nurselroy

Fortunately I wasn't, but this was a big concern for me too. I had some irregular bleeding that resulted in what was essentially a 6 week long period. I found out it was a fibroid causing the bleeding and the hormones my GYN gave me did not work to stop the bleeding. I was scared that I would still be bleeding at the time of surgery since there really was no way to tell if and when it would stop. But, for some reason it just stopped one day and my periods went back to normal (well heavy, but still like clockwork). Periods are just a very private thing for me and though I can talk about it with some friends, its totally different to have someone else possibly seeing it either in the OR or on the nursing unit (if you stay overnight). But, like Betsy said, they would understand (heck I'm a nurse and have had many a patient on her period and it made no difference to me)and most women experience them so you'll be fine.

I haven't had my first fill yet either, but I can definitely eat more than a cup. I've stayed on track though by journaling my food and keeping my calorie intake around 1000 as directed by the nutritionist (this is just for now though). I just eat a lot of low-calorie,healthy foods so I really don't get hungry (thank God!). I figured if I can't eat a whole lot, the little that I do eat needs to be nutritious, plus I'm scared as heck that I'll experience some hair loss like many have reported.

Jill thanks for the needle description (I am indeed a nurse) and a 22G doesn't sound too bad, considering they stuck an 18G IV in for surgery (ouch!).

Glad to hear your experience wasn't bad. I was banded on March 18 and am going for my first fill on May 5. I actually give myself a shot every week for one of my medications, but I am still a little nervous about this as I know the needle is much bigger than the one I use. Its great that your doc gave you a meal plan to follow to bring your weight loss up to 5-10 pounds a month. My doc only wants his patients to lose 2 pounds a week and honestly, I got the impression that he doesn't expect his lap band patients lose as much or do as well as his bypass patients.

Good luck!!

Wow, that is pretty far out. I'd go crazy. Is it possible to look for another surgeon or ask your current surgeon's office to notify you if they have any cancellations sooner than 9/1/10. Surgeries get cancelled all the time for various reasons, so there may be some chance there. Good luck!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! wAY TO GO!!!

I am petrified of failing! However, after reading Spartan's post, in particular the Jack Lemmon quote about the fear of failure destroying you, I realized I have let this fear convince me to avoid some things in life. I'm just taking things one day at a time right now, but I am definitely going to pay more attention to how my fear of failure is affecting my life overall.

Ok, I must admit that I actually considered the idea of self filling BEFORE I found out the process of filling and became more educated. I figured that I give myself shots all the time for a heath condition and I know how to use a Huber needle, so whats the big deal? Fortunately, I realized what a dangerous (and dumb) thing that would be to do and will not ever be doing that. I also had some flashbacks of some pretty wicked infections on some of my patients that occurred as a result of home doctoring. Hopefully, as others have said, this was just a hoax.

I was banded on March 18. I lost 10 pounds on the 1 week liquid pre-op diet and have lost 9 pounds post-op. I am no on soft foods, though I can't have beef unless pureed and chicken must be extremely soft and not dry. I've actually just been sticking to seafood for now just to be on the safe side. I just went back to work today and made the huge mistake of not eating all day and waiting until I got home. I just stuck to yogurt, tea, Water and a v8 for that 7.5 hours I was at work, so I was famished when I got home. I still made good choices for my dinner, but ate more than I should have, though the calorie total was under 500 calories. I can't really tell if I've gotten restriction because I'm focusing on stopping when i am no longer hungry when eating. Also, with having to eat so slow, I am more easily recognizing that feeling of satiety. I often ate when I wasn't even hungry before the band, but now that is not possible (well its possible but I can't do that anymore); I just love the taste of food! So now, I am really working on learning my body's cues about when its really hungry, thirsty, or just bored. This has been a learning experience in so many ways!

I was too scared of the potential consequences (i.e. my surgery being cancelled) to even think about cheating. However, I did somewhat cheat. I didn't take out the mushrooms or broccoli in my cream of mushroom or broccoli cheese soups or the tiny bits of fruit in my yogurt. That was the furthest I was willing to go though, lol. I only had a two week liquid diet and that was honestly one of the hardest things I've ever done. I had some really tough days, but you know what? Its all worth it in the end. Just keep thinking of why your doing this and what you want in the end. It may be motivating when you see some weight loss during the next two weeks as well. Good luck and I'm sure you'll do fine!

Congratulations and good luck with surgery Thursday!!!

I weigh several times a week, but I only record my weight for my own records once a week. The other times I weigh are for reasons that others have already mentioned, as a motivation or a reminder :-)

I was banded on 3/18 and I also had pretty bad nausea, but it only lasted until that 2nd day after surgery. However, my doc prescribed a scopolamine patch that I put on the night before surgery and could wear for 72 hours (he gave me three of these so 9 days worth). I did still have the nausea and even some dry heaves initially, but after that nothing. Like others have said though, focus on your liquids for now then worry about the food and protein later. Thats exactly what my program coordinator nurse told me at discharge. Good luck!

I was banded on 3/18 and my post-op diet included nothing to eat except ice chips on the day of surgery. Then, after my barium swallow the next morning I was able to do clear liquids for lunch and then return to full liquids when I went home. I am on full liquids for one week, then two weeks of soft/puree, then solid food. The liquids do actually make me full for a while, but I'm craving some "real" food. I'm not actually that hungry, but I just want something other than these darn liquids.

Congratulations!!! I'm less than one week out and postings like yours are the motivation I need to keep focused on my goals.

I was banded on 3/18 as well. I'm still stuck on a liquid diet until this Friday, though. I must still have some swelling because I am not really that hungry right now. Then again, I'm trying hard to make sure I get all my protein in a day and not too many carbs or sugars, so maybe that is distracting me. I'm still pretty sore too, though I'm not taking the Lortab elixir anymore (gives me horrible nausea) and everytime I drink more than a few ounces, I get a really uncomfortable full feeling. I don't want to ignore that, but at the same time, if I didn't eat until that feeling subsided, I probably wouldn't eat much all day. It was a struggle to get in my 600 calories today. I know once the swelling goes down I'll be right there in bandster hell as well, but I'm trying to take things one day at a time and focus on my goals and the reason I chose to do this in the first place. Good luck!

I was banded yesterday March 18, 2010 and Sentara Nofolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. I was told to check in at 9:00 for my 12:00 surgery, but we made it ealier because that is a high traffic time and we left the house early. So after checking in and getting my armband and everything, my parents and I waited in the waiting room for about 10 minutes before I was called in back to get undressed and everything. Upon going back to the pre-op area, I had to weigh in and get my vital signs done (found out I had lost 10 pound doing the 1 week pre-op liquid diet). I then went to my little cubby where I had to strip naked, scrub my belly for fifteen minutes, then put my gown on. A nurse came in after that to insert my IV and another two nurses came in to take down my medical history. Finally, my parents were allowed back and by that point it was 1000 and we were just playing the waiting game. Unfortunately, the case before mine took longer than expected, so my surgery was delayed by about 1.5 hours. When the CRNA and nurse came to get me, my parents left to get something to eat while I got my first little shot of sedative. I remember being wheeled into the OR and put on the table and having my arms taped down and a maske going over my face. Next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room being asked if i had any pain. I got a little pain shot and had some O2 on for a while then I soon heard my nurse calling report to the floor I would be going to. Although I had been in recovery for two hours, it felt like only 20 minutes! So, I was wheeled to my room already in my bed and a nurse came in to introduce me and look me over again. My parents and friend then came back to visit. I was so out of it though that they left soon after to let me rest. I was only allowed to have ice chips, but my chest and belly were hurting plus I was nauseated so I really didn't want anything. My friend did slip me a jolly rancher which I fortunately didn't choke on cuz it stayed in my mouth for over four hours while I slept and woke multiple times. My nurse got me up to pee a little after 10, but I couldn't go, so I went back to sleep. She got me up again at 1 am and made me try again since I hadn't gone since before surgery. I still wasn't able to go so she walked me in the hall a little bit and when I came back to the room, I was able to pee, but also started dry heaving a lot which hurt like heck! The rest of the night was uneventful, just a few trips to the bathroom. I was taken downstairs for my barium swallow at about 8:30 and my doctor's nurse practitioner was already down there to check the results, so I was allowed to have clear liquids when I returned to my room. I had a little water with crystal light and some jello, then got washed up and slipped on some clothing and went walking the halls. I had to wait for some last minute education from the program coordinator, so I had to wait for her before I could go home. Finally, after my last bit of instructions and drinking at least 1/4 of my water, I was allowed to go home with my parents. I didn't really have any gas or shoulder pain, but my belly is sore. I had a Dilaudid PCA pump the entire time and that didn't get taken away until just before I left the unit to go home. All in all, it was a pretty good experience. Now, I'm home and back on liquids for another week.

I'm a nurse and work two part-time jobs (one as a supervisor and one in ICU). I'm taking two weeks off from the ICU job and one week off from the supervisor job since that one is not very physical. I hope I feel well pretty soon because I'm making a to-do list of stuff to do around the house during my week off. I've never took a week off to stay at home before-only to go away on vacation somewhere.

My pre-op diet includes liquids only for one week before surgery- low sugar, low fat, and only 20 grams of protein a day. I am now on day 6 and am doing ok. I had really bad headaches for the first 2-3 days, but I was expecting them and would take Tylenol before they became too severe. I was also a little grumpy (lol!), but by day 3 I was getting used to the restriction. I think the post-op liquid diet will be a little easier because I'll be able to take in 60 gms of protein or more, so hopefully more filling. I'm just having a hard time with the sugars! I got a lot of sugar free items, but there was no definite number of sugars I was allowed to have and its hard to find no-sugar yogurt (which I eat every morning). I have stuck to the liquids, though.

I also have this fear. I often eat when I'm bored or really stressed. I also reach for food unconsciously sometimes just because...even when I'm not hungry. I'm on my 7 day pre-op liquid diet now and this has got to be the hardest thing I've ever done. However, I have now had to find things to distract me so that I don't sit around thinking of food and watching all the food commercials on TV. I'm just hoping I can make this a habit, but in the meantime, I have over two weeks of liquid diet total (1 week pre-op and 12 days post-op) to think about it.

I went to the initial seminar in October and had my first doctor visit at the end of November (it was rescheduled due to a snow storm). I got the list of pre-op requirements that I had to complete at that visit and that included blood work, EKG, chest X-ray, and psych eval as well as attend a support group and a pre-op education session on exercise. I finished all this by January 14 and the only reason it took that long was because the holidays delayed things at some offices. My info was sent to my insurance company about two weeks later and was approved in one day. I then got my date, which is March 18. So, the total time was about 5 months, but it really could have been sooner, I just wasn't in a huge hurry. I used that time to do my research and make sure this was something I really wanted to do.

Your still waiting for insurance approval right? My surgery was scheduled aver a month after my insurance approval due to the surgeon's and hospitals schedules. My point is you may still have time to try different treatments with your doctor before your surgery. It can be disheartening to come this far only to have to wait longer. I almost had the same problem as I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis during the time I was completing all the pre-op stuff and some doctors will not do a band if you have RA. Fortunately, my doc wasn't one of them. Good luck!

Congrats!!! I'm getting banded on the 18th too. I start my pre-op diet on the 11th though, but I am cutting way back on my eating now so that I'll be ready.

I had a $495 program fee that was due at the first office visit (luckily I got a 20% discount for being an employee of the hospital). This fee was mentioned at the initial seminar as well as in the follow-up phone call when setting up the appointment. I would definitely call though so your prepared when you go. And don't hesitate to ask the office questions; thats what they're there for.