BeverlyDiane

Amber: Welcome to this forum. It doesn't seem to be very active. Where are you from? I live in Lebanon and I was a self-pay also. I wish I could have had this surgery in my 30s, but at least I have it now. I used Dr. Christopher Edwards and he was wonderful. I have an appt. with him today for my first post-op. I attended my first seminar 5-12-08 and after all the other pre-op appts. I finally had my surgery on Monday, July 28. So with all the scheduling and a two week pre-op diet, it was almost 3 months before surgery. Does this help? Ask if you have any other questions as I am just 7 days post-op. This site is awesome and you will gain a ton of knowledge by researching here.

NewMama29: I know exactly how you feel and I have not had a fill yet. I am in the mourning stage of foods I love and can have no more. My DH was having cashew chicken and my DD lo mein noodles with beef the other night. The smell, sight, and texture of those dishes were overwhelming and almost more than I could stand. My DH saw the look of longing in my eye and said he was so sorry and would not bring it home again. I know being healthy is better than any food, but I do miss it. Orea: You are such a wise sage. You can put into words what I wish I could have. Keep posting, we missed you when you were gone.

Welcome NLONLIFE and Harmonygirl! nygirl, I too had doubts all the way up to the moment I had surgery. It just kept running through my mind that this was too drastic and I could keep doing it on my own as I was doing. Then a little voice would whisper, but yes you have done it on your own many times! This is when I would stop all the wavering because I wanted this to be the last time and I knew I could not do it without my new friend, Bandy. I have not regretted it once since surgery and I am 7 days post-op. Already, with the weight loss I have achieved pre and post-op, my back no longer hurts, nor my knees, and the muscles in my legs have quit contracting and twisting in knots. My blood glucose and blood pressure are lower. Yes, no doubt, I am blessed.

Pj - Good Luck! Please update us when you can. Best wishes on a safe surgery and speedy recovery.

Welcome NewMama29, We are happy to have you on this thread. Children are such a gift from God. I know my grandchildren light up my world. My husband also is 6'2" with no weight issues, but he weighs in at about 215 lbs., which is still less than me. Grrrrrrr! I think it is really hard for someone without weight issues to understand what we feel and go through daily. My DH is very supportive and I love him dearly, but it is still hard. Congratulations on your weight loss, you are doing well.

Butterflies, I have heard from Orea and she is fine and states surgery went well. She will post later as she is very, very sleepy and needs to recover a bit. Till later...:cursing:

Hi Butterflies, I have heard from Orea and she is doing fine. She said she was very tired and will be resting for a while. She will post about her surgery as soon as she has recovered a bit, but she said it went well.:cursing:

I am still on full liquids but I have the following: Taco Bell refried beans with protein powder added, SF FF pudding, cream of wheat with PP added, yogurt, any soup I blend and add PP. This is about all for now as I do not like jello and only drink water. I am looking forward to mushies. I do like hot tea on occasion and sometiimes I make a fruit smoothie.

It's been a while since we have heard from Indio and Phyllser. I hope they had a wonderful trip and are working those bands!:biggrin:

Jillbeme, I am so happy to hear you had a successful surgery. Each day will be a little better.

I am 4 days out from surgery and I am getting hungrier each day. I woke up at 3am this morning starving and made myself some thin cream of wheat. I have a great fear also of not being able to maintain my weight loss until my first fill which will not be until September. I have a mandatory second nutrition class and exercise rehab class to attend before my dr. will even give me my first fill. Really, 900 calories are not very many, but I know we can do this if we all stick together and support each other. We are all going through the same process and I know we can hold each other up. ShondaN - you hang in there. We are all behind you and if you need anything you let us know. You can also PM me if you need to.

Michele. welcome to this thread! It's looks like you are truly in what they call "bandster hell." Try not to worry too much. I am 3 days post-op and I am still on full liquids. My dr said the next 6 wks are for healing and it may take one or two fills before I feel restriction.

Congratulations lynlynkr! Isn't is great to know we can do this now, even if we are on vacation. What a blessing we have been given.

Thanks, worked like a charm.

I've been unable to update my ticker also. For the last several days, everytime I click on it, it just opens the image in a full screen. I don't know what they are doing at that site, but it was a lot simpler than it is now!

Welcome Jillbeme! We are happy to have you on this thread. I am just 2 days post op and like you I went between being very nervous and excited. Wishing you a good surgery and speedy recovery. Keep us posted.

I am doing fine. My gallbladder is out and my lap band is in. No pain, only some discomfort. Can do all for myself and only need my DH to pick things off the floor that I drop - lol. I now believe all who said it wasn't that bad. Of course, being from Missouri, I had to see it to believe it :eek:. No gas pains as yet, hope they stay away. I went in at 11am and was on my way home around 2:30pm. They had me in a chair as soon as I reached my room and walking soon after to the bathroom. Those not banded yet, really listen to this from all the others. The nurse kept emphasizing it and I truly think this is one reason I have not had a problem with the gas yet. Okay, medication is kicking in and I must move to my recliner. Till later... Thanks for all the concern, prayers and well wishes. They were very appreciated.

Just checking in, doing fine, no pain, only soreness. You can see my post if you want to know more about how it went on the "Over 50" thread. Thanks everyone for your care and concern. For those yet to be banded, believe them when they say it is totally managable and really no need for a panic attack. Taken meds and becoming incoherent. Later...

I am now officially on the loser's bench!. Surgery was fine. Nothing compared to the colon resection I had in 1999. I went in to surgery at 11 am was in my room by 12:30 pm and on my way home at 2 pm. I went immediately from recovery to a chair in my room and never returned to bed. After checking vital about 4 times, the nurse asked me to void my bladder. I walked to the bathroom and back without help, ate ice chips and drank Water. The nurse was amazed at my recovery considering she kept saying, "You had two surgeries. Your gallbladder and your lap band." She left to speak to someone and returned smiling telling me I had bought my ticket out of there. I was ecstatic as nothing is better than your own familar things to rest and recuperate. The hardest part of the whole thing was waiting from 7 am to 11 am for the procedure (surgery was suppose to be at 9:30.) They gave me pills for acid reflux and nausea which set off my restless leg syndrome big time. I was in misery while in the holding room, with them scrambling trying to make me more comfortable. Unfortunately they could not give me the one thing that would have helped, my medication. I am doing fine tonight. I have sipped liquid all evening and am able to fend for myself. My DH keeps trying to help, but I can do it so much quickeras I know where everything is located. He is being so lovely and concerned. The only tiny problem I had was when I went to take my evening pills. My dr. told me I would not have any trouble swallowing them, so I took out the three and broke two of them in half. I swallowed the first half with water and, of course, it stuck. I panicked and my poor DH kept wringing his hands and asking what he should do! Finally I felt it go down and was then petrified to take the others. I broke them up even more and poured the Nexium capsule (right or wrong--I was not putting that thing in my mouth) in a little Jello. They went down just fine. I have never been a paranoid pill freak before but I believe I have just developed a new case for a panic attack! lol Dreading the morning dose already. Do you think the dr. will let me quit them early (like tonight), Okay, that's my story. Probably need to rest in case the sh.....t hits the fan tomorrow and I cannot even get out of bed :eek: I hope all went well for any other bandsters out there. Orea, you will be fine. It really is as eveyone says and I want you feel the prayers of all holding you up on Wednesday.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes. I have been very calm today. I am so looking forward to tomorrow. I will post as soon I feel I am able. Orea, I have you in my prayers for Wednesday and hope you have a speedy recovery.

Hi everyone, Okay, Monday is the big day and I am feeling nervous. I have been moody and irritable all day. I'll be lucky if my DH will even go to the hospital with me after baring the brunt of my tongue today! :w00t: He left early from lunch to go back to work and I told him, "That's fine, you'll still have to put up with me tonight." He actually laughed! I didn't know whether to be mad or glad. I WILL be happy to have this behind me. I really do want to have this new beginning, I just want it over like everyone else who is doing this or has. I hope all have a good weekend (mine will probably be sleepless :thumbup:.) Blessings.

I'm so sorry about your spouse. I am a cancer survivor and I know all the feelings that come with it. You are in our prayers.

Orea, I know how you feel. I'm scheduled for surgery Monday and have been on full liquids. We are back from Branson and I didn't eat a thing while all my family enjoyed the many wonderful restaurants. I weighed upon returning and while I didn't gain anything, I also did not lose. My calorie intake is so so much lower than it was before my two week pre-op. Do you think our bodies are holding on to the weight because it thinks we are in starvation mode? I know, like you, I did not have any water weight to lose because I had been watching calories since May. This is so depressing. I am afraid the dr. will think I have not been following the diet and that is so untrue. I don't know what to do next except keep plodding forward.