ItsGottaGo!

Medicare will pay, but you have to go to a Center of Excellence and need to have a BMI over 40. Do a search for Centers of Excellence in your area that perform lap-band and you should be able to find one. Good luck!

Want2Lose, Unjury as travel packets of the unflavored protein. Go to Unjury.com and check it out.

I was banded on Tuesday, Sept. 12. I will have 2 weeks of clear liquids, then 4 weeks of pureed/mushies and then onto solids. So two months pre-op is when I can start solids according to my dr. Also, no red meat for 6 months, but I don't eat read meat anyway.

Bettina, Yes, it will be 4 weeks total on clear liquids and 3 shakes a day. I think doing the 2 weeks liquid before really helped my stomach shrink and prepare me for the road ahead. As far as all the other things, no. Basically, I went to a WLS Seminar for about 3 hours, after that I met with the surgeon, went to a 2 hour nutrition seminar and then met with the psychologist. I didn't meet with the surgeon again until 2 weeks before the surgery date (1 week for me because of Hurricane Ernesto). Basically, it's like an assembly line production over there, but my surgeon was excellent and I have complete faith in him. I guess I was supposed to get all I needed from the seminars and the books they sent me home with because when I checked out of the hospital, I left with no instructions, just what was in the book they gave me pre-surgery. At the nutrition seminar they did give us a bag with some samples in it, but I never tried any. I still have them though.

Bettina, I was banded on Sept. 12th, so I'm 4 days post-op. My dr. says 3 4oz. Protein shakes per day and in between meals clear liquids only, i.e., broth, sf. Jello, sf. ice pops., diet snapple, crystal lite. That the same diet I was on 2 weeks pre-op. Honestly, I can't even choke down the 3 Protein drinks per day, I feel very full. I know that will end soon though. Also, my whey protein is 140 calories, 2g. fat, 95 mg. sodium, 60 mg. cholesterol, 2 g. carbs., 1g. sugar, and 27 g. protien. I am going to look for that Isopure stuff that you are talking about for when I am on solids and mushies. For anyone that is interested, I just noticed a great recipe on the back of this whey protein bag. It's for a creamsicle smoothie: 8 ouces of orange juice 1 scoop vanilla SportPharma Whey Protein powder 1 Ripe banana 3-4 Ice Cubes Blend until smooth.

Bettina, I'm confused. My whey protein only has 1.5 gm. of fat and 2 gm. of carbs, that isn't much at all. Right now all I am allowed to drink is 3 protein shakes per day with clear liquids in between, so I don't have much of a choice.

You GO BJean!! Self-indulgent in a good, positive way is great! I watched Oprah yesterday too! Last night I actually slept on my tummy. It felt great! I am stuffed after two sips of my protein shake. I can't imagine even eating mushies! Is anyone else experiencing this?? As far as the Whey Protein, I bought my large bag in Costco because I saw it there and it was a good price, but years ago I used to get it in GNC, so maybe you could look there for it or another health food store in your area. Want2Lose, I, personally, like the Whey protein, I was already used to the flavor because I used to drink it a long time ago. I have to say, it tastes very different from all the other drinks I have tried so far. I like the Vanilla a lot, but lately I am favoring Vanilla over Chocolate, which is a shocker! I mix it with either skim milk or water and ice and blend. I think the chocolate is really nice, try it. If you don't like it and you bought it in Costco, maybe they will take it back. Let me know what you think!

I only know where my port is because the surgeon told me yesterday when he removed the gauze bandages. I had thought it was the incision further to the left and smaller, which I was originally happy about because when my arms are down, it kind of hides it, but I found out it is the other incision and it is about 3 inches long. I thought it would only be about 1-1/2 inches long. All the other incisions are very very small. Smaller than and inch. The port incision looks huge to me and I have olive skin that scars easily. Oh well, I'll make do. That should be my biggest problem in life, huh.

OMG, me too! Every other commercial was for pizza! And pizza is my weakness, i have to look away and change the channel every time. I'm not feeling hungry either, actually, fell very full and bloated, but I still don't want to look at that stuff. Did anyone watch Oprah today?

I don't know the answer. I do know breast implants are supposed to be replaced every ten years. I haven't heard anything about the band. Great job, boo boo, 40 lbs. in a little over a month! Way to go! That is what I am hoping for! Take care.

That would have been pure torture for me. Pizza is the only food I could imagine eating right about now. Nothing else seems appetizing. I am having trouble choking down a 4oz protein shake. I'm supposed to have 3 a day, but I feel so full. I know this will end soon, but I feel like I ate too much on Thanksgiving. Boy, is it uncomfortable!

Congratulations Wantlapband! I am using SportPharma Whey protein. I bought two bigs bags at Costco, one Vanilla and one Chocolate. The muscle milk is good too, but it has 11 gm. of fat in one premixed drink container. Good luck!

Naked and after I go to the bathroom in the morning ONLY!

Runs are gone today! No bowel movement at all actually, but that's fine. I am allowed to have 4oz of protein shakes 3 times a day and clear liquids only in between until I see the dr. for my 2 week follow-up appointment (yet to be determined, the nurses haven't called back yet). Honestly, I drink a little and then I feel full. I know this will go away soon and it has to do with the bloating and gas. I am having a cup of hot tea right now and for some reason, it tastes terrible! Did anyone else experience their morning liquid tasting different?? I'm not enjoying this cup of tea at all and do not even feel like drinking coffee. Odd. Anyway, I have been lucky, I haven't had to take any pain meds since leaving the hospital yesterday, just some liquid tylenol. The gas isn't too bad, I'm burping every other second, so I guess it's all coming out of me. I was allowed to take a shower yesterday, which felt great. My incisions are covered with steri-strips, but I can see that they aren't too bad. I have 5. One is right above my belly-button and they are all small, except for the port incision, which is about 2-1/2 inches long. I was surprised it was so long and I am really not thrilled about it's location on my belly. I am only 5'1" tall and am short waisted. The port is located about 3 inches above my belly button and over to the left about 5 inches. It feels like it is in the middle of my stomach, I wish it were hiddent more, but I am not going to complain. It is not any more swollen than the other areas, as some people have experienced. None of my incision areas are swollen, so we will see. I hope everyone is feeling well today and good luck to all our bandies to are getting theirs done today!

At least I know I'm not alone Hope! The same thing, the tummy gurgles then the race to the bathroom, lol. Thanks Jessica, I think I will try some Pepto or Immodium. Good luck tomorrow Swanny and Congratulation Wants2 and GonnaBeThin!

I can't take it anymore, my butt is killing me from these runs!! It started happening after I had to drink that disgusting barium yesterday morning. UGH!! I almost died when they cracked open another bottle because they thought they needed more pictures. Thankfully, I didn't have to swallow another gulp. One entire bottle was enough. Anyway, I guess I will call the nurse tomorrow to see if I should be having the constant runs or not. I was taking pain meds in the hospital, Morphine the first night and then yesterday some morphine and then Torrodol, yesterday and today. Could that be it?? I figure nothing but fluid going in, then there should be nothing but fluid coming out. I also was on clear fluids for 2 full weeks before surgery, so I was pretty much emptied out (not to be gross) of whatever was in there leftover.

I forgot to ask, is anyone else having runny stools all day long. Obviously, I don't have the constipation problem, it seem to be the opposite, since I got out of bed yesterday. Anyone else??

I am home and I am banded! I just got home today, the dr. kept me in the hospital for 2 nights which was fne with me. I give all of you that come home the same day alot of credit. I, personally, was in no condition to come home that first night. Today I woke up and hopped out of bed and feel much much better. Just took a shower and the only thing that really bothers me is the bloated feeling and the gas and the backache that I have right now. Other than that, all is well. I haven't had anything to eat yet since my 2 week clear liquid diet started before surgery and now I'm having my first protein shake since Sunday. I feel very very full, even though there is nothing in my stomach. I will be on protein shakes and clear liquid for another 11 days and then on to the pureed/mushie stage. I will keep everyone posted on my progress. Great to be back!

Good luck tomorrow!! I am having mine done too tomorrow, schedule for 12:00 noon! I'll be thinking of you! We'll talk when we get back. I am staying overnight and won't be home until Wednesday afternoon! Skinnyville, here we come!

I was living in NYC at the time. I was home on maternity leave that day. My daughter was two months old. I remember waking up right before 9:00 a.m., the baby was still asleep (she was a great sleeper), and I remember thinking it was the most beautiful day I had ever seen. It had rained the entire day before, but today the sky was blue blue blue and the air was clean and crisp. One of the top ten days for sure. I opened up my windows and thought, oh, good, I can catch Regis for once. I turned on the TV and saw the first tower burning. I stared at it thinking, that building looks familiar. My mind was trying to block out that it was the WTC, because I thought it couldn't possibly be. I used to work in the WTC. I soon found out it was. Then I heard what I thought was thunder, but soon realized it was actually the sound of the second plane hitting the other tower. I will never forget that horrible day and all those that I knew who were lost and all those that I did not know and their families. May they rest in peace. Nothing irks me more than when I hear people call this the "disaster", like it was some natural happening like a hurricane or earthquake. It was a terrorist attack. An attack, let us not ever forget!

My dr. gave me a prescription for Lortab Liquid for the post-op pain. I was wondering if it was effective and how much did you pay for it. I have no prescription insurance and was curious if I should send it through Canada or have it filled here at the pharmacy. Thanks.

Good luck to all our September 11th and 12th Bandsters! I am having mine done on the 12th and am leaving tomorrow afternoon to stay closer to the hospital I am having it done in, so I do not have to drive there at 5:00a.m. on Tuesday morning. I will be thinking of all of you, keep me in your thoughts and prayers as well! I will report all when I get back!

Thanks everyone. I think I will order some unjury just to have on hand, in case I am unable to choke down any protein for a while. Thanks again!

I've been wondering about this too. I just wonder if it is always going to feel like someone punched me in the stomach. I know it won't, but I can't help but wonder. It is hard to imagine the nausea being gone and being able to go on about our new healthier thinner lives normally.

I,for one, plan on getting to bed much much earlier than my usual. I will be killing two birds with one stone that way, catching up on my much needed beauty rest and putting a rest to the nighttime snacking.