MassMommyRebecca

Feeling the same way as you guys, banded on the 14th, no fill until Sept. 1, and surgery/recovery have just completely broken my pre-op rhythm! My head isn't as clear and motivated (could be all that caffeine I can't have anymore!) and my body is struggling to get the strength it had before surgery back again. I have muscle cramps on my port side constantly, my first TOM since surgery was way more intense than they used to be, and I don't have a scale at home so I am not sure if I am losing at all right now. Bandster Hell is right! I have started with a therapist to try to deal with my eating issues, and my husband has changed his own lifestyle to be in sync with what I am doing, so its not like i dont have the support at home. I don't keep very good food logs, always been a problem for me, but I know I'm eating WAY less than I used to and exercising like I should. I'm just in a rut I guess. Anyone have any tips on how to make food logging less of a pain in the you-know-what? My five year old literally groans when I take out my little notebook for the hundreth time to record my water, protein, calories, vitamins, blah blah blah. I can't stick to it because it feels so tedious. Thanks for any ideas, Rebecca

Thanks everybody!!

Hi Everybody, Sounds like everyone is doing great. It's a steep learning curve here for sure. Thursday I will be a week post-op. I've not got any restriction on liquids but I am doing my due diligence with Protein and fluids. I discovered unflavored Soy Isolate Protein powder, $15 for a big oatmeal sized container at Whole Foods and have been boosting the protein content of smooth Soups just to have something hot and more substantial. I am sooooooo looking forward to mushies, especially a little hummus. Not sure how much I'll have lost with no real exercise in more than a week but they'll weigh me Thurs at my recheck appt. So we shall see. I am desperate to start real exercise again, I was doing so well in the gym when surgery and recovery broke my rhythm! Still taking a percocet at night to sleep comfortably on my side, anyone think that's an issue almost a week out? We are having a heat wave the next few days too, and I hate the heat. Give me strength!

Hey y'all. I'm doing okay, I was banded Thursday, stayed in hospital until yesterday after lunch, and have been resting and walking and sipping here at home. I'm down to one percocet from the 2 they were giving me in the hospital. I'm full liquids only for the first week so just alternating between Protein drinks and Water. Port incision hurts and Lovenox injections for two weeks are a bummer but I am managing. Still have gas pain between my shoulder blades and a very rumbly gut. I am starting to wonder if the Glucerna shakes are adding to my gassiness because when I drink a Syntrax nectar shake made with water I seem less gassy. Oh well. Time will tell. I have been concocting a recipe in my head for when I start pureed food on Friday. I'm going to blend low fat refried Beans, fat free sour cream, low fat cheese, and salsa in my magic bullet to a thin consistency, then portion out 1/2 cup servings in my little ramekins. I'm thinking heated in the microwave for a few seconds and I'll have a yummy Mexican flavor fix. I'll let you know how it comes out

Thanks Amy

TMI alert, I apologize in advance! Everyone has been talking about constipation...I am having the opposite problem - never have I not made it into the bathroom before, but twice today! Has anyone else had diarrhea vs. Constipation???

I made it! The first 24 hrs were hard, I had awful gas pain and pain in my port incision getting out of bed. But I walked the halls all day and night praying for burps, and am home now and feeling lots better. I'll probably post in the post-op area from here on out, hope all of the rest of this week's bandits do great!

Best of luck to my fellow 7/14 bandsters!! I'm headed to the hospital, will check in tomorrow! See you in Bandland!!

Of course we will!!! Waiting for a date is so hard - hang in there!

Life is too short! Find a way to make the money you NEED (vs want) and be happy!! I know this is often easier said than done, but a toxic work environment can damage so many parts of you!!!

Hi everyone! I am getting excited and nervous for my one way trip to Bandland Thursday. This pre-op is difficult for sure but I have been surprised at how strong I've been overall. That's not to say I haven't had my cheats, I'm not perfect! But I've been able to cook for my family a few times and had my shake without feeling deprived or sorry for myself, that's a step in the right direction, I think. I am going to find myself a therapist as soon as I get recovery out of the way, Shauna you're right in saying the mental issues don't disappear. At my pre-op appt this past Thursday the pre-op diet had taken off 8 lbs, which brought me to a total of 31 lost since March and the supervised diet my insurance required (yay), but I don't have a scale at home so I'll weigh in when I get to the hospital, I want to know exactly how much the pre-op took off total. This diet has got me SO gassy, I cannot imagine what it will be like post-op!!! All the best, Rebecca

I don't know how important it actually is, but I do know that I had a weak moment tonight and ate Pasta with my kids and am now a nervous, guilty wreck!

Steph, who got banded on the 5th, went through Umass, which I think is in/around Worcester. I am being banded on the 14th at Leonard Morse in Natick You and I must not live far from each other, I am in Medway

Dawn, where are you having yours done?

Hey Shauna, Those first several days do indeed suck. Yesterday on Day 6 it was like someone flipped a switch. I wasn't hungry or affected by people eating around me, and my brain was calm about what I'd be taking in. It was a huge relief! Such good advice about getting a therapist separate from everything else, I am going to do that too!! Thanks, Rebecca

I am so flippin jealous of all the folks who get to do short pre-op diets!! I am on Day 7 of 14, and although it did magically get easier yesterday, it still feels like the 14th is forever away!! Going in for my pre admission testing tomorrow, hope to see the last week moved the scale a bit!

Crash, I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I am trying to remember that all my mimd's issues with food won't be solved overnight. The temptation of summer BBQ smells are insane on this pre-op diet. We took the kids to a town fair yesterday and the smell of sausage and peppers nearly made me pass out! I'm going to mark it as a personal success that I didn't go for one of those and only snuck a few pretzels and nuts. Holidays will probably always be a little tough for us, but we can support each other through them! as my surgeon says, he's not banding your head. And you will fall off the wagon in lots of ways over the years, the question is how fast you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back on program. Keep your head up, you can do this

Hooray for the July 5th Bandits!! I am thinking of everybody today! I am on Day 6 of my Pre-op. Last night we took the kids to fireworks and I had a few pretzels and almonds. Not feeling so good about that today, but trying to move past it. I had a dream last night that Doc opened me up and found a whole almond, lol! I know it's just because I feel disappointed, it's been one thing to have an extra shake or serving of fruit this week but those were things that are off limits. Oh well, moving forward!

Hi everybody!! So glad to see that you're all recuperating well! I've had laproscopic surgery twice before and it sounds like many of the post op effects are similar, so I'm trying not to feel too nervous. I've only got 11 days to go, and it can't come fast enough for me! Nechama, Here's how I figured out my goal weight. Not scientific, but it worked for me. I have a tall, strong frame. I am 5'7". When I graduated from high school I weighed 160, wore a size 8, and looked fabulous though I didn't know it at the time When I graduated college I weighed 180, and stayed there until getting married, at which point I weighed 200 and felt less than fabulous...numbers went up steadily from there. My goal is to get back down to 180. It puts me in the size 14/16 range which is good for my height and frame. I've lost 25 lbs preparing for sugary, which has put me exactly 100 lbs from my goal. Oh, and I am TOTALLY getting a tummy tuck once I've reached and maintained it!!

Thanks Lorelei, that makes me hopeful, I'm on Day 4, got my TOM today, and am ready to grab my husband's lunch and lock myself in the bathroom with it, lol!

Aly, I give you so much credit...aren't you around 18 if I remember correctly? I could NEVER have worked this out at your age!!! It sounds like it's been a real struggle with friends and temptations - you are only human!! At least with your travel and being away from everything "normal" in Sydney you won't be faced with the same temptations up until surgery. Hang in there honey - I think you're doing an incredible thing!! Sending a hug halfway around the world- should be there tomorrow Love, Rebecca

Day 3 of the pre-op for me. And it is not fun!! I am supposed to have 3 Glucerna shakes and 2 fruits daily, but there hasn't been a day yet when I didn't add an extra serving of each because I was hungry mid afternoon or in the evening. My dietician said that was "ok if I needed" but I am just paranoid that I won't be prepped correctly. Also, my husband has been awesome about preparing his own food but my kids are 4 and 5, so all day long I'm fixing them meals and snacks I can't touch I know I can do it, it just feels like the 14th will never get here. We are purposely sitting out all the holiday cookouts we were invited to just so I don't somehow justify any cheating. Sorry, I know I sound bleh... I hope everyone who's been banded the last few days is recuperating well!!

Best of luck July 1st Bandsters!!!

Tammy, you have plenty of reason for venting, don't feel bad. Your day sucked!