drowsydad

Best of luck! Congratulations on taking the first steps on your journey to being happier in your own body.

My blender was a huge help during the pre & post-op diet phases. I found many great recipes for protein shakes that made things interesting. The first few days are the hardest, and yes...I cheated on days 1,2 and 3 for the pre-op. I actually became light headed and fell down on day 2. The best thing to do is start early controlling your portions and getting into the routine of less calories. I went on a week cruise with family and started the diet my first day off the boat. Huge mistake. It was complete withdrawal with headaches and grouchiness. Be strong and fair to yourself. This is not easy, but not impossible. Don't panic and take each day at a time. Good luck!

Never give up! You have already come so far. I am so glad you are renewing you committment to your goals and using this tool to accomplish your journey. Don't be hard on yourself or think too much about the weight you have gained back. Just stay on track and keep trying your best.

Great post! Congrats on your success!

Sounds like you need another fill. I just had my first one and I feel no difference in restriction. It may take a few to get it right. Best of luck! =Chris

I had my first fill Tuesday, and though I was a bit scared, the whole ordeal was very easy and short lived. The only pain was the lidocaine they administered while I was laying on my back. The long needle they used to add fluid was painless. The sensation felt like a small tug when they entered the port and when they pulled the needle out. I never felt anything as they pushed the fluid in with a syringe. I did not ask how much saline they used, but it appeared to be 2-3cc. I had surgery on March 1st, 2010 and have maintained my weight at 375-380lbs. My weight on the day of my surgery was 381. I feel no restriction currently, even after the first fill. I suppose it might take a couple fills before I actually get to the good place, and start losing weight. I can eat just as much as ever, though I am working hard on portion sizes. Fast food is my nemesis. My diet could be much better, and I am finding that old habits are returning as I wait to adjust the band. I really like Mexican food, and need to get this off my menu. It is a horrible feeling to have people close to you question your choice and not be supportive. Not losing weight seems to fuel their opinions to point me out as a failure, even if they do not fully understand this will take time. I am really down about this right now. I have been called selfish for having the surgery as well as lazy to not lose the weight the "right way". Part of me wants to starve myself to lose 30 pounds fast just to feel justify my choice. I know in time I will show the people who doubt me I made a wise decision, but I am currently waiting for things to progress. I feel like I am in limbo. I am staying active. I purchased a push mower, instead of using my riding lawnmower. Beats the gym, right? I am also walking several times a week. I love being outdoors. My clothes are becoming loose. I will be shopping soon for new pants. Since February 1st, I have lost about 20lbs, so I do get a few compliments at work. Feels good. Well, thats all for now. Time to be patient and wait the next few fills out. Have a great weekend everyone! -Chris

I had my first fill Tuesday, and though I was a bit scared, the whole ordeal was very easy and short lived. The only pain was the lidocaine they administered while I was laying on my back. The long needle they used to add fluid was painless. The sensation felt like a small tug when they entered the port and when they pulled the needle out. I never felt anything as they pushed the fluid in with a syringe. I did not ask how much saline they used, but it appeared to be 2-3cc. I had surgery on March 1st, 2010 and have maintained my weight at 375-380lbs. My weight on the day of my surgery was 381. I feel no restriction currently, even after the first fill. I suppose it might take a couple fills before I actually get to the good place, and start losing weight. I can eat just as much as ever, though I am working hard on portion sizes. Fast food is my nemesis. My diet could be much better, and I am finding that old habits are returning as I wait to adjust the band. I really like Mexican food, and need to get this off my menu. It is a horrible feeling to have people close to you question your choice and not be supportive. Not losing weight seems to fuel their opinions to point me out as a failure, even if they do not fully understand this will take time. I am really down about this right now. I have been called selfish for having the surgery as well as lazy to not lose the weight the "right way". Part of me wants to starve myself to lose 30 pounds fast just to feel justify my choice. I know in time I will show the people who doubt me I made a wise decision, but I am currently waiting for things to progress. I feel like I am in limbo. I am staying active. I purchased a push mower, instead of using my riding lawnmower. Beats the gym, right? I am also walking several times a week. I love being outdoors. My clothes are becoming loose. I will be shopping soon for new pants. Since February 1st, I have lost about 20lbs, so I do get a few compliments at work. Feels good. Well, thats all for now. Time to be patient and wait the next few fills out. Have a great weekend everyone! -Chris

I purchased a new blender from Sam's Club. The Oster Professional Series. Figured I am now a person who requires a blender on a daily basis. Can't wait to use it! Truthfully, I am getting tired of the plain vanilla, chocolate and strawberry protein powders in a shaker to get me through my post op days. I just need more spice to life. Please help! Can you send me what worked for you? I had LAP-BAND®® Surgery on Monday, March 1st, so I am only a few days Post Op. Can't do the mushies just yet. Confessional Time: I ate a few things yesterday I feel very guilty about. First, I ate Egg Drop Soup. I figured there were no LAP-BAND®® risks and that the small egg pieces in the soup would not be frowned upon by my doctor. More protein, right? Secondly, I enjoyed 1.5 cups of Chester's Butter Flavored Puffcorn. My parents came to visit me, and we ended up watching a movie after a long day of shopping. My mom kindly thought of me and offered this as a snack instead of eating real buttered popcorn. It dissolved easily before swallowing. However the idea of eating junk food so soon after surgery really isn't wonderful either. I can go on to tell you it was baked, had zero trans fats, and all that other marketing wizardry on the bag that leads us astray from the healthy path, but we all know at the end of a dieting day it was junk. Guilt aside, I may use this later though as an alternative to popcorn when I do splurge at the movies. Just in small pre-portioned amounts. Happy Saturday Everyone! -Chris

I purchased a new blender from Sam's Club. The Oster Professional Series. Figured I am now a person who requires a blender on a daily basis. Can't wait to use it! Truthfully, I am getting tired of the plain vanilla, chocolate and strawberry protein powders in a shaker to get me through my post op days. I just need more spice to life. Please help! Can you send me what worked for you? I had LAP-BAND®® Surgery on Monday, March 1st, so I am only a few days Post Op. Can't do the mushies just yet. Confessional Time: I ate a few things yesterday I feel very guilty about. First, I ate Egg Drop Soup. I figured there were no LAP-BAND®® risks and that the small egg pieces in the soup would not be frowned upon by my doctor. More protein, right? Secondly, I enjoyed 1.5 cups of Chester's Butter Flavored Puffcorn. My parents came to visit me, and we ended up watching a movie after a long day of shopping. My mom kindly thought of me and offered this as a snack instead of eating real buttered popcorn. It dissolved easily before swallowing. However the idea of eating junk food so soon after surgery really isn't wonderful either. I can go on to tell you it was baked, had zero trans fats, and all that other marketing wizardry on the bag that leads us astray from the healthy path, but we all know at the end of a dieting day it was junk. Guilt aside, I may use this later though as an alternative to popcorn when I do splurge at the movies. Just in small pre-portioned amounts. Happy Saturday Everyone! -Chris

The pain will pass in a few days. I was very concerned at first also, but it is all normal and does not last too long. Congratulations on the surgery!

Hmmm. Sounds good. Try this recipe sometime. 2 cups of low fat cottage cheese 2 cups of low fat milk 1 box of sugar free, fat free pudding mix, any flavor Serves 4 Just three simple ingredients, 1 cup of low fat milk, 2 cups of low fat cottage cheese and a small box of sugar free fat free pudding mix, your choice of flavor. Try Butterscotch, Chocolate, or Pistachio for a healthy dessert alternative. Put 2 cups of low fat cottage cheese and 1 cup of low fat milk in the food processer and blend for one minute. If you use a hand mixer, make sure you blend it until its thick and creamy, no lumps. Add in the pudding mix and blend until throughly blended. Divide into four equal portions. I have had this with cheescake pudding once at a Lap Band class! YUM!

You have made a positive effort to change. You have already won. Imagine where you would be right now if you did nothing at all. Don't give up. Focus on your goals. Pat yourself on the back for how far you have come. Don't forget, you are someone's elses inspiration. (Mine at the moment. 56 lbs! OMG!!! That has given me the will to try harder.) Your story will motivate others, and people are counting on you to live a long healthy life. You must keep strong and lose the baggage of what other people think. You are beyond that now. You are leading the way and writing your own success story. These people who have laughed at your health previously have no idea the battle you are fighting and winning. In 10 years they may be in the same fight and have a completely different point of view of you. Forgive them and move on. Life is too short to hold onto that kind of pain. Make yourself happy and love yourself.

Great advice! This is very helpful right now. So true. Thanks for sharing.

Great news! Inspiring. Thanks!

Well, I am three days Post Op now. I feel much better since surgery. The pain and vomiting has all went away. I have very minor burning around my incisions when I bend down or sit down too low in a chair. Nothing at all bad. It is easy to manage. I am drinking protein shakes, chicken broth, and lots of water through the day. I have also had sugar free Jell-O. It feels good to get the digestion process started again. Today, I was able to keep a dentist appointment for a cleaning and it felt good to get out of the house. I still tire a little easily, but I guess that is just because I have not been sleeping regularly. I like my naps at home whenever I feel like it. I am thinking about going to see a movie tomorrow if I feel well enough. I like walking and moving. Its not much exercise, but the short walks around the block have really made me feel better. Just leaving the house felt great! I have had major cravings lately for Mexican food. I would really like to have some salsa or something else spicy. On a side note, I have also been dreaming about eating this stuff. My sister called and woke me up yesterday and I told her I was dreaming about eating breakfast steak quesadillas with salsa and sour cream. I laughed about it, but it was a good dream. Very vivid and detailed. My stomach was really growling long afterwards. Here is the dish, I am a binge eater, so I really need to be careful to not try and eat something that could hurt my overall band goals. I am embarrassed to admit it, but part of me would love to see what I could get away with right now since I am so hungry, but I will not give in and do something so stupid. I hate that about myself, but I would love to eat a large amount right now if I could. I will return to work Wednesday if my doctor approves on Tuesday. I figure I will be very comfortable by then and mostly recovered. I am eager to get to the next stage of my diet, as I am getting tired of broth and protein shakes. I am told that after my first fill, things will get more interesting as far as the "full" feeling goes. I am counting on that to help with my binge cravings later. Thanks for all the comments and support. It has helped. Appreciatively, -Chris

So funny! Thanks.

That is awesome!

Haven't gotten that far yet to experience sliming. Sounds horrible, but oh well. We all signed up for the healthy end result, right? I suppose even though I am a bit scared about these experiences that are coming, I know that it is going to keep me alive longer. I like the idea of cheap meals. Thanks for sharing. :biggrin:

Don't be so hard on yourself. Focus on the road ahead and don't look back. You can do it.

That will be a sweet day when it doesn't matter where you sit. Good luck!

Well, I am three days Post Op now. I feel much better since surgery. The pain and vomiting has all went away. I have very minor burning around my incisions when I bend down or sit down too low in a chair. Nothing at all bad. It is easy to manage. I am drinking protein shakes, chicken broth, and lots of water through the day. I have also had sugar free Jell-O. It feels good to get the digestion process started again. Today, I was able to keep a dentist appointment for a cleaning and it felt good to get out of the house. I still tire a little easily, but I guess that is just because I have not been sleeping regularly. I like my naps at home whenever I feel like it. I am thinking about going to see a movie tomorrow if I feel well enough. I like walking and moving. Its not much exercise, but the short walks around the block have really made me feel better. Just leaving the house felt great! I have had major cravings lately for Mexican food. I would really like to have some salsa or something else spicy. On a side note, I have also been dreaming about eating this stuff. My sister called and woke me up yesterday and I told her I was dreaming about eating breakfast steak quesadillas with salsa and sour cream. I laughed about it, but it was a good dream. Very vivid and detailed. My stomach was really growling long afterwards. Here is the dish, I am a binge eater, so I really need to be careful to not try and eat something that could hurt my overall band goals. I am embarrassed to admit it, but part of me would love to see what I could get away with right now since I am so hungry, but I will not give in and do something so stupid. I hate that about myself, but I would love to eat a large amount right now if I could. I will return to work Wednesday if my doctor approves on Tuesday. I figure I will be very comfortable by then and mostly recovered. I am eager to get to the next stage of my diet, as I am getting tired of broth and protein shakes. I am told that after my first fill, things will get more interesting as far as the "full" feeling goes. I am counting on that to help with my binge cravings later. Thanks for all the comments and support. It has helped. Appreciatively, -Chris

You are very lucky.

Hello Everyone, I have been reading everyone's posts, and wanted to say thanks for all the good information during this journey. Figured I would try to pass this information to the next person who is waiting for surgery. These are my experiences so far, so I hope I do not scare anyone. I just want to be honest about what I feel and how things have went so far. I am trying to be very detailed, so sorry if this is a bit boring.:biggrin: I went to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, MO yesterday, March 1st, 2010, at 5:30am in the morning for LAP-BAND®® Surgery with surgeon Dr. Robert Cavagnol. I weighed in at 381 lbs. I was 400 lbs two weeks before after returning from a 7 day Carnival Cruise where I gained 10 lbs. I went straight from eating anything I wanted on the ship to a liquid diet. Not very smart, but the vacation was planned before the surgery and my surgeon felt I could handle the challenge. I undressed my sweat pants and cotton t-shirt, put on the hospital gown, and waited an hour for the other staff to arrive. The registration and lab staff verified who I was, checked my blood sugar, and placed an IV in my right arm to prep me for surgery. I was not sure why we had to be there so early. My spouse and I were tired, but enjoyed the intimate moments to talk and spend quite time together with no kids. I was very nervous about this surgery, as I had lost a friend I worked with a few years before during a routine gall stone procedure. He died in the recovery area very unexpectedly. Soon things started to move quicker. At 7am it seemed like all the staff had come in for their shifts. The anesthesiologist entered my room, gave me an idea what to expect during surgery and gave me some Versed in my IV to calm me, and my surgeon popped his head not too long after for a quick handshake and some last minute discussion on how I would feel post op and promised to talk to my wife Lindsey in the waiting room when finished operating. My wife was then taken to the waiting room, and a male surgical nurse came in to wheel me off to surgery. Once in the operating room, I was given extra blankets that were warmed and given a mask to breath through. The warm blankets felt great! I went to sleep very quickly after that not even knowing I was getting put to sleep. No time to even worry about it. Everyone was very nice and I really felt comfortable before surgery. I even thanked the staff a few times as they really did everything possible to keep me comfortable and calm. St. John's does a great job and their people make the difference. I awoke in the recovery room about an hour later. I was very tired and could immediately feel a large amount of pressure on my chest. It was very difficult to breathe. I went back to sleep for a few minutes before waking again. A female nurse asked how I was doing, and I asked the bed to be raised as my lower back was hurting and I hoped that this would help me breathe. She moved the bed immediately. The nurse also explained the pressure in my chest was the carbon dioxide used by the surgeon to inflate my inner stomach area during surgery so he could see better around my stomach and liver. I was told this pain would last for 1-2 days, as my body would need to break the gas down and get rid of it over time. I felt really panicked about this, as it felt like a small child was sitting on my chest. My thoughts wandered to heart attacks and other scenarios I could dream up. My mind always thinks that way. I wish I could stop it, but oh well. I was over reacting in the moment. I was soon rolled to the room I was in earlier, where I originally undressed and put on my gown. My wife joined me soon afterwards and told me my surgeon stopped into the waiting room to speak with her. He felt things went very well. He told her that my 2 week pre-op liquid diet had helped, as I had lost weight around my liver and made it easier for him during surgery. This was a relief, because I really wanted to succeed with this goal, and it was hard to go from solid foods on my vacation to broth and protein shakes. Probably one of the hardest things I have ever done diet wise, as I really have little to no willpower. I tried to get comfortable in the room, and asked the nurse if I could stand. The nurse there was happy that I wanted to get up. She helped me immediately. Standing seemed to help me breathe as my body weight did not press down on my chest as much. I was suprised how easy I could move around. There was little pain. My wife helped me into my sweat pants and t-shirt and helped me with my shoes. I was asked to pee in the bathroom and not flush by the nurse. Once this was done, they took my wife to get the car, and put me in a wheel chair to meet her at the patient exit and go home. My wife went to a pharmacy to pick up some pain meds, and I slept in the car off and on during the trip home. Once we got to our house, I plopped into a recliner and again could not get comfortable. The pressure in my chest was really difficult to bear. I eventually asked my wife to help me to the bedroom where I was able to lay sideways and sleep. The stomach area hurt as this pulled on my incisions, but this seemed to relieve the pressure I was feeling in my chest. i was glad to trade one uncomfortable thing for something else taht was more bearable. I awoke a few hours later and walked around the house, as the medical staff stated this would help the gas pressure from moving to my shoulder. As the day progressed, the pressure seemed to diminish. Walking did help. I sipped water during the daytime and at night drank some chicken broth. The broth filled my stomach greatly and I began to have horrible hiccups before bed that hurt my incisions. These hiccups moved my whole chest, and there was a strange feeling that I need to burp, but could not. Eventually I was sick and felt better after getting some of the chicken broth out of my stomach. All I can say, is that after surgery, it is very hard to listen to your body. Especially your stomach. You cannot figure out if you are hungry, ill, or just experiencing pressure from the carbon dioxide. This continued into my first day Post Op (today). I woke after sleeping comfortably through the night. I was feeling great, the pressure was mostly gone, and I felt hungry. I mixed a strawberry protein shake, thinking I was allowed to have it, since my discharge instructions stated to return to a liquid diet and asked for 50-70 grams of protein a day. BIG MISTAKE! I was sick as a dog all morning. My stomach was angry, and the milk curdled. Took me a few hours to stop vomiting. When my wife came home from work, she quickly reminded me I was to drink only broth and water until my visit with the surgeon on March 8th. I am also allowed sugar free popsicles. I sipped water for the rest of the day and drank half a can of chicken broth for dinner. Even the chicken broth sat heavy on my stomach and for a while I thought I would again be sick. By the grace of God I have kept it down and was able to type this blog post. The only real problem now is just eating again. My tummy does not seem comfortable and I am desperately trying to listen to the signs as to what it needs right now. I have these strong hiccups that move my whole chest and occur frequently and put additional pressure on my chest and incisions. They last about 5-10 minutes, and are more of an aggregation that painful. I am guessing this too is normal. I am not having doubts about the surgery, but it is starting to occur to me this will be a rough few weeks of adapting. I guess I thought I might be the lucky one, but it appears that I will have to tough it out like everyone else these first few days. I can actually feel the band sitting on my stomach, and it feels weird and heavy. I think it causes the hiccups. I do not feel the port, as some have posted. Not even sure what side it is on. I can sleep on my back and side, get up from my recliner unassisted, and even managed a shower on my own today. I am doing okay with the pain, and really was surprised how little the incisions have hurt. So in some ways I am lucky. I just keep reminding myself all this discomfort will go away and eventually I will feel some sense of normal. I just don't like feeling this way at the moment. I keep thinking about the 4th of July and how happy I am going to be that I had this surgery by then. Hopefully I will be much trimmer and more comfortable with the band by then. As for being comfortable at home, I snuggle with a foam spa pillow that helps when I push it against my stomach. I purchased it at Sam's Club and love it! it has made the difference in sleeping in bed, as I can move it under my feet or back if needed. I also went to BlockBuster and rented a few movies to keep me entertained. One thing that has helped me feel better is getting up and moving. I made a taco dinner for the family tonight, even though I could not eat them, it felt good to do something for them. They seemed suprised I could do it. Tomorrow I am going to walk around the block in my neighborhood for some excercise. It's only 1/4 of a mile, but I know this will be a good goal for the energy I have. Looking forward to the gym in a few more weeks. Well, thats all for now. Feel like I wrote a book, but this has been the last 48 hours of my life. Good luck to all of you waiting for surgery. I hope to see your journey's and success stories here later. Would love to read any comments if you had the surgery already and shared similar experiences. I kind of feel abnormal at the moment. I could use some reassurance that others went through the same stuff and survived! LOL! Thanks for reading. -Chris

I can completely relate to the "burp" feeling. I can feel that long after I have drank anything. I was wondering if anyone else felt this way. I had my surgery yesterday, so I was hoping this would go away in time.