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AmberWaves and phyllser: Welcome to LBT! This is a great place to make new friends, get support, and information. Don't be afraid to ask away! Good luck to you both during your journeys. Shauna

Mel, I hear ya! I am 32 and was banded on May 21. I have a 5 and 2 year old that I am running after! To be honest, today is the first day I have felt "normal". I am still sore and somewhat tired, but not to the point its overwhelming everything else. Hopefully, it stays this way. We'll see. On another note, I have lost 23 pounds total. Yay! But, even though I have lost the weight I am still having a hard time fitting into my clothes. I am still swollen and bloated. I look about 7 months pregnant. Yikes! I'm sure it just takes time. Congratulations and good luck! Shauna

Hi Podna! I am almost two weeks out now. Here's my diet: Week 1: *Clear liquids including Water, SF Kool-aid, crystal lite, SF/decaf tea, broth, SF popsicles, SF Jello, etc. *Skim milk, 1 percent milk, or soymilk *Protein supplements *SF Carnation instant Breakfast or other meal supplement drink Week 2: *Everything from week one and foods of a pureed consistency. (Baby food, yogurt, pudding, creamy Soups (strained or blended), oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc. Week 3: *Soft foods including tuna salad, cottage cheese, ground meats, Pasta, bread, etc. Week 4: Regular diet Hope this helps! Good luck. Shauna

OhioChick1982: Good luck with your decision. The decision to have surgery (regardless of the type) is a major one. Whatever you decide, I would suggest meeting with at least 2 or 3 different surgeons before making up your mind. Be armed with as much information as possible. This is a big decision. Good luck to you!

Hi Tracy, You and I are in very similar situations. I have two children at home, ages 2 and 5. I moved out of state last year and have no family in the area. (Don't know many people yet, as far as that goes.) My husband has a fairly new job and doesn't have the ability to take much time off. I was banded on May 21. The first few days were rough and I did need some support. After about day 3 or 4 I was fine. Yes, still some pain, but nothing I couldn't handle. I wasn't my old self yet, but able to get up to the kitchen and make a sandwich for the kids or pour them a bowl of Cereal. They spent a lot of time the first week and a half watching TV, but we got through it. Now a week and a half since surgery I am fine. I am still a little sore around my port, but nothing that would keep me from driving or doing my other daily activities. Good luck to you.

This is your body, YOUR decision. You have the right to the life you want and deserve. Your son is 29. He should be an adult. You are not living your life for him or for his spouse. You did your job with him and not it's your turn to concentrate on YOU. They are the ones that should feel guilty for not supporting you through such an emotionally and physically demanding time. Are you a part of a local support group? If not, I would check through your surgeon and check the local boards to see if there is one in your area and get involved. Surround yourself with people who care and can be supportive. I am here for you. Good luck. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Shauna

I can't believe how hungry I've been today. I guess it's time to really watch the Protein and get that in. This week since starting mushies I have been fine with some Soup and a baby food. Or a Protein shake (sipped throughout the day) and a SF popsicle. Tonight I went to the store and bought SF ice cream. Oh, I am so bad. I did limit it to 1/2 cup... but, oh..... yummmy.........I feel so naughty right now.

I had my post-op appt. today. Everything was fine. I saw Dr. DeBarros and he was looking good, too! I get to stop heparin injections! Yeah! My fill date is June 28 11:30 am. I am down a total of 23 pounds since starting the pre-op diet 5/9. On an unrelated note, I am hungry! I have not been hungry since the surgery, but today I am so hungry!

Hey Audreyg..... I was banded 5-21-07 and I also have the AP band. From what I understand, a few select surgeons in the U.S. were given the OK to use them for a trial period before they are released in June. Yeah for us!

I was banded 5-21-07 with the small AP band. So far, so good! I'm still in the "mushies" stage. I had my first post-op appt. today. The doctor said that many people with the new AP band don't even need fills as they are having adequate restriction without them. I suppose I'll figure that out as I start eating "normal" food. Good luck to everyone.

Oh, Virginia! (Do you go by Ginger?) That's crazy! I take it they worked you in anyway, even without the appointment. That's good. I'm pretty sure my appt. tomorrow is with Dr. Orris, too. I'm glad you are doing well. You have lost a lot. That's great. I'm down about 18.5 today since my first visit in April. I guess I'll find out on their scale tomorrow. Other than being tired, how are you feeling? I'm tired as well. I've been trying to get the kids down for a nap in the afternoon; that's been a chore. I still have a sore port, but I am also having sharp, shooting pains above another one of my incisions that is not the port. Have you experienced anything like that? It really hurts to sit up straight. I was really hoping to feel better by now. This is a bummer. How have you been eating? I'm doing OK except I know I'm not getting enough protein and I wonder if I'm drinking enough water. I'm still just sipping but I'm also trying to be diligent about not drinking before or after eating. Today I blended up a can of potato ham chowder and strained it. I had some for lunch and some for dinner and about half is still left in the fridge. It was so yummy! Much better than the babyfood or protein drinks. I'm getting tired of everything sweet. I, too, have been wondering where LilMonkey is. She hasn't checked in for a while. I hope everything is OK with her and her hubby. I'll try to get my fill appt. around the same time as yours. I will let you know. Take care, Shauna PS-- How old are your boys?

Nicole, I would check w/ your ins. co. to see what they consider a medically supervised diet. Usually your PCP or bariatric surgeon can put you on the medically supervised diet. Usually you have to meet with them at least once a month and get weighed in. Congratulations on taking the first step and going to the seminar. I have heard good things about Scottsdale Bariatrics. My only suggestion would be to go to at least a couple of seminars w/ different surgeons before making a final decision. You will find that a lot of them are very different. Unlike gastric bypass, with the lapband you can eat just about anything. The band restricts the amount you eat, so you will just be eating less. Most surgeons will suggest you take a multi-Vitamin daily. That's it for supplements. Good luck, and keep in touch! Shauna

Nicole, It's not too many questions. How will you know if you don't ask? I was banded on 5-21-07 (10 days ago)! I went to three different surgeons before deciding on WLIAZ (Weight Loss Institute of Arizona). My surgeon is Dr. DeBarros and he has been wonderful. The experience has been pretty good and has run pretty smoothly. First I went to the introduction seminar. After that, I scheduled my first appointment. At the first appointment I met with the office manager (discuss money), nutritionist, nurse, surgeon. We set up goals I had to follow prior to surgery. (2 week liquid pre-op diet, yearly woman exam, EGD, X-ray). Once everything was completed I scheduled the surgery. Ten days after surgery I am getting around fine and starting to eat again. I still have a little bit of pain on my side where my port is and where one of my incisions is. I'm sure it will go away soon, although not soon enough! I am down 17.5 pounds since starting the pre-op diet on 5-9. Hope this helps! Shauna

Nicole, Welcome! And no, you do not sound crazy at all. It sounds like a lot of what I went through. The cost of the lap band surgery will vary greatly depending on which doctor, your insurance, and if you decide to stay locally or go to Mexico. For me, my insurance didn't pay a single cent, so I had to pay it all myself. The first thing I would do is find out if your insurance covers it and how much they cover. They may also have surgeons they will work with and others they won't. If your insurance does require a supervised diet first (most of them are six months, I believe) get a consult with a surgeon right away. They will usually get you started on the diet while you are going through the rest of the process so at the end of the six months you are ready to go. Another thing I would suggest highly is to do your research on surgeons in the valley. Some of them cost more than others. I would not automatically go the one who does the most advertising and charges the least. It may be worth paying a little more to get the care you deserve and should expect through this process. My PCP didn't have an issue with it. I would sent a PM to WasABubbleButt. She is a registered nurse that lives in N. Phoenix and has had the band done. She has always been willing to help, and being that she's a nurse herself, she may have a good idea about doctors and who can help. I haven't had many people say anything about the band because I haven't told that many people. Mainly just my family. And believe me, regardless of what anybody tells you, this is not the easy way out. The band is a tool; you still have to do the work. Good luck on your decision and please let me know if you have any other questions. We are all here to help and support one another. Good Luck, Shauna

Hey Virginia, I'm doing OK today. You? So, what did it feel like when you ate too much? I didn't know about the support group. Who's it with? I might be interested in going as well. Will you let me know if you find out any details on it? Kaylali-- Hi! I haven't seen you on the AZ forum before. Awesome to know there is another one of us. Where do you live and who did your surgery?

Hey Virginia! Does anyone know what happened to LilMonkey? I hope she's OK. I'm doing OK today. I have stopped taking the pain meds and have a lot more energy, which I've needed being home alone with the kids for the first time. I am having some port pain, especially sitting here at the computer. I don't know how you are doing it. I sit here for more than 30 mintues or so and it stabs and burns until I can't take it anymore. This morning I was down 2 pounds from pre-surgery weight. Yeah, finally broke the barrier. I have eaten more today, but I am having even a harder time with the Protein. Now that there are more options, the Protein shake is the last thing I want to have. Ugh..... Have a good night! Shauna

Yes, Virginia, I have MSN, too. I will add you to mine. Yeah! It works!

Virginia, Hi again. I am having a similar problem with my belly brace. Although I have one, it is too big and doesn't do much good. It fit when I was in the hospital, but I think enough of the swelling has gone down that when I put it on it just hangs there. It's too bad because it really helped when I was able to wear it. It sounds like you have a great job. You are lucky your insurance paid for your band. I had to pay cash for mine; I think LilMonkey and her husband did, too. Are you having any trouble getting the potatoes down? I'm a little worried about the transition but I am so sick and tired of Protein shakes. Did anyone tell you how much protein you should be getting? I am struggling to get in two full shakes a day. When I make them with milk they are 28 g. protein each. Some people on here have said they are required to have 70-90 grams of protein a day! Yikes! If that's the case, I'm no where close. I think it will be a while before I can wear regular clothing as well. My port site is still very sore and it is right across my waist line where my pants sit. During the day I have been wearing elastic wasted work-out shorts and I have to put a bandage over that incision to keep my pants from rubbing on it. Did you decide if you are going to work tomorrow? Is Memorial Day not a holiday for you at the bank? Shauna

Hey annielkd! We are bandmates! I was also banded on 5-21. My doctor says to start introducing mushies after one week. So, I plan to start tomorrow. However, I still haven't had the urge to eat. I can really feel the liquids going down and it makes me nervous to eat real food so soon. I'm going to try but I'm not going to be afraid to go back to liquids for a few days if I need to. I still have pain as well. Especially around the port incision. It is torture to get in and out of bed or even to try and roll over. I'm still doing a lot of my sleeping in the recliner. And more than anything I am just so tired. I'm exhausted all the time and could literally take 2-3 naps a day. I guess we all handle the pain and recovery at our own paces. Welcome to bandland and good luck with your recovery and future successes!

Hi Virginia, Yes, still doing the heprin injections. At least they are no big deal. I was worried about them at first. I was told I would have a LOT of bruising and that the shots would sting. So far, I've had neither. I'm not quite sure if I've been hungry yet or not. I know I want food-- but only because I've been on liquids for three weeks now. The chest pain I had is pretty much gone. It sounds like you have the same thing. It took a day or two, but after getting a couple of good burps out it felt better. Now I have a weird internal feeling when I drink. I think it's the band. It's not painful or even uncomforatable, just different. Have either of you drank too much? For me, I've been good so far. I just try to sip throughout the day. I haven't experienced the "fullness" or the pain some have said they get when getting too much too fast. For that, I'm grateful, but I'm sure my time will come. I'm so excited to start the new portion of our diets tomorrow. Who knew I'd be so excited over SF pudding and blended Soup? Virginia... what type of work do you do? I am a stay-at-home mom. My husband is going out of town on Tuesday, so I will be alone with the kids this week. I'm hoping I can handle it. They can be a handful and I have absolutely no strength to run after them now. That leads me to another question...... are you experiencing the fatigue that I am? Even when I don't take the lortab I am so exhausted and sleepy all the time! I could easily take 2-3 naps a day. I hope it fades soon. Anyway, I think if you need the extra days off of work you should take them. Are you still wearing the belly brace thing they gave us at the hospital? Do you know how long we are supposed to wear it? Let us know what you decide about work and good luck. Shauna

Kacee, Yes. I had quite a bit of pain in the back of my neck on days 2-3 post op. It has since subsided. Hopefully, yours will too! Have you tried the heating pad on it? It helped me.

Yes, METALBAND, misery loves company! I hear ya. We are bandmates. I was banded Monday as well. From what I had read about this being so easy, I thought I would have been better by now, also. Nope. I am still swollen, bloated, and still wearing elastic waisted pants. I doubt there is any way I could get my jeans on at all. I came home from the hospital weighing 10 pounds heavier than the day I left. It hurts like hell to get in/out of bed or to try and roll over. Even after all of this time, most of the sleep I get is in the recliner. My port is also swollen and bruised and just plain sore. And yes, I still have those growling cramps... they hurt! For me, sitting down with the heating pad helps a little, but realistically, you can't do that all day long. Hang in there. We are in this together. I will always be happy to share some "whine" with you.

LilMonkey, How did your husbands x-rays turn out?

I felt quite well yesterday and thought I didn't need any more pain meds. By 6 o'clock last night I was really regretting it. So, I have decided to continue taking them for another day or two regardless of how I feel. I learned it's easier to keep the pain away than to try to treat it once you are hurting. Nobody told me anything about the incisions. I specifically asked the nurse at the hospital before we left and she just kept saying "do what's on your paper". Well, the instructions say to remove bandages after three days. It didn't say ANYTHING about living the strips on. The bandages were all stuck to the strips and I figured it was all the same thing. Not until later when I was reading some posts did I realize everybody else was taking the bandages off but leaving the strips on. Oh, well. I'm hoping I didn't cause too much damage. The incisions seem to be healing fine. Did you both receive the big, stretchy abdominal belt to wear? It does feel better to wear it (although hot!) but I was wondering how long we are supposed to keep it on and what it's purpose is. I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one that gained weight. Reading the May posts today it seems like a lot of people lost a lot very quickly. One of the girls who was banded on the 22nd has lost 8 pounds. (I'm still up 2.5.) I am a mom. I have a 5 and 2 year old. Luckily, it's a long weekend and my husband will be home, but come Tuesday I've got to be off the meds and able to run around and chase them for a full day. Good luck to you both going back to work. Virginia.... my post-op is also Friday June 1 at 11am. How weird is that? I guess I'll see you there! I live clear on the other side of town in Gilbert. Once we all have recovered a bit, we should plan a time and place centrally located for us all to get together. I'm moving around much more, but still pain at the port sight, especially when bending. Getting in and out of bed has been torture. I have had a difficult time sleeping because it hurts so much just to turn over. I'm hoping this will get better in a few days. I spent the first night home in the recliner with no attempt to even go up the stairs and try getting in bed. The last few nights I have started out in bed but ended up going back down to the recliner before morning.

Forgot to mention, I am still pretty swollen. I came home 10 pounds heavier than I went it, and today I was still 4 pounds heavier. I know I just need time to heal and loose the extra water weight and gas from surgery. Have either of you weighed in yet?