October 2010 (Bootiful Bandsters) Thread

[Alisomniac 0]

Welcome to PostOp October '10 Bandsters!

I'm hoping how good I feel right NOW (17 hours post op - main issue is incision pain) lasts. I'm personally feeling like I will be satiated on the full liquids (I get liquids 1 week, puree 1 week then softer-normal solids)... I have been OK'd to do SlimFast LowCarb as a liquid and Protein source, and I had at least 1 a day prior to the surgery, plain yogurt, which i used to eat daily, cream of wheat, which I love, and fun stuff like Jello, Yogurt and Popsicles.

Let's keep each-other accountable, motivated and feeling hte post-op love! And make sure to update your progress tickers, goals and status!

I am currently 5'6 or 5' 6.5 (depending on who measures... i'm taller at the surgeon's office than at my primary dr) My current weight is 266 (started 276) and my long-term goal is 150 lbs (the high end of my "normal range").

I hope to be down at least 15, but hopefully 20 by Halloween.... I'm also planning on spending more time than required on full liquid since there is no way I will puree meat, and only a few veggies are tolerable pureed... fruits i'm ok with... that phase is flipping me out!

[donna5869 0]

5 days post op here. On mushy food and doing ok. I can start having fish and chicken next week, can't wait. Still some incision pain at port site, only taking pain meds at night to sleep better. 10lbs down so far. Look forward to reading about others and their journey to a new life

[ambatch 0]

woo-hoo! I'm on the other side!

It's been 24 hrs since surgery, and it's going really well. No pain, just a little discomfort from gas moving around and at incision sites. I'm going to try and do a lot of walking today. My dr wants me doing 40 mins/day. She said to break it up right now, which I will be glad to do!! lol However, with all of the hills around my house, just going around the block will take me that long!

Hope you are all doing well. Keep posting, keep sharing. Even though we may not live close enough to get together, we are only a click away!! :thumbdown:

[Alisomniac 0]

I actually went out shopping a little today... I have a lot of pain on my left side, where my biggest incision is, and laying down, sitting down, and getting in and out of cars/up and down sitting or bed is really painful (at times I feel like my insides are tearing!) the rest of the time I'm ok... i know it's only been one day since surgery, bit I'm already dreading returning to work... I'm scheduled to return Tues 10/12 but don't know how that's going to work... If I could stand up and work, or work from a tall stool it would be easier, but I can't... cubicle dweller here... so I don't know If i will go back that soon... that and I dont think I will be cleared to drive by then.

2- week follow up scheduled 10/18!

[mom1980s 0]

woo-hoo! I'm on the other side!

It's been 24 hrs since surgery, and it's going really well. No pain, just a little discomfort from gas moving around and at incision sites. I'm going to try and do a lot of walking today. My dr wants me doing 40 mins/day. She said to break it up right now, which I will be glad to do!! lol However, with all of the hills around my house, just going around the block will take me that long!

Hope you are all doing well. Keep posting, keep sharing. Even though we may not live close enough to get together, we are only a click away!! :thumbup:

my surgery was yesterday and i feel like crap im hurting

[blair2828 0]

Wow! Its amazing how different all of our post-op instructions are. I was banded Monday so im on Day 3. Clear Liquids only for me for days 1-2, Days 3-14 full liquids (protien shakes), Week 3- Week 6 puree foods only. I can start mushy and solids after 6 weeks. I had a hiatal hernia corrected also though. Im down 10 lbs since I started pre-op diet. Im suppose to walk a little bit every 2 hours. The biggest problem for me now is drinking enough. Congrats to you guys I cant wait to keep on hearing how you all are doing.

[elikis 0]

Shopping already?! Wow! I hope that I will be able to be up and around the next day! I can not stand laying around all day!

[dwilson1usa 0]

After making my decision to have Lap-Band surgery I was first denied by my Insurance Company (United Helath Care) in 2009. The Weight Loss Clinic helped to appeal the denial of service but it was denied again. Luckily, my company changed insurance carriers in 2010 to Anthem Blue Cross. At the beginning of the year I did not think about re-applying for the surgery, since I was denied by United, but then someone told me that they had it approved and I started my research again to see if Anthem would provide the surgery and approve it. I did a lot of research on the Anthem web site and found the Medical Policy for Surgical Weight Loss. After contacting my Weight Loss Surgeon again (almost a year later) they were happy to resubmit my paperwork to Anthem without doing any additional Doctor visits or other tests or appointments! This time I did not leave in the hands of the Insurance Company and Doctors office to provide the follow-up, I called on a regular basis to the Insurance Medical Management department and the Doctor's office. After going away on vacation for two weeks, and contacting the Insurance Company when I returned, I was finally approved for out patient surgery for my Lap Band! YEAH!

Surgery Date; October 26th! 14 days and Counting!

I am READY!

[ambatch 0]

It's been exactly one week since my surgery. I feel really good, except for an "ache" I have on my left side when I walk. I have a feeling that it is a gas bubble that I can't work out. I completed my one week of liquids and (I have to admit...) I moved on to mushies a day early. It was either that or I was becoming a mad woman!! Cottage cheese has never tasted so good!! I learned (the hard way!) today, that I eat very fast :smile2:....did you all realize you can no longer do that once you're banded??!! lol Even though I don't have any Fluid in my band yet, my tuna fish got stuck! After some time, it worked its way down, but I now know what I'm REALLY going to have to work on....and that's to S L O W D O W N!

Have a good night everyone!

[MMM6886 0]

Hi all,

Please consider this my application to your October 2010 bandsters! I had surgery 10/6 - one week out and feeling ok. I've lost 13 lbs but strangely enough, I'm not excited about it.

The pain is mostly gone, just "discomfort" right now and dealing with bloat. Finally on pureed foods - tried cheesie burger (fried up low-fat grd beef & mixed with a little cheez whiz and milk then blended in blender). It was ok - the chunks that were left over (that the blender didn't get) were the best - I just chewed them real well. Otherwise, the consistency was a little icky/grainy - remember, taste has to do with mouth-feel as well as actual flavor. pureed may not go well with me...we'll see. But the food stayed down (I was so terrified while eating) and I was relieved.

Right now I'm dealing with depression too. I believe it is hormonal - having had my body go through so much, woman's issues on top of that, etc...my hormones are out of whack. I'm hoping that clears up soon. I'm recovering home ALONE as well, so that doesn't help. But this forum and the one for my surgical clinic has been wonderful.

We can do it though -on this journey together. It sure does help to talk to others that had the surgery around the same time...and also had other surgeons. That's when you realize the rules are not "written in stone" - which, while I believe you should follow your own surgeon's directions, it helps to know that there are variations out there!

Take care and good luck everyone!!

Michelle

[Caleb's_Mommie 0]

Hello fellow October Bandsters,

I was banded yesterday. I feel great with the exception of a few gas pains, but I notice a great deal of relief since yesterday. Everything went well, and I was discharged 2 hours after surgery. I am so happy to have started my journey, and I can't wait to see how things turn out.

Good Luck to all of you

[rockstar 0]

Hey all you Bootiful Bandsters!

I'm on day 3 post-op. I still have a clear liquid diet until Monday and the gas pains are killing me. I've taken Gas X strips with no relief. Today it is a bit better but goodness. It's no joke.

I've been slowly eating a Jello cup because I'm afraid I'll get full and think it's an awful gas pain and keep eating. Does the new full feeling feel like the old full feeling? I still haven't felt it.

Anyway, I'm glad everyone is doing well! I can't WAIT for full liquids next week!!

[Ready_Set_Lose 0]

Hi Everyone-

I was banded on October 1st. I'm doing great. I have my 2 week check in on Friday with my surgeon. I'm hoping i get the okay to move to soft foods. I'm on puree/mushee now. It is hard to stick to the diet, I'm quickly getting bored with my options. I want more variety. The good news is that my appetite is still very small. I do get hungry ( man, I never heard such loud hunger noises) but then I'm full rather quickly and stay full till my next meal. I love that!!!! Best of luck everyone.

RSL

[RUMiller 0]

my surgery was yesterday and i feel like crap im hurting

It's really hard in the very beginning but it gets better quickly. I was banded 8 days ago and I feel like a new person. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to finally achieve a successful weight loss. I hope that I am able to keep it off too. I have lost 20 lbs (since my highest weight a month ago) and I feel lighter in body and spirit. I hope that you feel better soon too!

[bayareanan 24]

I was banded on 10/4 and had my 1 week (and 2 day) followup appt. I have been on the scale every day and was upset because I was 1 lb lower yesterday than today and thought I was failing (I am extremely hard on myself and hope learn to cut myself some slack). So, here I was thinking poorly about my loss. When I got weighed at the Dr office I was down 8lbs since my preop appt and 10lbs total since the appt before I started my preop diet. So much for thinking I was failing.

What I learned from this is forget weighing every day as it will just cause disappointment in the short run. I am putting up my scale until I am better able to cope with it and will just wait it out until my 4 week post op appt.