argon

I can say a few things to scare you, if you like I found some really good yogurt, and that's weird, cause I don't like yogurt! It's Dairyland Classic vanilla Fat Free (with fruit on the bottom) Comes in a case of 12 or more (also at Costco), in cherry, blueberry, mango and strawberry. Are you guys allowed yogurt like that? Or only the most boring? I never had to do the yogurt/cottage cheese thing. I wished I WAS doing it when I was doing my pre-op diet, but I'm sure they both are equally as tough. Good luck, and welcome!

awww, Neenagh. I hear ya! You'll feel better soon! (soon, after you get some taken out!) Just out of curiosity, how did you feel RIGHT after? Seem like everything was fine? How long till you realized "this is not good!!"?

wellllll... that's kind of 'iffy'. You might have seen, if you've read elsewhere on the message board, lots of Dr's say NO carbonated anything. *I* don't recall ever being told that, for any reason other that 'liquid calories' that I should stay away from carbonation. BUT, I do stay away. I'd KILL to drink a few diet cokes a day. The fizziness just doesn't sit well with me, and it would take SO long to drink, tiny sip by tiny sip, that it's not worth it. I have the odd sip of my boyfriends, but never order/buy for myself anymore. That's HUGE for me, cause I could have easily drank several cans of diet coke, or a big bottle a day, before. Anyways... beer. That's another story! Let's say I'm going out somewhere... prepared to have more than just 1 or 2 drinks... I'll start out with a Caesar. THEN... once I realize I'm running out of money, I'll often switch to beer. (too bad the beer I like is as expensive, if not more!) It just seems to go down very effortlessly after a couple 'prep' drinks. I just figure the alcohol 'loosens' me up (in all aspects!!! LOL, just kidding!). I'm also able to eat ALOT more freely at that point... so watch out for that, as well. Sooooo... if you're told "no carbonation, cause it will kill you!", listen. But if it's because it has too many calories, and/or may cause discomfort, I'd say, determine for yourself if you can do it. Oh yeah, and I wouldn't drink til at least 6 weeks after surgery.

Hey Mooks, You should ask for them to have the prescription ready for you BEFORE you get ready for surgery, or even the day before, so you don't have to worry about getting it filled after surgery (or whos gonna do it while you're 'in'?) What time is your surgery? If it's later in the morning, maybe they could have it ready for you, and you could run down to the pharmacy, I think it's in the same building, and get that before you get prepped. Get some chewable Gravol... that's just as good. They also have 'thinstrips' that dissolve on your tongue.

Like, if you're ever stuck in a candy store for a long period of time, and just HAVE to eat something to survive...... just be careful and chew that awful stuff real good!

I don't chew gum anymore, and if I do, I MAKE SURE I spit it out. Yeah, because if I swallowed it... I don't know what would happen, I'm sure it would eventually go through (but then I think of how food will eventually break down... gum doesn't really, at least not as quick as it should) And the pieces of gum I chew are definitely big enough to not just pass through my 'hole'. I have problems sometimes, even when I break a tylenol in 3 pieces. It definitely would be very uncomfortable, and that's not something I want to find out!

Welcome Astrotoes, AND Tres Chic!

Where, oh where, is that JUDE!?!

Oh Roxanne... sounds like a lovely bathing suit! And I'm sorry to hear about your bathing suit incident! LOL

I'd only ever heard on here, that some Dr's recommend staying away from popcorn. I was never told that. But lots of Dr's tell people lots of different things. I thought I'd never eat ALOT of things (and kinda hoped), and still can. So yeah, I eat popcorn, VERY easily. I eat it a few nights a week. One of those 'mini-bags', and I'm set for the night. green - I think I actually have seen that Summer Fresh brand, so I'm very excited. I also noticed the Asiago/Atrichoke, and was intrigued. Putting it on a roast, instead of horseradish (?) would be good, I think. I'll let you know when I try it, and if I approve!

oh yeah... i'd lay off the sparkly water... ween yourself off!!

Good. So I'm not totally stupid! THAT would be funny. Feel free to laugh at things know one knows about, anytime.

Mookie - you're weird. Less ice?! BLEH! Just plug your nose and down it! I was unfortunate to ONLY get vanilla.... you can imagine. I added this Caramel DaVinci syrup to mine, as well as Chai tea (among lots of other experiements), and I swear, I'll never be able to have those things again. I made a Protein shake yesterday, and added a touch of that syrup, and GROSS! I drank it cause I'm cheap and didn't want to waste it. The olive juice... I could see myself doing it. So no judgement there. And I did the same thing with all these berries I went out and bought for my shakes. Adding the little bit that you're allowed, you can't even taste it when mixed with the shake, so I just smooshed 'em into my face.

For me, I had to have some blood taken, and that was it. I don't know what tests they ran on it though. They wanted the results 2 weeks before surgery. My parents knew, as did my boyfriend, and 1 friend (only cause I had to) My mom has since blabbed, and told WAY more people than I'm comfortable with. If I had my way, no one would know. But I do think, now that people do, and I don't even know WHO knows, once I make it to goal, and all is good, I'll be ok telling people, if they ask. So, yeah, totally normal... lots of people don't tell either.

The point of the pre-op diet (according to most) is that the loss also shrinks your liver, makes it less fatty, and easier to move around. They kind of have to lift it up and out of the way to get to your stomach, so the easier that is for them to get around, the better. I guess, if you had an immense liver that was difficult to work around, they might accidently knick it with some tools, while fiddling around in there. Then you'd bleed profusely. NO, just kidding, I don't know if you'd bleed profusely or what! Maybe it happens all the time... maybe I just want to scare you all into doing what's best for you, and sticking to your pre-op diets! (and besides, not everyone has to go on pre-op diets, even if they are VERY large. But if your Dr requires one, do it!)

Oh goodness, so many questions!! PB - productive burp - pretty much what it sounds like, a burp, in which food comes along. Can happen when you eat too much, too fast, too big of bites, or just something that doesn't agree with you. It's kind of trial and error to figure out what will or won't do it. Some people never do. ppl - just short for people ! No no, you can still get nauseous. The PB itself isn't cause by nausea though. You could probably go back to work, say, a week later. Depends on what you do. No heavy lifting for 6 weeks, though. For 2 (or sometimes 3) weeks before surgery (now this is with Cobourn/Mumford), you drink Optifast shakes (plus a little bit of veggies, nothing else). You have to but this from them. I am kinda blanking out, but I'm sure it's over and above the surgery cost. I think it was about $200 (for 2 weeks). I thoroughly did not enjoy it. But I lost 15lbs, so that makes it worthwhile... and I had a super slim liver, which wasn't knicked, and surgery went well, surely helped by the Optifast. How's that? I'm sure people (ppl!) will add to, and/or negate everything I said!

I think it's a Dr. Descouteaux? (sp?) He's also affiliated with Cobourn, so chances are it would be the same price. The thing is... if they (whichever Dr does the fill) are having a hard time hitting your port, and you're getting really uncomfortable with all the fumbling around, OR they just can't find it, then THAT Dr. should be able to send a referral for the radiologist to do it. (from what I've heard, and I'm talking specifically about Calgary, cause I know it's been done/is done) I don't think you can get one, just because that's the way you want it done... I've tried! It would be nice even if it were a 'pay option'. I'd pay more for it.

Good job, Yoda!!! I don't know yet.... weighing on Wednesday! (haha, who am I kidding? I'll be checking on Monday, but not telling!!) The only reason I don't do it on weekends, is cause I don't wake up early enough, and I figure that'll make the difference! LOL

Not silly at all. You DON'T want to have a huge vomitting fit. If for some reason you do, do what you can to stop it, because 'they' do say that that COULD contribute to a slip. I don't mean a couple little pukies... but ALOT. That's why you need the gravol for after surgery... just in case. (and especially cause you're so newly banded) They gave me IV gravol right after surgery (which I'm sure they do to everyone). I've heard some of the americans say that when they've gotten sick like that, they've had to go to emerg. and get 'phenegrin'?, or get a prescription from their fam. doctor, as a just in case. (I'm sure we have something similar, if not the same) Also heard of gravol ememas, since if you're vomitting, the pills aren't gonna stay down :omg:

She *could* be like, 4'5". (which I don't think she is, BUT... people get banded at lower sizes than 18) anyways, Mookie.... I think it is a fabulous, wonderous, amazing thing to see your feet. BUT... am I missing something? How is that like 'fat guy in a little coat"?! Were you wearing kids sandals?

I get the 'how much did you eat?" thing, and I'll show him my bowl/plate, and if it's not very much, I get a disappointed look, and if it's alot (kinda) I get a "good job"! haha We'll go out for dinner/lunch with people who don't know, and afterwards, I'll whisper (or not) "I ate all (or almost all) my ___ " Kinda funny how it's now good to eat it all, well, at least when 'it all' is still not alot. No comment on the popcorn thing :| *zips lips* You know what else was good at Quizno's? The nanaimo bars!! I always stayed away from tuna... tried it again a few months ago, and liked it. Then in my cupboard, I found a can of 'skipjack' Cloverleaf tuna. Didn't know what that was, but I ate it anyways. It was horrible, and now I've turned myself of from tuna!! It's too bad, cause it's so good for protein. I'll try again when I can get that taste outta my mouth. green, what do you eat your tzatziki with? I used to make these greek pitas, and they were sooooooo good.

Just to add, I'm pretty sure things will be better at Cobourns office once they move into new, bigger, better, more suited clinic. You're on Dr. Cobourn/Mumfords message board aren't you, Wheezy? I'll post something asking what is going to go on, like support meetings, etc. Janice, just in case you don't know this already, Dr. Cobourn has fill Dr's in Calgary, and soon in Edmonton.

Maggie, I think they're also the same price. Don't count on getting anything from your insurance, I don't think anyone has. (in Canada) Mandi

dirty, dirty, green

Which seems stupid, cause from what I've read, lots of people don't know until they're QUITE eroded, that it's happening. A slippage, yeah ok, I think you'd have recognizable symptoms, but not sure about an erosion. Anyways... same thing here, I asked Dr. C, and he said not unless their were problems, or they were suspected. :cry I'm jealous.