it to the following Monday.

I did get the Protein and liquid in yesterday. That was a first. It is much easier getting the liquid in now. I like the ice pops. I have heard of folks making their own ice pops with unflavored unjury and crystal light and putting it in those tupperware pop things. It may be that I try that out. Right now, getting the protein in is a little easier than it was.

Hi HopeInApril

I know how you feel about not bouncing back like you thought you would. I still have at least 1 more week of of work and am so glad to have that.

Don't you do some of your work from home?

I find sitting at a desk right now for any prolonged period of time gets to be uncomfortable. Don't think I would make it through a day at work being at a desk all day.

My steri-strips finally fell off. all sites seem to be heled. Port site still really sensitive, other 4 sites only hurt if they are pushed on too hard.

remember walk and water...

Gee, I wish my steri strips would fall off?! They are so nasty looking from all the sticky stuff. Ughh.. Plus, I'm anxious to see what my battle scars look like;)

Yesterday I tried something that I think Harley suggested?? I put ice and a chocolate shake in my blender with some instant coffee, and a little bit of International Delight SF french vanilla coffee.. MMMM.. It was the best.. It tasted like a Dunkin' Donuts coffee coolatta:)

Strangely though, after I sat at my computer with my delightful new treat, my blender turned on.. It scared the crap out of me! I walked over to turn it off, and it turned off on it's own?!... After a few moments of debating fleeing the house, I went back to my computer chair to drink up, and dismissed my blender coming to life.. How odd??

:)Kerri

kerri you can take the strips off at about 2 weeks. The adhesive can be removed with liquid bandage . I found it at CVS. Just goop some on the marks and then wipe it off and wash with soapy water. All gone!

oooh! 2 weeks:) Wednesday will be 2 weeks:) My post op is Tuesday, maybe I'll see if I can get my Doc to take them off.. I'm so afraid I'll mess something up! I also have what I think is a stitch poking through one of the strips. EEK! lol..

when i went in for my dr visit a week post op the nurse just yanked them steri strips off. i would have taken then off nice and easy but nope not her was rip rip rip and they were gone.

I think it took me a good 10 days to start to feel human again. i still get a little shoulder pain every now and then but not too bad i had a full week of that being misrable.