PennyLane

I know this thread is old and I haven't even finished reading through it yet, but I just wanted to comment quickly to Chickie and other "veterans", particularly the very successful veterans. I'd make a list but then I'm sure I'd leave someone out but basically the common factors you all seem to have is not relying too much on "restriction", a total eating/cooking life overhaul, the addition of running as a passion and hobby and (shockingly enough) 100%+ of excess weight lost.... I did an insane amount of research on the band before getting the surgery, and an even more insane amount of reading this forum (largely the archives, and searching for particular words/issues). The program coordinator and surgeon are constantly surprised how much I know and what kinds of questions I ask. The program coordinator says that I could probably do her job! This is all in very large part due to you all. I can honestly say that you guys have been a wealth of information and a HUGE help in understanding the band, the process, getting into the correct frame of mind, motivation etc for me. Ask any of my friends, they'll even tell you! It's beyond "so and so lost 100lbs, so I want to copy them" it's more "this person has the right idea, knows what they're doing and is doing it well", I really can't begin to tell you how much you have helped me in this. I know it must really be terrible to have people saying such nasty things to you and I'd be sorely tempted to quit the boards as well, but not all of us are like that and I dare say most of us could really benefit from your continued participation on the boards. I don't know how to resolve the issue of people who solicit advice turning around and rejecting the advice and abusing the advice giver when it's not what they want to hear, but it is a shame if we lose active members who serve as good examples just because some people are...I don't even know what to call it. Oh and for the record, I don't think any of you are "showing off" (though I can see how the jealous mind could see it that way) and all of you look great, not "skinny" or "anorexic" and it's obvious (to me) that you've worked your asses off.

Lol, oops...it made sense in my head while I was typing but not now that I re-read it. I meant that I want the weight loss to come from eating a smaller (not severely smaller, just smaller) amount of healthy food, not from being unable to tolerate certain foods because of a tight band. I basically want to keep all food items (even "bad" ones) available without risking getting stuck, but to use healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle to lose weight, and have the band help to a certain degree with portion control and to a larger degree staying satisfied for longer periods of time. I agree, that I re-read it, it DOES sound like I said "I want to eat my McDonalds but only half of a portion", when I meant "I want to be physically able to eat any one item I can eat now, choose to do so or not to do so based on nutritional goals and have the band help with portion and hunger issues". I believe in that way, we are the same although I worded it completely insanely :thumbdown: I never, ever want to be as full as your friend sounds. That is one of my biggest fears, actually, being so tight that I can't eat things that are healthy and tasty foods (specifically meat and salad are my two biggest worries). I hope I make more sense this time around

I know it stings but I think that comment was probably less about you and more an opportunity for some jacka$$ kid to show of for his buddies...I mean I KNOW the comment was technically about you but pre-teen boys are....well they are insane, basically feral creatures that some poor woman has to try to mother. And speaking of their mothers, if it ever happens again and if you're up for it, generally "you talk like that to your mother"? gets the job done. And if you know their mothers, let mom know what their kids are up to. No one wants their kid out there being nasty and unless the mom's a total jerk too, the kid will get a talking-to. Regardless of how you handle it, I totally understand where you're coming from, I know that hurt (bar, St. Patricks day, some fratboyish kid pushes past me yelling "move it fatty" in front of everyone....got my friend to "accidentally" spill her beer on him later), but I also know that just thinking "f*** 'em" and getting on with my life and doing what I need and want to do is the way to go. ::HUGS::

Melissa, You and I sound like we'd be a perfect match--you just described my exact attitude toward the band, fills, complications, food etc. I started at 275, was banded on July 21st (another one!) and am somewhere around 260ish since starting the pre-op diet on July 14th. I fully expect this loss to stop or even reverse a bit when I start eating "real" food again but I think that's probably natural. I have done a total life overhaul in conjunction with the band--the way I cook, eat, shop, I even revamped my kitchen and expanded it a bit with a kitchen island extending from the kitchen (a very, very tiny galley kitchen) into the living room a bit, so now I actually have ROOM to cook properly. My largest downfall in gaining weight/not sticking with diets was the "too lazy to cook real food factor", either getting overprocessed crap or takeout. Anyway, my ultimate goal is to achieve adequate weight loss by restricting food volume alone--not food item choices and I'd rather loose very slowly or stay in a plateau for a long time than get over-full and risk complications. It sounds like you are the same. Thanks for posting, I look forward to talking with you more :thumbdown: -Penny

I was a self-pay. I needed/wanted to do it this way for several reasons: (a) specific exclusion on the insurance, useless even trying (, the major reason, my medical privacy...basically I didn't want to leave a paper trail of having had the surgery for a variety of employment and insurance related issues. For the longest time, I refused to even show my insurance card at the surgeon's office. Finally, they convinced me to allow them to bill the pre-op blood tests to the insurance co, saying that they'd never know the reason I had the tests and they're medically useful for reasons other than this surgery anyway, so I did. A few weeks later, I wrote out the hugest check of my life and pre-paid for the surgery. Imagine my surprise, when, 2 months later (one week post surgery) I get a letter from my insurance company denying my claim to pay for the surgery. WHAT THE HECK???? I can't even begin to express how upset I am. First off, while I know the hospital and program are reputable etc, it does seem a bit fishy that they took my money AND made an insurance claim (I know it was not intentional because they are not criminals but STILL, what a mistake to make). But really, I feel like my privacy has been seriously violated. I have individual health insurance. They have already tried to kick me off because those blood tests I mentioned? I think they looked up the name of the surgeon, saw he did bariatrics and made up some bogus reason to cancel me (I caught them at it and made them reinstate me). Now that they know I had the surgery, I'm afraid they'll do it again. Other insurance companies will know, too. They share information like this. My dream job comes along with the need for a worldwide availability medical clearance--I was hoping to get it 5 years down the line when I can answer the "no major surgeries in the past 5 years" question with a "no" and since those forms don't specifically ask about Lap Bands just kind of not mention it, and now if they want to (I think) they can look into my insurance history and see all about it! But beyond all of these reasons, I really do feel....violated. There's no other way to say it. I didn't even want to TELL them I had insurance let alone have them bill my company without my permission! I don't know what to do or how to fix this and I'm SO upset. What should I do? Thanks for reading.

I can speak to some of those questions, too. Personally, I looked into three programs and went to seminars at two. I could have gone to many more, but I was happy with the two hospitals I narrowed my focus to. The lap band is intended to stay in forever, and they say that if removed, patients regain their weight in about 2 years. The "easy" part of weight loss, it turns out, is the loss itself...the real trick is keeping it off which is one of the major "selling points" of weight loss surgery for me. I don't know about rates of loss for men in particular but I don't think the official line would be much different than for women...they say the healthy rate is 1-2lbs/week, possibly faster at the beginning because of a higher start weight. Now, from what I've seen here and elsewhere that seems kind of slow until you start to approach the goal weight but 1-2lbs/week is the "official" goal from what I understand. It seems to me that most members here are women, and I couldn't begin to tell you why. Women do gain weight easier and have a harder time losing weight than men do and it's more of a social stigma to be an overweight female than male so maybe there are more female weight loss patients? Maybe it's a male/female personality thing about these kinds of forums? Who knows? They say that exercise doesn't cause the band to slip. I'm only recently banded so I can't verify that from experience and I'm kind of wary about it myself (I'm thinking more high-stretching things like pilates and yoga), but people swear up and down that it's not going anywhere because of physical activity so I guess I have no choice but to believe them. Finally, in the DC Metro area, you (we) have a huge number of options, these are just the ones from the top of my head and I know mainly DC and Northern Virginia, not much about Maryland at all: Center for Obesity Surgery (DC) GW University Hospital Georgetown University Hospital Sibley Hospital Providence Hospital INOVA Fair Oaks INOVA Fairfax Advanced Weight Loss Solutions (Reston, performs at the INOVA hospitals) University of Maryland Medical Center (not sure if they do Lap Bands though) And, it's farther but could be close to you and it's good to know that Johns Hopkins has a center as well. I considered Providence, GW and Sibley (Providence because it's close to work and GW and Sibley because they, along with Georgetown, are consistently rated the top hospitals in the area--remember it's not ALL about the surgeon, there's anesthesiologists and nurses and lots of other people and factors to consider). I wound up going with Sibley. I have thus far had a great experience (except a mix up with my insurance which is the billing departments fault, not the weight loss surgery program's). I still wonder if having gone with a longer-established program wouldn't have been a better idea just because that's how things are "supposed" to be, but Sibley is a great hospital, the surgeon is great and I got an overall good, and highly involved and attentive feeling from them, which is what I was looking for. I never even went to Providence (the Catholic hospital) because they made a bad first impression over the phone--seemed very unprofessional and that was that for me. I went to the seminar at GW and was impressed by the program but put off by how large and impersonal it was--the surgeons weren't even there but at Sibley the surgeon was the one conducting the seminar. I didn't know about the place in Reston until I'd already made up my mind and I do wish I'd looked into them--it looks like a great program and while I'm very happy with Sibley it would have been nice to at least have a look. If you're even considering any sort of weight loss surgery, attending a few seminars at different area hospitals is a very good idea. You don't have to commit to anything--just go and see what it's all about.

A lot of this has been covered but I'll add my two cents: 3-4 days of clear liquid diet: This will be the same for any weight loss surgery so that the liver is small and retractable. 0 caffeine for 3 months: Depends on surgeon 0 carbonated beverages: Jury's out--mine says that the concept of it stretching the pouch may or may not be true but the reason he says to do it is that most carbonated drinks are calorie dense. That being said, a Guinness now and again is fine by him (lower calorie beer, lowest carbonation beer). 6 weeks of liquid diet: Every surgeon is different, this sounds extreme. Most people seem to be on 2 weeks of full liquids, and this is standard for all weight loss surgeries. followed by 6 to 12 weeks of shredded food diet: Again, it varies wildly but most seem to be on 2-4 weeks of mushy foods or soft foods, what you've said sounds extreme. 0 bread 0 potatoes 0 high Fiber veggies 0 fried foods 0 nuts 0 fruits with the skin still 0 steaks and maybe 0 hamburger for some The rest of the foods you've mentioned vary from person to person, it seems. That being said, my surgeon's office takes a conservative approach to fill levels and diets (it seems). My nutritionist said that no one food item should be off the table because it gets stuck in the band--if it does than that's a symptom of not eating properly (taking large bites, not chewing enough) or the band being too tight. The goal is to achieve adequate weight loss through the restriction of food volume alone, not food item choices. Now, reality can be very different and I'm willing to accept that. I'm also willing to accept a slower rate of weight loss if it means that I still have a wide variety of food items available to me. She says that she only has one Lap Band patient who can't tolerate steak and that person is less than 5 months post op. Finally, I'm at a loss as to why you'd be angry at the Lap Band in particular. Other weight loss surgeries have the same or more strict pre and post op diets, and more severe consequences for eating foods that aren't tolerated by those methods (Dumping Syndrome for one: Dumping Syndrome: The Dirty Secret Gastric Bypass Patients Keep). Also, the idea that you can "pretend that I already have one in place and follow a modified version of the diet above. I would achieve the same results without any danger of nasty complications" is great--if diet and exercise work for you long term. For most of us who have this significant amount of weight to lose that's just not the case, and no one really knows why. The Lap Band is a tool that allows your hard work of dieting and exercising pay off and be permanent. It doesn't do the hard work for you, it makes the hard work effective and makes it stick.

First order of business is to see if it can be rescheduled sometime sooner than a year from now--with this or another surgeon. Otherwise, this might be a silly suggestion, I don't know...but a lot of people fly home from Mexico in the day or two after their surgeries, so I don't think that flying would be a big issue. Someone else in the July group went to a wedding 3 days post-op (don't know if it was out of town or not). The big issue for her was making sure she had access to food (liquid, really) that she could eat. It does seem doable. Me, personally, I felt fine as soon as the anesthesia wore off. I could have flown somewhere and attended a wedding. Don't get me wrong, I never would have scheduled it that way on purpose but I could have done it if it came down to it. I enjoyed the few days my mom and I set aside to relax but on the way home from the hospital (a little more than 24 hours after the surgery) we went to the video store and checked out the antique shop next door to it. I felt bloated and the port incision was a little tender but otherwise I was fine. I remember thinking that it must not be fun to have to travel right after the surgery like some people do but I see how it is doable. I, personally, wouldn't wait a year, but I'm also very direct and decisive. I'm slow to make decisions, but when I do I want them enacted yesterday. For me the deciding factor would be how much am I willing to go through to attend this wedding post op? For my best friends, I'd do it. For others....I'd make an excuse and an apology and send a very nice gift and make sure to ohh and ahhh over the wedding photos.

it seems that each surgeon has their own plan--not an exact science i guess. this was one of my biggest worries, that they'd get in there and the liver would be too big and they'd covert to an open surgery. but i listened to my pre-op diet religiously (except for one errant cup of soup). i was fine, and most people are. if you're concerned, ask the surgeon or staff, or even start planning for the liver shrinking now--cut down on sugars, carbs and alcohol and try to loose some weight (not all of it--just a few lbs will help). but really, your surgeon will know what needs to be done or what's most likely to work.

the point of the post-op diet is to prevent your stomach from churning (which it needs to do to digest solid food) so your body has time to fully heal and form scar tissue. this scar tissue is important (i've been told) because it helps get the band to settle into place and prevents slips in the future. i know liquids are no fun but if you just remind yourself that you're doing yourself a big favor and it's not forever it helps. for the hunger, make sure you get more calories and FAR more Protein than you have been. you should get 70 grams/day of protein which is hard on liquids but the powders and shakes are there for a reason. I've been doing a lot of thick Soups (butternut, black bean--no whole Beans, it's all blended) and using some low fat sour cream in them to thicken them and get more protein in. Yogurt, according to my doc, counts as a liquid so I've been having a bunch of that too, in addition to protein shakes (which I hate, hate, hate but drink anyway). to stop or slow the too fast weight loss, just up the calories. you may have a cup of Soup every two or three hours (that's about where I'm at), but at least you get the calories and don't get too hungry. no one expects you to live on liquids forever, just for enough time to give yourself the best start at this as you can. good luck!

I got up at 7am on Monday (the 21st) and my mom and I drove to the hospital where they put us in a pre-op room and I changed into a hospital gown (very large sized which is better than too small but too big has it's own problems lol!). As they were taking my vital signs I started to get very anxious again and did start crying. Not the crazy, anxiety sobbing/hyperventalating (something I haven't done in years) but just some tears. This continued, however during both attempts at inserting the IV. It's my bad luck that both times we just happened to go in at a point where the vein branches off which is apparently a problem. The second one was in "enough" for them to put me under but they established a 3rd while I was asleep. Anyway, I met a ton of new people, they kept coming in to say hi etc, and it was obvious that I had been recently/was about/was currently crying and they were all very understanding and kind. I saw my surgeon, who I've met sevreal times, met his assistant and head OR nurse, the anesthesiologist and her assistant and some other people. Before I knew it the people were there to take me to the OR. We got there and man, I have never seen the inside of an operating room before, and wish that I had. That place is terrifying (to me). It was bright and cold and there were so many machines around and a ton of people in gowns, gloves, hats and masks (I knew to expect this in an OR but still it was scary). It seriously looked like an alien autopsey room or something! Everyone was moving so quickly, transfering me from the gurney to the table and strapping me in and futzing with my IV that I got overwhelmed and started crying again. There had been one male nurse talking to me asking questions like what I do for a living (student), what do I study etc but once I started crying a VERY kind and gentle female nurse about my mom's age or maybe a little older came and held my hand and got very close in asking what was wrong (I wanted to know what they were doing to my legs--strapping them in) and just that this whole thing and everyone moving so fast was making me feel like I was really really sick or something. She assured me that all was fine and that I'd be just fine and she was really just great. Oh, also at some point I had an oxygen mask which I hate. I don't like the feeling of stuff restricting my face. All of this, with the exception of the look of the OR, I was well prepared for--the program coordinator went over all of it in detail, it's just a different animal when you're going through it. I was still crying a bit when the anesthesiologist told me to think of my favorite vacation place and to go there right....now. Have a good trip :smile2: I said "I feel dizzy", and the next thing I knew I was coughing and was awake in the recovery room. I was, of course, crying again (have I mentioned I'm a high strung individual) which was really more just because I HAD been very upset only, to me, about 2 seconds ago so it took some time to adjust. I was in and out for a while but I know my recovery nurse was attentive and kind (a bit confused about the crying), my surgeon came to see me and told me that everything had gone perfectly. We had some trouble with my breathing, coughing and oxygen levels (not serious, just not ideal) because of a recent bronchial infection (I was cleared for surgery, but apparently those things can affect you 6 full weeks after!). After about an hour in recovery I was taken up to my room where my mom was waiting and I was much calmer. We spent the afternoon talking, watching some tv, got a visit from the surgeon again, and the program coordinator. I got blood thinner injections, and kept IV fluids into which they put some anti-reflux drugs and pain killers, but not narcotic (I never needed them), just the anti-inflammatory ones. I went for several walks on the ward, and took myself to the bathroom several times during the night. I only needed to call the nurse to help me out of the inflatable bootie things (to prevent blood clots) and to unplug my IV. I had and still have only discomfort--probably just the gas, and the slightest bit of actual pain from the port incision. I'm still coughing every now and again which isn't pleasant but isn't terrible either. I was able to sleep on my non-port side the first night. Tuesday I got up, got the barium swallow study, everything was perfect. They had me eat some Jello and broth and waited to see if I had any nausea (nope) and after another vist from the surgeon and program coordinator with post-op instructions, I was released! My mom and I went to the video store and to the pharmacy and also popped into a nearby antique store to browse a bit! I really felt that "fine". I am loving my full liquid diet (anything is better than clear liquids), and still feel gas pressure, like I have to burp but can't but it's nothing major. It's hard distinguishing among "full", "gassy", and "hungry" but as long as it's not "pain" or "nauseated" then that's fine my me :ohmy:

I've just been banded this week so I don't know what to tell you about my personal experience eating-wise (yet) but for what it's worth, my clinic is of the opinion that any food should be able to be eaten as long as it's chewed well, otherwise you're keeping the band too tight. Certain foods should be avoided because of their content, but if it's a "getting stuck" issue, then that's a symptom of the band being too tight. I don't know if this is true in practice but it makes sense to me. In terms of alcohol, I was told much the same--you can have it but you must think about the caloric content and not drink too much or too often or else weight loss will be stalled or reversed. They also mentioned the getting drunker quicker thing, but that doesn't bother me as I don't tend to drink that much to begin with. Basically, a pint of Guinness (a suprisingly low calorie beer) on the weekend, as long as the calories are counted, is fine by them. The trouble with liquid calories is that liquid goes right through the band. Your stomach will be able to hold just as many glasses of wine as it did before because liquid doesn't stay in the pouch, it goes right into the stomach. And that's totally against the whole point of the band--you want your calories to stay in the pouch as long as possible so you eat fewer of them and stay full on them for longer. Liquid calories, soda and alcohol being the two biggest culprits, are just counterproductive to weight loss in general and weight loss with the band in particular.

I asked my surgeon about this and he said that the band is filled with saline which isn't affected by changes in pressure the same way that air is (pressure is what you're worried about with changes in altitude). Now, many people do report tighter bands at altitude and after flying. This could be because there is some air in their band or because often dehydration accompany air travel and high altitude. I think this sounds reasonable, and makes total sense. My plan is to ask about air in the band at fills, and to keep on top of hydration when traveling. Just some food for thought :thumbup:

Oh I'm with you on the gas pain, and was also banded on Monday. It's less of a "pain" and more of a "discomfort" but it's annoying as heck and won't go away. I keep getting confused between "full" "gas pain" and "hungry" feelings.....please tell me it's not just me! I'm a worryier and of course I'm worried that this pain/discomfort/weird feelings are symptoms of a larger problem (I know logically it's not but you know how anxiety goes...)...just checking in that this is all part of the process I guess :thumbup: Will talk to the surgeon if I have any true worries about complications of course.

I am not handling this well at all! It's supposed to be one week of nothing but Water, broth, skim milk and Protein shakes (sugar free Jello counts as water apparently) but I haven't been doing the Protein Shakes that much because they are just terrible, which of course has left me hungry and I cheated and had creamy Soup with corn and rice in it! I'm SO upset with myself for doing this, I told myself time and time again, for weeks that this was the most important thing for me to do and STILL.... I was just so starving and just didn't know what I was doing. I'm now SO scared that my liver won't be small enough (only 4 days to go!) and they'll convert to open or just not do the surgery at all etc etc. How can I fix this? And how/should I stop beating myself up over this? This is really the worst way, emotionally, for me to start this whole process. It feels like some huge setup for failure for me Also, on a related topic... WHY can't they just do an ultrasound or something to get an idea of the shape/size of the liver before going in there? Wouldn't that make a lot more sense?

Thanks all for your kind thoughts and prayers. I wound up taking a Xanex that night (with permission)....which is something I never do but the doctors gave them to me for a reason so I suppose I should take advantage of them when I can't manage anxiety on my own. Anyway, here's my story: I got up at 7am on Modany and my mom and I drove to the hospital where they put us in a pre-op room and I changed into a hospital gown (very large sized which is better than too small but too big has it's own problems lol!). As they were taking my vital signs I started to get very anxious again and did start crying. Not the crazy, anxiety sobbing/hyperventalating (something I haven't done in years) but just some tears. This continued, however during both attempts at inserting the IV. It's my bad luck that both times we just happened to go in at a point where the vein branches off which is apparently a problem. The second one was in "enough" for them to put me under but they established a 3rd while I was asleep. Anyway, I met a ton of new people, they kept coming in to say hi etc, and it was obvious that I had been recently/was about/was currently crying and they were all very understanding and kind. I saw my surgeon, who I've met sevreal times, met his assistant and head OR nurse, the anesthesiologist and her assistant and some other people. Before I knew it the people were there to take me to the OR. We got there and man, I have never seen the inside of an operating room before, and wish that I had. That place is terrifying (to me). It was bright and cold and there were so many machines around and a ton of people in gowns, gloves, hats and masks (I knew to expect this in an OR but still it was scary). It seriously looked like an alien autopsey room or something! Everyone was moving so quickly, transfering me from the gurney to the table and strapping me in and futzing with my IV that I got overwhelmed and started crying again. There had been one male nurse talking to me asking questions like what I do for a living (student), what do I study etc but once I started crying a VERY kind and gentle female nurse about my mom's age or maybe a little older came and held my hand and got very close in asking what was wrong (I wanted to know what they were doing to my legs--strapping them in) and just that this whole thing and everyone moving so fast was making me feel like I was really really sick or something. She assured me that all was fine and that I'd be just fine and she was really just great. Oh, also at some point I had an oxygen mask which I hate. I don't like the feeling of stuff restricting my face. All of this, with the exception of the look of the OR, I was well prepared for--the program coordinator went over all of it in detail, it's just a different animal when you're going through it. I was still crying a bit when the anesthesiologist told me to think of my favorite vacation place and to go there right....now. Have a good trip :thumbup: I said "I feel dizzy", and the next thing I knew I was coughing and was awake in the recovery room. I was, of course, crying again (have I mentioned I'm a high strung individual) which was really more just because I HAD been very upset only, to me, about 2 seconds ago so it took some time to adjust. I was in and out for a while but I know my recovery nurse was attentive and kind (a bit confused about the crying), my surgeon came to see me and told me that everything had gone perfectly. We had some trouble with my breathing, coughing and oxygen levels (not serious, just not ideal) because of a recent bronchial infection (I was cleared for surgery, but apparently those things can affect you 6 full weeks after!). After about an hour in recovery I was taken up to my room where my mom was waiting and I was much calmer. We spent the afternoon talking, watching some tv, got a visit from the surgeon again, and the program coordinator. I got blood thinner injections, and kept IV fluids into which they put some anti-reflux drugs and pain killers, but not narcotic (I never needed them), just the anti-inflammatory ones. I went for several walks on the ward, and took myself to the bathroom several times during the night. I only needed to call the nurse to help me out of the inflatable bootie things (to prevent blood clots) and to unplug my IV. I had and still have only discomfort--probably just the gas, and the slightest bit of actual pain from the port incision. I'm still coughing every now and again which isn't pleasant but isn't terrible either. I was able to sleep on my non-port side the first night. Today I got up, got the barium swallow study, everything was perfect. They had me eat some jello and broth and waited to see if I had any nausea (nope) and after another vist from the surgeon and program coordinator with post-op instructions, I was released! My mom and I went to the video store and to the pharmacy and also popped into a nearby antique store to browse a bit! I really am feeling that "fine". I am loving my full liquid diet (anything is better than clear liquids), and still feel gas pressure, like I have to burp but can't but it's nothing major. It's hard distinguishing among "full", "gassy", and "hungry" but as long as it's not "pain" or "nauseated" then that's fine my me :thumbdown: -Penny

Hi Songstress, nice to "meet" you and welcome to the Butterflies :thumbup: I am just one day post op so we're kind of in the same boat. I did all of my reading and obsessing well before the surgery. The doctors and nurses were (and still are) amazed about the details I've read and remembered, mostly thanks to this site. I too, want to just concentrate on healing and then get excited for the next phase. I AM looking forward to it, but the most immediate issue I'm facing is getting all healed up so that's all I'm dealing with for now :thumbdown: And yep, it would be fun to be email buddies in addition to Butterflies together--just send me a private message and we can do it that way :cursing: I'm going to post about my surgery day in a bit so keep an eye out for that!

Thanks all for the well wishes, I had it yesterday and everything went absloutely perfectly. And just for the record, because I've had a few replies like this, I know why the pre-op diet is so important which is why I was flipping out for having slipped up. Just like I said, it's like when I used to smoke and I KNEW that the cigarette was bad for me, but somehow I still made the decision to have one--a common problem, I understand. I'm happy to report that that one cup of Soup was my only non-clear liquids for 7 days and I told the nurse and nutritionist about it and they weren't concerned, but told me to get back on "the wagon". I lost somewhere between 10 and 16 lbs on that starvation diet (using three different scales so there's no way of really knowing). I'm now on full liquids for two weeks and couldn't be happier. Yay soup, applesauce and yogurt! I will never for the life of me understand how people can complain about a full liquid preop diet :thumbup:

And I'm so nervous I think I could cry. I have a high degree of anxiety just in my normal life (I can't help it, I'm just a high-strung individual and have been so my whole life) so something like this is crazy. Right now my mom is in town and we're at a hotel (the extended stay kind with a kitchen so we can keep my post op foods) and it seems like such a big deal, which of course it is.....I guess I just thought taking this final step would be easier. It's the same feeling of anxiety that I get about airplanes. You know logically that you'll be fine but the "what ifs" are terrifying. Most people seem to be able to ignore the "what ifs" but me, I look at my pets and home as if for the last time (yes, every time I fly), and I was trying to not do that tonight but....yeah, it was in my mind. :ohmy: Sigh, I just can't wait for all this to be over.

Actually, sadly, I can't have that soup even strained because it's a creamy soup not a broth. I'm allowed Water, skim milk, sugar free flavorings to water (clear Jello included), chicken broth and Protein shakes. I think that "clear liquid" is some kind of code for "abject torture".

I don't have it until Monday, but I'll let you know. Also, general news is that I went in today for my final pre-op test (blood test) and hopped on their scale just to see and I'm down 8lbs since the last time I was in there 10 days ago, but probably all of it gone since Monday because I treated myself to all my favorites that I won't see again for a good long time right up until Monday. Either way, 8lbs down in 5 or 10 days is a pretty good indication that the liver is shrinking and I didn't totally railroad myself. Thanks again, all, for your support!

Jachut--I would LOVE the recipe for your curried peanut pumpkin soup! That sounds really good, AND full-liquid phase friendly (which I will start Tuesday, the day after banding!). What sort of "pumpkin" are we talking about? I know there's a difference between what we call pumpkins between the US, UK and Australia :thumbup:

That's really unkind of them, particularly because I bet they're familiar with the feeling of people judging and second guessing their decision. I would just think about the reasons you decided to go with the Lap Band over RNY. For me, I wanted something that was reversible if necessary, which didn't alter my anatomy, and which did not result in malabsorption and the "dumping" syndrome (not because I'm a sugar-addict, quite the opposite, but I would like to be able to have a small slice of birthday cake without pain...just part of how the Lap Band lifestyle and speed and type of weight loss seems more reasonable to me). The complication rates for RNY vs Lap Band are extremely significant and if I hadn't already made up my mind, that would have done so for me. Also, I was concerned about pregnancy post-WLS and Lap Band is clearly the way to go on that front from everything I've been told and read. In addition, one of the surgeons I consulted with basically explained to me that in his mind, he would only encourage RNY over Lap Band to those people who have been told that they *must* lose 50lbs in 6 months or they may die. He thinks that everyone else would probably be better served by the band but allows people to make their own decisions (after a class on the different procedures), and according to what their insurance may cover (some do RNY but not Lap Band for complicated reasons). Also, keep in mind that often when people are critical of others' decisions it's to help them feel more confident in their own decision. Maybe they struggled with RNY vs Lap Band decision and this is their way of making themselves feel like they made the right one (immature, yes, but it's very common in all areas of life--for example I chose to live in one neighborhood over another, probably equally great one, but I still catch myself wanting to talk badly of the other one for no good reason). Maybe they wanted Lap Band but their doctor pushed for RNY, maybe their insurance only covers RNY, maybe they didn't even know about the band until post surgery. Finally, I'd tell myself that if indeed they are right and I might regret my decision, the one that I made is reversible and convertible to an RNY if it comes to that. Some people don't like thinking this way, but I think it could help. Hope this helps. I'd suggest you speak with your surgeon or program coordinator about this, and see if you can get into a different support group. Either that, or just stick up for yourself in group. I personally like playing the guilt trip card. I may mention, to their faces, that this is meant to be a support, not second guessing group.

Quick update and a question from me: I still can't handle the Protein drinks well but I switched to a brand I got from a little organic grocery in my neighborhood (it's actually the store's own brand which is odd because it's just a little local store). It is nowhere near as bad as the unjury ones but it's still not fun. I cannot wait until surgery is done--then I'm on full liquids which includes Soup (real soup, not just this chicken broth nonsense). Surgery scheduled for Monday. I've mostly recovered from bronchitis, a sore throat and pinkeye (lucky me huh) and I'm pretty sure we're going to go ahead with it. My question is this: My mom will be down here staying at a hotel with me from Sunday-Thursday (I live on the top floor of an apartment building with no elevator, plus she's very allergic to my pets so we decided to get a hotel room with a kitchen). Should this be enough time? I will be back to fending for myself on Thursday and this means lots of stairs, pet care, cooking (well probably not too much of that), cleaning, taking garbage out etc. I'm so used to being totally independent that I have a hard time picturing needing or wanting help ever but how likely is it that I'll need help beyond Thursday? Thanks all!

I told my immediate family (parents and siblings, except for one sibling but that's a whole different story). I know this sounds horrible but I actually wouldn't have told them except that I needed their financial assistance (self-pay). I'm very embarrassed about my weight around my family. My mom has always been thin, the weight problems are on my dad's side and he's the type to think of this as the "easy way out" etc. Plus I remember so many warnings when I was little against becoming fat, it almost feels like this is all my fault and had I listened to them I wouldn't be in this mess. So yeah, I told them because how else to you explain a request for $10,000? I told my two closest friends from college who live out of state, plus my cousin who is one of my best friends and who lives nearby, and two other local friends who are sensitive, understanding and discreet. I am a graduate student with a casual part time job so I don't have to worry about what to do about work, which is part of what prompted the timing of this whole thing for me. I took the second summer session of classes off so really all I have to concentrate on from now until September is recovering and re-learning old habits, and doing a little work here and there as needed.