EddieDC

Sure you are cheating. You are cheating early death. You are cheating diabetes. You are cheating high blood pressure. You are cheating the people who think because our clothes are twice as large we should pay 5 times as much for them. You are cheating back pain, breathlessness, and feeling bad about your self image. You know what - none of those things play fair - so you darn well ought to cheat them. The surgery isn't cheating. You made a choice to change your life. You overcame fear. You paid for the band or jumped through your insurance hoops. You took steps necessary to deal with this problem. You did what you needed to do, to make yourself healthy - and who is anyone to judge that. We all tried willpower alone. We denied ourselves. It didn't work. So now you are dealing with the problem rather than accepting it. Anyone who loves you will see you as smart and brave and be so glad that you are taking steps to be in their lives longer.

In the days immediately following surgery, I found that I was being extremely cautious with drinking slowly and eating slowly. Now I am 10 days out and find that I can drink many ounces without a problem relatively quickly. I also find that sometimes when I am rushed, I can eat 6 ounces of yogurt as fast as I would have pre-surgery. Did anyone else come out of surgery and not really notice a difference? I am eating between 600 and 900 calories a day - but its really by choice and willpower. I've just chosen to stick with the pre-op diet. I got used to that and didn't ever feel super hungry - but now, I eat the food and can live with it, but I am definitely not full. Is this normal? Is it likely that I just need a fill. I am still on liquids but know I can eat "regular" food as I have taken a taste of this or that but not enough to add more than 50 calories. Really just a taste to avoid going crazy - and being cautious not to have anything that will be on the long term no-no list. Other than that, its been quite a relief, since I pictured immediately being sick every time I ate and that hasn't happened at all

I don't know if this will be helpful to people. I am getting banded on Friday. I have been on the liquid diet for two weeks. Not sure how much weight I've lost as the scale at home is so inaccurate. I can lose or gain 20 pounds depending where it is on the bathroom floor. So frustrating. Anyhow, the liquid diet was rough for the first 3 days - but once i got over the caffeine deprivation headaches and adjusted to the small amounts it really wasn't that bad. One thing I really missed was flavor. I have to say that College Inn culinary broth - white wine and herb flavor - only 5 calories for 8 oz same as other broth and none of them from fat has been a real lifesaver for me. I was trying anything to get flavor in broth, putting in spices - and still couldn't get it satisfying. I don't know how they do it but that particular broth has flavor. I put it in a coffee cup and sip it when I am feeling hungry. Its not a cure-all but its tasty. I've also been enjoying Ocean Spray 5 calorie "light" cranberry juice as an alternative to crystal light. I won't mention what they are, because none of us need reminders, but I have had cravings for the oddest foods - not the things I would have expected - my normal go to favorites. Anyone else experiencing cravings for foods you didn't expect?

I'm scheduled for the end of next week for the band and I am scared to death. I just have this huge fear that i will wake up with the band and be hugely unhappy - I've ruined my life and I can't go back. Has anyone else had this fear? I'm sure intellectually that this is the right thing to do, and reading people's stories I know that it won't be that bad - but it still doesn't stop me from waking up in the middle of the night in a panic. I've got mixed feelings where my emotion wants to cancel but my mind wants to move forward. Can anyone tell me - I've read that "overeating" is very uncomfortable for those banded - but no one has said what that means - nausea - heart attack like chest pain - vomiting - etc. I don't fear so much overeating as forgetting myself for a moment on a hot day and starting to gulp Water or whatever. I'm today easily able to down a glass or two in one action. Heck I fear being thirsty. What about hunger? Does the band make you feel deprived - or simply satiated on much less? i'm on the fifth day of the liquid diet pre-op. I have to say the first 2-3 days were terrible (caffeine withdrawal?) - but now I feel much better - this almost seems normal. I've actually skipped some of the meals or Snacks because I haven't needed them. (pre bed snack of 6 oz yogurt I haven't needed the last two days.- and morning snack of sugar free pudding) While the Protein Shakes are awful, I found one that isn't so bad. I only wish my doctor gave me a meal plan with a little variety. Its the same thing everyday. Thanks for listening