Astrasmom

I had to go 6 months before my insurance would approve my surgery. After my seminar I went to my first consultation with the doctor about 2 weeks after and received a tentative surgery date. After I finished all my pre-surgery requirements my surgery date was moved up a week to 10/23/09.

Hi October Bandsters. I was banded on Oct. 23. Just started the mushie stage on Monday (11/2/2009). I'm down 20 lbs since surgery and already feeling better. I guess now I start what everyone calls "Bandster Hell" until my first fill in 5 weeks. I'm not hungry at all really. I'm listening to my stomach rather then my head (head hunger) and trying to keep myself busy. Hope everyone is doing well and healing after surgery. Keep in touch.

www.unjury.com The chicken flavored protein is great. And also the unflavored is good because you can put it in Crystal light or jello.

I just want to stress that it didn't take over night to become overweight. We all had many years of practice. So it's not going to take overnight to be thin. It's also going to take many years of practice to break that cycle, even when you DO reach your goal weight. Weightloss is a never ending battle. Weight Gain is a battle worth fighting. As for the fear of gaining the weight back because of your personal experiences with mostly bypass patients. My doc told me that after 2 years the bypass stops working because you have already reached a certain amount of weight and it can't be adjusted. After that 2 years it's up to you. The lapband can be adjusted. But I'm not saying you don't have to continue your battle. What I will say is that YOU look amazing. And I know you have worked hard and will continue to work hard. Be proud of yourself that you got this far. Don't look to far in the future because it is very scary. Take things one day at a time.

I am on Mushies. My Nutrionalist gave me a list to go by and told me that if you follow the list it's all spelled out for you how much calories. Which is about 600-700 calories and 70-80 grams of Protein a day. It's 3 meals of 2-3 OZ (4-6tbs) as each meal. Plus I'm on three 8oz protein shakes a day. She put me on 8oz because I was hungry inbetween and I have 5 weeks until my first fill. She said that I have to sip it really slow though. As someone else said and many have said, this is where we go through 'banders hell'. After we heal we should start losing the weight.

So I was banded on Oct 23, 2009. So far everything is going great. I have lost 20 lbs since surgery and 30 all together with the pre-op diet and everything. I'm a food addict. I have been for most of my life. I eat because of stress. And GOD knows I've had alot of it in my life. And I eat because it's there. Since my surgery I have learned alot about myself. One great point is that I can take control over food. It doesn't have to control me. Sure I get my cravings now and then, but food is not as controling as it was before I was banded. I'm already starting to feel better about myself. I know that I what to live. I want to feel better. And for once I want someone in my life to feel proud of my accomplishments. I want someone to be able to look at me and say "WOW Dawn. You look great!" I want to be able to do things with my kids. Because of being over weight most of my life I have missed out on many of the things that I should have been able to do with my kids. They are now teenagers and I want to do things with them before they move away. Being over weight is like a skinny person being trapped in this huge Cacoon and wanting to get out but the Cacoon keeps over powering you. You try so hard to get to the outside by trying these "Diet" things and you get down 10 -20 lbs but find yourself slipping back down into the Big, dark, cacoon. You just never seem to reach the outside. I want to get out of this Big, Dark Cacoon, once and for all. I want to see what the outside world looks like. And I want to love myself. Not just like and accept myself. I want to be able to love myself and love the way that I look. I'm tired of hiding. I'm tired of feeling ashamed. I'm tired of people staring at me because I'm fat. I want people to look at me because I'm skinny. And I want to prove to myself that I can do something and Complete it if I set my mind out to do it. I don't want to be a failure of weightloss ANYMORE!!

Aww Katie. We will definately support you here. I know where you are because as someone else said, my family is very supportive but my husband is horrible. Even after my surgery he still doesn't get it. I have had many people tell me it's the easy way out too. But those are the ones that are "skinny" or stuck in the time warp that diets work. I know myself that this isn't a diet. This is a lifestyle change. And personally this is far from the easy way out. Honestly I don't care what they say anymore. I want to live. I'm tired of feeling the way I do. And it's time that I did something for myself. Please do think about going to your local support groups. Your family may come around eventually. But if they don't, just remember you are in this for you. You are doing this at a great time in your life. I wish I did mine sooner. There is a forum for teens on here. Don't know if you have found it yet. Here's the link. Teens - LAP-BAND Surgery and LAP-BAND Discussion Forum You can lean on my for support. We are all here for you.

In the coffee sounds good but my doctor told me now caffinated beverages. And decaf coffee also has caffine in it. He said that it will dehydrate you. And that for every cup of coffee that you have it takes 2 cups to replace what your body gets rid of with coffee. And it was HARD to give up my coffee because that was my addiction. However unjury chicken flavored protein is pretty good. You have to mix it with warm Water. After it's mixed you can stick it in the microwave for about 30 sec to make it hotter. I also use the Elite protien powder. In Vanilla and Mocha. They are pretty good. Sometimes I use the unflavored Unjury which I stick in sugar free Jello, applesauce or my Crystal Light drink.

I was on a pre-op diet 2 weeks before my surgery, which consisted of 3 protein shakes, small salad, V8, sugar free jello/pudding, oatmeal, sugar free applesauce and sugar free yogurt. Stage 1 - My diet was just 3 protien shakes a day. 64oz of fluid a day (the shakes count as the fluids). Water, Crystal Light, Decaf Ice tea or hot tea, broth, Sugar free ice pops. Stage 2- Mushie foods plus 3 8oz Protien shakes a day. As everyone says it all depends on your doctor. My doctor says no snacking inbetween meals. Eat high protien meals (fish, chicken..ect) as your 3 main meals and try not to drink any fluids for at least an hour afterwards. The longer the food stays in your pouch the less hungry you will be. I am on 8oz protien shakes inbetween so that I don't get hungry. I have to wait 2 hours after my meal to have a protien shake. Except for the first shake that comes first in the morning (before my meal). Normally it's 4-6oz but my nutritionist said that I have to sip really slow. They did this because I get hungry inbetween and my first fill is not for 5 weeks yet.

You have to advance to mushy foods so that you can learn how to chew. Staying on liquids all of the time isn't healthy. As for the 8oz don't do anything unless you ask your doctor first. That's what my doctor put me on because I am a slow sipper. Liquids don't stay in your pouch that long.

I take Adult Centrum complete Multivitamin Chewables and 3 chewable calcium pills a day.

I am starting the stage 2 diet today (mushy). I wanted to know what types of fish that I am allowed to eat? Is Salmon one of them? Also can someone give me an idea of the types of things to put on my shopping list for stage 2. I do have my list from the doctor but it's not really specific on the types of things that you can eat and it has only a few examples of menus. Thanks for your advice.

I was banded on 10/23. This is the sample menu that I go by that my nutritionist gave me. She also made my protien shakes 8oz instead of 4oz because I told her that I was hungry inbetween. She said however that I have to sip it really slow. 8am - Breakfast 10am - Protein shake 12 - lunch 2PM - Protein Shake 6pm - dinner 8pm - Protein shake This helps me. I learned that if I try and eat at the same time everyday it helps. Plus you have your fluids inbetween all of that.

Your body goes through starvation mode after so many days. The first weeks you will lose because most of that is fluid. You will start losing again. Just remember this is not a get thin quick thing. You aren't going to be thin over night like most of us want to be. It's better to lose the weight slower. It's healthier and easier on your body.

My restrictions were clear liquids which included ice pops. Fudge cycles aren't clear liquids when they melt. Also becareful with them. Even though they say sugar free, fat free..they have sugar in them and the calories are pretty up there too. Ice pops (yes the colored ones) are only 15 calories and they have no sugars in them.

Thank you so much for your ideas. I did pick up a few things yesterday. Last night I had broiled flounder which tasted so good since I haven't had any real food for a month now.

lol even though I am only down 30 lbs I have that urge that you do. I did my nails yesterday. I've already told myself that when I get down to where I want to be I am doing the make over thing. You are not alone. And you should treat yourself because you worked hard for it.

Banded 10/23 and my port is on the left right under my rib cage. Also if you go to lapband.com you can get a lapband card to carry with you.

Yes my doctor said that it was from the carbonation and it causes problems. I was very addicted to diet soda. I have now found that Crytal Light is really good. I have all the flavors and drink it all of the time. Diet soda also is loaded with Sodium.

Also as my nutritionist told me make sure that your 3 actual meals have protein in them (fish, chicken..etc). What she did for me is instead of my shakes being 4oz she made my 3 shakes 8oz and told me to sip them really slow. Also remember to not drink for at least an hour after your meal. The longer you can leave the food in your stomach the longer it will be before you are hungry. Biggest thing is not to listen to your head. Head hunger always wins.

Sometimes you can feel like your tummy is growling with head hunger. When you are really hungry you will feel it inside your tummy, It will hurt a bit. Head hunger is more like temptation. You have to eat it because it's there. It takes practice to listen to your stomach and not your head. I was banded on Oct 23 but I was practicing the head hunger thing before I was banded. When I feel like I am hunger I stop and I really listen to who is really talking. Next time it happens REALLY ask yourself, "Am I hungry or is my head speaking."

I had my surgery on 10/23. I am still a tiny bit bloated but most of it is going away. I do have port pain still and I can not lie on my left side in bed yet. I am still on liquids and drink water, chicken brother or Crystal light all day long. I also had a hiatal hernia that the doctor repaired when I had my surgery. I have my post op visit on Monday and will then switch to soft foods. I am not hungry unless I don't drink my protein drinks at the same time very day. I made it a habit to try and have them at the same time. I don't have the gas pains anymore but they were pretty painful the first 4-5 days after surgery. I try and walk everyday. I'm always moving around but I try and do one longer walk. Like today I walked a mile. Tomorrow I will try for 2 miles. Things will get better so I am told by the veterans. You just have to be patient. This time next year you will look back and it will all be water under the bridge.

I still can't sleep on my left side and I was banded on Oct. 23. Only because it hurts a little. I was able to sleep on my back and my right side. There were no limitations on that, just in the hospital the day of the surgery they wanted your head up. As for the other stuff. I was told the colder the better also because it takes the swelling down. Also sugar free ice pops are good. The broth you can drink all that you want. If you want to put stuff in your water, I use Crystal Light. I get tired of too much water so I tend to put the Crystal Light packets in there. By the way welcome to the losing bench. I wish you luck.

Hi everyone. I was banded on Oct. 23, 2009. I went back to work on Tuesday but wound up staying home again now for 2 days because I found it to be a little too soon. I think tomorrow I will go back because I have all next week off. Otherwise I am feeliing good. Still on liquids until Tuesday when I see the doctor. Feeling a little hungry and can't wait to get to the next phase. I've already lost 32 lbs. 122 to go. :thumbdown: