drivera

Started my pre-surgery diet in mid April 2010; banded 8/31/10, but had no restriction whatsoever for months; finally got a good fill 1/21/11 where I could finally only eat a small amount. As of today, 7/4/11, I have lost exactly 100.4 lbs.!!! Starting weight 322 and now I am 221.6. I exercised very little so the weight did not come off as fast as others, but I'll take it anyhow! I still have a long way to go, but am quite optimistic! I know I am still a big girl, but I feel great! Good luck to all of you out there with your journey!

Don't get discouraged. You will get the right fill soon. Only a few get lucky and get just a couple fills and get that sweet spot. We are not in that "few". You are going to be a beautiful bride!

Thank you! Hey, you have not had a fill and lost all that weight?

To those of you who have no band restriction yet, I was one of you! I thought that I would have an immediate sense of fullness right away. I was INCREDIBLY DISMAYED to say the least when I could still eat like a normal person after the surgery. For me, I had three or four fills (I can't believe I cannot remember) before I could only eat about 3 oz. of food at a sitting. It is the weirdest feeling that I get full after a couple bites of food!!!! My mind still wants to eat all the same way as before, but the tummy says NO! I have to eat very, very slowly and chew well or I throw up. I do have a very tight bad though. I even have to drink slowly. Most would say I need to get it loosened a bit, but I don't dare! I am scared to cross that fine line. It is so wonderful not to feel like I have to eat 2-3 plates of food to feel nice and really full. By the way, I have not had a fill since my January 2011 fill and I still have excellent restriction. Oh yeah, I was 279 in January. I had gained back a little weight post op. For me, cause I don't exercise a whole lot, some weeks I don't lose weight and then I will lose a few pounds all of the sudden. We are all different, so don't get discouraged! Anyone, feel free to write me (drivera123@rochester.rr.com) or even call me if you have any questions or need a shoulder, etc. My name is Diane Rivera, 585-295-3801. I am in Rochester, NY.

Surgery 8/31/10. 4th fill 1/14/11 and FINALLY have restriction. What do those of you eat that have good restriction? I am having a tough time getting my act together! I know I have to learn to eat slower and chew better, but some foods just do not stay down no matter what!!!! I really want to do this the right way. Doc says I should see the nutritionist again, but I thought I might get some good help here from some of you pros.

Prior to this fill, I could basically eat like a pig if I did not take control! I was at 9 cc, now I am at 10 cc and can't handle almost every solid. I hope is just an adjustment period and will be able to eat soon. I have lost five pounds this week. Starving and/or puking is not a fun way to lose weight!

My surgery was 8/31/10 and my first fill was 10/15/10. I had gained 12 pounds when I went to that appt.! The fill gave me no satisfaction. I can eat like a horse still. This is very discouraging! I had no idea that I would be so hungry after this surgery! I thought I would have at least some restriction. I can't seem to get back on track with dieting either. Today is another day and I will try. I am gaining back the 60 pounds I lost and certainly don't want it back!!! Let's try to be strong until our fills start working. :blushing:

Surgery 8/31/10; started mushies on 9/16/10. 3 oz. does even come close to filling me up! Is this typical/normal? I am not going over the 3 oz. cause I know I am still healing and don't want to rip the stiches or anything and I am fighting not eating more than three times a day. Help! I need some advice here! :thumbup:

Upon waking up from surgery, the pain was at a 9. Dilauded helped...it knocked me out! I would say the terrible pain lasted from about noon until 5 p.m. and then the pain was managable and down to a 5. Next day the pain was a 3-4.

I can relate to how you feel. I was starving pre-op and now post-op. Just keep telling yourself (like I am) that this is necessary and is only temporary. I have survived 19 days now with no food. Most of the time, I am okay, but I have my moments that I am a miserable you know what! :thumbup:

Heck, I know what she means by starving in this sense. Yes, I am so irritable that I could bite someone's head off and eat it! I have not had any food for 18 days now! Oh, but I do get to have 3 oz. of Carnation Instant Breakfast three times a day which equals about a total 120 calories a day. That was added day 5 post-op; prior was no calorie liquids. I am so hungry that I could probably eat dirt and worms! I just keep telling myself I have to endure this for now.

I was so excited as my surgery day approached. And when the day arrived, I was so emotional. My mom was there and told me how proud she was of me. That was 8/31/10. I had a whirlwind of emotions during the night after the surgery...I think it was the drugs! I felt anxious and questioned what the heck did I just do?! Now I feel very good about my decision. I am looking forward to continuing this journey and getting healthy! Best wishes! Diane Rivera

My surgery was Lapband on 8/31/10. First know that everyone is different on how they feel. For me, the first few hours after surgery were very painful. I HAD TO HAVE DRUGS! By the evening, I still had pain, but it was tolerable. The next day, I felt 70% better. I drove to the store just fine. Within a week I felt pretty good. You cannot lift more than ten pounds!!! You do need to rest and heal.

LAP-BAND®® surgery was 8/31/10. I am on clear liquids of course. I can drink a cup of tea, etc. like a normally did before surgery. Is this a problem cause I am not consuming only 2-3 ounces at a time? I don't feel bad physically at all after I drink it. Heck, I can't even tell I have a band. I can tell I have the port though and that area is still sore. Also, I have another question, when I start on the pureed foods, will the 3 oz. limit be satisfying or will that happen when I start getting fills?

Duplicate posting sorry

I was clearly told to contact the doctor if I had bad diarrhea. I would do that if I were you. You should not have to suffer with this!

I was banded 8/31/10. The pain the first day was so incredibly bad, but now that each day passes, I am better. Today I started Carnation Instant Breakfast 3 oz. 3 times a day. I don't see the doctor until 9/16/10. I am really hungry and thus far, I don't feel any hunger difference at all with having the lapband. :biggrin: I guess I just have to wait until I get a fill or maybe the pureed foods will help when I get cleared to start on them. I do wish the gas bloating would go away!

Just got home today (9/1/10 at 4 p.m.) from my Tuesday 8/31/10 surgery at 10 a.m. I had a really, really terrible day yesterday. The pain and the nausea were more than I could have ever in my wildest dreams imagined. The slightest movement caused severe nausea like you could never imagine! The pain was terrible! Not to mention, some of the staff were not so nice. I do feel better today and can tolerate the pain with less strong pain meds and finally the nausea is gone....thank God! Now I am on clear liquids until September 7, 2010, then I add the Carnation Instant Breakfast no sugar added drinks until I see the doctor on 9/16 and then I will probably start pureed foods. I am having really terrible anxiety and am truly wondering for why I did this. I thought I was prepared and truly emotionally ready. I hope these are normal post-op feelings. Any help and support right now would be greatly appreciated. I am in bad shape!

I am starting to feel a bit better now that you are all sharing and giving me support...plus the 60 mg. of diazepam I took has helped too! Yes, I did have it does laprascopically, but I do have five incisions, some tiny and a couple a that about about 2 inches. It's the port area that hurts the most; though now it is just quite tender and not so much painful like the first day. I really, honestly felt as though I was being stabbed to death. They must have really roughed me up in that area during surgery I think. I very much can't wait for the gas bloating to go. I look as if I am going to have a baby! As I was holding my tender site on my tummy, it reminded me of when I was pregnant! I was just waiting for someone to ask me when I was due! Yup, almost 50 and looking nine months pregnant! This all is really more scary that I thought. I expected to be jumping for joy right now that I finally had my surgery. I never expected to feel panic and anxiety!

Do you now generally feel happy with your decision? What about you others that have had LapBand a while ago, are happy with your choice? Did you have some of the same feelings I am having?

Surgery is this coming Tuesday, 8/31/10. I am starving on these darn protein shakes. That's only 330 calories/day! Will the starvation feeling go away immediately following surgery? I know that following surgery, I will be consuming less (chicken broth, etc) for at least two weeks.

No, it never got better! Last night was my last night for anything. This morning at 10 a.m. is my surgery. However, last night I had a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of powered chicken broth which was not on the diet. I was only to have water, coffee, tea, etc. The chicken broth helped me. I was ready to eat dirt at that point. September 16, 2010 is my follow up appt., which at that time I am scheduled to be allowed pureed foods. Until then, I am only to have water, coffee, tea, broth, etc. From what I have been reading on here, everyone's pre-op diet is different - some can eat right up until the day before. My diet was terrible for me. I did lose about 10 more pounds though. Good luck!

I am getting banded Tuesday, 8/31/10 and have an appt. scheduled for 9/16/10.

Glad you are doing well. My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. Thanks for your post. It's nice to know what is ahead of me. :thumbup: