Done

I just had my surgery yesterday outside of Vancouver BC Canada...the hospital advised me no bath for three days. Three weeks would be horrible! HTH

I agree with the above posters... any diet pill I took worked wonders for reducing my appetite, however upon discontinuation the weight came back on. This was as recent as two months ago when I was taking Meridia. HTH

Oh my god, looking at my pics again my stomach looks like frankenstein! blech.

I'm glad you made it through. We're both on the other side! Yaay!! My anesthesiologist mentioned that the meds they give you can cause hyperactivity. You're not alone! (me, up at 12 am, although it's because of the gas pain, have to keep walking around and pounding my chest to get the burps out YUCK!!!)

Steph, you're right, I was just going to post the exact same thing. $13,000 for this surgery to better my health. Why risk it????? I don't get it. I had my surgery today and of course I am wishing I could have something to eat, but I know I will be able to when the time comes.

Well I am finally banded and recuperating at home. What an experience! I thought I would share my diary of this experience for those who are scheduled to have this surgery. The staff were awesome, the nurses were all wonderful. I came in there with a great attitude, extremely excited about the surgery, I was cracking jokes and just having a great time. I had to, otherwise my anxiety would have gone through the roof! Here are some pictures of my boo-boos. Shaw Photo Share The password is bert99. Here is a rundown of what happened: 6:30 am arrived at hospital Went to surgical daycare Met with nurse, she asked me some questions, gave me my arm band, and had me change. While I was changing in the bathroom I had to scrub my belly with antiseptic (I think), and write my initials on my belly (so they would know I knew what surgery I was having). Then she started an IV line (which was in my arm rather than my hand, thank god!). I then sat in the bed for about 10 minutes, kissed my husband goodbye and was taken by a porter to the surgical area. At this point it was 7:20. My surgery was SUPPOSED to be at 7:45. I sat, on that bed, staring up at the ceiling until roughly 8 AM!! My god was I ever bored! Nothing to look at or read, other than Mickey and Minnie Mouse on the wall. Then I met Dr. M the anesthesiologist, she was really nice. Asked me some questions, i got to talk to her about me not wanting to be stoned out of my mind. I was surprised how open and welcoming she was, I didn't feel brushed off or like I was bothering them like I have been during other operations (especially at my local hospital). I then met the nurse, she wheeled me in, I asked her if we could play bumper cars... how fast did this thing go? things like that. WOW, the operating room was beautiful. A big plasma TV up on the wall, I was like HEY I get to watch TV during my procedure! ha ha I then scooted my huge ass over to the operating table, they kept me nice and warm which was great. I had to unbottom my gown (which was an extra large size, thank you!! I thought that was awesome of the hospital to have bigger gowns). Then I was given something to relax, then the anesthetic, and I don't remember much after that. I woke up in pain, my chest hurt, and just as I woke up they were inserting suppositories for pain. NOT FUN! HEY, EXIT ONLY!!! I was in recovery for quite a few hours, my pain was a 7, the pain was I believe in my port area (below my cleavage I think)...then we figured out that it was the gas pains. I sat up trying to get the pains to go away. If I wasn't sitting up I was zonked out. I was then moved back to the surgical daycare area where they gave me some oxycodone (sp??? it's like percoset) and that worked WONDERS! My pain was almost gone and I managed to get some good sleep in. The one thing that was uncomfortable were the automatic support/tension thingamajigs on my legs (they were like automated blood pressure cuffs, they inflated and deflated like a wave, I guess to get the blood flowing in my legs to avoid deep-vein thrombosis). After a few hours they had to take them off as I was absolutely BOILING and the insides were coated with sweat (yuck). THEN I had to sit down in the chair. After 15 minutes I asked if I could go back to bed, the nurse said no, that Dr. L has specific instructions and he wants his patients to be in the chair and able to move around So i sat in the chair a bit longer. I was really uncomfortable at that point. I then asked if I could go back to bed, she said Dr. L would be here between 3 and 4 p.m. (at the time it was about 2:30) so to stay in the chair. HE DIDN'T GET THERE UNTIL ABOUT 5:45. FINALLY near the end I got to lay down. It was really uncomfortable sitting down and I was also falling asleep which was not fun. Dr. L came by, looked at my wounds, told me what to eat, I thanked him for performing the surgery and he wrote my rx and he was off. Had a long drive home ..... I haven't been able to lay down as the gas pain is too much. I took some gas-x. I haven't been able to drink anything without air bubbles going down. I don't get it...maybe it's because I am not able to take big gulps anymore? I had to take a plethora of pills, I take four pills at bedtime, so I had to cut them all up small, plus my T3's. so that took me roughly five minutes to get them all down. My port incision really hurts, and I feel like I have a disc just below my skin. I was contemplating having plastic surgery after I reached my goal weight, but after the pain I went through today, I am not interested in it whatsoever. That would be a huge incision, plus the bruising and pain from the lipo. If I have a little roll I will learn to live with it. I was pretty positive about everything today, I think that helped a great deal with the pain, but I don't want to go through this pain again. Much rather have an unmedicated homebirth again than this!! If you have gotten this far, thanks for reading!

Well, I just had my dh take some full body pics. I am really shocked at how heavy I have become. I have been wanting for YEARS to be normal, to be thin. I still can't believe I will be on my way there in a few hours. The only thing I am scared of tomorrow is when they place the IV in my hand.... I can't stand that feeling. I'm not scared of pain (unmedicated home waterbirth, lots of tattoos), I'm just scared of that IV pain when they poke and proddle to get it in. Also the gas pain... (((shudder))) I dropped my daughters (ages three and five) off at their aunt's house tonight. I'm enjoying a few hours alone now. Some time to reflect on my life...the last few bad years where I just hated my body... looking forward to this new chapter in my life.

Whooo hoo! We have the same surgery date. See you on the other side!

Hi all, I did a search through the forums but didn't get an answer on this on the first two pages... I have to take a huge B Vitamin that has a coating on it. It is about as an inch wide. I know I could use a pill cutter and crush it, but since it has the coating, do I need to worry about absortion? What do I take it in (applesauce?), and do I take it really slowly (torture), or can I take it all at once? I'm also on Nexium which is a bit smaller. My other meds which are tiny (thyroid), can I just take as they are? Thanks :eek: Roberta

WOWSA CN, way to go on the weight loss! I'm just making my turkey stock right now ... what perfect timing with Christmas and all.....

This is not a very positive post, so I apologise in advance. I feel like I am drowning in fat. I am 11 days from surgery day and I wish it was tomorrow. I think I have a grip on eating in the morning, then I blow it later on in the day. My whole body is so bloated. I am 33 and feel like I am 80. I was all proud of myself, got myself down to 271 lbs from 285 in November. Then I had to switch antidepressant medication, and I ended up gaining it all back because it made me soooo incredibly hungry. I stopped taking those meds before I ballooned even more! Now, I am back at square one, feel completely helpless, starting over again. Everything hurts, everything is bloated, it hurts to walk.......I just don't have it in me anymore to keep yo-yoing like this.

Wow Shrinking Violets, I love your hair! You look MAHHHVVVVVELOUS!

Well today I went and bagged all of my 3X and higher clothes. What a feeling of relief to know I will NEVER HAVE TO WEAR THEM AGAIN! During previous diets / "lifestyle modifications" I would keep my fat clothes, and sure enough, I would need them when I gained all the weight back (plus some). Today my treat is having a Tim Hortons french vanilla. Whoo hoo!

Thanks Shortgal .. I'm in for surgery in less than a day!!! My spirits have improved a great deal since posting.

Have you tried sucking on Werther's Originals candy? It is very nummy, caramel flavored... when I used to diet it helped me stay on track at work. I think they are one point for three (my WW knowledge, ha ha).

I am very happy that it is working well for you. I love reading posts like yours! We have the same mindset. :-)

I feel sorry for you all, being banded just before Christmas. That must be absolute torture!!!

I can't help but notice how some posters are being somewhat righteous ... shunning those who are more obese than them. I have incredibly sympathy towards those who happen to be morbidly or super-obese. Due to medications, I have been there when I lost all feelings of satiety, where it didn't matter how much I ate, I never felt full, and it was non-stop, never-ending hunger, and getting food was all I thought about. Thankfully I was able to stop those medications before I gained even more weight, but some people don't have that luxury. Then the weight comes on, and the cycle of depression continues. Isolation from public humiliation causes depression, lack of movement, further contributing to the weight gain. I could go on and on.... Rather than sounding like you look at people with such disgust and disdain, how about being a bit sympathetic and understanding of their plight, rather than thinking to yourself "oh god I never want to get THAT fat", talking about the smell of yeast in fat rolls, them not being able to wipe themselves properly, etc. etc. I would sincerely hope that those, who work as health care professionals, would show some kindness towards that patient. It might be the first show of sympathy and care that that poor person has had in ages. He/she was humiliated enough being there.

I voted don't do it, meaning don't do it with this specific photographer .. I agree with the previous posters, his work isn't very flattering to the models in the pictures.

Why am I obese? It all started when I was 19 and was put on antidepressants. I went from 150ish to about 230 lbs in about two years. Whenever I was off of them I would lose weight. I have been on almost every single antidepressant out there, in every class, from old MAOI's and tricyclics to the newer AD's. It took years to deal with my treatment resistant depression. I managed to take off 50 to get down to a very healthy 180 where I was extremely active. Then my mom and grampa died (mom was 40) and I went back on AD's and from 1999 to now I have gained over 100 lbs. These pills are horrible. The ones that do work to reduce my appetite make me irritable. The ones that do calm me down and make me functional cause me to get massive cravings for sugar, starches, etc. On some medication I lose the sensation of satiety/fullness, so i cannot get enough of food. I stuffed myself full but I was still hungry. What a horrible way to live! I'm now managed well (who can say what tomorrow brings), not that hungry but am stuck at close to 300 lbs. I want this band so that the weight I lose I won't gain back. I am very well educated on the band and how it works, so now that there is a physical barrier preventing overeating, where I don't want to mess my insides up, it will make all the difference. I am 33 now and have bad knees, GERD (reflux), hypothyroid, high cholesterol, high BP, my kidneys aren't happy ... the list goes on. I want my life back!

Congrats! Please post your progress as my surgery is on the 28th and I try to read as much as I can from the post-ops. I hope everything goes well from now on!

Congratulations on your banding! I hope my experience is as good as yours (well, except for the crappy nurses! ha ha)

RIGHT ON! You go girl!

THAT was funny. A lot of the pictures reminded me of where I grew up .....

Why are you defying logic like this????? Do you understand the medical reasons why you cannot eat regular food for that specified post-op phase? You need to spend a few hours reading up on this info to get it drilled into your brain. This post-op phase is not one to push for extreme weight loss, or to deprive you of food. It is one to heal!!! Throw the friggin' scale away and leave yourself ALONE!!! Quit beating yourself up over this, quit weighing yourself, just STOP! Don't let your eating disorder get in the way of reason. You DON'T eat hard food during this phase as the band has to place itself in the right spot and the stitches need to heal. If you eat food, you risk (which you have probably already done now) stretching the stoma, which goes completely against every reason this band is placed on your stomach. If food makes this pouch larger, or pushes through the band, the band can move, sit in the wrong spot, it will heal itself in that spot, and cause slippage, erosion, et.c. etc. etc. Really, why do this to yourself??????? Why don't you go on youtube and view the two videos that they have online of the lap band surgery. It will enable you to physically SEE where the band is, and hopefully will enable you to put two and two together to completely understand WHY the post-op phase dietary restrictions are the way they are. If you want to eat chicken or food like that again, close your eyes, and visualize the food pushing your band further down your stomach.