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Hey all, well, my surgery is Thursday and so I'm doing liquids only now in preparation.....wowowow this is HARD work! I started with a Protein shake this morning, Green tea mid morning and some Imagine brand potato leek Soup. So far so good but I think by end of day I will be a mess. I couldn't get through all day yesterday on liquids so had a small meal around dinnertime. Thoughts? Advice? Suggestions? Man oh man am I peeing a lot too! (I know, TMI!) I'm sure hoping this goes easier after I get banded......woooo little light headed!

Thank you so much Kathy! I appreciate every word. The thing is I am taking it super easy. I am not working & still feel really weak. I have been having a really bad stomach since surgery. (here is the TMI part- Peeing from both ends for a week) sorry if thats TMI But its making me very weak. I am following the menu to a tee. No substitutes at all. Just feel dizzy sometimes(haven't taken any meds in 3 days except tylenol) & not strong like usual. Thank goodness I see the Doctor on Monday-Hopefully he can drain this thing. Anyhow Now I am complaining-sorry I just expected to be complication free. I guess the bright side is I have lost 7 pds in the past week. So I am 14 down. Just can't wait to feel like me again;0) P>S> I am sure I wouldn't be so cranky if my back hadn't been out for two weeks prior to surgery, I think thats whats making it worse. thanks for the kind words. I know it will be better Monday

We can be a pretty gross bunch, that's for sure. If you think this is TMI, try checking out my other post under, "Warning, Gross Pictures." I've never heard anyone having such a long PB stuck episode. Mine usually pass within 5-10 minutes. I can eat bread, just not as much as I used to, as long as I take small bites and chew really well.

ohhhhhhhhhh...TMI

Thrush is very common due to antibiotics. I had the joy of a yeast infection (sorry...tmi). I forgot to have the doctor prescribe Diflucan to ward off the infection. I would call your surgeon. Forget the three day weekend. Someone is on-call and they can prescribe you meds or give you advice. Hang in there.

I cheated. I confess. I really tired to hold it together through this liquid diet thing. I started my Clear liquid diet on Last Thus and last night(sat) i couldnt stand it anymore...i have to get an ultimate cheeseburger from Jack In The Box. I really tried...i almost cried over it. This is bad....now i know how i got this big...im definately realizing whenever im stressed i get cravings like a pregnant woman. So then today i said to myself....im gonna do better i dont need this and i can fight this...so i took my fiance and took him to see 2 movies today. We saw Madagacar and Monster In Law.....welllllllllllll little did i know the urge of movie theater popcorn would be in my face...so i did it again i got popcorn. I could scream i feel so guilty....i felt like goin into the bathroom and pukin it up...sorry for TMI everyone...i think i seriously have an issue with food. This is the hardest thing i have ever done in my life hands down. I need some strength. I hope my liver isnt too big because i cheated on my clear liquid diet. I will be religeous about it from now on...ive made the promise to myself and my fiance is tryin to help me get through this. I hope 3 good clear liquid diet days will be sufficiant for my liver to go down enough. Anyone bigger and have no problem with surgery after only a few days of the liquid diet...im scared i may have just ruined everything for me...why am i so weak!!!! Sorry i had to vent..someone please respond...i really do need some input...

Can't have Splenda at all...I wrote in another post about not having IBS anymore. Splenda makes me have the same symptoms that I had with IBS. If I have Splenda......even if it is in one small item (Russel stover low carb stuff for ex) I am in the bathroom all night. I can't imagine having that symptom that Splenda can be a good substitute. Sorry for the TMI

Okay, so am I under the understanding I am going to try and coordinate this thingymabob? I can get on the horn with Lisa and start organinzing for her if she wishes. Plus, if anyone says I am a babe I am all for it. Hey, were you looking in my window last week during my "flashdancing" for my hubby? I tell ya, when I did that running move I almost ended up in the kitchen from the bedroom! oh, tmi. Sooooooo Lisa, PM me with your tele # so I can bug ya. Let's get this ball rolling! Don't feel bad about the group pricing at the hotels Penni, it is a fine art of dealing with the hotels and finagaling a great price. You guys aren't very good with counts huh? Is there a way to set up a poll thread or something? If anyone needs me to check for airfares, PM me. I can at least tell you what I see and how to go and get it, I can't actually book it anymore. But I can tell you where to go. So, let's get this rolling... I reallyyyyyy need to get a count. Can we start a running thread or something? Ballpark room count? Jenna

BASH Dates: Sept 23, 24, 25 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) ANY stage of bandster is welcome. We don't exclude anyone. Even spouses are welcome. Or in Donali's and my case SO. LOL!! TMI = Too much information I can stay in NY or Manhattan or NJ or on the Hudson River for all that matters. LOL!! I just wanna GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! LOL!!

Tara - The get-together is for anyone - banded, unbanded, recently banded, not-so-recently banded, etc. Come!! Kathy - TMI = Too much information

OOOOOh! Of course, I knew it should have been obvious! I agree, SO sounds better than boyfriend, it defines your relationship better, but your right, I would have figured a same-sex relationship if you hadn't said "he"...I'll try to get up-to-date with you on the vocabulary. so, what's TMI? hehe (I'm serious, but tell me some other time or I'll just hijack this thread) So, on to the East Coast Bandster Bash!

SO = Significant Other Previously, SO seemed to be used more to describe a committed partner of a same sex couple - however, these days, the usage seems to be broadening to include partners in a committed relationship who are not married. At 44, "boyfriend" sounds so highschool (although I do still use that term), and doesn't really do justice to a relationship that has moved beyond dating, IMHO. So I have gone with the flow and am trying to update my vocabularly to more adequately reflect the type of relationship we have. We cohabitate, share similar goals for the future, share expenses, etc. Basically, for all intents and purposes, marriage without the legal mumbo-jumbo. He does not plan on being married again (I guess once was enough for him! ), but he's not planning on leaving me, either, so... He's my SO. TMI? lol

Lisa, how great to start this thread. You are always thinking! Except for the family mental illness part our stories are quite similar. But then, mental illness didn't get diagnosed as much when I was a kid, so maybe............ I, too, don't care much about food until the night time. This is a habit that started when I was a child. I loved to have a little picnic all by myself, in the night. Maybe it's because I have always been a loner, maybe it's because I felt ashamed of my food thing and wanted to do it under the cover of darkness. Somehow I think it's a combination of things, the two I mentioned, plus physical tiredness, hunger from not eating all day, and I tend to replay all the events of the day in my head. I replay my stress tapes in my head and then I eat. While I'm eating I feel nothing. Sometimes, feeling nothing can be bliss. I, too, think in large terms for food. Before banding I could eat a large pizza. Sure I'd feel full, but after a quart of ice cream it'd go away. My real issue is Twofold: 1. I find it almost impossible to eat slowly. It takes an enormous effort of will and concentration to eat slowly. You'd think it'd be the other way around, but if I don't concentrate on my eating the food is gone in milliseconds. 2. I am compelled (liiterally compelled) to do everything in my power to finish it all. It doesn't matter how much there is, I can't even entertain the notion of putting away leftovers. I've saved a fortune in Saran Wrap over the years. Now I think these two bugaboos stem from childhood physical, mental, and sexual abuse that involved food, and these two practices. I could explain in more detail, and if someone really wants to know I'll PM the whole story to them, but it wold be fairly offensive to post it here. TMI for some folks, I imagine. It certainly is that for me. Is that why I'm fat? No. I'm fat because I chose this particular addiction (for whatever reason, it's my addiction, my problem) to deal with my issues. There. Now I'm doing my best to own my problem. I am why I'm fat. My choices, colored by compulsions. "Hi, I'm Food, and what's eating me is Ryan."

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm feeling much better today and ate real food. I was scared I'd be too swollen to eat but I guess having two days on Clear liquids did the trick. I did get some nasty trapped gas (TMI, I know, but this is a stomach flu thread) so I took some Gas X and that "went away" if you get my drift. The suppository the Dr. perscribed is called "Tigan (generic form)". Kimberly- I sure would suggest calling your doctor and getting a perscription just in case, especially when you KNOW you've been exposed. Once again, thanks everyone! Now go get your suppositories!!! Hee hee... Megan

RSD: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It's a problem of the Sympathetic nervous system. It most usually manifests after an injury to the neck or shoulder area. It affects only limbs, and poses no direct threat to life, though if undetected for a prolonged period it can led to paralyisis, even quadraplegia. Simply put it is pain for no good reason. Something that should feel pleasureable is painful. A gentle warm wind upon an affected limb feels like it is immersed in boiling Water. As you can see this causes the patient to feel cut off from loved ones who can no longer hug or caress them. There is no cure, only treatment. The earlier it is diagnosed, the better the rebound will be and the more normal the life the patient will end up living. Patty's RSD is in her right leg, and right arm. Since her shoulder is severely damaged, and there are bone spurs in the joint itself, the arm is difficult to manage. Each little movement will cause an RSD flareup. She has a Neurostimulator in her lumbar and thoracic spine to keep the RSD in check in her right leg. This was necessary as it was very swollen and the swelling couldn't be brought under control. The Tunnelled Epidural Catheter will place powerful pain meds directly on the nerves involved, allowing for a huge dose to the affected area, with only minimal doses for the entire body. This reduces side effects and lets the nerves be directly medicated by steroids and narcs without sending them systme wide and causing more harm to the body than pain relief. MRSA is a type of staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics. So far she has responded well to Vancomycin, and should it become resistant to that, there is at least one more big antibiotic gun to use. If it mutates enough and becomes resistant to all antibiotics death is usually imminent. It is easier to contract it after you've got it once. Probably TMI but these things seem so complex that simple answers don't do them justice. Thanks for asking.

My Margies are frozen in the freezer, (I had one already) waiting for 7:00 toast. I have on my red fringe panties (naughty kind) I have on my pasties (Yikes) I have on my garter and black nylons I have on my 4" spike heels I have on my red long gloves The music is loud My DH is sitting with his eyes as big as quarters! At 9:00 the chef will be here to cook the lobster/steak Then we will go sit in the spa with the bubbles and another drink. After that, well, that is TMI!

I had actually resized and submitted for you, but then saw that you had already resized, so deleted my resize in an edit, but didn't change my wording... lol TMI?

TMI... TMI.... TMI.... (the "you know what part.")

Lisa, DEFINITELY TMI!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol Get a pair of pants with POCKETS, for goshsakes!!! ROTFLMAO :(

Okay, I keep reading other people's and what's the deal.....no tea before bed? no tea or nothing to drink at all before bed? I drink before bed and sleep fine. Will that change? I'm one week out and I started soft foods today. I had 1/4cup grits for lunch, and at dinner I had 1/4 cup velveeta cheese melted w/taco seasoning (no chips - didn't really need them and 2Tspn's of mashed potatos and I drank Water - 160z 1/2 hour afterwards and I was fine. Am I doing right? When I ate the grits, I was so hungry I ate kind of fast, and then it hurt and I through about 2Tsp's up. Anytime I eat, I burp like 50 times...............is it normal and will I burp everytime I eat alot? I'm burping more than I'm farting. I must say, I went to the Art's fest in Addison and I'm so okay with my husband and baby eating and me just drinking. I just wished I felt smaller. I've lossed 10lbs and don't even feel it. I was looking at the scale everyday, now I haven't in 2days. Never thought that I'd be excited about a scale.

does anyone else have problems with even room temp water. i can't get room temp water or gatorade to go down. sometimes it all foams up and then comes back (sorry for the gross tmi(toomuch information).

I hope that nausated feeling was not caused by my TMI post, LOL. I have never been one to dance around grossness. For me I can tell I have possible PB troubles if I start to feel foamy and have a hard time swallowing. It feels sort of like I swallowed a meatball - whole - sort of stuck. But it is not a choking kind of stuck - I can still breathe and everything - I am just as uncomfortable as heck. I have never had a PB without warning of at least one or two minutes duration. It's too bad this board does not have a polling feature - we could see if other people get the same warning or not... I have had to excuse myself twice from lunch at work to make a dash for the bathroom. I eat lunch in the cafeteria every day with my coworkers. The first time it was just panic more than anything else - it was the second day back at work and I ate a couple more bites than I should have. The second time was just a couple weeks ago - when (like a fool) I took a couple of bites of dessert on an already overfull tummy. It just looked SO good - I figured what could a couple bites of chocolate moose hurt - it's *light* right?! Well, I could feel that second bite. I had plenty of time to excuse myself and head for the bathroom. I am still kicking myself for being so dumb - I *knew* I should not have done it before I did it... It was a case of fighting head-hunger and the inability to walk away from "food on my plate." As long as you don't make a production of heading off to the bathroom your lunch companions will just think you needed to go. If you need an excuse dribble some food (preferably that won't stain) on your clothes and give yourself an excuse. I considered getting a few of those little bags like they have on airplanes - but once I realized I always have warning I didn't bother. If you are worried you could just keep a small brown lunchbag in your purse - just in case that would give you peace of mind. I have only had troubles with the volume of what I ate and the amount of chewing. I would suggest that once you do get back onto more solid foods that you peel your fruit - apple peels for example are really hard to chew small enough. I can eat them now but in the beginning it was hard. Oranges give some folks fits because the skins on the individual wedges do not always chew down well enough. You would not think you need to chew oranges that well but trust me - chew them like they are beef and you will be fine. It is not as complicated as it sounds. If you just pay careful attention to all of the textures of what you are eating you will be able to tell how much chewing is required. Anything with skin, or that feels stringy or chunky needs more chewing. *If in doubt over-chew!* Ocassionally I feel like a cow, LOL, with all the chewing. But it does tend to draw a meal out and make it SEEM like you are eating more than you actually are. That is good for satisfying head hunger - most of the time.

Hi Gabby - I have had four fills, and am pretty restricted. I cannot guzzle Water anymore, and even got slimed yesterday on a swallow of ice water (nice surprise - not! :sick lol) Also, I am very hit and miss with my supplements. However, when I DO take them, I get out my little mortar and pestle and grind them into a powder. Then I either pour that onto the back of my tongue and wash down with water, or I put into a Protein powder mix and blend that up with some water and drink it down. Nothing gets stuck this way, but I have to admit it's not the most pleasant taste. (perhaps that's why I'm hit and miss? lol Actually, I was always hit and miss, so that's not it.) It's over quickly. There are liquid and chewable Vitamins available - I'm cheap, so I buy the bulk tablets and grind them up. Before you have much restriction you may be able to get away with whole tabs, or just cutting them in half. I just prefer not having any surprises. Plus, if they don't go through right away, even if they don't give you a stuck feeling, they're not sitting in liquid, so there's nothing really to help them dissolve. Even before I was banded I ground my vitamins up for that very reason - I heard too many stories about pumped septic tanks and all the pills found there at the bottom. I know, gross, and TMI, but that's why I'm scarred for life on this matter and always grind up my tabs. Now, very, very important - you must NOT crush or break anything that is "time-released", as that counteracts the time-release effect and you will get too much of the med at one time. Always best to check with your doc before crushing or breaking any prescription meds, or anything you're unsure of. Onto fiber... If you're anything like me, you will definitely want something to help in this area. Before I was so tight, I messed around a little bit with psyllium husk type powders (like Metamucil sugar-free). I was SO nervous about that stuff gel-ing up in my pouch, however, that I never felt as though it was a safe thing to do. One time I got distracted for about 15 minutes, and when I went back to drink my fiber it was a solid mass in my cup, and I'd only used a teaspoon. So, if you want to go this route, I would recommend using extreme caution, only a teeny-tiny bit at a time, and flush, flush, flush with water right after to make sure it all gets through before it gels up. Now, I know what you're thinking... hmmm, if I have a pouch full of gel, I'll feel full, but won't have ingested any calories. Okay, well maybe you're too smart to think like that, but that was what I was thinking. Trust me, you don't need that kind of help, and if it goes bad... well, I don't even like to think about it. So, I turned to my good friend prune juice. (I heard all those snickers out there!) Seriously, 6 oz of that in the morning, and I was good to go. Literally.:guess True, prune juice is liquid calories, but in the scheme of things a miniscule factor in my daily intake. Something I've found to work just as well (GASP! ) is 2 cups of salad at lunch and 2 cups of salad at dinner. (Can you tell consuming veggies has never been my strong point? lol) Now, some people have problems with lettuce. I was told by my doc's assistant that I wouldn't be able to eat lettuce - it would make me feel bloated. For me that's just not true. Even at this great restriction, 2 cups of salad slathered in bleu cheese dressing goes down fab. I do chew, chew, chew - and I do make sure it's lubed up with dressing. Salad has never given me problems. Same with veggies, although I've heard cautions about fibrous veggies. Celery, for example, I eat - but I chew very, very well, and the fibers that get matted up I spit out - same with meat gristle. Obstruction is nothing I want to play with! As you will find, however, each person's band is individually finicky, so what does or doesn't work for one person may not have anything to do with what works for you. :cool:

One little trick I learned in my first weeks after banding was this. Get a bunch of bananas, peel them, cut in big chunks and put in a container in the freezer. Then use the chunks like you would ice cubes in your shakes. The frozen bananas make the shakes more filling and cold at the same time. I also did this because I was getting leg cramps after surgery and bananas always seem to deal with that for me so it was the obvious choice. I also ended up buying some Fiber powder because since surgery I only seem to have a bowel movement every four or five days (sorry if TMI). The thing I discovered is that the fiber powder is quite filling. It is even a tasty if you add a sugar free syrup like the ones made by www.davinvigourmet.com (these are really good, I recommend them). I ate lots of instant Knorr Hot and Sour Soup. Because you stir an egg into it the soup is quite filling and the bits are all small enough to eat in your liquids and smushy-food period. All these little tricks can work on the pre-band diet you are on.