Loving-It

That's how I have been. I also have italian ices, sugar free popsicles and a pint of Hagen Daaz peach sorbet. The sorbet I'll only use during emergencies and take a spoonful and nurse it. My doctor warned that during the mushie phase, since there aren't many healthy options, people tend to lose only 3 lbs or even gain 3 lbs. With this warning I've been trying to be extra careful. I know it's about recovery at this point but I'm not in the mood to gain anything right now. I want to keep on. It is expected for this phase to not be a big time for loss and that's okay. This is just what I've set for myself. YAY EVERYBODY!!! :clap2:

I'm a June 9th as well. :confused: I'm on the mushie phase right now. Anything run through a blender is allowed for me. The way my doctor described it is if you don't need teeth to chew it, you can have it. Cream of wheat is a fave! I made some scrambled eggs for lunch yesterday but I added some Carb Countdown milk to it so it would be mushie and took little bites. One thing that helps is I love butter, but obviously I want to stay away. I cooked the egg with some spray but after it was done I shot it with some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter to give it a butter taste. I use it with my cream of wheat too. :biggrin1: Last night for dinner I had mashed banana and some smooth peanut butter. Peanut butter and banana sammiches were my fave so this was a nice treat. I took a little peanut butter on my spoon and a little banana. The banana helped the PB go down easily since I can't drink while I eat. :hungry:

I'm a stomach sleeper too. For the past few days I've been able to be mostly on my stomach, but I guess I'm more half stomach/half side. I have to put a pillow under my port area otherwise it aches. Definitely better than on my back. The first week post-op I had such a hard time getting up from that position. It took a lot of energy. It's so nice to be back on my stomach where I belong! :confused:

Good luck!! :cheer2: I can't wait to hear how it went! :clap2: :hug:

Hello!! Preach it sistah! :clap2:

My surgery was on a Friday, and I went back to work for just a few hours the following Thursday and Friday. So what 6 days later I was back. I have a desk job too and the up and down was quite a bit much, even after rising my chair to it's full position.

For the ride home I wore leggings, which I had to push down some away from my belly in the front (I don't own sweats), the softest tee shirt I own, and a thin sweater over that. Plus I have some slippers that have rubber soles, which I also wore. I did wear a bra but it is designed like a regular bra but the fabric is all jersey knit/spandex, like a sports bra. I also had my ride home bring a blanket and pillow for me. The blanket I put over my abdomen for when put my seatbelt on. My ride was 1-1/2 hours so it was a much needed comfort. :confused:

I just got my band on 6/9/06...I've been looking into it since 2003. Had some personal setbacks that prevented me from going forward. Nothing with insurance, but getting laid off and losing insurance coverage, moving, things like that. I've wanted this for so long and in the short time I've lost 15 lbs. I feel totally enabled. I was presented with vanilla ice cream tonight and I didn't want it. I really didn't. My mom watched me as I made my mashed banana and creamy Peanut Butter dinner. She talked about how soon I'd be able to get back to where I was, meaning eating regular food. When she said that I instantly got defensive (not rude, just stern) and said I had no intention of getting back where I was. I know that is not what she meant but just hearing the words "back where I was". :cry I don't ever, ever want to be back at that point, so desperate for food, wishing for a life. I'm sure I'll have my ups and downs, but I am trying to change my mental while my physical is changing too. *sigh* Sorry for rambling. This is still pretty fresh for me. :confused:

Same here. I'll miss my ginger ale I'm sure, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm trying so hard to not mess around and stretch my tummy either. :confused:

I'm fat because food was my comfort, my friend, and it made me feel good, even if it was just for a little bit. Now my band is my new friend. Food will still be there, but more of an acquaintance now...at least that's the plan. :clap2: Hope what I typed isn't too cryptic....nobody to blame but myself and since this is a public message board I don't want to get too detailed. :confused:

I've never heard of this before, so I don't have much of an opinion. I will say though that if it's the only way for someone to get their life back, then so be it. Desperate times call for desperate measures. God bless those who do have to go to such extremes. :cry

Definitely sounds like something to ask when you go in. It sure seems to vary from doctor to doctor. :confused: My doctor never mentioned it, but I probably would have turned it down had he said anything.

My nutritionist said to stay away from coffee & caffeine. Here is what she put in a nutrition binder she gave me. This is just advice that was given to me, take the info and do what's right for you! :confused: : Caffeine may act as a diuretic (increases urine output), raise blood pressure, cause heart burn, heart palpitations, disturb sleep patterns, stimulate appetite, and most importantly irritate the lining of the stomach. Forming healthy habits means cutting down on caffeine. To avoid a withdrawal headache that may last a couple days, start gradually reducing your intake. Try 1/2 n 1/2 coffee (decaf and regular mixed). There are many delicious herbal and decaf teas. Do not take Excedrin (or other pain relievers that contain caffeine) to relieve headache, use Tylenol.

It's a small tube that is inserted and then used to drain the bladder of urine. I didn't have to have that when I got my band on, but I did after I had my daughter. Not the most pleasant memory of my life.

I'm sure my gown came off too. I was out like everyone else so no skin off my nose. If they want to see me nekkid then hey, more power to them, I just hope nobody can sue me for therapy later! :confused: KIDDING!

My doctor holds seminars for Q&A for people who are interested in the band. I'm a big gum chewer and I had asked him about the gum because my friend who had gastric was told to stay away from it. my doctor said it was fine to chew gum after getting the band. I guess it just depends who you ask.

Here's a link that describes it completely: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/barium_swallow/article_em.htm I had to do a barium swallow as part of my pre-op testing. They took xrays of me swallowing to see if there were any issues. Apparently my surgeon has done the lapband and then found out post-op that people had issues with swallowing so he does it as a preventative measure. Nobody else had this done pre-op? :cry At least I'm prepared for my first fill! LOL! I'm only two weeks post-op so I have another month to go till then.

I told my parents, my daughter, my manager, the President of the company I work for, 2 of my real life friends, and about 4 people on one of the message boards I go to. So about 11 people.

Hardly anyone knows. I only told two people at work and the rest of them, as far as they are concerned, I left for vacation. I haven't even told my brother, and don't intend to. It's a private thing and I prefer to keep it that way. Only two of my friends know. You need to do what is right for you. :eek:

My doctor told me that the deal behind the post op liquids is so you allow scar tissue to develop over the sutures that are holding the band in place. If you go to fast and eat you can stretch the pouch and pop the sutures, which would allow the band to slip. Even if he's going to extremes with scare tactics, it worked. Now I cheated, I am not gonna lie, but I cried after! OMG - I knEw I busted my sutures and that band WAs loose. :eek: I punished myself worse than anyone could but now I'm back on track. The main thing I cheated on was I had cream of wheat during my post-op liquid phase and I had a bite of salmon. I chewed and chewed and chewed and chewed it before i swallowed. Everyone is human and it happens. I just figure it isn't forever and I can do it. Why test the limits and risk stretching my pouch or popping my sutures? GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY!! :clap2:

I don't want to give you advice that contradicts your doctors instructions but for my pre-op liquid diet I was allowed sugar free Jello and sugar free popsicles. Those were lifesavers! You might want to ask him/her and see if you are allowed those things. Also, I wasn't limited to broths. I was allowed cream of mushroom Soup and blended vegetable medley (from the Campbell's Soup to Go line). But check with your doctor first. Please don't give up, it's worth it. And don't cheat because your doctor will be able to tell and you don't want your liver to be in the way. YOU CAN DO IT!!! YOU ARE WORTH IT!! :clap2:

I hope you have a great day!! :eek:

My last supper was pretty lame. LOL! Everything moved so quickly that I really had less than a week to enjoy myself, which I guess was good. I made myself a huge steak with onions and then I had a bacon cheeseburger from 5 Guys. Then I caught a horribly violent stomach flu and couldn't eat anything. It was awful! I had bought a birthday cake and didn't get a bite. My daughter got a piece and then I threw the rest in the trash to reduce temptation. But I actually became obsessed with eating some Noodle Roni parmesan because it was on my list and I never got any. I broke down two days into my pre-op liquid diet and made some, ate it very slowly so I wouldn't gorge myself. I don't think I ate more than 3/4 cup. I got it out of my system but felt horrible. I felt so bad about it that I actually did awesome for the rest of the time. My doctor was very thrilled with how small my liver was. I was sweating so bad over that little slip up, but I needed to get it out of my system. I'm a pasta junkie! :tsk: But that's behind me now! Heh-heh! :eek: :kiss :fish:

I still have mine. My surgeon gave me some pictures of the lapband on my stomach which he took during the procedure and I have a shot of my gall bladder. It looks pretty good! LOL! :eek:

My doctor gave me Hydrocod/Apap Elixer (generic for Lortab Elixer - Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen is supplied in liquid form for oral administration.) Tastes nas-tay but it was a lifesaver in the beginning. :fish: I could take 2-4 tsp. every 4 hours as needed. The first few days I took it pretty faithfully, but then I took it at night before bed and then in the morning. Mornings especially once I went back to work, I was driven to work for the first week back just because of the medicine, but I only took it two times a day. Now I'm not taking anything, not even Tylenol. I still have some pain where my port is but it's tolerable. :eek: