Ruthie1974

Good luck to all of you, I get banded on the 24th.

I made it through yesterday without cheating, even with the girl scout cookies. Too bad I had to bury them in the shallow grave I dug for my husband for brining them home. LOL (just kidding, I didn't do him in:laugh:) I hope all you ladies are doing well , and gents to if we have any following. Hey are you guys worried at all about what life will be like after banding. I mean the food sticks and other possibilities too? I am hoping that at times I can still have old favorites like thin crust pizza on a rare occasion. Anyone else?

I too have never heard of the no beef rule. It may have something to do with the high fat of the meat, depending on the cut. I have heard of not being able to eat meats that are tough or dried. If you eat hamburger it has to be very lean and chewed thoroughly, or like the other member said like taco meat. I would think a dry stringy roast would be out of the question, but really it would seem really gross to me anyway. About the hair loss, my nutritionist said it was more related to not getting enough protein in your diet, thus needing protein suppliments during the loss phase. Good luck.:cursing:

From what my dietician told me this is completely normal. Not everyone experiences it but it is the after effect of Ketosis. (look it up, very interesting) Any way some people experience a wierd metallic taste in their mouth, some have bad breath or body odor. Completly temporary as no on expects you to live on optifast forever. It will pass as soon as you are eating normally again. Hold on, it will go away. R

Good luck to all! I am being banded one week from today. I am hoping all goes well. Say a prayer that it does. R:thumbup:

Okay guys, seven days down and seven to go. Right now I am struggling. I am on the optifast 800 cal plan prior to surgery and in the last week I have lost 13lbs. HOWEVER, right this moment I could eat the arm off of a small child. (No, I wouldn't do this and my kids are ok) But I had to cook mac and cheese for lunch and I could not even have a taste cuz I know this would have sent me over the edge. I know that this feeling will pass and I just need to hang on and feel what I am feeling and let it pass, it is just at this moment I am really having a hard time. I am thinkin about all of you and I know we are in the same boat, and you would understand. DID I MENTION THAT MY DH BROUGHT HOME A CASE, YES A CASE OF GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!!! AAAARRRRRGGGGGG!!!:cursing:

I am currently at the end of day 6 on the Optifast program that my doc requires. It consists of 800 cals per day. One shake for Breakfast, one shake for lunch and a powdered soup that I reconstitute for supper. Two optifast bars are also in the program for mid morning and mid afternoon Snacks. I have found that I am really not stomach hungry. That is not to say my head doesn't tell me that a hamburger or whatever else would not taste great at the time. I have found that if I eat about every 2.5 hrs I am really not hungry. I am however very thirsty and have been drinking Water like a fish. I have found eating my food VERY slowly (ie: making it last at least 20-30 minutes) makes me slow down and helps the hunger thing. I think this is also good training post banding as we are all supposed to chew really really well and then chew again as well as taking our time. I figure I can do anything for two weeks. It is really a head game. If you are dertermined, you will do it. PS. SF Jello is allowed at times by my Doc and it does help for cravings. Again, eat it with a baby spoon if necessary. Good luck. Being banded on the 24th....Ruthie:w00t:

On day 6, and still no cheating. I am down 10lbs since starting and that is pretty amazing. I really had to stop to think what Darkangel was saying in only 8 days we will have the worst of this behind us. ONLY 8 DAYS! I know I am getting excited and nervous about it. Today so far has been pretty challenging and I have had to really focus to stay on track. Hubby went shopping for the groceries last night and what he bought would make a bachelor pad look healthy. Mostly snacky type foods! Unbelieveable. Oh well, I am determined to stay on track and not cheat, not even once. Hope you all are doing well....R

I have a really good friend who although well intentioned was really opposed to me getting banded, and she said as much. See my thread "My Response" about it in detail. Anyway, her comments really gave me the opportunity to sit back and reflect, to really look at the reasons that I want to be banded and to share those reasons with some of the most important persons in my life. It was really a chance to have a heart to heart with myself through the letter that I wrote to her. I too am concerned about people judging me for being banded, but I guess I figure they are the same people looking at me and judging me from the outside in. Thinking that I am just too lazy to loose the weight and if I would only keep my mouth shut it would all come off. These are the same people who, unfortunately cannot look beyond their own prejudices to really find out the great person that I really am. I really feel sorry for people like your coworker who are so really cold hearted and daft. Ultimately you have to live with you. Don't take her hurtful words to heart, she really is not that big of a person in you life to be allowed that power. Remember that no one can make you feel inferior without your own concent. (E. Rosevelt)

Day two of preop diet and doing great. Even got the kids Mickey Dee's happy meals and I did not even bite one french fry. Which for me is really, really cool. I found a really neat blender (think magic bullet) at Target called the Bella Cucina 17 piece blending set. It really mixes the shakes well, clumps gag me no matter what I am eating, and is really easy clean up. Besides I don't have to drag out the old glass beast (my blender) for one drink. For me it was 29.99 us dollars which was $30 less than the magic bullet. I am told that protein drinks will be part of my life after banding so I am getting ready. Thought I would pass it along. 11 more days left tomorrow!!! We can do this guys!!!:blushing:

Okay, from what I have read around here different surgeons have different rules prior to surgery. My BMI is 43, and he requires Optifast with all his patients. I am currently on the 800 cal per day and I get my choice of two bars, one Soup and two drinks (kinda like slimfast) The soup is powdered and needs to be reconstituted. I have found so far that the soup needs spice (I added red hot pepper spice, basically to slow down my eating and enjoy it) and the Vanilla drink needs something, it virtually has no taste at all. I added cinnamon and allspice to my morning vanilla drink and It was pretty yummy. My doc does not have a set weight to loose prior to surgery, his goal is to shrink the liver to make the surgery much more safe for me. With that in mind I am not going to cheat, not even once. I have started exercising at home (think Leslie Sansone walking tapes) as It is far to cold and snowy where I live to take it outside yet. The big thing I am finding is that when I think of food, I am usually not hungry. I am bored ect. and need to find something to preoccupy my time. Let me tell you my house has never looked so clean!! R

Okay guys, here is the skinny from an ICU nurse. I deal with patients who have the misfortune of having blood clots in their lungs, legs, arms ect. all the time. Mostly these pts have a comorbidity (think cancer or narrowed blood vessels, or bad veins) or a clotting disorder. Perhaps they were at a higher risk because of smoking or not walking and getting around after surgery. Some aquire blood clots from sitting in the car for long trips. Any time you lay around your blood pools in your legs and does not flow properly and you increase your chances of getting a blood clot. Most of the time, clots are found early and can be removed, or eliminated by medication (lengthy process but it can be done) Here is the take away: If you have any swelling in your calves, or pain in your legs arms ect. CALL YOUR DOC! Also if you have shortness of breath that is unusual for you CALL YOUR DOC! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. At any rate we are all at high risk for dying just because we are grossly overweight. That in itself is the reason I am going ahead with this, because I do want to be here for my family.:sad:

No kidding on the vanilla!!! I am sippin it right now for breakfast and I had to add a little vanilla flavoring to even taste anything. Oh well, at least I have chocolate and strawberry! I can do this!!:sad:

I start the two week pre surgery optifast diet of 800 cals per day tomorrow morning and I am determined to stick to it. No matter what. Any suggestions from anyone who is or has done it? And does it really get easier after a couple of days? What can I expect physically and mentally for those of you who have done this? Thanks for any input. R:blink:

I am glad to hear from all of you, I start the optifast in the am. Wish me luck.

Darkangel, never forget that you are beautiful and couragous for taking honest pics of yourself. You are doing something for yourself and your health. Good for you and we can do this together.:sneaky:

:blink:ME TOO!!! I start the optifast in the am and I am first up on the surgery schedule for the 24th. Good luck to all of you!!!!

My surgery is scheduled for March 24th. Wish me luck. I have the preop visit tomorrow. Unfortunately I have to drive 3 hours to my physician as I live in a rural area and no one does this surgery where I live. Oh well, at least when I am stuck in traffic I am actually moving...

I go to my preop visit on Tuesday and I will get the optifast then, my doctor insists on using it exclusively for two weeks prior to surgery. I am okay with that, a little freaked out about not being able to chew anything for two weeks prior to surgery but I can do anything after 30 hours of hard labor with my first child..:biggrin: So my question is, does it get easier after the three days? Really? And what should I expect when I go through it? Thanks. BTW, good luck on your liquid diet.

Recently a friend asked me why I was even conteplating lap band surgery, she thinks I can do this only if I try hard enough, she has lost 20lbs with weight watchers and is at her goal. Here is my response and my reasons for why I want to do this. I hope it helps someone. February 27 at 3:45pm Hey, great job girlie. You haven't heard from me cuz I am still mustering up a response that adequately sums up why I am doing this, I suppose you have given me the opportunity to write down what has been brewing in my mind/soul for many months, no years. I hope that you understand that I have not, nor would I ever come to this decision half-heartedly. I have been going through the process of contemplating, then decididing surgery was the best direction for over two years now. I have discussed this with my primary physician and he gave me the name of a very caring doctor that does these types of procedures. I am not having bipass surgery as I truly believe this is a horrible procedure and subjects patients to a life long process of malnutrition. I am having a lap-band procedure that if used properly will help me make healthy, albeit smaller food choices. Could this fail as well? Yep, it could if I don't really make an effort to kick this fat off my ass for good. I am scared for my life. I am right now 110 lbs over weight. I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful sons that I want to be with for a long, long time. But if I continue in this way I will die a premature death, and make my family suffer in the process. Both of my parents (my Dad is 76 this year I think, and my Mom who is 63) have both have had strokes. My Dad has lost his mind, and his leg. Cannot remember to ask to go to the bathroom and pees and poops on himself. His once strong mind and body are gone, and have been replaced by a man who cries without cause, or warning. Both of my parents health are greatly effected by diabetes which they have had for years. My parents have always been overweight, sedentary people and are reaping the benifits of poor health now. My Mom has ulcerations on her ankles (that are thankfully finally healing) which at some point will probably open up, yet again, and will endanger her health and possibly head down the road of amputation, like my Dad. Dad has had several heart attacks and quadruple bipass surgery, and is at the end of the life span of those grafts. Which sadly may be a blessing. I have been overweight since probably middle school. I have been over 200lbs consistantly for the last 3 years, and I have lost weight over and over and over again only to have that same weight creep back up. The problem is that I don't know when to stop, and usually wont untill every last morsel of food is consumed. I am seeing a therapist to help me with any emotional ties to food, and to help me through the process. I need to once and for all rise to the occasion to fight my personal demon and win. I believe that before I go to war I want all the support and tools that I can take to the battle. The band is only one of these tools. I still plan to use weight watchers as a support and a guide to a healthy lifestyle. I need to exercise 45 min to one hour at least every day, I need to eat in a healthy way, and I believe that when I am tempted the band will help me stay on the straight and narrow so to speak. The band is only a tool, nothing more. It will not loose the weight for me. I still have to do all the work, blood sweat and tears will come, but I believe that if I work with the tool I will succeed, permanently. I need to do this for my health, my life, and my family. This is so much more than being sad over being unable to wear what I want, or look how I want. I simply want to be able to carry my 2 yr old up the stairs without gasping for breath. I want to go to sleep at night without my heart racing, or thinking if I will die in 15 to 20 years of a heart attack. I want to know that when I am 70, I am able to hike through the Arizona dessert with my friend, and not be sitting in a urn somewhere. I want my life back. And I deserve nothing less. I am in here somewhere, and I cannot wait for my body to catch up with the person I know I am. I hope this helps you understand this process. I know I will still need you for support. Thanks so much for all the love you give. Ruthie...

Approved today, surgery scheduled for March 22nd. Any prayers and good thoughts comming my way would be appreciated. BTW, thanks to all for their support and words of wisdom.