mjsafari

glindab - did they specifically tell you no Jell-o? It is considered a clear liquid usually.

jenf3 - I hear ya', I was hungry the day I got home! It sucks. I am 2 weeks out today - on mushies, transitioning to regular food tomorrow, but I am still hungry all the time. Same symptoms as before surgery, grumbling stomach, low level headache, hot and sweaty. I have tried very hard to stay low carb, but my body seems to be fighting against me as usual. The saving grace is that I can't over eat - I do have a full point now, but I am hungry again in a couple of hours. I hope my fills help with all of this. I am just trying my best to make good choices and limit my portions.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/ main lapband forum/monthly support groups/June 2007 I didn't know it was there until Heather mentioned it.

I know where you are coming from. I was far from perfect on my pre-op and it almost cost me my band. My surgeon said my liver was still very large and it was difficult to get it out of the way to get the band on. I just had to have something solid, so I tried to eat as little as possible, but I think that was a mistake. One suggestion - if they allow you to have fruit in your Protein shakes, eat it instead of blending it in. I started doing that the last few days and it helped. I am not trying the scare you, but just want to emphasize the point of the pre-op diet. My surgeon started doing the pre-op diet just this year, when he had to close a patient up and bring them back in 2 weeks because their liver was too large. Do the best you can and remember that there is a reason for the pre-op diet and a reason you are making the journey.

Wow - I total missed the new forum! It looks great. It is nice to sort topics out! Congrats to those who made it through these past couple of days. Welcome to BandLand! BigSexy - I am glad you decided to proceed with the surgery. Please update us as soon as you are able!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/june-2007-bandsters-33199/index104.html here is the link to the June 07 thread - come join us!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/june-2007-bandsters-33199/index104.html GOOD LUCK! Come join us on the June 2007 thread when you are done and let us know how you are doing.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/june-2007-bandsters-33199/index104.html come join us on the June 2007 thread.

Morganbm - do you also need to lose weight? If so, the lapband may be a good choice. It will definitely help or eliminate reflux. My husband was on prilosec daily before the band, he hasn't taken any since. Our surgeon said he shouldn't ever have it again, unless something is wrong with the band. I wouldn't used the band just for a cure for that though. There are other surgical procedures that can be done for that.

I agree last supper syndrome is completely normal. I definitely felt out of control pre-op. I had Mexican and a steak the 2 days before I started my 2 week pre-op diet. I also continued my McDonald's sausage McMuffin every morning for breakfast, right up to the last and even had one on my pre-op. Now that being said - try the best you can not to over indulge. Even with 2 weeks of liquids pre-op my liver was almost too large for the surgeon to get the band on. Thankfully I have an amazing surgeon and he was able to do it, but I got a lot of head shaking afterwords :-). I was hungry ALL the time also, my stomach constantly rumbling. Unfortunately that has pretty much continued with my band, but hopefully it will decrease once I am filled. I am just trying to make good food choices when I am hungry and to stop eating when I am full. I am happy to say I do have a full point, even before my plate is empty - very different than before. I am just learning to listen to it! My surgeon did have one patient that he couldn't get the band on because of liver size - he closed him up and brought him back in 2 more weeks after a liquid diet. That is when he started making all his patients to the diet.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/june-2007-bandsters-33199/index104.html Come join us on the June board. If you are concerned about a slip - call you doctor immediately. I doubt you have caused one with that minimal amount, but definitely stick to liquids until your doc says it is okay. Your band should be sewn in and should be very secure. I know you hear a lot about slipping, but I don't think it is real common. My surgeon hasn't had one for a very long time, he does 3-4 bands a week. The last one was on a women who had the stomach flu with severe vomiting.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/june-2007-bandsters-33199/index104.html Come join us on the June 2007 thread!

Toni - I have the small AP band also! I also ate too fast the other day and had hiccups for 20 minutes - it was painful! I have tried to slow down ever since and have not had issues. I do have a definite full feeling and even sneezed once. I wish I was full on smaller portions and that I didn't get hungry again so soon, but hopefully this will get better with a fill. Yeah for my husband - he is 300.4 today - down 48lbs since preop on May 4th. He has his first fill scheduled for July 2nd, but I am thinking he may not need one. He gets a full feeling after only a few bites of almost anything, so much that he feels like something is stuck and has to drink some water to get it to go down. He doesn't want to call the doctor, since he is going in next week, but I may do it for him, if he isn't able to get more in. Good Luck to last of the Junies this week!

Hi All! :-) Glad to see everyone up and moving! I had my post-op yesterday. I am down 19lbs from the start of my pre-op diet. My surgeon was pleased with that. I told him I needed a fill ASAP - I have been hungry since my first day home! He just laughed and said I would have to wait! But my hunger is definitely better now that I can have more real food. I am to be on soft foods - fish, potatoes, steamed veggies (yuck!), eggs, etc for a week and then move on to regular food. I am trying to keep my portions small, but I over did the potato tonight - bad idea to eat the entire inside of a small baked potato! Man am I full. I smashed up some steamed cauliflower in it, so I could get some veggie in and mixed it with fat free sour cream - it tasted really good, but it will be important for me to only put on my plate what I should eat, because I still don't stop until my plate is empty. That is going to be a hard habit to break. I am scheduled for my first fill on July 16th. Hotti/Heather is who made the calendar for us - I think one of her posts said she was out until Sunday. Maybe she can make us a new one for first fills? I have been sleeping in bed since my first night home. I slept in my DD's bed the first night, so I could just roll out and stand-up, but after that I slept in our waterbed. I was sore going up and over the railing, but I slept more comfortably. 9 days out though and no pain at all. I could go back to work - but I still have another 3 weeks scheduled off, so I am taking it!

<p><p>BigSexy - I think our advice is pretty much covered, but I will add one more thing. Doesn't the improved quality of life you will have, thus be able to pass on to your son, outweigh the minimal surgical risk? If you write down the pros and cons, I am sure the band makes the most sense. If it helps, I am an OR nurse by back ground - I spent 15 years in the OR. I never lost a laparoscopic patient due to surgical complications. I am not saying that complications don't happen, because they certainly do, but the airplane analysis is a good one. Do you hear about the thousands of surgical cases done that go exactly as planned - no you only hear about the complications, just like you only hear about the airline crashes. That is what makes it so terrifying. My husband and I have 2 kids, so I completely understand your fear, but we felt we both needed help that the band could provide, so we both took the risk. Good Luck with your decision.</p>

OreoKitty - the pain getting up and down will ease. I had my surgery a week ago and that was the only pain I had, it is all gone now. BigSexy - PLEASE don't get cold feet. You don't have to be on liquids the rest of your life. You will get to eat real food again - just a lot less! Don't worry about the roommate - the nurses will be waking you up anyway and it is just for one night! If someone else is be banded the same day, maybe they can be your roommate and you will make a new band friend . Pamela - The gas is the same, CO2 - but it can be heated and humidified, there is some thought that it helps with pain. I also think it depends on the position they use during surgery. Our surgeon does the procedure in modified Beach Chair - legs in lithotomy and the back of bed up. Neither my husband or I had any issues with the shoulder pain from the gas. FaithMD - GOOD LUCK today - I assume you are getting you AP band, since you are proceeding? Janine - it was Khaliah's sister, Layla that was on dancing with the stars. have a great day!

Hi all - just checking in! Glad to see that things are mostly going smoothly for everyone. Toni - did your doc send you home with a prescription for Phenergan suppository? It is a powerful anti-nausea medicine, that may help with your issue if you have another migraine. Heather - I so agree about the Campbell's Select mushroom soup. If you haven't tried it and you like mushroom soup you should get it. I thought it looked kind of gross because it is brown, but boy did it taste good. I am thinking of things I can do with it as a marinade or gravy in the future. All is well here. I am doing good and enjoying my time off work. My husband had to go back this week. He is having a lot of pain in his abdomen from bending over all the time at work. I don't think anything is wrong, but will ask the doc on my post-op visit Friday. Keep up the good work everyone!

Band - I heard about the new band on this website, from FaithMD. I couldn't find anything on the web about it, so I asked our surgeon when my husband had surgery. He said he had some that day, one for my husband, and explained the differences. I of course then wanted the new toy! I don't think there is anything wrong with the old ones, they seem to work well - right? I just like new toys - plus since my husband was getting one, I wanted one! :-) He said the 2 differences are - the balloon goes all the way around - it covers the buckle versus 3/4 on the old one and it is easier to buckle/unbuckle. Theory is that restriction will be better with the new band since it goes all the way around. I am feeling okay today, just tired. I have very little pain and was able to sleep in bed last night without any problems. I haven't had to take any of the pain medication. I am a little bruised around the incisions, but certainly not purple! I would definitely ask the doctor about that. I am not having any issues with gas pain - but I am certainly passing a lot of gas! I wonder if there is a difference in how you are positioned in surgery?? Neither my husband or I had any issues with surgical gas pain. To hot and muggy to walk outside today, so we went to the mall. Very tiring, but good to walk around. Nina and Toni - thanks for the well wishes. I am sorry if I missed anyone else's comments about me. It is hard to keep up! Hope everyone is doing well! Suzzie and BeckieT - glad your back and surgery went well! GO KC Bandsters!

I am back from the hospital after being banded yesterday. Everything went fine. Dr. Malley said it was a good thing I had done the pre-op diet, because my liver was still quite large and he almost didn't get my band on! Yikes! But he is a great surgeon! I did get the new AP 10cc band. He made sure the OR had one for me, because he knew I how much I wanted one. Just a little sore and passing a lot of gas. Waking up from a general anesthesia is so weird. I woke up saying I was going to throw-up, so they started giving me Phenegren right away and had to dose me several times in the PACU, but after that I have not had any nausea. I couldn't have Toradol because of my drug allergies, so I didn't take any pain medicine until bed time. I walked or sat up in a chair all evening. I hurt worse laying down, so I needed the morphine to get to sleep. I woke up this morning just fine. I had my swallow test and ate some of my clear liquid tray, took a shower and headed out. We went to Wal-mart to get me some more clear liquids and soup for Monday. I am home now and starving! I had hoped I wouldn't be hungry for awhile, but no such luck. I keep slurping Jello a little bit at a time. Hope everyone is doing well.

Just about to head to the hospital. I am looking forward to not being hungry for awhile! LOL Those on the pre-op- HANG IN THERE- it does end. If you "cheat", just get back on it! See ya' in BandLand. Missy

Janine and Renee - thanks for the well wishes! Rita - I am SOO sorry to hear about your ordeal. Dr. Malley is a very good general surgeon as well as a band surgeon - so you were/are in good hands for that repair. Good Luck and please keep in touch with us Junies. I will check back in when I get home! See ya' Missy

Well the programs I need to use to finish my work before I am off are not working, so I guess I will post here while I wait. Maybe I will take my laptop with me and work after surgery - NOT! Clear liquids today - yuck - Surgery tomorrow WOOHOO! I am ready to go and looking forward to mushies! My 14 year old has asked if he can spend the night with me in the hospital, so we are going to ask when I get to my room. He said he wants to eat hospital food - LOL! The 4 year old keeps asking why I need to go to the hospital and have the doctor cut on me. It is tough to explain that I need this to be healthy. My husband is doing better - he was struck by gas and constipation. He was able to relieve the constipation and pass the gas (TMI :faint:), so he is feeling much better. I am worried that he isn't eating enough, but he seems to be functioning okay. I think he is waiting for me to be able to eat again. I hope everyone having surgery today does well! GOOD LUCK

1 - I hope Mexican isn't out - it is my favorite also. I am afraid the chips may be a problem, my surgeons suggestion's say no crunchy crumbly things, but I would think you could enjoy the meat and veggies from fajitas. I am planning on refried beans during mushies.! 2 - Don't feel bad - he should only eat when he is actually hungry. I think that will teach him good habits - not to eat because there is food, but because he is actually hungry. I am worried that I have already given my 4 year old BAD eating habits, she asks for food all the time and will eat anytime there is food nearby. We are taking out all the unhealthy food and bringing in healthy snacks only and trying to cut back on her portion sizes if appropriate.

Good Luck to everyone this week! I am afraid I won't have a lot of time to check in before surgery. I have a lot of work to do before being off for 4 weeks! I know that is a lot of time off, but I have sick leave available and my boss said take all the time I want, so I am going for it. It will be a good mental vacation also. Pre-op diet is going much better. I am past my TOM, so that makes it easier. I still have to have something solid at least once a day, but I decided instead of blending my fruit with my Protein shakes, I would just eat it, that seems to help. I only have today and tomorrow, then clear liquids on Wednesday. I was a little discouraged to be up 3lbs during my PAT, but realized that was my TOM retention. I have lost those again and hope to lose 2-3 more before surgery. Hope everyone post-op is healing well and those on pre-op are surviving. I can't believe I am finally only 3 days away!