lizzy2150

HA!! I like your idea of justice!!!

On the first few days of my 2-week diet, I "cheated" by having an additional Protein shake at the times I was most likely to cheat (for me, late at night)--the protein helped keep me from getting headaches, which gave me enough willpower to keep going at other times. By the last week, I was able to stick to the diet precisely. Remember, the goal is to shrink your liver--and adding a small amount of protein won't keep that from happening. You can do it!

Be direct with him. If I were you, I would say something along these lines: Although my recovery is going well, it's taken longer than I anticipate to get back up to full speed. Because I had the hernia repair, my job will allow me another week off with your approval, and I'd like to take advantage of that. I just need a note from you. I always write out "scripts" and practice for things like this! This is the script I would use. Note the lack of questions--if you state it as a fact, he's more likely to simply agree and move on. If you ask a question or seem uncertain, people are more likely to start trying to put their own interpretation on it (can you tell that I teach Professional Communications classes? ) Your doctor almost certainly isn't going to be judgmental one way or another--as long as you're walking and recovering, he shouldn't care if you take another week (or whatever) off from work. But if he does object, reiterate that because of the hernia repair, you don't quite feel up to going back to work yet. I find that when communicating with doctors (or anyone, for that matter!), the more straightforward you are, the more likely you are to get what you want. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Actually, your 2 shakes and 1 meal sound a lot like my pre-surgery diet. I suggest you discuss this with your doctor--it may be that he or she will want you to have a few more calories if you continue to work out at that level (which, IMO, shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't exhaust yourself!).

I liked all of their flavors--especially the Tropical Dreamsicle and Pina Colada!

Good for you for avoiding the ice cream today! Maybe if you walk a lot tomorrow you can get more of the gas out before you go back to work. Do your coworkers know you've been banded? I'm feeling lucky that I work from home--I didn't take any time off, but I can nap in between working on projects, and no one knows if I have gas issues!!

I would guess so. My surgeon listed several things that were about that consistency: cream of rice, cream of wheat, grits . . . the paperwork says to thin it out enough so that you could get it through a straw. I've had grits twice now and it was fabulous.

Broccoli cheese soup, thinned out with milk, put through a blender, and heated up. A few cooked grits added to it for a little texture (things like grits and cream of wheat are allowed on my liquid diet). Either with or without the grits: yummy!

Wow, Erica! It sounds like it might be time for a new job, anyway! I can't believe that taking off a week for surgery puts your job at risk. That's obnoxious!

Hm. I think I would be pretty upset if someone in my doctor's practice felt he or she had the right to scold me. If I go in having had problems, I want support, not fussing. I'm not a child; I don't need to be reprimanded--but I DO need to be able to discuss any difficulties with my healthcare providers without fear of repercussions. Was the woman who did this your surgeon? A nurse? How did it make you feel? Is it something you want to discuss with the person who did it? From those of us on the list, do you want sympathy or would you like suggestions for how to deal with it in the future? I'm asking all of these questions because if you're just venting, I know it could be irritating to get advice on how to "fix" the issue. On the other hand, if you want potential responses to her behavior, I know it could be irritating to get nothing but sympathy! If you want sympathy, you definitely have it--that's a crappy thing to have to endure!!!! If you also want advice, let us know! We're here to support you!

I was also banded on 7/6, and my dr. let me switch to "full liquids" yesterday--including protein shakes and any soups that had been run through a blender.

Two days post-op and I finally got all the liquids down that I was supposed to. I also took all my pills today, though it took for-flippin'-ever. I'm on "full liquids," which includes pretty much anything I could get through a straw. I had about 1/3 of a can of blended-up chicken noodle soup, and it was the yummiest stuff EVER!!!

Dave: I want to thank you for posting your typical day for us to read. I'm newly banded and reading about someone who is successful without being obsessive was exactly what I needed! Congratulations on your success!

Congratulations!!!!

Daniella: My surgeon says clear liquids for the first 48 hours and full liquids for at least five days after that. A full liquid is pretty much anything you can get through a straw, though he suggests protein shakes, yogurt, pudding, and soup or cereal (like Cream of Wheat) that's been thinned out with milk or water. If the soup has any chunks of anything, they need to be put through a blender. I think that during the full liquid recovery period, the ice cream is okay, though not something you should get used to. My dr. said that there were a lot of things allowed during the first week that wouldn't be a good idea later. But the NUT in his office also said that she suggests allowing yourself a treat once in a while so you don't feel deprived. This is a lapband diet guide that I found online; it's very similar to the one my doctor uses. Maybe it can help you, too: www.laplose.com/Media/Forms/LapBandDietGuideNew.pdf As far as speeding up the process, all you can do is stay hydrated and walk, walk, walk to get the gas out. Hope you're doing well!

My lapband surgeon said that NSAIDs are okay occasionally--that they're more a risk for people with gastric bypass. If I were you, I'd go ahead and take it--at least until you can talk to your doctor.

So is the "avoid PB" suggestion that many of you are getting just for immediately post-op, or is it forever? My NUT suggested that later, once I'm on solids, some PB on an apple slice would make a good snack. . . I'm actually beginning to look forward to being able to have a protein shake tomorrow. I'm not exactly hungry, but I'm beginning to feel a little deprived. . . (last week I wouldn't have believed I could feel deprived of protein shakes ever!!).

Hi, Shauna! I'm using ice packs for the incisions. I haven't used a heating pad yet, but I have one here and ready in case the gas pains get too bad. So yes, that's the advice I've gotten, too. Also, I'm discovering that it's much easier today to drink warm or hot drinks. I think it might be because I'm sleeping so much (in naps, anyway) because of the meds--and supposedly the band feels tighter after you sleep for a while. The hot liquids seem to loosen things up a bit.

This is a re-post from the Post-Op thread--I wanted to be sure I came back here and shared for anyone who might (like me) be completely addicted to reading surgery day stories!! Hi, everyone! I am post-op and doing well! I've been addicted to the "surgery day stories" thread, so I'm going to post my whole story there, but here's the initial version. (I originally said "short version," but then it wasn't. .. . ) Just as we were leaving the house to drop my 14-month-old off with my mother, the surgery center called and asked if I could be an hour early because the surgeon wanted to start earlier. I totally would have, but I live too far away to make it in time. So I started off the day with a "dammit!" moment. And then I got there at the originally-scheduled 11:30 a.m. Anyway, everyone at the surgery center was really nice. One of the nurses has a lap-band and was telling me how much she loves it as she was wheeling me in. I'm not sure what meds they gave me for the pre-op anxiety, but it made me babble. I was telling them all how different this was from when I had my emergency c-section for my 3-months premature baby and there were 24 people in the OR. And then it took a long time for the anesthetic to knock me out--the nurse anesthetist kept saying "Take DEEP breaths!." I woke up to someone telling me to take deep breaths, too, because they were administering a breathing treatment for an asthmatic reaction. I was a little freaked out, but pretty soon I could breathe fairly easily again. I still feel some pressure in my chest, but I think it's the surgery gas. I was given apple juice almost immediately after I finished the breathing treatment and then as soon as I could walk a little, they took me for a barium swallow. Watching the liquid run down through the band was odd. I got the nurse to give me a dose of pain meds before I left so I could make it through the (way too bumpy!) hour-long ride home. We stopped at Sonic so my husband could get something to eat and I got a 44-ounce iced tea. I'm still sipping on it. I'm incredibly thirsty-feeling, but I also feel like I can't take another sip. It's a weird combination. I'm staying on schedule with my pain meds and I'm also using the nausea meds, just in case. I am determined to do this right, and for me, that includes having as little pain as possible. I'm taking walks around the house. When Mom brought the baby back, she (the baby, not Mom!) followed me around crying with her arms up for me to pick her up. It made me sad. But now she's asleep (luckily, her daddy puts her down to bed more often than I do, so there was no disruption there) and I'm on the recliner in the spare room with drinks and meds beside me, my laptop on a TV tray in front of me, and streaming Netflix running through my iPad to keep me entertained. My abdomen aches from the gas and the incisions have a sharper pain, but as long as I keep taking my meds, it's bearable. I keep thinking what an odd thing this is that I've arranged to have done to myself. But I'm excited about the coming journey! Oh. And I've started a blog. I'll add it to my signature eventually, but for now, it's www.TexasPrairieHarpy.com. I haven't posted about my lap-band yet--I started with a post about the name--but I will be soon

Hey, Amy! Don't beat up on yourself--but I suggest that you add some more approved Protein to your diet! I know that my willpower goes straight out the window when I'm not getting enough protein. It might help you feel a little less like cheating. (And could you bear to throw the half-piece of cheese away? I don't know if I could in your position, but I know it would be the only thing that would keep me from eating it!) Cheering you on!!!!! ((((hugs)))))

Hi, everyone! I am post-op and doing well! I've been addicted to the "surgery day stories" thread, so I'm going to post my whole story there, but here's the initial version. (I originally said "short version," but then it wasn't. .. . ) Just as we were leaving the house to drop my 14-month-old off with my mother, the surgery center called and asked if I could be an hour early because the surgeon wanted to start earlier. I totally would have, but I live too far away to make it in time. So I started off the day with a "dammit!" moment. And then I got there at the originally-scheduled 11:30 a.m. Anyway, everyone at the surgery center was really nice. One of the nurses has a lap-band and was telling me how much she loves it as she was wheeling me in. I'm not sure what meds they gave me for the pre-op anxiety, but it made me babble. I was telling them all how different this was from when I had my emergency c-section for my 3-months premature baby and there were 24 people in the OR. And then it took a long time for the anesthetic to knock me out--the nurse anesthetist kept saying "Take DEEP breaths!." I woke up to someone telling me to take deep breaths, too, because they were administering a breathing treatment for an asthmatic reaction. I was a little freaked out, but pretty soon I could breathe fairly easily again. I still feel some pressure in my chest, but I think it's the surgery gas. I was given apple juice almost immediately after I finished the breathing treatment and then as soon as I could walk a little, they took me for a barium swallow. Watching the liquid run down through the band was odd. I got the nurse to give me a dose of pain meds before I left so I could make it through the (way too bumpy!) hour-long ride home. We stopped at Sonic so my husband could get something to eat and I got a 44-ounce iced tea. I'm still sipping on it. I'm incredibly thirsty-feeling, but I also feel like I can't take another sip. It's a weird combination. I'm staying on schedule with my pain meds and I'm also using the nausea meds, just in case. I am determined to do this right, and for me, that includes having as little pain as possible. I'm taking walks around the house. When Mom brought the baby back, she (the baby, not Mom!) followed me around crying with her arms up for me to pick her up. It made me sad. But now she's asleep (luckily, her daddy puts her down to bed more often than I do, so there was no disruption there) and I'm on the recliner in the spare room with drinks and meds beside me, my laptop on a TV tray in front of me, and streaming Netflix running through my iPad to keep me entertained. My abdomen aches from the gas and the incisions have a sharper pain, but as long as I keep taking my meds, it's bearable. I keep thinking what an odd thing this is that I've arranged to have done to myself. But I'm excited about the coming journey! Oh. And I've started a blog. I'll add it to my signature eventually, but for now, it's www.TexasPrairieHarpy.com. I haven't posted about my lap-band yet--I started with a post about the name--but I will be soon.

I'm sitting in the surgical center waiting room now. Paperwork has been filled out. I'm ready!!

SarahBara: I am actually scheduled to have my surgery tomorrow, and I am also concerned about potential long-term issues, But I'm more concerned about the long-term issues of being morbidly obese. I, too, have PCOS, and I am more interested in living (even with the possibility of band difficulties) than I am afraid of those potential problems. I KNOW that being overweight will kill me--and if my increasingly high blood pressure and blood sugar numbers are any indication, it would kill me comparitively soon. For me, that was the deciding factor in getting the band.

Ha! I just sent you a message asking you to remind me of just exactly this. Thanks, Amy!!!!

12 hours until I head to the hospital. I've been doing fine all day until now. And now, I'm suddenly incredibly anxious. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm doing this so I can live for a long, long time and watch my baby girl grow up.