LisaB411

Today's my one month anniversary! I've lost 33 pounds. I've also been able to cut my insulin back to about 1/3 of what I had been taking and am off of one of my diabetes meds. I bought new pants that are 2 sizes smaller than my pre-op pants and shirts that are 1 size smaller. I'm really excited!

"Soft foods" for me was basically anything that didn't require chewing. I ate applesauce, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes mashed up w/ a little sour cream, refried beans, tuna and chicken salad blended up in a mini food processor w/ lite mayo, lentil soup blended in the food processor, BBQ chicken (the kind that comes in the tubs) blended in the food processor, Stouffers spinach souffle, oatmeal, poached eggs mashed up.

I don't know about Swedish Fish in particular, but several people in my Dr's LapBand support group said the other day that they can eat those gummy fruit snacks without any problem. I think they are softer than the fish though.

I was banded the same day you were. I've lost 31 pounds total, included the pre-op diet, and about 20 pounds since the actual surgery. Everyone is different and a lot of the initial weight is water. Remember your body has gone through a lot in the last month, and most doctors don't expect dramatic or even steady weight loss before the first fill. You are doing great!

My psych eval said that I had a poor body image (um, yeah), and that I was domineering and prone to temper tantrums. I'm trying to be good, but I am tempted to throw myself down on the floor at the doctor's office, kick and scream that I want some pizza NOW. Just to make the psychologist feel good that she got it right...

The banana flavor is good too!

I was banded the 11th, and I am still losing, but the weight loss has slowed down. I think it takes time for your body to readjust. Are you able to exercise?

I am a Type 2 Diabetic and take insulin and two oral meds. I'm scheduled for LapBand surgery on Apr. 11, and my surgeon says I should be able to get off of the insulin fairly quickly and also off of at least 1 of the oral meds. If you are Diabetic and have a LapBand, were you able to decrease/eliminate your medication, and if so, how long did it take? Thanks.

I got my band about 2 weeks ago, and have been able to cut my insulin intake to about a quarter of what it previously was. I stopped taking my Glucophage XR, simply because the pills are too big for me to get down. I think if I could take the Glucophage, I could probably get off of the insulin all together fairly quickly.

Yesterday it became clear to me how much I rely on food for comfort, and it was like reality smacking me on the head. I've always eaten under stress -- I think a lot of us do -- but I guess I never really understood how much I need food to cope. I've been having a tough week. I'm coming down with a cold; my husband is out of town; our 3-year-old is getting over an upper respiratory infection, and I am hungry and just starting soft foods, so I am just craving solid food. Yesterday I got a call that my mom was admitted to the hospital and was in the ICU. I can't go see her because I am sick and they don't want my germs in the ICU. On top of that, my son kept waking up screaming all night that his ear hurt. So, I had to miss work to take him to the doctor for the 3rd time in 2 weeks. The absolutely first thing I wanted to do when I found out about my mom was get a double cheeseburger. It was like a reflex. I was upset and I thought, "Well, I'll stop and get a burger on the way home, and that will make me feel better." Then I realized I can't do that. I was so frustrated I could have cried, but that moment made me realize very clearly how important I have made food. A few weeks ago, I would have realized I was using the food for comfort, but would have rationalized it by telling myself I really was hungry and should have something comforting to make myself feel better. Thankfully, my mom is doing better; my son got some eardrops for his ear pain, and I survived without the cheeseburger crutch. I do miss the cheeseburger, but I guess it's time to face life without the food crutches.

I never thought I would be so excited at the thought of applesauce and yogurt. I went for my first pre-op appointment this morning and the doctor said everything looks great. (I was banded on Apr. 11). I've lost 26 pounds since starting the pre-op diet, and I feel pretty good now. I am getting hungry though -- last night I had a dream about eating a big turkey sub from Subway. (I was very disappointed when I woke up.) Normally, my doc wants patients to do liquids only for two whole weeks, but he said I could start slowly with soft foods now. I'm thinking refried Beans for dinner!

Well, after wading through most of this post, I am thinking that this will probably end up in David's book(s) as an example of how people simply don't want to believe the negative experiences with the Lap Band, and I suspect that's at least part of the reason he posted in the first place. I suspect he probably had a few people contact him about problems they or family/friends have had too, so he has more fodder. David, if you are still reading responses, I hope your surgery goes well and you are soon in better health. And if you decide to warn people via message boards again, please be more upfront about your intentions. You are not only warning and sharing your experiences, but you are gathering information for publication as well.

A few fritos won't hurt you. Forget it and move on.

Have you tried mixing the powdered unflavored protein into something you can stomach like crystal light or Gatorade? That would help you get your protein without the risk of throwing up the protein shake.

I'm down 24 pounds! Started pre-op diet 4/4 and got band on 4/11.

Are you planning any "last meals" of things you may not be able to eat after banding? One of my favorite meals is German beef roulades and sticky dumplings. The beef is not the most tender, and from what I've heard may be difficult to eat with the band, and the dumplings probably aren't very band friendly either. So I asked my mom to make this for me. Also going out with my husband for a good steak dinner at Ruth's Chris.

I'm four days post-op now, and feel pretty good. The surgery went well, but the first day was kind of rough. I wasn't in much pain due to really good drugs, but my chest hurt and it was harder to breathe than usual. I was kind of surprised by this, since I hadn't heard much about this side effect. My oxygen level dropped below 90% in the hospital, so I had to be on oxygen most of the time I was there. When I got home is was harder to breathe when I laid down, so I stayed elevated with pillows the first two nights. I was really irritated by the way the hospital staff managed my blood sugar too. Since I hadn't been eating, my blood sugar should have been fine. (I'm diabetic). It was fine the whole week of the pre-op diet. But they hooked me up to an IV drip full of dextrose (sugar) and my blood sugar was off the charts. I kept telling the nurses I needed insulin, but they claimed it wasn't in my orders. Finally, they gave me some, but it wasn't enough and they would not call a doctor for orders for more. :thumbup: Luckily I was only in the hospital overnight. Now the only pain I have is in my shoulder. I'm still gassy, but that's getting better, and the only pain in my stomach feels like I've done a bunch of sit-ups. I've been drinking mostly Water, Protein water, some milk, a little juice and some Italian ice (The cherry italian ice you can get at the grocery store is wonderful). I haven't been hungry, but started to feel a little hungry this morning so I'm having a light yogurt smoothie this morning, which is going down really well. Oh, the best part -- I am down 17 pounds since starting the pre-op diet on April 4!

If you are looking for a good source for Protein powders, ready-to-drink Protein Drinks, and other pre and post-op supplies, I highly recommend Vitamins, Gastric Bypass & Lap Band Info, Post-op recipes, and Help. I ordered one of their protein "sampler" packs and it is great. It came with a shaker and a dozen single-serve samples of different protein drinks, all in a nice little reusable bag. I had a "Lean Body" ready-to-drink banana cream shake for Breakfast, and it was pretty darn good. I had it three hours ago, and I am just starting to get hungry now. They shipped my order out the day I ordered it. I'm just recommending this place because their products and service were very good. I don't work for them or anything!

What are your short-term goals after banding that aren't related to the number on the scale? Mine are: 1) Get off of insulin shots. Besides being a big pain, taking insulin has made me gain a whole bunch of weight. I think if I can get off the insulin, it will really help me lose weight a bit faster. 2) Be able to wear my wedding/engagement rings again. I haven't been able to wear them in about a year because my fingers are so swollen. 3) Not constantly think about food. I can not drive past a fast food restaurant without fighting with myself about eating something. It doesn't matter if I am hungry (and I usually am), I always want to eat. I have lots of more long-term goals of course, but I am hoping to accomplish these three goals within a few months.

I am absolutely livid, and frankly not eating for the past 5 days due to liquid pre-op diet is not helping my mood. My surgery is supposed to be the day after tomorrow. My doctor said the hospital would call me for a pre-op interview. They haven't called, so I called them. They tell me I'M NOT ON THE SCHEDULE. I called the doctor's office and the nurse couldn't believe it. She is trying to work it out now. I can't believe people can be so incompetent. I really don't want to put my life in their hands if they can't even get a schedule right.

Yeah, I'm having a rough time with the liquid diet too. I'm dizzy and lightheaded and really hungry. I gave in and had an egg this morning, and just having that little bit of food in my stomach really helped. But I'm trying to just stick with the liquids. I'm retaining Water like crazy, probably due to taking in more sodium than I'm used to. But I have lost 6 pounds since Friday, and have been able to cut my insulin back to 1/3 of what I usually take. Only 3 more days of this...

Well, I may be the only person capable of GAINING weight on the pre-op liquid diet. I'm allowed protein shakes, and some soups -- up to 50 grams of carbs per day. I've done really well so far and am sticking to it. But I have gained a pound since I started on Friday. This sucks. I've been able to cut my insulin down to less than a third of what I usually take though.

My surgery is on Apr. 11. Started liquid diet today! It's not terrible, but I will be happy when it's over.

Usually when the surgeons have trouble with a liver being too big, the patient is a man. My doc said the only times he has had trouble was with very large (over 400 pounds) men. Women are naturally a bit smaller inside to begin with.