barbie1978

Ok my story! I am 9 days out now and i feel such a HUGE difference! I had a lot of trouble moving and getting comfortable for the first 3 days home...didn't sleep for more than 2-3 hours at a time ()...but by day 5 and 6 I literally felt better overnight! I have been walking anywhere that has a cart (wegmans grocery store, walmart, target) every day just to get out...i had to buy new clothes ALREADY!!! I finally can get at least 32oz of Water in...that I also noticed changed very quickly...over the past 3 days actually. And most of the time i'm NOT hungry...but once a day my tummy growls and i'm HUNGRY..i see food and do this:tt1: LOL I'm supposed to be on Clear Liquids until next wednesday (7/22) when I have my post op with him..then move to pureed food. I CAN"T WAIT!!!! Hummus, here I come! :tongue_smilie:I have gotten on the scale every morning just to see..and i literally LAUGH each time..for the first few days I was down 2-3 each morning...now like clockwork i'm down another pound every single morning. It's almost like it's not happening because i've struggled for SO long to see these numbers...and now they just keep going lower and lower..i LOVE it. As far as my incisions...i'm all glued..dont' know if anyone else on here is. A lot of it is coming off now and it freaked me out at first..but it's normal. I can bend and twist now (thank god...i can shave again! LOL) with no pain...still having occasional gas pain in the shoulder which hurts...but that's it. It's MUCH better today actually... I hope everyone is doing well! I'm excited to hear about everyone's progress...goodluck to those of you who are about to be banded! You might have a "why did i do this" moment in days 1-4...but it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it Barbie

GUM CHEWERS!!! Be careful..PLEASE! My doc told us NO gum anymore...ever. Because (unless it's SUPER SMALL) it will get stuck...as in requiring all liquids to be removed from your band so it would pass and if that doesn't work, surgery...

Definately GAS-X strips! They melt on your tounge and REALLY help. Today is day 9 out of surgery for me and I (knock on wood) FINALLY don't have gas pain in my shoulder!

Dont tell yourself that you are going to have a hard time...because then you will! EXPECT that you will do ok. My hardest time was at night between 5-10pm. I had some serious talks with myself...when I couldn't talk myself out of eating something, sugar free POPSICLES are a lifesaver! You have to chew them and they're only 15 calories... Basically just keep reminding yourself why you are doing this and that it will all be worth it... GOODLUCK

Dont tell yourself that you are going to have a hard time...because then you will! EXPECT that you will do ok. My hardest time was at night between 5-10pm. I had some serious talks with myself...when I couldn't talk myself out of eating something, sugar free POPSICLES are a lifesaver! You have to chew them and they're only 15 calories... Basically just keep reminding yourself why you are doing this and that it will all be worth it... GOODLUCK

Lisa~ It gets better! I felt that way for the first 3-4 days....like i was NEVER going to feel better...but everyone was right..by day 5 & 6, it's like OVERNIGHT you feel better! Today is exactly one week out for me and it kind of seems like forever ago...and i already feel SOOOOO good! Still get tired easily but so much better overall...hold on a few more days..you'll see! Barbie

Wow...thanks everyone for posting!!! All of your answers have been a big help... I know everyone is different...i mean just look at the differences on here! I guess I was just having a very very HUNGRY moment and felt like I would never be able to eat again. Believe me, I have NO plans to eat like i used to...I've always said that PORTION CONTROL was my issue and that's exactly why I chose the band. It's constant portion control...a physical blocker. Anyways, THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

Thanks! I had an 'ah-ha' moment/omg moment...i was out today getting some Isopure drinks and walked past the glass window...i actually stopped and almost yelled "HOLY SHIT" (sorry if that offends anyone) because I could SEE how much smaller i look...legs and torso...it was a great feeling... Wow you've lost 25 since surgery?? That's great! You MUST still be bloated if you havn't had to get new pants yet....

Congrats Tracy! I had my surgery on 7/7 also and I'm finally feeling SO much better! days 1-3 were not fun...but once day 4 hit (saturday) what a difference! Very little pain now where the port is...but still some gas pain in the shoulder and moving slowly. I've stayed on all liquids too..i'm not supposed to stat pureed food until I see him for my follow-up on 7/22! :thumbdown: I've been fine so far...the past 2 days I've DEFINATELY had cravings...i'm dreaming of hummus and tomatoes...also scrambled eggs and babybel (light) cheese...lol Here's to a speedy recovery!

Congrats on being banded, and with your awesome grades in grad school! I had my surgery on 7/7 also, and WHAT A DIFFERENCE a few days makes. The first 3 days sucked...just very sore and not comfortable. Day 4 (saturday) was like an overnight miracle..lol I've been moving around much more and less port pain...still getting some gas pain, which has been the worst part (well other than extreme nausea from anesthesia) but it lessens each day. Have you guys had to go clothes shopping yet? I did! I'm in 18/20 pants and tops already (I was barely squeezing into 22/24 pre-op) and i'm already down to a 40 bra from a 42/44...it's so weird to see the pounds just fall off with such little work! But it's oh so nice:lol: HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SPEEDY RECOVERY! :thumbdown:

hi all! Just wanted to start a thread and let all of you know what surgery yesterday went well and I just got home from the hospital. Doing well, just sore and a little uncomfortable. I'll be back online in a few days to share my story with you! Thanks for the well wishes! Barbie

ok i couldn't sit it my chair anymore so i'm on here very quickly just to add my story... Arrived at the hospital tuesday at 7:45am...my check in time. About 5 minutes after I checked in, they called me back to get everything started. IV...questions...blood drawn and heparin shot. All was painless and quick. He had an emergency surgery early that AM so he was running about an hour behind. So around 9:45 they came and were ready to take me to holding...waited about 45 minutes, went to the bathroom, and maybe a few minutes after that the anesthesiologist came to chat with me. We talked about not having any hydrocodone or anything like it (i get really sick from it). A few minutes later my surgeon came in to talk about the procedure quickly and took me in. I scooted over to the operating table, remember everyone introducing themselves to me, strapping my left arm down and them telling me that they gave me something in my IV...i just stared up at the lights and I vaughly remember them telling me that they were going to put a mask over my face and that was it..nighty night for me. I woke up in recovery, but apparently I was having a hard time staying awake...and when I would fall asleep my O2 levels dropped a lot so I was in recovery for a little over 3 hours. I just remember waking up/falling asleep on and off and being VERY VERY nauseas...once I got up to my room around 4ish, i was nauseas on and off until about 9:30pm when I finally started to feel better. I didnt' take any pain meds the entire time I was in the hospital (didn't need it and didn't want to take the chance of getting sick)...so now i'm home, taking liquid tylenol, an occasional (2) gas-x strip, and just waiting for myself to feel better. I'm sore and have gas pain on and off in my shoulder...not bad tho! Really, the worst part of this whole thing was coming out of anesthesia for me. What everyone says on here was SO helpful in knowing what to expect! The only incision that is sore is the port...the other ones are just like little marks..don't hurt at all. And tightness in my actual stomach where the band is. I'm still a little sore and tired so if some of this doesn't make sense...well i'll fix it when I get back in a few days...right now it's time to sleep...again. GOODLUCK to everyone who's getting ready! And fast healing to those who have just gone... oh! And for pre-op diet, I had to do all liquids for 5 days...Carnation Instant Breakfast was b/l/d and just broth, SF popsicles, and Jello inbetween...and the weight FLEW off! Barbie

hey all...i'm home and surgery went well...i'll post my story in 7/7 surgeries in a few days when i'm feeling better...

All i have right now is some broth, Jello, SF popsicles and Carnation Instant Breakfast (no sugar added)...it's what all of his patients take...oh and flinstone vitamins! lol I took those when I was a kid! I do already have baby spoons and small plates..but i'm not buying any baby food or soft foods until I see him on the 22nd for my post-op visit. THEN I'll get some stuff...oh! Babybell LIGHT cheese (the individually wrapped ones) are SO delicious AND they're 3/4 of an oz...PERFECT for us! GOODLUCK EVERYONE! I get my band TOMORROW :thumbup:

GOODLUCK EVERYONE!!!! My surgery is tomorrow (7/7) at 10:15am...so i'm right there with you! NO NERVES!!!! This is IT ladies! WOOHOO!!!! I am BEYOND EXCITED and look forward to hearing everyone's stories....i'll post mine later in the week...

hi Amy...10 days for me too! Here they're pretty strict about no polish...so i'm just having my nails buffed ...it actually makes them shine for longer than having clear polish (usually anyway)....i think it's funny that a lot of us are getting hair/nails done before hand..i am too! Goodluck with surgery!

hello all! I have a little over a week left to go...i'm on the 7th! I've started getting some items, and i've been on mostly liquids for the past week and a half. Most days I eat one meal (usually salad w/chicken or some sushi)...some days i'll eat 2, but I'm finding that my mindset is REALLY geared for this because the few days i've had 2 meals, i dont' feel well. My doc requires us to go on all liquids 5 days pre-op no matter what. I still have a few pounds to drop before surgery and I know that once i'm all liquids, i'll drop a good amount, but i'm just being careful. I've bought some broth, SF Jello, and Carnation Instant Breakfast (no sugar added)...that's what they want us on after surgery. It's actually good! Hope everything goes well for all of you! I'm starting to get nerves about everything being done...not about having the surgery, just making sure of little things...like I don't oversleep the morning of...etc. It's the same nerves I have before going on vacation (like did I pack everything, do I have my tickets...etc)... 10 more days!!!! Cant' wait to hear about everyone's big day...

Congrats on the approval!!! Call your surgeon's office and let them know that you need to schedule an appointment because you got approved :thumbup:

My vote is for JULY JEWELS! We're all like 'diamonds in the rough'....all that shinyness is underneath and the Lap Band is going to bring it out (even more than we already shine)! I was too late to add a name to be voted on...but my name to add would have been July Sexy Sirens

right now my surgeon wants me to do only cardio...he said "All i want you to do is walk 2 miles every single day..the weight WILL come off"...and you know what? He's right. I was losing a little...hired a trainer 2x per week and she had me doing all weights...and I GAINED. Yes, I know muscle is heavier than fat, but when you have to be a certain weight to have the surgery, you can't afford to see the scale go up. SO, I went back to walking. I've actually been doing the Leslie Sandsone walking dvd...either the 2 or 3 mile workout, every day and i've also been doing all liquids or liquids with ONE meal per day. The weight has been FLYING off... But here's what I've done in the past that worked for really dropping weight AND toning up...I came up with the routine and the trainers at the gym love it: 30 minutes treadmill--at a 3.4 speed and 2.0-3.0 incline 45 minutes with weight machines...one day upper body, one day lower, with lots of side/back work Another round on the treadmill...but just for 1 mile...and it's up to you and how you feel if it's a slow or fast walk. I did this 5-6 days a week AND I also did a 20 minute Tae Bo video on my lunch break....I'm excited to get back into that routine after surgery...but for now, it's just lots and lots of walking...and my Richard Simmons upper body toning dvd..lol don't laugh..it WORKS!

Hey everyone...I'm Barbie. Well i'm lots of names...Barb, Barbara, Barbie...whatever! lol I am 30 years old (don't know how that happened) and started my Lap Band journey in Feb '08 when I went to the seminar. Started insurance-required program called Beyone Diets in 4/08...had to do 18 weeks....did everything I needed between then and August of 2008, except get the full 20 pounds off, so I've been fighting with that ever since. I finally got down enough to send in the paperwork to insurance and was APPROVED 5/6/09...my surgery is 7/7/09 and I am SO EXCITED!...and thankful! A little more background...been overweight all of my life...actually lost about 90 pounds in 2000 on my own...but it all came back on....and then some. I'm done going up and down constantly...now it's DOWN only and even faster after i get my band. As far as what I do? Well my 8-5 job is a Director for a child care center...I'm also a freelance makeup artist and once I have my band and have more confidence, I'd like to make that my full time career...i'm talking celebrity clients, red carpet events, magazine covers...you name it. Don't forget my name and face..you'll see it listed as "celebrity makeup artist" in the coming years! :drool: GOODLUCK to everyone!!!

July 7th here too! It's a popular day...

hey everyone! I'm a July girl too...surgery on July 7th and my birthday is the 14th! :confused: So i'm all about joining this group... as far as the name for the group...I like July Jewels...if you're still looking for suggestions, what about Sexy Sirens? lol just a thought.... I'm looking forward to hearing about everyone's july stories! :thumbup: Barbie

You sound very similar to me! I'm having my surgery (WOOHOO!!!) on July 7th..and it's my first ever too! I just had the GI scope done yesterday..that was my first I.V and first real anesthesia...all went well! Monday I have my pre-op appointment (labs, chest x-ray, ekg)....follwing week is my week "off" of appointments since it's the ONLY week since getting my surgery date that I dont' have an appointment to go to....the 29th is my PCP appointment...july 1st is my pre op with the PA to make sure I'm all set...july 2nd i start all liquids...i've never been so excited to not eat in my life!

Havn't been here in well over a year...wanted to see if there are still Rochester ladies here... I have Dr. DiBenedetto and I'm having my Lap Band Surgery (WOOHOO!) on July 7th :confused: