NiceWillSuffice

well many of us are fat people and this board is our social life. :thumbup:

I'm at 16 days and the swelling is gone just in the last few days. 17 pounds is also gone (the best part)...but the gas isnt. thank God for GasX

Let's get the facts balanced out on this topic. First, I am glad you are going to Mexico and what is key about all the Mexico phobias (Cartels/Flu/etc) is simply be cautious and know where you are going and do your homework. The swine flu should be put into perspective with the common flu... 1. In the USA each year 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications CDC - Influenza (Flu) | What Everyone Should Know About Flu and the Flu Vaccine 2. In the USA eaxh year 36,000 people die from it CDC - Influenza (Flu) | What Everyone Should Know About Flu and the Flu Vaccine 3. The Riverside county office of environmental health is currently saying "all indications are the Swine flu is a milder form of the flu we fight every year" Riverside County Department of Environmental Health - Office Locations 4. Baja Mexico (assuming that is where you are going) is 900 miles from Mexico city where most of the reports of Mexico deaths are noted Google Earth 5. As of April 31, Baja Mexico has not reported any confirmed cases of swine flu (10 people being observed only).. paragrpah 9-11: http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/may/01/1n1bajaflu002056-baja-shuts-most-services-5-days/?tijuana&zIndex=91919 6. There are at least 2 medications that cure the swine flu Zanamivir or oseltamivir, Amantadine or rimantadine 7. You cannot prevent the flu or make yourself feel better faster by taking, Antibiotics, large doses of Vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C or zinc or Herbal remedies, such as echinacea. Influenza-Medications 8. There is no "carrier state" of this flu. Meaning you can only get it from someone that is sick not from someone "carrying" it. Source: my doctor 9. I returned from central Mexico 2 weeks ago amoung 1000's of tourists. I am fine. 10. Fly into San Deigo then have a clinic chartered driver take you to the clinic. Just my 2 cents on this.

Having major sleep apnia (natural restriction based of tounge) and generally sensitive throat I was concerned as well. Long story short..you can not feel the Band. What you CAN feel is if you forget to chew and swallow a lump of something you can feel it trying to get through..this has happened 4 times to me. Totally my own fault! I didnt follow the rules. One of the times i threw up. I thought guzzling Water would wash it down..that was a mistake haha. But this is why i got the darn band..because i want immediate punishment for bad behavior (my eating habits). You wont feel the band really. If you have too much restriction i heard you can have tourble swallowing but the beauty of the band is it is adjustable! dont let your FEARS...talk you out of doing something that might improve your life forever. Worst case (way worst case) is it is easily reversable procedure. go for it!

I agree with Brockbabe82.... GAS X strips! They disolve on your tounge and work well. I was banded 4/14 and I take 2 gasx strips in the morning and 1 at night. Works great. BUT, walking is important. I found laying on my side for a while then getting up and walking make the gas come out. thanks

Just keep pushing forward, 1 step at a time. Time never stops passing and the final date will be scheduled then arrive sooner than you think.

Hi, Well the deed is done. Got banded on Tuesday and was discharged early last night. So i guess this is day 3. My surgery took almost 3 hours. I had a hiatle hernia, and I guess the opening for my diaframe was really large so the fix required some kind of meshing as there wasnt enough tissue to reduce the opening to prevent the stomach from sliding back up. :sneaky: I get to see pictures next week. Anyway, I always had slight pain on deeps breaths and occasionally had heart pain I atrributed to something else. Already I feel a difference in that area so I am grateful the doctor discovered and fixed it. Its faily common and generally not life threatening..but can be. I feel pretty good. Just tender where they fixed the hernia and around the port. Absolutely the worst part is day 1 when you are all pumped up with air. We all have overeaten to the point it is hard to breath and that is how it felt. Basically you have to fart the air all out. day 2 feels better, but is a bit boring in the hospital. i was glad to get home last night. day 3 is now. most of the bloating is gone. I can walk no problem. I am just worried about straining so am being very careful how i move and get up. My band has a neutral fill level but I really dont feel hungry. i took the pain killer..half dose just to try it...uhggg. i feel dizzy from it. anyway, so far so good!

So, i got home wedsday evening from the hospital and weighted myself and I was the same as I went in. I just weighted myself and I am 9 pounds lighter. 9 pounds in 3 days. Love it! I think when the bloating goes down more will be lost. I know its really 9 pounds in a week because my last real meal was Sunday a week ago but regardless it IS encouraging!

Ohhh "Workinit", your freaking me out now! I want to LOSE not GAIN!

I have a couple questions... 1. How many ounces of clear water per day are people being told to drink per day? 2. How many total ounces (water+liquid food+mushys) are people consuming per day? 3. Also, how many calories per day are people eating?

I should clarify I am talking about post-op liquid diet, as you asked about both. Pre-op for me was Water 24 hours prior then nothing 12 hours prior. No other requirenments. ProSlam and Soymilk are not milk based products. I actually am avoiding milkbased products to keep my stomach good. Muscle milk..I'm not sure what that is but is low sugar and is lactose free. I am also drinking "Worldwide Protein Shakes" from Trader Joes. Those are water based although the protein comes from a milk concentrate. Good luck.

What matters the most is the 24 hours leading up to the sugery. Your bowels need to be clear so you dont strain AKA poop following surgery which would be a lot of painful straining. The last 12 hours before surgery you eat/drink nodda again so your bowels are clear. I'm sure there are verious resons for the preop diet for different people but I doubt your surgery will be stopped or can be considered ruined if you cheat. Just be clear 24hours prior to sugery. this is what I was told, follow at your own risk. haha.

ProSLam 45g Protien...also Muscle Milk. Got unsweeten soymilk from traders and added suger suppliment its pretty good like that.

I have to correct my comments here. I weight myself shortly after this and was down 9 pounds. Then another 3 this morning. I guess when the bloat goes away the progress can be seen.

when i woke up this morning it was another 3 pounds so 12 since tuesday. amazing what a pure liquid diet can do.

April 14th

There's no pain in the surgury, you wont even know it happened. You go to sleep then wake up and thats it. After they hook you to pain meds, no prob. Just be prepared to sleep alot the first 24-36 hours. After surgery I have not had any pain..just discomfort. There are a few times I strained or moved funny and it hurt but there is nothing throbbing. I take a partial dose of the pain med each night. I'm functioning really well. Been shopping, supervised yard work with my family and even helped a little. Walking fine, sleeping fine. Was banded Tues (4 days ago). Everyone is different but if you are having Anxiety take some Zanex the week leading up...thats what I did (for other reasons). :thumbup:

At what point did the scale reflect weight loss? I'm 4 days in and weight the same as when I went in Tuesday morning dispite having not had a meal since Sunday night 6 days ago.

I drive through various parts of TJ every month, sometimes more. I also know people that live there and also go through there regularly. Stay out of the party zones and keep your eyes open and you'll be fine. The peek of the violance in TJ was late 2008. They have fired half the policia, the army is there (nice kids), and they even have a special squad that are the only ones allowed to ticket tourists (rosarito area anyway). There has been no confirmed deaths of Americans by Cartel violance or crossfire in TJ. With the exception of an american that was living there and selling drugs. I am speaking to the recent media surge in Cartel related violance. You have nothing to worry about as far as that goes and that is what the media is talking about. There are a million people there just trying to survive. Statistically your odds are higher of dying on the drive to San Deigo. Now, as for TJ and general crime, thats another topic. You do need to be careful and consiouce and do your homework about where you are going and all the arrangements. It sucks driving in TJ..people are crazy. Make sure you have your Mex insurance (mexadventure.com) at least for liability. I feel more safe in TJ than I do in parts of Compton or South Central. But like all big poor cities you have to be careful. If you can arrange to be picked up and dropped off I can assure you it will be smoother plus you dont take on the liability of driving there. But to directly answer your question, don't worry about the reports. Just do your thing..

You could have some good tasting meals the next couple weeks to meet approval weight. Yum.

Before surgery I only told 3 people. Since surgery just Tuesday I told more..mostly because I unexpectantly had a Hernea. So im let people know I had that fixed. The band was the lesser of the 2 operations. If you tell everyone your getting it your opening yourself up to discussion. I prefer not to be the center focal point in the weight catagory because I am embarrased....except when i am on this board or with the staff that banded me. I have a support group for Alcohal and I only discuss alcohal with them. Here I will discuss weight. Outside of my trusted groups there is no reason to talk about it. I might open up about it more as time goes on. Some people are really open about it to everyone, I dont see a problem with that either. Bottom line is it is your business and if you don't want anyone to know then don't tell them. there are plenty of caddy judgemental people out there that will be happy to judge your choice and talk about you and discourage you. So if you are asking for advice, which i think you are since you posted here...mine is tell who you are comfortible telling. If your mood changes about it over time then tell more people. You don't have to decide "I'm not telling anyone" then stick to that choice forever. You can certainly start with that position. Once you lose weight you'll probably be happy to tell more people since they will ask how you did it. "Just roll with it".

I told mine about depression and lack of mobility and wanting to see my kids through collage, etc. I am on anti anexity medication which makes it easy to overeat and he understands that as well. My shrink happens to have seen good results from the band partcularly from my band doctor so he supports it. I suppose if you get an anti-band doctor that might be a problem. I would suggest that if they dont approve you find out why then go to another shrink.

Oh they told me about the little registration card, but I will get it in my follow up appointment on Weds. Make yourself get up and move, you'll feel better. I'm working on my laptop from my sofa today so am anticipating an easy day. Plus it is friday. We will see...

i forgot to reply about the protein. I have had a proslam today and one yesterday. sipped over 40 minutes. 45gs and sugarfree.

Hi, well, the way Dr. Coon has it is you can sip 1 shot of sugarfree liquid over 15 minutes. The liquids do not have to be clear it just has to go through a little strainer they gave us. You can do this until you feel full then stop. It might have been a max of 3 I dont remember. In the hospital I had bullian Soup and crystal light. Last night and today I blended cream of mushroom soup until it was watery enough to fit through the strainer. The clear liquid diet was 24 hours pre-op so the bowls are clear for surgery. I had a steak Sunday nights then 6am monday morning had yogert then went to Water for 12 hours then nothing for 12 hours. The first day had a lot of cotton mouth. sucking ice chips helped. I start work tomorrow. Should be interesting. I work at home on the computer so its not much different than writing on this board. should go ok just no pain meds. Its ok if you were asking for pain meds, even if just for bloating. there is no reason to be uncomfortible if you dont have to. But..you gotta let that air out! im still bloated. It is the most unconfortible part. But im not complaining because I have overate and felt the same way many many times. At least this time it is constructive. As far as the band type... I also didnt know mine was the Realize band until last minute. There is just so much information to take in its hard to know what is important. Having it in there is what is important! Knowing the band type wont change anything for you in the next few days. i think the next phase that is going to be difficult is the band is usually empty or neutral filled. so we have the same stomachs until the first fill at 4-6 weeks. I have a feeling once the bloating goes away we are going to be hungry. :crying: from this board it seems people lose a lot in the pre/post op diets. i guess technically we are sort of doing it on our own until the first fill??? write back :crying: :rolleyes2: