lcjackson

Hello samuris, I have been away for far too long. I relaly miss chatting with everyone. I hope that everyone is doing well as we approach our one year mark. I have lost 53 pounds. I have been suffering through a hard plateau the last three months. It was so hard to stay on plan while vacationing. Two weeks ago I got serious again because I wanted to be down at least 10 more pounds by my one year bandaversary. So far it has been tough but I am sticking to eating low carb. Have been doing good with my exercising. I walk about 2 miles and climb the steps at work with some coworkers during lunch. I will try to start posting more often. Talk to you all later.

It is so good to be back with my fellow samuris. I plateued for htalst 3 months. But instead of doing liquids i have been doing strict low carb for the last 2 weeks. I have lost 2.3 pounds which isn't much but when you have been stuck for 3 months any loss is welcomed. Good luck with the liquids.

Hello Georgians, I live in Dublin, GA but had my surgery in Savannah at Memorial Bariatrics- Dr. Oliver Whipple. I was banded on Sept 23, 3008 and things are going very well for me so far. I have one more week on full liquids then I start soft solids. My doctor does 21 days of liquids then solids. I am sooo looking foward to eating some food that I can chew. Nice to meet you all. Speck- I am glad to see that you are doing well. Yeah Sept Samuri's

There is also a good website that my doctor recommended. It is bariatriceating.com. There are meal ideas and there is also a book that you can buy. Hope this helps a little.

I was on strict clear liquids for 3 days post-op then I advanced to full liquids and yogurt, protein shakes, SF jello for the next 21 days.

My surgery was also onthe 23rd. I am stating to get hungry also. I had clear liquids for three days and then I am suppose to have full liquids with yogurt for 21 days. I have been feeling up on creamy soups like campbell's broccoli and cheese and cream of chicken or mushroom starined to remove the particles. I think I am going to loose my mind. I feel like I am being tortured. I try not to think about the big picture and just think about one day at a time. Hopefully these 21 days will pass fast. Hang in there and know that you are not alone.

It is so weird that you posted this question today. I am having the same problem with the vaginal odor. Mine just comes and goes. Some days I smell it then I won't again for several days. I am a nurse and I knew when I first came home that some of the scent was from all the medicines, iv fluids, etc leaving my body after surgery. Some medicines and fluids have a distinct smell when excreted in your urine. I am not sure if there is any correlation after that but it sure is odd that this is happening. All of my test have been negative also. I will also tell you that some antibiotics cause yeast infections. This is a known side effect. With a yeast infection you will some times have an odor and a whitish discharge. Will keep searching for answers???

I haven't tasted pure whey but I will suggest not spending that amount of money on protein. There are some really good tasting ones that you can get at the grocery store. I really like slim fast low carb. They are very creamy but don't taste mediciny. I also have found that even if the powder doesn't taste good that you can add sugar free flavor and make it taste like you want it to. I ordered some sugar free syrup from Davinci's website and it is awesome. It taste like it came from a gourmet coffee shop. I had a big bottle of protein that I hated to throw away but it tasted awful. When I added the flavor it tasted good. Just my 2 cents. I am an impulse shopper and I have been suckered so many times thinking that I am buying something so awesome and then it ends up being not all that. Good Luck with your decision.

I am only 1 week post-op. I have four small scars and one larger one where my port is. I keloid so I am really trying to stay on top of them to prevent them from becoming keloids. I have been using Mederma on them and so far they haven't turned dark and hard. This cream is suppose to be really good for concealing scars. You can only use it on closed scars. Make sure that your scars have completely closed before starting to use it. You can buy it at any store. It is about $17 for a small tube. Yes it is expensive but if it works I don't care. When I get to where my bikini I don't want to have big ugly scars all over my belly.

Congrats, Welcome to band land. I was banded on Sept 23. Tomorrow will be 7 days. I came back to work today and am doing well. The soarness has gone and now I just feel a little discomfort at my port site when I turn or sit in an odd position. Starting to get my appetite back which is weird because I don't really have much restriction. My doctor is requiring me to have liquids and yogurt for 21 days. Then I can go to soft food. I am coutning the days. Good Luck

Hello all, I had my surgery on the 23 and I am doing ok today. Still very soar but I guess I would describe it more as discomfort than pain. I am also having the gas pains in my back and shoulder. I have been walking around the house and out in the yard and that really seems to help the gas move. I couldn't seem to get to sleep last night because I couldn't get comfortable lying in the bed. Slept on the sofa most of the day propped on pillows and rested pretty good. My mom gave me this abdominal band or wrap like thing. I wrap it around me when I am walking. It gives me support to my midsection and holds things in place which helps with the discomfort. Hang in there. We must remember our ultimate goal.

I am finally in Bandland!!! Hello everyone. Just checking in to let you all know that I was banded yesterday in Savannah GA by Dr. Oliver Whipple and everything went just fine. I was sooo stressed over my liver. I got to the hospital about 0730 and got my last minute lab stuff done. I went back to preop room probably about 0930 or 1000. My surgery was bumped due to another case so I had to wait a little longer thank expected. But that was cool because my husband and I were in a private room and watched CSI on TV. I finally went back to the OR about 1115. The last thing I remember is slidding onto the table and being told to take 5 deep breaths. I woke up in the recovery room about 1230. I have 5 incisions. They are very small and the one larger one is where my port is. Unlike most people my port seems to be center right above my belly button. This is goos for me because I like to sleep on my side. My doctor used dermabond instead of steri-strips to close my incisions. It just like clear glue. Some people say that it leaves less of a scar.The first thing I asked the nurse when I started to wake up was AM I Banded. She giggled and said yes you are. I was sooooo relieved. I prayed so hard that I wouldn't wake up from surgery and be told that they couldn't place my band due to liver stuff. My doctor requires an overnight stay. I think I had one dose of pain meds yesterday and one dose today before leaving ths hospital. I really wasn't hurting this morning but I had to ride two hours from the hospital to get home so I figured I should take something just in case. My only complaint up to this point is the gas pains in my back. The liquid mylicon they gave me at the hospital did absolutely nothing. I also tried the Gas-X strips and they didn't seem to do anything either. I have been walking around my yard since I have been home and that seems to help a little. It is weird because other than the soarness and gas I don't feel banded. I have had broth, popsicles, and jello. I am not really hungry but I can tolerate just about any liquids without a problem. I am so gald that I am not suffering with any nausea. Well I guess it is Tootaloo for now. I will keep you all posted on how things are going. Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes as I start my new life. P.S. Any one considering Gastric surgery in GA should consider Memorial Health Bariatrics in Savannah. Dr. Whipple was awesome and so was all of the hospital staff at Memorial Health Medical Center.

Thanks for all of your prayers. I am shaking in my boots. I will post tomorrow afternoon to let you all know how things went. Won't know what time I have to be at the hospital until this afternoon. Talk to you all later.

Hello everyone, :smile2: I am in the process of preparing to get banded. I have completed all of my pre procedure stuff and have been submitted to by insurance co. I was sumbitted on July 11,2008. I have BCBS FEDERAL GA. It has been about 6 weeks and I still don't have an answer. I am getting so impatinet and nervous. I actually called today but still no answer. The customer service rep told me that I didn't have to actually get an approval before I have my surgery becuase my plan does not require it. I am not too comfortable with that. I will probably have the surgery then they will deny me and I will be stuck with the bill. I don't think so. Is anyone familiar with this not having to be approved proior to surgery. Please I need some help. Any suggestions are welcomed.

Hello everyone, Well I have one more day. My surgery is scheduled for Tues. Sept 23. Not sure what time yet. They are suppose to call me Mon afternoon to let me know what time. I am sooo nervous but soooo ready. I finally told my immediate family this weekend. This weekend was hard for me but I actually did pretty good. My birthday was Sat and of course everyone wanted to take me out to eat because that is the way we celebrate in my family. I went but I took my protein shake and drank it while everyone else ate. It was hard but I did it. Must remeber my long term goal to keep me focused. I am nervous about my liver. I have lost 10 pounds on my pre-op diet. I guess having read the liver horror stories I am just anxious. Trying to keep myself calm.

I am getting banded on 9-23-08 in Savannah GA. I have been on my pre-op diet 6 days now and have done horrible. I have had a better day today. At some points my mind thinks that I am starving. But it is getting better. I try to keep reminding myself that it will be sooo worth it in the long run. I haven't been 100% but I am trying so that my liver will shrink.

I really enjoyed reading your story. I too am addicted to food. After having my baby 2 years ago I weighed in at 232 I did everything on the market and somehow was able to get down to 204 and couldn't seem to loose anymore. I vowed that even though I wasn't loosing that I would not gain a single pound. Well low and behold I current ly weigh 239. This is sickening I weigh more now than I did 9 months pregnant. I look back over th last 2 years and wonder hoe did I end up like this. Well I too started with just one bite that turned in to many many more. I am going to be banded on Sept 23,2008. As a requirement for banding I had to go to 5 therapy sessions related to my binge eating. The sessions really helped me evaluate my eating habits. For the first time I owned up to being responsible for how fat I am. I am on day 2 of my liquid pre-op diet and I am struggling. My stomach is saying eat, eat , eat. It is not fair for the Dr. to tell you to starve yourself. But my heart and mind are saying aren't you ready for a change. Stick to it you can do this. I sure hope that once I get my band I am able to get my stomach and mind on the same wave length. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

My surgery is Sept 23,2008 in Savannah, GA with Dr. Whipple Memorial Health Bariatrics

Congratualtions and I am glad to hear that you are mending well. I have my surgery in 2 weeks. I am getting nervous. But thanks to bandsters like you who give a personal account of your experience so that I can get an idea of what to expect. I wish you the best.

hello LAdies, I am dealing with the same problem. I originally wasn't going to tell any one but my husband. This was when I thought that my surgery was going to be on a Friday. The plan was that I was going to get my mom to keep my 2 yr old son while my husband and I went out of town for the weekend. Well low and behold my surgery is going to be on a Tues so that messed up my plan. NOw I have to tell my mom and I guess my mother-in-law because someone is going to have to keep my son and take him to nursery while my husband and I are at the hospital. So much for our romantic weekend getaway plan. They are going to want to know where we are going in the middle of the week taking off work. SO I am trying to get my gutts built up before I tell them. I think that they will both be supportive but I just don't want to hear the judgemental crap. I am grown and this is what I want to do for me.

Hello Sept Samuri's, I am new to this group. I am gald to meet everyone. I just got my surgery date last week. I will be banded on Sept.23,2008 by Dr. Whipple in Savannah, GA. I am soooo excited to finally have a date. I started this whole process almost a year ago in Nov 07. It seemed like I would never get to this point. I go on Thurs Sept 11 for my upper GI and pre-op. I look foward to getting to know you all. I have been reading the post and they have really helped me get prepared. I start my preop diet on Tues 9-9. My doctor wants me to do strict liquid diet of 4 Protein shakes/day, SF popsicles and Jello and low carb yogurt but only 1 serving per day. I am sooo jealous of you all that are able to eat protein and veggies on your preop diets. But I must remind myself that it will be worth it in the long run when I walk by my husband in a cute nightie and make him look twice like he use too.:shades_smile: LOL

Congratualatins Travel Lady, I am new to this forum. I can really relate to feeling forgotten and getting depressed. It took my insurance comapny 6 weeks before they approved me. Finally the surgeons's office called and I too have a surgery date. I was about to give up and start planning a trip to Mexico. But I am scheduled for Sept 23,08. Good Luck. I'll be rooting for you.

Thanks for your responses. I think that I have finally been approved. Even though I missed the call I had a message on my voice mail Friday from the surgeon's office. They were calling to schedule my surgery, Hoooray. I can't wait to talk to them and get a date. Thanks again.:thumbdown:

Hello everyone, :smile2: My name is Tina and I live in GA. I have been lurking around this site for several weeks and finally decided to post. I have really enjoyed reading the post and have learned some valuable info from you all. I am in the process of preparing to get banded. I have completed all of my pre procedure stuff and have been submitted to by insurance co. I was sumbitted on July 11,2008. It has been about 6 weeks and I still don't have an answer. I am getting so impatinet and nervous. I actually called today but still no answer. The customer service rep told me that I didn't have to actually get an approval before I have my surgery becuase my plan does not require it. I am not too comfortable with that. I will probably have the surgery then they will deny me and I will be stuck with the bill. I don't think so. Anyway I am glad to be here and look foward to talking to you all.