Dody

There is a brand new mask out and I am lucky enough to have it. It fits into the nostrils of your nose just like oxygen. I can't say enough wonderful things about this mask. It is much less cumberson; you can watch TV; wear your glasses; and sleeping with it is wonderful. I too didn't like having my nose completely covered with the old mask, but I did it, until I could get ahold of this new one. Ask a respiratory therapist about it or your PCP. Lots of luck,

You are supposed to be keeping well hydrated on Water. Also, this is a good time to wean yourself off pepsi, coke or any carbonated beverage because you can't have them after lap banding..... I hope you are aware of that one. They are a no-no forever unfortunately. I also was a fanitic about my diet soda but took the week before to switch over to water with Crystal Lite or Sensation in it. I have to admit I miss the diet pops, but not bad enough to start drinking any. My surgeon says they give you horrible gas, and it just isn't worth it. Drinking pepsi is defeating the purpose of your pre-op diet. You need to get Protein in you. I was on Carnation Instant Breakfast, and after surgery I've switched to Isopure which I ordered on line. If you don't quit the pop's now, it will be even more difficult after the banding. Good luck to you,

My sign is Aquarius. :Banane56:

My dr. said absolutely NO to diet coke or pepsi because it has caffeine in it which acts as a diuretic and is not good. You want to drink water and more water and keep well hydrated. I wouldn't touch anything with caffeine in it, but that's just my opinion. Luck to you. BTW my 7 day diet was strictly Carnation Instant Breakfast and water...no yogurt or anything like that. I did have broth one night because I just simply needed something hot in my tummy. That 7 days was really really tough. I got the band on July 18 and was doing amazingly well till today when I realized I'm hungrier than I have been since the surgery, which means the swelling has gone down and I really need to keep a handle on things till I get my first fill on Aug 30. Buckle down hard. I know you can do this pre-op diet.

My dr. suggested one spoonful of my favorite ice cream....my treat for the day and you sure don't notice the crushed pill.

Just the difference in 2 European countries. Besides I like both apples and oranges.

I was a trauma nurse for many, many years and retired about 5 years ago. I worked in the ER.

I spent 5 years in Germany and can vouch that the German women were certainly not underweight and they sure didn't shave under their arms or their legs. France and Germany must be further apart then I thought. In Germany they love high calorie food....cakes, breads, etc. and sometimes that is their lunch.

I bought the cottage doubles(2%) Breakstone with cottage cheese and pineapple....I threw it away, but I was only trying cottage cheese on your recommendation 3 Loves I hate cottage cheese...really I hate it, but I did give it a try. I'm sure that it is wonderful for those that like cottage cheese but those curds gave me the creeps :target:

My friend who had bypass surgery got botox injections in her neck and it looks fantastic. I'm not saying this is for everyone, as it's controversial, just saying her results are great. I know at my age I'm going to have a turkey chin when I lose weight, but I would think a younger person wouldn't have those problems. I definitely would NOT have lipo at the time I had lap-banding. Just my opinion.

As stated anything with caffeine is a diuretic and defeats the purpose of keeping well hydrated. My dr. gave a firm NO to caffeine, but I guess all docs have different requirements.

I was banded on July 17, and it was the easiest surgery I've ever had....I would do it again in a heartbeat. I loved my surgeon and his whole team. I received first class care at Vanderbilt and would recommend Dr. Melvin and his wonderful crew to anyone interested in being banded. I've had absolutely no gas pains, little port pain that is now gone (I have the low-profile port). I'm so glad I researched and found this wonderful dr. that I traveled over 1000 mi. to have do my surgery. He is awesome....oh did I say that before. I get my first fill on Aug 30, but even now I'm full on 3/4 cup to a cup of food. I've lost 6 lbs. since being banded and I would recommend it to anyone who asked.

I made a list of things to ask although I have to say I received a folder that told me everything. I'm about 2 weeks out from having surgery and feel terrific. It's important to ask a lot of questions.

I'm 64 years old and was banded on July 18. I feel great. The surgery went great. The only thing I had was some port pain which is completely gone. I never had any nausea after the surgery and not one gas pain....not sure why, but God is good. If you need help adding a ticker to your post please PM me and we will get you one done. Just pick it out and send the info of your starting weight and goal weight. Also if you want a glitter sig. line let me know. My daughter can do those things, where I can't. I'm challenged on computers I think..... Best of luck to you and if I can help in any way please let me know. I think TickerFactory.com is where most get their stickers, although it isn't where I got mine....my daughter and I had fun going through all of them. I can't help you with the port pain as mine disappeared in a matter of days. It could be because I have the low profile port I'm not sure. It is much smaller and weighs less.

Even though my surgery was only 2 weeks ago, I will always come back because there are wonderful friends here. I don't know when I will reach goal as I think my surgeon is going to go slowly with me.....but I will be here for every milestone big or small. This forum is so informative and useful, and so many great people on it.....so you have my pact.

I never had any gas pains, no shoulder pain, no chest pain....absolutely none. You would think at my age I would have all the problems, but absolutely none. I haven't had a fill yet, so I may be singing a different tune afterwards, but I sometimes wonder if I have a band :target: but I know I get full very fast. The only thing I had after surgery was port pain....and it's gone.

I did kind of pig out when I got my surgery date, but it was a mo. down the road at the time. I knew I only needed to be on Carnation Instant Breakfast for 7 days before surgery and in that time I lost 10 lbs.....but OMG it was tough. I slipped in some broth and hot tea because I couldn't stand the thought of anymore milk drinks. I ordered some Isopure on line and it is wonderful. I hope everyone's surgery goes as well as mine did.... I have to say at my age of 64 I expected some problems, but I'm losing weight and I'm feeling great (sans some real knee pain from a knee surgery the week before). This was so worth the wait and I had a long weight as I had 5-way-bypass surgery 5 years ago and needed all kinds of clearance. I went through 2 surgeries and simply warned them NO MORPHINE or I will get sick. This was complied with and I received Demerol which did the trick. Back out of recovery and in my room I was immediately switched to Lortar elixer which did the job also. I was up and around (as well as you can be with one bad knee) and everyday is better than the day before. I'm glad this forum is here, because who knows what is to come down the road when I get my first fill......it could make a world of difference in how I feel right now and things might not be quite so rosy. For now I'm unfilled and losing and fill up quickly. I take heart medication which can't be crushed and the dr. wanted me to just take them and wash them down good with Water....so far so good. I have no problems with the pills. Good luck to all of you and I hope your journey is as wonderful as mine.

Perhaps my surgeon didn't place the band and this is a bad joke he is playing on me I woke up in recovery with pain in the port area and that was it...no nausea, no dry heaves, no gas. I was banded July 18, and have had absolutely no symptoms of any kind. I guess the band is there because I get full quickly and I've lost 6 lbs. without a fill. I never had a bit of gas, never anything but a sense of fullness, never any rumbling sounds. I'm 64-years-old and I should have had the problems :target: but I couldn't be happier. If it wasn't for a bad knee I would feel years and years younger. Perhaps I am an exception, and perhaps, just perhaps, the problems will come after a fill and I will most definitely come here for support, but so far I feel great. My port area stopped hurting just days after surgery and my stitches are dissolving nicely with not a bit of redness. Thank you God for taking this journey with me and good luck to all the rest of you.

I'm a Birk fanatic and ordered all mine I believe from HSN (could have been QVC). I have beautiful birks...decorated and all....very stylish. I also love Clark shoes.....but than I'm a shoe addict. I have foot and knee problems and they definitely help. Patellas are a great shoe also, very much birkies.

I was banded last Tues. and I am able to swallow pills or eat anything with absolutely no problem. Is this normal? I realize I have no fill, but I feel absolutely no restriction and am quite hungry. I have skipped from liquids and pureeds to solid foods with absolutely no problem. Is this normal? Somehow I thought I would know the band was there, but I don't. Except for the soreness I would never know I had it in there. Has anyone else been able to eat anything they wanted or suffered from hunger. I only ate once today, but I don't think what I ate was on my menu in any way, shape or form. Any help would be appreciated.

I was banded on July 18. I get full very quickly on about 1/2 to 1 cup of food, but have never experienced pain of any sort. I guess everyone is different. All I get is a feeling of being full...not Happy Turkey Day full...but full nonetheless. Some dr's. put some fill in at the time of surgery and I guess this could be the difference. My dr. puts no fill in at all, and I wondeer what it will be like after I get my first fill. Good Luck

I know I had a great marraige, but I also know my hubby never missed a swinging boob on TV or in person If he did I most likely pointed it out to him. We wartched the Playboy Channel together and WOW what that didn't do for our marriage. Well, now he's gone and I don't do those things anymore, but I have to say we put a lot of spice in that marriage of ours when we were alive. I learned some awesome new things The human body can most definitely be twisted into a pretzel...painful but true :Banane48: Gee guys I thought I had the perfect marriage. The other day I even came across some massage oils I finally threw away...Ahhhhhh what wonderful memories. I think I did everything I could to keep the marriage sexy and he had no reason to cheat.....but I don't put my life behind any statement. I enjoyed what I had while I had it and I believe he did to. He's now waiting for me on the other side and I'm going to be so beautiful and thin when I get there he will be chasing me around once again just like the old days, because I know God has a sense of humor.

I've traveled all over the country and can honestly say that everywhere I go the same people are in the ads for lap-band. It will be so nice to see a new face on there. Best of luck to you. Demand top dollar for your appearance

I'm staying at my daughter's and my grand-son is supposed to be eating, but is doing cartwheels instead. Needless to say his day isn't here, or I doubt he would be acting up so badly. He has ADD and is in perpetual motion. Grandma is just way too old for these antics :huggie: It's very hard concentrating on dinner time or what you can eat with little ones acting up.

I did eat more, however, it was 1 thing in particular and that was Blueberry Cream Ice Cream...I couldn't get enough of it. I also downed I can't count how many Dr. Pepper Diet Cherry-Vanilla pops and Diet Root Beer, simply because I knew it was the end of carbonation for me. I think I made matters worse though, because although I got my fill of the ice cream, I still crave the drinks. I haven't touched them and have discovered lots of lite non-carbonated drinks and something called "Sensations" which make the Water taste fantastic. I think everyone enjoys the foods they love before banding. You aren't unusual in the least. Best of luck on your banding.