oneder_woman

I weigh every morning, which is generally thought of as a bad idea b/c you will drive yourself crazy w/ any gain. I've proved to myself that it means nothing, tho, because I can get on, off, and back on and see a huge change. I look at it as proof that your weight really does fluctuate during the day. That way, if I go to the doc and his scale doesn't say what I expected, I don't freak out, because I know how much it can vary.

Hello to all y'all! I have not posted in a while - I went on vacation, then work was nuts after having been out. Also, truthfully, I have been a little upset and down on myself. Long story short, I think I advanced my eating too quickly, mainly because I felt 100% and back to normal really quickly after surgery. Dr. B said advance slowly, but when everything I tried went down perfectly so I fear I went too fast due to that. Then I got to reading some other threads about people looking for excuses to eat what they want and REALLY got upset with myself. But, now I am over it and just trying to eat right from here on out and do what I am supposed to. I can't change past mistakes, and trying to be perfect is what got me to 300+. I am so glad you guys brought up exercise. I need to get started walking. What I'd really like to do is bike. I think it would be easier on my knees and back to bike, but frankly I feel like a HUGE idiot on a bike, like it'll look like a tricycle under my big ole body. Even tho I haven't posted I have been reading and hope everyone is doing well. Leslie, I am so sorry to hear about your port - that is a real stinker! You will get through this fine, tho! Brina, I know it is tough to be away from everyone - I did the same in my 20s. You will benefit so much from this time, tho, getting to know yourself really well and getting the ability to be alone without being lonely. You would not believe how many people cannot be alone for even a little while. So glad so many of y'all are making great scale and non-scale progress! You are all an inspiration to me!

I am getting really depressed about the egg incident (posted earlier). I worry I am trying to go too fast, tho Dr. B said go along carefully and the band would tell me if I ate something wrong. So far I have tried out mashed potatoes, crab cake, half a lemon square (got caught at a reception, it was the softet thing there), chicken (which did NOT work) and soft, finely chopped pork. Everything except the chicken went down just fine. And then the egg tonight. I am worried I am doing too much, too fast. Does anybody else live in fear of stretching the pouch, causing a slip, or otherwise screwing this up? How can I advance my diet without worrying so much? This is really getting to me.

I am 14 days postop, and at my followup a week ago, Dr. B told me to add foods in carefully, and that the band would let me know if I ate something I shouldn't. I have tried to be careful and mostly stuck to soup, mashed potatoes, and full liquids. I admit, I have experiemented two or three times with firmer foods and chewed like the devil, and everything went down just like normal. Today I tried eggs for supper. It was a disaster. I called the emergency line and they told me not to worry - the nurse who answered said she wretched the whole first three weeks after her surgery. My concern is this - she was giving me a couple of tips that sounded appropriate for the beginning of the full liquids stage - soupy mashed up bean soup, watered down mashed potatoes. Her advice seemed to be much more conservative than Dr. Bagnato's. I have been anticipating a beach trip this week, thinking I would be able to handle soft fish. Am I moving too fast? Anybody else in this situation?

Reading these really helped me before my surgery, so I thought I'd share my experience. I had my surgery Monday, 4/28. I had surgery as a child but none since and so for all practical purposes this might as well have been my first surgery. I was very worried about the IV b/c I am impossible to get a vein on, complications, mistakes, etc. I have to say this was so easy I can't believe it. When my surgery was scheduled, my doc gave me a rx for a 48 hour antinausea drug to take the morning of surgery and and the liquid Lortab (brand name for hydrocodone). The morning of surgery, I went to the hospital at 5:45 a.m., got into a private room, met my nurse, who took my BP. I told the nurse first thing I am a hard stick and nervous about it, asked for a valium or similar. She could not give me anything like that, but said she could numb my IV site before trying to stick me. I got the gown and socks on, got situated in the bed. She came back, decided she liked the vein in my inner wrist, numbed me, and then got the IV in on the first stick. Then my husband came in my room and we talked for about 1/2 hour, then they came and took me to preop. It was several beds in one large room off the ORs, lined up w/ pull curtains between. I met the OR nurse, the anesthesiologist, his nurse, etc. Everybody kept asking my name, DOB, etc. - which comforted me, because one of my irrational fears was that I would wakeup w/ no lapband and no ovaries or something. They gave me something to relax me. It didn't make me loopy and I barely noticed it, but I had gotten a little emotional and once I had the stuff in the IV I wasn't anymore. Then, they came and took me into the OR. I remember bright lights and scooching over onto the OR table. They put the lock-in things for your arms onto my table, then pulled my arms out and strapped them down. Then they put oxygen over my mouth and nose and told me to breathe. I woke up in the postop being yelled at to breathe - dang apnea. Then I woke up again yelling at someone I was going to throw up. I think that was b/c I had it drilled into me throwing up w/ the lap band was bad, bad, bad and might make it slip, so I wanted to be sure I wasn't going to get sick. They put something in my IV and I was out again. I woke up being wheeled back into my private room. There, they gave me more fluids in the IV. I slept a while, and ate ice chips, then they told me if I could go to the bathroom, I could leave. So I did. Once home, I only took pain meds for that day and the next. I took some before bed on the 29th to ensure good sleep. I didn't really have any pain, ever. Not any real gas issues either. Just muscle type soreness, mostly at my port site. It hurt to get up, but once standing I was fine. It hurt to roll over in the bed. I didn't want to eat anything for the first couple of days. I felt like myself again on Wed., went to the store (not alone) on Thurs. and was back to normal by Sat - went to an outdoor festival, had company, etc. I went back to work Monday, 5/5. I feel great. I hope this helps ease someone's mind.

Okay, I feel stupid asking this question, but this is odd.... sitting at my desk today I noticed that if the edge of my desk touched my tummy, there was one little spot, right where the far left incision went, that is tender. too be expected, right, b/c I am only 9 days post op. But, upon further inspection I feel like there is a little knot under the skin there where that incision is, maybe like 1/2 inch in diameter ball. The other two higher incision spots are much less tender and I don't feel anything under the skin, same for the one near my navel. It almost feels like I can feel my band, but that can't be right, can it? Should I be concerned, do you think, or does this sound like normal scar tissue type healing?

Well, I am back to work and feeling 100%! I go for my followup today. Boy, talk about hunger returning with a vengance! it doesn't take much to curb it, but after a couple of days of feeling no desire for food at all, it is weird to feel hungry. Special K protein water is from heaven! I wish I had some words of wisdom for those of you who are having a tough time, but it would be silly for me to try to advise, obviously, newbie that I am. Just know I am rooting for you! Brina - I wish I had known you were feeling that way - we had an arts festival in my town this weekend. I'd have invited you. I went through a period just like what you are going through when I was in my mid-20s. I know it stinks, but I learned so much about myself at that time. Unfortunately, I also made food my friend substitute - a 100 lb mistake! I think the suggestion of taking a class, be it a exercise or personal enrichment one, might make a big difference. I took a sculpture class once, and it was a ton on fun. Also, there are lots of worthy causes that need volunteers. My particular project is literacy - I am sure there is an adult ed organization that needs people to teach reading to adults. Giving to others always makes our own problems and lonliness seem to lessen. And, we're always here for you on LBT! I am as addicted as you are.

I was banded in Ga April 28, and I could have gone to work today. I was out of it all day the day of surgery and the day after. Tuesday night during the night was also the last dose of pain meds I took. Yesterday I was myself again, and much less sore. Today I am pretty much back to normal, minimal soreness near the port - it just feels like the worst sore muscle you ever had. As far as food, I am on Clear Liquids through day four, which is today. I have only had Water, milk, SF popsicles, 1/2 a gatorade and Jello. I have had one small hunger feeling yesterday, and again today around noon, but jello satisfied me. I guess I go to full liquids tomorrow and keep that up until my followup appt. on Monday. On Monday I guess he will put me on to mushies. I can't wait for mashed potatoes and grits! I have not been too good at sipping slowly, but have not had anything come back up, either. I have pretty much gulped a couple of times without thinking about it with no consequences. liquid won't stretch your pouch this early, will it?

and I can't believe how easy this has been so far. Like I said before, they took me back into my room really quickly, got the iv on the first stick, then let my parents and husband come back. I really think my parents had a hard time not freaking out. It wasn't too long before I went to the preop holding area, then all of a sudden things started happening really fast - they took me to OR, moved me onto the operating table, and strapped my arms down. I remember giggling to myself and thinking I felt like Jesus on the cross - I hope I didn't say that part out loud. I remember waking up in recovery and being yelled at to breathe, then again telling whoever would listen that I was going to throw up - but I didn't. Then I woke up in a private room w/ my husband and parents again. I was home by 2 p.m. or so. I mostly slept the rest of Monday and dozed on an off all day yesterday. I slept late this morning - until about 9:30 or so. Still sore, but I didn't take any pain meds. My incision spots are sore, with the worst being the one in my left shoulder, nearly in my armpit. I haven't had bad gas yet. One concern I have is throwing up. I haven't been sick to my stomach, but I do tend to choke (on air) easily and when I cough a lot, it is very easy for me to throw up. So, I wonder if hard candy, like peppermint, is okay to have to sooth my throat keep me from coughing. anybody know?

Well, I did it - I now have a band! yay! all went fine. They even got the IV in on the first stick. everyone was so nice, it was a fairly painless experience. thanks for all the encourgement. I am now off to lortab land!

My biggest concern is the IV. I am a very difficult stick, and when I was small I had two major surgeries for which they had such a hard time with the IV my parents had to leave the room because they couldn't watch them stick me any more. I have tiny, tiny veins. My dad advised me to request a valium or whatever drug they give you to relax before IV - has anybody done that, and did they allow that? Nip - wow, that is amazing! You must share your secrets!

Okay, I finally got the call, and I have to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. on Monday. Ouch! I have an hour to drive, so I guess I will be up at 4 or so. They won't even need anesthesia to knock me out! Anybody arrive that early? If so, what time did you leave? - by the way, I realize I have posted a question about every SINGLE step of this process - thanks, new friends, for being so patient w/ me!

My surgery is Monday, and I was told I would hear from the hospital on Wed or Thurs about when to show up, where, etc. No one has called - should I be worried? GA Girl - I would bet you those 4 lbs are TOM if you are close - I have been known to gain as much as 5 or 6 in water weight.

Ally - you look great! I can totally tell you've lost! :thumbs_down:

Yay! The scale finally moved again today! I dropped about 16 lbs FAST on the preop sugarbusters diet, which I decided to do for a month instead of the two weeks, in hopes my liver would be even smaller to make the surgery as easy as possible. Then, after about two weeks, the scale stopped moving and I went back and forth between a couple of pounds - drove me crazy. Well, this a.m., it finally went down again! Not much, about 1.8 pounds, but I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. The no sugar part has been pretty easy, given all the sugar free things there are on the market. My problem is the carbs - I've been eating very low carb, NO white flour/potatoes/rice. What I don't know is how to figure out how much 'incidental' carb is okay. JBrad - you do sugarbusters all the time, right? How many grams of carbs do you think you eat each day? Other folks? I have no point of reference here.

Thanks for the response on the nosy co-worker. What really gets me is I believe she went through my desk - what gall! I am in the "I can't believe I am doing this:scared2:" stage. Y'all are an inspiration, though - you make me know this can work for me!

Hey everyone. I am scheduled for my surgery on Monday. I am in the freak-out stage right now, which is multiplied by PMS. Not a good scene. I realized I kind of jumped in here without introducing myself - I really was raised better than that! Like I said, I am scheduled w/ Dr. B for surgery on 4/28. I live about an hour from Albany and grew up in South GA. I am married with no kids yet (keeping fingers crossed) and I work outside home. I have been overweight since college, so for about 10 years. This may have been discussed already, but how did you deal w/ people at work? Several people at my work know I am having some kind of surgery, but only one person I work with knows what it is. One woman in particular has been quizzing everyone. She asked me point blank what I was having done, and got obviously irritated when I sweetly said 'oh, just an small elective thing, no big deal. Thanks for your concern, tho.' Also, I think she got on my computer and saw what web sites I visit, including this one. She has even "wondered" to my secretary if I was getting lap band. My secretary is the greatest, tho, and shut her down cold. Anybody else been tempted to tell someone to mind their own gal-dang business? The PMS is making me kind of want to - I hate to say this, but - get in her face. Not nice!

Hey! the 28th is the day for me, too!

Here's a question - what's the post-op followup procedure w/ Dr. B? I am having surgery 4/28 and my husband has to out of town the week of May 13. I am trying to figure out if I will be able to go w/ him or if I will need to stay home due to appts. or due to not being well enough yet. Any input would be great! thanks p.s. jbrad - be careful w/ that gum!!!

Leslie, Can you chew gum? Will that help w/ the urge to chew thing? Or do like that guy on the Sex and the City ep when they went to LA - chew up regular food, then spit! (ick!)

Pamela, It is very normal to feel depressed when you feel as though your body has let you down. Hang in there, do what your doc says and think positive thoughts!

Does anybody know why this happens? I have looked on the FAQ boards and other obvious places w/ no luck.

Well, there's no turning back now. I went to PMC and had all my preop stuff done and wrote all those big checks. It was weird, when I got there they told me Dr. B had not ordered an EKG or chest xray for me, tho he does for all his patients. They went ahead and did one, but I am wondering why it wasn't ordered. Mostly it was painless, took about 70 minutes. I am a hard stick, so that was a pain. They had to stick me twice, but that is much less than usual. Also, I peeked at my EKG and it said something I didn't understand that kind of freaked me out. :thumbup: So now I have to worry about that. ah, well, I think I shall have a small pity party, then try to 'man up,' as they say. Hope all y'all are well.

Mainly, because I love food. I love to eat, I love to cook. I love to invent recipes; I love to learn complicated cooking methods. I love to watch the Food network (I call it food porn). I love to nurture people with food. I love to impress people with my ability to cook good food. In part, I define being a woman with the ability to nurture, please and impress with good food. You don't have to tell me how sick that is. But, there are other issues too. In 1st grade, my teacher put a height/weight chart on the wall, and though I wasn't the largest kid in the class by a long shot, I weighed the most. Kids are mean. Then, my mother decided I could go on WWatchers with her. My childhood and adolescence was filled with hearing about what I didn't 'need' to eat, being told to 'get out of that,' referring to whatever I was picking at. So, I began sneaking food. Extra Desserts, the little debbie cakes that were for my brothers school lunches, even slices of bread - I distinctly remember hiding food under my clothes, trying to get down the hall to my bedroom w/o getting caught. Still, I wasn't a obese kid, just a little chubby. In high school, I was a normal size, but I never understood that every item of clothing in the store was not meant for every person. I just heard that the miniskirt I wanted made me look 10 lbs heavier, and that meant I was fat. Never mind that I had a tiny waist and great curves - I'd kill to have my teenage body back. I didn't appreciate it - I thought I was fat. I recently read some old journals of mine from high school, and it's page after page of lementing how fat I was, disgusted with myself, determined to 'do something' about my weight. I thought boys didn't like me because I was fat. I was a size 8 or 10 then. Boys didn't like me because I was smart and quiet and they thought I was a snob. Or they just plain didn't know me, because I wouldn't let them. So, cut to college, drinking, eating whatever I wanted. I was totally in control, so I lost control of my weight. I developed major depression, and got bigger. After my sophomore year, I spent a summer at home losing weight and basically becoming anorexic. I ate almost nothing, and remember telling my mom that if I were thin and eating like that, she would think I had an eating disorder. She agreed. I got down to about 185 that summer, losing 40 lbs in about 3 months. Then I transferred schools, got into a bad relationship, and basically ate all the time. Control issues continued - I would eat whatever I wanted, dammit. Weight packed on. I tried Jenny Craig, lost a little, gained it back. I felt worse, so I ate more. It felt like I was trying to prove something with all the eating, but I am still not sure what. Then graduation, the big breakup with the college boyfriend, and the first job, a very stressful one in the news industry. No real friends in a new city, and food became even more for comfort and recreation. And by then I was totally out of control, more than 250 lbs, and after that who cares? I met my husband somewhere between 250 and 275, started grad school and moved away from him and gained more, breaking 300. Since we married, I've gained even more quickly, in part probably due to being so secure that he loves me no matter what. Since that time, I have done WW four or five times, but it's basically been an uphill climb. I can't do it alone. I don't need it to be easy, I just need it to be a little easier.

An interesting observation - after my afternoon of sort of taking off the armor w/ my dad and being really honest about what's going on with me, I am having a major urge to eat. I am controlling it, tho, and I think it's easier because I haven't been eating carbs or sugar and have none in the house. Speaks volumes about how I use food (and fat) to hide in, eh?