susanm

Good morning everyone...Thanks to Cathy for motivating us and giving us a place for our chats...Each and everyone one of you has been an inspiration to me and has helped me more than you know...I have so far not had too many complications or complaints and anything that I have come across has been answered on here...I am down 34 pounds as of this morning since I started my pre-op diet 5 weeks ago...I am feeling great...I am very lucky in that my work has given me 5 weeks off to recouperate (still have 2 left) so I am taking advantage to get into some good habits like walking every morning (I hate excercise so this one I really need to make into a habit so when I get back to work it is the norm vs the exception)...I am planning meals and making sure we have good healthy choices (my husband has lost 10 lbs)...I am reading low fat/calorie cook books to use for meal planning...for the first time in my life (always been overweight) I feel like I can do this and that my life is changing...Thanks to you all...Cheers...:thumbup:

Wow Kizzie, you do have to be on liquids a really long time...My first few days were Clear Liquids and then I could do milk and thin yoghurt etc...then second week I went to mushies and then this week I get to start on some solids (fish, soft veggies etc...have to chew them good)...I lost 25 pounds during my 2 week pre-op and 1st week after surgery and another 5 in the past 10 days...I am feeling pretty good except that I sneezed the other day and pulled some stitches around my port and have been in pain since (when I do somethings I feel like I am being stabbed). My surgeon says to stop sneezing (haha) and take it easy (do nothing but sit and walk) for the next 3 days...I go for my first fill on July 11th...Hang in there with the liquids you will be fine and it will all be so worth it...

I have pasted the original post below...good luck... snuffy65 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Age: 31 Posts: 293 City: Saginaw State: Michigan Jazzy Junes Spreadsheet!!!! I created a spread sheet for everyone to view online. It tracks your weight, waist size, and BMI before and after surgery. It will keep track of how many lbs we loss and inches around your waist. I thought it would be cool if we can track the progress of all the JJ's out there and total them up. So if you want on just click my name and private messege me the following info: 1. Weight at Surgery time 2. Waist at Surgery time 3. Current Weight 4. Current Waist 5. Finally your height. I will making revisions on the look of the chart over the next week or so. However I still can input everyone's information. Here is the rough draft! http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p6evGubdxcy_4ky4_aiiDAg&output=html Hope to get alot of people on here so we track our group. __________________

Hey Tyler...I was just banded on June 12th by Dr Debru in Calgary at the Peter Lougheed hospital...he was wonderful...answered all my questions, made me feel like I was his only patient in the world. I have met Dr Des Coteaux as well, he did one of my pre op exams, and he is wonderful as well...so kind and warm. I am doing very well since my surgery and for the first time in years and years I feel hope...it is funny, as I am writing this I just came up with the word hope as how to best discribe how I am feeling and it is pretty darn powerful...I am actually planning things for the next few months that involve physical activity and me not just sitting back and letting others live for me...I wish you all the best of luck in the future and suggest you call Dr Debru's office and talk to Kelly his receptionist (she is wonderful) and I am sure will be able to answer some of your questions for you. :ohmy:

I am in and will send you the info as soon as I measure...I am quite excited about my weight loss so far so Happy to add myself to the list...hope everyone is doing well...:rolleyes2:

I have been living on thinned out yoghurt and Soup (with skim milk) and I have been adding skim milk powder to increase the protien...My dietician also suggest raw egg whites, blenderized and thinned out tofu and of course the Protein Powder...just can't do those ones...am looking forward to Thursday when I can have some real protien even if it is blenderized...:drool: (He is supposed to be drooling not puking)

Hey Diz...I am actually supposed to be taking in as much protien as I can I am just having trouble making myself drink the protien shakes...I am hoping next week will be better when I can do more of the mushy thing...My mind and sense of smell are getting the better of me with some of the things I am suppose to be ingesting...A few things I need to work on...I was done on the 12th and most of my pain is gone just week and tired...I am very glad and lucky to have a few weeks for recovery...

For those of you going back to work so soon after surgery you have my awe and admiration...my surgery was on the 12th and I am still quite weak (I know I have to get more Protein into me somehow) and still have gas and a bit of abdomen pain. I am very lucky that I have been given 2-3 weeks off work for recovery...I wish everyone a speedy recovery...

I am done...went in to the hospital at 6:30 am and into the OR at 9:30 and as I have sleep apnea they kept me in the recovery room for 4 hours...then back to my hospital bed for the night...I didn't get much sleep as they keep you on a ward in the day surgery area when you are in only for overnight and it was very loud and busy and we had a few snorers....In the morning I had to go for a test were I had to drink some awful tasting stuff and then be Xrayed to make sure everything was working as it should...I got home yesterday afternoon and was pretty tired...had a good sleep last night altho the getting into our very high bed was a challenge...my husband rigged me a stool made out of books so I didn't have to strain. Haven't had too much of anything to drink but water...will work on that today and get out and wander around the yard a little...has rained a lot here of late so hopefully that will stop soon...I am very sore in the abdominal area and have 5 little incisions and 1 big one...all in all I am doing okay...can't wait for the gas to go away...

Tomorrow is my day...I haven't been nervous or really thinking about it until a couple of minutes ago when I called to see what time I am to go in...I have to be to the hospital by 6:35am and surgery at 9:35am...This group has been so supportive of each other I know that your thoughts will be with me and my Fellow June 12 Banders...Good luck to my day mates see you on the couch...

Good morning everyone...only 2 more days for me, I will be banded on the 12th...my journey has been long (almost 2 years from the time my family doctor made the referral for me to have my surgery...as the only way you can have lap band surgery in Alberta is thru the Provincial medical insurance it is a long process but very worth it - I could have selected self pay and gone elsewhere but decided to give the system a try and it worked out for me)...I have been living the prep op diet of Optifast and non starchy vegtables for almost 2 weeks...it has been surprisingly easy (I think because I know it is only for 2 weeks and then a new phase will start)...I have not cheated once and am proud of myself for that...I wish everyone who is having surgery today good luck and I am looking forward to hearing how they are doing in tomorrows updates...This site has been fabulous and I have received a lot of information and incite and I thank everyone...I can't wait until after my surgery to add in my update...talk to you in a day or two...:thumbup:

That fabulous Tyler...there are amazing people out there and I am very happy that you have one as your guardian angel...good luck...

Pre op diet starts tomorrow...Optifast and non starchy veggies for 2 weeks...Scarlet will be cinching in her waist line soon...or perhaps the proper thing to say is that she won't have to be cinching it in...wish me luck...

I am approved and going in for Lap Band Surgery on June 12th. I am very excited but nervous as well...I think the hardest part for me is going to be the weeks prior when I have to be on the restricted diet. My husband is being very supportive by saying he will eat what I do and if he needs a fix he will do it at lunch time out with his work gang. I have read a lot of info about the surgery and have decided not to stress/be excited about it and be like Scarlet O'Hara and not worry about it until tomorrow. I hope this will work until at least a few days prior. Thanks for listening...as you probably can see I am new at the forum thing...

I start my pre op diet tomorrow...Optifast and non starchy veggies...It is going to be hard...I have convinced my husband that he is going to follow my diet when he is at home...when he is at work he can eat what he wants but at home he is going to each veggies and protien like me...bless his heart...I am so determined to make this work I know I can do it...I will be a little cranky (okay so maybe a lot cranky) but it will be worth it...

I start my 2 weeks of Optifast starting tomorrow...Thanks for the heads up for what to look for...I have to spend a bit of time driving to work out of town during the day...guess I had better scout out bathrooms along the route...cheers...

Hey Tyler...The process thru the Weight Management Centre in Calgary does work. I first heard about the new program in May 2006 and when I went to my doctor for my annual checkup in August I asked for a referral...In May 2007 I went to my first session at the WMC at the Colonel Belcher...I went to numerous wonderful seminars where I did not hear the same old thing...many of them focused more on why I eat and not what I eat...for me that was huge...not that it totally stopped me but sure made me more aware of what and why I was putting in my mouth...I didn't believe I was going to be approved for the sugery as I don't have any health problems other than I am obese as you can see from my stats below. My nutritionist and one of the program coordinators told me in January that they had been approved for 100 surgeries in 2008 and that 10 of them would be for people without health issues...I guess I was one of those...In November I met with one of the surgeons and in March I got the word I was approved subject to my pre-op clinic appointment which was today...so my birthday present to me is I am good to go on June 12th...I am so excited and so nervous but it is wonderful...good luck to you and all the best...

You will get through the pre-op at least that is what I keep telling myself...I start my pre-op on May 29th and am sure it will be the hardest part for me...My doctor is not making me do totally liquid I can eat non starchy veggies and Optifast...I want this so bad I will do it and I know you can too...hang in there...

Hey Angelyco, I am on June 12 too...I am very excited and am looking forward to the whole experience...good luck and let's keep in touch...

I am set for June 12 and like eagerbandi will be on Optifast protien for 2 weeks (it is not the best tasting but told it is the best and I will do anything to make this happen and get my little (large) liver ready)...My nutritionist says that I have to stick to the protien drinks and green leafy veggies for the two weeks...along with Sugarfree Jello, water...lots of water, Crystal light, tea etc...no sugar, fat or starch...Holy Crap, I am sweating now...It will be worth it...Yeah...

Okay, adding my name on June 12...I go for my preop visit this Thursday which happens to be my birthday...good birthday present...I start my pre-op restricted diet on May 29...I am actually looking forward to it as then it will be real...take care all... 2 Deb, Realme :wink2: 3 Huggie Bear 4 Sellie 5 JoannaG, Irish Ladybug, Cadets 71, LMarie_MD2b 6 Kristybandy, Cathychatts, eagerbandim, mamamarie, hopefulmom25 :thumbup: 9 Bando :thumbup: 10 Jules, Shaxmom, rearea1222, To Be Freem twinmommie :thumbup: 12 cris3, Angelyco, WannaDance, Susanm :thumbup: 13 BATassbandita :thumbup: 17 TX diva, :thumbup:23 Little Debbie, Mariamomof2 :thumbup: 24 Snuffy65 :thumbup: 25 Tennessee Mom, dj bryan :thumbup: 30 maguirre67

I am set for June 12th...I am excited, nervous and every other emotion imaginable...I have been going through the process of gather all the information that I can for almost 2 years so I am ready and can't wait...

Thanks...perhaps if we still had whale bone corsets I wouldn't be having to have this surgery as it would have acted like a band but on the outside...have a great day...