December 2010 Bandsters out there?

[sunshine62 0]

Hi everyone - I was banded on 12/17, so into my second week now. It is amazing to me how some are eating chili a few days out and some like me on liquids still. First week was just diluted sugar free juices, Water, clear broth and sugar free frozen fruit bars. Last Friday, 12/24 I could start cream Soups, Protein Drinks and yogurt, main focus - eating Protein. This Fri. I can start pureed/soft foods and that is the diet for 2 weeks! Just certain meats, eggs, veggies and fruit pureed plus most definately the Protein Shakes. I am happy to say I have lost 19 pounds so far, but do get hungry. I had extreme continuous gas and belching 2 days after surgery and had to go back in the hospital to get 3 cc's removed from the band because it was not allowing the liquids to go down due to swelling around the band. Not sure when they will put that saline back, post-op appt. is next Tues. I was glad to find you all here, it's great to talk to people going through this too! J

[serendipitybaby 0]

Hello! I am trying to figure out this forum and how it all works so bear with me! I was banded Friday, Dec. 3rd and have about 85 lbs. to lose. Diabetes runs in my family and I felt like a time bomb and have never been able to keep the weight off. It just crept up and up. I am very active and want to be able to exercise without the aches and pains. I am 5' 10" and 55 years old. I would like to stay in touch with those of a similar situation.

I had a great experience so far and had my band done as an out pt. procedure. I was out at SAM's the very next morning and haven't had alot of pain. Today I did laundry and walked at the mall. I plan to return towork for awhile on Monday. I was fortunate to also have had it done laproscopically and had a great surgeon, Dr. David Provost. All I can say is so far so good!

Hi, my name is Lora and I was banded last week on December 21. I had to lose at least 10 pounds pre-op. I did the 10 day liquids low fat Proteins stuff. I was scared going in and thrilled going out. The surgery was nice and clean as the surgeon says and very fast. However, I have had some oxygen level issues that evening and the next two days. So recuperating has been slower for me. I was 266 pounds the day of surgery. I am one week post op and I am down to 255. I am on full liquids mostly EAS Protein drinks, some protein whey powder from GNC, Isopure liquid, sugar free Jello, greek yogurt, and broth any kind I can get my hands on because that is the most normalcy I can get. I have been on Percocet every four hours up until Sunday and I am slowly weaning myself to one pill before bedtime and regular Tylenol during the day. I didn't realize it would feel so sore. I thought that I would be up and moving like normal. I have done some laundry and light grocery shopping but I find myself winded and no energy. So if there are no carbs, are we getting the energy just from the Vitamins and protein drinks? I am 43 years old and 5' 5 1/2 ". I am looking foward to a steady weight loss but I am very nervous about next week as I begin the softy mushy stage. I just need to know what those signals are going to feel like when it is time to stop. I am sure I will learn them fast. Dr. James Hanosh in Grand Junction was my surgeon, he is excellent and his team is so caring. The coordinator and assistant came to see me as I was in recovery. I really love this group they made me feel very comfortable and checked on me through the week. I can't wait to start really moving and getting an excercise plan. Would be excited to stay with this December group.

(Serendipitybaby)

[MizDiz 0]

Hi, Lora! I got my band on 12/22, and it looks like we have some similar stats. I haven't been out and about yet, but I have done some walking on the treadmill. I've gone my first 24 hours without anything at all for pain (yeah) and I'm excited to see the weight coming off.

This group and this board have been invaluable to me. Don't hesitate to ask questions!

[HeatherinCA 10]

Hi everyone - I was banded on 12/17, so into my second week now. It is amazing to me how some are eating chili a few days out and some like me on liquids still. First week was just diluted sugar free juices, Water, clear broth and sugar free frozen fruit bars. Last Friday, 12/24 I could start cream Soups, Protein drinks and yogurt, main focus - eating protein. This Fri. I can start pureed/soft foods and that is the diet for 2 weeks! Just certain meats, eggs, veggies and fruit pureed plus most definately the Protein Shakes. I am happy to say I have lost 19 pounds so far, but do get hungry. I had extreme continuous gas and belching 2 days after surgery and had to go back in the hospital to get 3 cc's removed from the band because it was not allowing the liquids to go down due to swelling around the band. Not sure when they will put that saline back, post-op appt. is next Tues. I was glad to find you all here, it's great to talk to people going through this too! J

Well, I guess it's different because you have Fluid in your band already. Most of ours are empty, so we can get real food in there. Mine is pretty limited for 26 days, then it's normal food. I think it's good this way, I think I may of freaked out if I had to do weeks more of liquids!

[Jess55 97]

I went to put on my jeans today, and they felt like they were falling off!!! So I decided to try on this pair that I had that kind of fit but were really tight on the waist so I did not wear them that much and they fit, and are a little loose, OMG, yay, and I am only 9 days out, well plus my pre op diet. I am quite happy today. I am going to go get some new scrubs for work in a 2XL (had been wearing 3XL, because of my stupid hips) and even if they don't fit, I am going to buy them, because, last I checked a few weeks ago, I could almost get into them, so it should not be long now. Good day so far, going to my post op appointment now

[andrea0121 28]

I had my 3 week post-op nutrionist appointment today. I've been moved on to normal (soft) foods. I still have to get in 1 Protein Drink a day, but she thinks I'll be fine getting it elsewhere.

I'm only down 9lbs since surgery, I wonder if that's because I was on purees the next day out? Weird. Either way I'm soooooo super happy I've lost any weight. Between everything I have going on (1/4 of a thyroid and PCOS) I'm happy to be losing at all. Next week I'm allowed to exercise. I bought a treadmill since I live north of Chicago and the weather isn't really conducive to walking outside.

Glad everyone is doing so well!!! OH, I go for my first fill on Jan. 7th, woot!!!

[vickyd 24]

Hello,

Yeah Vicky!! I am so happy you reached your year end goal!

Do you all take Vitamins? And if so, chewable? Where do you buy yours? I am taking Centrum Silver chewables and Caltrate soft chews for Calcium.< /p>

Joan

Hi Joan,

I do take vitamins but not in the traditional sort of way. I found that I just couldn't handle the chewable vitamins - they actually made me gag - so I started looking for alternatives and I found something called EcoDrink on the blog of another lapband patient. It is a Vitamin powder that you mix with 10 oz.water and drink. One box contains a bottle to mix it in and a month's worth of the powder in 2 flavors (orange and fruit punch). It tastes a lot like Crystal Light and also can count towards your fluids for the day. I googled it and ordered it on line and I highly recommend it!

Vicky

[Jess55 97]

Got back from my post op appointment. weird that did not even check to make sure my incisions were healing, just asked how I was doing and such. I saw the PA and not the surgeon, but whatever. I asked what size band I had and she said it was the "Standard size" which she sad holds 14cc. I also asked if there was any saline in it yet and she did not say how much, just that the lap band always comes with something in it and so you always have something unless it is taken out. OK. I was told I can go back to doing cardio at the gym, but no lifting for 2 more weeks. Going to be kind of hard at work for 2 more weeks without being able to lift the larger animals. There are only 4 people there that know I had surgery,2 of my supervisors, they know what I had done, one of them told a new supervisor (which I was a little annoyed at, but she has the lap band too, so it is ok), and a girl I work with asked if I was sick last week, so I said I had surgery, she did not pry as to why, so I just left it at that. So having to ask people to pick up the big animals for me is going to be tough, but I'll manage. I go back in 4 weeks, and see the surgeon and maybe will get my first fill. Sounds good.

[sunshine62 0]

Well, I guess it's different because you have Fluid in your band already. Most of ours are empty, so we can get real food in there. Mine is pretty limited for 26 days, then it's normal food. I think it's good this way, I think I may of freaked out if I had to do weeks more of liquids!

[sunshine62 0]

Got back from my post op appointment. weird that did not even check to make sure my incisions were healing, just asked how I was doing and such. I saw the PA and not the surgeon, but whatever. I asked what size band I had and she said it was the "Standard size" which she sad holds 14cc. I also asked if there was any saline in it yet and she did not say how much, just that the lap band always comes with something in it and so you always have something unless it is taken out. OK. I was told I can go back to doing cardio at the gym, but no lifting for 2 more weeks. Going to be kind of hard at work for 2 more weeks without being able to lift the larger animals. There are only 4 people there that know I had surgery,2 of my supervisors, they know what I had done, one of them told a new supervisor (which I was a little annoyed at, but she has the lap band too, so it is ok), and a girl I work with asked if I was sick last week, so I said I had surgery, she did not pry as to why, so I just left it at that. So having to ask people to pick up the big animals for me is going to be tough, but I'll manage. I go back in 4 weeks, and see the surgeon and maybe will get my first fill. Sounds good.

[GardenGal 2]

Hello December 2010 Bandsters! I have been off the air for a few weeks as I had a daughter graduate from college (Texas Tech-Guns Up!), I changed jobs, Christmas came and went and now we are heading to OKC in the morning to help my daughter move in her house. So, it has been a whirlwind month! I was the instigator of this thread and it is amazing how many of us are on here now!

I was banded on the 3rd and had my first fill today. Piece of cake! (No pun intended!) They used a small injection of Lidocaine and then a large needle to inject the saline. I am now at 4.7 cc's. My band had about 2.9 cc's in there already and I didn't know that. They said that everyone has some saline put in during surgery to make sure that the band is "primed" and it makes the first fill easier. You don't want to implant a band and have to struggle to fill it dry if it "sticks together" or collapses due to pressure. Made sense to me! The process was painless and I have felt fine. My Dr.'s goal is to have his patientslive with the band and forget they even have it. As long as you follow the tenents of life with a lap band, you should feel no different than before. I am a believer, as I have no problems whatsoever.

Anyway, now on liquids for about 24 hours again, but can eat anything after that if I follow the "rules"....small bites, chew thoroughly, Protein first, etc. Weight is coming off slowly, but steadily. About 20 lbs. since starting the pre-op liquid diet on Nov. 18th. Down a jeans size and starting to feel and see a difference!

Hope everyone is doing well at whatever stage you are and keep chatting!

Garden Gal

[sparkplug 106]

Got back from my post op appointment. weird that did not even check to make sure my incisions were healing, just asked how I was doing and such. I saw the PA and not the surgeon, but whatever. I asked what size band I had and she said it was the "Standard size" which she sad holds 14cc. I also asked if there was any saline in it yet and she did not say how much, just that the lap band always comes with something in it and so you always have something unless it is taken out. OK. I was told I can go back to doing cardio at the gym, but no lifting for 2 more weeks. Going to be kind of hard at work for 2 more weeks without being able to lift the larger animals. There are only 4 people there that know I had surgery,2 of my supervisors, they know what I had done, one of them told a new supervisor (which I was a little annoyed at, but she has the lap band too, so it is ok), and a girl I work with asked if I was sick last week, so I said I had surgery, she did not pry as to why, so I just left it at that. So having to ask people to pick up the big animals for me is going to be tough, but I'll manage. I go back in 4 weeks, and see the surgeon and maybe will get my first fill. Sounds good.

Sounds like you are doing great!!! I was banded on 12/20/08 and am at goal with losing 90 pds. I have been maintaining for the last year and that is harder than seeing the scale going down every week. I go back and forth with the same two pds and this christmas I actually put on 2 pds which I will be working very hard to get off this coming week. I am not going to let this go for long, it needs to be removed as soon as possible, gaining 2 pds and then it might snowball like it has my whole life. This is a trial and error thing, keeping at the same weight every week. We can all do it and boy do I feel absolutely great, off of all meds and feel like a teenager again! Good luck and happy new year!

[eko 1]

Hi all! I was just banded on Monday 12/27. I am still recovering from surgery. For the most part I am doing well, I do have some soreness, but that seems to be backing off a little each day. I am trying to understand the new signals my body is telling me besides it is out of routine. Currently I am on a full liquid diet which includes cream Soups and protien shakes, or basically anything I can get through a straw (no caffeine or carbonation). I see my surgeon again on 1/3/2011 to see what is up next. Happy New Year to all!

[amyloveslou 11]

Hi all! I was just banded on Monday 12/27. I am still recovering from surgery. For the most part I am doing well, I do have some soreness, but that seems to be backing off a little each day. I am trying to understand the new signals my body is telling me besides it is out of routine. Currently I am on a full liquid diet which includes cream Soups and protien shakes, or basically anything I can get through a straw (no caffeine or carbonation). I see my surgeon again on 1/3/2011 to see what is up next. Happy New Year to all!

Congrats eko !!!

[newlifekp 0]

Hi, my name is Lora and I was banded last week on December 21. I had to lose at least 10 pounds pre-op. I did the 10 day liquids low fat Proteins stuff. I was scared going in and thrilled going out. The surgery was nice and clean as the surgeon says and very fast. However, I have had some oxygen level issues that evening and the next two days. So recuperating has been slower for me. I was 266 pounds the day of surgery. I am one week post op and I am down to 255. I am on full liquids mostly EAS Protein drinks, some Protein whey powder from GNC, Isopure liquid, sugar free Jello, greek yogurt, and broth any kind I can get my hands on because that is the most normalcy I can get. I have been on Percocet every four hours up until Sunday and I am slowly weaning myself to one pill before bedtime and regular Tylenol during the day. I didn't realize it would feel so sore. I thought that I would be up and moving like normal. I have done some laundry and light grocery shopping but I find myself winded and no energy. So if there are no carbs, are we getting the energy just from the Vitamins and Protein Drinks? I am 43 years old and 5' 5 1/2 ". I am looking foward to a steady weight loss but I am very nervous about next week as I begin the softy mushy stage. I just need to know what those signals are going to feel like when it is time to stop. I am sure I will learn them fast. Dr. James Hanosh in Grand Junction was my surgeon, he is excellent and his team is so caring. The coordinator and assistant came to see me as I was in recovery. I really love this group they made me feel very comfortable and checked on me through the week. I can't wait to start really moving and getting an excercise plan. Would be excited to stay with this December group.

(Serendipitybaby)

Hi Lora - I was just banded on the 27th and I am 43 and 5'5". Sounds like we have a lot in common, including our beginning weight. It would be great for us to bounce things off each other! Good luck (oh, yeah...I am not too far from you, I am in central Nebraska).