sweet_liberty

I gained 2 pounds, but it all dropped off (and more) within a couple days. I agree, it must be retention from the IVs.

My psych eval was also a $250 out of pocket expense. My insurance did not cover it and did not require it. The surgeons office requires it and they told me it was more for my own benefit ..so that the psych could help me notice my shortcomings and how to properly overcome them to make this surgery a success. I found it all to be very helpful. Try not to view it as something you HAVE to do, view it as a learning experience about yourself, and if you have a good psych that is exactly what the experience will be. -Libby :peace:

I've read in a lot of other weight loss surgery forums that people get the Viactiv soft chews for their Vitamins and Calcium. I haven't tried them because I was concerned how much they break up before you swallow it ..like does it melt or what? I don't want to swallow some taffy like substance and have it get lodged in my band ..that would stink. As for pain meds ..I also get the cherry Tylenol Rapid Blast ..but I was wondering if BC powder would be ok for headaches. I have never taken it but when reading this thread, that came to mind. For now, I still have a nice big bottle of liquid Tylonel with codine, from my surgery ..so I'm going to treat that like liquid gold and only use it when I REALLY need a pain killer. -Libby :peace:

I was banded 4 days ago (Oct 12) and all went fine, no complications. My surgery was scheduled at 8am but I was the first of the day and ready to go early so they wheeled me in around 7:40 and I was out by 8:20. In my room before 11 and released from the hospital at 1pm. Overall, I would have to say it was not as bad as I had anticipated. My incisions really aren't causing me much, if any, pain ..its the gas that hurts. If it wasn't for the gas I would not have needed any pain meds, even the same day as the surgery. The gas is less now, but it has decided to settle in my shoulder today and is very uncomfortable, so I took my pain meds to cope with it. I honestly believe if they could find some way to release or smother the CO2 in your body at the end of the surgery, getting banded would be a close to painless recovery. I am supposed to be on 2 weeks of clears, then 4 weeks of full liquids. Seems like a really long time, since pre-op I was on two weeks of a liquid diet ..BUT.. I am hoping to be on mushies by Thanksgiving and you better bet I am gonna enjoy some pumpkin pie filling when that day comes LOL. -Libby :peace:

Oh totally understood, kat ..I wasn't trying to say that anyone was doing anything wrong or that my way was any better ..its just that, to my understanding, the first 6 weeks are supposed to be about healing and not irritating your stomach. Then I read recipes with things like cream and jalapenos in them and I have to wonder how damaging that might be. I am sure I will end up eating things that aren't the best choices too ..I'm only human and I have a lot to learn.. but I want to give myself the best chance I can at doing this properly, so I am following what the nutritionist and doctor say - to the letter ..afterall, they would know better. I guess what I am trying to say is ..people might want to take some of these recipes and ideas with a grain of salt. What is acceptable for one may be very irritating to someone else. Be wise ..ask your nutritionist. -Libby :peace:

I have to say, after reading thru this thread, I am kind of surprised at some of the things some of you are allowed to have ..or allowing yourselves to have. I guess it all depends on the doctor and nutritionist ..or what you feel you can "get away" with. My nutritionist would pop a vein in her head if she saw some of these recipes ..do you guys ask before making these things? I'm not trying to be a big downer or anything, and to each their own, but after all we go thru for this, I can't see eating some of these things, I don't care how hungry I am. I can liquify a Snickers bar in a blender, but it doesn't mean I should eat it. On the other hand, some of these recipes sound great and quite healthy and filling. Pre-op I had to be on a 2 week diet of Optifast shakes and Water, only. Now, post-op I have to be on clears for 2 weeks ..which consists of water ..lots and lots of yummy water ..watered down juice and low sodium broth, with the addition of whey Protein powder. Then I have to be on 4 weeks of full liquids which adds skim milk and watered down plain yogurt and strained low fat soups to my diet. It is harsh and will continue to be harsh, but I have lost over 18 pounds in 18 days and I somehow feel that in having a very strict diet and small list of what I can have, I will have a better chance at success and a nice little kickstart of weightloss to keep me excited about all this yummy yummy water LOL. -Libby :peace:

I was also banded on 10/12! So far, feeling about the same as you ..the incisions don't really bother me, but the gas was murder over the weekend. It has eased a bit and I feel much better. I will be on clears for 2 weeks and then full liquids for 4 weeks. It seems like a really really long time ..but I have come this far ..i can do it! -Libby :peace:

Your body is probably in ketosis ..the same thing happens when you're doing I low carb high Protein diet like Atkins. Or, as you said, you may be a bit dehydrated. Not much you can do about it, except suck on a sugar free mint or listerine strip. The opposite has happened to me ..not that I have good breath or anything ..I mean ..I seem to be more sensitive to how other peoples breath smells. I have known my hubby for 15 years and never once knew him to have bad breath. It seems lately, his breath smells, to me, all the time, but no one else seems to think so and he's doing nothing different.

I had my surgery Friday. I had to arrive at 6:30 to Pasco Regional. Everything went pretty fast. The surgical nurse and anesthesia guy were great ..I don't remember his name, he was older with salt and pepper hair, very funny and clever, he took my mind off of everything. My surgery was scheduled for 8am, but we were actually heading down the hall at about 7:40 and I was done by 8:20. I'm not sure how long I stayed in recovery, I lost track of time with little cat naps, but I was in my room upstairs by 11ish ..I think ..and then discharged at 1pm. Dr. Krish was great, I have no complaints about him at all.

I would think home made would be better for you ..less salt and preservatives.

I see Dr. Krishnaraj, so far I like him just fine. He is a little ..distant.. toward his patients but I would think you would have to be in some respect, as to not to get too attached in case something were to happen. He answers all of my questions just fine and I really like the staff, most of them have had the surgery too ..at least I know Barbara and Erica have. My surgery is scheduled Oct 12th ..so I'll repost after that and let you know about his bedside manner. -Libby :peace:

Hey DavidB ..we're neighbours! My surgery is October 12th with Dr. Krishnaraj ..can't wait! I started my liquid optifast last Thursday and have since lost 11.5 pounds, which is great! Unfortunately I have zero energy and another week of liquids to go. Oh well. I envy those that don't have to do the liquid diet, however, I understand that de-fatting the liver is important pre-op, so I am ok with my doctors decision ..altho, I will not lie, I really wish I could at least have a salad or something ..anything.. that isn't liquid. -Libby:peace:

haha I'm glad to see I'm not the only one taking the Flintstones. I've tried the Centrum chewables and thought they were kinda icky. Then I remembered how much I liked Flintstones as a kid and asked my nutritionist (who is also banded) and she blushingly said those are what she takes too. We had a good laugh at how silly it sounds ..but they do the job :-) -Libby

I don't think it is weird at all, as I have seen what can happen when someone isn't properly screened ahead of time. The eval is more for YOU than the surgeon, they are trying to make sure YOU are responsible and understand that this is as much a psychological change as it is a physical change. A proper eval will offer you ideas and tools to help you thru this transition. A friend of a friend of mine had weight loss surgery a couple of years ago. She had very little support from family and friends. She became very thin and was very good looking and the new attention that brought her was difficult for her to take. Her reliance on food switched to a drug dependency and before long she overdosed on purpose and died. I know not all people will have problems like that, but those are the types of things they want to avoid or at least bring to your attention ..ie addiction transfer, etc. The more aware YOU are of those things, the better prepared you will be for the changes this surgery can bring.

I was told it was supposed to be over 2 hours as well, but I was the only patient there at that time and I guess I've kind of led an uneventful life (meaning nothing really traumatic has ever occured and I seem to lack large issuses other than portion control) so there wasn't much for him to talk to me about.

haha! I actually DID take up knitting, it was one of those things I always wanted to learn, and believe it or not, in the 2 or so months that I have learned, it has made a world of difference in my anxiety and temperment, plus its something to do while sitting in the waiting room. My eval was last monday, it took about an hour and a half. Overall it was nothing I didn't know about myself except that I am not "depressed enough" to need the meds I had been prescribed ..which is ok, as I was not taking them anyway (they mess with the old libido and hey, who needs that! lack of sex drive is way worse than being depressed lol). My appointment was an out of pocket expense of $250 ..ouch. Libby :peace:

I am 99% sure I have a hiatal hernia. I have never actually been diagnosed because there comes a point when you are big when you get tired of hearing that the pains you are feeling are simply because of your size. The pain, for me, is occasional, usually when I am in some sort of crunched stomach position, like getting up from a chair or doing a sit up (LOL right, like I've done a sit up lately). Anyway, it feels like something just under my rib cage rolls out of place and it hurts like the dickens for a few seconds and the only way to make it stop is to try and relax and straighten up and whatever is "misplaced" (my upper stomach?) seems to slide back where it belongs. Once I have an "attack" it seems proned to happening a couple of more times that day, sort of like a charlie horse and sometimes the area can be a bit tender a couple of days following an "attack". I did not have the same pain prior to having my gallbladder removed, and the pain seems very near a scar from that surgery so I am wondering if my diaphragm was nicked and has since torn or something. I have heartburn as well, but have really never been diagnosed with GERD or anything, it feels very similar to the heartburn I'd experience when pregnant, so I knew I would only be told that it is caused by my weight as well. Anyway ..where I am going with this explanation.. when I went to the lap band seminar the surgeon said they could repair a hiatal hernia during the lap band procedure. Has enyone else had that done? How did they determine you had the hernia to begin with? Barium swallow? Ultrasound? How was your recovery? Have your symptoms gone away? Thanks! Libby

Yes! That makes so much sense to me. In the last ..I dunno, year or so, I feel like I've been breathing shallow and blame my breathlessness on my weight but the more I am coming to understand the hernia and how having your stomach above your diaphragm can effect your body, I am realizing that some of the odds and end discomforts that I have been associating with my weight, are actually problems probably due to the hernia. What Tina08 has had to say really hits home, about the asthma/stomach acid. I feel as tho I constantly have this feeling of almost-heartburn. I say almost because its like right on the edge of having heartburn but not, I just feel like I need to clear my throat or cough or drink something to make it go away. This thread has been very very helpful, thanks to all who have shared your experience. I'm glad I asked. Libby :peace:

My psych said that talking to him is more for YOU than the surgeon. He could tell them that you are batshitcrazy and they could still do the surgery anyway ..not that a reputable surgeon would, but you know what I mean. The psych eval is to help determine where your positivies are and where your weaknesses are so they can help YOU be more sucessful resuming your life post band. Like for me, I seem to lack "portion control" and he recognized that and gave me some ideas and resources to help me. The questions aren't tricky, at least I didn't think so ..and if you feel you may have been confused you can talk to them about what you meant by your true or false answer. I know I had to follow up with some of them a bit as they asked about religion ..I am not religious but I am very spiritual, I take comfort in my spirituality but I recognize that my faith is not whats going to take the meds that save my life or eat the correct foods, only I can do that ..and I wanted to be sure that was understood. If that makes sense. As someone else said ..try not to "think" too much, dont over analyze the question, answer them at face value.

haha I just had mine yesterday ..seems we had the same questions ..my favorite was something about "my photo was on all the latest magazines this week" or something like that. In all honesty, out of 165 questions, there were really about 20 questions, just worded differently over and over. I felt a lot of them didn't apply to me ..the ones about drugs and alcohol usage, religious/spirituality questions, the "bossy" people ones and the "bending the law" ones ..but I guess they have to ask, to be sure you have some grasp on reality. After that I chatted with the Doc (with my husband) for about 45 minutes, he asked lots of questions and then told me the good and the bad of what he sees in my personality and how the surgery will apply to me. I was really anxious beforehand but it really ended up being no big deal and was even kind of interesting to get a professionals view.

Thanks Jacqui ..that sounds icky. Your explanations and suggestions are very helpful.

I am still pre-op and this may sound strange, but I WANT my band to hate bread. I want it to hate Pasta and tortillas and cake and all the carby goodness that got me to 300 pounds to begin with. That way I will not want it, I will perhaps even fear it a little, and lose all desire to consume it. Also ..what is "sliming"? I have read the term before, my doctor never mentioned it. It sounds uumm bad ..and gross.

I have my psych evaluation next monday in Tampa, FL with Dr. Dsurney. It's strange, but out of everything I need to do pre-op, this is the only thing thats making me rather nervous. The receptionist said to expect to be there for about 2 hours. What in the world am I going to be doing for 2 hours? Any idea what I should expect? Has anyone seen this guy specifically? I realize they want to be sure I know what I'm getting myself into, that I'm not being pushed and that I have a good support system. Additionally they'll want to be sure I'm doing this for the right reasons and that I'm not surgery-happy or drug seeking or something ..I understand that.. but how indepth are they going to get and should I expect to feel very "exposed" emotionally or is it more laid back than that? Thanks! Libby

I am still pre-op but decided I would need something to occupy myself for when I am post-op and cannot entertain myself with a quart of Ben and Jerry's. So ..I taught myself to knit. I've always been fascinated with knitting, it was one of those things my grandmother always did and it just seemed so relaxing ..plus, with an added bonus that you're making something in the process and when I am not making something for someone specific, then I donate what I am making to charity, which makes me feel good about myself for helping someone else out. I find that it really consumes my usual boredom and I don't think about food, my mind is focused on the pattern and I just sort of get lost in it. Maybe you can teach yourself a new skill or take up an old hobby? :peace: Libby