vegasgirl44

I copied this list from another thread a couple of weeks ago. I think the numbers indicate prices she paid and of course, some of the things you may not need, but I think it's a great list to copy, paste, and modify to your needs. I think it has everything on there you could possibly need think of. Here it is: LAP BAND SURGERY SHOPPING LIST NON-FOOD ITEMS: BBQ or Toilet tongs, for a good reach in the r.r. 4.98 Heating pad(12inx24in) 16.88 Flexible ice pack (hot/cold 12inx16in) 14.44 A few books or movies(your choice, I spent about 70.00us) xx.xx Squishy pillow for car ride for seatbelt (shoulder pad) 16.88 Make sure you have a good blender 19.97 Kitchen timer (first few days, sip every 15 mins)(analog) 2.88 Kitchen timer (digital – better for travelling) 3.47 Pedo-meter(depending on the one you get – don’t forget to adjust to your stride) 4.88 PHARMACEUTICALS: Liquid Tylenol/Motrin (Check early in case pharmacy needs to order in advance) 4.98 Chewable or liquid gas-x(I got strips, you will pay more than shown here) 3.60 Gauze Pads 4x4 6.57 Paper/bandage tape 2.57 Wet Wipes 2.64 Pill crusher 3.89 Chewable vitamins 8.97 Hospital Medicine cups (I got 3oz/88ml cups – 100ct) 1.48 Cough Drops(Halls big box) 6.88 Stool Softener (Dr. asked me not to get this, if needed talk to him) xx.xx Moist and nice tasting Lip Balm(got chapstick – cherry – 2for deal) 0.88 FOOD ITEMS: Protein shakes(these vary from 22 – 55 dollars depending on quality and quantity) xx.xx Plenty of water(bottled water for me 3cases 16oz. bottles 10.00) 10.00 Broth or stuff to make broth(several flavors but all about the same cost) 2.98 Sugar free popsicles 2.66 Sugar free jello 0.50 Sugar free breath mints (chewable) 1.33 Crystal Light "On the GO" assorted flavors(I don’t like CL so I got store brand/price per box) 2.50 Bouillon(several flavors but all about the same cost) 2.07 Cream of Wheat or Cream of Rice 2.92 Creamy soups 0.66 Applesauce 1.82 FAT FREE yogurt 1.76 Soup-at-Hand - soups - for creamy stage(on sale) 1.25 Pudding cups (SF/FF) - helps w/ taking meds(got instant, more flavors, price per box) 0.50 Sugar free hot cocoa 1.87 Decaf tea(got regular, decaf is a little more in cost) 2.12 CLOTHES POST-OP: Loose fitting, easily removable(one size larger than I wear, sweats, top and bottom) 15.88 Buttons downs or pullover(sale rack found $5.00 per, one size larger) 5.00 Thong shoes/slip-on so no bending and tying(make sure they are a good pair) 12.88 Sports Bra! Sutures will be hurt by under wires(I have a daughter and wife that helped here) 6.88

Ok, if you get offended by that time of the month talk, I apologize, and please read no further. HOWEVER, if you are intrigued, please continue. I am on day 9 of my preop diet of protein shakes. I am supposed to stay under 1200 calories per day and have actually been hovering around 600-700 per day. Saturday night I ate a package of turkey bacon. Sunday morning, I gained 1 lb and today, I woke up and gained another half lb. I simply cannot tell you how discouraging this is. I'm supposed to get my period next Monday (I think this diet has thrown me off schedule) but I'm already bloated and cramping. Maybe I'm starting sooner, but I'm still pissed off that my scale is not going in the right direction. I have not had anything except that damn bacon, and I still came in under 1200 calories that day. I think I just need encouragement and a similar story...yeah, that would help. My scale is going to go down a lot after my period comes, right? I'm 47 years old. I should know this by now, but I need a hug. Or just some cheese with the wine. :eek:

Ok, it's just me. I'm going to make a quick response so that this thread will end up in my subscribed thread (because I have no idea how to bookmark it and I'll never find my way back). Me. Loser. LOL! More info later....

Thanks for the invite! I never would have looked here. I think I got your name wrong on one of the other posts. Sorry. thanks again. Bonnie

I never would have looked. LOL! Can you add me to August 14th, please? Woohoo! Thanks, mucho, Lanikala!:crying:

Looking for me: I don't even have my surgery for another 3 weeks or so. I will be ok for surgery (as far that time of the month goes), but as long as I can make it through the next few days, I think I'll be ok. So far today, I'm back on track and trying not to think of carbs! Evil carbs! LOL!

Looking for Me: You're welcome! southerngirl started this thread and it sure has been a good one. Lots of touching stories and truths. Good luck to you!

What a cool name! You are quite welcome and thanks for the kind words. I think what happens is that we are all so wrapped up in our own situations (not that we don't care about others' situations), that we sometimes forget to make comments on what others say, etc. But when we read something in another's post that relates so closely to what we have gone through or are going through at that precise moment, we jump on it like it was a lifeline. It feels so real, but we are all here for a reason. And if somebody doesn't relate to your post, then someone else surely will. It seems like everyone on here is pretty cool and quite happy to have other people to talk to about the same problem. I just so related to your story about toast because early last week, that is exactly what I wanted. But the way you told your story was so much funnier than the way I could have told it. :teeth_smile: I know for a fact that there are people who visit this site and hardly ever, if ever, even post at all. They are happy to just read the postings and be incognito. And that's cool. But if just one great post encourages a person to come out and talk to others, it was a good day. :thumbup: The best of luck on your surgery today. Let us know how you are doing. Bonnie:wink_smile:

That's very odd that he's not at least giving you protein so that you won't lose muscle mass. But it seems to me that he must want you to either lose as much weight as possible before your surgery or get used to the postop period. Maybe both. But eating like that must be making you weak as heck. Don't forget your Vitamins. I've been eating about 600-700 calories a day for a week now. The first 2 days I had mild to moderate headaches, probably due to caffeine withdrawal. The third day, I forgot my vitamins and almost passed out at Walmart. The last 2 or 3 days my scale has not budged, and even went up a lb. It's that time of the month and I feel sooooo bloated, but it's taking everything within me to not get discouraged and eat an entire 7 layer chocolate cake. Last night, I ate a whole package of Oscar Meyer Turkey Bacon. I figure it was better than the cake! I'm going to try not to weigh myself until next week, when this all blows over. Sorry, I got side-tracked, but I would just suggest calling your surgeon or dietician and telling them how you feel. Just to be encouraged that you are doing the right thing and on the right path. Best of luck to you. This IS a hard thing....this preop diet.

Anne the Travel Lady, That story is very touching. Your son really loves you and I'm so glad that you are on the path to better health. The best of luck to you!

Jess, yes, that's the book and I know that another user, Georgebals, talks about it all the time and how it's helped him. I ordered it from Borders.com and am waiting with bated breath for it to arrive. I'm glad you enjoy it also. I did look for it at Borders and couldn't find it. Anything to help and I do enjoy listening to stories from others who have gone through the experience, especially if they are funny.

This is just one of the reasons why I choose not to tell people.....Today, I was talking to this stranger and mentioned my lab band. We've never met, but I've been talking to him online. He seems really smart, mature, older. Anyway, he emailed me back and said that he'd done some statistics on the lap band and that people are 3 times as likely to end up with substance abuse problems. Ok, thanks. I didn't know that. Puleeze!!!!! I work in a psychiatric and substance abuse facility. I know all about this stuff. First of all, I don't particularly like the taste of alcohol. I actually prefer the flavor of a nice bagel with cream cheese. And I don't have an addictive personality. I know this man meant well, but this is EXACTLY the reason I don't want to tell people at work. I'm going to get all kinds of freakin' advice. I work with these people. I'll probably never meet this stranger, so I didn't care. Just like when I was at Best Buy looking at TVs the other day. I told the sales girl. I was having a particularly happy day and when I'm in a good mood, I tend to yak too much. It will take everything I have not to tell people at work. Maybe someday after I've had success with it and don't care what people think, but not now.

George, you crack me up! I absolutely LOVE to read your postings. Straight from the hip...I like that. I ordered that book you are always touting. I can't wait to get it. And I simply cannot believe that you have lost all that weight with no fills. Amazing! You are truly centered. I hope I do as well as you. So far, so good. Chow!:scared2:

hali, why don't you take your husband with you? He's supportive, right? But I agree about the sisters....blech!

You are AWESOME! Thanks so much for doing that. I plan on trying some of those myself. :thumbdown:

Ooohhh...thanks for the info, you guys. I was wondering the same thing after not finding anything on my last shopping trip.

dolly, I had my first (and LAST) gallbladder attack the month after I had my daughter. Isn't that weird? Back then, I knew absolutely nothing about medical issues or the medical field, and when I went to the surgeon consult, he humiliated me something horrible. I had lost 32 lbs when I was pregnant and gained 33, so I really only gained a pound during my pregnancy. After I gave birth, I continued to lose another 30 lbs or so and then had my attack. The surgeon told me I had to lose 100 lbs in 3 months and then he would take it out. I was so upset and went crying out of his office. I was 35. The scheduler felt horrible and asked if I wanted to see another surgeon in the practice. That was the ONLY practice my insurance covered. Weird. Anyway, after talking to my mother, who said that on HMOs, doctors only get paid for a certain number of procedures per year, and he had probably already hit his quota, as it was October, so he probably wanted to push the surgery back to the beginning of the year. I then made an appt with one of his colleagues. When I went, he looked so much like John F. Kennedy, Jr. (ie HOT) and I thought, I don't want this man to see me practically naked! So, I never went back. I've never had an attack since then, take Tagament with me wherever I go, and pray for the best. And here I was, so proud of myself because I had lost all of this weight. I hope that doctor was sued for malpractice since then!

I just didn't want to hear anybody tell me stories about how their friend or mother or sister had WLS and now gained back a lot of the weight or how I am fine just the way I am or whatever. This is MY decision and MY body. I am typically wishy-washy with making a final decision, but this is the first time I was so sure of anything in my life. I'm proud of myself and I didn't want to have anybody else be part of my success. However, since I am self-pay, I had to tell my mother who co-signed a loan for me as I was so over-extended due to student loans. She is thrilled for me and knows how important it is to me. I have 5 employees and I did tell them and swore them to silence. I told them that I didn't want them to judge me and that I was happy and they were happy for me. I also told my boss, who I will need for support for time off of work. She is also happy for me, being a former dietician. So, I figure that is it. If anybody asks where I was, I had woman surgery and if they ask me what I'm doing to lose weight, my doc has me on a high protein diet. Someday, not sure when, but I might just tell everyone. But for right now, it's just my secret thing. And it makes me feel confident and happy. :biggrin2:

Do some people really have problems with their gallbladder after surgery? wow! I actually have gallstones, but never had my gallbladder removed. I told my surgeon and he didn't say anything. Does anybody know about this? I had no idea that weight loss could hurt the gallbladder.

My day consists of protein shake for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, with a Salad with certain veggies only and salad spritzer. That's it! My day comes to about 600 calories. I just finished my 5th day and I've lost over 10 lbs already. The first 3 days were not hard, but the fourth day I forgot my vitamins and I was really weak and nauseous. Today, I actually had a can of cream of chicken soup instead of a shake, and it tasted soooo freakin' good! I know when I make the shakes, I use one scoop of protein powder, crushed ice, fat free milk, and a couple of splendas and vanilla extract. (My boyfriend actually adds lowfat cottage cheese and instant oatmeal to his and it makes a more substantial shake.) dabble!You are so funny! Wheat toast is the exact thing that I have been fantasizing about. You must be a bread person, too. I would imagine if I was having a bread fantasy though, I would pick French, but the thought of just a nice, crunchy, crispy wheat toasted slice of bread is sending me into orbit! I feel your pain! Thank goodness for a great sister you have. amber! You can do it! CapitolChick! I think you just made a good point. I'm going to up my protein amount while trying not to up the calorie amount too much. That may be part of the hunger and tired issue I am having. Thanks! jazma! I'm going to check out that flavored SF syrup you are talking about. I don't know the calorie count, but I'm having a super fantasy about how it will taste in my protein drink. LOL! Thanks!:biggrin2:

Moe, I ordered a few NECTAR products. I went online because I heard so much good stuff about them. Apparently, the fruit ones (I got fruit punch) are like those pixie stix from our childhood...you can eat them right out of the jar. I also got vanilla and cappucino, and hoping to mix the vanilla with orange and cherry extract to make a dreamsicle and cherry milkshake? Maybe a cafe vanilla frappacino with the cappucino flavor? I'm a-hopin', hopin', hopin'......!

Lellow, that is too funny! Thank you for the kind words. It IS hard work, that's for sure. Today, I actually had a can of chicken soup instead of a shake. It was soooo delicious. Still only about 200 calories, but it's back to the shake and salad for dinner. BooHoo!

Jenbug, just click on any ticker you like and it will take you to the site and give you instructions on how to do one the way you like it. I also had to go self pay because my premium expensive BCBS plan at work did NOT. I was ready for that, but still mad that I'm paying for the most expensive plan at work and this isn't covered. I'm sure they will be saving tons of money down the road when I don't have to have a knee or hip replacement, HTN and diabetic meds, and heart bypass surgery! (Rolling eyes in disgust) Anyway, if you really want it done, you will do it. Good luck and welcome to our fun little group that is growing every day. Cutie--Great Job on the weight loss! Are you starving yet? I just watched an old episode of Rachel Ray and she made pumpkin, eggplant lasagna, and honestly, 3 weeks ago that would have grossed me out, but TODAY, I wanted to jump through the screen and devour it! Man! I might just have to cave and have a piece of toasted wheat bread or something, and even though that's ok, I'm afraid I will fall off the wagon, and say, well, I'll just have this too, cuz it's ok, you know? Oh well...all part of the process...

Yeah, Shamrock. You should do really well on that preop diet. I've lost over 10 lbs in 4 days eating pretty much the same thing. Yesterday I forgot to take my vitamin pack and I felt so faint and nauseous, so don't forget to take those vitamins!