carolel

sandranoelle, I was feeling a bit nauseous too but it was during my 1st week. I couldn't figure out if it was hunger or the band. I think now that it was hunger. My nutritionist gave me the go ahead to eat soft foods at 9 days out. Last week, my doc. gave permission to eat whatever I felt I could tolerate. I'm now 3 weeks out and eating whatever I want except for steak. I'm afraid of chunks of meat.I just can't eat much. I absolutely crave fish. I've never really cared for it before. Now, if we go out I want Captain D's everytime. I can usually eat 1 piece of their fish and a couple bites of coleslaw and I'm full. Maybe it's hunger that you're feeling.Call your doc. He may give permission to advance.

My diagnosis of diabetes this summer was the final straw and breaking point for me. I was 48, overweight,arthritis, diabetes, fluctuating blood pressure, two knee replacements, hypothyroidism and felt awful. The diabetes did it for me. I said "NO MORE! I'VE HAD IT!" I seriously looked into lapband and did it within the month.I had read about it and have 2 friends who have a band. I've tried all the diets known to man and knew I was at my last resort. Here I am now..3 weeks post-op today and feel better than I have in 20 years. I had to self-pay and it's already been worth the $16,000 out of my pocket. I'm down 24 pounds and have so much energy. I can't imagine how great I'm going to feel when I get another 50 pounds or so off. I'm already off the pain killers for arthritis and my doc. believes the meds for diabetes will be stopped too. This is the very best thing I've ever done for my body and my self-esteem. And no-one has to know that you've done this. Only my hubby knows and I have 21 year old and 15 year old sons living at home. I went to the mountains this weekend with 5 other family members and none are the wiser. I just told them I 'm cutting back. Go ahead and do this! You'll be so glad. llewis

I paid $15,950 for surgery in Ga. It includes visits with the surgeon, dietician, counselor and a year of free fills, a 6 month and 1 year check-up and also lifetime 2x monthly support meetings. This was only 70 miles from home so I felt more comfortable with my doc being nearby.

I'm a teacher with light duty work. I took off 1 1/2 days!!! I had surgery on Tuesday and went back on Thursday at lunch. I was very tired and weak but I was there. I needed to save my days. I don't have alot left. By Monday I felt great! llewis

Hi everyone, I'm new here and recently banded. I'm so afraid that I'll cause my band to slip or stretch it? Does anyone know of signs that would indicate either of these happening? Thanks, llewis

Hi, I drink at least one ( sometimes 2) bottle of clear Isopure drink (40 g. of protein each) from GNC daily and also take a Centrum chewable. I haven't felt weak at all except the days I don't get enough protein.

Hi frightenedman, Don't be afraid.It's been 2 weeks and 3 days and I feel great! I've lost 24 pounds since the beginning of the pre-op!! I was on the pre-op diet for 6 days before surgery.I had a very hard time waking up after surgery and they had to give me a breathing treatment so I'd begin to breathe deeper. That has happened before after surgery. I was up and about soon and not very sore at all. Surgery was on Tuesday and I went back to work on Thursday for 1/2 day and all day Friday. I'm a teacher. I was very tired and slept all weekend but was ready to go on Monday morning. I even ate a little soft food on Sat. night. A small piece of soft fishstick. I was afraid but was soooo hungry. Then I cooked chili on Tuesday night and was dying for some. I blended it up but it still looked really thick so I decided to call the nutritionist. She told me to go ahead and eat it and go to the 3-4 week stage. YIPPEE!! Since then,I've gradually expanded my menu. I can only eat a few bites before I'm full. You'll be fine. The worst part for me was that my hip was sore from the way I laid on the OR table! Honestly! I took a couple of the pain pills and was fine. You go for it and don't be afraid! llewis

Hi all, I went to a support group meeting last night which is held by my physician twice a month. the in-house psychologist is also there. I'm 2 weeks and 2 days out and was telling him about alot of the stuff I read here on eating too soon, band slippage, stretching, etc. This is what he said and I quote.." If you're a few days out and you're hungry,eat something soft. Whatever YOU feel you can tolerate. Don't overeat like before, but eat until we feel satiated. It won't hurt as long as you don't try to stuff down a slice of bread or a chunk of steak." I was SOOO glad to hear this. We don't have to starve for 2 weeks...we can have soft foods. He's been doing this surgery for 6 years and I have great confidence in him. So last night I stopped at a restaurant and had a 1/2 bowl of chicken and dumplings and nibbled on some cornbread. I was happy with that little bit. Before, I could have eaten the whole bowl plus a dinner. I brought the other 1/2 for lunch today and couldn't hold all of it. Hey this is working and I'm not floating!!

sweetrepose, PBing is productive burping. You burp and the last bit of food comes with it. llewis

Fo all the insensitive and rude people in this world.......Some people are like slinkies. They really have no purpose in life but they still make you smile when you push them down the stairs. I just sometimes wish we could!!! llewis

Hi, last Sunday we were out shopping and my husband and son just HAD to go to Ryan's for lunch. Boy!!!!!! My willpower really had to kick in. I had only been banded 12 days. I thought...OK...I'll just have some broth from the soup on the bar. Well....I asked the waitress if I could get a cup to get broth in (they had to weigh it so I wouldn't have to pay $9.00) she said sure but never brought it. Finally after about 10 minutes I asked again. Her response was that she thought I wanted to take it home with me. Duh!!! Why would I want to take their broth home with me? I guess she didn't know what to think. But then she kept checking back and asking me over and over if I was alright and couldn't she just PLEASE get me a glass of tea or water. I told her no repeatedly. I'm like.."I'm trying to be nice but you're really getting on my nerves! No is No. Then there was a guy ( A BIGGGGG GUY) across from us who kept watching me. I guess he was thinking "what kind of fool comes to Ryan's to eat broth! especially when my family was having steak! My point is....... I guess our society is so accustomed to people eating and overeating that it's really strange to see someone who doesn't want to eat.

derbygirl, what an insensitive jerk your boss is!!! i'm sorry you have to work for someone like that. What do you do for as living? I think I'd look for another job. llewis

Thanks so much Leatha!! My fears have been alleviated. Maybe I can enjoy some ground beef now and not be afraid so much. And Bella, I'm right there with you. We read so much about other prople and the problems they have, that I think we sort become afraid to put anything in our new pouches. Good luck on beginning your new life Bella and thanks again Leatha. BTW.....are you a member of the HGTV board? There's a Bella there too. llewis

Thanks Letha, You answered many of my questions. I had searched several times by entering keywords but never really found any answers...just similar questions to mine. What I'm afraid of is.... I'm 11 days out and became very hungry at 7 days out. I called my nutritionist and she said to go ahead and advance to my 3-4 week diet of ground meats because I was doing very well. No nausea, vomiting.....nothing adverse. Anyway... even with her telling me this..I'm afraid to advance...and still hungry.... Fear is keeping me from enjoying... Thanks again

????? I guess no one has any answers?????

OMG!!! I'm only 10 days out and I'd do it again! What a differnece it's made in my life in just 10 days! I'm already 20 lbs. lighter. I know it's because of all the liquids but hey 20 pounds is 20 pounds no mattter how you lose it. I feel GREAT!!!! In fact I don't remember ever feeling so good!!!!

Hi, This could be from a lack of a certain vitamin. Not sure which. Lynn

Hi Dawn, I was just recently banded on Oct. 3rd. but my pre-op breakfast is what I have now too. A Yoplait Yogurt smoothie is quick and portable and has always held me over until lunch. I know it's not much but it has protein, is good and also quite filling... to me anyway. Also, another quickie is the pre-cooked scrambled eggs that are sold in the freezer section of our Walmart. They're pre-formed into little patties. Pop it in the microwave and it's good to go in 30 seconds. Wrap in a napkin and take off. I eat on the way to school every day. I'd rather sleep in than get up early enough to fix anything elaborate. Lynn

:help: HELP!!!! I work at a place where the kitchen is right across the hall from me. They're having fried chicken, mashed pot., string beans and yeast rolls for lunch!!!!! I've been smelling it all morning. :hungry: I eat with a group of friends and they'll all have this lunch. We eat in my office every day!!!! None of them know I've been banded. I'm only 9 days out and my dietician has told me I can have mushies but fried chicken isn't a mushie!!!!! Help me get my head on right before I cheat!!!!!:help:

Hi Jack and everyone else. Thanks for your support! I'm coming to the point that it doesn't bother me at all to have people eating around me. It's like food is just something I can't do....like drugs...I'm not going to partake, it's bad for me. (Now that smell of fried chicken got to me this morning though!) I have another hurdle tom. morning but I don't think it's gonna be a biggie for me. I'm on the comm. here at our office to provide snacks, breakfast, etc. ever so often to the entire staff of 70 or so. We're having biscuits, fruit trays and I've been asked to bake 3 cakes! I'm known for my delicious ( if I must say so myself) cakes. OH MY!! 3 cakes to bake tonight and can't touch a one. Oh well.... just have to remember that $16,000 I laid out last week and it'll keep me away from even tasting.

HMMMMMMM ......:bandit just a little white lie :heh: :heh: :heh: I told them that my liver enzymes were outa whack and the doc. placed me on this liquid diet for a month to get them straight!!!!!!:heh: :heh: :heh: He did place me on this diet pre-op.to shrink my liver......so it's not totally a lie. Before the pre-op diet I had already began eating Lean Cuisine, not finishing the lunch or having yogurt ... so to them it looked as if I was already on a diet. Hopefully when I do begin to eat again, they won't notice the amounts have reduced too much. It's already been mentioned that when I get off these liquids how I'm not going to be able to eat very much at first. They all agree that I'm probably going to have a hard time readjusting and feel sorry for me at lunch. I HATE that! I don't want or need their pity but I know if I told them that I'm banded that I wouldn't get the support I need.

OHHHHH Drekalina!!!! I absolutley LOVE textures and tastes too. My 100% 500 count cotton sheets, the taste of cheesecake, the smell of freshly cut grass or wild honeysuckle, the touch of my husbands carresses or a newborn baby, etc.... I could go on and on. Lynn

Thank you all! I did it! I made it thru lunch with my Isopure drink and SF jello. I kept thinking.....it's just food and about how much better I already feel without all that sugary and fat food in my body although I haven't lost but 4lbs. since the surgery. (17 lbs.total with pre-op diet) I'm so glad this board is here. Without you all, I might have jumped right into that pan of mashed potatoes!! Lynn

I'm a elem. school teacher.Self-pay too by the way!

Thank you all!! I think I'm going to hold out and not have anything at all although it does smell SOOOO good!!! I'll just have my isopure. I've been psyching myself up in the last few minutes and telling my head that this fried chicken, pot and rolls are what put me here in the first place. Even though they're inamnimate objects......I WON'T let them win. I think I could stomach the pot. but I have a problem with starches....I always want more!!! So I'll just stay away from all of it. I'm looking at this as one of my first major trials in this pursuit. Thanks for all your support! Lynn