New Hope

Yes, please follow YOUR Dr. orders. They all seem to be different. But I'm sure that he has a very good reason for you to do this. How long to have to continue the shots? Do you have someone that can give them to you, instead of doing it yourself? That might be easier for you.

Why are you taking Heparin?

Wow, Melissa, great weight loss AND great deed!

I bet that patch may be one of your problems. I wore one on a cruise once and I was continually thirsty. But I didn't have any nausea problems. Why are you having problems with nausea and having to do the Heparin shots?

Thanks, Betty! I was really feeling discouraged. My mouth muscles are the only ones that have gotten a workout over the past years.

Darcy, that is amazing!! 5 pounds! Wow! I hope you get your gym fixed or replaced without any problems. I lost one whole pound this week. I need to improve my daily water intake and exercise more regularly this coming week.

Are you drinking enough water? Getting dehydrated will cause dizziness/lightheadedness. The heparin shots are to prevent clots. They shouldn't cause dizziness. Are you still getting them?Best of luck to you! Congratulations on being a Bandster!

Great job, Darcy!! Have you gotten your "gym" yet? How much weight did you lose this week?

Do you think you could be too tight? Why don't you check w/ your Dr.? Reflux is bad, but it's can be even worse for us "Bandsters". You may need a little removed. Please keep us posted. Good Luck!

Heidi, Best of luck to you! I've had one fill, without fluro, no deadening shot. The Dr. got it first try. It hurt less than having blood drawn. I hope it will be this way every time. Just try to relax when you're lying there. You'll do fine!

I was wondering if he used the same incisions or not. But you just said different ones. Do you think him repairing the umblical hernia is causing your belly button pain? Wow, girl, you have been through the wringer! I'm glad it's all behind you now. Please be good to yourself this week that you're off. Anyone still staying w/you? Sending hugs and prayers your way for some positive healing.

Brit, Congratulations! You sound like you are being the perfect bandster, staying on liquids. That will surely help you heal well! That was the hardest part for me. But it is temporary. Once you are on solids, you probably will be able to eat about anything that you enjoyed prebanded, just in moderation. Be sure that your foods are moist. You probably will be able to eat sausages, just removeand don't eat the outer skin. I peel fresh peaches first and don't eat the skin. Soft breads may or may not give you a problem. You'll figure out what you and your band like and don't like pretty fast! But, please remember to take small bites and chew, chew, chew. Isn't it wonderful to feel healthier and just plain Better about everything!

Leatha, how are you feeling today? How long will you be off from work? Hope each day just gets better and better!!!

Sunday, (Weigh in tomorrow! Yea!!) Breakfast - tuna salad, 2 low-salt ritz crackers Lunch - chicken Dinner - shrimp briochette, beans charro Snack - 3 cubes Monterrey Jack Cheese, fat-free choc. pudding Water - not good Exercise - horizontal boogey Good Deed - see above

Betty, the band gave me the kick in the rear I needed to get motivated. I've never been an athletic person, even in my skinny days. Maybe I'm just trying to make up for lost time.

Sari, please check the old posts. There are several from Mexican banded patients w/excellent advice. Best of luck to you on your banding experience. How old is your daughter? They're great inspirations, aren't they?

Saturday: Breakfast - omelet Lunch - chicken, dirty rice Snack - fudgsicle Dinner - chicken, peanut butter crackers Water - lots Exercise - 25 mile bike benefit Good Deed - didn't have the "big one" going up that last incline

Aussiegal, I answered you on Dylansmommie's thread before I saw this one. You'll do great!

Congratulations to both of you!! Preop- all drs. are different. Aussiegal, you're dong great! I wouldn't worry too much about the rabbit food. It's good for you, but it doesn't fill you up. Because it's mostly water, you'll be hungry a lot sooner. But proteins (lean, moist meats) and vegetables (not starches - like potatoes, rice, pasta) will stick with you longer, give you more energy, and make you feel full longer. Wonderful idea to get used to drinking lots of water now, but not w/ or an hour after meals. Pre-op preparation, you may want to stock up on things you'll need following surgery. You'll be able to drive almost immediately. But you'll probably be a little sore and shouldn't lift anything heavy for a few days. An i.v. will be started before surgery. This is used for fluids, pain meds.) The surgery itself is done laproscopically. (They always reserve the right to convert to open method if complications occur.) You'll have 4 tiny holes. 3 are about 1/4 ", 4th one 1" (where port is). Mine had dissolvable stitches. Others have been surgically glued. A sleeve (like a drinking straw is inserted in each hole. Through these sleeves, various instruments are inserted and used. These include, the laproscopic camera (shows surgeon what's going on inside), various instruments to insert band and fasten it. (Not always, but in my case, my gallbladder was also removed. A bag was inserted through a sleeve to "catch" the gallbladder and ease the removal of the g.b. ) You'll be brought back to your room. Depending on your Dr., you may or may not spend the night. You'll be given pain meds. as needed. The sooner you can start moving and walking around, the better. This lessens the chance of leg blood clots (very dangerous), eases gas pains and soreness, helps eliminate anethesia. Each day will get better. You'll notice different, weird, little aches and pains for a few days. You'll be on a liquid diet (according to your dr. rules), progress to mushy foods, then solids. Be sure and obey your dr. It's important to let your band heal and anchor itself after the initial surgery. Eating foods too soon can disrupt that healing process and cause band slippage. You'll probably "grieve" a little when you're first banded and think I'm going to fail. You'll have to come face to face w/your eating habits (grazing, etc.) Then find something healthy that you can do with that time. Ex. go for a walk, take a long bath or shower, read a good book, nap, ride bike, etc. If you're taking medicines, they will probably be decreased drastically as your health improves. Your clothes will start getting too baggy. Your energy will increase. You'll start thinking I can do this and I feel so much better!

No, Ryan, you must be confused! That's MY family that you're talking about. But you can have them.

I'm a fairly new bandster, but I can tell you that my family truly enjoys the calmer, healthier, more active, more involved ME. When you start to feeling better because you're losing that weight, your health is improving, your meds. are reduced -- it affects the whole family, for the good. Your family will reflect how you (the center) are now and how you will be. It's a wonderful change! Please see if your husband will go in with you and speak with your Surgeon before your surgery. Have him write down any ?? that he may have beforehand. That really helped my husband. That and I had done a lot of research on the internet and shared with him. Let him read some of our posts. He can private message us if he wants to. We just want you and him to be as well informed as possible beforehand. This will help you with your recovery and when you're having those "I could eat paint off the wall" days. Perhaps he can start walking or riding bikes in the evenings with you. That's a great time to discuss the day's events - away from the phones, kids, computer, and t.v. I'm sure he's afraid. He loves you and doesn't want anything to happen to you. But he needs to realize that severe chronic health problems can drastically reduce our life span. Best of luck to you! Just try to stay the calm one during this time.

We do live by and grow by our life experiences. Whether that is being overweight, overcoming a terminal illness, having or loving someone w/ a chronic illness, etc. There are so many things that can make a person bitter. But fortunately we can also use that event and knowledge to better improve our life and others around us.

Well, Janie, then you need some bouncing baby bunnies....:Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny

Blossom, we've just been very, very blessed! I do believe in miracles! Also, I don't have to ask him to stop at rest stops any more. I guess having a woman's kidney means he has to go as often as I do now.

Leatha and Janie, I let my weight keep me a prisoner in my own home for so many years. I feel like I want to get out and make up for all that I missed out on. Gratitude...what a perfect word! Yes, I've teared up so many times and said a prayer of thanks to God for allowing me to get to this point in my life. There were days in the past that I just stayed in my nightgown all day. I have to tell you it took all I could muster to get up that last incline today! My speedometer showed 6 1/2 miles. I was going so slow, I don't know what kept the bike from falling over. We had to get up at 4:30 a.m. this a.m. to get there in time. I can't imagine anything in the past that I would have gotten up that early for. It's amazing what you can do when you're healthier! I really mean it when I say if I can do this, anyone can! Just take baby steps.