Hi everyone!

My name is Cami, I am a 38 (almost 39) year old woman, wife, mom in a suburb of Dallas.

First I want to say thank you to everyone who has posted their stories or information on this site. I have been lurking for a couple of weeks as I have researched where to have my lap band surgery. I found the right fit from a suggestion on here. Your insights and experiences are so very valuable. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

I am a self pay patient so everything is moving VERY quickly.

I called Monday to follow up on the pricing and the next steps and as of yesterday I have met with the nutritionist and had my pre-op appointment. I will be having Lap band surgery on July 31st.

Thursday I had to start the pre-op diet (liquid only):thumbup:. Yes, I am HUNGRY but I keep telling myself this time I will SEE results.

I am so excited, nervous about the pain. I had laproscopic (sp?) gall bladder surgery in 2003 and I thought it was a bit more painful than I had expected. Geeeze... with my C- Section I was painting 3 days later but not so much with the gall bladder surgery. I am wondering how quickly people felt better and would you describe your tummy as feeling like you have done 1000 situps, and someone kicked you? One big bruise and very sore moving from laying down to getting up? These are my memories from the previous laproscopic experience. Don't get me wrong.... I am PSCYCHED for the surgery just slighty apprehensive about pain with 2 new puppies and a 5 year old. :biggrin2:

I look forward to sharing my own experience and success along the way!

Congratulations on getting the lapband! I'm 3-1/2 weeks post-op and am feeling good!

Right after the surgery getting in and out of chairs was hard - and I slept in my recliner - thank GOD for that recliner. Trying to get in and out of bed was way too painful for me. I think I slept in the recliner for about 1 week, then was able to migrate to the bed and either slept on my side or on my back with pillows under my head and under my knees.

Everyone seems to be different in how they feel after the surgery. I had gall bladder surgery a year ago and that was a breeze. For the lapband surgery in only incision that gave any discomfort was the port incision. Yesterday I wore some pants to work with an elastic band. The pants weren't tight, but they "fit" and they must have ridden up and rubbed on my port incision a little because all day I was knowing the incision was there.

But the healing looks great. In a few more weeks I think you will hardly be able to see the incisions.

I went ahead and took about 2 weeks off of work because I wanted to be in the mushy eating stage before going back to work. I'm glad that I took 2 weeks off, but have gone back easily after a full 7 days after surgery.

Best of luck! It's like having a baby ..... uncomfortable afterwards, but goes away quickly.

Brenda!

Thanks so much for your response....hmmmm... sounds like I remember. Who knows maybe this one wont be so bad.

Do you have to do to a liquid diet before hand? What are you drinking now? The office I went through has me on Optifast for preop but I don't like the taste too much and am looking forward to post op where I can have my own protein drink of choice.

Congrats on your banding! You are doing great it looks like!

Edited July 19, 200818 yr by simplycami

I was on a liquid diet about a week and a half before surgery which was an Adkins protien shake in the morning, an Adkins protien shake at lunch with 1 cup of cooked green vegetable or 2 cups of raw green veggie, then the same for dinner. If I ate a salad, then 1 TBS of fat free dressing was allowed. For the green veggie, I got the little 8 oz. cans of green peas at Walmart. For me, it made it satisfying since the peas were a little sweet. I could also have sugar free Jello or a sugar free popsicle in the evening.

For one week after surgery it was Clear liquids. Beef and chicken broth (Rachel Ray's broth, from Walmart was really good - MUCH more flavor than Swansons or other brands.) Could also have Jello and S/F popsicles. I swear, I was beginning to wonder if strawberry jello would taste good with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder!! I read on-line as well that some people got the Campbells Won Top and drank the broth out of that. I also went to GNC and got their Isopure protien powder, which is a very fine protien powder. The people in the store said the chocolate tastes the best, so that's what I got. It packs a big protien punch. It's expensive, because it's a BIG bottle, but you'll be using it in the weeks to come to help get in your protien requirement anyway. I went to Marshall's and also got some S/F syrups, like you put in coffee .... Raspberry and Amaretto ... and adding a little of that to the chocolate protien shake helped change it up a little.

Another good source of liquid Protein .... since you're a Texas gal ... is when you get to the mushy stage, the HEB Mootopia Chocolate milk is awesome and budget friendly! There's 15g of protien in each 1 cup serving with 150 calories. I used it as an afternoon snack at work so that I wouldn't be overly hungry by the time I got home from work, which isn't until between 6:30 and 7:00 in the evening.

I'm a self pay and even though I was really excited to get this done, I really started doubting myself a few days before surgery if I was doing the right thing. From what I read in here, that seem pretty normal.

I can say right now though, I have no regrets what so ever. After going through all of that liquid stage I have a new appreciation for savory, flavorful food and it's SO NICE to satisfied with just a little bit.

My first fill is 8/5. I'm excited and nervous about it all at the same time. Not because I'm afraid of the needle, but just want to be extra careful after the fill how I eat so that I don't have that sliming and PBing stuff that I read about in here.

What else do you get to have with your Optifast?

Thanks so much for all the info! Besides Optifast.... I can have s/f popsicles, water, low cal cran juice and broth but no food. I did have my own protein powder yesterday because I was so beaten down with the smell of the Optifast (vitiman smell). I was blissfully happy which is good because my hubby was starting to worry. I love Designer Whey protein. I decided I am going to use it one time a day to make sure I get enough since I am not even finishing the Optifast. The designer Whey protein is an approved after band drink so I think it will be fine. Ahhhh... Self pay too, huh? Yes a big investment but it got to the point that I thought... it is now of never! I am turning 40 next year and I want to ROCK in my 40s!

Yeah .... instead of a new car or new cabinets and granite in my kitchen, I decided to get a "new me". Sure wish this procedure was around when I was going into my 40's!

By the way - you have lots to look forward to - your "40's" are fun!!

Oh good! I am looking forward to my 40s especially with a body I am comfortable in!