Dave01

I made myself a list of a few questions to ask. It really helped, like what size band do they use, do they do any fill during banding, post-op diet restrictions, pre-op diet restrictions, foods to avoid, stuff like that

Congrats on your band date. One of the things I would have done better is start my exercise program the month before my banding. It would have made the change easier. I did the cola stop, fried foods, snacking, started a liquid diet the month before my dr anted me to start. Anything to lessen the impact of the new lifestyle was helpful.

I never did the Optifast drinks. I was on "All the Whey" powdered mix for 2 meals per day and a small sensible meal for lunch/dinner. Once that powder was gone, I switched to Walmart whey Protein. The choclate is good when mixed with skim milk. I still drink them. You will have some hunger when on the liquid diet. Its such a big change from our way of eating that the mind and stomach dont like it. Be sure to not drink while eating, 1/2 hr before and 1 hr after. It will help to practice this for when you are banded. Now, and for a month or so after surgery, is the time your willpower will be tested.

I havent had any Lidocaine with my 2 fills. My dr just cleans the area w/ alcohol and boom, its in. The second one, I was waiting for the needle and she said it was already inserted. Gotta love these good doctors :D

I use a smaller than normal spoon, kinda like an infants one and it was easier to manage the spoonful sizes. The band has a mind of its own.

Yes it did. I really hate taking pills, although the Centrum Multivitamin doesnt bother me at all.

Debbie, I was bouncing off the walls waiting for mine too. I'm sure it will all go good for you. Keep us posted as the big day gets nearer...Dave

Thanks Julie. I definatly have it for now. 6 teaspoonfulls of soup and I am full. What a great feeling. I think the pills will be taken later in the day though. The mornings are too tight for them to go down, but I am NOT complaining.

After my 2nd fill yesterday, I can barely swallow my pills this morning. I guess I really do have a band..LOL Gonna give it a few days to seeif it relaxes a bit, but I might have asked for more than I needed:faint::faint::faint:

I would avoid lettuce for a while. My dr suggested giving it up, because no matter how much you chew it, it doesnt break down that well. I was a salad junkie before getting banded, so its gonna be rough for me. Well cooked cauliflower, broccoli, carrots go down very easy for me, but we are all different. The frozen microwave ones are good and they have the calorie/carb/protein content on the boxes.

Another day of challenge over 1 hr and 10 min walking on a new route. 4.3 miles total

The larger band will take a few fills to be effective. I have 9cc in mine and can feel it now. For now, it will be a lot of willpower

A little less than an hour walk this morning, 3.8 miles in the nice cool weather. Gonna hit the bike tonight to make up for the 30 minutes I missed today.

I started on protein shakes as part of my liquid diet and it really helped. So much that I still have them twice a day. LOL Try to folow the diet that your dr set up for you. In the long run, it really helps with the band settling in and the healing itself.

That was about how long I had to wait, nearly a month. I just got back from my second one. My dr's office is only 10 miles away so it is very convenient. She took out 4cc's of the original 6 she put in. Normal to lose some on the first fill. Then she filled it right up by giving me a total of 9 in my band. Water went down very slowly, so I gotta work extra hard on the exercise to lose some before it tightens up more. I may have asked for too much, but will know in a few days:paranoid:paranoid:paranoid

I have done the cup of chowder and a crabcake for a meal. Its hard to eat it all, but the protein amount is way up there. Plus, its like you are eating a regular meal with your family. YUUUMMMMM

I paid 350 to my surgeon before surgery. That covered the required meetings and nutritionist. 275 for the psych eval, 20 x 7 for copays to all other doctors and after ins. I should owe 1150 that the ins did not cover, but they have not sent me a bill yet. And 200.00 for the cpap machine that I found out I need

I think we all had something like this. I was lucky and had no appetite for over a month post-op. Please dont get discouraged when you get your fill and still have hunger. I felt nothing after my first fill. I go in tomorrow for fill number 2. The time from surgery till you get some restriction is where willpower comes into play. It will be easy to cheat, but doing that could easily cause you not to have the desired results in the long run. I walked the very few times that I felt hunger, even though I knew it was only head-hunger. Drink tons of liquid, stay as active as possible and the time till real food will go by quicker. Good luck....Dave

My pre-op was not all liquids. 2 protein shakes per day and a sensible meal for lunch or dinner. Sensible meaning no fried food, pizza, small normal sized portions and stuff like that. My dr told me the reason we do the pre-op is to shrink the liver and also to show the level of commitment that will be required post op. Just my opinion, so dont kill me, but anyone witing till the last day pre-op to give up things like sodas and junk food are making it real hard for themselves once they are banded. There were enough things for me to think about without worrying about giving up the things like these that I enjoyed, so I quit all of them a month before my pre-op diet started.

My dr was pretty strict. She said if I didnt lose the required amount, surgery would be postponed. Hope you make out ok...Dave

The face and legs for me. Lots and lots of walking seems to be working.

45 min walking yesterday plus many trips up and down the stairs at the mall. Went yesterday afternoon to a helicopter show and added another 3 miles to the walk. Gotta keep it going !!!!!!

Cindy, I was given everything in pill form and had no problems with any of them. The only chewable I took was Centrum multi-Vitamin. Some of my pills are rather large too, like Magnesium Oxide.

My dr decided how much to fill. I really didnt have much to say about it. She put some in, made me drink and them added more as necessary. I have heard of some dr's only doing little fills the first time, but mine was 6cc in a 10cc band

Good article. I am thinking of a vanilla, strawberry, potato and broccoli smoothie for breakfast to take care of me all day, right after I hurl...Just kidding. I never thought potatoes were that bad, but I listened to the Atkins fanatics and quit eating them.