JaxBandster

Hey Randy! So far so good with the egg. Have had it for breakfast both yesterday and today. Was a little tight today but it went down well. Actually most everything is going down well right now thankfully. Last night for dinner we went to a BBQ place, I had a grilled chicken filet (probably about 5 ozs) with BBQ sauce just to help moisten it up a bit, about 3/4 of a sweet potato and some green beans. I know that will change when I get my first fill. I guess everytime you get a fill you sort of have to re-figure out what will work and what won't huh? Looks like we are going to get some weather tonight and tomorrow before a brief cool down. By Thursday temps are supposed to be back up into the mid 70's again. God I love Florida.

Hey guys Several of us from another forum I am on have started a yahoo group for us banded bikers. Feel free to join us if you like! Email to (take out the spaces LOL) Bikerswithbands-subscribe @ yahoogroups . com Don't worry though, I'm still going to be here haunting the place! LOL Went for a long ride yesterday, first a charity ride then went and met some friends at a roughneck biker bar in downtown Jax. The weather was so perfect I even got a sunburn!! It's been a while since the sun has been that intense and the weather this warm. Going to be great weather for the 500 today down in Daytona as well! Talkk to you guys soon!

Hey Becca! I thought you looked familiar!!! You wrote to me over on OH!!! Glad to see you here! Yes it definitely helps to have so many people together who were banded in the same month so you can compare notes and progress. Everyone is so great and supporting here! Welcome and make yourself comfy!

You go Amanda!!!! I love those surprise NSV's!!!!!!

Happy Band Day!!! The liquids will definitely get old, but two weeks will be gone before you know it. Make sure you read the posts over in the food section for liquid diet suggestions for ways to break up the monotony of liquids. Best of luck to you!

LOL, okay yeah, that wouldn't have gone over well with me either! I think you handled it quite well. I am fortunate to have a very patient and loving husband. Lord knows he has to be with me! He actually gave me a bell to ring when I need him. I just used my cell phone and called him though! :thumbup: Glad to hear that you are finally getting some rest and that your tummy soreness is starting to fade away. You will find it improves daily!:biggrin:

Congratulations Lesly!!!! Sounds like you are doing perfect!!!!!!!!!! Just rest right now and make sure to take little walks and drink your Water. Welcome to bandland!!!!!!

I get eggs tomorrow morning! I might even put some shredded cheese in them!!!!!!!!! :biggrin: It's just really amazing how much I appreciate food that I used to take for granted. We try to do all the charity rides we can. Tomorrow is Ride for Smiles which helps children with facial deformities. During Bike Week I am riding with 500 other women for MDA. I haven't done the Daniels ride yet but I definitely will!!! If anyone wants to help sponsor me just write me off list with your email address and I'll send you the donation letter :thumbup:

One more thing, you may want to view one of the two surgery videos available in the General Lap Band heading. It is stickied at the top along with Frequently Asked Questions and such.

The surgery is invasive as they have to work inside of your abdomen in order to perform the surgery. Sometimes a hiatal hernia repair is required as well. While they don't have to cut the stomach, they do cut a pathway around the upper part of the stomach for the band to feed through. Then of course you have the port stitched to the muscles of your abdomen. Once they place the band, there is a lot of swelling. Also, it takes the band some time to get set around the upper portion of your stomach. Any surgery is traumatic for your body and it needs time to heal inside even though you may feel fine on the outside. It is important to follow your doctor's instructions so that the band gets positioned and secured properly. Any abuse early on in the healing process can result in considerable problems down the road.

We sold some stock that hopefully I will be able to make back in about a year (made about$1500 this week). I do wish I had thought about the miles card. That's a spectactular idea!!!! I plan on doing it when paying for my husband's dental surgery and my plastic surgery after I lose all my weight. Thanks so much for the info!

Are you going to be in Daytona???

That tunafish could taste so unbelievably good and that I could get full on half a cup of it!!!!!!!!! I broke the rules by 12 hours and had my first food (mushy) tonight. My tastebuds were dancing!!!!!!!!!!! You would have thought I was eating steak! I did take my time and ate as slowly as I could for being famished LOL. I chewed chewed and chewed until it was completely pulverized, and then I would wait periodically to see how I felt before proceeding. I stopped at about a half a cup and I probably could have had more but I didn't want to push it especially my first meal. Tomorrow morning before we go on our charity ride I will have an egg, two if I can get it down. Again, I don't want to push it, especially right before going on a ride. I also had an NSV! We went by Open Road Leathers to look for some new chaps for me as my old ones (the ones I bought in November!) were getting way loose on me, especially around the legs. Now, you have to know that they don't size chaps like regular clothes. Don't know why but they run WAY small. So the chaps I got in November were 6X (ugh) despite the fact that I was actually 2X at the time. Well, today I got into 4X chaps!!! Two whole sizes! I purposely got them nice and tight so that I would be able to wear them for a while before having to get another pair when I lose more weight. I normally wouldn't even bother getting something like this until I have lost all my weight but I wear my chaps even during the summer as it keeps the engine heat from burning my legs. Oh! I took off the steri strips on the three small incisions today. They were starting to come off anyway and they were annoying me. One of them probably wasn't quite ready to come off but I just put Neosporin on it and covered it with a bandaid. It will be fine in a couple of days. The other two, my port and the big blob of cotton in my belly button are under waterproof tape and okay like they are. Dr. Cywes wanted them to stay on for two weeks. I'll see what those look like then. I did a lot of running around today, brushed down the pool, washed my motorcycle, did a load of laundry, emptied the dishwasher, pulled some weeds and stuff. So I am definitely feeling back to my normal self with the exception of some isolated and periodic soreness in the muscles where my port is. I'm very excited about eating real food again. I can't even begin to explain! I feel like my journey has really begun today. I am starting to eat like a bandster and lead the bandster way of life! :biggrin:

That tunafish could taste so unbelievably good and that I could get full on half a cup of it!!!!!!!!! I broke the rules by 12 hours and had my first food (mushy) tonight. My tastebuds were dancing!!!!!!!!!!! You would have thought I was eating steak! I did take my time and ate as slowly as I could for being famished LOL. I chewed chewed and chewed until it was completely pulverized, and then I would wait periodically to see how I felt before proceeding. I stopped at about a half a cup and I probably could have had more but I didn't want to push it especially my first meal. Tomorrow morning before we go on our charity ride I will have an egg, two if I can get it down. Again, I don't want to push it, especially right before going on a ride. I also had an NSV! We went by Open Road Leathers to look for some new chaps for me as my old ones (the ones I bought in November!) were getting way loose on me, especially around the legs. Now, you have to know that they don't size chaps like regular clothes. Don't know why but they run WAY small. So the chaps I got in November were 6X (ugh) despite the fact that I was actually 2X at the time. Well, today I got into 4X chaps!!! Two whole sizes! I purposely got them nice and tight so that I would be able to wear them for a while before having to get another pair when I lose more weight. I normally wouldn't even bother getting something like this until I have lost all my weight but I wear my chaps even during the summer as it keeps the engine heat from burning my legs. Oh! I took off the steri strips on the three small incisions today. They were starting to come off anyway and they were annoying me. One of them probably wasn't quite ready to come off but I just put Neosporin on it and covered it with a bandaid. It will be fine in a couple of days. The other two, my port and the big blob of cotton in my belly button are under waterproof tape and okay like they are. Dr. Cywes wanted them to stay on for two weeks. I'll see what those look like then. I did a lot of running around today, brushed down the pool, washed my motorcycle, did a load of laundry, emptied the dishwasher, pulled some weeds and stuff. So I am definitely feeling back to my normal self with the exception of some isolated and periodic soreness in the muscles where my port is. I'm very excited about eating real food again. I can't even begin to explain! I feel like my journey has really begun today. I am starting to eat like a bandster and lead the bandster way of life! :biggrin:

Mac, you only had surgery two days ago. Now is the time to rest and heal. I slept a LOT the first few days. If your body is telling you to rest then you rest. You will be able to walk more after about day five or so. For me, when I would wake up, I would sort of haunt the house LOL. I would make the loop several times then go lay back down, check my email then fall back to sleep again. Listen to your body. Walking around does help you to heal and feel better but so does rest. Yeah, the Clear Liquids weren't doing much for me either. Jello was good because it at least had some consistency as were popsicles because they were so nice and cold. I know it's touch now food wise and believe me, it doesn't get any easier as the swelling goes down and you begin to regain your appetite but you will get through it and you will succeed!

Good luck Glynda! Today is your day and you will be fine! You are in my thoughts and prayers!

Now if that isn't an endorsement of the band I don't know what is!!!!! Had one five years ago and is going to get another one? That's great! I hope by the time I am done losing that I will be able to run a marathon! LOL Can't even fathom it right now but maybe someday. Good Luck!

I'm so sorry that this happened. I can't even imagine being called the morning of surgery and being told that it wasn't going to happen. I don't blame you for going out and taking your frustration out with food. I would have done the same thing probably. Fortunately your new date is not too far off and you will have plenty of time to get back on track and make sure your liver is prepped well. That AND you will still be a Double V! Good Luck!

Are you staying overnight or same day outpatient? If you are same day, you really don't need to bring a lot as they will have you busy from the moment you walk in the door. The more important thing is what to wear. Make it something very loose, preferably something that just sort of slips over your head or buttons in front loosely. Slip on shoes are preferable as you really aren't going to want to tie anything. I brought chapstick for my lips and I used it once. Maybe a brush to brush your hair afterward (not that you are going to really care what you look like). If you are going to stay overnight I'm not sure you are going to need to much more than that with the exception of a toothbrush and toothpaste, Gas-x strips (these really helped me even very early on as you have gas but it's hard to burp due to the swelling). You may want to bring a small pillow to hold against your stomach when you are getting in and out of bed. If the hosptial will let you bring your own jammies make sure they are nice and soft and loose. I slept a good portion of the first 24 hours so things like an MP3 player, magazines and such were of little use to me during that time. They will be used more on days 2,3 and 4. At home the two things I used the most were the Gas-x strips and liquid tylenol once I stopped taking the hard drugs. You get to a point where the prescription is just too much for the symptoms you are having and tylenol is more than enough to take care of the soreness.

I only WISH I could have that many carbs in a week!!!!!!!!!! My post-op diet only allows for 30 a day, not including veggies. But, I definitely lose weight. I would absolutely increase the protein though! Good luck!

Congratulations Angie!!!!!!! Sounds like everything went really well for you! Rest up, drink your fluids and keep walking!

I couldn't drink them as they contained too many carbs. I am restricted to 30 gms a day.

I don't know that I really have a mushie stage! Right now I'm on Protein shakes 3x a day for my meals with all the Clear Liquids I want in between. Saturday I can start having things like scrambled eggs, egg salad, tuna salad, soft canned vegetables, unprocessed cheese and very moist meats. So sort of a mushie stage I guess. My doctor discourages things like Soups and yogurt as they just slide through the band

Tuesdays are better for me. If I ever get back into the church choir their rehearsals are Wednesday nights

I agree with Faith. I was self-pay and from first appt to surgery was less than a month. I didn't even have time for a good last meal before I was on my pre-op diet to shrink my liver. I didn't get very much time to wrap my head around all the changes although I did research and think about getting the lap band six months prior deciding to go through with it. Still, five days post-op I'm still wondering if I did the right thing (even though I am 24 lbs down as of today). I know in the long run that I will be happy that I did it, but that doesn't cross your mind when you have to go through the McDonald's drive thru on the way home to get your teenager something to eat because you are in a hurry and you have to sit there and smell it when you have only had Clear Liquids for a week. This is a very long and slow process. You definitely want to make sure that your head is in the right place. I understand your frustration and wanting to get it now. But sometimes it's better to take things slow, especially with such a life changing procedure.