gottobeme

Hi Jesscaba...I also am scheduled for the 13th. Come over to the group "Springers". We are all being/have been banded in March, April or May of this year. It's nice to have a group of others close to your surgery date.

Got my pre-op diet today and start on March 30th. Averages 850 cal and 95 gms of Protein. Daily 3 Protein Shakes daily 2 Protein Bars daily - I get the shakes and bars from my clinic - their requirement and they're good too! 3 oz of lean protein 1 small - med piece of fruit or 1 cup of items like melon, berries, grapes, etc. unlimited non-starchy vegetables 64 oz of liquid (10 cal or less per 8 oz serving) additional free items include: sugar free Jell-o Sugar free popsicles spray butter non-stick cooking spray garlic / herbs / spices with no sodium

Welcom everyone! GirlieGirl you have already been through so much and you are still so young! My thoughts and prayers are with you as well as everyone in the "Springers" group! I had two of my 4 pre-op appointments today, the nutritionist and a surgery nurse. It was cool because I also got to meet the other person having lap-band surgery the same day as I am and one that is having it a week before. I also found it interesting to hear more about some things like Pbing, hair loss and other "complaints" I have read about on this site. As we have all read before, follow your doctors recommendations. I remember reading on this site about someone who said their doctor was not worried about them throwing up (Pbing) and someone else adamantly stating that it was not normal and they needed an unfill or something to help. I am glad to know my team does not consider it normal after surgery! They also explained that it was more bile-like than puke-like, not that it really is any better! I hope I haven't grossed anyone out yet. I start my pre-op diet on March 30th. It will be a combination of Protein Drinks and bars, one piece of fruit and unlimited non-starchy vegetables. I think my toughest hurdle will be giving up Coke Zero - I am addicted to the stuff!

April 13th

Mmmm...Reese's Peanut Butter eggs! lol. Last night I uploaded a bunch of "Before" pics to this site. (Only accessible to me, I may share later.) I think smmrsue has the right idea...I should pull those up and then get myself out of the house and away from food! ElizabethAnne - you said you were counting calories. Do you journal your food? I know I did best on my diet when I did but have had a hard time doing lately. I have tried many methods like apps on my phone and just trying to keep paper with me to write things down but for what ever reason cannot motivate myself to follow through with it for more that 24 hours at a time. Any suggestions?

ElizabethAnne - I know how you feel about doing well with weight loss prior to surgery. I have been working with my team since August and lost 60+ lbs so far but have been fighting the same 3 pound for about a month! I have had many people tell me ..."but you're doing so good on your own, why have surgery?". For me diets usually work for about 6 months then I start back into my old bad eating habits. I know the band is only a tool but I am hoping it is the tool that will help me make the lifelong change in habits that I need to be a healthy weight. I'm still scared and know as the next four weeks go by I will probably doubt and double guess myself multiple times but I also know my track record without the band is not good.

WOW, we have so many new members since my last post! Welcome everyone! My surgery is scheduled for (Friday) April 13th. I work in an elementary school and was able to schedule most of my pre-op appointments during spring break. I did great for a while on a modified low calorie diet that I was on through my program but I am having a hard time sticking to it now. I think knowing that I have surgery scheduled makes it tougher for me to stick to it. I am actually looking forward to my pre-op diet because I think I will be able to stick to it knowing it is needed specifically for the surgery. At least I hope so! We have such a great group going here! Nurses, be prepared for post-op questions! I know we all have our surgeons and staff to go to with questions but sometimes it just feels better to get a push from someone in the biz to call them and ask...PA my sister is a PA and I know I will often ask her things before calling my doc.

Good luck with nephrology. I also think it would be more help long term. My 13 year old son had a non-functioning kidney removed when he was in kindergarten. One of my many reasons for surgery is because I already had elevated A1C levels and a family history of diabetes. Although we don't expect him to ever have issues with his good kidney, it never hurts to keep both of mine healthy!

I agree with all of the above posts and also wonder are the rashes likely to lead to infections? That is something I think you should consider including in your appeal.

I LOVED being on Depo - no periods, no PMS, it was great!

I'm not sure about after banding but the very low calorie diet I have been on so far allows one LC meal less than 300 cal to replace protein and carbs. I agree it really does help with portion control!

I actually went to college for photography. It has become more of a sometimes hobby for me now. I have taken senior photo's for my nephew, my friends foster children and plan to take my daughters this summer. I'm looking forward to having a garden this year and hopefully doing some canning for the first time. I work in an elementary school as a special ed aide and am looking for a summer job now. The only bad thing about my job is no summer income! Although I did not go to church growing up I am now pretty involved in my congregation. The fact that my church is only 3 blocks from my home makes it easier to be involved. I also spend to much time on Facebook. My daughter calls me a Facebook stalker because I read and rarely post. I have also recently started on Pinterest, my most recent time waster!

I think my biggest fear is failure. Closer to my surgery I'm sure it will change. I hate going under, the whole not being in control thing! I'm worried about the first time I get stuck. My hair is already thin so if it gets much thinner I'll have to start wearing hats all the time. I'm sure I'll think of more

I am able to get shakes and bars from my clinic. From the research I've done online it looks like they may be the same ones Medifast uses but packaged w/my clinics logo. They are cheaper at my clinic than online from Medifast but the variety is limited to vanilla, chocolate and my favorite strawberry. I have also found some reasonably priced shakes and mixes at Costco. I have tried the vanilla Premier, not bad but very sweet and a chocolate whey protein, I don't remember the brand. I have also tried chocolate Muscle Milk Lite, not bad but pricey.

Is it limited to PMS time? If it is I have no advice other than talk to your doctor if it does happen again. Since you're traveling I sure hope it doesn't. I have not been banded yet but the reason I wanted to respond to your post is because I have been on an anti-depressant for 15+ years. Some doctors would say I should no longer need it and others tell me by this time I know if I need to increase my dose. I have only done this a couple of times over the years but if I start feeling like you have described for a few weeks - month I know that I may need to increase my dose and talk to my doctor about it. I have tried to go of the meds 2-3 times over the years but can tell a big difference in my emotional state when I do. My advice...keep your doctor up to date. I know it may not be much of a help but at least know your not alone, even with extreme PMS!

Hello Everyone, My name is Teri. I am a 43 yr old mother of two. I have a 16yr old daughter and 13yr old son. I have been married 22 years and overweight all my life. My surgery date is April, 13th. Like all of you I have lost, only to gain more than I lost several times. Also, like most of you, I am afraid of failure with the band. When I tell people I am having the surgery I am usually quick to tell them it is only a tool and I can gain the weight back if I don't use it correctly. I try to be open with everybody because I feel it is easier in the long run and may help me to be more accountable in the future. I also hope by letting people know I may make a connection to someone else out there who is contemplating surgery and needs someone to talk to. I have been working with my doctors since August and have lost 63 lbs. I am happy with the weight loss so far but also frustrated with myself because the last month I have been +/- 3 lbs every time I weigh myself. I am not sticking well to my plan so I know it is my fault. I don't know if actually having the date scheduled has added to my lack of stick-to-it-ness (I just made up that word! lol) or not. I am looking forward to a liquid diet so I can start dropping again. Like Elizabethanne mentioned I am also good at sticking to a more rigid diet, but not long term. Unlike several of you I HATE to cook! I think this could be detrimental to me post-op. It is so much easier to pop a frozen anything (high in fat, additives, etc) into the oven. I am being a bad mother most days, when my kids ask what's for dinner I tell them I'm having....(usually some sort of vegetable or a salad). You can have whatever you want to make for yourself. I have a meat lover, a vegetarian, a husband and myself. Did I mention I HATE cooking? I'm not going to make 3-4 single dinners per night. We do keep things they can easily make for themselves, my husband cooks a lot of the time and I do help some, so I don't feel too bad. It's great to see that we have nurses in our group! I am not a nurse but keep thinking about going back to school for nursing or physical therapy (assistant). I did take a CNA class a few years ago but never took my state test to get certified. While I was taking the class I was offered my current job as a special ed aide (which I LOVE) and never went to take the test after passing the class with flying colors. Now that I have a daughter who will be starting college in a little over a year, I just don't see how i can go back to school financially. Sorry for my off topic rambling.

Does your doctor offer support group meetings or nutrician counseling? If so get a head start on things by attending and preparing yourself. If you don't already drink enough water daily use the time to work yourself up to that goal before surgery. I am still pre-op and have been working on these things for months hopefully it will make things a little easier after surgery. Logging your food is also great. I have trouble sticking to this but from everything I've heard food logs/diaries are one of the best tools for long-term weight loss. Hope this helps!

I love this thread and thanks Caribear for the link. I have crossing guard and recess duty at school and even though we have had an extremely mild winter I have found myself colder than I was last year. I have even worn two winter coats at one time some this year. I thought it was probably related to the loss of insulation...now I know I'm not alone!

Kristih, From what I have read on here it seems that doctors advice varies from none to quite extensive. If your doctor has not given you any information maybe he is just in it for the money and not to truly help people to get healthy. Do you have a nutritionist on your team? If not ask if there is one nearby who has worked with wls patients. It will be very important for us to get our Protein in first as well as staying well hydrated. I feel the program I am involved in is quite extensive and am confidant of the support they will offer post op and long term. I have been working with my team since August and have surgery scheduled for April 13th. My current problem is that I am not sticking to my plan and need to get back on track.

Well, our surgeries are in April so maybe we should just be Fools! I started my journey in July. I love the staff where I go and feel they do a very thorough job getting you to surgery. I have been on a modified very low calorie diet since August but have not been sticking to it very well lately. I'm not sure if it is because this is the point "diets" start to fail for me or what is happening. Even since I got my approval and date set I have had a mixture of good and bad days. I am falling into the "hole" of "well I'm having surgery soon so I'll eat what I want now" and need to get past it. From what I've read I don't really know that there is any one thing we can't eat after surgery. It seems it's a matter of making sure the size and consistency will go down and not get stuck or come back up. it seems some people have problems with some foods that others don't. The idea of getting things stuck is probably what worries me most right now.

I've always thought Monday the 13th was the real problem...

Friday April 13th for me!