pandagirl

Yeah, it is wierd whatever happened. They told me everything else was fine. Maybe they just miscalculated how much I actually needed to lose. If you saw me, you'd think I was smaller than I am. I am very tall and as far as fat girls go "thin" everywhere but my tummy. So....maybe they weren't hiding something, but still so wierd.

I don't think the apple shape alone is the problem. I think it's that my fat is the thickest around my belly button. As far as them not being on the up and up, I can't imagine what could have happened for them to pull me off the table. I guess no matter what happened, I am alive and they made the right decision. I am feeling better today btw. I had asparagus for dinner last night and a V8. I know it wasn't the protien I should have had, but I just wanted a different set of flavors and something to chew on.

My favorite tasting one is unjury. They have chocolate, vanilla, unflavored and chicken Soup flavor. ( I don't like the strawberry sorbet.) But "Pro-Rated" is the one I use most. It keeps the "full" feeling longer and has more protien per shake than Unjury. I was also recommended EAS, which I just recently purchased but haven't used. To change up the flavors I use Non-Fat Milk, Light Soymilk, Light Vanilla Soymilk, Light Chocolate Soy Milk mixed with sugar-free syrups. Syrup2u.com (This site offers other syrup brands in a variety of falvors. Stick with sugar-free.) :huh2:

Most of the people I've told are supportive, but like you I've had a few who just aren't. They know someone who knows someone, etc. Whether they actually do or not isn't the issue. You know, I know, everyone who has studied the process knows the risks, the complications, the statistics, etc. Somewhere someone is having a hard time with the band; that's a given. But for every three people having trouble somewhere there are twice as many having an easy time of it or at least an expected normal time of it. Your friend is going through her own issues. Maybe she is fat too or has built your relationship, even uknowingly, around that your bigger than she is. Maybe she fears losing the you that she knows. I don't know, but I do know that you will do what you must and if she is worth it to you, then she'll be around when all is said and done, if not..Well, you will be healthier, happier and where you are supposed to be. (Gosh, do I soap box much? :thumbup:) All IMHO, of course.

3 days? Nix my previous comment. You are just nervous. I was totally nervous the week before my almost band. I even wrote out a will and told my family my final wishes for burial. How melodramtic is that?!?

If you aren't ready to make those sacrifices then I would slow down the process and get your head together first or at least while you are getting what you need to get done in order to have the surgery. I've spent a year going through the motions and I'm not sure if the process had been fast for me if I'd have been ready say in summer of last year. As each day goes by, I understand my relationship with food more. I am more in tune with the mind/body aspect of it than I've ever been. I hope that this will make it easier in the end. Does every one need to be in the "right" state of mind before surgery? Probably not, but I can't see how it can hurt. And you know....you can always say no right down to the last minute.

I was on 2 protien shakes a day with salad/lean meat/low-fat salad dressing. The possible side effects are gall stones, kidney stones, and severe cramping. You need to drink a lot of Water (at least 44 oz) to help your system process the excess protien and to alleviate constipation. I used "Pro-Rated". It has 27 grams of Protein per serving. There is also a brand called EAS that you can get from costco. But....Unjury is the best tasting protien shake out there, imho. But it doesn't have the same slow release feel that the other two have. To tell you the truth though, I wouldn't do it w/out medical supervision. You might be okay, but then something might happen. If you do it, ease into it.

You're not the first one to wonder why it couldn't be done and not believe it was the fat issue. The Doc said they thought about making a larger incision, but thought it wouldn't make a difference. I don't know. I feel fine. I didn't have any issues post-op ( other than not having the band) I was on my period during surgery??? Gosh, I don't know and if it was something else they aren't going to tell me.

Thanks bunches, every pat on the back helps. :thumbup:

So true! Though....egad chewing is a great thing. :thumbup:

When I started if I got headaches I would have a cheesestick or a bite of a chicken breast, an ounce or something like that. (Kept it low cal and only one time per day.) It seems to help at first and after a couple of days of that, just straight liquid Protein wasn't so bad for me.

Wow, Kat thanks so much for this. I don't think it ever occurred to me that the stomach has to move to digest. It really brings home the importance of the post-op diet.

---------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for the support. I was doing fine over the weekend, but sitting at my desk yesterday and today has given me lots to think about. The one thing I am certain of though is that barring any complications, my recovery will be easy. I have very little pain from the incisions. I think once it actually happens it will be the food intake and the soreness of the band that causes more trouble.

The Dr. said the upper portion of my body was just fine. It was the area around my belly button that was said to "carry the fat towards the core of the body". As I understood it, there is more fat agaisnt the abdominal wall than can't be seen from the outside. The fat there is harder somehow as well, while the rest of me is kind of fluffy. I dont know...I am apple shaped, thin legged, thin armed, thin upper body, fat center. I guess I have a pot belly or something.

Essentially, I've been placed on a very strict liquid diet. If I stick to it 100% I should be able to drop the wieght by the end of the month. (30 pounds)My other liquid diet was 2 shakes and a salad with lean meat. I lived for those salads...It's kind of hard doing nothing but the liquid. Assuming I lose the wieght I will have the surgery next month or at the end of this one. Hopefully, they can finish it next time around. I'm not sure how I'd handle it if they told me they couldnt do it for a second time. *crosses fingers*

I can't tell you what to expect, but I can tell you are not alone. I think nerves are normal. I am just starting to get mine. I'm two weeks away and wondering if something awful will happen to me on the table. Chances are nothing will, but I can't help but knock on wood. So, good luck to you, to me, to all of us!

I did a 6 month supervised diet and wieght loss wasn't the entire goal of the program. They mainly focused on getting me to change my attitude with food and to start getting rid of things like sodas and fast food. I only lost 6 pounds during that time, but they approved me to go onto the next stage. Afterwards I was told that the program was really set up so those who weren't really serious about the WLS would bail out or be impatient. I don't know if that is true, but I know that my journey started way before I said hello to the surgeon and I am glad to have had that 6 month period of internalizing the upcoming changes and taking it step by step.

My Doc and nutritionist have stressed that the first month after banding is all about healing and not to worry about losing weight. Isopure is on their list and has been very helpful to people thier first week. I am not banded yet, will be on 3-6-08. I am planning to stock on Isopure. They have a few different flavors, they taste horrible warm, need to be icy. I hope it all works out for you.

How soon were you back to work? I am so worried about my time because I unexpectedly had my gall bladder taken out on Jan 6 and only have 37 hours left. I am hoping that four days out will be enough. With my g/b surgery I went back on the 14th, a lot sore, but I made it. I am hoping that the lap band isn't as bad as having an organ removed. :frown:

Hi there, I just had my gall bladder taken out on the January 6th in an emergency surgery. My original WLS date was February 12th, but I decided to move it to March. I was wondering for those who have had the surgeries back to back how you dealt with it. Were there any problems? Any issues with scarring, mobility and things of that nature. I guess I am a little afraid now of having another surgery so soon since my incissions are still healing. Plus, I am wondering if having one surgery will make the healing time for the second longer. Anything will help. Thanks.

I've been on the liquid diet since September. I have two shakes, plus veggies and meat for dinner. I made my pre-op goal wieght in December, but becuase of prior commitments couldn't have the surgery until February and then emergency surgery that pushed my lap-band surgery to March. So, by the time all is said and done I will have been on the liquid diet for 6 months and a week. I have lost over 50 pounds. I could have done more, but decided to allow myself some treats during the holidays. I didnt go overboard and never went over my pre-op goal of 340. I did flucuate between 334 and 338 though. Well, I did go up to 343 the day after surgery, but that dropped to 334 about 3 days later.(Water weight from the IV fluids.) I have done well with the liquid diet and am glad to have lost so much wiehgt with it. That means I will have less to lose once the band is in place. I am hoping I can drop 10 - 20 more pounds before surgery putting me around 320 leaving 150 pounds to go with the lap band in place.

I hear "You're going to be a stunner when you lose all of that wieght." and things of that nature. When it comes from somebody I know and love I take it as a compliment. When it comes from a co-worker or a mild aquaintance, I am not sure how to take it, but I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But in the past I have heard "You'd be pretty if..." That one pisses me off.

Hi there!!! I am scheduled for March 6th. I was originally schedulled for Feb, but had emergency gall bladder surgery last week and I decided not to have a second surgery the following month. Gosh, it's getting close and very real. Good luck to all of us.

This may be a silly question ,but are you guys getting colder easier? I started my liquid protein diet in September and have lost close to 45 pounds ( I am hoping that is good. Not sure how others rate against that.) And I have found that I am cold often, even in temps in the upper 70’s. I feel like a cold-blooded lizard scrounging for sun rays to heat up my body. I’ve heard that rapid weight-loss causes this and in the book ‘Passing for Thin”, the author mentions that she is always cold now and has seen this in many of her friends. So, are you getting cold-blooded like me or are you still warm and toasty? :kiss2: