rrogalla

My heart goes out to you. I have a 5 year old little girl and cannot imagine what you must be going through. I will keep you and your family in my prayers! May you find comfort in the LBT banders support. We are here for you! God bless!!

I found the cheapest ones at www.Americanmedical-id.com They also seem to have the most room for engraving information. Mine said my name, adj gastric banding, no tubing without scope, my doc's office name and phone number, plus allergy to penicillin. Most of the others couldn't fit all the info I wanted. I got two stainless steel bracelets for $48.90 and that was on a rush order. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Schel, What is you email address? I'll send messages to that instead of through the thread. Mine is banded_renata@yahoo.com (banded_renata) It didn't show the underline above. My post-op went good today. The doctor was pleased with my weight loss. I seen Dr. Braunstein (sp?) today even though Dr. Chute did the surgery. Dr. B is a very nice doctor. Very easy to talk to and seemed to have all the time in the world for me to ask questions. Which is very unusual for a doctor. He kept saying to call if I had any other questions and don't feel like I am putting anyone out. Even if it's just to ease my mind on something. Very great doctor!! I go back Christmas week to see Ryan, the surgeon's assistant. He is the one that would do a fill. Ryan will decide if I get the fill that week. I'm excited for that one!! I am on regular food now! Whoo Hoo!! I ate real food on Thanksgiving. Not much, but boy did it taste good!! I wasn't quite sure if I was suppose to be on regular food yet or not, but the doctor and dietician was fine with it. As long as I haven't vomited or had any ill effects. So I'm good to go. I think I've been doing ok on the amount of food I've been eating too. Especially in comparison to pre-band. However, the dietician stressed that I should only be eating 3/4 of a cup per meal. So I have to really work on not drinking ANY Water with my meals. I told her I'd drink a little bit on occassion. She suggested eating a liquid type food - yogurt, applesauce, gravy, etc. If I need some liquid while eating. I also have to make sure to measure absolutely everything and take 30 minutes to eat too. Haven't been the best at either of them yet either. But, I'll get there. I would love your recipe for the soup! I like to cook and am always looking for new recipes. Thanks! Talk to you soon,

Schel, Ok, so I didn't read your signature line about your doctor. Duh!!! Sorry! Renata

Schel, The video on here is about an hour long, so when you are able to watch it, plan on the time. Good for you that you are able to take off 6 weeks. If you've got the time, definately use it!!! I had surgery on Tuesday and was back to work the following Monday. (I didn't have much time.) It was ok, but I was definately more tired that week. It takes a lot out of you. I have a desk job so that helped. But I wish I could have taken longer. Don't worry about anyone else giving you a bad time, especially since your doctor agrees with you. That is all that matters! The amount of food you are eating seems to be about what I could eat then too. It doesn't seem like much, but sure does fill you up, huh? I never dreamed I'd feel so full on so little!! Your appetite will increase as you recover. I go for my post-op tomorrow and am anxious to ask them about food quantities. I feel like I may be eating too much, but I've lost 20 lbs since my surgery on the 1st, so I can't complain. But I can eat about a cup and a half of food at a meal. I would think that is too much. What do you think? I had my surgery at Abbott Northwestern. My doctor was Dr. Chute. How about you? Renata

Schel, Glad to hear everything went well!! Welcome to the the banded side!! Your port site being the most sore in normal. Mine is just getting back to normal and it'll be 4 weeks post-op on Tuesday. After watching the video of a surgery I can see why that is the most sore. :sick Well, take it easy. Rest and sip lots of Water. Recovey will be faster than you think. Take care!

I was banded on November 1, 2005. Feeling great - currently 3 weeks out. Happy to be on this side of the surgery date. For those of you still waiting, best of luck to you all! It won't be long now, November banders!!

Brooke - I'm sorry to hear your band is going to be delayed, but for what a wonderful reason!!! Congratulations on your pregnancy! Don't worry the band and everyone here will be here for support through your next 9 months AND when you are ready for the band again!!!

Schel, I'm sorry I didn't get a message off to you before your surgery!! Congrats on getting the band. I'm glad you seen my message about crossing off the "bypass option". My doctor, Dr. Chute, was fine with that. I was scared to death of that thought myself. I would have chosen a different hospital before agreeing to have the bypass if they could not place the band. I was wanting to have it done at Abbott, so I'm glad they were ok with me crossing that off. Again, best of luck to you and congrats!! If you'd like to email me personally, my address is banded_renata@yahoo.com Let me know how you are doing! Take care. Talk to you soon.

Schel, Yes, I had my surgery at Abbott. Dr. Chute was my doctor. It was a very good experience, I'm glad I did it and I would do it again in a heartbeat!! I just had my surgery on November 1st, so I'm may not be the best person to ask about post-op diet. There may be some more experienced banders out there who could help you with that. I'm on my soft food diet right now and it is going well. I basically eat yogurt, cottage cheese, applesauce, egg salad, chicken salad with saltines, Soups. And of course, my Protein drinks!!! I've been keeping it simple so I don't have to worry about eating something I shouldn't and vomiting. So far, so good, I haven't vomited from anything yet! Sorry I didn't get you a reply before you went in for surgery. I've heard good things about Dr. Schwartz and I'm sure you will do just great!! I hope you are feeling well when you get home and read this. Take it slow the first week. Sip lots of Water, even if that is all you can do!! Let me know how you are doing. I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have. Best of luck!! And congrats on your band!!

I had both of my kids pre-band. Both were born by C-Section. I weighed 285 when I became pregnant with my daughter and 320 when I had her (I was 32). We had some fertility issues before her. I have PCOS and it took almost two years to conceive her. Then 19 months after my daughter was born, I gave birth to my son. I weighed around 280 again when he was conceived and weighed 270 after he was born (can't remember what I got up to during pregnancy, but it was under 300). I lost weight during his pregnancy because I got gestational diabetes and following the diabetic diet made me gain very little during the pregnancy so I actually weighed less after he was born. We tried to conceive for a third, but it never did happen. I think it was because of my weight and the PCOS. We've since decided we are happy with the 2 and are no longer trying for #3. Plus our ages, I am now 37 and my DH is 43. So now I was banded on Nov 1st because I'm wanting to make sure I'm going to be around to walk them both down the isle. I think it is a very personal choice, which only you can make. I just wanted you to know I had 2 healthy pregnancies and 2 healthy children, even being heavy. And to add to the advise from others. Take Prenatal Vitamins BEFORE you become pregnant and eat healthy during your pregnancies. Best of luck to you!

Shelly, Congrats on your date!! I was just banded on 11-1-05. I know how you feel being excited, but anxious. I went for my surgeon consult on Oct 12. I went there thinking, well maybe by the end of the year I'd have a date set. Then after talking to my surgeon, they set my date just 19 days from then. I was scared to death. I thought, "Oh my god, I didn't expect it to be so soon!!" Then I was scared if I could be prepared mentally in just 19 days. They told me about the liquid diet for two weeks prior, but I started it the very next day. I was determined to loose as much as I could before the surgery to make sure the doctor did not have any problems placing the band. I lost 20 pounds by my surgery date. My doctor said everything went great!! Now to back track a minute... On my drive home from my consult appointment (I live 3 hours away from Abbott) I stopped at Burger King for dinner. I also bought a package of Cookies. I was thinking - ok, so here is my last hurrah with food for a while. I ate my BK meal and then some of the cookies. I had quit smoking 10 yrs ago and was thinking about that major accomplishment and how I had done that one. When I finally decided it was time to quit smoking I crumpled up my remaining cigarettes and threw them away. I figured I need the same type of mental committment from food too. So I took the left over cookies and one by one threw them out of my car window as I drove. Each time I threw a cookie out the window, I said something like, "Food will not control me again!" "I do not need food for support". By the time I got home, I knew I was mentally prepared for this challenge. That is why I started the liquid diet the next day. The first couple of days on the pre-op diet were still a little challenging, but after that it became easier. I think once you have the mindset that this is it, it helps you through it. Like I said, I wanted to make sure my surgeon had an easy time placing the band, so I'd have the best possible surgery. My pre-op diet consisted of, chicken broth, beef broth, Jello, tomato juice, apple juice, pudding, applesauce, and most importantly - Protein drinks. I usually did a Protein Drink 3 times a day and sometimes 4 if I was feeling hungry. The protein really helps control the appetite and cravings. You can do this too! Just start working on your mental readiness and you will do fine on the pre-op!! Just keep telling yourself that this is only temporary, you will be able to eat almost anything again later, just in smaller portions. That is the good thing about the band. There is not too much that become totally off limits, so it's only temporary. You can do it!!!! :banana :banana :banana I know you can!!!! :banana :banana :banana

Sloopy Pottypants - but honestly - no Depends!!!

I was just banded on Tuesday, Nov 1st. I am feeling some chest pain also, I find the breathing "machine" they sent me home with helps a lot. Try doing that like 5 or 6 times every hour or so and see if that helps. It would be best though to call your doctor, they know your situation best and will be glad to help.

Putting candy wrappers in the Diet Coke cans!!! Been there - done that!!!

Great thread!! I'd have to admit to ALL of the above....PLUS... Going on my lunch break to the grocery store and eating a dozen doughnuts before I picked up the kids after work. I'd eat six at my lunch break and then the other six before I'd pick them up so I could throw away the box. I'd make sure I put gas in my car to empty the garbage out before my husband would ride with me and see the FULL garbage. I'd hide food boxes and bags in the bottom of the garbage can at home. This list could go on forever.... (sigh) It's nice to know I'm not the only one. Thanks everyone!

Way to go Karen!!!! I wish I could do that.

Way to go Kellie!!! :banana :banana :banana You did great!!! Good job in rewarding yourself too. We need to remember to do that and buying smaller clothes is a great way to do it. Keep up the great work!!! :banana :banana :banana

Thanks for the help. I did find it at Walmart. They did have a smaller jug that was suppose to be Berry flavored. But I thought if it doesn't taste good by itself, sometimes the added flavors make it taste worse. Plus, I didn't look to see if there was any sugar or other additives in it either.

I have been fat my entire life. That I remember... I know during Jr. High I was the tallest girl - so I got to be center on our basketball team. That lasted until the other girls started growing and could jump. Since I was so big and obviously could not jump, my basketball career took a dive about that time. The basketball coach sat me down in private and "explained" to me that I had to loose weight if I wanted to play basketball in high school. I'm sure some of you can relate to the "talks" people had with us about our weight as we were growing up. We never seem to forget them. They haunt us the rest of our lives. Although I think the people were trying to help. It was kind of like saying, "You're fat and will always be", so I lived into that self-image. I was 200# in the 8th grade and have not been below it since. It's basically been a steady increase since then. Of course, having the reoccuring weight loss but always gaining it back, plus more. THere have been periods in my life where I know a person said one thing to me and it was like a trigger going off that put an end to my weight loss. I can remember all the "talks". Beginning with my well intentioned basketball coach. My sister showing me where my hip bones were and that that is how wide I'm "suppose to be". Weight Watcher leader saying she noticed that I was doing so well and had a loss every wk during the 6 weeks I was going. My weight loss instantly stopped at that point. I quit 3 weeks later. During a period of time I was going through extreme anxiety in my life. I was loosing weight due to stress, but was terribly worried I had a major illness and that was why I was loosing weight. My doctor, after running a million tests, reassured me that I was going to be ok - helped me through the stress issues and said just don't gain the weight back. It's threw another trigger that said to myself, "Gain it back" I was at 205 at that point. I think I was also too close to that 200# mark that I sabataged myself and gained. That has always been my goal in my adult life is to get below that 200# mark and weigh what my license says. (198) But with each loss the weight always came back, plus more. My highest adult weight was 295. Which was just on Oct 12, 2005 for my surgical consult for the band. I started my pre-op liquid diet the very next day, even though they said to do it 2 weeks prior to surgery I started 5 days early (wanting to make sure they can place the band). According to my scale I'm down to 280 since the 12th and have 11 days to go until surgery. I've been through months of Physc treatments helping with my negative self talk, self esteem - and the list goes on. I believe now that I always thought I did not deserve to weight less. I'm praying this is finally the answer to my life long goal and I'll FINALLY get below 200. I know once I am close, I am not stepping on the scale until someone else tells me I'm below 200. I'm still scared to death that I will sabatage it still again. I'm praying this will be the tool to allow me obtain that dream.

Where do you get the Aloe Vera juice? I was thinking it would be good to have on hand.

Thank you for your prayers.

Kare - That was perfect!!! I'll have to remember that one!!!

I told a friend/co-worker today. I thought I'd get some support but the look on her face was not what I expected. Kinda like "What the ---- are you doing that for?" She has had some health issues and I've tried to be there for her, so it really suprised me. She just went on about how she has lost weight recently and went from a size 16 to a 10. And how she did it. Like I was suppose to just do that. I told her I can loose the weight - I've done it numerous times throughout my life. It's the keep it (plus) off. I always gain back what I've lost plus more. Basic scenario. I told her how I've researched this surgery for two years now and YES! I know what I'm doing! So now I think I'm not sharing my surgery with anyone. If some asks later on I'll let them know, but hopefully they will be asking because they care.

Superdaddy - That is what I think too. I know some people were concerned about Abbott requiring us to sign that form. I wanted everyone to know too, that they can't make you sign that. I think Abbott has that form, just because they had one case - a long time ago - that they had to have someone ask the spouse of the person in surgery what they wanted to do since they couldn't place the band. They just want to clarify it before you go into surgery. They don't want to have to looking for a spouse or someone to make a decision or stop the surgery when the patient would have wanted they bypass. It is pretty startling how they make it sound initially, but it's not set in stone. They should just say they have you sign a form stating your desires. It wouldn't scare so many people. I've been reading your posts. It sounds like you are having a good recovery. It's very encouraging for us soon-to-be banders. Thank you for all the information you've been passing along. I've gotten some good suggestions from you. I hope your recovery continues as well. Take care!