doubleg71

I am six days post-op and I just started getting my hunger pains back...but it wasn't hungry like before and I am able to rid them with my fluids. I am about to begin thicker liquids tomorrow and I don't see it being a problem. I am back to feeling pretty normal and went back to work and college class in evening and felt damn good. I am almost 30 lbs. (including pre-op) but I have noticed no real hunger that I can't control.:wink:

Just to give you an update from this morning...I really feel good today and drinking my fluids, walking are helping alot. I rid myself of the hiccups (that sucked) and I actually feel great right now. I just started getting hungry for the first time since surgery but the S.F. Jello and broth have been a big help. I had the same thought as you...how could it get worse afterwards...all I can say is "they have some good drugs." I am heading back to work tomorrow and know that it will not be a problem. I did not have the naseau that many have had so I can't comment on that...Hang in there and know it gets better.

I had my surgery on Wednesday and I know the pains you are having. I have been told that alot of it has to do with the swelling inside and makes breathing a little harder due to the decrease in room inside. On Saturday, I felt the worse that I have only because I had these hiccup episodes after trying to drink anything...they hurt. Today when I woke up, I didn't know if they would continue but seem not to have appeared today. I drank my protien shake this morning and have drank some crytal light with my crushed multi-vitamin and feel better than I did. I still have some pain in my left side (feels like the pain when you run 2 miles) but it is so much easier to drink today. When you look at this surgery and realize everything that was done to you, I think 4 days is awesome to be doing this well. I hope your days get better like mine have and I am ready to return to work tomorrow (desk job) and I know it will be a better day tomorrow. Good luck on your journey..

That helps me tremendously reading about what experiences all of you have had in your processes. It seems easier today and I am sure that it will become easier tomorrow too. I can eat my s.f. jello easier today, drinking seems a little easier today and I feel the tightness getting less and less. I look forward to talking to all of you as our process goes on and really use this resource to help me along the way. Thanks for your help...

Guys, I am 3 days post-op and I truly feel good except for the gassy feeling in my chest which I know will go away. I am beginning to feel hunger pains for the first time since surgery...but I can squash them with a little liquid. I am excited about my new leash on life and can't wait to begin eating solid foods again....Heck I will take soft right now!! I wonder how long most you you guys felt the tightness in your chests due to gas? does it have anything to do with swelling of your insides? Right now, I am drinking liquids and feel it get tight when it reaches the banded area, will it get tight every time I drink? Just some questions for some of you who have been through the process...thanks!

This morning was my surgery and I arrived at 7:30am and was at home by 1:00pm. Definitely felt the gas pains but had my Gas-X standing by at my house...walk around alot and feeling great. I feel like I did a bunch of crunches this morning for a workout and I am a little sore. I have not taken anything for pain and I have been sipping on some chicken broth. I had lost 20 lbs. prior to surgery and now I don't see anything but a bright future...ONE QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS: 1) How long till you can smoke a cigarrette...Yes, I know it is bad for you but I would rather focus on one vice at a time. But I would like to know if anyone knows if it would hurt to smoke one????

I had my surgery yesterday morning and I know the pain you are talking about...I have be taking the gas-x strips and trying to walk as much as possible...slowly releasing the gas as much as possible. If it were not for the gas, I would feel like a million bucks. I have no pains or naseau whatsoever but this gas sucks and makes me feel uncomfortable. I am sure that this will pass. I would like to know how long to expect this gas to last by others, just so I can look forward to the end!

Up in the top right corner, you will see your screen name saying "Welcome, XXXXXXXXX". If you click on your name, you can access more options about your profile and add a signature to your profile (the tickers at the bottom with everyone's weight and info). You can choose to click on anyone's ticker and sign up for your own...Hope this helps

If it helps to know, my surgery is day after tomorrow (wed.) and I still have some doubts about making the correct decision...but in the end, I know that if I don't take this step, I will not keep my end of the bargin up. I have been down every road looking for the way to a more active lifestyle...and still have yet to find it. I think it is totally up to you to decide if you are willing to change or continue the battle. For me, I know it is just the "change" that is the biggest concern and nobody likes change...except Mr. Obama...lol. Hope we have given you some insite to help you make your decision.

I see that your surgery is tomorrow and i just wanted to wish you well...I imagine your emotions are running wild right about now and I will be 2 days behind you...Good luck!:w00t:

I am not sure why you have not lost more weight in 9 days...make sure that you diet has little or no carbs. If you are consuming protien shakes as your pre-op diet, I wouldn't use any milk and use water instead. If you are buying your shakes, then make sure you are buying the "lite" brand of shakes you are doing. I have been on the diet for about as long as you have and have lost nearly 20 lbs. I would also buy a nutrition scale and weigh out your foods to ensure you are only consuming the amounts allowed by your diet...plus it will come in handy for your new life style. My pre-op diet consists of a Muscle milk lite (morning), 1 cup fruit, NO Bananas (10 am.), 4-6 oz. lean meat (Fish,Chicken, Beef) and all you want of green vegtables (avoid potatoes & carrots), and Muscle Milk Lite (5-6pm). Drink only water, Unsweet tea or Crystal lite...NO DIET SODA. I don't see a couple of crackers and cheese holding you back...either that or your scale is broke???:w00t: I hope this helps

I am on Jan 20th and I can not wait...little nervous but more anxious to get this over with. I have gone through this in my mind hundreds of times and now that we are less than 3 days out, it is getting more real. I wish you luck and hope the best for both of us...Keep your focus on the ultimate goal!!

It shouldn't make any difference...I have slipped up one time and I think the intense pre-op diet will shrink you liver enough to have the surgery...plus I don't think your liver will swell up for a small tsp of peanut butter but I would just remove it like you plan to anyway.

Mine is set for the 20th as well....Looks like the manufacturer of LapBands is having a banner month to begin the new year. I am still waiting to hear from the doctor with my surgery time but I don't really care when it happens...just that it comes quickly. Good luck to everyone on this same journey and I hope to be talking to many of you.

Well, before I even joined the group, I asked what the rules were..and of course...there were no rules. As a matter of fact...at our weigh in, a guy made a joke about "getting his stomach stapled" and the facilitator of the contest said..."If someone wants to spend $15K to get it done to win $1K, then let them...". So, as far as I am concerned, it is fair game and it is just an additional tool that I will use to keep me focused on the future...Not to mention that it is not judged by total pounds lost...it is by % of weight lost (just like on TV)..So I could lose 26 lbs., which is 10% and some one who weighs 200 lbs. could lose 25 lbs. and still win the contest. Secondly, I don't work with anyone in the contest...it is contest that a friend of mine was having with some other people she knows, so I am not worried about having to work with someone. It was fortunate that I was already planning WLS prior to joining this group. :w00t:

I went through the "Last Supper" syndrome also but when it was time to do the pre-op diet, I put my focus on what I was able to eat according to my doctor. I did slip one time (donut) and then it was right back to where I was. I am having surgery on Wednesday (1/20) and look forward to it more every day. After going through the posts and seeing what support eveyone on here gives you and it makes me realize that my life is changing for the better.

I am 5 days out from surgery and have made it through the toughest part of the pre-op diet...Last 4 days, I am going to go with just 3 shakes per day...make the liver really small. I know that it is a challenge, especially if your portions were anywhere close to mine. Just know that when you are at your weakest points, busy yourself and keep your eye on the prize. I wish you luck

I am 5 days away from my operation and I honestly have had second thoughts about making this decision. When I began my pre-op diet and noticed my clothes loosening, I wondered if I could do it on my own and maybe I wouldn't need to resort to the WLS. About day 4 of the diet, I began thinking about everything that I may not be able to eat again and knew that it was the right choice...because I started to think about cheating and not following the pre=op diet, which is why I need to go thru with it. My greatest challenge is portion control and snacking. This is something I must do for myself to better my life and not live for the food. I know I will struggle at times but I know I will be successful...and so will you. I know how you feel about those special outings for a meal that you just love to taste...Mine is a Whataburger burger...keep your mind focused on your goals.

I thought about canceling but realized that everything I have done up to now hasn't worked...I realized that it is change that is making me nervous and not the operation itself. I know it is the right thing to do

I have been reading all the posts on this topic because it seems to be the one thing I have gone back and forth with for my entire pre-op experience. I have my pre-op meeting with my surgeon tomorrow and I am scheduled to be banded on Jan. 20th. I have only told two people and I have been preparing everyone, mostly people at work, about my expected weight loss by beginning a "Biggest loser" challenge with a group of people (first place will pay out enough to cover my Insurance Deductible:thumbup:)...and all of my co-workers and friends are aware of the competition. I am lucky that my surgery and weight loss process has begun at the beginning of the year when everyone tries to lose weight for the New Year. Everyone at work has seen me eating extremely light and healthy for the past 2 weeks. I also made it known to everyone that I have a goal of losing 80-90 lbs. and I will do whatever it takes to meet my goals. I have been lucky as far as taking time off because I have a great boss who doesn't care if I take off early or have a doctor's appt. and asks me every morning how my "diet" is going. I have a core group of people I eat with daily and most of them are trying to lose weight as well. My biggest concern is when I return to "real" food, PB'ing or getting stuck at lunch time. After reading all the posts on this, I am hopeful to avoid this during lunch time until I learn exactly what I can eat and learn to decrease the "bite" size of my food. The main reason I have decided not to discuss this with more people is because I don't think some of my friends would think I should resort to the surgery..but they have never lived in my shoes. I have been 100 lbs. overweight for the last 10 years. I have done the diet/exercise regimine many times. I would lose 30-40 lbs and then hit the plateau..then quit and gain it back. I am ready to return to being a healthier person, not to mention that my entire family is diebetic and I don't want to travel down that road. I want to feel good about myself and have the self confidence I use to have when I was in my late 20's. As my surgery date gets closer, the more anxious I get and wonder if I am making the right decision. I began thinking that if our great leader Mr. Obama:mad2: gets his healthcare reform package passed, my company may choose not to cover this elective surgery and then I would regret it later on...and you know that government run healthcare would not offer it. Plus, about three days into my pre-op diet, I nearly brokedown and bought a cheeseburger meal for lunch. I know that if I don't do this, the probability of me continuing a healthier lifestyle is lower. I guess if you feel comfortable telling people, then you should. I chose not to air my business to everyone...

I had the same thoughts as you because I am going to be banded in January. I usually eat lunch with a couple of friends who will definitely notice the change in my eating habits. It won't be as difficult for me because each year I say I am going to change my eating habits (of coarse never really did) but now I have set myself up for a great cover. I have already begun telling them that this year is going to be different so when I begin to do my Pre-op and Post-op dieting at work, it will just seem as if I made these choices to work on my diet when really I have changed my lifestyle for good. I just took the time off from work and look forward to my new life...I wish you luck!

Well, tomorrow is the big day and I will be in your shoes in 4 weeks...I can imagine that a million things are going through your mind. I am wishing you and your wife the best...not bad to have a partner go through this with you at the same time. Keep us updated on your progress!!:biggrin:

I thank everyone for all the tips and stories to make me feel easier about the whole process. I look forward to changing my life...

Today, I received the call that I had been approved by my insurance for the LB procedure. I am so happy that it wasn't a battle with my insurance company (Cigna) but now I am a little nervous about the change that is coming. I know that I can make the necessary changes in my personal life to make this a success and I guess it is just pre-op nerves but it is still difficult to think how big of a change this is in my life. I guess my biggest challenges are going to be learning to chew my food completely and learning how to eat without drinking fluids...If anyone could give me some pre-op suggestions and experiences...I sure would appreciate it. My surgery is scheduled for January 20th, 2010...which is right around the corner...Thanks in advance!

I too like to have that diet drink each day but don't feel like it will be the hardest thing...Like you, chewing and smaller bites are my challenge. I am sure that I will learn this adjustments and I will be in this forum asking many questions. I appreciate your input