btrieger

Welcome! I started my LAP-BAND® journey on September 18, 2009 and had my surgery yesterday, March 2, 2010. During the wait I lost 95 pounds and attribute almost all of it to Portion Control. I was basically eating the same things I always ate. I was just eating less of them. Just 20 - 25% less. But I did cut out soda and fast food If I snacked between meals I wasn't the health freak just eating fresh fruit and other rabbit food. I ate Cookies, chips and I ate chips and ice cream but never more than 150 calories at a time or 400 calories a day of this crap. I followed the following rules very closely: Drink at least 64 ounces of clear Water a day Always eat breakfast Stop eating when you are no longer hungry. There is no need to clear your plate! Journal EVERYTHING that passes your gums I also started walking a lot more. At least 3 hours a week. This was usually 30 - 45 minutes 5 days a week. I was not hungry and it didn't even seem like a diet. I did have another tool. My Bodybugg but this just told me how many calories I was burning and gave me a place to journal my food. Another tool I used and probably the most important was a positive attitude. I never once thought, "I can't do this" or looked back at what I wasn't eating. I focused on what's ahead for me. You can do this but you have to want to. My initial motivation was my approaching 45th birthday but a I had a heart a week after I started my lapband journey and 3 days before my birthday. Hopefully, you can find other motivation. I'm glad I got the lapband in before my motivation and attitude dwindled leaving me to rely on will power alone. I also enjoyed the wait time and it flew by. I spent it reading every post on this site, read hundreds of blogs and making sure I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. Good luck!!

There is nothing to worry about. Had mine yesterday and can't even make it sound interesting. I'm almost disappointed that my surgery was uneventful and boing. 11:10 AM - Checked in the hospital 11:20 AM - Got brought a room to strip and put on a johnny 11:40 AM - Nurse inserted IV as prep 1:10 PM - Rolled to OR 2:20 PM - Woke up in recovery room feeling bloated 2:40 PM - Walked to x-ray and drank barium 3:20 PM - Was sent home It has only been about 8 hours since I got home and the gas is subsiding. I almost feel like nothing was done. I could actually go to work in the morning if I wanted but that ain't gonna happen. PS. not waking up never concerned me because when I go, I want to die in my sleep.

I'm almost disappointed that my surgery was uneventful and boing. 11:10 AM - Checked in the hospital 11:20 AM - Got brought a room to strip and put on a johnny 11:40 AM - Nurse inserted IV as prep 1:10 PM - Rolled to OR 2:20 PM - Woke up in recovery room feeling bloated 2:40 PM - Walked to x-ray and drank barium 3:20 PM - Was sent home It has only been about 8 hours since I got home and the gas is subsiding. I almost feel like nothing was done. I could actually go to work in the morning if I wanted but that ain't gonna happen.

Wow congrats!!!!!

Great!! The time will fly by during the waiting period / supervised diet. I started on September 18th and just got home from surgery. It feels like I just started yesterday.

I just got home from surgery. Absolutely no pain at all and I am not sore either. Gas is causing a little discomfort but that's it.

I weigh my daily but only record it once a week. I refuse to get discouraged if a gain a pound or 2 in a day because it is usually gone the next.

Well, I'm either in shock or this is really no big deal to me. I'm having surgery that will change my life forever about 6 hours from now and I had absolutely no problem sleeping last night. I made it through 22 days of shakes without being hungry, moody or cheating. I have another 14 days of shakes starting this afternoon. I wonder if that will be just as easy. Not drinking water for the next 6 hours is going to hurt. I should be nice and parched by the time I get to the hospital. Today is not only notable for my surgery but it also marks the day that: 95 pounds weight loss 100 pounds left to lose NO longer morbidly obese! I want to thank everyone on this site (except of course the idiots that told me I know nothing and shouldn't give advice because I'm not banded). I don't wear my feelings on my arm and may come across as I think I know everything but I wouldn't know a thing without reading about your experiences, questions and answers. I don't ask a lot of questions because for the most part, you've all done that for me. Pre-Surgery ticker! Post-Surgery ticker!

Thanks for the kind words folks. I was only at the hospital 4 4 hours and more than half of that was laying in prep watch Private Benjamin. Absolutely no pain!! Just a little discomfort from gas.

There is no difference between pre-op and post-op requirements. Women require 50 grams a day and men 63. I have never heard anybody say there a was a max before.

It is official now. I am banded!! There is absolutely no pain, just a little discomfort from gas. checked in at 11:10, watched TV for 2 hours, got rolled to the OR at about 1:35 and woke up around 2:30. Very uneventful.

Taking 2 hours to eat a meal is grazing. The first bites are digested before you finish the last. As mentioned above, stop eating after 30 minutes. I can't imagine taking that long to eat only 100 calories a day. Are you journaling everything you eat online or with pen and paper? That is also mentioned above a couple of times. You may see that you are eating more than you thought and/or it is great to have this when you visit your nutrionist or surgeon.

Well, I'm banded and home. It was rather uneventful. I have a little discomfort which I think/ope is gas but other than that, absolutely no pain. Thanks for all of the kind words folks!!

Thanks Gloria et al. Leaving here in 12 minutes. Betsy, forget about me. Concentrate all of your thoughts and prayers on your husband. Unfortunately, I speak from experience and the cath lab is no fun! I hope everything works out for Mark.

I don't know if my nerves are steel or not but the extra weight has caused me plenty of pain, how much worse can this be. I've got about a 45 minute drive. I live in Northern Fort Worth and the hospital is 35 miles north in Decatur. I am bringing a pillow to brace again my abdomen on the way home as suggested.

The wait is easy. The time will fly by.

Welcome! Please read and research as much as possible before making your final decision. Weight loss surgery is a life altering decision. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask. There are people on this site in all stages of banding and many is every age group. Good luck!!

I am heading for the hospital to get banded in about 3 hours. I wanted to thank all of you for posting about your experiences with surgery. It's put my mind at ease and I am not nervous at all.

Thanks for the well-wishes folks. I'm heading for the hospital in about 3 hours. Slept like a baby last night. I'll give a full report when I get back which hopefully will put some of you at ease. Look out though, I will be honest. If there is gross stuff, I won't leave it out. Good luck to all of the other having surgery today!! I'll see you in Bandland.

Well, the day is finally here. Today is the day my BMI dropped below 40! I am no longer morbidly obese. Oh yeah, I am having surgery or something in a few hours too. Thanks for all of the well wishes folks and even the prayers. I will have a full report when I get back. I hope there's some gross stuff, because I love posting it just to get a rise out of people.

Thanks for all of the wishes folks. 4.5 hours until I report to the hospital and I am still not excited. I slept like a baby last night. I'll give a full report when I get back. Good luck to all of the others going today!! I'll see you on the other side.

Well, I'm either in shock or this is really no big deal to me. I'm having surgery that will change my life forever about 6 hours from now and I had absolutely no problem sleeping last night. I made it through 22 days of shakes without being hungry, moody or cheating. I have another 14 days of shakes starting this afternoon. I wonder if that will be just as easy. Not drinking water for the next 6 hours is going to hurt. I should be nice and parched by the time I get to the hospital. Today is not only notable for my surgery but it also marks the day that: 95 pounds weight loss 100 pounds left to lose NO longer morbidly obese! I want to thank everyone on this site (except of course the idiots that told me I know nothing and shouldn't give advice because I'm not banded). I don't wear my feelings on my arm and may come across as I think I know everything but I wouldn't know a thing without reading about your experiences, questions and answers. I don't ask a lot of questions because for the most part, you've all done that for me. Pre-Surgery ticker! Post-Surgery ticker!

Out-surgery. I should be home by 5 PM CST tomorrow. Under 16 hours now! I hope I can handle deli food once I am eating solids. It is where I go when I don't feel like cooking.

Thanks!! Glad to hear everything went smoothly. It sounds like this should be a no-brainer for me tomorrow. I never watched ER but I am more of a House guy anyways. I'll start giving the surgeon and nurses crap and talking down to them.