newbandlady

I was banded 3 weeks ago. I had the same fears. I was second guessing myself even as I lay there prepped for surgery and waiting to be taken back. For a moment I thought "just jump off the table it's not too late". But then if I did that I would just be going back to a life of clothes getting tighter and tighter and watching the scale go up and up again. I had lost all hope of ever being thin. Now 3 weeks post op and 22lbs lighter I know I made the right decision. I don't feel the band inside or the port. I sleep comfortably on my side or stomach. I feel so much energy and excitement every day. I also remember worrying about what I was not going to be able to eat again. Oh the pizza, oh the hamburger, and the diet coke. don't miss them at all. The band has taken away the constant thinking about food for me. I have to remind myself to eat. I happily weigh my 4oz meal and then I'm satisfied. No growling stomach no snacking. It's all been worth it!

Never mind. Did a search for rash and got my answer. I think I'm having an allergic reaction to the glue, dermabond they used to close me. It just finished peeling off yesterday. I'll try some benedryl cream and watch it for a few days.

tickerfactory.com is where I got my ticker. I pointed my mouse to someone's ticker and clicked and it took me there to edit but then I chose to set up a new one. I don't know about the unflavored protein powder. I use Isopure from GNC. I know they have clear Isopure in bottles but I use the vanilla and chocolate. They are pretty mild in flavor not too sweet. Good for mixing with other flavors. I only like them in a blender with ice though. Not shaken. I know what you mean about having a husband and kids and it being hard on the special diet. I'm 3.5wks post op and it's been rough making mac n cheese, pb&j, eggs, bagels, dinner. My husband does cook sometimes when I just can't take it.

Sure! Thank you! So far so good. I have my first fill April 1st, this Friday! Not sure I need it but I sure am looking forward to asking them where the heck my port is! I sure as heck can't find it!

Mine lasted about 3-4 days also. I used cloraseptic spray and sucked on popsicles.

Yep, every surgeon is different. Here's a 3rd version, I was on clear liquids for a week, creamier liquids for a week, mushies for a week, and now regular foods. Good luck!

Congratulations! Lap band surgery was also my 41st birthday present (Feb 5th). 3 weeks post op now. Feeling great. Good luck to you!

Wow that was quick! Congratulations! what an inspiration!

Good luck! I'm in Houston. Not too far from you. I was banded March 4th and I'm feeling pretty great! Down 22lbs.

Hello to you Cristen! I was also banded on March 4th 2011! I am doing fantastic. My incisions look amazing. So small and my abs are starting to not be as sore. I've lost 22lbs so far.

Yes thank you. That's what I remember about the grazing thing. They want you to stop that habit and not encourage the constantly needing to eat and think about food. Dont' they say it takes about 6 weeks to learn a new behavior or habit like that? Makes sense. I'm trying to follow my surgeons advice but being a little lenient so as not to hate this process. So far like I said it's just been the one snack a day if I need it and it's not much. It has helped and I've been staying pretty full the rest of the day. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge with me!

Every surgeon is different. My doc said no milk but V8 and No sugar added 100% juice was ok.

Sounds like Dr. Spivak is pretty great and well recommended. Just my two cents, I had Dr. Ken Hollis and I have no complaints. I am rather impressed with how tiny my incisions are. And my port is well hidden. I haven't had a fill yet but I think he has competent people doing the fills as he focuses on the surgeries. He sees patients in groups and spends about an hour speaking to a group of about 10 people at a time but he's very knowledgeable and upfront about everything that is going to happen every step. And everyone asks questions and learns from each other. I'm fine with that. He gave me pictures of the lap band inside me, xrays of the liquids going down into my stomach after surgery, Pretty sure he put 4cc's in me right away since I lost weight and did so well on the pre-op diet. Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Good luck to you!

Sounds like Dr. Spivak is pretty great and well recommended. Just my two cents, I had Dr. Ken Hollis and I have no complaints. I am rather impressed with how tiny my incisions are. And my port is well hidden. I haven't had a fill yet but I think he has competent people doing the fills as he focuses on the surgeries. He sees patients in groups and spends about an hour speaking to a group of about 10 people at a time but he's very knowledgeable and upfront about everything that is going to happen every step. And everyone asks questions and learns from each other. I'm fine with that. He gave me pictures of the lap band inside me, xrays of the liquids going down into my stomach after surgery, Pretty sure he put 4cc's in me right away since I lost weight and did so well on the pre-op diet. Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Good luck to you!

Thanks again. I think I remember the reason my surgeon said no snacking is something to do with it encouraging the urge to graze all day long. He wanted me to get used to the 3 small meals to discourage my constant thinking about food and what to eat. I have been adding one snack a day so far. Just a cheese stick or a small handful of almonds. Seems to help get me from the early lunch to late dinner. (kids up early, dad works late). My afternoons are so long.

Sorry you're having such a hard time.I didn't think of my pre-op diet as a diet but just the way it had to be to get the surgery. I had to lose about 10lbs or risk my doc not doing the surgery. I also had the added incentive of the doc filling the band right away if I lost about that much. I dropped 9lbs in 2 weeks and my doc filled my band. My pre-op diet was 2 high Protein shakes and a sensible dinner which was protien, veggie, and fruit. I was also allowed to blend fruit into my shakes. I used the Isopure (chocolate & vanilla) from GNC and blended with ice (they are kind of gross just shaken) and I would either add strawberries or blueberries or a sugar free mocha international coffee. I also play around with sugar free vanilla and caramel syrup, lemon & lime unsweet koolaid packs and stevia/ Truvia sweetener. Coffee, warm sugar free international coffee and chicken broth when I really felt hungry seemed to soothe me a little. I also LOVE the popsicle brand "tropical" popsicles. They are 15 calories and for some reason taste soooo yummy to me in the evenings. The hawaiin pineapple one is my fave. Once I got my surgery 3 weeks ago, it was more liquid diet. But I wasn't that hungry any more so it was ok. I'm finally starting on regular foods now and it has all been worth it. 22lbs later. You can do it! Just try to be creative in your flavors and keep busy. Focus on the end result not the day to day. Also, if you have a smoothie king around, the smoothie king Gladiator shakes are low carb and 45g protien for a small and really feel like you're doing something a little special as a treat rather then just blending them yourself. Good luck!

I have a comment on the motherhood part. i am not sure how small your child or children are but I have a 1.5 year old and a 3 year old. Recovery has been difficult for me because I have not family here to help me and my husband works long long hours. You're not suppose to lift anything heavier than 20lbs for about 4weeks. Tell my babies that. My stomach is sore and I am in fear of flipping my port or having flipped it already. My first appt is next Friday. We shall see. My only thing is I am thinking I should have maybe waited until my little ones didn't need to be picked up before having it. Didn't consider that at all. On the working out, I am 3 weeks post op and can't imagine wanting to work out. Unless it's walking. Anytime I use my abs it is not comfortable. I am not weak though. I am getting plenty of Protein and my Vitamins etc. Feel pretty energetic actually. I think the diet questions are more depending on your surgeon. I've read different things from different people on here. My surgeon did a 2 week pre-op diet that consisted of 2 Protein shakes (low carb, low sugar, high protein at least 20g) and one small meal daily. Then 1 week of Clear liquids, one week of thicker liquids (creamy stuff), and then one week of mushy foods. I just started regular foods again today. Good luck on your decision whatever it may be!

that clear liquid stage is so hard. I would make a mug of really warm chicken broth and sip on it. The low sodium one tasted like rotisserie chicken to me. That and coffee or a sugar free international mocha coffee in the evening. Anything warm seemed to make me feel better for some reason. Hang in there. I just started eating regular foods tonight again. I've lost 22lbs pre-op/post op. My surgery was March 4. It has all been worth it and quickly forgotten tonight after eating regular food again.

Thanks everyone. I for the most part have been pretty satisfied with my 4oz meals. A couple of times I've had some almonds or some string cheese. I've lost a couple more lbs since relaxing a little bit about the snacks. I appreciate all the comments they really help!

I had a few days of anxiety. I remember feeling like I wrecked my body. I literally felt ruined, damaged. But I took myself out of the house and treated myself to some pampering at the salon and it made me feel a lot better. I'm 3 weeks post op now and my dermabond and scabs are starting to fall off and I'm seeing under them some tiny scars that look like they will probably be barely visible. It's getting better and better every day.

This is really helpful to know you are all snacking. I was wondering about the 3 meals a day policy. It seems the more current weight loss info is to eat more frequent smaller meals. This afternoon between lunch and dinner I was really hungry. It was all I could do. I felt guilty for snacking on a cheese stick. I will have to talk more to my surgeon I guess when I see him next and not beat myself up about a snack here and there as long as it's healthy. Btw, didn't know I could eat almonds. I guess just chew chew chew.

I obsessively weigh myself too. First thing I do in the a.m. and then randomly throughout the day. I'm 3-5lbs higher in the afternoon after eating than in the a.m. I know it's wrong to weigh so much but I can't seem to stop myself.

I was banded 3/4/11. Still no bm. Was starting to worry but I haven't been eating much of anything. Mostly liquids. Soups. I just figured there was nothing in there to come out. Going to add benefiber now and see if that helps. Thanks for the tips.

Congratulations! I am 2.5 weeks post op myself. Learning more every day. Glad I just did it!

I started drinking diet coke when I was 11yrs old. It's the first step I took in almost 30yrs of diet. I drank it obsessively. I couldn't imagine how I was going to stop drinking it. As I was doing my pre-op diet I kept wondering about my decision. Kept worrying about the scars, what could go wrong, how the port was going to look / feel, would I be able to ever sleep on my stomach again? Even laying there right before surgery having such anxiety and thinking I should just get up and change my mind. But I focused on the reasons I decided to have lap band surgery and sucked it up and did it. I'm 2.5 weeks post op and Friday I can start mushy foods. The first week with the gas was rough. I haven't missed one diet coke. Not even really given it a second thought. I can't believe it. If I need a drink on the go I get an unsweet ice tea. And a small not a large lasts me for hours and hours. I went to lunch with a friend today and had a few bites of some soup and got up and she said to me "it's ok sit down and enjoy your meal" and I told her "I did. I'm stuffed". That felt so amazing. I barely ate anything. I've lost 22lbs since starting the pre-op diet and my clothes are comfortably loose and I feel healthy and energetic and I have to say I do not regret a thing so far! I've gained so much more than I've given up already!