I am banded

[bondgirl 0]

Thanks Lindsey! I appreciate it. I am one week tomorrow. And 13.8 pounds in six days is pretty impressive. I am so excited to get this going and seeing results.

How is everyone doing today?

Angie

[soonergirl 0]

I am doing so good today!!! I have been so full all day - weird huh?????

I had that Protein drink for Breakfast - it took me over an hour and a half to finish - then for lunch I had some Soup - about 1/2 cup or so and then for dinner I had a sugar free pudding cup with protien powder - i couldn't finish it at all.

I just got back from walking the dogs - was out about 30 minutes, that seems like about all I am up to.

How about you girls? How is everyone doing today?

[bondgirl 0]

Good Job, Soonergirl. I am doing ok. My back is really killing me and I am burping like crazy and it hurts. Why is this happening? What could this be? I understand the burping but why does it hurt so bad? Anyone have any suggestions?

Angie

[giveyouthemoon 4]

You guys are doing great!!!! You will be to solids in no time. I am four months today, started solids last week. It is great!

Yay! Someone who has to be on liquids longer than me!! Bondgirl and Soonergirl were starting to make me depressed. They were banded a week later than me but will be on solids before me. SIGH! Your post made me feel better for some reason.

But four months??? WOWOWOWOW. How are you keeping your sanity. I have to be on liquids three weeks and here ending week two I'm starting to lose my ever loving MIND!

[My_o_My 0]

Got on Protein shakes - plus liquid til the beginning of april. I guess my doctor says my weight loss was higher because his scale put me at 239 so a loss of 12+ lbs.

First thing I did was come home and make myself a shake - it tasted sooooo goood

[lins12 0]

I am such a nerd. I am not four months. I am four weeks. Sorry, I made you feel good---it was all a BIG lie but if it makes you feel better.

I was on liquids for three weeks.

YOU CAN STILL DO IT!! I PROMISE!!!!! I still like the liquids. Even though my dr told me not to I still do liquid meals once or twice a day. It feels very take charge. I feel in control with the liquids.

YOU CAN DO IT!!

Lindsay

[giveyouthemoon 4]

I am such a nerd. I am not four months. I am four weeks. Sorry, I made you feel good---it was all a BIG lie but if it makes you feel better.

Still does because that's my exact same time frame. Three weeks liquids then bring on the mushies! I was beginning to think my dr was being WAY conservative on this but it is good to know others say the same.

And yeah, there is something sort of empowering about liquids only. I get grumpy about there not being more Soups that have good broth. Then I remember pre-band I never ate brothy Soups so I guess that's why. I do kind of worry about going on to mushies. I'm not afraid of being able to swallow, I worry that I'll gain weight. Must remember to eat the right kinds of mushies.

[My_o_My 0]

I had my surgery June 30 and my doctor might switch me to mushies on August 1. He said I am liquids - with Protein Shakes until then. I was Saran wrapping my daughter pizza and this little spec of Tomato sauce got on my finger - what a lovely lick. I think I need to go get more v-8 juice today : )

[bondgirl 0]

Wow, you can handle V-8 juice? I havent tried that. How does it feel on your stomach? Let me know. I need a change here!

And are any of you have problems with burping and it hurting really bad? My back is killing me and it hurts really bad when I burp. Let me know please, if this is normal?

Angie

[My_o_My 0]

I've been drinking v-8 since the first day home from the hospital - I ran out yesterday (after finishing a quart). I LOVE IT, it's salty, and thick. The nutritionist yesterday said to try clamato or something like that as well - just because the carbs or calories are lower and that might be helpful. I'll take a look. There are only 50 calories and 10 carbs per cup. I had usually 1-2 a day.

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Yay!! Today is my two week bandiversary!!! Yay me! I lost 13 pounds the first week and nary a pound this week. That's okay tho, the 13 pound free fall was kind of scary. I think my body needed a breather after that. I'm feeling great. The burning by my port is beginning to subside. I've been wearing a girdle around my middle at night and I think it's helping. My incisions are healing SO well. I put my first scar strips on them today in the hopes of them healing to be barely visable.

I also haven't tried V8 or Tomato juice for fear of it being too acidy but I may give it a whirl today.

I'm finding that even tho I'm pretty wide open on the band, my appetite is not that much. I was STARVING last night so warmed up some potato Soup as I knew it would be hearty. Well, I could only manage half a bowl. Then I tried one of those Skinny Cow carb count bars and it was way too rich for me. This is weird, yet YAY!

And the best part....TWO people yesterday asked me if I'd lost weight. CRAZY! They were like "you look SO great considering you just had surgery!!" They don't know what kind of surgery I had and that's JUST fine by me!

Rock on!

[soonergirl 0]

Well, today has been a very challenging one - I was back to my work travel schedule - (I travel a lot with my job)

I had to haul my computer onto a plane - through the airport to the car - appointment - car-ariport AAHHHHHHAAAHHHHH! I didn't think it would be that bad, but between waking up at 5 am, barely being able to get 1/2 a protien shake down that early and all that hauling around of my computer, I am wiped out!!!!

Not to mention trying to find anything to eat - I am in El Paso and the ONLY thing to eat here is mexican food. no Soups, so I had them give me a small bowl of those blended refried Beans and pour some hot Water into it so I could thin them out. I was so scared!!! They tasted awsome and went down fine Thank Goodness!!!

I have been walking in the evenings, but this was a little much for one week post-op. The good news is that I have been walking my butt off and haven't eaten hardly anything - so maybe I will lose another pound today!!

BTW - how many of you are telling people you are banded? I have every intent to remain a "closet bandster". However, I did tell the few people that I intended to tell, a very old and close friend, my nieghbors and my mom. I thought for sure my mom would react very negatively, but she really surprosed me (I think she wants to see how I like it to see if she may have me talk my dad into letting her get it) My friend and neighbors were awsome! I expected them to be ok, but I was still so surporised. One of my friends was so jealous - she asked me if I would go to Mexico with her if she has it done! I don't suspect that any of our other friends would react that way, so I don't intend to tell any of them. How are any of you dealing with this if you are??

Sorry for the long post, but I missed you guys!

[giveyouthemoon 4]

I am in El Paso and the ONLY thing to eat here is mexican food. no Soups, so I had them give me a small bowl of those blended refried Beans and pour some hot Water into it so I could thin them out. I was so scared!!!

Ah El Paso, my ol' stomping grounds. As for Mexican places, have you looked for tortilla Soup? It usually has a pretty good broth. You can ask them for more broth than goodies and leave the tortilla strips off and that should work.

I also had my very FIRST encounter with dining out today. I was able to get some cream of broccoli soup and ate just the thin part. I too was SOOO scared that I would swallow a chunk and have it get stuck and ruin this whole deal!! Thankfully it went okay.

But a problem has come up.....my friends. I'm also not telling ANYBODY about this. I said "female issues, I'd rather not discuss" when asked about the surgery. Well, today these two women I was at lunch with...good friends, eyed my bowl of soup and were like "WELL, you're sure not eating today!! What's THAT about???" I said "What are you...Food Police????"

One woman was practically offended that I didn't eat a big ol' honking meal like she did. I said "oh, these meds I'm on...they sure do take away my appetite" and I think as this progresses I'm going to say "well, I lost some weight around the time of my surgery and I wanted to capitalize on that to I'm trying to eat small." We'll see how it goes.

But I sense this food Police issue will come up more and more as we go.

Thoughts?

BTW - how many of you are telling people you are banded? I have every intent to remain a "closet bandster". How are any of you dealing with this if you are??!

Yeah, I'm TOTALLY in the closet. If pressed about the surgery, like I said, I say "female issues" and that does most of the time. If really pressed like I was today, I say "I'm sorry, I kinda don't want to talk about all the details" and most people will back off after that.

It is TOTALLY your right not to tell people!!!

[soonergirl 0]

Well, I didn't even tell ANYONE that I had surgery. So everyone was wondering what happened to us over the 4th of July weekend.

I told everyone a few weeks before in very casual conversation that I was getting ready to take my health, diet and excercise very seriously. I was planning on giving up beer and really cutting back on the food intake. I got a personal trainer a few months back, so this part really didn't seem to shock anyone.

Although - I must say ME mysteriously giving up BEER????? One of my favorites - If anyone I knew would have seen me with my HUGE blown up belly over the 4th and not drinking - there is no way I could have convinced anyone that I was not pregnant!!

But - I figure that I will just continue with that line of answering to my weight loss. I put so much thought into this months before - so I think I set the scene pretty well. I am commited to smaller portions, healthier choices and cutting back on empty calories (like my delicious beer)

I was going to tell people girl problems for my surgery, but as hard as it was to completely hide that - I chose not to tell anyone about the surgery at all.

I am not sure what I would say now. I will think about it and if I come up with anything good, I'll share!

Congrats to everyone on their great weight loss. I think I might hit a big milestone for me tomorrow - I'll let you know!!

[My_o_My 0]

My husband and I had taken this time off to go camping. So, right for all my co workers know I'm camping (which I'm not).

I tried to deal with it before I left - while in my liquid phase. I told everyone I was going on a diet with my sister (one of those Protein drink diets). If anyone asks why the tremendous success of this diet. I AM eating less, I AM exercising more, I AM eating better.

I don't normally diet - and so that's how I'm dealing with this one - a miserable diet that my sister talked me into. She really is trying to do my band diet with me, but it's really hard.