julie.ann

I just bought a wii fit! I can't wait to get home tonight and try it out. I have heard a lot of good things about it!

Julie.ann - I LOVE your Avatar!!! May I ask where you got it???

Thanks! I don't remember the site. I just googled free avatar and I found this one. There are others too. Just look around for it.

Got my first fill and it feels good lol! I am now down 42 lbs. Yeii. I have been following my diet and eating Proteins like a maniac and living in the gym(work out 3 times a week for an hour then the rest of the days I walk for 30 to 45 minutes). I notice when I hit the gym and eat my proteins the weight goes down. I hope you are all doing well!!!!

LoveIslovely - that is awesoome!!!! 42lbs WOW! I am afraid to do more at the gym than walk before I am a month out. Have you done more?

This is what I think....

We do have a pouch. It is the part above the band. If the part of our stomach above the band stretches then our pouch is stretched. The fill just gives a smaller opening from the pouch to our larger stomach below. The fill affects the opening....not making the pouch larger or smaller.

That's is how I see it.

By the way i L-O-V-E saying things like "WE have a pouch!!!!!" I want to twirl around and sing....

:wink5::smile2::tongue2::Dancing_tongue:i have a pouch...I have a pouch....I have a band! I have a band!

Sorry back the program.

Welcome michellelei!

Congrats!

For those of you banded in October there is a thread for everyone that was banded in October. You can find it at October 2008 Bandsters - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum or seach for October 2008. There are quite a few of us there. There is a forum for each month!

Good luck to everyone! Mushies ROCK .....

Those "guidelines" are just what I have gotten from others that have been successfully banded. I actually added in the No bread, Pasta, Rice or potatoes. That is because I was told to keep those low and you have to be careful with bread and pasta because they can get Gummy and form a ball in your pouch and can give you problems. I have also joined a yahoo group called smart bandsters. I am not really active there, but I lurk and try to learn as much as I can from them. There are some really great sources there. One is a Nurse Practitioner that has had been banded for many years and works with banded patients. She even has a book that has a lot of good information for those that are looking into gastric band surgery. There are alot of successful bandsters on there.

I was just trying to help, not put anything down in concrete. Sorry if you took it that way.

I think I know what she means. It means don't look at calories or fat. If you are on a liquid stick to liquid. If you are on a mushie stick to mushy. My doct just said to try and get my 60 gram of protien in and don't worry about the rest. Your body needs Protein to heal. Buit i understand where you are coming from bobina. "Sure I can stick to what he wants, but I can do it in a health way or an unhealthy way." We don't want to lose ground after joining the band.

Give me a P-R-O-T-E-I-N! :tongue::tongue::eek:

Bobina:

Have you tried keeping track of your meals on a website. Several people have mentioned different ones. I like sparkpeople.com. If I kept my protien high I didn't really have any hunger.

I plan on trying to follow the bansters guidelines as much as I can after I can eat real food again.

• Eat your lean Protein first and slow. (bandsters portions)
  
• Follow with veggies
  
• Protein drink between each meal.
  
• No bread, potatoes, Pasta or rice. This keeps the glycemic index low and helps cut the cravings.
  

I know this is aiming high and it is easier said than done. That was basically my pre-op diet. I am going to try to stick with it until my first fill on November 25th.

I hope that helps.

What's a body slimmer? You mean like gurdle type things?

Is that why they always have the girls change from weighing in sports bras to weighing in tight tank tops? Is that like a compression stocking for the whole body?

Yeah, to hold everything in. You can even find some informercials now too.

I am hungry, but the thought of eating anything about makes me puke.

I finally broke down and bought some liquid protien. 42g in 3 ounces. I had to. I couldn't get enough in. I can't even drink enough. I'm trying. I got over 60 gms of Protein in with that. I bought six to last me about the next week. I am supposed to be able to start transitioning to soft food the day after tomorrow but I have decided to try some egg beaters tomorrow. A day early, but I want to try. I just cant get enough calories or protein down. I can't imagine being on just liquids for more than a week. I feel for you guys that are on it for a month!

They lose so good on the Biggest Loser, and seem not to have any lose skin at the end of it. Which is something I know I will have to content with. Maggies:shades_smile:

I think they have heavy duty body slimmers. I hope I will need to shop for those next year!

absolutely. I've even shied away from the boards cause I don't know what to talk about Except getting approved!!! Julie I've had a really hard time with this....I mAde the mistAke of thinking that would just STOP the secnd I had the band installed.

I know what you mean. I'm kind of stuck because i don't feel banded yet, just sore. Maybe once I can eat mushies it will change. I hope.

im so proud ive walked since the day after my surgery oct20th ov er a mile everyday,tomarrow im going over over 2 miles yippeeeeeeee

Nazzy that is AWESOME!!! I know I need to start walking tomorrow. It will make my gas pains better.

Can ya believe we're finally here?!!? Banded and all!! Wahooo!!

I was banded on Weds am and am doing well. I actually got in all 90g of Protein today and feel pretty good. .... DH bought me some Milk of Magnesia, but I'm scared to take it, scared I'll get the runs. Anybody wondering about all of this??

OMG How did you get 90gm of protien in!?!?!?!

What a great day to be banded! :rolleyes2: I finally got things moving today. I wouldn't take any more lortab until I had some luck in that department. Good ol MOM does the trick!

I have had less than 1/4 cup runny oatmeal for Breakfast, part of a protien shake, 1/2 cup of sugar free vanilla pudding and 1/2 cup sherbert. I am trying to get all my Water in, but I am feeling water logged!.

I can't wait until Thanksgiving. By then I should be feeling great and I have my first fill scheduled for November 25th. Do all of you already have your fill appts?

Maggies: I don't have a lot of port pain yet, but I can tell you my incisions are really starting to itch! I want to scratch, but the op site is supposed to stay intact for a week.

Ummm...have any of you had a hard time getting your mind wrapped around that fact that you have been banded. I guess I have been working towards it, but I can't quite believe it! It is just kind of hitting me every once in a while.

Well the Smashing Pumpkins are all banded! Has this seemed like the longest month or what!

I am thinking of those that have been banded in the last day or two. My thoughts are with you! I am starting to go back through the earlier posts to see what everyone else posted a few days after their surgery. The boards have gotten quiet now with everyone working on getting used to their new banded way of life. We had a Halloween party at our house tonight for my jr. high boys. 25 jr. high kids and lots of unhealthy food. I was kinda feeling sorry for myself not being able to eat candy and the Snacks I made, but after it is all said and done and almost cleaned up I am glad I couldn't eat all that stuff. If I could have and would have I would be feeling crappy about myself now.

There is a part of my that is just realizing what I have done. I can't believe I made the decision and it is over...or just beginning, depending on how you look at things. I don't regret it. I just can't believe I have the band, this wonderful tool that can make me a healthier person.

I can't eat an entire serving of Jello in one sitting. I am trying to get in a few protien drinks to help my healing. Getting over 250 calories would be alot for me right now compared to what I am getting. I guess that is normal.

I took some Miralax. I am paranoid about becoming constipated or getting an ileus and ending up in the hospital that I work at when I have tried so hard not to let anyone find out about my decision. I know every day I will feel better as the gas pains subside and my incisions heal. Now my new date to look at is November 25...my first fill. It's hard to believe that I have that date already when I haven't yet adjusted to having the band. It is hard to bond when you are in pain....even a wee bit of pain.

So to all of us that are on a journey that started with an October Odyssey...here's looking at you. I hope we can continue to be a support system for each other. We all have a very long road ahead of us. But now when I see the light at the end of the tunnel I don't necessarily think it might be another train.

HELP!

This stabbing pain in my left shoulder didn't start until 24 hours postop. Any advice, heat or cold? How long did this last for you. When I had my tubal ligation it was really bad, but started on the first day.

HELP!

October 30-kygirl31;Slim2bnik

October 31-watermum; lambgram

It looks like we have a few more today and tomorrow. Good luck guys! Let us know how you are doing!!!

If there are others just copy and paste into your post and add you name it. I can't believe it is almost November already!!!!!

Well I guess it's my turn to tell my surgery story.

I met Dr. Kirshenbaum for the face to face for the first time at my appt the day before surgery. We had done a phone pre-op and I also had a phone consult with a nutritionist.

I went to do doctors and the medial assistant took down my height and weight and took my vitals. Dr. K came in and we talked about the surgery. He didn't ask much about my pre-op diet. He just wanted to know if lost weight and how much. (14#!) We signed the consents, went over my allergies, he wrote the admission orders. We had time to ask him questions. He is very nice. We filled my scripts for liquid lortab, zofran and a dulcolax supposity. Insurance paid $10 (the only thing they will be covering) and all together it cost me $30 for my scripts. Not bad.

The evening before surgery he had me take a supposity to help my bowls move. I forgot my stool softener. Don't forget to start that after surgery if you have firm stool. The narcs they give you will slow down you GI too. You don't want to become constipated.

The morning of surgery I didn't have to be at the hospital until 9:30am, but I woke at about 7. When we got to the surgery center we sat in a waiting room that looked like a doctor's office until they called my back to a bay area. They were not very busy and everyone was THE BEST!!!!! Jan was my pre-op nurse, Caroline my OR nurse and Dr. Johnson was my anesteseologist.

They wanted a urine sample, I got dress....or maybe I should say undressed :redface:in my gown. Scopolamine patch behind the ear, a pepcid pill, a zofran pill, an IV, levaquin hung since I am allergic to Keflex, decadron in my IV and one other IV med I don't remember. After all the questions Dr. Johnson was such a dear and pushed some versed IV. I love that drug of amnesia! I think I was in preop another few minutes, but I don’t remember it. I woke up in the Recovery Room. Renee was my nurse. She didn't have quite the sweet disposition that the others had, but she was nice. I was out of it in recovery. My surgery started about 11 and my hubby was called by Dr. K at about 12 and he said he could go back in about 20 min to see me. It was 1:30 when he called back about me and found out I had just woke up. Dr K and Dr. Johnson both came by to see how I was. Dr. K said that he had to repair a small hiatal hernia. (I wonder By 2:30 I had gone to the rest room and was ready to be dismissed from the Recovery Room. I am doing pretty well. So far I haven't had a lot of shoulder pain and my incisions are uncomfortable. I don’t' like narcs, but I will take my lortab for my 7 hour drive home today.

No nausea so far. I have found if I eat my Jello too fast I get a little chest pain so I will nibble slowly. I haven't named my band yet. We have barely been introduced. I see how it goes.

I love being a member of the band!

I had my surgery today. I feel great so far! Minimal pain, my throat is starting to feel better and so far I really haven't had any shoulder pain from the gas. I was going to stay in town until 3:0pm, but the way it is going I bet we leave before noon. I don't think I will need to stop and see Dr. K tomorrow. His staff is SO NICE. I will get to see his new office the week of Thanksgiving when I go in for my first fill.

Thanks for all the nice words of encouragement. "

I'm so happy I'm with the band!":party:

Amen Sister!

I don't think I can do this for 5 weeks. I don't even want to eat because I am so sick of liquids,

5 weeks! Wow my heart goes out to you! I am on Clear Liquids the day of surgery and the day after then I have full liquids with a transition to soft foods during week 2. I progess to regular food weeks 3-6. I bet you will dropped a lot of weight though to get you started!

Here I am. 3 1/2 hours after getting my lap band in. I joined the BAND!!! :lol:FINALLY! I am feeling pretty good. I think I will nap soon. I am sore, but not horrible pain. I just wanted to say hi. I will post more later.

Good luck to those that are still in the hospital.

Love to you all!

Well girls today is my day. I am up and it is 6:30 in the moring. I couldn't sleep in. I have to leave for the hospital at 9:15. I met Dr. Kirshenbaum and he is very nice and his office staff if great. Especially the medical assistant. She is so sweet.

I am NPO as of right now. Oh, sorry. I mean nothing by mouth (NPO). I'm not really nervous like I thought I would be. Excitded, but not nervous. We went out to eat with friends last night since we are about 7 hours away from home it was nice to meet up with friends that live here. I'm glad we did. It was a great learning experience for me. The rolls were passed around and it didn't hurt to say, No thanks, I can't have one. I ordered some great fish. We ate at Red Lobster, so that made it a little easier. I've never eaten there before.

Well I had to have a dulcolax suppository last night. My pre-op diet has basically been the Atkins diet so I have had to be careful and have been taking an OTC stool softner anyway.

I have my liquid Lortab. (I hate narcs) and I also bought some liquid tylenol and motrin and my box of gas-x strips. Aren't those strips handy! We don't have worry about pills in our new pouch.

I think I will name my band. I don't know what yet. Have any of you named yours. I thought I would wait till I have it. Maybe then it will be easier to name it. Some call it "my little friend" others I have talked to have have an actual name for it. "Trudy doen't like steak." I guess we will see.

We I guess I will change my ticker and get the countdown to surger replaced with something else.

I hope to get back on the boards soon. Good luck and prayers to all of my fellow Smashing Pumpkins joining the band today and those that will this week and a big thank you to those that already have. You have given some great information. I started to think that it sucked to be one of the last ones of our group to be banded, but I have had the chance to hear about you experiences and listen to your advice.

I will talk to you all later!

Cheers.

October 27- ebonie1015; alabamagirl1975; dicustr413; suziq53

October 28-Michele777; Rosie Sage

October 29-knickerbocker; ~Bridgette~; SCTexasGirl; julie.ann; lauriel; dirigo; CMTurner; sunwyse; Altoonasoup; chrisfer1;wvgal33; gracie78; Tamisha; Road less traveled; debbie brooks; tomatogirl; vicbrad; mvane08 October 30-kygirl31;Slim2bnik

October 31-watermum; lambgram

This is the last week in October. Hats off and prayers for all that are to be banded this week!!!!!

I had my surgery on10/21/08 and everything went well. I WAS SORE AND FULL OF GAS AFTER THE SURGERY OF COURSE, BUT WITH THE PAIN MEDS AND THE ICE chips IT WAS JUST FINE. I HAVE BEEN HOME FOR 5 DAYS WITHOUT MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. I AM SORE IN MY LEFT SIDE, I CAN TELL THAT I GET FULL FASTER WITH LASTING EFFECTS AND I AM 12 POUNDS LIGHTER AS I WRITE THIS REPLY. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOST AND A NEW ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE. I KNOW I HAVE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.

Lap, that's great! Good for you. I'm glad things are going well for you and for all the other bandsters too!

When you are sent home from the surgery ctr. you should feel pretty good thx to lots of meds making the drive easier. I'm assuming Dr.K will want to see you in his office the following day when you are a little more sore/uncomfortable. Plus, you will be closer for pre-op appt. etc. This is just a thought tho. If the Marriott is closer to Aurora I would probably recommend that.

Good thinking. I hadn't thought of that! I didn't know he would want to see me the next day. THANKS!

I messed up. I have given up bread, Pasta, rice and potatoes. That is my pre-op diet. I have been doing ok and I have lost 14 lbs. Tonigh I forgot my ah, ha moment. I had a test and I failed. i went out with friends and I failed. I suffered a last supper. I thought I will have what I am craving and I know it will be full of fat, but I won't be breaking my diet.

I won't go into it. I know many of you are on Clear liquids. By what I had was breaded and I didn't think about it until after I was done. Of course the 3 grey goose and cranberry juices didn't help. I screwed up.

So now I have to ask what did I learn from this? I learned that I need to remember that when socializing food doesn't make things more fun. That was my ah, ha moment. A few weeks ago I realized that food is not supposed to be fun. It is there to survive. It isn't fun. Fun is shopping for regular sized clothes and making love to your husband and feeling sexy. Fun is rock climbing and jumping up and down when you son makes a great miniature golf shot. Fun is sitting in a chair and feeling comfortable without a table in from of me to hide my body. Fun is not eating. Food doesn't want me to feel good. Food doesn't make me feel better. Food isn't my friend. It isn't my enemy. It is neutral. It is there to sustain life.

I flunked my test, but instead of feeling like giving up like I usually do I am going to learn from it. I wanted to get in the 260's before my surgery. I may have just cost me that milestone. I will survive. I will achieve. I will learn from my mistake. I will research and be prepared the next time I am invited out with friends. It may take more work....but a skinnier butt is worth it!