Hi!

My name is Greg and I'm an alco...oops. Wrong forum.

Actually today I'm on day four of my 2 week liquid diet. I get the band put in on the 16th of February. I figure I've lost 7-8 lbs already from the liquid diet and I really could use a potato chip right now. But I won't. *sigh*

I'll be looking into the nutrition thread to see about Protein powders and what not. Other then that, I'd have to say I'm doing pretty dang good.

It will be nice to read through some other stories though. To get an even better feel for what I'm getting into.

Thanks all!

Hello!

Hello and welcome! You're doing well hanging in on the liquid diet; it will get worse (bandster hell) but then it will all get a lot better as you get restriction, get full on so much less, and drop the pounds. Good luck to you!

Thanks for the welcome!

Hello from a fellow Minnesotan who doesn't live too far from you (Owatonna)! I was banded on 1/14/09 and have lost about 26 pounds since then (about 7 of which were lost on the pre-op liquid diet). Hang in there, as it'll be well worth it!

I go for my first fill in about 2 weeks -- looking forward to it! I'd say the biggest "surprises" have been with my recovery. I didn't go back to work for a week, although I was under the impression I'd get back quite a bit sooner than that. I was just too sore...

I also didn't do well with the narcotics in the hopsital. I was dry heaving and had to be put on liquid IBuprofen, which was disgusting. I graduated to chewables, which did help the pain for that first week or two. I was mainly just sore, so the pain wasn't unbearable or anything like that. It was my first surgery, so it was all a learning experience!

Other than those couple of things, everything else has been great. I can usually only eat about a half-cup of foods at meal times; next week, I finally start the "regular" diet. I still have hunger sometimes, but it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be, prior to surgery. With each day, I'm more and more grateful that I did this. I started at the gym this week, which has boosted that metabolism. The one thing I haven't fully mastered is getting my Water in (at least 48 oz.), but I'm trying!

Anyway, I thought it might help to tell you a little of my story, especially being banded so close together, all right here in MN (where it was warm today -- 32 degrees)! It'll be great for you, I'm sure of it. I wish you the best, and keep me posted!