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How is being banded different than you thought it would be? Did it meet your expectations or did those change after the band? This is such a potentially life changing event and I am curious on how it affects people. I wonder if our bodies insist on being at a specific weight for a while to give it a rest before resuming the weight loss. I know that sounds a little crazy, but maybe the mind/body needs the time to adjust. Just a thought.

Hi Tish, I had the same experience! Glad to hear you are doing well. Did Dr. Ortiz tell you it was up to you? That the band is there but until we start getting fills, we will have to persevere? Take care and let's keep in touch. ee

They allowed me to be very modest. Paper panties and they never uncovered me while I was awake. I was amazed and never felt vulnerable, at least not that way. I think you'll be surprised how considerate they seem to be. Good luck!!! Remember walking is a good thing...helps with the recovery.

You have to find what inspires you. Try reading more posts, sometimes someone will write something that speaks to you. Try posting yourself. I've been in the same rut in the past and I've never been successful with my weight loss, now I know it's up to me to use this very expensive tool. Just keep trying and you won't be a failure...every effort helps. Sorry I don't have those magic words that will make it happen for you, but you have those words in you. Look for them, they are there.

Banded July 2nd. I went to work today and my body is starting to function again....all of it. I was really wondering if I was ever going to get rid of that last meal I ate 5 days ago. I didn't eat very much, but it hadn't made an appearance until today. I kind of feel like the senior citizen who's major topic of conversation is their BM...it was getting a little scary. Sorry if this is TMI. I haven't been hungry really, but today those gurgling noises and things were beginning to feel like hunger. I get to start the thicker liquid diet tomorrow, soft yogurt then Wednesday it's on to added protein and by Friday it's liquid but includes the creamy stuff. I feel my recovery is going really well, but I've been up and doing stuff since I got banded. We had a 4th of July party and I actually fixed food and set up for that. Sunday was a sleep and relax day. I didn't take all the pain meds because I really didn't need them. I am sore, very sore at the port site but that too is getting better as long as I don't touch it or the cat doesn't walk on me. I am hoping this tool is the one that finally works for me and with me. I am going to do everything I can to make it successful. I have a long way to go on changing my eating habits and that is going to be very hard. Someone mentioned eating bread with their broth and said it did bad things....what are the complications of doing that? I would like the details, my doctor didn't give me anything like the consequences--just the edict to not do it. I hope everyone recovers quickly and those of you that get the extra time off, really enjoy it. I wish I could. ee

Oh Ditto there!!! LOL ee

Liz, Joann, Dottie, Lynn Hey, I'm really enjoying reading your posts. I love to hear what people are doing outside the work force. Unfortunately I am still a slave to the paycheck, but I'm hoping that will come to an end in a couple of years. I always wonder if I would go back to school and what I would take. I really don't want another career, but there are so many things to explore. I've taken a couple of classes on the side, but find my self wishing I had not committed my time to it. And I too am grade driven. I told my boss about my surgery today. He's the only one I'm telling right now at work. I really don't want the scrutiny for a while. I'm sure I can hide the weight loss for a couple of months. My body shape is very round and I wear loose clothing so I shouldn't have to explain what I've done for a while. I've been wearing the same shirts for years...up and down the scale, so it will be good camouflage. Have a great day ladies! Eva

Okay, I'm 4 days post-op and totally get where you are coming from with the noises coming out of my middle region. I've always been able to burp quite easily and sometimes it's a little noisy when I chose. Now....OMG...the rumbling makes the cat look at me funny. Everything is gurgling around and I'm still on complete liquids. Can't wait to start solid foods and see what happens to both ends. I still think it's funny, even on my self, but today will be my first day back at work and hopefully my cube mate won't be able to hear me. LOL. Have a great day.:tongue_smilie:

Thanks for asking Connie, All is well. I left the clinic in Tijuana the same day as the surgery and ended up back in San Diego that night. I came back home a day early and all seems well. I have a friend that is a physical therapist and she has done wound care so I had her check the incisions and all is well. My stomach is still tender, but healing. It's back to work tomorrow and I'll be going out of town for 3 days for training. It will be real fun working out the food for those three days, but I'm sure I'll manage. Good luck to the rest of you July bandsters!! EE:thumbup:

Good luck to you. I was banded on the 2nd and seem to be doing well. I'm sure you will be too. ee

Poppet, Your goals will have to be what ever works for you. For some, they need to see the whole picture and set a goal for their entire weight loss. That's great, but sometimes it's just too overwhelming. I have my total goal set on my signature, but I've added a mini goal to work towards in the short term. My nutritionist set a goal of 164 for me, but of course I want a lower goal, so I set it at 148. Which ever it is, it has to be one that works for you. Some people will work in 10 pound increments. They get the first 10 lost, then work on the second. Try one and see how it works. If it doesn't work for you, change it. Remember, it's your goal and weight loss, not your families or friends. Same thing for exercise. I really need to set that goal too because it's a really weak spot for me. I will have to set a serious exercise goal as soon as I'm through healing. I'm already doing some stuff, but I will have to get serious and actually work a goal. I'm sure there are others that will give you great advise on this subject. I've just started my journey and there are years of experience here. The best to you. ee

Ifyourstomach... I just read a bit of your blog and I think it is well written and makes a lot of sense. Thank you for posting the link. I also think the purple ribbon thing is a good idea. I'm going to explore that idea a while. I've beaten myself up over the years with guilt because I was "bad" and ate too much or bad stuff and it always is a down ward spiral. Over the last few years, I've been working on the guilt thing and deciding guilt doesn't help anything, it only detracts. So if surgery is cheating, I'm sure not going to feel guilty about it. I'm also one of those fatties that thought people were crazy to go through WLS because of the profound affects it could have on the negative side. You know the stories of malabsorption and needing vitamin shots weekly, torn staples and all the other bad things that can happen. Up until recently I didn't believe I would do this either, but I was crazy not to consider it. Cheating? There is no cheating with this, it's just a different type of tool, like the gym or Nutrisystem, or Medifast, or Weight Watchers, etc. You just have to work the program.

I was banded on July 2nd also. My instruction says clear liquids also, but it doesn't say when or how often. I've had broth 3 times a day and I drink other liquids all day long, sipping a little at a time. I can start with drinkable yogurt tomorrow and Protein at day six. So I just keep sipping all day long. I find it takes me all day to get enough Water, juice, liquid. I think it's important to stay hydrated and let the stomach heal. I'm still not hungry and seem to be doing alright. I go to work tomorrow, so that will be the truth in how I'm doing. Good luck

Hello Laurie, welcome to the boards. Lots of info here and it goes both ways, good and bad. Take care of yourself and don't worry. Do what your doctor says and everything should be alright. I was just banded on 7-2-09 and I'm still on the liquid phase, but I'm not hungry and seem to be doing alright. I'm still sore, but it seems taking it easy really helps. Good luck!! ee

Had my surgery 7-2-09 also. Not much pain, just a little sore muscle. Came home a day early and am busy burping and listening to the air bounce around my insides. I am not hungry and I like that. Don't forget to stay hydrated. ee

I was banded July 2 in Tijuana. Pretty amazing and quick. There were several of us and we all worked through our tests and they took us in the back and got us ready for surgery. By the time they showed me my room it was here's your gown and here are your cute little disposable panties (hahaha) get undressed and put these on. Someone will be in to finish with your compression socks. Those compression socks took this little tiny woman about 5 minutes to put on me and she had to work really hard at it, but they felt wonderful. Next step was IV set up and several shots which I really didn't feel. Then they were rolling me off to the operation room. My arms were spread out and tied down which was weird, but that was about the end of me. I remember telling the anesthesiologist "whatever" you're doing is working and that was it. I woke up back in my room in a blurr. I laid there dozing off and on for a while, then they got me up and helped me walk. I got up and walked several more times and decided I wanted to leave. Another lady there and I got permission to leave and we did. I was really in no pain, had chicken broth in the hotel dinning room and we decided to head back to San Diego and find a room there. We got back so late we couldn't catch a flight back home, but we ended up finding a nice place to stay and caught a flight out a day early. I'm home, slept well, experienced many bubbles floating around my insides. My stomach sounds a lot like my husbands. He was a very noisy stomach. I'm not in much pain (but I did take the pain meds they gave me). I am sore in a copule of spots and I know my brain isn't working at top notch, so good thing I still have a couple of days before I have to go to work, but I really don't see a problem with any of that. I'll be walking some today and napping and taking it generally easy. The best to you other banders out there. I AM NOT HUNGRY AT ALL. YEAH. ee:smile2:

Band or no band, losing weight is not the easy way out. Losing weight and keeping it off is so supremely difficult, we are all here looking for help. Even with the band, each person has to make the choice to use the tool. When the correct choices are make, it involves a lot of work and will power. The hope and the ideal that the band will help curb the annoying hunger is to goal. During my diet tries, the thought of a 1200 calorie diet scared the rationality out me. I've tried it and was miserable because I was so hungry all the time. I wolfed my food down and it didn't last. I would be hungry two hours later and on and on. All I could think about is food. I failed miserably at all those diets. I was on one diet where I ate 8 cups of veggies spread out through the day, every day. I lost weight but once again, all I ended up thinking about was food, I have to cut up my veggies, I have to eat every two hours, I have to do this every whatever. I can't live like that either. I was banded yesterday. I am not hungry despite the fact I've had 2 cups of broth and 16 oz of liquid so far today. (It's evening). I'm going to use this tool to the best of my ability and for once in my life, food isn't going to rule me. I will rule it and I don't care what anyone thinks.:eek:

Do you journal your food? Despite all the stuff out there, the only way you lose weight is if you decrease calories and increase motion. You can do that is several ways, and some don't work very well. Start and keep a journal for a month. Note the time you eat, what you eat exactly (the food, the condiments, the amount), note what kind of mood you were in. Write down everything you eat and when you do it. If you only do this for a week, I think you might find your answer. Be honest and please ask for help from some of the very experienced and successful people on this sight. You are also welcome to PM me. There is not reason why you should not succeed. EE

So all the pre op fears were groundless. The clinic, operation and everything went smoothly and I didn't feel too bad...well maybe like someone stabbed and beat me, but besides that, everything was okay. Today I'm a little groggier and don't exactly feel like running a marathon. I just started working on my first 1/2 cup of broth. Takes good and feels good going down. Now, for the control to no nibble and do any of the thinks I'm not supposed to. Don't forget to hydrate ladies and gents. It's important. EE

Had surgery yesterday and didn't feel too bad so we managed to get back over the border and into San Diego. Spent the night there and took an earlier flight home. So I am home a day earlier. I'm sore and a bit wonky. Plan taking it easy and slow today. I think I 'll go nap some more. I'm finally working on my first 1/2 cup of broth. I really am not hungry. Although my husband is making potato salad and salsa for tomorrow and I want to pick on it, but I know that is head hunger and not true hunger so I'll continue sipping on my broth. Quite the experience I must say. Eva

Connie123 & Giterdone, I sort of worried about the over 50 thing, but hey we are not dead yet and have (or should have) many years left to enjoy ourselves. My surgery is tomorrow if all goes well. I lost 13.5 lbs, the 13 required + a little bonus. I hope I can keep up the determination and attitude to carry this through the end. Be checking back with everyone when I return.

I found the Walmart brand of chewable calcium to be okay, and yes, they are caramel, they are very soft and melt in your mouth. They also have chocolate but I haven't tried them. It's almost 3am here and I can't sleep. I'm off my anti-inflammatory meds prior to surgery and I'm achy. I have arthritis and the meds do help. My brain won't shut down either. I'm sure it will in the morning when I can't stay awake for work. That will be fun. I'm already having a very hard time concentrating and I have a bunch of stuff to get done tomorrow (today). I leave on Wednesday and surgery on Thursday. I'm tired of the pre-op diet, although I'm sticking to it. This is why I need the band because after a meer 10 days, I'm ready to eat things I shouldn't. Hopefully with the band, when I make poor choices, I won't be eating tons of it. My cat is liking the fact I'm up in the middle of the night. She's getting a lot more attention. Okay, enough middle of the night rambling. :tongue2:

Yes, I am preoccupied and not focusing on work as I need to or anything else. I actually lost my flight confirmation number and had to call the airline today to get it. Duhhhhh. I'll be leaving in 2 days and going under the knife in 3 (if all goes well). Oh boy!! I'm a bit nervous. :rolleyes2: