December Bandsters 2009

[Yvette1026 0]

Just got home from my pre-op everything went well, quick and easy. Well minus the 1hr plus waiting time, other than that it was all good.

WOO HOO I'm excited! 7am 12/18 I'm official baby! lol

And I already got "banded" today, with one of their lapband wrist bracelets not sure WHY I have it, or more importantly WHY I'm wearing it, thank goodness I'm in long sleeves! HA

But more importantly I met 2 ladies who are having surgery the same day as me Jessica and Amy and directed them here.. So let me welcome them in advance for when they get here! Welcome ladies!

[Poppyred 0]

I'm on the Atkins shakes. I hate them but I figure I have 1 week to go so I will tolerate them.

Hi Everyone!

I am on a high Protein low carb diet for my pre-op...it sounds harder to do the liquid diet...its amazing so many doctors are so different. My doctor said no more diet soda after Im banded and others dont seem to have that restriction. Im hoping I can still have a diet pepsi once in awhile!

Poppyred

[illuminationlady 7]

Yeah I have noticed that as well. Just talked with my nurse and she said that was normal.. I am also still in pain near my port especially if I bend down.. I think it is cause the swelling from the surgery has come down now... The nurse said that the port is attached to our abdomin wall... So hopefully in a couple weeks this will have passed also..

My doc makes us where a waist band around that area for one week. He does something special inside with mesh that grows to the stomach wall. It's not stiched at all!!! He sounds like a really good surgeon. He was on The View once!!! :thumbup:

[Melinco 1]

The patch behind the ear is called scopolamine.

[Irishbookworm 0]

So, day 13 of the liquid diet and so far, I'm down 18 pounds. You know what that means? SURGERY is tomorrow morning! I'm SO excited! I'm stocked up on everything I think I'm going to need. Protein Shakes, SF Jello, baby spoons, kids plates, Gas-X, 3 month supply of all my Vitamins. I have my bag packed and ready to go and I can't wait! This time tomorrow, I'll be in the hospital, which sucks, but, I'll be banded! I'm excited!

Poppyred: I was under the impression that we were no longer able to have carbonated beverages of any kind because the carbonation can stretch out your "pouch". That's what my doctor said though and all of them are different. I have heard a few people on here mention that they tried to just open a soda and let it go flat and then try it. Not sure how that would work out though!

[Poppyred 0]

So, day 13 of the liquid diet and so far, I'm down 18 pounds. You know what that means? SURGERY is tomorrow morning! I'm SO excited! I'm stocked up on everything I think I'm going to need. Protein Shakes, SF Jello, baby spoons, kids plates, Gas-X, 3 month supply of all my Vitamins. I have my bag packed and ready to go and I can't wait! This time tomorrow, I'll be in the hospital, which sucks, but, I'll be banded! I'm excited!

Poppyred: I was under the impression that we were no longer able to have carbonated beverages of any kind because the carbonation can stretch out your "pouch". That's what my doctor said though and all of them are different. I have heard a few people on here mention that they tried to just open a soda and let it go flat and then try it. Not sure how that would work out though!

Wow! 18 lbs already??? Were you on just Protein shakes..Ive only lost like 3..and my surgery is the 11th. I have to travel 4 1/2 away to have mine done..so hope the ride home the next day wont be too rough...

thanks for the information on the pop, I need to wean myself off ...I did that once last year and drank ice tea instead..so know I can do it again.. I certainly don't want to go through all of this and then do it all wrong. Good Luck tomorrow!

POPPYred

[tdtucker 0]

I am getting ready to head to the hospital but wanted to pop in to say good luck to my fellow bansters who will be in surgery with me today! I will try and pop in later this evening and let you all know how it went.

[bounser 0]

Question I am having surgery on Thursday the 10th but, I have to go tomorrow and meet the guy who is putting me to sleep has anyone had to do this?????

I meet with mine last week. and registered for the hospital

[kslessar 0]

I'm very excited and nervous!

Thanks in advance for any helpful info!

Hi Terri,

Firstly, congrats on your surgery date. December 09 are a great group of people to talk to, WELCOME

As for things to take with you to surgery, take a book or some magazines or something to keep you entertained before surgery in case you're not straight in. Loose clothing and a chapstick (lipbalm- OMG Lips are so dry after operation!) apart from that... the nurses have everything there for you.

What has helped me at home...

a triangle pillow (it's fantastic!), a heat pad for gas pain, straws, food processor/blender for shakes, stock up on Soups, custard, jelly (if allowed, i'm not), liquid Multi-Vitamin, paracetemol (i have been able to take tablets), Gas-x strips seem to be a big thing for most people.

As for taking the trip, it is up to you and how you feel but i know i wouldn't have handled it due to fatigue, gas pain, and sitting in a car for that long would have ended up causing worse pain to my stomach area. Also, I found being in the car I was nauseous and I normally don't feel car sick. I would definately have a back up plan in case you don't feel like it.

GOOD LUCK

Edited December 9, 2009 by kslessar

[kslessar 0]

Good evening everyone.

I start my 14 day pre-op weight loss in a week and was wondering if I should pig out OR start cutting back now? Cutting back seems like it might make it easier but I might could find some comfort eating whatever I want this last week.

What did you early Dec bandsters do?

Please advise.

Good luck to all..........

Hi Ocracoke,

I'm not saying this is advice as such, this is what I did.

I ate what I wanted to, but in lesser amounts. (Not a lot less in the end). A lot of people find the last stage before the liquid diet is when they say 'goodbye' to foods they love. I know I did. I put on some weight, but I lost that plus more on the liquid diet and my surgeon said that my surgery went perfect and they didn't yell at me for putting on weight before the liquid diet, they said most patients do. They also advised me that with the liquid diet, the first place you put the fat back on is in fact the place you are trying hardest to get it rid from... the liver. So even if you only cheat once, it may do more harm than good.

In the end it's your choice... a few people who are in the group started diets before the liquid diet and have done really well.

Good luck with everything

Edited December 9, 2009 by kslessar

[DizzyLizzy 21]

Good evening everyone.

I start my 14 day pre-op weight loss in a week and was wondering if I should pig out OR start cutting back now? Cutting back seems like it might make it easier but I might could find some comfort eating whatever I want this last week.

What did you early Dec bandsters do?

Please advise.

Good luck to all..........

I tried to "pig out" before my liquid diet, but I found that I couldn't. Maybe because I've been cutting back on what I eat since September, but I couldn't hardly eat. And the stuff I thought I would enjoy the most, I didn't. Except that chocolate chip cookie, now that was GOOD! lol, but I only had one and I was satisfied, normally I would have had two or three. For me, it showed me that I was ready to do this.

But, now that I am on my 2nd day of the liquid diet, I'm feeling really weird. Jittery, agitated, and very tired. Anyone else having that problem? I'm not hungry, I just feel like my energy has been zapped. I only took in a little over 600 calories yesterday, I could have up to 800, but I just could not drink another protien shake. I like them, but that was just too much! I had 4 shakes, a cup of chicken broth, 2 sugar free popsicles, and then a had a cup of chicken noodle Soup, even though I wasn't supposed to have the soup, but I needed something, just couldn't suck down another shake.

Today is a new day....good luck everyone!

[abbylamb 1]

Hey everyone--I'm on day 4 of my 16 day Optifast pre-op diet. I'm hanging in there, but day 2 was brutal! I was so hungry and dizzy and weak it wasn't even funny. To top it off I had my exercise class (which I went to, and thought I was going to pass out at). It was rough. But today is a bit better, and I just keep telling myself that it's for a better purpose. But I really wish my doc was one of those that let me eat real food! Nothing but Optifast and up to 25 calories of chicken broth and sugar free popsicles is getting old quick. I'm not starving, like I thought I would be, but I would hurt someone for TGIFriday's sesame jack chicken strips! I just keep telling myself I only have 12 days to go, which is really only 288 hours, or 17,280 minutes, or.....

[Poppyred 0]

I am getting ready to head to the hospital but wanted to pop in to say good luck to my fellow bansters who will be in surgery with me today! I will try and pop in later this evening and let you all know how it went.

We will be thinking about you...My date is the 11th..getting VERY close.

poppyred

[KarynA 0]

Hi Everyone!

I am on a high Protein low carb diet for my pre-op...it sounds harder to do the liquid diet...its amazing so many doctors are so different. My doctor said no more diet soda after Im banded and others dont seem to have that restriction. Im hoping I can still have a diet pepsi once in awhile!

Poppyred

As was mentioned, the no soda/no beer requirement is pretty standard. It's the carbonation that's the problem because it expands the pouch. After my surgery last week, my doctor (who himself has a band) stressed the importance of not having these things. "Protect your band" is what he kept saying.

I'm not that big on soda anyway, so it's not a huge loss for me. HOWEVER, my favorite cocktail of choice is (was) Captain Morgan's (rum) and diet coke, so I was more than a little bummed about not being able to have that anymore. I did not pig-out or anything before my pre-op, but I did have a drink or two of rum and diet coke, while toasting to a better, healthier, longer, thinner life. It's well worth the exchange.

I like your ticker, btw. Good job and good choice!

[KarynA 0]

I'm getting ready to go to work today. Wish me luck!