ElizabethAnne

You are right---what a great thought to help you get through the challenging times! Happy to know you're continuing to feel better.

Yay for you! I agree with Julie---we need a smiley face that claps!

Welcome, Mendy! This group has helped me so much, and I know it will you, too. May 10th will be here soon!

Did you get the medical clearance you need today? It's great you can complete your pre-surgery visit by phone. My surgeon doesn't do pre-surgery visits, but I wish he did. I have a couple more questions I'd like to ask him. His nurse practitioner conducts small group meetings to go over pre-op and post-op information and to answer general questions. May 2 will be here soon---I am so happy for you!

This is great news! I am so happy for you!

This is great news! I am so happy for you!

Thank you for all of your responses! I am hoping my experience will be similar to yours.

What pain medication did you use after surgery and for how many days did you need pain medication? Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

I'm glad to hear you're doing well and that you're off your pain meds already. Keep us updated when you feel like it.

At a group pre-op meeting, my surgeon's nurse practitioner warned us to not gain weight during our pre-op diets, and to emphasize her point, she told us our surgeon had already postponed three surgeries that week due to weight gain. That statement helped me stick with it.

I'm pre-op. I had a gigantic lettuce salad with turkey, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and two Greek yogurts. After all that, I am STILL hungry and looking forward to the day when I feel full with "normal" portions of food.

At the information session I attended, my surgeon said we would need to take this type of medication if we chose to have the gastric bypass procedure because we would lose weight rapidly and be at-risk for gall stones. He didn't mention it for the other weight loss surgery procedures that he performs.

I'm excited for you---Only one more day, and you are on your way! It's great that your surgeon has a wonderful reputation! Try to focus on that thought if you start to experience any nervousness. Best wishes for your surgery. As soon as you feel like it, let us know how you're doing.

I know an appendectomy isn't the same as band surgery, but I do want to encourage you. When I arrived home after my surgery and a night in the hospital, my weight was up several pounds, though I had eaten only a minimal amount; I was extremely discouraged. Then I started eating Easter candy a few days later, largely due to my frustration with the scale and to not controlling what I brought into my home environment. I got a little out-of-control for a short time, then got back on track, thanks to those of you here who helped me. Since then, I have been trying to eat healthy, but I haven't been restricting calories like I was earlier because I want to heal as quickly as possible so that I don't risk another band delay. I am back to my same walking routine now, but for two weeks after my surgery, I didn't possess the energy to walk nearly as much as I normally do. However, even with the decreased exercise and increased calories, my weight has gradually returned to where it was before surgery, with absolutely no special effort on my part. Now, I am fairly certain that I was retaining Water. Lots of water. I understand how it's frustrating when the scale doesn't move, but try to stay positive and keep pushing yourself. You WILL get to your destination. In the meantime, though, try to focus on the overall success you've had so far: 25 pounds lost IS a major accomplishment!

Good luck with your pre-op diet! Sounds like you are well-prepared and ready to go. You can do it!

My surgeon requests that patients limit their calorie intake to no more than 1400 calories per day for at least two weeks prior to surgery.

I had no gas pain at all from my appendectomy and asked my surgeon how barometric pressure affects the amount of pain that one experiences from the gas. He explained that the inside of our body is one atmosphere of barometric pressure while the geographical area where we physically live is another atmosphere. If the barometric pressure where we live is stable after our surgery, we may not experience any gas pain, but if there is decrease in the pressure, we likely will experience discomfort from the gas. I got lucky on the appendectomy and am hoping for the same with the band.

I am so excited to FINALLY have another surgery date scheduled for June 5 and am looking forward to joining the rest of you who have already been banded!

Ditto for me! It's exciting to see the number of members continue to increase and to read all of the posts. This has become such an active group that I haven't been reading/posting at the other LBT forums nearly as much. Thanks, Julie, for starting this group and for being such an awesome moderator!

Congratulations! That's great news!

Congratulations---Sounds like you've done great with your pre-op diet! Hopefully, tomorrow will go just as well, and your weight loss struggles will soon be much less of a burden. Let us know how you're doing as soon as you feel like it. Best wishes for tomorrow!

For my first week after surgery, I am searching for a sugar-free, high Protein Greek yogurt (with no pieces of fruit or other solids) that tastes good. The ones I've tried seem sour or bitter to me. I tried to find the Yoplait 4-packs that someone mentioned earlier but can't find them anywhere. The selection of Greek yogurt where I live is quite limited, but I will be traveling to a city before surgery. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have. It would also be helpful to know where you purchased the item (Whole Foods, supermarket, Walmart, etc.) Thanks for your help!

Thanks for your reply, bluetigereyes. I have never heard of Winco, but numerous Walmart stores are nearby, so I will look for it there. I appreciate the suggestion!

Below is a link to an excellent article posted here on LBT. This psychologist seems to really "get" our struggles with eating. If I lived near where he practices, I'd be scheduling an appointment with him. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/page/index.html/_/healthy-living/inertia-the-real-weight-loss-killer-r30

I'm glad to hear the "noises" are better. Did you read the magazine article posted here on "Inertia"? It is excellent and talks about "mindless" eating. I could relate to it completely. I will try to post a link here for those who might be interested in reading it.