jennay5180

Weird....I am completely the other way! I haven't eaten a solid since last Saturday and I've been completely constipated! I've been #2 about 2 times all week!

That's SO funny! It's amazing how different everyone is....b/c that was the first one I tried...and I thought I was going to die! I thought it tasted awful! hahaha....I have enjoyed Myoplex Carb Control Chocolate Fudge (premade shakes). For the powder, I have enjoyed Nectar by Syntrax. I bought a variety pack of individual packages from mybariatricpantry.com. It was good to see which flavors I like....plus, they come in individual packages...which could be easier to take to work. Plus, they come in some fruity flavors like Cherry & Strawberry Kiwi that are pretty good too blended with ice! :party: hope that gives you some more options!

I typically only check out the blogs...but decided to be adventurous and check out other parts of this site! :party: hahah....Anyway, I came across this Forum! I too am being banded in August....actually, I'll be banded on the 10th! I am SOOO excited! I'm a little nervous of the pain...only b/c I've never had any kind of serious injury or surgery or broken bone....nothing! I have NO idea what to expect...although I'm thinking it'll be pretty bad! Anyway, I'm day 7 on my liquids...and someone was right. After the 3rd day of being starving and CONSTANTLY thinking about food, it has gotten remarkably easier! I can't believe it...but it is really true...and if someone had told me that last Monday, I surely would not have believed them! hahahah.... It's nice having this little group of people who are all banded around the same time! I'll be excited to track everyone's progress too!! Anyone from MA??

Yay for you!! I'm being banded on the 10th! Looking forward to being banded and moving along in this new life! Nice to know that someone is right around the same timeline as me! Let's keep in touch!!

Thanks for the book suggestion! I am being banded on the 10th...so I'm sure I'll be wanting to read while I'm down and out for a couple days afterwards. Or maybe I'll just want to sleep!? hahaha...I don't really know! Anyhow, if you have any other suggestions, I'd be more than happy to take them!

Thank you for your post! This is true! And I LOVE that verse! I'm being banded on the 10th...so I'm feeling that way right now! I know it is the best thing for me....so I'm marching on! But I believe that it will be the best thing!

Oh, mannnnn...I totally know how you feel! I went to a Red Sox game last night...and I'm on my liquid only 10 day pre-op diet....and the hot dog guy kept coming around and I walked past the sausage (MY FAVORITE) stand a couple times and I swear, my mouth started watering. I know that in the end, it'll be worth it...and I keep hoping that I'll truly believe that being thin tastes better than anything I've eaten! I've never been thin...so I don't know about that....but I'm sure I'll love it!

Yeah! I LOVE Zumba too!! AND...BodyPump!! It's an awesome way to get cardio and weight lifting in a fun class! You burn a ton of calories and you tone up pretty nicely too! Great for the arse!

Congrats to you!! I'm scheduled to be banded on the 10th of August! I can't wait to keep hearing about your new life!!

I'm going to be banded on the 10th! I'm SO pumped!!! I had to go through a 6 month program through my insurance, so that it will be completely paid for. Anyway, I started that back in early February...and started looking for a Dr. back in January. I am SO excited that the day is finally coming soon!! Less than a week... YAY!

I JUST went through that last week...and someone recommended Myoplex Carb Control (has 25 g of protein for 11 oz). I can actually tolerate this one. I had tried Isopure (Alpine Punch) first....and thought that it may be a nice, fruity way to get my protein. EWWW...NOPE! I thought I was going to throw up!! I do like Nectar too...someone told me to go to www.mybariatricpantry.com. They have a sample pack of like 12 flavors. I've only tried the cherry one so far. That was actually pretty good too. It mixed nice and there weren't any clumps. Give it a try!

OK...It's Day 2 of the Pre-Op diet...and overall, feel pretty good. I just started getting a little hungry feeling this afternoon. I took the day off from work b/c I had two Dr's appointments this morning (one was my pre-testing for surgery next week, the other was my last appointment before my surgery), so I took the whole day off. I am getting the rumbly tummy today....mainly while watching tv and seeing ads for all sorts of yummy looking food! haha...Oh, mannn....this is going to be a long 9 days. Anywayyy...next Tuesday is the big day! I am SO excited to finally begin!!! It's been a long time a'comin! I started this journey in January when I began to do research on the band and it seems like it was never going to come. Now, I am finalizing plans for my surgery and have actually begun the pre-op diet. I am praying that I don't mess up on the pre-op diet! :closedeyes: Anyway, I'll keep you posted with my week! ~Jen

Ok...so this week I am taste testing different protein drinks. I went to GNC and purchases some Isopure Alpine Punch and some Myoplex Carb Control Chocolate Fudge. I JUST tried the Isopure and I thought I was going to die! No wonder people lose weight if they have to drink this stuff! OMG...I think I want to puke! Seriously...it has taken me 2.5 hrs...and I'm still not done with 1 bottle of 20 oz! The taste isn't even the worst part.....I have a raging headache! I think it is the fake sweeteners in the drink. I am fairly certain that I am intolerant to ANY kind of sweetener that isn't sugar....even this stuff that they call "Sucralose", which says it is "made" from sugar. I'm not sure what I am going to do??? I think it'll be bad enough going through the 10 days of Pre-op diet....but if I am going to be having a huge headache everytime I have to struggle to get these drinks down??? Is this a sign that this is a bad decision for me?? If I'm not even going to be able to drink these drinks???? I'm really bummed. Please help...

hahaha...glad to hear I'm not the only one who thought that stuff was AWFUL!!! hahaha....It is sitting on my desk, half full....just staring back at me. I'm ready to toss it. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be drinking anymore of those!! hahaha.... Someone on my last post did recommend the "Nectar", along with a website where I could purchase it. I bought a trial pack of several different flavors, so I'm looking forward to trying those. I'll also try those Protein Shots. How many grams of protein in those? Everything is just SO expensive! It's crazy. 20 oz of that Isopure crap was $4.69! ACK. I'm also looking into unflavored protein powder....so hopefully, I can get that down and manageable. It's the headache that is really killing me! Even now...several hours after drinking that crap (half of it)...and I still have a raging headache!

I got a call on Tuesday confirming that my Pre-op appointment was on Monday, August 2nd and that my surgery would be on Tuesday, August 10th (of course, with approval from Tufts...which they will send the paperwork on August 3rd...the last date of my I Can Change Program). They said that I have to be at the hospital at 11:30AM for a 1:30PM surgery time. I was hoping that I'd get an early surgery....so I'd get it over with right away. I am SO excited. My doctor says that we have to take 2 weeks off from work....and I was a little bummed b/c I didn't really want to use 2 weeks of vacation time to recover. I was hoping that it would just be 1 week and that I could go back early. However, I have just found out that I can use short -term disability, so if I end up really needing that 2nd week, I can stay home and focus on healing...and I won't need to use 2 weeks of vacation time....just the first week will be taken from my vacation time. :mad: :cursing: Yayyy !! That means I can save it for when I am skinny...and go to some exotic island in my [not yet purchased] teeny bikini! hahaha.....Pipe dreams right now....but hopefully in a year, reality! Anyway, b/c I'm not just using vacation time and I will be out for the full two weeks, I ended up just telling my boss and my co-worker what I was doing. I made sure to let them know not to say anything to anyone; as I wasn't even going to tell them. I think my boss was a little hurt when I said that b/c she said, "Why??" and I told her that it was a really personal thing for me...and I didn't want to have that extra pressure of lots of people knowing and examinging me. My co-worker said, "You aren't THAT big?? Why do you want this?" After I explained to her that I was unhappy and showed her all about it, she seemed very happy for me and I think will end up being really supportive. My boss, who I knew once I told her, was going to do some extensive research on the LapBand did exactly that....and promptly informed me the next morning that it was FDA approved and that b/c of that, she approved. Hahah...she is so funny...and she really does care about me more than from just an employee standpoint, which is nice. Anyway, now 4 people are in my little circle...and I do not feel inclined to tell anyone else. I think my boyfriend will be bringing me for surgery....and I think he will even stay the day with me. He works a ton and it is hard for him to get time off without his boss bitching and moaning...so I am happy that he cares enough about me to persue it. I start my pre-op diet a week from today. YIKES! I'm so nervous!! I'm still trying to research some good protein drinks and unflavored protein to add in to things. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm nervous that I won't even be able to make it the 10 days! Anyone have tips to help sustain them through this time??? ~Jen

Yeah, that's what my nutritonist said too...Sugar Free Carnation Instant Breakfast....but I'm not sure how great that tastes? I just purchased a trial pack of several different flavors of the "Nectar".....so I'll be looking forward to trying that as well.

Where are you from in MA? I'm from MA too!! I'll be getting my band done on August 10th!! SO excited...

Wow!! I LOVE following your blog!! It is truly inspiring!! My tentative surgery date is August 10th...and I can't believe it! Like you said...it goes by SO fast! It seems like I just started investigating this whole process....and really, it has been since January!!! SO exciting!!! Anyway, thank you for the inspiration!! I SO look forward to when you post!! I am looking forward to being in the same position as you in 6 months....being a mentor/inspiration to someone just like myself! Congrats! You look FANTASTIC!!!!

Yay!! Great job so far! You are right! God is good! I'm looking forward to my band date in August!

Oh, my goodness! I just got off the phone with the receptionist at the surgeon's office...and they have set a tentative date of Tuesday, August 10th, with a pre-op date of Monday, August 2nd! :tt1: This is all, of course, providing that my insurance approves me! It is so weird! One of the two people whom I have told about this decision asked me on Sunday if I was nervous. I told her not at all! Then, I get my tentative date today and I just got the butterflies! It is SO strange! Something that I have been wanting SO much for for the past several months is now within my reach...and I get nervous! Haha....Is that weird?? I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that this is what I want and what I need to do! WHOOOOOOOOOO! I am getting pumped!!!!

It seems as if time is flying by....and for this, I am EXTREMELY greatful! I am believing that the next couple months will just sail by (although I should be sad that I am wishing away the beautiful weather just to endure another one of those eternal New England winters! hahaha)... My boss is out of town at a conference this week...and whenever she is away, time at work flies by! :thumbup: We are going through a rough time at work with our boss...so whenever she is away, we feel a bit free! Anyway, it just means that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be like a blur...and then I leave for North Carolina on Thursday. I am going to visit a friend whom I have known since we were three....and have gone to school together from Preschool till High School graduation. Then she moved down to NC to attend Duke for her Undergrad...and UNC for her Ph.D....so she's been there for quite some time. I try to make it down about once a year to visit her. I will spend Memorial Day weekend with her....and when I get back, I'll have my Psych appointment on Monday, June 7th. I am a little nervous. My health coach said that some psychiatrists are brutal, where some are ok? Can anyone shed any light on their experiences so far? I know that I am not an emotional eater....so for me, that shouldn't be a problem. In fact, I don't eat when I get stressed....hahahah....better yet, right? :thumbup: I think I have 3 more health coach phone calls...I had my blood work done a couple weeks ago...what else am I missing? Do I need to get some kind of physical before the actual surgery? What else should I expect to have to do? I've done the sleep study - and no sleep apnea - yay! :cursing: Anyway, that's my update 'til the psych consult. Let me know your experiences about this, please... ~Jen

Hi there...I've been reading your blogs and have been praying that things will work out for you! I can only imagine how much that would suck....especially after have gone through most of your pre-surgery appointments. I know I would be devastated if something happened....I just keep believing that this is what I am supposed to be doing and things will work out! I can't wait to keep reading your posts to see how things work out for you. I know I had Cobra for a few months until I got a new job and didn't need it anymore. Can your husband find out what insurance he may possibly have and call the other insurance company?

Hey! At least yours is only 3 months.....My insurance makes me do a 6 month program before I can be approved! :cursing: I'm hoping for an early August surgery date! I hope everything goes smoothly for you!!