Lionbird

Yesterday was my first fill. I wasn't really sure what to expect. Everything seemed to happen really fast. He had the needle attached and sat me up. I drank Water and he asked me to visualize a funnel and asked me if it felt like it was draining slowly or quickly. It felt like when I was at the eye doc and they flip the stupid thingies and ask which one is better...this one/ or this one? UGH. I said, "it seems ok". I wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel or if I felt anything. I feel so stupid now. I remember post op I had gurgling when I drank water and knew when I was drinking too quickly. It does NOT feel like that. I can still drink fast. He said I have a 15cc band. He put in 3.8cc's. I don't think its enough... I definately don't feel any restriction when I drink or eat. No different than before the fill except that I am freaked out and chewing alot more and eating more slowly (which is good anyway). Should I call them now and get an appointment soon? I am scheduled to go back in 30 days. I am using my fitness pal and tracking my calories (which wasn't happening at all since I had the surgery). I could just "diet" till next month? I guess I'm not sure anymore what the band is supposed to do for me. It seems my struggle is with my head, not my body. What do you guys think? Get another fill now or wait the thirty days?

I had a similar issue. I had 4 weeks of liquid diet. I found that it helped me to have my family's meals planned ahead of time, so I knew what was going to happen. I drank my shake before preparing their dinner and I sucked on a sugar free mint while fixing and serving their food. It was terrible for the first few days, then it was no big deal. Hang in there.

Hey. Any bandsters doing paleo? I sure would like to find some nutritionally like minded folks to link up with.

So, Its day 4 and I believe most if not all of the gas pain is gone. My incisions are itchy and the largest one is sore, and very swollen. I assume that is where the port is. I have not taken any tylenol today but I think I will take some in a bit. I realized that my calories have dropped again from the 800 calorie liquid diet pre op (5 Optifast shakes) to only 480 calories (3 shakes) as prescribed by the doctor during the first week after surgery. I am finding that I have no emotional reserves. My house is a mess and its freaking me out, I don't have the energy to clean. My kids are going bananas, which is normal, but I have no patience at all. I just started crying in the middle of the kitchen. I am hungry, I haven't had a BM since Wednesday, I'm sore and I'm tired. I know I am whining, I'm super grateful for the whole process and have no regrets. Just having a tough time today. I shipped the kids off to my moms. I just made myself a cup of chicken broth, I'm going to take some tylenol and go lie down. I don't like not being at 100%. I have stuff to get done. I have to go to work tomorrow and my Mother in law is coming to town Wednesday for spring break. blah blah blah. I realize these are not real problems. I also know that this too shall pass. I just needed to vent so I don't scream at my children or hurt myself by trying to eat or drink something I shouldn't. Thanks for reading.

Hey I'm in Florida too! woot woot. Paleo makes so much sense and has changed the life of my husband kids and I. It feels so good to eat that way. I of course was not a strict Paleo or I wouldn't have needed to get the lapband. We have ALLLL the books, I have listed to a lot of podcasts and read several blogs. The pre op diet with these stupid chemical shakes has been killing me. And so many on here talk about eating so much bad food...its really remarkable. Let's talk about BACON!! ha. It freaks people out so badly. Oh wait, let me show you this funny :www.whatshouldwecallpaleolife.tumblr.com/ I am a total Paleo snob! I'm totally ok with it!

Hey. Any bandsters doing paleo? I sure would like to find some nutritionally like minded folks to link up with.

cheznoel, Paleo is absolutely a lifestyle. Best thing that my family has done for each other. Healthy, clean non processed eating that makes sense for the way our bodies have evolved to metabolize food. I was looking for other Paleo folks, not feedback on whether its a good idea or not. I'm glad your way is working for you!

Omg. I'm so excited to find you guys!!! I'm only on day 5 but my whole family is paleo.. Kids included. Hubby does crossfit I plan to start in a few months. Going to bed but you guys just made my day!!

Girl. Day 4 is crying day, didnt you get the memo? You are right where you are supposed to be. THIS too shall pass. I was a wreck yesterday, today (day 5) I am no longer weepy, just a little weak/low energy. We just got slammed by Mac trucks! We should be tired! Hang in there.

Oh and did I mention that I am currently on WEEK FIVE of a liquid diet. Yeah. I am SERIOUSLY looking forward to some damn SOUP!

Today is better. I think I'm having more gas issues than I realized. I just thought I felt full...nope, its gas. I'm ready to get more calories in me, I'm really looking forward to some soup! I have really low energy, which is not cool with a 3 and 6 year old~ but we are getting through it. Follow up appointment tomorrow. What were ya'll eating/drinking for the first two weeks? I'm supposed to do Clear Liquids (broth, propel, 3 Optifast shakes,water) for the first week. Second week introduces runny oatmeal (which I won't eat...not doing grains at all) and runny yogurt and blended Soups. Is this fairly standard? Then week three starts mushies.

Hey ya'll. I was banded Thursday morning. I'm doing pretty well. Took a shower today YAY. Never took the high test pain meds, didn't need them. Tylenol took the edge off just fine. Worst discomfort was/is the gas like everyone says. I'm still distended today but can squish my stomach, where Thursday/Friday am it was tight like a basketball. I'm not sure which incision has the port, but I betcha its the one that hurts the most. I'll work on a surgery day post and put it in the right place on here. Figuring out how to get out of bed was the hardest thing, but I've got that worked out and I 'm having no issues. I stayed in a hotel Thursday until this afternoon. I have two young kids and I highly reccomend this. I was able to walk and sleep when I needed to. I was able to figure out my limitations and how to move around. My biggest issue since being home is protecting my belly from leaping children. I'm feeling grateful and hopeful for the next chapter. No regrets.

Yes CM, five incisions here, hurts when I strain my muscles. My inhalation pain was gas related.

Surgery Thursday. Originally scheduled for last week but we bumped it because I had a sinus infection. So I am "basically" on week four of my liquid diet. And my basically I mean, the day we bumped it I ATE food. Real food..and it was good. I've lost 17 lbs since starting the liquid diet, I expect if they weight me Thursday I will have lost another pound at least. I hit a wierd place last week, having second thoughts and generally feeling rebellious. I LOVE FOOD. I love to eat, these are things we all probably have in common. I was getting freaked out about what it will be like to not "have" food as the thing...you know, the THING. The thing you do when you are bored, or stressed or want to endulge yourself. I have NO DOUBTS that this is the right thing for me to do...I just have some fear and I bet I'm going to do some grieving. But I've been through harder things. I am anxious about the unknown, how I'll feel, how much pain etc. I am totally stressed about PB's, Sliming all this stuff you guys talk about...so wigged out by all of that. I am afraid of what I don't know...what could happen that I won't be able to prepare for. But I'm excited about losing the weight, feeling better about myself..feeling healthy. Any last minute tips for immediately post op? Must have items? I've got a body pillow, heating pad, gas x strips (which doesn't make sense to me since they put the gas in my body cavity...not in my intestines...?) and a stool softener. What else do I need? Thanks ya'll!

I get the whole "shrink your fatty liver" thing. I'm on Opti fast 800 calories a day. The nurse told me they want us on 1000 a day but give us 800 calories because they assume we cheat. Well I don't cheat. But what I'm finding is that I am really hungry and it is making it impossibe to be sane and kind to my family. I've decided to add 200 calories of lean Protein and good fat every other day. Anyone think this is a terrible idea. I started today and I finally had the energy to clean my house after 6 days and I don't feel like I'm going to scream at everyone. What say you?

After previously complaining about my liquid diet requirement, I had my pre op appt. and learned that I lost 15 pounds in two weeks. That seems like a lot to me, and I can't imagine its good for me..but that is that. Today I had the brilliant idea that I no longer want to do the surgery because of how much I love food. I don't care that I am fat...I like to eat..eating is awesome, food is awesome, I don't care aaaaggghhh. Dudes... I'm totally getting scared. Not scared of going under or pain or unknowns of that nature, but I'm freaked out about not being able to eat. I think I'm misunderstanding what is going to happen. Once I am healed I will be eating Real Food, right? Like majorly chewed up portions of (about a cup I think) of food at a time, several times per day. I will eat chicken and zucchini and yogurt and things that I like that are healthy for me..RIGHT?? I will learn HOW to eat, what to eat, how much to chew. This will become the new normal and my life will go on and I will drop weight and become more healthy and energetic and get to live longer on the planet with my children....RIGHT? All of a sudden I have lost tough with all the stuff I know, or understood about this whole thing. It started to seem extreme and like a cop out. JUST DON"T EAT AS MUCH< JUST EXERCISE. I'm here at this place, because that didn't work for me. Ok...venting. I'm feeling guilty about what potentially negative impacts this will have on my family post op... Not being able to lift my kids etc... that's bumming me out. We co sleep and I won't be able to do that because of them potentially kicking me etc. Reading instructions from my doctor to take tablespoon sips of Water.... that is FREAKING ME OUT. How the hell are you supposed to get enough water into your body that way? Ok..breathing. I know it will be fine. I am adaptable and smart and have a lot of support. It just wouldn't be normal if I weren't freaking out a little..right? RIGHT? Ok. thanks bye.

As it happens, I contracted a cold...so..my surgery is bumped to next thursday....so now I GET to do an additional week of the liquid diet. The universe is a funny place.

I wonder if we have the same surgeon. Mine deal is shakes and liquids only with the exception of sf jello and sf popsicles, oh and broth if I'm gonna die. I'm on day 19 of this liquid diet and surgery is Thursday. Hang in there.

Yeah, I didn't do it. I'm following directions. I am less homocidal now . I wasn't having specific cravings, just not adjusting well to the MAJOR downshift in calorie consumption. Hungry is a huge emotional trigger for me, so I was walking around like a raw nerve. Today I'm on day 14 of the liquid diet. I go tomorrow for pre op visit (I have no idea what that means). I do believe I'll get weighed again, which is awesome because according to my home scale I've lost 11 pounds and I'd like to confirm it with their scale.

Well, I called the Dr. office to say what I wanted to do. The receptionist said NO WAY. Liquid only. I'm so irritated because I am in medicine and I know there is no MEDICAL reason for not adding the 200 calories. And there is no medical reason for liquid only (recieving the calories by solid or liquid..no difference). They said I could have sugar free jello, sugar free popsicles or one bouillion cube in hot water if I was hungry (yuck, seriously? why not actual real chicken broth). Well.... jello has 10 calories, boullion cube has 20 calories and the popscicle has 40 calories. I do not like artificial sweetners, never drank or ate them before, so I want to avoid that. I have the card for the dietician I saw, I think I will call her tomorrow instead of speaking to the receptionist. She wouldn't be allowed to say I could deviate from the original plan anyway. Seriously, this type of hunger is a total set up for a major binge. I've not cheated in 6 days, but I'm geting punchy. TWO MORE WEEKS of this...man. I'm all about doing the right thing and am prepared to work with my band. The difference is that I will be able to eat REAL FOOD and will not have to feel the hunger, lightheadedness, headaches and moodiness. It seems like torture. UGH. Thanks for listening.

Ok. and my plan is to not do any solids three days before surgery. So,I've got the empty stomach thing covered.

Hi. Sugery date is March 14th. I'm on day three of my three week liquid diet. It's not so bad until I have to fix my kids dinner. Then all of a sudden I want ALL THE food. I know I can do this...sometimes one moment at a time, but I can do it,I will do it. I got pretty weepy yesterday and it is apparent that my emotional reserves are pretty low. The analogy I used with a friend is that food was the cork. There is no food in me...so the cork is gone and all the feelings are falling out! I wish I could go on a sabbatical, a quiet place with no responsibilties so I can just take care of myself and get through this. Peace, Love and Hunger Pains, KPA

Kll724: That's an excellent idea about drinking while I make their dinner. I'll try that tonight. Snap: Yes, I have three weeks of pre op, lucky me!

Hi. I am pre op. No date yet, self pay. I am wondering if there are any 'sticky' posts where you all have written down all of your pre op and post op suggestions? Like, you must do X, or dont' do Y. Or Z worked better than A etc. Know what I mean? Thanks in advance for your help. And if there isn't one...is it possible to make a "sticky" post? Do you know what I mean? It stays at the top and people add to it when they think of something. Thanks. KPA