BringMeToLife

The point of weight loss prior to surgery is to shrink your liver. Each surgeon is a bit different in how and what they ask of their patients both pre and post-op. Wish I was able to eat!! LUCKY! My surgery date is Dec 3 also! Congrats!

Name: Shawna Age: 38 Band Date: December 3, 2010 Starting Weight: 273 Goal Weight: 145 Favorite Exercise: Elliptical (Been awhile) Occupation: Legal Specialist Hobbies: Returning to college to get my degree in Rhetoric and Writing; Reading; Cooking

I tried the Atkins pre-made chocolate shakes and I thought they were pretty good. Of course, I couldn't bought a large pizza at Little Caesar's for less!! LOL. I went to Wal-Mart and bought all my food for the pre-op diet and managed to spend $100 on jello, pudding, and shakes!

Greeting from Fort Smith, AR! I will be banded December 3. In a week from today I go on my two week pre-op liquid diet and I'm a mixture of emotions right now. My family and I went to Golden Corral tonight. Each time I put something on my plate, I thought, "This is probably the last time I'll get to eat this".... and I don't want to say I was sad about it, but I guess maybe I was just a little bit. I've gained and lost enough weight to embarrass myself by even guessing the amount. I have always been able to lose weight and sometimes lose alot of it. The problem has always been that I ALWAYS felt hungry. I always felt like I was depriving myself. It felt good to lose weight and get the compliments, but once the weight started coming back, I was embarrassed and humiliated and felt like a failure. This is it for me. I'll turn 40 in less than 2 years and I want to start living my life. My biggest concern, I suppose is how do I interact with my family and friends and still be able to go out to dinner with them? What about cooking dinner? Does anybody still cook for their families? I'm mostly scared about "getting stuck" or getting sick at work or in public. What about drinking? I like to go out with friends on occasion and have a few drinks; will I be able to do that anymore? I've read you aren't supposed to have beer or soda, so will I have to give that up as well? I quit smoking as part of this journey and have gained weight during my "waiting" for the surgery. Have any of you quit smoking? Do any of you still smoke? I want to be healthy but it's not easy changing a lifetime of habits... I appreciate any feedback. I could certainly use some support!

Sorry for all the typos! I'm typing on my phone and it likes to spell check and change things up a bit from time to time! LOL

I tried some chocolate Atkins shakes and they weren't bad. Reminded me of the Slim-Fast Optima. I figure if I'm not allowed to have anything to eat, I'll start craving the shakes just to have something to satiate me!! LOL! I have the same feelings of self-doubt but I'm just going to take it day by day as my excitement grows waiting for December 3!! We are all going to be great!! I can't wait to follow everyones profess and see where we're all a few months Dow the road and what are different experiences are and if we are all happy with our decisions....should be interesting!

You are not alone! I feel the weight I will be losing on my pre-op diet will only take me back to my original fat weight!!! Part of me says to eat what I want while I can still enjoy it and the other wants me to get in the right frame of mind with food BEFORE my surgery. So far, food is winning :thumbup:

Thanks! That helps a lot! I'm trying to take it in stride and already feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that in and of itself makes it all worth it!

My surgeon recommends the following for stuck food: 1/2 tsp Adolphs meat tenderizer 1 tsp lemon juice 4 oz (1/2 cup) tap Water Sip slowly over the period of 1 hour Unfortunately, I cannot vouch if this works. My banding date is December 3, 2010, but I am keeping this recipe close because getting stuck is what scares me the most!

Oh my gosh! Breathing? I think about that everyday as I trek from the parking lot to my office. I watch the thin people and think about how I can't wait until the day that I don't "think" about it when I walk from my car into work. I told my doctor that I wonder what I will be doing with all my free time when I'm no longer using it for thinking about being thin, looking at other thin people longingly (LOL) and not feeling self-concious. He laughed and said he understood. (He recently had bypass surgery). I can hardly wait. Not just that but I have sleep apnea and according to my doctor, in the 5 hours I slept during the test, I quit breathing 27 times for more than 30 seconds. He said I will finally get a good nights sleep once the weight starts to come off and that will make such a difference in my life as well. I can hardly wait!

I just hope once I'm banded I no longer have the "last supper syndrome" since I won't be able to eat it anyway! LOL

RE: Missgissel - I am to be banded December 3 and my pre-op liquid diet starts the week of Thanksgiving! I have already made a list in my head of my "last meals" that include certain foods, so I totally understand what you are saying. Regarding the thread, I think you should tell your husband. Surgery is a big deal and this is a life-altering decision. You want him as your ally. He's going to find out anyway. Personally, unless I was being physically or emotionally abused, I would tell my spouse. On the other hand, if I was being emotionally or physically abused, I'd pack it up and head on out as I began my new life! Best of luck to you! So glad I found this site and can share my thoughts and fears and there are people out there that understand.