Fat_Librarian

Thank you for being so honest. I am in a very similar situation. Let's start over together!

Thank you, but I'll be in Minot. It looks like I'll be going to Bismarck though.

Thanks - it's good to know there are other North Dakotans here!!

Hello, everyone! I am getting ready to move back to Minot and am just 3 weeks post-op. I am happy that I found this forum, but notice its been silent for a few years... Is anyone from ND still in here? If so, can you suggest where I will have to go for fills and such?

Thanks!!

This thread is such a relief - I thought I was the only one with this problem!!

Thanks.

Hi, all!

I just got a job offer in North Dakota and am just 2 weeks pre-op so I need to find a doctor for follow-ups and band fills. Are there any ND banders who can advise me?

Thanks!

Hey everyone! I was banded on 8/9 and have been on mushies for almost a week, but it seems like I'm not getting as full as I was at first. I ate 6 oz of chili for lunch and am still hungry. Do you think this will be likely to go away once I get the first fill?

Thanks!

I am one week today too and had my one week follow up with lots of good news. First, I've lost 21.5 pounds since my pre-op appointment. Second, I get to start mushies today!

I was so happy I went to a local salad bar and filled up a container with cottage cheese, soft fruits, hard-boiled eggs, etc. The best part was that after 4-5 bites I started to feel full. I called my husband and said "this thing really works!".

Hope everyone experiences days like these - best wishes to all!!

It takes a while to be able to drink a full shake after surgery. I found broths to be the easiest and adding unflavored or chicken flavored Protein Powder would help, but once I could drink more I found the following recipe in the forum that I really like. If you can have the ingredients try:

1 scoop chocolate Protein powder

8 oz skin milk

1 tbsp of "healthy" Peanut Butter (I'm bad and just use regular ol' Jiff)

4 pieces of ice

Blend and enjoy!

I was banded 8/9 and had the same thing happen to me yesterday. It WAS terrible, but with a heating pad and pain meds it went away. Take it easy - no more Walmart!

I am having the exact same thing and am also 5 days post-op. So, either it's normal or we're both abnormal!

Unfortunately, I don't have any advice, but I have been "eating" (ie: shakes, jell-o, soup) in less quantity, but more frequently it seems...

My stomach's been growling since I got out of surgery 8/9... literally. People have said it's just "head hunger", but my family can hear my stomach growling across the house! At the same time, I can't even finish a shake without feeling uncomfortable. I'm worried I'm not getting enough Protein or Water, but just can't get enough down. I'm especially not finding any protein powders that taste good. Anyone else having this problem?

Best wishes to all - I'm glad to have such a support team!

I am just one-day post op and am not able to drink very much of my shakes before feeling full, but then I'm hungry less than an hour later. Is this normal? What am I supposed to do since I have to stop drinking 30 minutes prior to "eating", but my stomach is growling during this time?

It's official: I am banded!! The surgery and recovery have been pretty darn good so far (I am waiting for it to get more difficult -it's been too easy). I wish the rest of you all the best and hope you are as lucky as I was in getting an amazing nursing staff to take care of you!!

I'm actually 8/9, but thanks for the well-wishes, I will keep them for Thursday! Can't wait to get off the pre-op diet and hopefully be full more often then not. I'm starting to have food-related dreams where I'm FORCED to eat greasy, unhealthy food! :-p

Good luck to everyone!!

If you can have Decaf coffee and like iced coffee make a drink of half cold coffee and half vanilla shake with some ice. It's been my saving grace!

Good luck!

Thanks everyone, I guess it's nice to know that I'm not the only one AND that the "starving" feeling goes away! Fortunately, I haven't had too bad of a time with cravings - its just this constant ache of feeling hungry! It's worse at night when I actually wake up with pangs of hunger. 6 days to go...

I keep reading from everyone that it gets better and the hunger subsides, but after a week of the pre-op diet I am still starving all the time and just want something "crunchy" - I would kill for a cracker or tortilla chip!

Please tell me once I'm past the liquid diet post-op that it gets better...

Help my daughter learn to ride her bike without training wheels without getting out of breath and having to stop to rest.

8/9 - one week from today and one week into the pre-op diet! A week can't go fast enough....

August 9th!!

Thank you all so much for the advice! It's only been 2 days and I feel like I've been hungry the entire time... BUT I did pass up cake at a work party and haven't cheated.

Luckily, I am not on all-liquids. I have 2 shakes and 4 oz meat and can have all the vegetables I want plus liquids. I've already found that beef broth with diced tomatoes is not bad (weird, huh?) and I think stir-fry veggies and some chicken will be my go-to dinner.< /p>

It's so nice hearing all your stories - thank you SO much for the help!!

Hi everyone! I am starting my liver shrinking diet today and just wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom or suggestions to make meals less boring so I can be prepared?

Thanks!!

I'm about to start mine too, so I hope I can be as strong as you all seem to be!

Good luck to all

After MONTHS of going through all the pre-op paperwork and appointments I am close to having a surgery date set, but I have a question for anyone in the Richmond, VA area:

If you have used Commonwealth Surgeons, what has your experience been like?

My experience so far has been incredibly negative. The staff are rude and abrupt and my case seems to keep getting passed from one person to another and no one keeps me updated on the status of things. After all I’ve gone through to get to this point I am actually considering NOT scheduling the surgery due to the poor treatment.

Any input fellow Virginians have would be most helpful – thanks!