renewedhope

I smoked for 8 years. I quit August 28 of last year. I would still smoke occasionally with a friend, but rarely. Since I found out that I was approved for lapband surgery I have not evenn smoked socially. It helps that my husband quit smoking with me back in august. Quiting smoking was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I am a nurse and have seen over and over the effects it has. Just like food addictions, it is a mind thing. No matter how many surgeons or Emergency room nurses tell you you have to quit, you can't until you make up your mind to. Until then, you are stuck with the risks that are undeniable. I wish you the very best in you deciding to quit. You can do it!!

I am 33 years old and am having lap band surgery in just 12 days. I can't wait!! I do have a couple of questions. I have an 11 month old son. How long after surgery will it be before I can pick him up and carry him? In general how long is the recovery from surgery?? I am so ready to get going, and ready to be finished with this preop liquid diet. My doctor recommends Myoplex shakes. The are really not THAT bad. BTW, I am from Texas.

This is totally off the subject, but we are in the proccess of adopting a little boy. He is 11 months old. We have had him since he was 2 months old. I got a letter from our attorney today and the finalization hearing has been set for NOV 5!!!!! My banding is Oct 24. I am going to have to get with on the recovery. I am soooo excited. Just had to share.

Ok, you are making me really hungry now!! LOL Thank yall. I managed to survive the night without any chinese food, and if I had eaten chinese I would be beating myself up. Instead I am celebrating my first NSV. Thanks again

Godsgurl, so cool to be banded the same day. We will have to keep up with each other. Onmyway, my preop diet consists of myoplex shake 3 times a day and Clear Liquids in between. I would love some real food at this point, but I'm sure I will be glad in the long run. I have REALLY been wanting chinese food, but I am going to behave and stick with the liquids Here is a link to my surgeon's website with the pre and post op diet. Pre & Post Operative Diet Hope that helps. Amy

Ok, it no chinese food for me tonight. I am over half way there on this liquid diet thing. It is VERY encouraging to know that yall still eat rice. I have been telling myself for 2 days that if I didn't eat Chinese before surgery I wouldn't ever be able to eat it again. Thaniks so much for the advise and support. Without it I cetainly would have conviced myself to eat out tonight. Thanks again.

I would be happy to have cream soup. Besides my shakes all I can have are clear liquids. Only 6 more days

My preop diet is 2 weeks of Myoplex shakes 3 times a day, and only clear liquids in between. That's encouraging about the rice. I know its not a good weight loss choice, but I hope I will be able to eat chinese on occasion and in moderation once I am banded

Let me get yalls opinion here. I am on my 9th day of my preop diet. I have done well except for a binge the evening of day 6. I ate 2 corn dogs. I really want to do well on the preop diet to shrink my liver, etc. Here's the deal. I LOVE CHINESE FOOD!!!! I really want to have one last meal of chinese food. I understand that with my band there is a chance that I will not be able to tolerate rice. How much damage would I do to go eat chinese food tonight?? Will it add taht much fat to my liver, or do I need to just "put on my big girl panties" and follow the diet like I am supposed to. What do yall think????

So glad you are feeling better. Enjoy those mashed taters today!!

We do have a lot in common. It is very encouraging to see that you have allready lost over 30 pounds. YOU GO GIRL!!!!! I look forward to watching your progress

My surgery is on Wednesday. I have 6 days left of this 2 week preop diet. To be completely honest, this liquid diet sucks!!!! I have been advised by people on here that the preop diet is the worst. Once you have your band, you fill up more quickly due to the pouch, and you don't really feel like eating that much in the beginning. The best advise I can give is what I keep telling myself everyday. Just stick with it. This too shall pass. I have not been perfect on the liquid diet so don't be too hard on yourself if you have those moments. Just get back up and keep going. After al, if we could do liquid diets well, then we wouldn't need a lap band. COme here for support, and if you are tempted to eat, drink a shake and then see if you still think you need something else. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! let me know how you are doing.

Pamela, Your story sounds so much like mine. I too have PCOS. I was very athletic in school and very thin. I remember telling my high school sweetheart (now my husband) that if I ever weighed over 150 pounds to just shoot me and put me out of my misery. Well, I'm glad he didn't. That was over 100 pounds ago. Near the end of high school I began to gain weight. When we got married I went on BCP for 1 year. When I got off the pill I didn't have periods. I was diagnosed with PCOS. To make a long story not so long, we to experienced infertility. Like you, after years of trying to conceive we were blessed with a baby boy. He is now 8 and has brought us such joy. In February of this year a cocaine addicted young lady in our town (who I didn't know) called and asked if I would take care of her 2 month old son so she could go to rehab. Since I have a knack for taking care of everyone but me, of coarse I said yes. The state was fixing to place him in foster care. He was drug exposed. Really sad. Anyway, he is almost 11 months old and we will finalize his adoption before his first birthday. His birthmom couldn't get it together and realized that he is better here, so she relinquished her rights to us. Now we have 2 miracle children, but aren't they all. Anyway, I am going to be banded on Wednesday. Only 6 days left of this nasty liquid diet!!!! I have a problem with abnormal hair growth, maily on my face and arms. This is not uncommon. Do you struggle with this and does your doctor think that losing weight will reverse some of that. Sorry this post is soooo long. I just felt a real connection with your story. It was like I was reading my own. Best of luck to you

Welcome!! You will find great info and support here.

We also said "gag a maggot" how gross is that. I'm an 80's child too. I hope you get to feeling better soon. I used to manage a 5 physician clinic. Our policy was that ALL calls are to be returned the same day. This is a real pet peeve of mine. I would definately be ticked.

Wheetsin: Your before and after pictures look amazing. I can SOOO tell you have lost from your bellybutton to your thighs. You should be so proud. Your "resistant area" is looking great! You are an inspiration. My surgery is in one week. I can't wait to get this show on the road!!! Amy

I am going to look at viactiv as well. i do love a tootsie roll lol

I called my surgeon yesterday about getting my prescriptions before surgery so that i can have it all ready at home. She said that she no longer prescribes the liquid hydrocodone because it doesn't seem to hold peoples pain long enough. She said that she prescribes the pills to be cut in half and swallowed, and nobody has had any problems. This kinda scares me, but I trust her and she has done this before. i definately want the best pain control. So, I 'm wondering if I can just cut a vitamin in half as well. They are probably bigger than the pain pill.

Thanks, I am going to try the chewables, but if I can't then liquid would be very helpful. Any chance I will be able to break the vitamin in half and swallow it??????

What is a good chewable vitamin. I bought cetrum chewable, but man they smell nasty. this is crazy, but my sister and I hid behind my bed when we were little and shared a whole bottle of flinstone vitamins. We had to have our stomachs pumped and to this day the smell of most chewable vitamins makes me want to puke. I've got to figure out a way to overcome this.

I bought adult liquid tylenol at walmart tonight. I didn't look for advil.

This is the post op diet that my surgeon suggests Post - Operative Lap-Band Diet Week 1 Week one is the "clear liquid" stage. Below you will find the liquids that are appropriate for this week. Jello Popcicles Crystal Light Koolaid Water Tea Coffee Chicken Broth Beef Broth Lipton Diet Green Tea Campbell's Soup At Hand Fruit Juices ** Purchase chewable gas tablets, such as, Gas-X or Phazyme. This is used to ease the post-operative gas. Week 2 This is known as the "mushy"stage. Oatmeal Cream of Wheat Grits Pudding Ice Cream Yogurt Scrambled Eggs Pimento Cheese Cottage Cheese Tuna with Mayo Mashed Potatoes (smooth, no chunks) Baked Potatoe Sweet Potatoe Applesauce Creamed Soups Week 3 Any canned fruit in water Any canned veggies (must be soft, not crunchy) Any home grown veggies (must be soft, not crunchy) Bananas Canned Chicked with Mayo Crackers and Toast (*be careful--other types of bread can get stuck in the stoma) Bacon and Sausage Grilled Cheese Sandwich Any type of Cereal Any fish or shellfish Pasta Rice Week 4 Salad (no raw carrot or celery) Hamburger Patty Hard Cheese (cut up small and chew well) Chicken Breast Pork Chops Lean cuts of beef (tenderloin medium cooked, cut up small, chew well!) Apples (no skin) Grapes Melons Looks so much better to me than this liquid diet

I will check into the book. sounds great. We do have benefibre here. I'll get some of it too. I am a nurse and i know how bad constipation can be after surgery. I certainly want to be proactive in that department. Thanks for all the advise.

I went to Walmart tonight to buy things for my surgery. I got centrum chewables and milk of mag and colace. i also got liquid tylenol, and gas x strips. Beside the prescription meds are there any other meds i need????

I did good on the liquid diet today. I have found that so much of it for me is emotional. Tonight, it was time for my supper shake and I wanted some food so bad I could scream. My husband was taking my son to boyscouts and I fully intended to eat some food while they were gone. I reminded myself that I did not want to repeat yesterday. I made a deal with myself. I told myself that I would drink my shake first and that after I drank my shake, if I just had to eat something then I would. I drank the shake and I was so full I didn't want anything to eat. I think it is all about making up our minds. That sure is harder than it sounds, but we can all do it. I am so excited to have support here!! My husband is soooo supportive, but he has never been 100 pounds overweight and really doesn't understand the emotions involved. BTW I rewarded myself tonight by going to Walmart and getting the things I need for surgery!!!!! One week from tomorrow!!! I can't wait