lizrbit

seriously, this is why i came to Houston to have mine done. They do banding in Maine, where im from, but have only done a handful there. it took some serious convincing to my insurance company, but i am SO GLAD i did. My surgery went off without a hitch, the surgeon is certified with the producers of one of the lap band products and he teaches the techniques to other doctors and hospitals, plus he answers his own email and responds to questions. i am really happy. i didnt have any of the shoulder pain other people have talked about and i just feel pretty good. You can choose who does your surgery, and i think its the MOST important decision you can make after deciding to do the band in the first place.

thanks very much everyone! Out of all the surgeries ive had, this one was definitely the smoothest. My throat isnt even sore from the breathing tube. I love this surgeon. im three days out now, and its been fine. I told my employer i had stomach flu and she brought me some chicken broth yesterday, i drank all that, and then today i woke up and honest to gosh laid there with my eyes open and could not feel anything sore. I felt completely normal..then i sat up! yikes! by dr's orders im walking thirty minutes a day and its helping a LOT with gas as well as soreness and nausea. Today i even rode my bike to the store to get more gas x and chicken broth! That cabbie wound up costing me 480 dollars. For the other tests it was 200. he waited for me and really went out of his way to help me, and it was worth it, but you should have heard the sound i made when i found out! Having the house set up helped significantly. some examples: i had extra pillows all over the bed ready for me to just fall into. cans and cans of chicken broth, liquid medications ready and on a table right next to a couch with more pillows. Toilette paper stocked up, wetnaps available in bathroom, bag of ice in freezer, my favorite sweats all clean and wainting. lots of kellogs protien water. flip flops i wound up not using, but got them just in case i couldnt bend over to put on my shoes. lots of netflix movies, lots of flavored teas and honey. Its working out very well so far. my people from back in maine call often and ive enjoyed that, but find that if imon the liquid pain meds i dont like being on the phone much. Being alone sucks, of that there is NO doubt. but i think this board is a wonderful wealth of knowledge that can prepare people in a realistic way of what to expect so that its not too bad. Thanks for inviting me to the Houston Group, i would have already been there if i could. since i flew down, im on foot, and after this last round of cab ventures i need to save the money to get to the follow up visits. Hey though, im staying at a vacation cottage thats used for group retreats in the historic district in Galveston. Maybe we could set up a meeting here? i could host it! we could make band freindly meals, and hang out and talk. PM me if this sounds even remotely interesting? Id do it in a heartbeat.

what do they do when the band slips? can they just go in and move it back to where it goes and restich?

im on my third day post op, and just today saw a hamberger commercial and felt my belly grumble. its insane because im still on clear liquids, and will be for two full weeks! (three weeks total) i added boost to the diet today. One. its high in protein and available to the grocery store i can walk to. i felt immediately better after getting three quarters through it. Its not very big. One day, even if its just a bite or two. im gonna have a cheesburger. even if i gotta put it in a blender, even if i gotta chew it until its water, one day i sure enough will. I tried adding jello last night, i could get a few bites down but just a few minutes later. you know what else i dream about? i used to LOVE fresh baked italian bread soaked within an inch of its life in extra virgin olive oil (the elixir of life) and balsamic vinegar. ::::: man ill just be glad when i can eat food again.

ive posted this inanother area, but i REALLY struggled through the clear liquid diet preop. Post op it makes perfect sense, but preop was tough. I FOUND SOMETHING THOUGH...brands in broth matter! if you like fried chicken, Butterball, the same people that process turkeys, have canned chicken broth that is so good im sipping hardly anything else. (beside the special k protien water, those are great too) But different brands do taste different. I think one of the reasons i did sowell in recover is because i really stuck to the clear liquid diet. there was nothing in there to throw up or make me nausious (spelling?). Just keep reminding yourself that you WILL EAT AGAIN! yes you willl, you will eat again and enjoy it and feel more satisfaction than you have before! (thats what i tell myself)

Mom! how wonderful!! congratulations! man we are just banding all over the place! Mine was yesterday and i dont feel too bad. I never got the gas pain in the shoulder. Im VERY grateful for that! I tried a few bites of jello tonight, and have discovered its a bit too early for that mess. nothing bad happened just after a little while my belly (thats still a little swollen) got really hard, and didnt feel so great. it passed, but now i get an idea of what its going to be like! Man im excited for us all. my cravings are back though. im ignoringthem, and telling my head "you will eat again, yes you can have a piece of pizza in a month or two, you just wont devour the whole thing anymore!" Im looking forward to my new relationship with food. I cook exceptionally well, and im really looking forward to preparing meals for my new body that are nurturing as well as nurishing! mom i could totally relate to your gas bubble pressure. Mine felt like id swollowed a football! ive been eating chewable gas ex like crazy and it does help!

Hey! im on liquids, been on them for a week, and will be on them for two weeks from now, since i just got banded yesterday!!! Everyone on this board have posted some really wonderful information that's helped me a LOT. Here is a small chance to give a little back! I had the hardest time with beef broth, and the chicken was also kinda blah...but a friend brought me over a can of "butterball" chicken broth and oh my gosh its just as good as kentucky fried chicken!!! (Butterball also makes Turkeys) i love it. Im also drinking the kellogs protien Water too and it really does help! DONT FORGET TEAS TOO! decaffinated are best, get the variety pack and start a routine, like decaf tea (with a drop of honey) for Breakfast, butterball chicken broth for lunch and Jello for dinner!

hey congratulations!!! i just got banded yesterday!! that liquid diet is REALLY important, i stuck to it but by the hair of my pants! im SO GLAD i did, i think it makes the most difference right after the surgery. I had a moment in the hospital after the barium and extra swallow test where i dry heaved, just for a second and then it was over. THANK GOODNESS i didnt have anything in my stomach. Second day out and i feel alright! im a bit tender in the incision areas but thats about it. Congratulations on your dates guys!!!! (ps,it still kinda feels like i swallowed afootball) oh..DONT FORGET YOUR GAS X. I actually prefer the chewable. GOOD LUCK!!!

i was banded yesterday too! because of a post i read on here, i had a longer talk with my anestesiologits (spelling?) and told him the last time i was put out i had trouble waking up, and THIS time was the easiest surgery id ever had. i was up on my feet in notime. IT DID FEEL like i swollowed a football, but man imglad i did the preop diet. I dont know if ive posted yet, ive been on liquid lortab since i got back. Oh...the taxi part...wound up costing me 480 dollars! Blew my mind, But the cabbie had to wait inside the waiting area for several hours and came and got me in the wee hours too without a complaint and really was a lot of help. im just chillin here on the couch wiht a lot of pillows propped up and some netflix movies while i hang out. Seems like ive peed bucketfulls. anyway. They got me right in. I think i had an excellent surgeon. He actually teaches other doctors how to do the surgery and hes licensed through the manufacturers of the band. He said i have a medium sized band placed. well, pain meds kickin in, im going offto sleep. Just wanted to pop in and say "IM A BANDSTER!" woo!

hey guys! thanks for your posts! i wound up hiring the cab ive been using to get back n forth to houston to come in and wait for me. It went VERY smooth, I got fitted for a medium sized band!!!! im banded!!! woooooo! i have the house all set up (thank god) and im spending a LOT of couch time wiht pillows propped up. listen, the only thing i can get down so far is special k Water and liquid lortab! thnk goodness for the liquid lortab and gas x! The surgeon was FANTASTIC and the gas isnt TOO horrible. Nothing in my shoulder so far, but it did feel when i first woke up like id swollowed a football! This was such a fantastic decision. Im absolutely happy to be a bandster!!! woo! hey, btw, the liquid diet preop??? i TOTALLY understand wny now. If you are preband, and they put you on one STAY ON IT. i think i would have been horribly unconfortable if id not followed it. im chillin for now. I have five 'bullet holes" just undermy boobs and some bleeding at the port site which is on my left ribcage. (for now) i think when i lose the wieght it will be just under it and high enough so that when i have a tt later on it will not affect the band woo! its not so bad, but it sure felt good to see your posts! i dont "feel" alone

i was supposed to go in tomorrow at six thirty am. I have to leave here at four am inorder to get there by then. Its in north houston and im in galveston. Ive got arrangements with a cab to pick me up and wait for me. It will cost me around 200 bucks to go. I was on cloud nine, ive prepared, got all my supplies and im ready! THEN I get a call at five thirty from the surgery center. When they submitted my stuff, they got the surgery approved, the surgeon approved, but they left the surgery center blank. She said they tried to call my insurance all day, but no luck getting ahold of anyone. THey are talking abou tmoving me BACK to the 27th. can i just take a second and sit with you for a minute here. I have NO ONE here with me, ive got no one to talk to, and Im frustrated beyond belief. I havent eaten food in a week. I have rearranged deadlines and jobs and money to do this with superhuman ability. Im doing the "feeling sorry for myself dance" and Im just frustrated. I was told to "go ahead and come because they MIGHT be able to get it, just an hour or two later, and if they cant, then the 27th it is!" people... im using what money i have left this month to pay the cab to get there and wait for me. i have nothin left. Im scared as hell. I wrote the surgeon and asked him to advise. I have a feeling he is going to tell me to move it to the 27th. and im so freaking alone. and its raining. and i dont even have my dog. :::slumps shoulders and walks off into the rain::: aaaaaargh.

Hi Purp! Cling to your mom. If your dad comes around GREAT but he might not. Try not to worry about him too much, and really hang tight to your mom. sounds like she can be a very good support for you in this.

hahahahahahahHAHAHAHHAHAHAH! OYE! Some do pilates, some do yoga....same thing sorta kinda....

Here. I have to chime in with a yep on this one. It was one of the big wake up calls. I have a great sense of humor (you gotta right?) and I remember kidding with my best friend about it, and in the middle of laughing, i realized i was already right there, and i stopped. My surgery is tomorrow morning at six am. I have tongs. I have wet wipes. I have baking soda infused pads. Im ready for the worst. (i think) and when it gets to me, I keep thinking, "Im doing something about it now and im lucky to have this opportunity." and pray i wont know what its like again. Even so. I dont think ill ever laugh about something like that again.

thank you so much for your input! i feel better about it. I quite literally have no one i can call. I am completely by myself. My friend who was going to come lives in oklahoma and cannot get here now. Yep, im being banded in Houston. I live in Maine. I am renting a cottage in Galveston. When the surgeons office calls tomorrow i will tell them about my situation and go from there. Ive really tried to prepare here at the cottage for my return and recovery as best i can. I have made arrangements to stay here in the cottage until the end of march. Believe me, i wish i wasnt alone, but i am. Its just how it goes. ya know?

hehehe...thannnnnnks my people... I feel better about asking. I was wondering if having an um..special intense moment...would hurt the band/stiches/etc...

Desperate. My surgery is tuesday. I am by myself. i had help that was coming for my original surgery but it got moved up and now im alone again. I have a serious question. Im seriously looking at using a taxi service to get back and forth from the hospital. I think i have everything set up here once i get back. HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THIS ALONE? did it go okay? Please please respond. Im nervous, a bit scared.

RIGHT!!! thats why i put them in a blender with lots of good broth and blended them until they are runny. THe containers are in the freezer for when i need them. The broth is in the fridge and ready. Tofu is for protein and can be blended when im at the creamy stage. MOST of the stuff ive made is for the creamy stage. Even the beef stew..its complete liquid since its blended now and in the freezer. In the cupboard, ive got all kinds of teas, broth mixes.

hey love2blab, im getting banded on the same day! I spent yesterday cooking chicken in really good broth, then blending it and putting it in three ounce containers in the fridge. I did that with some beef stew too. Anything that would go through a straw. Ive heard you wont want to prepare meals so ...im trying to get things ready. Ive got packages and packages of tofu, soup at hand, cottage cheese. ive been on liquid diet now about three days, and ive got enough shakes lined up for four more regular days. Ive got meltaway tylenol and chewable vitamins. Im nervous too, i dont have a recliner! but Im so glad this is happening! Im worried about little stupid things, and i think its just because im doing this alone.

BJean, Right on!

im still dying for someone to talk more about the liquid diet. im on four atkins or slimfast high protien shakes a day, and at night around six pm i get two cups of vegetables. Since adding the vegetables im thinking i can maybe do this, but its very difficult. Ive added a half of cup of tofu a day on my own because i felt like i had to have more. i hope im not sabotoging this.

well they say apples dont fall too far from the tree. Giving that wretched woman custody of the child would be tragic, she already did this much damage to her own daughter, and now she gets a shot at her granddaughter? Man... Im also in agreement in that we probably should have a great deal of sympathy for Anna. YES no one has mentioned Post Partum! I suffered GREATLY from it and it DOES screw you up . PLUS...addiction is addiction, we are all addicted to food, her poison was something else. Someone said something about how 'she only existed in front of a camera" and i think they are right. When the cameras are off she is just a human being, like us, like our friends, like our relatives, like our neighbors. The whole thing is very very sad, and very Monroe 2007ish. DISPITE her job, the absolute tragedy of being in one hospital bed having just given birth to a daughter, while one son dies RIGHT THERE IN THE ROOM would be TOO much for me to want to keep going. I have heard she had a high fever and had been sick for days too. I dont think she took her own life...but i think that its almost merciful. Keep in mind too, that during her grief, she was STILL expected to "smile and wear that revealing gown because you are ANS and your image is everything'. CAN YOU IMAGINE what that would be like? Her real name was Vicky. its so very sad.

LouisR!!! Im preop. my surgery is tuesday, and ive been liquiding for a few days. Im lightheaded and not really 'with it' on things but i fiind with some effort i can get ahold of each situation. Im GRUMPY though, and im trying to get a handle on that. In all Ive read with post op, its much much better. also..regarding #2..metemusel? the powder you mix with water? would that help? and also...regarding sweetners, is honey okay? im a big fan of a dollop of honey in my morning tea does honey work with the band? cause white sugar is satans candy! and corn syrup is horrid, and splenda is evil... but honey is made from bee spit, it should be okay eh? anyone know?

MyNewLife, Im getting banded on the same day as you, in houston too. Im with Dr St Laurent. I was so outstandingly hopeful and gungho...until i got the call saying they moved the date up to the 13 (our surgery is TUESDAY ya know) and while im superexcited about it, my post op plans have fallen through because of the date and i might be flying solo. CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE LIQUID PRE OP DIET??? My surgeons office says four protein shakes a day (atkins), my vitamin supplements, and all the clear liquids i want...and at night if i have to, i can have two cups of vegetables! (the vegetables got added day two of liquid diet) I quit smoking two years ago, three packs a day when i quit too, and THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY harder. I want this surgery, i want it to go smooth and i want my liver shrunk tiny but holy cow! at night, for my two cups of veggies..i do one cup of soup (i got these great veggie soups from frozen food section) and a half a cup of firm tofu sauteed in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. That i can handle. I dont know if tofu constitutes a vegetable but its the very best i can do. anyone else on the pre op liquid diet??????

Tracy, Im having the opposite happen. I got the call this morning, they are moving me up to Feb 13 (next tuesday). This screws up my plans for after care and now i might be flying solo again. Im glad to be having the surgery though. THE LIQUID DIET SUCKS. i feel really weak. I know im not and that its just my blood sugar levels but holy cow. Dr said it has to be CLEAR liquid too. i am to drink four atkins or slimfast high protien shakes a day, and if im having a hard time at night i can do TWO CUPS of vegetables!! i havent tried that yet but i think thats going to be a saving feature.