gadgetlady

So my surgery is scheduled for 2/6 and my 2-week pre-op liquid diet starts Monday. Tonight we were invited to a black tie event. Started with champagne (I don't normally drink), then hors d'oeuvres (all pastry-wrapped or deep fried). Then to a fixed dinner: lobster bisque, then spinach salad, then sea bass, then sorbet, then beef entree, then a chocolate decadence dessert buffet. The entire thing (starting with champagne and ending with dessert) was 3 hours and 20 minutes. I'm stuffed to the gills. :faint: But here's my REAL problem -- the whole time I was thinking -- "How would I handle this if I were banded right now?" The alcohol wasn't a big deal, I could forego that easily. But how would I have gotten the right foods into me at the right time (Protein first, for example), and how would I have gone that entire time without drinking during a meal??? :cry Beyond that, if I were experiencing PB's during that time, it would have been really awkward (the bathroom was pretty far away). So as I'm getting closer to REALLY getting banded (my last surgery date was postponed due to illness but I'm not sick now, nor is anyone in my family, so it's likely to really happen this time), I'm getting a little nervous about how I'm going to LIVE after the surgery. :nervous Any input is appreciated.

Hi everyone -- I'm scheduled to be banded on February 9th and I'm getting a bit nervous about Protein foods I can eat after surgery (after the healing stage). I'm basically a carbs and sweets eater right now -- I love my Pasta, bread, rice, etc., and sweets and fresh fruit (and some fresh veges). For protein foods (really my 2nd choice for something to eat -- I'd rather go back to the carbs), I like eggs, beef, chicken, turkey, and cheese, but I don't eat fish. I really don't know how I'm going to be able to get the beef, chicken, and turkey down (based on reading that some people have problems with it), and if I can't I have no idea what I'm going to eat!!!! Can someone help out with food suggestions? TIA

I just had to laugh at this. I'm not a bandster yet, but I do have a funny story about the scale. Years ago I used to have a digital scale that was not 100% accurate. I would weigh myself 3-4 times in the morning and then take an average of the numbers. Well one morning I didn't have my glasses on and I couldn't see the scale. So I would step on the scale, wait until it beeped, get off, bend over to see the result, step back on, and repeat. My husband watched this strange ritual and asked me, "Why are you bowing to the scale?" :clap2: Although an innocent question, what a great summation of what we do!

Thanks for all the input. I guess I should have clarified -- the 2 weeks pre-op liquids doesn't freak me out at all (I've done liquid diets before and short-term any diet is pretty easy for me to stick to). It's what my lifestyle's going to be like after surgery that freaks me out. It does help to know that "it's fine have an occasional meal that doesn't follow the Protein first rule" -- for some reason I had it in my head that if you DIDN'T eat protein first you'd feel sick. I think I had this in my head because of original research on gastric bypass instead. So thank you, Anne, for posting this and making me realize it wasn't LAW, just a good general guideline to follow.

Thanks for the input. One thing I forgot to ask -- protein breakfast foods??? I can think of very few. Any suggestions?

Wow! We have virtually the same stats -- I'm scheduled for surgery on 2/6. If I could be down 49 lbs by 4/6 I'd be in HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhh, probably too much to wish for. Congratulations!

I'm scheduled for surgery on 1/9, and I'm trying to get a handle on what kinds of complications people have been seeing. I know for the most part everyone is happy with their results even if they've had complications; I'm just wondering what minor and major issues are potentially on the horizon -- and if, in the long run, virtually everyone has some issues. Those of you who have had the band for years, please post too! Thanks much :eek:

Well, I am officially over being sick and was able to schedule my surgery again today. I'm still annoyed that I couldn't have it on January 9th. But I have my choice of February 2nd in an out-of-network hospital that Dr. Quebbemann operates at every week, or February 6th in an in-network hospital that he operates at once a month. I'm leaning towards February 6th in-network, even though it'd be better for me to have it on Feb 2 due to my work schedule (Valentine's Day and the weekend before are extremely busy for me and I need to be in top shape for those dates). I am very mildly concerned that the staff and after-care at a hospital which only sees the doctor once a month won't be as good. Any thoughts about the matter are appreciated! So it'll be back to my pre-op liquid diet on either January 19th or 23rd -- this time I'm going to pump up the Vitamins so I don't get sick again! Can't wait to join the official list of bandsters!

Welcome -- we have the same surgery date! I'm 39 and my stats are below.

My dr. says 15 min to 1/2 hour. 2 hours is insane (imho)! Of course, I'm not banded yet so what do I know LOL!

Cranberry juice has so many calories; I've been in the habit of taking cranberry pills when I have bladder issues, but I don't think I can take the pills after the surgery. Anyone know of any cranberry pills that can be crushed up?

I'm a huge believer in honesty in relationships. If you want a long-term relationship with this person, eventually he's gonna know. Would you want to be in a relationship with someone who wasn't supportive? If he isn't the type to be supportive over something like this, isn't it better to know now, before you're too deeply involved? Just my $0.02.

Oh, I forgot. Fills for life are included for free. They bill insurance for them but if insurance doesn't pay, they don't come back and bill you.

And yet it appears you read the whole thing (grin) <bwg></bwg>

Self-pay with my dr. in CA is $8500, $850 for the anesthesiologist, $8500 for the hospital (out-patient) and an additional $1500 if you have to spend the night. Total $19,350 if you spend 1 night.

Wheetsin, as to the pain, without the numbing cream it was one of the most painful things I've ever felt in my life. The individual spurts weren't always unbearable in and of themselves, but put them all together in a short time span and it was agonizing. Plus, whenever they're working over a bone it hurts more because the laser travels down the hair follicle and ricochets off the bone. So feet, knees, ankles, toes -- OUCH! It literally felt like someone was opening me up with an exacto-knife all the way to the bone, ankle to knee, in thin parallel lines.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention the saran wrap. What a pain! I used topicaine, found at www.topicaine.net. I bought the huge one and used it each time I went in. At least 1 hour with it on, with the saran wrap -- tough to do with knees and ankles. Is there any correlation between weight and facial hair? I've noticed the heaver I am the more I have around my chin and cheeks (!), but it's also the older I am LOL! I'm also Italian, so that doesn't help.

The numbing cream DOES help, immensely. I couldn't have survived the pain (I had my face, underarms, and full legs and feet done) without it. I also had a severe allergic reaction, so I medicated with benadryl beforehand to bring the histamines down. HTH!

I'm not banded yet, but early on in life I got into the habit of swallowing my gum. I don't chew it very often, but when I do about 75% of the time I swallow it out of habit. Anyone know what happens if you swallow it with the band?

Thanks for all the input. I guess we'll never know (lol) as my surgery has been postponed due to illness :-( :-( :-(

Well, Christmas dinner is officially OVER and tomorrow I start my 2-week pre-op liquid diet. I managed to get rid of a lot of leftovers, keeping just enough to feed my kids for a while, but tomorrow I'm going to hit the ground running! My dh and my parents are going to liquid diet in solidarity with me for the next 2 weeks (I have an incredible support network). I've been reading about all of you who've had insurance problems and I just feel so bad for you. I never realized there were so many problems with insurance -- I always assumed I would get approved the first time around, and I did. I have Health Net and am in California. I am so excited I can barely stand it!!!!!! Tomorrow morning I'm going to take some "before and never again" pictures, do an official weigh-in and body fat analysis (at home), and then never look back. My only potential derail will be that my two kids are sick and if I get what they have I'll have to postpone. So those of you that are prayerful, would you please pray that I don't get sick? Merry Christmas to everyone!!! Ho ho ho . . .

Well, I started my liquid diet yesterday and was doing fine . . . until I developed a fever, chills, and a bronchial cough. I can't believe I've been illness-free for at least THREE MONTHS and I get this yesterday! So I went in for my pre-op appt. today and they said they will not do the surgery unless I'm illness-free for two weeks. The biggest problem is that the doctor only performs the surgery at the hospital that's in my insurance network once a month, and February is all full So currently I'm rescheduled to March 6th I'm researching how much more out-of-pocket it will be for me to do the surgery at the other hospital, out of network. Since my insurance only covers 70% and out of network 50%, I'm hoping I'm looking at under $1000. If that's the case (and I get better soon :ermm and they can fit me in) I'm going to go for it. I can't believe it! I was so geared up! Photos taken, set up a weight-loss chart, gung-ho on the liquid diet, and today it all fizzled like a deflated balloon. AARGH!

Sometimes I mean to, but sometimes I just do it by accident. The bigger the piece, the less likely I am to do it by accident.

Have you been to Lake Las Vegas? It's about 25 minutes away from the strip and it's a total haven.

How about "It's a personal matter." That way you don't have to lie. You could even add the word "minor" in there so people don't pry any more. I pretty much told everyone because I want the support, but my dh was talking to a business associate and he didn't know whether I'd be OK w/ telling him why I was having surgery, so he said "she's had some abdominal issues that she's been dealing with for a while and she's finally taking care of it" :-)