SaraJaneQ

Hey Bino - I am sorry, been away doing all kinds of getting ready for surgery type stuff. 2 days! Thanks on the compliment - I made them. I can send it to you if you like. sj

Congrats. You won't believe how quickly it comes!

Congratulations. It will sneak up on you faster than you think!

Be pushy - give em a call. Who is it gonna hurt? Good luck - whether October or November, it will come sooner than you think!

Congrats Bino. I have plenty of sleepless nights myself. I dunno if it will help you, but I can trick my mind by imagining something non surgery related in as much detail as I can. I like to build beach houses in my mind, personally, but basically, if you get your mind focused on something not stressful, its easier for it to give up surgery thoughts and go to sleep!

Congrats Becky. I have heard about the one incision surgery but my doc doesn't do it. I am just praying I don't get converted to open. That is literally the one and only thing I am nervous about! I assume your preop starts today - good luck with that. It has it's bad moments, but if you try to keep occupied it helps a ton!

I know exactly what you mean. Today I picked up an immersion blender to take to work - that way I only have to wash the stem/blade part. I use the big blender for breakfast, but hubby dutifully washes it for me - I dont know that I would go that route if I had to wash it myself!

I am so completely frustrated right now. I had been dieting for 5 weeks preop on a diet of my own, sticking to 1400ish calories a day. And in that time I lost 15 pounds. I was so very happy. I have been on my preop diet for four and a half days now, and have been steadily gaining in small increments. Im up 2 pounds now! I am not on a liquid diet - the doc tells us to stay about 900 calories and tells us how much starch and Protein to take in - the rest is fruit and veg. Ive been between 850 and 900 every day. Im hungry! It sucks being hungry and gaining weight! Staying the same, ok. But being hungry and gaining weight just sucks!

Hey y'all. I will be banded on 10/3. My doc wanted to band me a week earlier, but sadly I am a big goober and I just could NOT miss the New Kids on the Block concert I have tickets for! All the better - I would much rather be a Smashing Pumpkin than a September Samurai! I just turned 34, have been married 16 months to a man who I first dated 16 years ago! My only child is an incredibly spoiled feline. I decided to have surgery when my new insurance company refused to pay for my acid reflux medicine, but WAS willing to pay for surgery. I figured I would cure my reflux AND get healthy at the same time...bonus! :smile: I love books and music, I play a lot of computer games. I have recently become a YouTube addict - they have a great wls community there. I work 25 hours a week for the same company as my husband, so we moved into the apartment complex next door and I walk to work. I have to say I feel pretty lucky with my life - I just wish I could be healthier to enjoy it, and lapband is my tool to make that happen!

Hey Bridgette - I thought about getting the magic bullet, but for now I will be sticking with my Cuisinart blender at home, and Im thinking I might pick up a Kitchenaid immersion blender for work. One of the guys I work closely with is also doing Protein shakes and would love to be able to do stuff like add fruit at work sometimes too. I personally have not bought smaller utensils because I am oddly anal (I have three sets of silverware in my house from combining households with my hubby and then buying joint silverware) and I will ONLY eat from one set. Weird, I know. But have you looked at sundae spoons? You might dislike the long handles, but they have long handles and small "spoon" parts. For me (ok, silverware issues again) they are not only small, but unlike kid silverware they make me feel like im eating something special - silly, but....they might work.

Just an update for those who took the time to comfort me - I DID cut out all the refined carbs yesterday (I havent had them in weeks, but the doc says to use them) and staying at the same calorie level minus the carbs seems to have turned the tide - today I was starting on my way back down the scales.

Mainly what I have already done are three things: I made my favorite chili, pureed it and froze it. Still pretty much tastes the same, and since its basically Beans and meat, its all about the Protein. I made a Soup with shrimp and tofu. I don't usually eat tofu, but it has no real flavor and it is high in protein. Put it in an Asian style broth (basically chicken broth with a little ginger and soy sauce), and pureed. It tastes kinda like shrimp with soy sauce, and blended into a smooth, creamy, protein packed soup. My doc's suggestion that I used was I boiled some potatoes and then pureed them with fat free plain yogurt (gives them somewhat of a sour cream flavor). I pureed some chicken to put on top of that, and then added a little fat free chicken gravy. It will be moist, protein filled, and will mostly taste like mashed potatoes. That way I get a little bit of one of my traditional comfort foods in a way thats better for me. If it helps, my doc allows egg drop soup on liquids, but I do not like egg drop soup. Its not the egg that bothers me, but it comes in a kinda thick broth. I boil Water, add a packet of bouillon, and then drizzle in a half cup of egg beaters while stirring. 65 calories, 12 grams of protein, and actually kinda yummy!

Thanks Teri - my fingers are crossed. I cut carbs today and will do so for the next few and just hope!

I typed so long that I missed your second post. ABSOLUTELY keep track starting now. Losing the weight could actually be harder before than after the band. Its an accomplishment, now or later. Count it all!

Hey Bridgette. I am 11 days away from surgery, so I am already on my preop diet, but I did five weeks on my own first so that I could get my body a bit healthier. I ordered samples from Vitalady so I have my choice of Protein shakes during liquid stage. I am anal, so I already cooked and froze most of my lunch/dinner for mushy stage. For me, its easier to not cheat if my food is already ready for me. I joined YouTube. There is an incredible wls community on there and I have been participating and watching their videos - great inspiration and support. I have 1/2 cup and 1 cup gladware containers to make portion control easier. My Water is up to about 60 ounces a day. I am walking a bit more than before, but I haven't gone nuts with that yet. I took before pics before I started my diet, and will do another set right before surgery. Most importantly (for me at least) is I have been working hard at reworking my thinking. I havent had soda or alcohol (or any calorie beverage for that matter) in 6 weeks. I mostly gave up coffee too - less things for me to have to feel like I "gave up" on my surgery date.

1. Get rid of my reflux! 2. I'm with you - I had to wear an extender belt when I flew to Europe for my honeymoon and hated it - normal sized traveling will be way better! 3. I want to go to an amusement park - havent gone in many years because of my weight. 4. We booked a cruise for a year and a month post op. I plan to parasail, segway, snuba, and go to a water park. Also, Im gonna go get a massage - I wont feel too fat in the robes this time! 5. I want to be able to wear clothes from just about anywhere - I hate having such limited clothing choices!

I bought the fabric and all the accessories to make an gown like one of Arwen's in Lord of the Rings last year, but did not follow through because I couldnt stand the idea of being so big in that gown. I cant wait to be able to make it next year when I look good in it!

Congrats on getting your date Lori - Only a few more weeks until your new adventure starts!

Congrats, and welcome Anne!

Hey Lap Band Momma - I will be getting my band with Dr. V in just under two weeks. I'm sure you know, but his staff all seems great - I am sure your fill will be no problem!

Im so excited - got my approval today. They actually wanted me in on 9/29, but I have tickets to a concert on the 30th, and sadly - the concert is THAT important to me. So October 3 it is - glad to be a smashing pumpkin!

Its all very individual of course, but for me the two biggest points when shopping were: Kitchen scale - have a readout that is not under the scale, or is at least readable from the side or set away from the scale. Lots of them you have like a 6" scale and then a flat readable surface right there - well if you need to use a larger plate or something then you can not see the weight! On that note, mine has a feature where I put whatever I am going to weigh on (like a plate or a bowl) on the scale before I turn it on, and then the scale zeros at the weight including that item. Makes it easier not to have to subtract the weight of my container. Body scale - go for one that measures in .2lbs. Some weeks will be really slow weeks, and the encouragement of seeing that -.2 that might not show on another scale may be a bit of encouragement you can really use!

Thanks Cyndi, its just nice to be able to vent! I am lucky that my doc only puts us on a really low calorie diet (900) with strict rules for preop. I decided yesterday that its too bad for him. I am going to cook a bunch of food and freeze it and just stick it in the oven - bet he doesnt even realize I precooked it!

Thanks for the encouragement Cyndi - I need it today. I couldnt sleep last night because I was so HUNGRY. And I havent cut back all the way to what the doc wants me to eat preop yet. I am starting to worry about if I can't do this. Its silly - I CAN do whatever I have to do - but I am having a hard time planning meals for hubby and I around what I need to eat. He will eat whatever I cook, but for me this would be much easier if I could just prepare a bunch of meals ahead of time and heat them up - no thought involved, just you get what you get. He doesnt like when I freeze foods, so.....it will be two and a half weeks of struggle, but we can BOTH do it!!!