Woofay

Good morning, all! Wed the 6th is okay for me. Red Robbin is also okay. I've never been there. (Don't tell my hubby. He's the GM of Ruby Tuesday! Heehee! ) Well, I believe I feel less hungry, and the scale is moving back the other way. Thank goodness! Last night though I got some horrid gas pains almost like when I first got the band done, but worse. They were up high under my ribcage. Took some gas-x and laid down. This morning it seems to be gone. My poor husband though. He was quite upset by it. I couldn't even walk upright. I think that he was ready for 911! It reminded me of that scene in the Dr. Doolittle with Eddie Murphy where the little rat "just has gas!" I'm not sure if this is the best restriction or anything. Hard to tell when you've never done it before. As long as the scale moves (down this time!) I guess it's good! My guts are sore too. I guess from poking around looking for the port. Dynamo~ congrats on working with a trainer. Are you using a regular trainer? Are there trainers specifically for people who have WLS? Lordy I hate to exercise! (I know, I know, and I'm gonna!) Have a great day!

The 6th or 7th works for me too! Where has Tater (Misty) gone? Where has Sunnysea gone? Mal, how did it go?

Dynamo~ yes, I am having trouble with the website. None of the links are working correctly. Maybe we could try and get together when Lap Dancer gets here...I know some can't, but I'd be happy to try and make two different days, in June to meet everyone, even if it can't be all at one time. Just let me know. I'm up for about anything!

Hi, labgeek! Welcome and good luck with the banding! The most useful thing I took was soft, loose clothing. I am local (within an hour of Parker), but there was a threat of a blizzard, so we stayed at the Hampton Inn by the surgical center. Pain meds and soft clothes. And, if you have one, a lap top computer. That was my life saver! They had free high speed internet and I sat on this website the entire time until my surgery. (I'm a bit of a baby!) I did get to go home afterwards, (storm missed us), so I don't know what you'll need for aftercare in a hotel. When we came home, it was a very bumpy ride, (the roads here are horrid) and even using my seatbelt it wasn't too bad. Also, I got a hotel room that had a little fridge. Liquid meds and suppositories need to be refridgerated (not the lortab). I'm very excited for you! Keep us posted, okay? :youcandothis:

Well, guys, I did it! I've been filled! It was the weirdest thing I have ever been through. I sat up with this needle sticking out of my top "roll" and sipped water until I thought that it felt the way it should, or the way he said it should feel. And that was that. I took 1.9 cc's this fill. Hee hee. We'll see how it feels when I eat. He said I could come back if I needed more. It was a bit painful, but nothing unmanagable. That hard knot around my port/incision area is fluid. He said my body would re-absorb it. I think I could have gone more, but I didn't want to. Don't want to overdo it. I've heard some pretty wild stories about being over filled. Especially since I am local and don't have the additional expense of plane tickets or anything. I can go back up next week if I need to. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood today. The whole thing only took about 15 min I would say. I'll let you know how it goes when I eat something solid. Little scared, but I have been with every step so far, and I do just fine. I'm such a baby.

Oh, ya... Dynamo~ I can't linger in Denver tomorrow. Wish I could. I've got a sitter coming to be with my guys and gotta get back. Mal~ you'll do fine with the oral stuff and the gut at the same time. Pain meds work for it all. Might as well hurt all at one time! I had a root canal done 3 days before my surgery too! Yes, I've had 2 root canals, a crown and surgery all within one month. What was I thinking??!!! Good luck with it all, Girly!! Keep us posted with that.

Good evening, all! Hi, Lap Dancer! Okay, I'm getting a little nervous about tomorrow. I don't know why. Tomorrow is like the finale of everything I've been doing for months. The "mature band". Hee hee! :nervous Okay, lets see if anyone knows the answer to this: When you do have a PB from eating something too fast, wrong food, whatever...is it right away after you swallow it, a few minutes, 20 minutes? Is it very fast? If I am testing something now, I wait a little bit, but then I think, maybe it will make me sick in 20 minutes or so. Who knows the answer to this? Drewslou, Sunnysea? Let me know! I'm a nervous nelly. (again) Dynamo~ I'm sorry you are starting to feel hungry. You too Lap Dancer. You guys are doing really well though. I have to admit, I don't think I've done so well over the last 4 days or so. :think Angie, how are you doing with the hungry thing? Well, gonna go...today is my "picture" day. I'm going to wear the same thing every 13th and take a pic in it. Lordy, I must love punishment! Have a great night all!

Okay, guys, this is confession time for me. As you all know, I have no restriction. I could probably scarf anything I wanted, as much as I wanted, right now, with no issues. The good news is my first fill is Monday afternoon. The really bad news is for the last two days I've been in "The Last Supper" mode. :cry At least before surgery I was still good cuz I knew that I had to shrink my liver. This time has been different. I don't have to shrink anything. I'm truly in last supper mode. We are having Mother's Day dinner tonight because my hubby works tomorrow night, and you should see what I have picked out. T-bones, corn on the cob, asperagas, baked tatoes, peel and eat shrimp...and my scale is really moving the wrong way. Like 4 lbs worth...:omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :help: I wonder if anyone else was like this before their first fill. This is the time they call Bandster Hell, right? I know life is going to change more Monday afternoon then it ever has, even after surgery. I'm actually very ready for it. I like to watch the scale go down. (can't use the word "move" right now.) Okay, I've said it. Feel a little better even though the guilt is huge. Let me know what you guys think. Michelle~ I would love to get together for tea or coffee or whatever. Let me know when. I'll have my momma come watch the little guys for an evening.

Good morning, Mal, and good luck today! My thoughts are with you! You do sound like you have a great hubby! I'll be thinking of you and your mouth. Let us know how it goes after. My fingers are crossed for you to continue with the 18th. I also hope they don't inflict more pain upon it. You know how it can get after they start messing with it!

Yeah! Wow, there we are! Gotta tell me how you did that. I messed around for about 1/2 hour this morning and just couldn't figure it out. Couldn't seem to compress it. (it was too large) Thanks Drewslou! It's short a few people, huh? Going to have to fix that!

Yes, last night was the first time I have gone. I don't know what I think of it. I was really nervous and my face was hot and red. (from my nerves) Aren't I silly? I have had some issues come up with myself, I guess from lack of medicating and coping with food, that I think maybe need a little more of the one-on-one counseling. Not sure if I have the money for that, so I guess the group stuff will have to do for now. I can't believe that three and a half weeks of less food could bring it out, but it has. I hope you can still do your band on your scheduled day, Mal. I guess that I jinxed you! I do know that infection can make surgery dangerous. Feel better!

Good morning, Mal. How is your jaw/face/teeth? I hope that you feel better. Only three of us from this thread were able to make it last night. Me, Michelle (Dynamo!) and Amy (Drewslou!). It was so great to actually see the people that help me out or make me feel better about myself. Next time we should all just probably meet for coffee somewhere or something so we can chat a little more. It would probably be a little more therapeutic than the meeting was. (and get the rest of us together) My scale hath moved further! Woo hoo! I broke the 250 barrier and seeing the 4's on the scale have left me giddy! We got a picture of Me, Amy and Michelle together, but I really don't know how to post pics on here. Lap Dancer....your pics at surgery time were so good....can you give any info on how to do that? Hope that everyone we haven't heard from in a while is okay...like Misty? Sunnysea?

Mal, I'm sorry about your tooth. I do and can feel for you! It's too bad we won't see you tonight, but I'm sure someone will post some pics for you. (I don't know how to do that on here!) I know that I don't have any recipes yet. I eat fish, meat and drink those protein vials in bottled water all day. (unless I have a moment) And sometimes a proshake for breakfast. Maybe they want them from people that have been doing this longer. Decaf (or just plain sugar free) sounds great to me. I'll have to ask my Hubby what my curfew is...ha! I almost (no completely) never go out. Hope I don't fall asleep at 8:30!!! Anyone hear from Tater? Is she coming? Misty!!! Where are you??

Okay, root canal is completed and thus far not too bad. Hee hee. They wanted me on Amoxicyllin and I remembered right before I left that I needed liquid...heehee. What an adjustjment! Also couldn't take the advil they offer right after...came home for my liquid motrin! Thanks for the congrats, Angie! Seems silly to pat a back for 1 lb. But, I'll take what I can get. Dynamo~ you'r right on the ball with the diet and loss! You are really taking care of yourself! Do you realize we all get to meet Drewslou tonight? A bandster that it has worked well for and done so well....(I'm not worthy! )

Hi MAL! It's me with the root canal this lovely morning! It's at 9. Woo hoo! This one is weird because this tooth doesn't hurt, but the x-rays show infection deep within. My other root canals had a lot of pain before hand. And here I thought that I was the root canal queen! Hope your tooth simmers down before tonight! Alert the media! My scale moved a whole pound this morning! (do you hear the chorus?) Woo hoo! There is supposedly a very small chance of rain tonight, so for right now, I'll be there! Have a great day and I'll let you know how this tooth is later today.

Hi Angie! Ya, I really haven't lost anything after about day 8 or 9. And I am a freak with the scale too. I weigh too often. Almost completely flung it out the window yesterday. Guess that's why the solomn post from last night. Did you get a nice pile of snow? We did. Kids on a 2 hour delay today. I'm going to try and make it. Woo hoo. But like you said, it does have to do with the weather. I'll have to ask the office about the bag after surgery. I don't even know what the rules are for the fill. Was there any info in there about what he wants us to do with fills? Food, no food, liquids after?

Well, we'll have some events to compare and share! Just a few days apart! I think that Angie and Tater have fills that week too. I guess I need to exercise too. I really, really hate it. I did Curves for 2 years and lost inches but really not that much weight. I need to do something again. I have the neatest neighbor that goes to the gym all the time. She's always trying to get me to go with her. Maybe I'll take her up on it. She's one of the few people that know I had this done. Gotta do something to move the scale! Well, try and see you Tues!

Good evening all! Okay, here is something....it's snowing big time at my house...what is today??? May 6?! I read all your posts about the chewing and things backing up...I have to be honest. I haven't had that problem at all. About the first 8 days if I drank too much or gulped too big, I could feel like a golf ball feeling in my lower throat, but since I have been on solid foods, I've had no problems whatsoever. I used to read those posts about the "doctor forgetting to put it in" and I used to laugh. But right now it simply feels like I am on a diet. Nothing more. I'm kinda scared about having the fill done because I know I eat too fast and I certainly don't chew enough. I haven't tried bread, but I bet it would be fine. (I'm not a big bread eater) I'm hoping the fill changes everything for me, because right now it doesn't seem like I've been banded. (besides all the obvious!) Maybe I feel full a little sooner, but I'm not even sure I feel satisified or anything like that. This sounds crazy, and I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just feeling a little let down at myself because the scale hasn't been moving and I can still eat too much. You all are doing so well, it almost sounds like you don't even need a fill yet. Mine is Monday the 14th and I'm not sure it can come soon enough. Before the scale starts making tracks upwards!

Dynamo and Angie~ when did Dr. K give you these cards for the warantee? Before surgery, after? I never recieved anything, before, after, or at my one week. Hummmm...how long did you have to mail it in? And what exactly does that do for you? Come up in case of recalls? Hee hee, just kidding! :biggrin1: Spot, I'm so sorry. Don't give up hope. Maybe there is a different loan you can do. And like you said, the gee pleeeez daddy approach works too! ( I always liked that one myself!) And this is something important enough to do that for! Try and see you all Tues...and yes, a picture would be awsome! I'll bring my camera too!

The meeting is Tuesday the 8th, isn't it? I sorta forgot that I am fortunate enough to be having the time of my life that morning...I'm going to have another root canal done. (second one in a month! woo hoo!) So, I'm guessing that whether I'm there or not has to do with how painful my tooth is after. My last one was a bugger, but it was in alot of pain before the procedure. This one is not painful, so hopefully it will be easier. But for now, I'm truly hoping to get there. I want to meet you all so much! (or at least everyone who can make it) Plus, a little counseling never hurt anyone. I'm a big believer in it. Spot and Mal...are you gonna make it? It may help with your pre-band jitters! (I should have gone to the meeting before mine! What a basket case I can be!)

Oh, ya, I almost forgot. I have a couple of questions I need help with. Okay, with most of the tummy swelling gone, do any of you have a large hard knot type thing where your port it? It's kinda like a peach in there. Is that just the process of healing? Also, do any of you know of a good way to help your skin shrink back to avoid reconstructive surgery? (i'm really scared of that) Are there exercises, foods to eat, vitamins to take or creams you can use (or all of the above) to help the elasticity of the skin and keep it a little tighter? I know my age and the fact that I have been fat, thin, fat, not so fat, fatter, thinner and really fat again has to have been rough on my skin. (the yo-yo diet story of my life!) Let me know anything you have heard, please! This may even be posted somewhere else or should be on a different thread, but I'm too chicken to post anywhere but here!

Good morning, all! Wow Skyeblu79~ sorry to hear about your fill experience. That really sounded like it hurt. Hopefully all works out, your okay, your able to get your fill, and you get your funds back. (best case senario for you all around!) Mal! Congrats on your next step toward banding! I'm proud of you! Paying was my "Moment of Truth" also. The no-place-to-go-but-forward moment! Yeah!!!!! Dynamo~Did you really get information about your band and send it in? (or am I being overly dense and missed the joke:confused: ) I haven't recieved anything and the Doc hasn't told me anything about mine. Maybe at my first fill???? Spot~are you hanging in there? How's the refi going? Time is flying and you'll be on the other side before you know it. Shesha~Any progress with your flipped port? Tater! How are you feeling? Sunnysea~ where are you?? Are you considering getting your fill again yet? Lap Dancer~thanks for always being so positive! I'm going to try and be there tuesday night. I still haven't figured out my Hubby's schedule and have no idea if he is working that night or not, or whether I need a sitter, or what the weather is going to be like? Did you hear it may snow Sunday??? Goodness! In May!!!! (I moved to Colorado a year ago from Phoenix, AZ!) Have a grand day!

Misty, I'm right there with you! My scale stopped too, infact went up 1lb. Plus, my body decided that one monthly just wasn't enough this month...it's only been not quite three weeks...grand! What's up with that?! It's funny you should mention your hands. My mom said my hands look smaller. I thought she was being a smartass, you know, like the earlobe thing. But my rings don't fit right anymore. This is so weird. I've had a lot of head eating to deal with too. Dynamo~ it sounds like you have a great plan written out. Don't be too rough on yourself, this all takes practice. Just a handfull of m&ms? Think about how we used to do it! I think you did great...I like half a bag! I had to change my first fill date. My son came home with paperwork from the school for the Mother's Day Tea event (he's in first grade). They are making their classroom all decorated and their moms to come and have sweets and tea. How can I miss that? So now my first fill is on Monday the 14 instead. Can you imagine how much harder this might be without someone to talk to about this? I'm so glad you guys are here and this forum exists. I feel like I'm not the exception, I'm just like everyone else here! How is it going for you Lap Dancer, besides your Hubby being the food police? Hee hee! (like all of us aren't hard enough on ourselves!) Have a great day everyone!

Oh ya, I have a quick question for you all. Paula recommended taking a multiVite and a Calcium supplement. Well, to be honest, this is the first day I have taken them. (boy, chewables are quite the experience) Do you all take one? Have they made any difference if you do? I bought them before surgery and they were not cheap so I might as well take them, but I was wondering if any of you have any opinions on them. Thanks.

Ya! What Lap Dancer said!!!!! :clap2: