anewchapter

Hi there, I also had this and many other types of "maybe I shouldn't do this" thoughts going through my head. Even while sitting on the hospital bed waiting to go into surgery I was thinking, "if they don't put me out right now I'm gonna make a run for the door." This is a HUGE decision and with any major decision there will be doubt.The pre-op diet did give me a moment of, "maybe I can do it on my own" thought. But then I remembered that if I really could have "done it on my own", I already would have. It also reminded me of how much food had a hold on me and when you break the cycle it is freeing. I clearly remember how good it felt to not be so full all the time. I think there is a negative attitude about admitting "we can't do it on our own", like we're weak or something. But we are so strong by doing this. It's like standing up and staying, "I have a problem....but I"m not going to let it ruin my life anymore....I'm taking a stand for me.... I will be happy."

I am self pay as well and I would go with the local option. As the other's have said, aftercare is so important. You don't want to be sitting at home saying to yourself, "I really need to talk to someone about _______, but I'm not sure how much that will cost me." I bet when your aftercare and fills are paid out of pocket there are sometimes when people do not go in and pay for what they need. When it's paid up front you are free to ask and get as much as you need.

Hi Ann, Well I certainly know what you are talking about and this was one of the questions I asked when I went for my consult. I was told that I would not need to count calories after being banded. Just follow the guidelines and make the right choices. Now I do not have much experience yet, I was banded this past monday, but I will certainly take their advice. My clinic doesn't want me to trade one obsession for another. I will follow the post-op diet to the "T" because I want to heal as safely as I can. But no where in their guidelines is the need to count a single calorie or log anything. As like you, I know I can count points, calories, etc and log everything I put in my mouth. And I know I can lose weight with this method. I also know I am not successful in the long run doing that. My father always says the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. You have to do something different is you want different results. Well this time I am not going to do the same old things I have always done to lose weight. I will rely on my clinic to give me the support I'll need and my band to help me with portion control. My goal in all of this is to lose the obsession with food! I stopped logging and counting the first day of my pre-op diet August 1, I have lost 12 pounds since. I'm happy with these results and I am enjoying not being "full" all the time. And most of all, it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Hi There, I had surgery on Monday and couldn't help but step on the scale yesterday...That was a bad mistake...I had gained 2 pounds. I know only 2 and not 15.5, but I was still mad. I hadn't eaten basically a single thing since Sunday night...in my mind I should have lost a couple pounds...forgetting of course that I just had surgery, but body is in shock, full of extra fluids. I reminded myself that I actually wasn't taking in all the protein and water I should been. So I made some changes to my liquids yesterday and today I lost those 2 pounds plus 3 more. I also will really try to only weigh myself once a week. Cause it really does play a nasty game with your brain. Just keep doing what the Dr's tell you to do, follow the liquid diet and those pounds will come off. Just remember they are pounds from liquid, not calories and will come off quickly. I also think walking is the key with helping the body get rid of the bloating and gas. Hope your doing well soon.

Hi Everyone, I'm feeling better today, 2nd day post-op. Took the allowed pain meds last night and slept much better. Walked around a bit before going to bed and was able to relieve some of the gas...thank God cause it was starting to get on my nerves. I will be moving around more today to help it along some more. I really think I wan't moving enough yesterday. Shoulder pain is good today so far. Caryn I totally know what you mean about a small animal trying to crawl it's way out of your tummy. I feel the same way. Ms.Lady I really hope your doing better. Maybe your Dr has something better then Gas-x to help with the issue. Maybe a gross question, but how long after surgery were you able to go #2?? I don't normally suffer from constipation, and I'm only 2 days post-op so not worrying yet, but just wondering about anyone else. Erinn

Hi All,My name is Erinn, I'm 33, single, no kids, starting weight at my clinic was 272 about a size 20-22. I was banded yesterday and I though I was doing well untill about 6ish tonight. I think it's gas pain, but hard to describe. More like bloating and then pressure on my incisions, also it's like my neck muscles were over worked and they are killing me, making my ears hurt. I don't know but it sucks. I was allowed to take 1-2 perks at a time and was only taking 1, but I have increased to 2 for tonight. I'd like to get a decent nights sleep. I'll check back in tomorrow. I also think I need to walk a bit more during the day.

My clinic does not put anything in the band during surgery to allow the body to heal. They only use a 9cc and 14cc band depending on the size of your stomach once they get in there. Although the 14cc band they said does need more fills before the sweet spot is reached, just because it's bigger. She also said most people will end up with the 9cc band.

Hey all fellow August Bandsters. I was banded yesterday and everything went very good I also had a bit of trouble sleeping the couple night right up to the big day. And I felt like I had butterflies in my stomach the whole (2 hr) drive to the clinic and right up till they knocked me out. I was terrified of waking up without the band. I did ok on the pre-op diet but not as good as I should have, so I was really nervious about that. It was the first thing I asked when I woke up. I was in recovery at the clinic for 3 hours after the procedure. I wasn't in very much pain at all (2 out of 10), no nausea (but they gave me gravel before even asking, so that probably helped). Mostly my throat was sore from the tube. And my arm was swollen, bruised and sore from where they injected me with something (I think it was hapranin and antibiotic). Everything is getting better today tho. I bit of, not pain...but more like irritation in my left shoulder (the results from the gas), this is when I know I need to take more pain meds. The port incision bothers me the most, but really not that bad. I have not been hungry at all, just thirsty. Basically after having my appendix out with open surgery, this has been a breeze. I was 3 of 3 people having surgery yesterday tho and I'll give you a bit of an update from what I saw. One lady ended up having to stay the night, not sure why, but she did. The other lady was not looking very good when I saw here, puked up some water after surgery, was having nausea issues I guess and also issues voiding. They would not let her leave before she voided. I was 20 mins shy of being the last into surgery and the first discharged. Although I was the youngest of us three, so I'm sure that also helped. I wish everyone well on their up coming surgeries

Thanks. It does help. I am self pay as well because in Canada they only cover Gastric By-Pass....and that is too crazy for me.

Hello Everyone, I just found out that I may have a low functioning thyroid (which I'm sure you all know causes weight gain, depression, fatigue and other issues) and now I'm wondering if I should be going through with this surgery or trying to treat the thyroid issue first. Of course the surgery is scheduled for Monday, this is the first time I have considered cancelling and now I don't know what to do. I am going to see my nurse practitioner tomorrow. But I'm kinda freaking out! My question is does anyone else have hypothyroidism that is being treated but still having or have had surgery??? Thanks

Although I have been "trying to lose weight" over the last 2 years (15yrs in total), I think I had really given up on myself. Seeings how in that time frame I've gained 30 pounds. I gave up on my abilities to be a healthy person, because it really is a skill and I do have it, I somehow forgot and tossed in the towel. Deciding to have WLS is my way to stand up for myself, so to speak. My surgery is August 15 and I start my pre-op diet August 1 which is basically a no carb diet (Protein shakes not required). So last week I asked myself, am I going to continue to 'give up' right up untill the pre-op diet is to start?? Or am I going to make changes right now?? I decided that because the pre-op diet and the diet I will be following after surgery are so different from what I was consuming, I better start making the changes now. It means I get an additional two weeks to try and change my mind and my habits. So this is my plan: June 18 – 24 · No drinks with meals (wanted to start this early, because it is such a habit for me to drink something with a meal) · Limit pop (I don't drink much pop, so this shouldn't be to hard) · Protein shake for Breakfast Mon-Fri · No snack before dinner (3 meals, 2 Snacks a day) · Limit carbs June 25 – 31 · No drinks with meals · No pop · Protein shake for breakfast Mon-Fri · No snacks before lunch or dinner (3 meals, 1 snack a day) · Limit carbs and sugar · Smaller portion for lunch August 1 – 14 (Pre-op diet starts) · No drinks with meals · No pop · Protein shake for breakfast everyday · No carbs, fruit, sugar, cheese, alcohol · No snacking (3 meals a day) · Smaller portion for lunch and dinner I thought this plan would get me into the right frame of mind not only before surgery but also before the pre-op diet. Small changes to gain momentum and produce big changes What will you do?? Continue with your current eating habits right up until pre-op diet or start to make changes now??

Good for you!! I think it's important to both have a morning time with food and have some of your favorites to get them out of your system, and to really set ourselves up for success on the pre-op diet. I'm glad I didn't go from one exream to the other. I also struggle with not drinking with meals. Although I have been good this week, it was hard to get started. Sounds like you have a great plan in place for success

Hi Crash...this was an awesome post. Just what I need to get through the last 5 days of my pre-op diet. It's so inspiring to hear from people who have made it through the surgery and are doing well. I too have had a couple slip-ups during my pre-op diet and felt guilty about it. However, I was a binger and my small slip-ups have not even touched the type of damage I used to go to myself. Physically with food, and mentally all day long. I used to be totally consummed by food. Eating, thinking, living in guilt. Being on the pre-op diet for the past 8 days and I already fell like a weight has been lifted of my shoulders. It's like the never-ending cycle I was in...ended. And I'm so much more at peace. I have also been enjoying not being so full all the time. I was eating so much all the time I was constantly full and uncomfortable all the time. It feels so good to be satified with a regular, healthy meal and not so controlled by carbs and sugar. I have sugery on Monday and it just can't get here soon enough. I will take your advice about having everything I'm allowed during post-op and about bring a pillow with me for the drive home (especially because my drive is 2 hours long). Thanks again

Thanks everyone. I thought about this some more last night and I'm going to proceed with surgery. After thinking about it, I'm sure those that thyroid medicaiton did help are probably not on this board anyway. I also realize that having hypothyroidism did not cause my food addiction, I did, and the addiction is what I want to over come. With the support from the band and the clinic I'm going through I feel as though I will be able to achieve this. If they give me medicaiton to help with my thyroid then great. I might have more energy, not be so tired all the time and my body might be able to stay in harmony a little better...all of which will give me an extra boost with my existing weight loss efforts.

I'm on the 15th

I am a week from surgery and still struggle with this too. Only because I've failed so many times in the past and want to wait and see what happens before I start telling everyone. However there is a part of me that wants to shout it from the roof tops. I haven't even told my room mate yet. She works at a health food store and were not that close, I'll probably tell her cause it will just be easier with recovery, but that's the only reason. Someone posted to be prepared for the word to get around and she is right I think. I told a close friend and also told her I wouldn't be telling everyone and to keep it to herself. She is not someone I thought would have said anything, then the other day she tells me that she was talking to one of my other friends (although we are not close) and told her!!!!! I was really pissed off. It was not her business to tell. So I guess in the long run people will know it's just a matter of when. I think keeping it between a few close friends and family in the start is a good thing. It is a stressful time and we need to make it as stress free as possible.

Glad to hear you are doing well

I started my pre-op diet on Monday and was doing good, then I had a bit of trouble last night and eat something I shouldn't have because I let myself get to hungry. But I learned my lesson and I'm right back on it today! We will make it through our pre-op diets!! Just keep trying Just keep telling yourself you can do anything for two weeks!! (Got that from someone else here) It helps me.

Me too! Infact I put on a variety of outfits (some that fit, some a bit tight, and one I couldn't even get done up) on Monday and took some great before pictures.

My parents are also not very supportive with this process and my decision. My Dad is trying, in fact he offered to drive me to and from surgery, but he has issues with it. My Mom basically doesn't say anything I will keep reminding myself: It's my decision.....not theirs! This is for me.....not for them!