AngieW_RN

I had surgery on October 9th and I'm wondering the same thing!

On the Unjury website they have recipes to make with thier protein powder, including a high-protein pudding with 14 grams of protein in 1/2 cup!

It sounds like your doctor is not making the best choice of words. It is is job, however, make sure you know about both procedured. Statistically, people lose much more weight with a bypass, and it is basically a cure for type II diabetes. However, this takes into accound all patients of all motivation levels. Research dosen't know you and your personality. If lap band is what you think is right for you, make sure you get the support you need!

Hi Jeni, I'm Angie and I just got banded the day after you! I had lot of gas pain for the first few days, its better today. Also a lot of shoulder pain from the gas here and there. All and all I feel pretty good. I'm on full liquids today, so its nice to have tomato Soup and cream of wheat and yogurt. We should keep in touch, it would be really nice to have someone to chat with that's going through the the same things!

SammyGirl, have you tried papaya enzymes for when meat gets stuck? I read about them on here, but I haven't had a chance to ask my doctor about them (plus I'm still on liquids so I don't get stuck yet!). I read on here that if you get meat stuck (not so much bread though) and you chew a couple of them, it goes away really fast. I found some at GNC and plan on keeping them in my purse all the time!

I've been drinking the Isopure fluit flavors while I'm on my post-op clear liquid diet. Its not bed, a lot like gatorade, it is pretty expensive though ($4 and some change for 20 oz) but since i can only sip on 4 oz at a time, it take me all day to drink it. Tomorrow I get to advance to full liquids so I can have my unjury shakes again--I love them!

Congrats Heidi, I know how excited you must be! I just had my band placed yesturday and I'm doing great--actually participated in a walk for charity today! It sounds like we have a lot in common. I'm an ICU nurse and I've been telling everyone I work with about my band! How far along are you in school? What kind of nursing do you plan on doing?

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Thanks everyone! Guy, I am on clear liquids From Friday (surgery day) until Sunday, then I slowly add in other full liquids for 4 to 7 days, then I'll be on purreed food until my 2 week postop appointment, after which they will hopefuly let me start having soft solids. By the way, I got some isopure and a couple other clear prottien drinks from GNC, that way I'm still getting the protein my body needs to heal!

Hey everyone! I had my surgery at 8 am today and I was home by 2:30 this afternoon. The pain isn't so bad, just some aching and gas in my upper abdomen. Gas X and liquid Percocet are controlling it nicely. All and all things are going great!

...but its here! I'm having surgery first thing in the morning and I'm so excited. I'll be like the little kid on the commercial the day before christmas, "I'm too excited to sleep!"

Hey everyone, my big day is Friday October 9th, only 3 days left. My pre-op diet is going well and I'm in the home stretch!

My RD had a list of goals that needed to be met before surgery. Patients who were having surgery sooner had to met all of them pretty fast. But I picked a couple a month to work on. For instance, in June I started eatting more fruits and veggies (because they are so good that time of year!). And I gradually decresed my soda intake until I wasn't drinking any. I also made it a goal one month to only eat out twice a week, then once a week, and then rarely. I didn't lose a lot of weight (which is good because I didn't want to risk losing too much to be approved) but it eased me into the changes that I need to make.

I hear lots of people talking about eatting tuna and chicken salad for the mushie or sort phase, but I'm not a fan of mayonaise. Any ideas on how to make a mayonaise free chicken salad? I was thinking that Greek Yogert may work as a substitute, or maybe fat free tarter sauce?

I think that neck and shoulder pain are pretty common for 2 reasons. 1. The way you are positioned on the operating room table and 2. They fill your abdominal cavity with air, which can move and cause some discomfort. Activity and stetching may help.

I haven't noticed too much of a taste to the Unjury unflavored protein powder, but it can have a strange smell. I prefer to mix 2 scoops with 2 quarts of crystal light and sip on it all day. I don't taste or smell it at all when its this diluted.

If you don't find anyone on here, ask the surgeons office if you can attend a support group! Mine actually requires you attend at least 1 pre-op.

Ask your nutritionist if he/she has some samples you can try, maybe you can find some protein that you can stomach. Or, try diluting them in more fluid. My office recommends unjury and I love the taste of vanilla and chocolate mixed with milk, but I am supposed to have 2 a day made with a low or non-calorie beverage (ie crystal light or water). I couldn't stand 1 scoop of unflavored protein mixed with a cup of crystal light, so I started mixing my 2 scoops with 2 quarts of crystal light--I honestly can't tell its there! My boyfriend drank a glass the other day (not knowing what it was!) and couldn't even tell. I get more than 2 quarts of fluid in a day, and it only adds 40 cal/day. Best of all, when I'm sipping on protein all day long I rarely get hungry! The other thing that I jsut discovered tonight is that the Vanilla powder is great in coffee! Just make sure that the coffee isn't too hot--it needs to be 130 degrees or less!

My doc requires a 2 week liquid diet, but since I don't have may comorbidities, I should be able to go home the same day.

My insurance pays 50%, however, I have an annual out of pocket maximum of $3000, so that plus the program fee and I'm looking around $3500.

Congrats Adrienne and all of the other October 1st bandsters! Hope you have a great day and can't wait to hear how great you're doing after surgery. Only 8 more days for me!

Only without the cake!!!

I have that same image of my liver shrinking in my head! I have almost a week down, and one more to go. I'm losing lots of weight and its going ok. Today I had a lot of cravings though! It was rough, but I knew I couldn't veer off my diet and I didn't. Hopefully tomorrow will be easier!

Each office and insurance company are different. My office required you to attend one of their seminars or view it online before a consult. Once you have your consult, you may or may not require clearance for surgery from a cardiologist and/or pulmonologist, just depends on your current health and age. My office also required a class with the nutritionist and exercise physiologist, as well as attending a support group. Some insurance companies require a 3 or 6 month medically managed weight loss program. This means that you meet with tht nutritionist monthly and work on achieving goals to improve your health, lose weight, and prepare for surgery. Then, all of your info would be submitted to insurance. From what my office said, it usually takes 1-4 weeks to hear back. Once you are approved, you will most likely start a pre-op diet of some sort before surgery. I had my first Dr appt at the end of May, had a 6 month medically manged weight loss program (that got reduced to 3 after 4 months--my insurance company changed thier policy) and I'm having surgery October 9th. Hope this helps!

I use Vitaband from bariatricadvantage.com, they have 3 flavors, and if you call them, they will send you a free sample pack so you can try each flavor. If you can't handle chewables, they also sell some small capsules that should go through your band easier. I think that they are made for RNY patients, but I'm sure its similar.