jacqs

I finally got my insurance approval only to find out that my surgeon's hospital doesn't have availability until March! So now I'm scheduled for my band on March 6, 2013. I've been doing a pre-op diet of 2 shakes and one small meal per day since Jan 2. So far only a couple mis-steps but I'm really looking forward to having the band as a tool to help me out. And I look forward to chatting with other March Bandsters!

I understand where you're at! I've had a lot of stuck episodes lately even though nothing has changed as far as fills or what I'm eating. I find that I'm "tighter" in the morning so I still stick to a Protein shake in the AM but I'll blend it with Peanut Butter to get the extra protein and better flavor. And as long as I don't let myself get too hungry, I'm ok. Just have to eat so darn slow. And over a long period of time, like an hour to finish a salad with grilled chicken. My weight loss has definitely slowed down which feels frustrating until I look at pictures of myself from January and happily don't recognize that fat face! Hang in there March Bandsters!

Hi Mandi! Congrats on your upcoming surgery. I'm 2 months post-op and very happy with the choice of getting banded. In two months, I've seen some major changes due to the weight loss; i'm now getting (almost) regular periods, my breakouts aren't as bad, and my mood swings have improved too. I think the battle with the facial hair is going to be an ongoing thing, but I do feel like it may be thinning ever so slightly. I'm sure yo've read this other places on the forum, but the band isn't a magic bullet. I didn't expect to have to work so hard every single day but it's such a good tool that it makes the effort worth it. And seeing changes in my body (not just on the scale) is the BEST reward ever! Good luck next week! Stay in touch

I definitely fall into that category, I can only do Protein shakes for breakfast but it's so weird how I'm able to eat a little more by mid-day.

Hey Banded1979 My BIGGEST complant about surgery prep is that no one mentioned the shoulder pain! It was rough for me too, it lasted about 2 weeks after surgery but I got used to it after the first week and it was less sharp but still constant. I've read others who said it lasted longer for them. But I promise, it won't kill you! It just sucks. Also, I still get that shoulder pain. If I drink too much liquid too fast, or fill up my stomach too much, bam! the sharp shoulder pain is back. It only lasts a couple hours and honestly, it's the best signal I have for learning what the right amount of food is for me. Hang in there! You were banded on my birthday, it's obviously a great sign

Hi all! Checking in... Was banded on 3/6; have had too very small fills since then. I do feel the restriction and if I'm not careful, stiff gets stuck. I've learned that it's more the speed at which I eat than what I'm actually eating when it comes to stuck episodes. I still get sharp shoulder pain if I drink liquids too fast or fill up my "pouch" too quickly. It's definitely not fun but a good way to learn when to stop and when to slow down. My weight loss has been slow but relatively steady. I lost 30 lbs on the pre-op diet which I was on for 2 full months. Since banding on 3/6 I've lost another 30 lbs. Of course I wish it was more but my doc says 11 lbs/month is great progress. I'm still struggling to get the motivation to exercise, I know when I get there, I'll see more movement on the scale and more changes in my body. I hope my fellow March bandsters are doing well! Remember, the process if different for everyone so don't beat yourself up, it'll come. The mental changes and the physical ones!

don't be discouraged if folks aren't commenting on it - for the first 2 months of my journey everyone kept complimenting my hair and i hadn't changed it AT ALL. there's a popular mantra in the weight loss community: it takes 4 weeks for you to see your body changing it takes 8 weeks for close friends and family and it takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world i don't know how scientifically accurate it is but it seems about right and even then you never know if people will feel comfortable commenting on your changing body!

hey aufan! don't beat yourself up about one (or a few) bad choices. i'm learning that this change doesn't happen overnight, and a bad day doesn't defeat all the good we're doing for ourselves. lord knows, i messed up majorly this week, ate the toppings off of several slices of pizza until i made myself feel sick/stuck. i felt so horrible - how am i repeating past behavior?! Here's the thing, the next day I went on a long hike with a friend. I had two meals of high Protein shakes and one small protein + veggie meal and voila! I felt back on track. Progress. We can do this. March Bandsters are awesome.

My first fill went really well, I wouldn't be nervous. Make sure they numb you with cream or lidocaine. And make sure you got to the bathroom before they start the filling process!

I had my first post-op appt and my first fill this morning. My surgeon was pleased with my progress (-15 lbs since surgery 3/6). However, I have been able to get down much more than 1 c. of food and would feel hunger pangs so I asked for a fill. Fill went fine, my doc uses lidocaine so no pain. They were only able to fill .7 cc before I was choking up water so I probably didn't need the fill as much as I thought I did. It's such a mental challenge y'all! Hang in there.

I'm 3 weeks post-surgery and I just got my period for the first time since 2011. I think it's a good sign of things to come!

For those who are struggling with weight loss but eating/consuming very little...it's something to talk to your doctor about. You might not be eating enough to feed your body and then it goes into starvation mode and hangs on to the calories and fat. Also, exercise might kickstart loss. I have SO not been in the mood to walk or exercise but when I do, I see a difference. Heading in tomorrow for my first post-op appt. It's been almost 3 weeks so I'm anxious to talk to my doc.

Hi All - Since so many of us are on the pre-op step (or soon will be) I thought it might be nice to share what shakes you've tried, what has been tasty and which brands are just blech! I've been doing pre-op since Jan. because I thought my surgery was going to happen a lot sooner than March. My two favorites are 1. Premier Protein shakes (comes in vanilla or chocolate, I get it at costco so it's affordable) 2. Pure Protein in the can (it's a little more expensive, I get it at Trader Joe's) I also make my own in the blender with protein mix and usually a scoop of flavored non-fat Greek yogurt to help cut the chalky taste. Any others that you guys have tried??

more Protein, it's a "healthier" fat and adds additional flavor are the reasons why i use it

Don't worry, everyone's experience is different. Especially when it comes to weight loss. It really depends on your height and start weight. I dropped weight faster on my pre-op diet than I have since getting banded; it's traumatic for our bodies, we'll catch up. Keep moving, the shoulder pain should ease up. I find now that I only get it when I drink too much liquid in too short of a time period.

Made the most delicious green smoothie to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day (since I'm still on post-op liquid only!) 1/2 c. Water 1/2 c. peeled & chopped cucumber 3 stalks of kale (pull leaves off the stem) 1/2 c. frozen strawberries (or any other berry) 1/2 frozen banana Put it in a blender, add a little water if it gets too thick! Without adding Protein powder, this recipe makes a 100 cal smoothie with healthy greens! If you add protein to this recipe, I recommend 1/2 a scoop or it'll get gross.

The good news, I don't think you can ever be fully prepared, no matter what you do! It's a nerve-wracking experience and the lifestyle is enormous! So it's ok to feel nervous and unprepared Hang in there and good luck on your surgery days dazzlingone & phxgirl!

For me it took 4 full days, every day I woke up a little better. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the more you move and walk the faster it dissipates! I now have mild gas symtoms, if I take too much fluid at once I can feel it. And the tightness and shoulder pain isn't completely gone but totally bearable. Hang in there!

The broths I've been doing are low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth. Then I add my own dash of black pepper and sea salt after I heat it up. I also found Miso soup broth at Whole Foods that is good (if you like miso soup!) Campbell's soups didn't work that well for me. Pacific Natural Foods and Imagine Foods brands have a lot of non-cream based soups that are yummy and have gone down without issues; there's a portobello mushroom one that surprisingly has no cream, a red pepper one, lots of options.

Hi AbbieL - those symptoms sound like trapped gas pain, it can put a lot of pressure around your incisions and make you feel bloated. The main thing that worked for me was walking, getting up and moving even though it's the last thing you want to do when you feel like crap. I would walk around for at least 15 min every hour. I had to hold a pillow against the most swollen part of my tummy and my belly button incision for support, but moving helped a lot. Warm/hot liquids (tea, broth sipped slowly) also helped, better than anything cold. It seemed to help the gas move, didn't really get the burps I had hoped for but it helped more than cold water or popsicles. And I think it may have been mostly a placebo effect but I did take the chewable Gas-x, just let it dissolve on my tongue with a tiny sip of water. Hope this helps, hang in there!

I've found that hot liquids go down much better than the Protein shakes. I've found a bunch of great, low-sodium, non-cream based Soup broths at Whole Foods. But I am worried about not getting the required amount of protein. Also, cold liquids and sf popsicles don't go down too well. Anyone else experience this in the first week post-op?

Hang in there, get the medical help you need and we're here for the moral support.

yay! that's the same feeling i have...i can't believe i have a lap band?!? i'm on day 4 post-surgery and went out today shopping, saw a movie, met up with friends...still have the gas pain and sharp shoulder pain if i try to get anything more than a tiny sip down every 10 minutes but recovery has been super speedy. hope everyone else who is banded is doing well and good luck to those still on the pre-op diet

Congrats on getting your date! I'm on day 2 post-op and still feeling really positive about this whole thing. despite the aches

THANK YOU for saying this! I got banded this morning and everything has been great except the shoulder pain and I thought something was wrong.