CherieLynne

HEY ALL! Here's my update, 12 days out from surgery... SURGERY: Jan. 12 SURGERY WEIGHT: 255 WEIGHT Jan. 24: 243 WEIGHT LOSS 12 DAYS OUT: 12 LBS. Reeeaaallly sick of liquids and mushies but that's ok I'm totally committed. I know I'm not getting enough protein since I'm not doing protein drinks (which, come on, tastes like ass). As of Tuesday I'll ate lightly scrambled eggs and cottage cheese -- big excitement! Question: Do you all feel as if weight recently gained is easier to lose than weight that's been around longer? I gained about 15 pounds toward the end of 2009 and I feel like that's why its coming off quickly. HEY WISCONSIN JEN...HOW YOU BE????

Gwen- From one Jewish chicka to another...hang in there. I am at the beginning of the journey, banded just 9 days ago. But I could feel your pain and wanted to respond. Years ago I lost 100 pounds on Phen-Fen (LOVED phen-fen) and then it went off the market and I gained it all back. You can't imagine how impressive it is to hear how much weight you've lost, and how quickly you've done it. I totally know how it feels when you lose control and start going up again...awful, insane, horrible, etc... But unlike Phen-fen, the band will never go away. You just need to key into it again. Consider me your newest cheerleader. -- Cherie pre-band weight: 255 banded: Jan. 12 weight loss as of Jan. 22: 10 pounds.

I thought the stitches dissolved on their own? I honestly never heard anything aout stitch removal! UPDATE ON MOI AND BOFINGER: It's been 9 days since surgery. My shoulder pains still occur now and then but it's mostly dissipated. I do find that I go through moments of extreme hunger -- true stomach hunger and not head hunger -- and I just power through it or eat a sugar free Jello cup or something. Right now my diet is mainly: sugar free jello and pudding, fat free yogurt, creamy or clear Soups, applesauce, V8juice, I've ordered unjury Protein powder to get more protein in because thus far I haven't found a Protein Drink that I can stand. It tastes so awful and medicinal. Anyone have any to recommend? NO PRE-0P DIET PRE-OP WEIGHT: 255 BOFINGERED: JAN 12 WEIGHT LOSS TO DATE (JAN 21) 10 LBS CURRENT WEIGHT: 245 GOAL WEIGHT: 160 I am normally a very slow loser due to being on high doses of prednisone and lack of ability to exercise, and I do realize this has gotta be mostly Water weight. But what the heck, the scale moved down ten lbs and I'm happy. Anyone know if most peeps do gain when they go on "real" food?

Hi All and sorry I've been out of touch. I was in San Jose to get banded and couldn't really get to a computer until I got home. So...my story...got banded Jan. 12 in San Jose by Dr. McKeen. It went incredibly well. I stayed at the hospital overnight so that they could pump me full of steroids and antibiotics, which I needed due to my rheumatoid arthritis. The net morning I went for the barium scan. My only bad moment was that I suddenly got the worst heartburn ever and was ready to punch myself in the chest to get rid of it, it hurt so much. I drank the barium and doc said I was having esophagal spasms...hence the pain. As soon as I drank the barium, the pain went away. This led him to put me on mushy liquid right away, so I eat soups, yogurt, sugar free pudding, ect. I was not on any special diet pre-op so my wight loss didn't begin until getting banded. I believe I've already lost about 8 pounds in my first week post-band -- or as I named my band -- BOFINGER. Yes, I have been Bofingered.:ohmy: I go back to see my doc Feb. 1 and hope to have my first fill then. I am SO glad I did this! Please, a'll check in and give us an update. And a special HOWDY to Wisconsin Jen!:biggrin:

I'M VOTING FOR JAN BAND JOURNEYS (but I'll go with the majority! anyone want to post the question as a poll? I have no clue how to do that) I'm off to the airport for San Jose, where I will be banded Jan 12. JAN BANDERS UNITE!! THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE WINNING LOSERS!! :thumbdown:

Or JAN BAND JUBILEE (in which case we open for Carrie Underwood):smile2:

How about: JAN BAND (Sounds like we should be opening for Justin Timberlake. I say we should take our show on the road:biggrin:)

Cherie here. My surgeon (Dr. McKeen in San Jose) does not require any pre-op diet at all!!

Hey Jen- Re interim goal weights...I honestly hadn't even thought about it. I feel absolutely committed to doing my best, but beyond how fast I lose weight it really out of my control. I figure steroids plus extremely limited exercise plus up and down past weight plus being in my late forties equals sloooow weight loss. How much prednisone do you take daily? I'm at 12 mg daily now. I've been as low as 3 and as high as 30. How in the world do you "embrace your pain"? I'd really love to hear about that. I honestly don't know what will happen with my husband and me. Some days I'm ok and some days I freak. I know, for example, that I couldn't hold a "regular" job such as being a professor because there are too many times when I simply wouldn't have the energy to get to and teach my class. And I never know from day to day how the pain/stiffness/exhaustion is going to be. Like, lotsa days I can't hook my own bra. I did buy lots of novels to read before and after surgery, and I'll have my computer so hopefully I can get some writing done. I have found myself dealing with serious writer's block for the first time in my life. That may be the worst thing of all for me. Well, I'll be heading into the void before you, so I shall update you every step of the way! -- Cherie

And I'm a Jan. 12 chick, too. I've named by band-to-be Bofinger. No idea why. Just makes me laugh. We're triplets now, ladies! -- Cherie

Hi Jen= As far as how DH feels about the band...if there's one thing I know for certain it's never lose weight for a man. He may find me more attractive but by that time I may be too pissed off to care. I think he's going through mid-life "Holy crap I'm actually going to die one day" crisis. A "sick" wife cannot do the jock stuff he loves, nor travel to the kind of places he wants to travel. He won't even get on a plane with me. Makes him too anxious. He sees me as RA and I don't think that's going to change. It's insulting, demeaning, humiliating...to know that he would rather have sex with himself in the shower than have sex with me. I still love him, like him, etc. but I really do deserve better than that. I'll tell you this, if he does decide he wants us to stay together the man is going to have to court me all over again.:drool:' I leave the day after tomorrow for San Jose, surgery Jan. 12 so I have a long time in a gorgeous hotel all by myself. What a waste. I'll post to you from there as I will have a lot of free and anxious time on my hands... Soon to be bofingered... Cherie

Hi Jen - Wow we really DO have a lot in common. Lupus sucks. RA sucks. Yeah, I know, I'm deep. I havr a 17 year old son and while I am not a single mom my hub of 20 years recently informed me that we may have problems "too big to overcome" so we are in counseling. He hates that I have RA, sees RA as ME and informs me it isn't sexy, ergo -- no sex. Talk about a hit to the ego. Like it's not bad enough what being overweight and having RA does to my ego anyway. But also, like you, I think quite a lot of myself. Funny dichotomy. I am very interested in philosophy, ethics, etc. and often find that on some level the themes of my novels involve ethics, personal choice. You can find more than you ever wanted to know about what I write at my website: cheriebennett.com. Your daughter may know a very huge series i wrote called THE A LIST under the name Zoey Dean. I often write "pop" stuff under pseudonyms...

Hi Jen - What is it that you teach? I am so often a mentor to teens and yet clearly mentoring myself and my own demons is...a challenge. I would like to lose 100 pounds, however I'm good at 75. We shall see what the doc says. Anyway it sounds like we want to lose a similar amount of weight. My doc did not put me on a pre-bofinger diet so there is definitely no weight loss yet. My date is Jan. 12...complicated by the fact that I'm doing it out of town (I live in Salt lake City, I'm doing it in San Jose, CA) and I have to be in Santa Fe Jan 6 in order to see a rheumatologist there. I have rheumatoid arthritis (big fun) and take serious immunosuppresants, so my surgeon is making me see his rheumatologist, even though I see mine here regularly and he already approved this. Whatever. The RA will make exercise tres challenging after I heal. It's water exercise or nuthin. I also take prednisone...try losing weight on steroids...BUT. That said. I WILL do this and I WILL succeed as I am sick to death of feeling that my life is out of my control. Too much info lol?:biggrin:

Hi Jen -- Cherie here. Band Aide? Buddy? Bofinger? I kinda like Bofinger for no reason except I thought the movie was a riot. I figure if it would be a funny name for a pet "Here, Bofinger, good dog") then it's a funny nane for le bande. I very much enjoyed your post and would love to share this journey with you. I get Bofinger Jan. 12. Like you I am educated, I'm also a well-known novelist for teens, yada, yada...and yes, I could still polish off a Big Mac or fill-in-the-blank comfort food of choice when comfort is called for. I know a smart buddy would help me. I'm offering to be yours. You in? -- Cherie Bennett:lol:

Totally -- I get banded Jan. 12. Nerves make sense, right? I was just reading post-op posts where people are vomiting everything up or can't even drink water and I'm like...um...wouldn't it be a good idea to call your doctor? One woman was choking in her sleep. Not to freak you out...I suppose the smart, the not and the everything-in-between post here. We share a journey. Just...some people's journeys seem mighty strange. Hey, who am I to judge? Yet to enter Band Land. You be my cheerleader and I'll be yours, K?:biggrin:

KAT - Thank you so much for the in-depth reply. Greatly appreciated. I'm guessing without the band you would have gained even more weight. What drugs does your DD take for her RA? Just curious. I think you're fabulous and would like to stay in touch with you. Work for you?

Hi Jennifer - I have rheumatoid arthritis so your post really caught my eye. I take prednisone daily which I'm guessing will make it harder to lose weight. Plus my ability to exercise is very limited. Once my lap band incisions heals, I can do Water exercise, but that's it. I take lots of other drugs for my RA, too. Plus I take immunosuppressants which means I will heal more slowly and can get an infection more easily. Big fun! I am totally determined to do this and to do the very best I can no matter what. Just wondered if we have any of this in common. I never ran a marathon but I did used to be a dancer...

Kat - What did you mean by "no exercise plus steroids plus stress means losing 37 pounds again" How did your situation change? You were the one saying how well you were doing, right? I'm only asking because I get banded Jan. 12, 2010 and I'm already on steroids (prednisone) for rheumatoid arthritis, my exercise options are extremely limited (to water exercise) and I won't be able to do that until I heal. This kinda concerns me...any input appreciated! -- Cherie

My surgery date is Jan. 12 -- can I get an amen (lol). My doc does not require any pre-surgery diet except perhaps the day or night before surgery. Don't yet know what he requires after. Whatever he says, I'm in. Yes I'll be scared (hey, it's surgery) but I am so ready to do this. Would love, love, love to hear from any and all of you so we can fight the good fight together! One question I have is...many peeps seem to say that they had no restriction until they got their fills, which means you're just white knucking it after surgery until you get restriction? I did read one person who said she felt a loss of appetite right away. Any thoughts, knowledge, funny stories gratefully read...

Hi All! I'm being banded Jan. 12, 2010 and I would love to hear from any and all of you who were banded in the past or who are going to be banded around the same time I am. I'm a great source of support, I promise, and I think supporting each other can be key to this journey... Hope to hear from all of you... Cherie

Hi Utah People! My date is Jan. 12, 2010 with Dr. McKeen who works out of Orem and San Jose. I'd LOVE to hear from some of you who were banded years ago to know how you're doing, and would also love to hear from anyone being banded around the same time I am. Support from those you actually know makes all the difference.

We have the same surgery date! Mine is being done in San Jose, CA. I share all the emotions you listed. At this particular moment, anxious is winning out. I have the additional complication of having rheumatoid arthritis, for which I take immunosuppresants, which is relevant in that with a compromised immune system it's easier for me to get an infection. However I am determined to do this. Let's be same-day band, buddies. You up for it?

HELLOOOO JAN 2010 BANDSTERS! My date is Jan. 12 with Dr. McKeen in San Jose. I was not put on ANY pre-op diet! I can't figure out why so many doctors require it and then others don't. I have rheumatoid arthritis for which I take many drugs including immunosuppresants so my worries re the surgery have more to do with that than anything else. I will heal more slowly because of the drugs I take and will be more prone to infection. Anyone else dealing with anything like this? I don't live in San Jose so I'll need to fly home post-surgery. I was planning to fly 3 days post surgery (the surgeon said I could fly in 2 days!) but after reading a lot about people's recovery here I've decided to stay in San Jose for a week before flying. Would love, love, love to hear from any of you guys and please let us stay in touch and be a support for each other. It's a journey we share.

Hello! I'm being banded by Dr. McKeen in San Jose on Jan. 12 2010. How was your experience with him? He did not ask me to do any pre-op diet. Was it the same for you? And how long were you on liquids afterwards? I don't live in San Jose and I'm scheduled to fly home 3 days later. His office said I could fly in two days, but I've read many posts here about not flying right away, wondered if you had any experience with this? Any tips about Dr. McKeen, his office, lap band day? And how are you doing now? Thank you SO MUCH in advance for your reply!!

Hi Tessie- Your comment "have to have neck surgery" struck me. I have rheumatoid arthritis and after two months of excrutiating pain in my neck/shoulder/arm my doc took X rays and is sending me to a neurosurgeon for an MRI because I might need neck surgery -- something about degeneration in the cervical spine. This scares the crap out of me as evidently it's a very difficult surgery and can take a year to recover. So...wondered what neck surgery would be having...