Tim

I'm down 34 lbs. First fill was the 24th... 3cc in a 9cc band. Surgeon is Dr. Wagner, St. Louis

When I signed my informed consent, I wrote on the bottom "Remember, just because I gave you permission to kill me doesn't mean I want you to!"

I'm sitting at work, for the last time before surgery on monday, wondering if my failure to adhere to, or even feel guilty about violating, the pre-op diet is an indicator of future success with the band. 7 days of complete liquid diet... broth and SF Crystal Lite. I made it 2 3/4 days. Wednesday night I decided I was having dinner. Mexican. Thursday, a plate of healthy(ish) chinese food. Friday night, a 6" subway sandwitch. Also, I've thrown in a a couple slim-fasts. One of the reasons I chose the surgery is because I've dieted in the past, and never make it. I get hungry, I eat. The reason I chose the surgery is that it helps take the hunger factor out of the equation. The pre-op diet seems a little crazy to me. Odd, I trust the guy to chop me open and re-arrange my inner bits, but not to prescribe a pre-op diet.

According to My Surgeon the Steristrips will fall off when they are meant to. he said if it make sme feel uncomfortable, then feel free to put a bandaid/bandage on them. personally, I would reccomend that neosporn scar formula stuff.

I'm supposed to be on thin liquids... but I've progressed myself to some thicks, and a little bit of mushies... So far I've braved Cottage cheese and Yogurt for food, a slice of muenster cheese, and to drink i'm just having Water. I've always been a big water drinker anyway.

I've had it quite a bit too... it feels like I need to belch, but can't. My stomach is sure making some wierd noises

I was nervous, and even pretty scared before surgery. I found that education helped me. I went out on the net and found a link to a video of a lapband procedure, with an inside view. After I knew exactly what to expect, it wasn't nearly as scary for me. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3190472028990485080&q=lap-band&hl=en After Surgery, I was up and walking around (Ambulating!) within 2 hours, and the day after surgery, it mostly felt like I'd done too many situps. The only thing that still hurts, and not that much, is to cough or sneeze. Tim

I just wanted to share this with everyone... I was considering eating a piece of Muenster Cheese, and wanted to know what was in it.. so I searched the web and found this site. It seems to have the nutritional data for almost every food imaginable! http://www.nutritiondata.com/index.html

RatGirl, I'm not Teresa, but I was banded on monday, so I might be able to give you some insight into how it went for me. I don't remember anything more than a glimpse of the Operating Room before the surgery when i changed beds, until the time I opened my eyes in the recovery room. At this point they'd already removed the breathing tube. The next time I opened my eyes I was in my hospital room, and my family was there. My nose itched, and it took me like 30 seconds to get my hand to my nose to scratch. They gave me a dose of non-narcotic pain releiver, and then an hour later, I was able to get up and use the bathroom on my own. about 4 hours after surgery, I was sitting up on a couch they had in my room, and a couple hours later, I took a stroll around the hospital floor. I haven't had a dose of pain medicine since that initial non-narcotic right after surgery. I felt a little discomfort when changing positions, but everything else is great. I left the hospital the next morning after a floroscope to make sure my band was placed well and the port was in the proper position. 4 days out, I'm very comfortable. I slept on my stomach/side last night, and have no problem sitting/standing... As for food, i'm on a thin liquid diet, so i'm putting a lot of water back, 64+ oz a day, but as far as broths and so forth, i'm limited to about 1/2 a cup per meal.

"you're going to have a rubberband put around your stomach??" I actually told most folks at work. I'm very much an extravert, and they are all very supportive... kept me on my pre-op diet for sure!! We'll see how that works out in the long-run though. Tim

I had surgery monday and was ready to go back to work today. Thankfully, I am able to work from home so it hasn't been an issue of driving, etc. I haven't had a single dose of pain medication, other than tylanol... and I feel pretty darned good. The only real challenge is the feeling of needing to belch without being able to. That said, i'm thankful that I don't have to go in if I don't want to, for the next few days.

Everyone thanks for your support! So, I survived the Surgery. The only evidence I have physically of having been through the surgery is an inability to sleep on my side/stomach. It all went swimmingly. I'm doing better on the liquid diet now that i'm not starving all the time. I'm looking forward to Cottage cheese though!!!!

Hello Everyone, I've been lurking on the thread, seeing descriptions of others experiences before going through my own, and I figured since I'm one day out from my band-date of 8/14, I would contribute my own experience: I was really scared the week before surgery. I've never had so much as stitches, and here I volunteered for Surgery. What really helped the fear was watching an entire lapband procedure on google video. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3190472028990485080&q=lap-band&hl=en The hospital did a great job, and I don't remember anything from the prep room to the recovery room. It's my second day out, and I'm feeling pretty good. I've been up and around quite a bit, and I'm pretty comfortable without pain medication. I did get a narcotic to help me sleep last night. I think that was mostly because I can't sleep on my side/stomach as normal. Tim

I just bought a bigger bathtub.... about six months ago. 6' long and 4' wide.... Congratulations on not being a human dam, without buying a new tub like I did

I'm still not going to tell the surgeon :Banane27:

Teresa, I know exactly what you're going though. I'm just finishing up day 2 of my clear liquid diet, with no protine drinks, or anything of substance really. I've turned the TV off, because the food commercials were making me salivate... I started off drinking bullion... but I've found that making a broth from a Soup base tastes much, much better. I'm wishing my doctor would let me have a protine shake or something, but I'm only allowed bases/broths... and SF Jello... which is good for the first day... I think this is really just torture to see how committed we are.:speechles I really believe that with the band, it will be easier. I'd settle for half a bite of real food right now, and be very pleased with it. I'm sort of viewing this as a rehab from real food, and then a slow build-up postop to eating again... the right way.