Bright

donali, you hit the nail on the head.... "What is the real requirement? - does anybody really know?" That's the problem! I am really happy with my eating, diet whatever - like Lea was saying, I'm eating mashed potatoes, tuna salad, baked beans, risotto dishes, and it's great! I'm not hungry between meals, but I am worried about the internal "damage" I may be doing. I even had a toasted bagel with smoked salmon/cream cheese the other day - jeez, was that really stupid? I felt ready for it - I was thrilled I could only manage half of it, but now i'm terrified that I damaged my band/stomach/internal sutures or whatever!!! I went back to yogurt and soup today but did have a few forks of tuna salad for dinner.... I guess I had better find my inamed book print out and go by that - seems like the surgeons/doctors want to cover their asses and present us with unrealistic starvation programs, we lose weight, nothin moves insides us and hey presto! they look good! Have to say - much respect to all of you people who have survived on three, four or more weeks of liquids - you're better than i am!! Mind you, I have lost 14lbs in two weeks - I put that down to eating enough, so that I have enough energy to actually get up and walk!!![

Sue: Tragically i don't have the Mid-band!!! I was banded in Paris, and have the inamed band! However, it has a capacity of 9cc and was filled to 3cc during surgery! Now, am I still mad??? Tellie: I had no idea there were even so many cheeses!!!! Now i'm craving cheese I've never even heard of!!

Love your post, Sue - It seems things are completely different here in europe - the only "diet" instructions I was given was 1. eat only three times a day 2. do not eat more that a yoghurt cup amount size at each meal. My surgeon didn't see the sense of a pre surgery diet but I thought it would do me good to try to exercise more before the op and try not to actually gain weight! That's it!!! In hospital, less than 24 hours after my surgery they brought me a cup of tea, and 20 mins later a yoghurt - a french "set" yoghurt (the type that you could tip out on a plate and it would keep it's shape!) with a sachet of sugar to make it sweet! As i wasn't given any further instructions I went by the recommendations of Dr Frerings dietition (he wasn't my surgeon, but I found the info on someone's site) which suggests liquids - ie Soups and compotes for five days, from the sixth day you can eat normal food - I am eating mushy type food at this stage but it's pretty varied and i am very satisfied, and not hungry until I realise it's a meal time! I know if i was on clear liquids I would have gone mad with hunger by now and eaten my body weight in chocolate or big macs or something! Does anyone think I am mad to be eating so soon? I'm wondering if I should go back to soups now!

Hi folks - tomorrow I will be banded two weeks and am feeling great - no pain or discomfort anywhere and no hunger yet - yay! However, I have a question about my port - I have my port on the left side of my stomach between the last two incisions, and I can feel it really easily - but it's really long!!! I thought I would be feeling a circular shape about an inch in diameter but I am feeling about a three or four inch length of - well - of hard plastic I guess! What do the rest of you feel? I know most of you seem to have the port under the breast bone, and I'm not sure I like the sensation of it "floating" around my not inconsiderable tummy!!! I am hoping to fly back to Paris for a check up next week but would really appreciate any theories/observations/answers!!! thanks

Glad you found this board! You must be thrilled with your weightloss so far - what an achievement! I also started at 315 (lost 7lbs before surgery tho) and hope to do as well as you! With regard to carbonated drinks, I am really missing diet coke - but I think it's probably easier to cut it out completely than to just has a little every now and then.... Anyway I'm way to apprehensive to try a fizzy drink now that I'm banded - hope I stay chicken - probably healthier! keep in touch!

hi Donali - thanks for the welcome back and your great messages - you are my official cheerleader! I definitely think I am feeling the port tubing - eeek! Weird! Not unpleasant - just weird! You know, I didn't realise they sutured the port into place (until I read your thread about your port fixing thingy) - dunno WHAT I thought they did but it is definitely reassuring to know it is anchored down in there!

Hi folks! thanks for all your messages which Sarah printed out and brought into the hospital for me - they really cheered me up as sometimes it felt quite lonely in there! Well - I'm done and (apologies to newbies) certainly wasn't the "walk in the park" I was expecting.... I reacted to the anaesthetic and felt really crap for about 24 hours - dizzy, nauseated and vomited a lot - i was really worried about the vomiting but they told me it was ok - once my head "cleared" I felt much better. I have 5 incisions, which are stapled (!) and amazingly DO not feel hungry at all - I am sitting here typing, trying to remember to sip water every few minutes, enjoying the show hearing the water gurgle into my "bottom" stomach! Weird!!! My husband was brilliant - brought me in little parisian gifts every day - non edible for a change! They went to disney the day I had my endoscopy & tests, and he really kept the kids happy! Sarah was amazing too - visited me every day and translated all the "hard" french I couldn't cope with, like checking me in and out, dealing with admin etc - I wouldn't have managed without her, and don't think i would recommend anyone doing it the way I did without so much support! Anyway - I'm still sore, and have the added stress of having to inject myself (aarrrgghhh) with anticoagulant every night! I did use ALL three pairs of flip flops so stand by that decision Love to everyone who was thinking of me esp. Donali, Alexandra and Babs - all your wise words stayed with me and I wasn't upset in the recovery room when I couldn't breath for those few moments! Funnily enough, in the recovery room, I felt pain in my shoulder and insisted to the doctors that "I must walk this gas away" - they were heartily laughing at me - 10 mins out of surgery! oh well - at least my head was working more later!!!

good to hear from you and welcome to lapband talk! Tomorrow will be exactly two weeks since the surgery and I have to say I am feeling great! Apart from the 24 hours in the hospital after the anaesthetic, when I felt horrible, things could not have been easier! My staples have been removed, and I don't even need dressings on the wounds anymore. While I was in the hospital (had surgery at 2 in the afternoon on a tuesday, left for the airport on thursday), from wednesday morning I wasn't on any pain relief! I remember asking the nurse what drugs were in my drips - she said one is for rehydration and the other is an antibiotic! I couldn't believe it! I filled my hospital prescription which was two types of pain relief drugs, one basically paracetamol and the other for severe pain - I used just half of the paracetamol and never even used the other one. I never had a swollen stomach and just mild gas pain in my shoulder. I went shopping on friday (well they said walk, so I may as well walk around my favourite mall!), and since that, am pretty much back to normal - I've done all my christmas shopping already, and can do housework no problem (I CAN - I'm just not doing it!!!) I don't feel tight at all really - but do get full quite quickly - today I had a protein smoothie which I made at home (fruit, probiotic yogurt, protein powder, mango juice!) and had some mashed potato with tuna/sweetcorn/mayo salad for lunch and oh-mi-god, I'm stuffed! I am trying to drink 2 litres of water a day, and wait for it - have lost 21lbs in total so far! In only 2 weeks! Well, 7lbs of that was from the pre-surgery diet, so really 14lbs in two weeks which I'm really happy with! I wish you lots and lots of luck with your surgery - you really will be fine and be so happy with your band! I'll be thinking of you love

HAVE to mention that I'm kind of a freak about things matching! I brought four pairs of pyjamas - and just couldn't wear pink flip-flops with red pj's - just one of the sad little things that keep me going! Sarah was laughing at me every day!!!! I had two huge bags plus a hand bag (which I kept losing.....) I just knew I'd feel miserable if I looked crap - I normally have really pale skin so I had a fake tan done before the trip, and then suffered the indignity of lots of funny white squares on my hand/arms as sticky band aids were removed after blood tests, or drips or canula's (sp?) Every time the nurses whipped off the bandaids, yet another part of my "tan" went with them! Basically France (and now the USA!) thinks I'm mad!!! Also - another hugely undignified thing happened to me which i haven't read anywhere else - THEY SHAVED ME!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, THERE! The embarrasement! It's not like I am mad hairy or anything or like the surgeon was going anywhere near there! I was saying "non, non, pas possible!!" but they were going "oui, Oui" So hence, me lying horrified as TWO nurses shaved away with crappy bic razors without foam or anything!!!!! Anyway still not very hungry, but with it being Halloween i found it hard to cope tonight with all the candy and chocolate being around - hope you guys did ok xx talk soon xx

must change the pre-band thing at the bottom of my sig!!!!

Hi folks, just to let u all know, I'm heading to France for my op tomorrow morning - Tuesday 28th is BAND DAY. I am really nervous - and burst into tears today that a fourth pair of flip-flops wouldn't fit in my bag! (ok, we call thongs, flip-flops, cos of the sound they make when u walk, in case no body know's what I mean!). I have packed pretty much everything I own (!!) but if anyone has any tips for things to bring to hospital I'd be grateful.... I have to "check in" at 3ish on sunday, have tests on monday, and the op on tuesday - I am REALLY hoping they'll let me out on thursday as my flight is booked for 18.30 that evening! Apparently in france they like to keep u in if they are even slightly concerned about anything.... So, guys, cross your fingers for me (or pray, or kill a chicken or dance naked in the rain - whatever works!) that it'll all go ok! I'll crawl valiantly to the pc on thursday night to let y'all know how i do! This is like a really weird iniation rite to get into the Band Buddy Group, isn't it??? Or am I just weird? hmmmm anyway - I'm slightly hysterical with stress at the mo, so I'll log back in later to read all your helpful calming and packing tips! :cool: :D thanks xxx

ok am a good bit calmer now - am sitting here practically sobbing at how nice your messages are! Its such a pain - all the packing - my hubby and kids are coming too so there's all that to do as well! thanks for your list Alexandria, didn't think of warm sox, with all this weight, I haven't been cold since 1987 but the sox are a great idea! And the lip balm! Brilliant! But as for a light traveller - I guess i could put back the nail manicure stuff and the fake tan kit..... and who really needs a hair dryer AND hair straighteners?!! (y'all think I'm kidding don'tcha!!!) ok guys - take care....see u on the other side - ps Donali, don't count on any photo's from Versaille! Have burnt my hand making pancakes for the kids......typical! ok.........here I goooooooooooooooooo.................

ok - I do know how to spell - should be "initiation"..... Ps - Special Hi to Donali - even tho I haven't been posting recently, your excellent posts have kept me going and reminding me why I'm doing this - I had been going through all my back issues of the Weight Watchers magazine and Slimming magazine, and your post made me realise that we are not ordinary slimmers, we are people claiming our lives back and climbing out of an addiction - your "plan" is brilliant and at the moment I'm learning it off by heart! thanks xx

wow Babs, you're doing brilliantly! congratulations for making it through the first four months so successfully - Pleeeeeeeeese post some pics soon - 60lbs loss must look amazing! So happy for u!

brilliant to hear you got through the surgery so well! Hope you settle into Band Life smoothly! Only 9 more days for me!!!

hi denise, nice to "meet" u! Wow, you must be thrilled with your weight loss so far! I am due to be banded on the 28th october in France, so will be asking lots of questions when i get back.....! take care

So glad you got Kellymoos postcards - I haven't sent mine from Ireland yet - completely forgot! So sorry! Will defo send them over the weekend! Happy mail collecting!:cool:

Hey Tonypie, we have our surgery on the same day!!! We should keep in touch! I'm pretty nervous but can't wait to be banded!

God, echoing Alexandra, that is sobering.... I am a little worried, because if I'm honest, I have been feeling that I'll be ok after surgery and won't need much aftercare - I will have to fly to france or the UK to find any sort of expert but I guess, after reading your post, Michelle, I should sort out regular check ups & after care.... I went to see my GP (regular family doctor) yesterday and she was very surprised to hear I am planning to have the surgery - she knew very little about it! Scary!

Hey Bethanie, I'll send you one from "exotic" ireland, if you like! I'll post it today - lucky you - you'll be getting tonnes of mail! PS - Alexandra - I send you CASH not to talk about Lord of the Rings pleeeeeeeeease! My son is obsessed with it - has read the books about 15 times, talks about it all day long and tuts all the way through the movies about tiny inaccuracies! Can't move in his room but for Hobbit, Gandalf and Strider posters - Help meeeeeeeeeee - Postcards - NO PROBLEM! :P

hi julie, I have come across your posts in the european bandsters site (I live in Ireland) and am glad you have found your way here - this is SOOO the best band message boards EVER! Well, in my opinion anyway! I am scheduled to have surgery in Paris on the 28th October, which I am dreading/can't wait for all-at-the-same-time! I don't know if you went on your own to Dr Frering, but there is a consultancy company which organises surgery for patients travelling to France - here is their web page - http://www.gastricbandservice.co.uk/index.html - The woman who runs it is a nurse, and she also does fills/check ups etc from the UK if you're interested! hope this helps and your weigh in yields happy results! take care

Hey Nicole, as another european (in Ireland) I thought i'd answer your question - here we usually measure our weight in stones - I don't know why - but anyway stones are a measure of weight - 14lbs = one stone! It's really weird - I have no problem telling anyone I weigh 308lbs, but feel positively ill have to say I weigh 22 stone! And to be a little more confusing, we keep the word stone singular! ie 1 stone, 2 stone! Not stoneS! Crazy I know - as far as I'm aware we do this only in Ireland and the UK - the rest of europe used grams and kilograms (which we do too mostly, just not for body weight!) So basically, I weight 308lbs or 22 stone or 140kilos! Hope that's clear!

thanks Babs, that sounds realistic and do-able! I must ask at the gym my husband has booked me into - I presume they will have personal trainers and I can see if they will customise a Curves type workout for me! I used to love the cross trainer (elliptical) - I think they're brilliant, low impact but great for arms and legs AND butt! And thanks for the water aerobics advice - I wasn't sure if it was the best thing or not - do the scars/wounds heal up pretty quick? Still unreasonably nervous about the surgery but feeling better now that I have a plan!! thanks a mil keep in touch! take care

Wow - what an achievement Babs, I am so happy for you! And I'm so inspired! Thanks for sharing your band-life plan - really appreciate it....... Can I ask what kind of exercise you do? I have gym membership lined up to start in january, which will give me 8 weeks to get over the surgery & christmas (during this time I plan to go to water aerobics which I think will be gentle enough yet yield results in this period of liquids and mushy food!) What do you (or anyone else out there!) recommend for someone of my weight (308lbs) to start with that won't kill me!!!! thanks Babs - and Well Done again!!! :banana

Hey Michelle, It's really weird - before I had my surgery date, I was talking about the op constantly, with my husband and here on the message boards - but now I just feel sick with dread about it and can't wait til it's over... Yes, the surgeon will put about 4cc in my 11cc band straight after inserting it - and yeah, i'm planning to travel to France for fills etc - nobody here (in Ireland) does fills so I would have to fly to somewhere so I may as well stick with Paris! Hopefully it will all go as well as you say, in fact my head tells me ALL day it will but still this sick feeling.......just nerves I guess! Anyway nuff about that! So thrilled for you that you're feeling good about yourself - here's to the next fifty pounds!!!