Leila

Canada! :eek:

my surgeon says no carbonation as well, so no it is.

don't want to slip a band! I would talk to your family Dr., there are prescription medications you can take that will help prevent you from vomitting. If you let him know that it's important for you not to heave because of your lap band. I'm worried about that myself as I'm prone to tummy bugs a couple of times a year, I plan on getting a prescription to have on hand to make sure I don't end up causing myself damage.

I had to lose weight pre-surgery too, I had a two week liquid opt-fast diet pre-surgery, so all my last suppers were in the two weeks before those two weeks! :confused:

Thanks Devana, actually, if it weren't for health reasons I wouldn't have had the surgery, I think people are beautiful at all sizes, but as I continued to gain, my health has been deteriorating rapidly. For people worried about not losing much weight yet. Remember it's expected that many people won't lose weight until they have given you a fill, maybe more than one to get your band to the restriction level it's supposed to be at. Many people do lose pre-fill, some people don't, and others may even gain weight. It may also take more than one fill to get the right level of restriction for you. I've found that using fitday.com has helped me track what I'm packing away calorie wise, and protein wise, etc, to try to keep me on track, I've found over the days every day my calorie count has been creeping just a little higher. I kind of had the attitude that I've been eating so little and such low fat foods, that a little mayo or margarine mixed in here or there in my liquidy mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs can't hurt too much can it? Or a little regular sorbet or italian ices here and there instead of sugar free popsicles won't make too much of a difference will it? melting down a chunk of cheese chewing well can't add to many calories right? and wham! found that oh yeah... it's starting to add up! So yesterday when I went grocery shopping I was careful to load up on liquids and makings for mushies that are low fat healthy options. Bought some great liquid egg white mixtures that have added flavours to them "egg creations" is the brand - same calories as plain egg whites - taste -amazing- and I cooked them in a microwave egg poacher soft, let them cool and added a little low cal mayo to them for mock egg salad... unbelievably good! I bought gourmet blended vegetable soups in cartons. I bought fat free process swiss cheese slices for my cheese cravings, and low fat cottage cheese. I bought lemon and dill humus from the deli section to add a bit of flavor to mushy veggies. I bought sillouhette fat free sugar free yogurt smoothies in the dairy section, and fat free sugar free yogurts, sugar free applesauce with peaches, I bought diet cool whip to and made yogurt/applesauce mock trifle with it with a few raspberries on top. I bought vegetable cocktail to drink, and minute maid strawberry kiwi reduced calorie juice - so tasty and super low cal. I bought diet citrus green tea flavor packets that can be added to bottled water, and crystal lights. And more sugar free popsicles. I realize that if I bring tempting higher calorie, higher fat, higher sugar foods home, yes, I -am- going to eat them, maybe only a small serving of this, and a small serving of that. But when I log them all on fitday.com and see the total amount of fat grams, the total amount of sugar, I realize I'm 'nickle and diming' myself up and up and up on the unhealthy choices mouthfull by mouthfull. If anyone else has certain healthy food options that are really working for them, or other resources they use, would love to hear them! Also, keep in mind that for the first weeks post surgery the focus is on healing, not on losing weight, so making sure you're getting full recommended daily protein and vitamins and minerals is key to making sure your body has the resources it needs to repair itself. I'm doing one optifast protein shake a day for breakfast with additional added whey protein to it every morning for breakfast and taking chewable multi-vitamins with iron. I also use surgical soap to carefully wash my incisions every morning and then put polysporin antibiotic ointment with vitamin E added to it afterwards. I also bought some polysporin scar solution sheets to put on when I'm healed enough, the nurse said to wait until the wounds are totally healed over, dry, no scabbing before I start applying them, which looks to be just a few more days away! Take care of yourselves, and to those banding today and this week! good luck and congratulations!!!!

Okay.... please don't tease! I tried to find my most 'accurate' pre-op photo, and decided to go with the one with the least clothes. So this photo was taken of me by my hubby down by the river camping pre-skinny dip. I have covered my bits up though by adding flowers in photo-shop to make it um, less naked! LOL.

My doctor recommends no gum and no hard candies (same reasons as for gum) - risks of getting stuck, excess air swallowed.

I could sleep on my side right away, 1st night out, and I can sleep on my stomach now and I'm 11 days post op.

I had a few last suppers, I went to all you can eat Chinese buffet 4 times, I went for three BIG sushi dinners, and then I did a big lobster dinner. Oh, and a farewell to the Big Mac!

I am one of the foolish that ate solid food ahead of schedule, only 8 days post op, it went down/through with no problems at all, and I'm back on schedule doing what my Dr. recommends. My question is if I felt no complications from eating that solid food, everything felt normal eating wise (a bit fuller perhaps, but no pain) could I have somehow damaged myself anyways and not felt it? Or does the damage come from vomitting? (travelling/vacationing on the east coast of Canada, and I'm afraid the fresh lobster broke my resolve, I've got it out of my system now though - after eating half a 3 pound lobster!)

If you do go ahead with the surgery, make sure you get anti-nausea medication, there is some you can get with prescription that is really powerful. Lowered immunity during surgery is one concern, the other is that if you have vomitting post surgery you could slip your band.

I was only on clear fluids for the first two days, and then it's the rest of two weeks on optifast protein drink and other fluids, yogurt drinks, broth, strained low fat soups, any lowfat lowsugar liquids. I find I do fine with hunger as long as I make sure I'm getting a full 60 grams of protein in. I use ISOWhey BreeZer protein powder and add it to low sugar fruit drinks.

Congratulations! I was the day before you in the same OR with Dr. Cobourn!

Wow Cindy, sounds like an unpleasant chili experience! I hope you're feeling okay, take it easy on your stomach for a couple of days, maybe go back to liquids? Or whatever your doc recommends after getting stuck. My Doc has chili on his list of foods people may not be able to tolerate. I'm still on liquids for another week and a bit before I get to mushies, then soft foods, and then solid foods - so solids are still about 4-5 weeks away for me, but I'm nervous about the whole PB thing, hoping to avoid it! Take care! XO Leila

I'm 5'9" :rant:

I've read a couple of times about people using meat tenderizer when they get stuck to avoid PB's... can anyone tell me what exactly people are doing and how it works? What type, how much, how effective? any concerns about using it?

Congrats Buffie. I was just done on wednesday, and I relate to the feeling that it doesn't seem real... I still think 'wow, I can't believe I did this?!' I didn't cry going in, but I woke up in recovery crying. I had a lot of post op pain, but it's been a bit better every day. I'm not even taking anything for pain anymore. Still bloated and pretty gassy though. I'm looking forward to being fully healed and exploring my new post banding life. I'm sorry your surgical experience didn't seem as positive as it could have been. Hopefully everything will be increasingly positive from now on out. Keep us posted! It's nice to hear from other Canadians who've been banded right around the same time as me, and compare notes. This forum has been great. XO Leila

My Doctor required 2 weeks liquid diet for me pre surgery, for him it's 2 or 3 weeks depending on your BMI - body fat percentage, the higher the body fat the longer the pre-op diet. It's so that the liver loses fat and becomes small enough for them to do the laproscopic procedure around. I found my 2 weeks really challenging. Twice I replaced one of my liquid meals with the equivelant calories in sushi, and twice I replaced one of my liquid meals with fat free artificial crab. Other than that I followed the diet for the two weeks. Post surgery my Dr. said my liver was still on the larger side, but they were able to navigate around it. You may want to ask your Dr. what they will do if your liver is too large, they may either not proceed with the banding, or switch to non-laproscopic surgery, meaning a large incision right down your middle. Keep in mind that the liquid diet is for a reason, it might make a difference in how your surgery goes. Some people have high BMI's go to a Dr. that doesn't require pre-op diet, and they manage just fine. Does that mean the Dr. is able to do as good a job? I have no idea. Try to follow your Dr.s recommendations as best you can, if you fall of the wagon, don't beat yourself up, just get back on the plan, and make sure you're honest with your Dr. so they know what to expect. For instance I've heard some Dr's will do a scan first too see how large the liver is before going in. Best of luck! and congratulations in advance! XO Leila

from everything I've read in the literature, what I've been told by my Dr. You're exactly where you should be. If you're losing 1-2 pounds a week, and not struggling with hunger, then you don't need a fill. You honestly don't need to lose faster, it's hard on the body, you're more likely to have issues with things like hair loss and sagging skin, if you lose too fast. 1-2 pounds a week is awesome loss, and if you're doing it without feeling deprived then the it sounds like you have ideal restriction allready, so why mess with a good thing? If you end up too restricted you can end up with sliming PB's and end up more likely to have serious complications too, like slippage or erosion. The band is supposed to work gently with you, I'd love to be in your position, congratulations! XO Leila

It's not too much information at all... I'm day 2 post surgery, and I'm hoping for a major accomplishment of my own, maybe day 3 will be lucky for me too... LOL I'm not sure how long they'll keep me on protein shakes and clear liquid, they say two weeks on the post op guidelines, but also that they may start you on full liquids earlier depending on how you do. The only other exception they have to clear liquids and the protein shake is fat free sugar free yogurt drinks, I love the sillouhette (sp?) by Danon peach and passionfruit. I add benefibre (doesn't add thickness or flavour) and I add ISOWhey BreeZer protein powder, which is 0 fat, 1 gram carb, 20 gram protein powder and it's pineapple flavoured and -super- yummy, highly recommend it. They protein drink Dr. Cobourn has us use pre and post surgery is optifast, and I -hate- it, so I'm just doing one a day, and getting the rest of my protein and carb needs from the yogurt with the ISOwhey - which doesn't thicken at all, it even tastes great just mixed with water. I find having the constant protein is key for me to not feel hunger. Making sure I take chewable vitamins with iron and chewable calcium along with my protein so that my body has all the tools it needs to heal well. I go in for my first post op visit on monday, so will wait to weigh myself till I'm there in the office. Right now I'm focused on following the rules to avoid complications and on healing. When the steristrips come off I'm going to use scar reducing product as my scars heal to try to take good care of them too, there are some good products in the pharmacy now for healing scars. Speaking of TMI, my gas is so bad, I swear I pass gas about every half hour, and I never thought in my life I would look forward to passing gas. I want it out! Thankfully it's odor free.

I wore a loose dress in, but brought my robe and slippers with me in case I was super sore afterwards... and well, I left in my robe and slippers I was outpatient too. Any loose clothes will do for most people, I was unusually/extra sore supposedly.

Thanks for the well wishes, I've been back at the hotel for a couple of hours now, I wish I could sleep, but I'm having really bad gas pain. Other than that, everything is good, no nausea or dizziness or anything, minor surgical site pain, mostly just a whole lot of gas pain, and my throat being irritated from the tube during surgery, every once in a while I have to cough and that hurts! I have liquid codiene to take, it takes the edge off but still hurting loads. I think they inserted an inflatable beach ball and not a lap band! :confused: - For those of you banded who had really bad gas pain coming out surgery, how long did your gas pain last? the lap top in bed and the t.v. on is helping to distract me a bit. Up till today I couldn't wait to have the surgery done with, now I can't wait to be healed! Then... I'll worry about weight loss :grouphug: Dr. Cobourn said everything went really well with the surgery, though my liver was still quite large even though I lost 14lbs on the pre surgery optifast diet. Thankfully they managed around it anyways.

Well it went well this morning, even though I had lost 14 lbs on my pre-surgery diet Dr. Cobourn said my liver was still quite large, but they managed anyways without any problems thankfully. No nausea or dizziness, a little bit of surgical site pain, and a LOT of gas pain. It feels a little like they inserted a beach ball instead of a lap band! :confused: - I'm laying here in the hotel bed with my lap top beside me on the nightstand and the t.v. trying to distract myself. I have a little bit of that 'what did I do to myself?!?' syndrome because of the pain, and weird to think I have this thing in my body now. I keep going and reading peoples success stories in this forum, and looking at the before and after photos and reminding myself that this is my life I'm giving back to myself. I felt I was slowly killing myself with food and I need this to get healthy again. for people already banded, how long was your gas pain lasting? XO Leila

Well, from Vancouver, and hubby and I have been travelling across the country in an RV for over a month now, decided to turn the lap band trip into an extend travel thing. In the hotel for tonight and the next couple of nights though. I have surgery this morning first thing with Dr. Cobourn. I woke up at 3AM and can't go back to sleep! Hubby and our two pugs are on the other bed totally out of it. Not much longer now!

Surgery is today, I'm first thing this morning. I go in at 7:15 am. Went to sleep in the hotel last night at 11, and now have just woken up at 3:30 am and could -not- go back to sleep. Hubby and our two pugs are over in the other bed fast asleep but I'm wired. Not too worried about that as I'm sure I'll get plenty of rest post surgery. This forum is a life saver, coming here to read about everyone elses experiences is so helpful.