FarmerE

Stretching the pouch means that it will make your "new stomach" (the area above the band) stretch. Right now it is healing and the doctors also stitch part of your stomach over the band to hold it in place. If you stretch the pouch it will stretch the stitches and could pull them out, causing the band to slip. (Which then means, it has to come out, according to my doctor). I also paid waay to much for this to screw it up. Try pureeing things through a blender or adding spices. I added fiesta spice to a cheesy type Soup and it tasted awesome!

Congrats on getting a date! Use the time to practice eating the "right" way now. I'm excited for you! Who knows...maybe your doc will be playing video games on his vacation. I heard something about docs that do that are good with hand/eye coordination...makes a better surgeon?

Congrats! That is so awesome!

On the pre-op very restricted liquid diet I CRAVED a hot dog. It was soo bad that after they gave me Oxycotin and some other loopy stuff prior to surgery, I described how it had to be a footlong hot dog with that nasty paste like chili, red onions, stone ground mustard, cheese, and with some sour cream. And now that I've been banded and still can't eat anything for a while, guess what they are having for dinner tonight? HOT DOGS! Oh well.

I'm only a couple days out so I haven't hit that mark. Just please be careful with eating solid foods. I was soooo cautioned against it for the reason of breaking the stitches inside and not letting the stomach heal that I'm actually afraid to put a lot of liquids in right now. Have you tried getting a blender and pureeing some things in it?

I should also mention that after we got back from the errands, I slept for about 2 hours. I was wiped....

Laura - Not so much walking. I went to the grocery store and some errands for about an hour under the watchful eye of my mother. LOL. I've been pacing up and down the walkway in front of my parent's house and walking laps inside. Too friggin hot out to do much. I wasn't told to wait to walk and they encouraged it (as long as I didn't over do it) in order to prevent clots. How are you holding up? My stomach was a little swollen today (forgot to put the ice packs on) but other than that, I didn't take the hydrocodone this morning and am feeling pretty decent.

Welcome and good luck! Everything will be fine. Since you won't be doing much physically, for a little while, there is soooo much info here to read and pull advice from. I'm only two days out and these gals/guys are great!

I'm bored. Was supposed to go to the Jimmy Buffett concert today with a bunch of friends. Decided against it...very hot, still a little shaky after walking a lot, there is a big massive hill with a ton of stairs, etc. But I'm bored.

Thanks for getting this started Musicalmomma. Since just banded, I'm still sorting out the shakiness. I pledge to walk at least 4x per week for 30 minutes untill I get to the solid food stage in 4 weeks.

CMP - I too only have a small incision up there but I've been using the cami tops with the shelf bra built in...no underwire. I'm wearing them under t-shirts. You can't tell I'm not wearing a real bra and I feel I have some support.

I also am considering it too. If you ask on the Army website, the advisors tell you, yes it does rule you out. The Army recruiter I was dealing with in person stated that there is a waiver for it. I didn't go too much into it with her to find out the requirements but I do know there has to be a certain time frame passed. Wasabubblebutt: Yes, military branches are very strict on their weight standards. If you go on their websites, it will show you what the height/weight standards are. You have to also be able to pass various physical training tests.

I thought I saw something about creating a June Bandster Challege and then nothing ever came of it. Anyone in? We could keep it under the same monthly support section but create the June Bandster Challege under this file... I'm in if anyone else wants to!

Soooooooo....I have a friend (an ex) that we've been on and off for a long time. I'm in a relationship with someone else now but we've always stayed friends. I had told him about a month ago that I was considering this surgery and then never said any more about it to him. He's currently out of the country for a couple months and I had to share what he just wrote me in a myspace message.... "Yo yo yo kid! Kinda running a few minutes early so I had time to write ya back real quick, you know me, always running early. So whens your surgery? I know you have thought it through and I back you on anything you want to do but please just dont feel like you have to do this, make sure this is something you want to do. You look just fine, been with you when you were on opposite ends of the spectrum as you have me, lifes a roller coaster and with us so is our weight. Such is life, your no less attractive now then you were when we were in our early 20's." I thought it was an awesome support message. I set him a message back and said in more words, yup...the surgery was yesterday. LOL.

Good question. I wondered about sky-diving too. I still have my raincheck from when I was washed out by a thunderstorm. Anyone?

I was just banded this morning and all five of my incisions are closed with steri-strips.

Oh yeah, I was also home by 1030. Boy, was that quick!

Hey all, I'm doing just ducky! I headed in to the surgery center at 0600. They took me back to pre-op around 0620ish. All the nurses that came in, the anasthesiologist and her sidekick came in to answer any questions that may have popped up since I last talked to her. The nurse that was assisting came in. Dr. Pinnar and his sidekick came in. Everyone was sooo calming. I was extremely nervous about the anasthesia. The nurse gave me Oxycotin and something heavy for the nausea right off that bat. I think the Oxycotin made me a little loopy because I started describing my craving for a hot dog and everything that HAD to be on it. My parents were there laughing at me. Surgery was set for 0730 so the nurse came in around 0715 to say something about us getting started. I vaguely remember the anasthesiologist saying something about starting the "magic cocktail" and the next thing I know I'm being awaken by another nurse in post-op. Started to panic about being nauseated so they gave me another dose of the meds and on the scale of one to ten, I was a seven in pain so they gave me another dose of something else for the pain. I think she kinda hurried me to the second part of recovery a bit because I didn't feel ready to switch to a chair being all discombobulated and everything but I did and they brought my parents back. I made it down to a fourish in the pain scale. They made me go to the bathroom....never had someone watch me like that....but I went. My parents helped me to get dressed and we headed out. Stopped by CVS on the way home and stayed for a few minutes. I wasn't sure they were going to release the meds to Mom for me but mom came back and said they would. So dad took me back and dropped me off at home to go back to pick up mom. I don't remember much about the car ride other than that part...and we are only about 20 min away from the hospital. I've spent all day in the recliner, in and out of consciousness. I'm staying a few days at my parent's house for that reason. They are being soooooooo sweet. Dad keeps pushing the recliner back and getting me settled after I get up to walk around. He also brings a fresh ice pack when he thinks the other one isn't cold enough anymore. Dad also told me it was time to go inside when I wanted to walk up and down the walkway for a few minutes..."because he didn't want me to get worn out" I have five incisions, all closed with steri-strips and no idea what size band I have. I asked the surgeon ahead of time and he laughed, stating he would have to see which one fit when he got in there. *Side note...I'm glad I wasn't too loopy because I probably would have told him he is HOT. LOL. Thanks again for all the support guys. This went a lot like everyone else had said it would and I know that what I am feeling is normal. I couldn't have ever gotten the information and advice that you guys have given from any of my friends. Hope everyone else that was being banded today is doing well. Good luck to everyone else and sorry for the loooong post.

It's HERE! I'm getting ready to head to bed because I have to be at the hospital at 0600 tomorrow. YAY! I'm soooo excited. Thanks for everyone's advice/stories here. I feel like I'm ready for anything and I know I can do this. Good luck tomorrow to everyone else being banded!

My company has a weight loss surgery exclusion with United Healthcare. I'm sure I could have fought it but since I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have the comorbities YET, I decided to go the self-pay route. I didn't have much to stand on other than I am severly overweight.

I hit over 200lbs too (210)....I'm 5'3. Just got tired of being the fat friend when guys would hit on another friend of mine. I'm also tired of not being able to feel comfortable hanging out by the pool or going shopping or just being uncomfortable in my own skin. I agree with the previous post. I didn't want my insides rearranged.

Hey all, Dang, I was out of town for a few days and look at all the new posts! I'm glad everyone seems to be doing well. I'm almost there...only a couple more days until I join y'all in bandland. This liquid diet, low carb, high protein is rough but I'm getting through it. Luckily, I'll be up all day today, all night, all tomorrow, and will be too tired to stress out about the surgery on Tues. In reply to the previous posts about straws...my doc said that straws were ok if people thought they were going to gulp too much while drinking. They actually suggested the toddler sippy cups so now I have a set of scooby doo ones. Those of you that are close to being banded (and I think there is only a few of us left) yay! Almost there!

Hey all. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do so any suggestions would be appreciated. Tonight for dinner, my squad is going to the Buffalo Wing Factory. This is a "last time the squad's together" type of thing so it would be really noticed if I didn't go. None of them know that I'm going to be banded and right now I'm on a liquid only pre-op diet. I checked the website and they do not serve any type of Soup. The point of going here is for the all-you-can-eat wing night. How do I handle their questions as to why I'm not eating and drinking with the rest of them? I know that if I say that I'm trying to watch what I eat, they'll find something on the menu that is healthy like a salad. Short of ordering chili and drinking only the soup part of it...any suggestions on what to do? I'm not really wanting to tell them that I'm going to be banded.... Thanks

Anyone? Someone?

Congrats! That is sooo awesome to hear. You deserve some tooting.