JuneAct2

Days 2 and 3 were the worst for me. I had horrible carb withdrawals! I drank Atkins RTD shakes.My doctor allowed up to 6 per day, and Yes I drank all 6 of them EVERYDAY! It did get noticeably better by day 4 and by the end of the week I just wasn't really hungry anymore. I only had 2 weeks of pre-op liquids, but then 2 weeks clear liquids, and 2 weeks of thick liquids/mushies (cream soups, mashed potatoes, etc.) post-op. I didn't eat real solid food for 6 weeks, and I lived to tell about it! It DOES get better! Hang in there!

It's perfectly okay to be nervous before surgery. This is a major change in your life and no one expects you NOT to be scared a little. But, don't be scared over the buffet! It's just not worth it anymore. You have a lot of ground to cover before you even look at the buffet table again. Save the money you'd spend on the AYCE buffet and put it in a piggy bank for the new clothes you'll have to buy! Use the time between now and your surgery date to gather healthy recipes, restock your frig with healthy foods and if eating out is a big part of your life, check online for menus of your favorite places and know in advance (like when you're NOT hungry) what you will order when you go there. Planning ahead will make the transition easier. You'll be on liquids after surgery. Follow your doctors orders on this. The weeks after surgery are for healing and that is the purpose of the post-op diet. Then you'll gradually add in solid foods again. You'll feel restricted for a few weeks. Then you'll find that you're really hungry. This is bandster hell. For the first couple of months you won't have good restriction in your band. This gives it time to heal. You may not lose weight, but this is normal, too. Try to stick to an eating plan during this time. Drinking lots of water helps, too. Then as you get fills and reach restriction you'll realize you're not hungry all the time anymore. This is GREAT! Okay, so this was more than you asked for, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

My liquid pre-op diet was up to 6 Atkins shakes per day. Plus lots of water. Everyone's diet is different so follow your doctors orders. But, if it's similar to this, just space out your drinks throughout the day. I like the shakes and still drink them for breakfast most mornings. I tend to be tight in the mornings and I just don't have time to sit down and take the necessary time for breakfast. They are convenient and they taste surprisingly good!

Now that you mentioned it, I noticed mine turning as well. Maybe it's from all the "chocolate" protein drinks. I still drink the Atkins RTD shakes for breakfast, and my favorite ones are made with "real coffee". Guess it's time to get out the Crest White strips again!

My doctor/clinic recommended Opti-Fast (available through them, of course), but I chose Atkins RTD shakes. It was cheaper and available everywhere, and since I was self-pay for the surgery I had to cut corners where I could. That said, I was allowed up to 6 shakes per day, and lots of water. What worked the best for me was to divide out my day between shakes. 3 hours apart starting at 6am, and ending at 9pm. The first day was easy. Day 2 and 3 were the worst. Fortunately, those days fell on the weekend and I tried to sleep as much as possible. By day 4, I was good. I knew it was for a limited time so it made it more bearable. It also helped to break the "eating" habit. This will come in handy when you're on liquids after surgery. Stay busy, and OUT of the kitchen if at all possible. My husband agreed to fend for himself while I couldn't eat. That helped! Good luck to you! And, ask all the questions you want! That's what we're here for!

I like the Atkins shakes. The mocha latte is my favorite, followed by the Dark Chocolate. My band is tight in the mornings so I have one for breakfast instead of solid foods. I actually crave these things now! Who would have guessed that?!

You didn't give the specifics of your pre-op diet, but this is what my doctor ordered. I was on liquid protein shakes for 13 days. The clinic I went through recommended opti-fast, but I decided to go with Atkins shakes. I could have up to 6 shakes per day, plus water, SF jello, SF popsicles and chicken broth. I spaced out my protein shakes 3 hours apart all day. 6am, 9am, noon, etc. The first day was okay. Days 2 and 3 were hard. I figure it was carb withdrawals, but I survived it. I lost 11 pounds in the first 8 days. Then the surgeon had me remove my hormone patch and the weightloss stopped until after the surgery. I am now down between 25-30 pounds and I feel great! I am off all meds! It is very important to follow the pre-op diet AS PRESCRIBED by your doctor. Even if it's hard, do it! It will also prepare you for the liquid diet you'll be on after surgery. By planning your meals you break down the day into manageable pieces. Don't look at it as not being to eat for two weeks. It's practice for taking care of your band for the rest of your life. One other thing for now...stay busy! Use the next two weeks to clean out closets, clean out junk food from the cabinets, restock those cabinets with appropriate healthy choices. Use the time to work on your mindset! This is a great thing you are doing for yourself. Make the most of it!

I would do it again in a minute! I have absolutely NO REGRETS! As for all the things you read on here, keep in mind that for the few here with problems/issues, etc. there are thousands more people out there with NO problems with their bands, who are getting on with their lives. Best of luck to you.

That doesn't make you a whiner! Call your doctor NOW! You are too tight. They may only have to take out .5cc's to make it better, but don't wait for it to get worse.

Several times in the first week or so, I'd feel like I was choking when I laid down on my back. But, after that the feeling subsided. It WAS pretty scary at the time though! Are you able to drink plenty of fluids? If not, call your doctor. You definitely don't want to get dehydrated. And yes, the swelling will go away, and as you lose weight your stomach will get thinner, too. Answering your questions is what we're here for, but always check with your doctor. All advice given on this website is purely our individual opinions and not medical advice.

It has been fairly easy for me as well. Now, the waitstaff at restaurants have a hard time with it! They really get stressed out when you don't order a drink! I have to tell them repeatedly that "No,thank you. I am SURE I would not like a drinK"! If you can get past them, you'll have it made!

You guys hang in there! This isn't a crash diet this time. This is the rest of your life. Make an eating plan to get you through this first phase and do the best you can to stick to it. Go back religiously for your fills until you get good restriction. Yes, it stinks right now, but eventually you'll get to the point where you're not eating much at all and you're not hungry! Be patient. To keep from eating a huge amount, don't order a huge amount! BTW, unless you eat the hashbrowns, bacon, and toast...a cheese omelet is not that bad! Next time ask them to make you a 1 egg, or 2 egg omelet. Or, split it with someone. The band is a tool! You have to learn to use the tool properly! I'm not preaching, I struggle too. I am apparently having a better day than some of you and want to help pick you back up! Good luck to you!

My husband and I solved the eating out part by sharing a plate. He's a meat and potatoes guy, so we order a steak with his potatoes and a side of veggies for me. I cut off a small piece of his steak, eat my veggies and watch him go! He's happy...I'm a cheap date now! I also told my daughters this weekend (age 20 and 22) that when we go out to lunch, if they want me to pay then they have to share their food with me. Saturday at lunch I ate a 4oz cup of chili ($2.99) and the total food bill for all of us was $27.00! Hey, I get what I need, and they don't overeat at the same time! Works for me!

Be sure you are sipping, not gulping. And try to exhale before you swallow to reduce the amount of air you swallow. I also found that sitting up REAL straight seemed to help as well. You still have swelling (our stomachs don't like to be poked and pulled), but it will get better. Don't worry about weight gain/loss right now. Your only concern for the next 6-8 weeks is HEALING! I cannot stress this enough. You will have the band for the rest of your life. Be patient. The first couple of months can be difficult until you get enough fills to get restriction. Between now and then, be patient. Follow your doctor's orders. Make an eating plan to get you through the rough days, and you will do fine.

My surgeon would have cancelled my surgery if I didn't have someone to drive me home. I had surgery on Friday, and didn't drive again until Monday. Even then it was only 8 blocks to my office. There is no way I could have driven the 2 hours home from the surgery center by myself. They doped me up for the ride home!

Only you know the relationship you have with your son, and how the two of you handle issues that come up. I raised 2 daughters alone after our divorce and our deal was we would always be honest with each other. When I had surgery the first time, I explained what I was having surgery on, but not all the details, to my oldest daughter. She didn't need that, she just needed to feel certain that I would wake up afterwards. I felt that had I not told her and something DID happen, she would feel I had betrayed her trust, and she would have carried that for the rest of her life. She came to the hospital with me and she cried when they took me to surgery. My best friend (her second mom) stayed with her and reassured her that I'd be okay. Everything turned out fine, and today she is more honest with me than I would like! I hope this helps in some small way.

Heather, My heart goes out to you. I cannot imagine my husband not being supportive of my band choice. It has been the greatest thing I could have done. That being said, my husband did say that he could see himself being jealous after I lose the weight. He went through a short spell of worrying that I would "ditch" him after I got "all skinny and sexy again". It's possible that your husband has a few secret worries of his own. I am a little over 2 months out and I've only lost 25 lbs, but it has already made a tremendous change in our relationship. I am able to get out and do more and we are starting to really have fun again. Make sure to reassure him of his importance in your life and let him know you'll be there. As for the side effects you mentioned, I have had NONE of these. I have not lost a single hair due to my band, have not PB'd a single time (I chew my food extremely well), and my gallbladder is rocking along just fine. The worst thing I had was shoulder pain from the gas lodged against my diaphram after surgery (downward facing dog helps this). I have 4 small scars less than 1/2", and one less than 2" across my belly halfway between my breasts and my navel. All have completely healed to thin pink lines that fade more each day. Show these posts to your husband, talk about them, and listen to what he is really saying. Putting it off won't change the risks involved. And, yes all surgery carries risks. I have had several surgeries involving different parts of my body and this was by far the easiest recovery I have ever had. I wish you all the best.

As hard as it is to believe, you are right on target. I just had my second fill yesterday. I had lost no weight in the past 4 weeks, and the PA was happy with that. I was banded Nov. 6, and made it through the holidays without gaining. For me that is a victory all by itself. (BTW, when I got on the scales this morning I'd lost 2 pounds!):wink: I feel SOME restriction right now, but it may be from my stomach swelling from the fill. I'll know in a couple of days. From what I've read, it can take 3, 4 or more fills to reach good restriction. Just be patient with yourself, exercise, and drink lots of water. Remember, this is not another diet. This is a complete change in your life that will last the rest of your life.

There is a great website that deals with hysterectomy, menopause, hormones and all that goes along with it. Check it out. www.hystersisters.com And, for anyone who thinks a hysterectomy rules out menopause... sorry! If you keep your ovaries you can still have menopause symptoms when your ovaries "play out". If they take your ovaries, you will be in instant menopause, and can have all the symptoms. :thumbup:

My dr. says no food for 4 hours before a fill, nothing to drink 1 hour before. Then I am on liquids for 2 days, mushies for 2, then normal food after that. Every doctor has their own way of doing things. Please be sure to follow YOUR doctor's orders.

Mim, Thanks for sharing that. I go this afternoon for my second fill. I will pay more attention to how I feel knowing what you just experienced. I am SO ready to get this show on the road and feel some restriction. I don't think I've lost any weight this month. Thank goodness for NSV!

It also works post-op to help relieve shoulder pain from the gas. Only, don't do this with your husband around!

Click on anyone's weight loss ticker and it will take you to tickerfactory.com. There you can create your own. Keep that page open and switch back to LBT and go to the page to edit your signature. Copy and paste the link for your ticker into your signature. Remember to save your changes.

Any idea why your insurance denied you? I checked and your bmi is 44.8! That should be enough even without co-morbidities to get you approved. If I were in your place I would appeal their decision and find out what to do to get approved. Yes, it will take alot of work, but it would be worth it. Get your doctors office to write letters and make phone calls. Have them document all your weight loss efforts. I had surgery in November 2008, and I don't regret it for a minute. For the first time in my life I made it through the holidays without gaining 8-10 lbs. I know this is my year! Good luck to you.

Stay on the diet your doctor prescribed! Your stomach needs this diet in order to heal properly. So, if you have to drink more protein shakes, so be it. Don't progess without your doctor's approval. Now, what those ladies told you is TRUE in a sense. After the first few weeks your hunger will return as the swelling subsides in your stomach. From that point until you reach restriction (and it could take 3-4 fills or more to get there) your stomach will accept just about any nasty junk you want to put in there. And, OH Lord, you're going to want that pizza, and ice cream, and/or whatever you normally crave. This is what we call bandster hell! It will be up to you to have a plan in place to deal with it. Plan your meals, keep HEALTHY snacks available, ban all junk food from your world. Make up your mind ahead of time that you WILL follow your doctors orders. And try to make everything you eat a CONSCIOUS choice. The first few months may not be easy, but this time next year you'll have a different outlook. Best of luck to you.