altopower

Really? No NSAIDS? I just called my surgeon's office today about starting back with Celebrex since I discontinued 2 weeks pre-op (now over a month ago). My knee is down to bone on bone and pain comes with every step. The surgeon said that as long as I'm able to crush, cut, chew, or dissolve it, it was fine at this point. My primary care doc does check me out every 4 months (I've been on these things for ages, tho I still miss my Vioxx like crazy).

Maybe I'm a weirdo but I took off 2 weeks when I was banded - I go back to work on Monday, actually. And I'm glad I did and had the time available to do so. I was on Clear liquids for my first week post-op and only now am on mushies. I wanted the time to get used to eating differently and to not have to be around colleagues' food. I also got completely caught up on my sleep, which has been a big plus, and took several daytime walks that would be harder to do now that it's dark so early. It was the right choice for me. And I did tell my colleagues at work that I was being banded, and answered questions. It was my choice. Our workplace is pretty relaxed and casual and I was comfortable doing so. I've been on WW since April and they already knew I'd lost considerable weight.

Me, too - another Oct. 29 bandster here! Just started mushies this week, but don't add tuna until next week. I only have 8 oz of food per day which doesn't sound like a lot (and it isn't) but I'm not really very hungry. My favorite meal right now is a scrambled egg, or egg beaters, with a wedge of laughing cow lite cheese cut up into it, zapped in the microwave for a minute. Very yummy. Incisions are healed for the most part, though the port area is still tender and I'm careful of it. My first fill is scheduled for 11/23.

I was banded 2 weeks ago (10/29) and wondered the same thing while I went into 2 weeks of clear liquids. Others here were on full liquids, mushies, or even soft food. When I went for my first post-op visit, the nurse was pretty assembly line focused on going over the diet for the next 4 weeks, telling me I needed to wait until exactly 2 weeks to start anything else. But my doctor asked me how I was feeling, and when I said hungry, he said to go ahead and moved up the soft foods to that very day. I'm still only on 8 oz of food per day, and my calorie count is below 400. I'm a little concerned about that, but decided to have a Protein shake made with Water in addition to my soft food to up my protein and calorie count. Other than that, though, I'm sticking to the instructions from my doctor developed with their nutritionist for us. Even when I want more, I trust that they know more about my healing than I do, especially in these early stages. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for more food. But I can wait until Monday for tuna and in the meantime, this is an incentive for me to keep drinking.

Hi everyone, I'm yet another newbie! I was also banded on 10/29/09 and am still on clear liquids, though am hoping after I see my surgeon tomorrow to have stitches out that I'll get the go-ahead to at least have full liquids and finally a protein shake. It's amazing how much something so small seems so big. I'm 55 years old, live in CT and lost 48 lbs on Weight Watchers before actually having surgery, so I know I won't be losing as much as fast post-op, but it's still coming off. It's hard not to hop on the scale twice a day to see if there are changes! So glad to have found the spot for those my own age, and look forward to getting to know you all.

I'm glad you went and things were much more positive than you expected. I want to say, though, that just because insurance doesn't require a 6-month weight reduction program doesn't mean a surgeon wouldn't. We were told it was one of the ways they could see for themselves what kind of commitment we had to eating with restrictions over a period of time. I didn't see it as something to avoid even though it did add some time to the process. I felt more committed myself in doing it, and dropped 45 lbs which made the surgery easier. Other people may be fine omitting that step, but I'm glad I didn't. And no, my insurance didn't require it either.

Oh Beth, what a great idea to go to a wig shop and try on styles first! I'm 55 and when I was about to turn 50, I went for a hairstyle consultation. My hair was very short, graying, and had been permed forever. I hated it. I followed their suggestions and stopped the perms, lightened the color, and am growing out the hair. It's not long by any means, but it's definitely more flattering for me at my current size. As I move my way down the scale, I definitely want to reconsider the hairstyle, just as others are doing. It can make a huge difference and if I don't like it, well, hair grows back :thumbup:

Boy was I glad to find this thread, even if it isn't current. I've been having major diarrhea for the last 3 days - immediately post op was constipated, but expected that. The diarrhea was a surprise. I'm almost afraid to go out walking so am doing it in the living room. Glad I took these 2 weeks off!

Hi Hairstylist - my doctor looked at my gallbladder scars and said he'd try to use them for the lapband op. It wouldn't have occurred to me to ask!

Those crushed pills are nasty tasting. My surgeon asked us to coordinate with our prescribing doctors and pharmacist to see what options were available. I brought two of my tiniest pills (Mirapex and Allegra) and the surgeon said okay to take, even one day post-op. The rest were switched to crushable or liquid. Check with your pharmacist first -- mine was able to ID which prescriptions had options and which presented problems. Don't wait until the last minute, and if you can, get an Rx for the liquid pain meds you'll want immediately after surgery. Better to have that on hand before you even go into the hospital if you can. Good luck!

It's really interesting how different the pre- and post-op diets are for different people. I had no limitations pre-op except to eat lightly the day before. I'd been doing Weight Watchers for 7 months and was already down almost 50 lbs, but I still wanted to be sure there were no problems. So the last few pre-op days (yikes, just last week!, I had a bottle of Boost or Ensure (not Protein shakes) for one meal because that's what I would be allowed per day post-op. I found I was not very hungry or interested in eating "the last pancake, the last ice cream," etc. Post op is different - I'm on 2 weeks of Clear liquids + the Ensure per day. No shakes, no full liquids. At least this side is easier because you don't really want to eat much at first.

I was also banded on 10/29/09. My tummy is still bloated and the port area is too tender for me to poke much. It's on the left, about 1/3 up from the belly button (tho it looks like the right when I look down on it - I'm directionally challenged). The surgeon said he was going to try and reuse my gallbladder scars if possible but I can't tell. I didn't get a card either.

I was banded last week (10/29/09) and the bitterness of crushed meds makes me gag. So I'm really happy to take Tums 750 twice a day (for calcium) and my Flintstones chewable vitamin twice a day. Both were recommended by my surgeon.

Wow, I'm jealous of you at the pureed stage, even with problems. I was banded on 10/29/09 and am on clear liquids only + 1 bottle of Ensure in 4-2oz portions for the first two weeks. I'll be ready for food that needs to be weighed instead of poured.

Congrats! I was banded yesterday (10/29/09) and am just now home sipping my 2-oz of Ensure and some grape Ocean Spray powdered drink mix (much tastier to me than Crystal Light). I'm taking a full 2-weeks off since I have it available to take and I want to see how easy I find it to get around with this new kinda sore tummy.

Daveh7373, I really respect you for making that decision to cancel surgery if you were not ready to do it. Many people DO lose their weight with diet, exercise, commitment, and lots of support. If you knew in advance that restricting eating this drastically was a problem, you definitely made the right decision. I don't consider you a failure at all! Hugs, Anne

My surgery is two weeks from today and the only liquid diet I've heard about from my surgeon is the 2 weeks AFTER the surgery. I know that there isn't one uniform plan that everyone follows, but what is the benefit for being on liquids before the op? Maybe it's something I should do for myself even if he didn't require me to? Tho I don't know that I could last weeks and weeks on clear liquids - the 2 weeks post-op now seems like forever. Advice?

My date is October 29, too, which seems far away but will be here before I know it. I'm feeling a little weird because my surgeon didn't put me on any kind of pre-op diet other than to eat lightly. I'm doing WW anyway, so I know it won't be excessive - and I have 2 weeks of clear liquid + Ensure (or Boost or some kind of similar thing) post-op. I've lost 36 lbs since April so that's a good start, but everything changes on October 29!

I am happy dancing to have found this thread! I'm pre-op (scheduled for 10/29) and have been doing WW faithfully for the umpteenth time since April 3, 2009. So far I've lost 35.8 lbs which more to come before surgery. I love my meeting, my leader, and using e-tools and never thought that I could combine WW eating with being banded. It sounds as tho most of you are well after post-op and on real food, which makes it easier to count the points. How would that work in the first weeks when everything is just so radically different? I can do points and healthy food guidelines and all that, but trying to get them in while also sticking to the very strict first 6 weeks ... that is escaping me. Any advice? Anne in CT

Tren, thanks for the update about your surgery and the tips for those of us who have it coming up. Expect pain and discomfort that won't last long. Walk. Take pain meds :tongue2: I'm Anne from New Haven and I'm being banded at Yale New Haven Hospital on Oct. 29. I'm nervous and excited and yeah, wondering if I'm making the right decision now that I have a date and it's real. But I know I am and that brings peace. I'm so glad to have found all of you!

I'm in much the same place - lost 110 lbs on WW, maintained it for 18 months, and then gained almost all of it back. My right knee is bone on bone and walking is very hard. My lapband is scheduled for 10/29 and the exercise worries me, too. Starting little with short slower walks will help build up the muscles and as the weight comes off, I know I can do more. Do you have access to a pool? Water aerobics or even just pool walking will help without pain. I've lost 35 lbs in the last 5 months on WW and I do feel better going into WLS. I have more discipline, have already eliminated a lot of "bad" food, and know that my knee already feels better having gotten rid of that much - more will be better and easier! Good luck. Let's stay in touch.

HI everyone. This is my first visit here but I know it won't be my last - my surgeon even recommended it to us in our education session last week. I'm lucky that my university has both a hospital and my insurance coverage and I knew from the beginning that it was one-stop-shopping for WLS. I got my referral in June, did my psych eval in July, the nutrition eval in 1 visit in August (which is what my insurance requires), the education session last week, and now my op is scheduled for 10/29/09. It could have been earlier but I had work commitments that I wanted to have behind me so I could really focus on my new life. I've been doing WW again since April and have lost 35 lbs and gotten a grip on listening to my body when eating - and trying to put into practice things I know I need to change for post-op. I'm weaning myself off of my beloved Diet Coke and already drink a ton of Water. But I'm nervous as well as excited. I want to be sure I really am prepared for post-op, so am looking forward to learning from all of you here. Anne