Flutterby2b

Well- I'm finally banded. Feeling great and wondering why I didn't do this sooner. Of course, I'm still on Full liquids. I'm having trouble getting H20 in. I was told to have 2 oz of Protein shake per hour, which is pretty much filling me up. I'm not getting Water in. Help! Here's my day: 7am Bkfst: 2 oz Danimal Yogurt w/ 2 TBSP Baby rice Cereal w/ bananas. Made sure it was real watery. = 3 protein 8am: 2 oz. chocolate Protein Shake = 4 protein 9am 2 oz chocolate protein shake = 4 protein 10am: 2 oz crystal lite w/ nectar protein - roadside lemonaid. 6 protein(4 oz has of this Nectar protein has 12gm of protein.) 11am: 2 oz crystal lite w/ nectar protein - roadside lemonaid 6 protein 12pm: 2 oz h20 1pm: Lunch: 2 oz. Left over homemade clam chouder- put thru the blender. 5 protein. 2pm: 2 oz crystal lite w/ vanilla protein mix. 12gm protein 3pm 2 oz crystal lite w/ vanilla protein mix 12gm protein 4pm: I'm so full still that I'm afraid to drink anything. So- where/when do I drink the h20? I don't want to overload and PB. I had an episode while I was still in the Hosp when I got real nauseated and PB'd the cranberry juice had just drank. I feel real dehydrated and I'm constipated because I'm use to drinking almost 64oz of h20 daily.

Kim- I mix the Nectar Roadside Lemonaid w/ Crystal Lite Lemonaid. My 19 yo Daughter likes it better w/ the protein in it. She says it takes the bite out of the Crystal lite. I wasn't crazy about the Fuzzy Navel- but I had just mixed it in water. I may order another sample pack and see if mixing it with the Crystal Sunrise Surprize (the orange one.) makes it taste better.

I've decided to stay away from the Jello. I was banded 6/2 and when my Dr was talking with me the next morning before discharge, he was pulled out of my room rather suddenly and whisked off. On return- he said that one of the other ladies that had been banded jsut after me had gotten Jello stuck. He said the Lady would be miserable for about 3 hrs until the jello passed..... He said not to eat the jello that can be kept at room temperature, but to get th SF jello that requires refrigeration. It will melt and go down quicker. I've just decided no jello until I'm deep into soft food. (I'm not crazy about jello anyway.)

9 DAYS POST OP: I was banded Thursday, June 2nd and went back to work Wednesday June 8. I probably could have gone back on Monday June 6, but the extra 2 days really made a difference. Every day things are getting better. I continue to have port site pain(very bearable.) I have noticed that sitting at the computer for long periods of time agitates the port site. So, I just take freq walks. I've been told no Advil because it can irritate the stomach lining. I found Adult strength liquid Tylenol at Walmart. Works better the the Lortab- I don't get the drugged feeling. Guess you could say that we are all having very similiar experiences.

Congrats Tracy! Woo Woo I'm 8 days post op, and on full liquids i.e... cream soups, thinned cream of wheat, thinned oat meal. yogurt, pudding, popcicles. I have to say the I have stuck w/ the cream soups, and Protein drinks. Just follow what your Dr tells you.

Woo Woo! Happy Dance for you. :banana Congrats and welcome to the Band wagon

Woo Woo-- :banana another happy dance to do. CONGRATS!!

Hey Krystal- How are you feeling today? We had our surg the same day and I'm doing great. I'm going back to work tomorrow. If you had asked me thursday tho... I really had wondered what I had gotten myself into. Friday was a whole lot better and the days have just continues to progress. I haven't weighed myself yet. I thought about it when I got out of the shower this am, thought that I'd wait until my hair dried and then boom, Breakfast. Protein shakes and h20. I'll try to remember in the am. Hope I'm doing as great as you are. I feel like I'm getting so much protein (2 oz/hr) that I don't have room for much else. I'm sure not hungry. My port's on my left side and I'll swear that the Dr placed it to ride just at the rib line. It hurts like a son of a gun. Hope it's just the swelling and that once the muscle is use to it, I won't notice it. Keep on keeping up what your doing!

Congrat!!! Everyone has given great advise. Please remember to take the pain medication as scheduled, especially the 1st day. I didn't and ended up nauseated and with the heeves last thursday nite (surg was thursday morning) then friday morning @ 4am. Once I figured out why, I had that Lortab at 4am, 8am and they let me have a parting dose at 11am. Haven't had to take much since Sat... switched to Adult strength Liquid Tylenol on Sat.(walmart has it) and it works great. Haven't had that since Sunday. Follow your Dr's diet orders and remember to walk. My dogs just love that I am getting up in the am and taking them for a 1/2 mile walk in the am and again in the evening. We're all thinking good thoughts for you.

Thanks Sassaay and Kathy- I've decided that I'm going to do my H20 every other time today and see how that goes. So at least I'll be getting 24+ oz of H20. I've found a great site to order Protein drink mix off the internet, www.bariatriceating.com. I ordered the sampler pack and I bought the book yesterday from 1/2 price books. Great recipes and the nectar protein mixes can be mixed w/ crystal lite (taste good.) for added protein. I put the protein on the 1st msg wrong @ 2&3pm : is should be 6 gm instead of 12 gm. Plan: start drinking like a fish again.

Here's my instructions from the Dr. and Nutritionist: First 3 days : Clear Liquids (1-2 oz every hour) First 6wks weeks after surgery: Full liquids 3 meals (2 oz meals ex: Cream of wheat, soup) 24 oz/day (2 oz every hour of supplemental Protein beverage. ex: no sugar Carnation Instant Breakfast or Isopure throughout the day.) Weeks 6-8: Regular Diet: Use food processor to shred or dice food 3 meals (2oz meals) and supplemental protein beverage (2 oz every hour.) 8th Week after surgery: Regular/Solid Diet: 3 meals *4 oz or 1/2 cup per meal and 2-3 Snacks resume eating solids gradually, chew until food is applesauce consistency. Drink at least 32 oz of Fluid daily. Have protein-rich food at each meal and drink 24 oz. of protein supplement each day. (2 oz/hr.) Water should be sipped slowly for thirst, throughout the day. I really haven't had any hunger pains... yet. But I do miss my water. I've tried drinking a little between 2 oz of protein, but I get a weird feeling in my stomach and know that if I don't stop I'll either hurt or hurl.

Hey Krystal- Hang in there band birthday buddy. Just remember, it won't get any harder, it will only get better. I can surely empathy with the theater popcorn. My DH and I went and saw Star Wars, Episode III today. I couldn't get away from the popcorn. That's going to be extremely hard for me 'cuz I'm a popcorn person. Love airpopped the best. But my surgeon hasn't put me on any type of liquid diet. I asked him last week and he said just don't have a last supper and splurge on everything. I don't look at this as having a "last supper", because I'll be able to eat whatever I want in major moderation, after my stomach has gotten use to the band. I may not want popcorn..... but I know I can have it. I plan go to full liquids tomorrow. But I have already cut down big time on my serving portions. In fact, when we went out at noon, I had a cup of egg drop Soup instead of a whole chinese platter of food. But nerves may get to me before Thursday. Hang in there!

My BIG day is June 2nd. I did my pre-op today. EKG, Cxray, Lab and UGI. The UGI wasn't as bad as I imagined. Things sure have changed alot since Nursing school 25 yrs ago. The barium had a fruity taste and was actually tolerable. Good Luck to everyone in June. We'll have to compare notes.

Leatha is correct. All the Dr's at The Surg Ctr of Richardson are In network for UHC, but the facility is Out of network. The Surg Center says they will accept what the insurance pays and only bill me the in network deductable and co pay. But I still have to come up w/ the higher (almost triple) out of network deductable. UHC is not contracting with any new Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the area because there are an over abundance (I've asked. ) I know I'm whinning when others have to pay for the whole surg.... .....but I can still choose to go in network at Presby Plano w/ Dr. Hamn, or over to Dr. Veninga in Carrollton. (I haven't seen him yet. A friend had a RYN 2 yrs ago w/ him.) But I kind like the idea of having a Surg Center that specializes in the band and fills. In my mind, less complications occur since they only do the lap band. Decisions, decisions. Hey Tammy- Best wishes & prayers for Thursday. Go get'em girl. Let me know how you like the Surg Ctr of Richardson. I have an open mind. It's my pocket book that is small. :cool:

Tammy- I have United Healthcare Choice Plus. The only requirements are to have a BMI over 40, or over 35 w/ co-morbidities. I'm so there @ 42.6. And I'm a lucky one, my husbands employer has not excluded it from the medical benefit (yet.) But since the Surg Ctr of Richardson is not in UHC network, I hesitate to go, because the out of pocket will be so much greater then if I choose in network. And fills will be out of network too. It's the only thing that is keeping me from going there. $$ talks-- especially when it's scarce. But I don't have to tell you that, especialy since your plan totally excludes MOS. (morbid obesity surg). I think I'll actually call to speak w/ Melissa or the billing person (jasmine?) to see what my actualy cost would be. Then I'd be able to make the decision. Best of Luck this Thursday. I'm excitted for you. (which Dr did you use?) Keep me posted.

I have collected butterflies for years. A few years back, while I was doing well on WW (for the 5th time), I had to have a user ID for a site and came up with flutterby2b. Loosing the weight was like shedding a cocoon and hopefully starting a new life. Hence my signature also. (well --I've since gained 48 + # back. :cry and I'm now researching the lapband procedure. ) enjoying this thread and the whole site. Many thanks to all of you for the insite into this procedure.

I've been to 3 seminars at The Surgery Center of Richardson. www.surgerycenterofrichardson.com. They do lapbands & fills exclusively. (They also have 1 surg room for pain mgmt and eye surg.) There are at least 8 Dr's that do the surgeries there. They say that Inamed has told them they have done the most lapbands in the US since the Surgery Center started 1 1/2 yrs ago. I believe it was 17,000. The Center Director told one of the groups I was in that the surg for private pay was $15,000 which includes a years worth of fills. The challange that I have is they are not network with my insurance. :cry I'm not sure that they are network with any insurance??? Hope this may help.