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Good luck tomorrow! I hope you sail right through!

Hang in there Cherie! If you feel like you're having any doubts, go view the before and after postings! It is so inspiring to see the progress that other banders have achieved! If they can do it, we can do it! We deserve to finally get control of our weight and let our inner gorgeousness out! :cheer2: I'm scheduled for banding only a few days after you on 12/19/06--be sure to let us know how things work out for you!

Hi there! Receiving that diagnosis must have been the hardest thing you and your husband have ever had to deal with! I am thrilled that his prognosis is good! You will get back on track, as evidenced by your trip to the gym--good for you! I, too, get an attack of the Munchies Monster whenever I get stressed. I'm going to have to figure out how to replace food with something else during a stressful time. This is where fixing our brains comes into it. Maybe we could take up a hobby like some type of needlework that would keep our hands full instead of eating food?? I don't know...this is a tough one! :help:

At one of my sermiars, the nurse cautioned us to avoid using a straw because it can introduce air into the stomach when you swallow. Apparently, that can cause discomfort in your stomach. I'm glad that hasn't happened to you! :biggrin1: I'm not sure about the Cream of Wheat. My diet says only Clear Liquids for 2 weeks, then soft or pureed food at a rate of about 2 ounces per meal for the next 2-4 weeks. High Protein foods are listed as the priority, then we can have other foods. They also said to drink 15-30 minutes before or 30-45 minutes after meals, but not with meals. That's all I know so far from the materials I've gotten prior to my 12/19/06 surgery date!

Check if the menu has any smoothies, too. When my son's jaw was wired, that was a huge help because he couldn't eat anything with lumps in it for over a month!

I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble. Try rereading the materials from your doctor again to help you recommit to following their guidelines. I don't think the recommendations were created to make us miserable or miss out on all of the fun--they just want us to be protected from as many complications as possible! From what I understand, carbonation can cause your new pouch to stretch, which could affect the healing of the part of the stomach that was pulled over the band. :omg: If you do go out with friends, try to think about a strategy to avoid alcohol ahead of time. Maybe you could have a Protein shake before you leave and plan to sip Water with lemon, unsweetened iced tea, or juice while you're out. I always do better avoiding things I shouldn't eat in a social situation when I have a plan, but boy, is it hard to stick to! I rarely drink alcohol so I don't think that will be a problem for me after surgery, but I'm definitely not looking forward to having to give up my carbonated, flavored water or my beloved Diet Coke! :cry

Hi there! The information provided to me from my doctor's office stated that we should work towards 6-8 cups of clear liquid during the first two weeks after banding. They really emphasized the importance of staying hydrated. You have to take in small amounts of liquid at a time though. They suggested sipping liquids out of a 1 oz. medicine cup or that we get a child's "sippy cup." The reason is that you don't want to stretch the stomach before it has time to heal. Hope this helps! I'm getting banded on December 19th--9 more days!

My doctor's office has told us to make sure we take in about 90 grams of protein daily to avoid losing lean muscle mass while we are losing weight. We have to follow a low-fat, low-sugar liquid diet for the two-week phase after the banding. The nurse and dietician suggested drinking high-protein shakes like Pro-Complex or Champion Nutrition mixed with skim milk and to work toward taking in 6-8 cups of clear liquids a day. They said that we should sip liquids throughout the day. Maybe it would help you to raise the amount of protein in your diet if the doctors did not give you any specific requirements?

I'm scheduled for banding on December 21st, and I'm already trying to think of ways to occupy myself to keep my mind off of food until I get my first fill!

Welcome! I'm so excited for you! Only a few more days to go! Be sure to write again to let us know how you are doing! You can do it! :girl_hug: :xena_banana:

Hi there! Go to www.tickerfactory.com to create your weight loss ticker. You can pick a background and an icon to mark your weight. It asks you to set your starting weight and your goal weight. When you are done, you can right-click on the ticker and select "copy." Go back to the screen for customizing your signature on this website (under the User CP link in the blue bar at the top of the screen) and right click in the signature space and select "paste." If you save your ticker with a password on the Ticker Factory website, you can log back in periodically to create an updated ticker as you lose weight! Hope this helps!

Hi there! Go to www.tickerfactory.com to create your weight loss ticker. You can pick a background and an icon to mark your weight. It asks you to set your starting weight and your goal weight. When you are done, you can right-click on the ticker and select "copy." Go back to the screen for customizing your signature on this website (under the User CP link in the blue bar at the top of the screen) and right click in the signature space and select "paste." If you save your ticker with a password on the Ticker Factory website, you can log back in periodically to create an updated ticker as you lose weight! Hope this helps!

From what I've read, if you follow all of the instructions the doctors give you, you will do well. I think you open yourself up to complications if you veer off of the prescribed diet or if you don't follow their directions about your activity level after surgery. Determination is the key!

Misltoe, I am being banded on 12-19-06 and I have only told a few women friends at this point and my orthodontist. I think I will wait until after the procedure is done to say anything because I need to focus on being positive right now. I keep reading that it is important to have a good attitude so the recovery goes well. I have a laser I agree with Wheetsin that obesity is a disease. I've been fighting this battle since I was 8 years old. Unfortunately, I inherited my mom's features from the neck up and my dad's body from the neck down! :girl_hug: I am now pre-diabetic and I need to get my weight under control so I don't get any sicker. I don't want to hear about how "lazy" I am, how I'm taking the "easy way out," etc. from people who don't understand that I need this tool to control my disease. So, here's my advice: :lalala: Block out that negativity. It's time to focus on yourself--I would bet money that you spend an awful lot of your time doing everything for everyone else! It's your time to work on improving yourself. :xena_banana: If no one else likes it, then they can lump it! :girl_hug:

Well, the one benefit of having the braces now is that when they get tightened, my teeth feel loose and all I can eat is soft food any way! I'm wondering if I'll even recognize myself when all of this is done!