kdlee

My doc said because it is an irritant. He allows you to introduce it back into your diet after one month post-op. Personally, I had such a hard time getting off of it that I don't think I will ever go back to drinking caffeine again.

I was banded June 30th and have this same problem! The first 2 weeks of liquids, I was fine and had no problems. Then last week I went to pureed food. I couldn't tell when I was full because I was looking for that "stuffed" feeling you describe that I was used to. I was eating larger servings that I should have, I guess. I had really bad left shoulder pain. I spoke with the nurse practitioner and she said to eat no more than 1/2 cup of food at a time. She wants me eating 6 times a day, 1/2 cup servings. It's working great! The pain is totally gone. I don't really get hungry and I have lost 6 lbs over the last week. My belly "Growls" every 2-3 hours and I eat a 1/2 cup of food. I try to eat proteins. I have been eating cottage cheese, yogurt, sugar-free pudding with protein powder, and some mashed potatoes. I'm still on the purees for another week. I'm getting in my calorie and protein amounts that I should. I go a week from today for my first fill. Try to eat just a 1/2 cup and then stop and step away from the food. See how you feel after that and go from there. Good luck!

I turned my paperwork in the Monday after my seminar in person and they set up my appointment at that time. I've found you have to call them to get what you want because it takes them a lot longer to call you on their own! :thumbup: They did not check with insurance before my appointment, at least I don't think so. I did alot of research on my insurance on my own through my insurer's website. I came to my appointment with a packet of info I printed off from my insurance website. Maybe they do things different now though? This was back at the start of the year when they were still pretty new at it. :biggrin:

I almost didn't make it into June, but I'm here!!! Anyone else being banded June 30th?

Hi everyone! I'm glad to hear that you all are doing well. Things are pretty good here! My hunger is not too bad. I was on clear liquids all last week and just started full liquids today. I'm doing ok with that. I'm really not that hungry. I gained 8 lbs after surgery, fluid I'm sure. I've lost that plus another 3 lbs. Everyone keep up the good work! I can't wait to see how things go!:tt1:

Hey Jennifer! I'm glad to hear that everything went well! I'm glad Dr. Kaplan was at your seminar. I didn't meet him until about a month before surgery. Isn't he great? I have nothing but good things to say about both him and his staff. I'm on Day 6 now and I start my full liquids tomorrow. I can't wait! I've never look so forward to Cream of Mushroom soup before! I really don't have much of an appetite, though. I just drink something when my stomach starts grumbling because I know it's time. Don't worry too much about the 3 month thing. My insurance didn't require a supervised diet and they let me get my 6 nutritionist visits in sooner than the 3 month mark. Good luck to you and let me know if you have any questions! =)

Hi Angie. Dr. Kaplan did my surgery this past Monday (the 30th). So far, so good. How much weight have you lost? If you were his first, you were done Mid-March, right?

Good morning everyone! I'm sorry it has taken so long to write. I just haven't felt like doing anything. My surgery didn't happen until 4:30 on Monday and I didn't get to my room until almost 9pm. I didn't get home until amost 9pm Tuesday night, either. I was the most sore yesterday. Today I feel really tight and really tender at my port site and other stab wounds. I'm not sleeping very well because I hate to sleep on my back. One good thing is that I haven't had much nausea and I'm taking Percocet for pain and Phenergan for nausea. Today I kinda have the "what have I done to myself?" feeling. I hope things start getting better! I'm on clear liquids for 1 solid week and then full liquids for 2 weeks after that. Glad to hear that everyone made it through ok.

Good luck, Tai!!! :thumbs_up:

Hi ladies. Well, our day is almost here! At times today I've worried, at times I've cried and other times I've felt anxious. I have never had surgery before, so I'm really kind of scared. My emotions are all over the map today. I've been cleaning like a freak. I just finished cleaning out my closet and told my husband, "well, if I don't make it home, at least you have a clean closet!" It's a bout the fifth time today I've cleaned out something and told him that was the reason. This last time he just shook his head at me. This morning at church, my cousin let the cat out of the bag to my step-sister that I'm having surgery tomorrow. I hadn't planned on telling any of that side of the family about it because I'm not close to any of them, and well you all know the reasons behind keeping this private. Of course she asked me what kind of surgery I was having. I couldn't lie, I was in church! So, I told her and figured, oh well. She could use the lapband herself! She was nice about it and wished me luck. So...my surgery is 3pm tomorrow. I have to be there at 1pm to register. I'm NPO after midnight tonight, so tomorrow will be rough! I plan to clean out my laundry room in the am to keep me busy. I won't write here until I get home on Tuesday. I promise to drop a line that evening. I have to stay overnight tomorrow and I'm not lugging my laptop to the hospital for fear I'll lose it. Good luck everyone and I can't wait to see you all safely on the other side! :sad::redface:

Just wanted to post real quick to say Hi to everyone! We're another day closer!!:Angel_anim: Nice to meet you, Erin! I'm busy at work right now, but I'll write more later when things slow down.

Good morning, ladies! How are you doing today? Only 5 days left until the new us's (yeah, it's not a word, but you know what I mean!) :tt1: I had my pre-op assessment at the hospital this am with a nurse and spoke with an anesthesiologist. It went well. I'm requried to stay overnight at the hospital and be admitted.

That's what upsets me the most about people! Someone who doesn't have a weight problem doesn't understand the whole maintenance issue. Sure, I can lose weight...obviously I've lost before surgery. But can I eat like a bird the rest of my life and starve myself to keep it off??? NO!! If I even look at food, I gain weight. I've always been that way. It's like I forgot to get in line for a metabolism. Hopefully he will come around once he sees how happy you are after surgery. Maybe he's just scared of the whole surgery issue? You can always vent here and we'll listen. :sad_smile:

That's great! I'm getting my degree at Ohio University. The program is based on-line, with a 'residency' one weekend a month for a year and half. I have finished the on-campus stuff and residencies. All I have left is an internship this summer, which I am doing at work, and my portfolio in the fall (which is like a thesis). I'm also working full time, so the last year and a half has been crazy! My husband was also in school, but he graduated last month!

Good luck in grad school! What are you studying? I am graduating in the fall with my Masters in Public Administration. I can't wait until it's over! A vacation sounds awesome! We're skipping one this year because of the surgeries. My husband is getting banded in August, too!

I know what you mean about the shakes! I'm drinking Slim-Fast Low-carb. They were ok at first, but I'm pretty tired of just one flavor now. I picked up the value pack at Sams and it's all chocolate. I'm looking forward to taking pictures! I've always avoided the camera. I also can't wait to look good in a bathing suit!!!

Thanks for the add! The head hunger is finally going away. I've been a little nauseated today, though. Hopefully it will pass. I'm down another lb, so that puts me at 11 since last Monday! I'm having the "what the hell" thoughts, too! My Mom asked me last night if I was sure of doing this since I've done well losing pre-op. I told her it's not so much about losing for me, it's about maintaining the loss. I'm tired of being a yo-yo! I am starting to get a bit nervous about surgery, though! Hope everyone is having a good day. Drink up that protein!:thumbup:

Hi. I bought the Sunbeam version of the bullet last night at WalMart for 29.99 . It was the first time I saw that version. I went to buy the bullet (69.99) and found that. Needless to say, I was happy with the savings and it's just like the bullet.

Good luck to you, too! I have only managed to get 1 Protein shake and 2 protein waters down today. I'm going to work on my second shake here in a little bit!

Thanks! I sent you an add.:grouphug:

Things I won't miss... 1.) Being worried that I won't fit in a restaurant booth. 2.) The 2nd belly role I get when I sit down. 3.) Not being able to wear a bracelet because my wrist is too big. 4.) My pants being too big in the legs because I had to get a size bigger to fit around my middle. 5.) My shirts being too tight in the arms. 6.) Worrying about wearing a bathing suit, period. There are so many...I could just keep going!

It's great that we'll all be going through the same things together! I tried to add you on myspace, but it requires your e-mail address. You have a cool page on there, by the way!

I'm ready to be on the other side, too! Just think, one week from today!!!:grouphug:

I hadn't thought of the starving children, but you know what?...That works! I've also noticed that smells get me. My daughter made a frozen pizza over the weekend and I thought I was going to die! The smell was so intense, even though pre-diet I didn't really like frozen pizza. The biggest problem I've had so far is leg cramps. Last week I had them pretty bad at night but they've went away now. Cold liquids haven't bothered me, but those TV commercials have! I cringe when they come on! :grouphug:

I had two meals the two days before I started my pre-op diet that I thought I might never have again. Outback No-Rules pasta and Pizza. I don't miss the pasta, but I love pizza so much. Oh well...the pizza obviously never loved me back! :ohmy: