August 2011 Bandsters????

[healthywoman 2]

Thanks for the update Cara and Caryn. Too bad about that phone. How are you both feeling tonight? Cara, you drove the same day didn't you??? How is your pain level, and if you are home with two boys, are they able to do most of their own care? Are you both resting? Just wondering about the daily routines that must go on and the rate of recovery. I appreciate you both taking the time so soon after the procedure. Still no regrets ???Praying for your SPEEDY recovery!! HW

[RegFern 1]

I'm BACK!!!! Banded and feeling good!

Yeah, Sounds like you are doing ok. My dr. does our procedure by outpatient. I had my gall bladder out a couple of yrs. ago with a different dr. and that was outpatient too. He said it would pretty much be like that so I think I'll do ok. I always take forever to wake up, I hate that feeling of wanting to just sleep and they want you awake and you just can't do it.

Hope you are feeling better today. I don't go until next Wed. then I have to report for Teachers first day on Friday. Hope I'm able to do it.

REGFERN

[RegFern 1]

A couple things you should have on hand:

heating pad! That's my number on suggestion.

A pillow for the car to hold up against your tummy. The bumps are a little rough.

Popsicles for sure. I was really swollen so Popsicles were my saving grace.

A pill cutter!

Thats all I can think of for now :-) good luck!

Thanks for the suggestions. Someone else had said I might want to buy one of those heat Patches that I could just leave on my shoulder all day. I might do that since I'll have to be moving around some. I remember the pillow from years and years ago when I had a C-section. I didn't have that kind of trouble when I had my gall bladder out so I'm hoping it is similar. I am the first surgery of the day so hopefully that will give me even more time at home to recover before I have to work on Friday. Hope you are doing better every day. REGFERN

[bobrocky 8]

I received a call yesterday telling me I had to have a filter put in to prevent blood clots. (I had 2 my last surgery.). So with one day's notice I went in this morning at 8:00 am to have it done. They went through the neck, down the jugular vein. Placed t below my belly button. Absolutely painless. I couldn't believe it. So now I go in on Monday to be banded at 2:00 pm.

[ms.lady 3]

Today was a day full of gas discomfort, walking and gas X not helping. To not feel the pain I have taken the liquid pain meds prescribed by doctor, but I am still walking hoping that the gas will pass. Other then this no other problems........ no incision pains and keeping Clear Liquids down.

[AFwife03 0]

Just like to add that I'm 10 days post op and down 15lbs!! The feeling is great! So far so good. still a bit sore but everything is wonderful. at mushy stage...blending EVERYTHING. Can't wait to start solids..LOL

I would like to say congrats to all those who have gone through the surgery these passed few days! And good luck to those who will be getting it done in the next few weeks!!

YAY for everyone here!

[rn2012 6]

Hi.Did Aetna approve you and how long did it take? Did you hv to show 90 days of seeing a nutritionist/behavior modification etc??? I didnt apply for surgery yet

I finally meet my surgeon on July 12th and since I am a teacher I am hoping for a August banding. I have Aetna which is usually quick to say yes or no so I will cross my fingers. Finished all my appointments and my own heart docter is sending me for a Ecko and stress test. I am nervous about the upper GI. Good luck to you all!

[Butterfly Queen 111 3]

My tentative surgery date is August 31.

[cakegirl 12]

I'm at the end of day 6 of my 7-day pre-op diet. I've lost 4kg (8.8 pounds) since Monday, which is freaky - I actually woke up this morning and felt the weight loss - my arm was hanging down from my shoulder differently or something! Strange! I'm at the lightest weight I've been since I was about 7 months pregnant with my daughter back in mid 2007. I shot past this weight with the pregnancy and never made it back down again!

I even went "out for dinner" at an all-you-can-eat buffet tonight. I had no choice in the venue as it was a big get-together of a bunch of different families and we had to go wherever could cater for our large group and kids. I'm proud to say, I took my Optifast powdered Soup. I spent a lot of the time fussing over other people - showing them to our table, getting stuff for my little girl, etc. I got hot Water from the coffee machine, put it into a Soup bowl and made my damn Optifast soup, and got a plate and put a cupful of salad on it, which is my allowed vegetables for the day! I'm SOOO proud of myself that I didn't cheat!

Tonight and tomorrow I'll be finishing up my last assignment for university. Monday morning, I'm taking my daughter to her swimming lesson as per normal, then meeting my mum for lunch (which we always do), but I won't be having lunch. I'll be leaving my daughter with her and then heading to hospital for my BAND!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to those of you who've been banded and come and checked in here - it's relieving my nervousness to hear your stories, and especially that you're able to post so soon after surgery. CarynW, I hope you get your replacement phone quickly!!! But yours is an important story - you've reminded me to get all the personal stuff off my phone *in case* someone gets their hands on it!

[cakegirl 12]

Oh, and also, I'm a bit of a hippy and don't believe in processed foods, so this Optifast diet is absolutely killing me. I mean, there's not really any "food" in any of their products - it's like it's *only* made up of additives. It goes against everything I believe in and I hate my daughter seeing me eat powdered crap.

So anyway, I'm not going to be part of the 'what Protein powder is best' conversation at all LOL But I do have a recipe for an all-natural home-made Protein shake, so if anyone's interested, let me know and I can post it.

[ctarantino 13]

Checking in, no gas pains but port pains like you wouldn't believe. I take the pain meds and it subsides. It took me an hour to almost finish an Optifast this morning. Then I just had some chicken broth fir lunch. Going good just didn't expect so much pain. Guess everyday gets bette! Luck to all!!!!!

[Butterfly Queen 111 3]

Oh, and also, I'm a bit of a hippy and don't believe in processed foods, so this Optifast diet is absolutely killing me. I mean, there's not really any "food" in any of their products - it's like it's *only* made up of additives. It goes against everything I believe in and I hate my daughter seeing me eat powdered crap.

Cakegirl-

I am a hippy woman too and I found several protien powders that don't contain aspartame and a lot of chemicals by doing a websearch on stevia sweetened protien powders.You can also go to your local version of Whole Foods/Earthfare /any natura grocery health food store and find several versions that are more natural than you'd find in "mainstream'' stores like walmart.I am not sure of where you are located but I wanted to try and help you get a starting point for finding what you need.I went through this same delimma as I don't want to eat a lot of chemicals!

Good luck to you! :-)

[ms.lady 3]

Lucky you this gas is getting the best of me!!!!

Checking in, no gas pains but port pains like you wouldn't believe. I take the pain meds and it subsides. It took me an hour to almost finish an Optifast this morning. Then I just had some chicken broth fir lunch. Going good just didn't expect so much pain. Guess everyday gets bette! Luck to all!!!!!

[beautifulsoul 0]

my date is august 17th ! soo excited but i hate this liquid diet its giving me the worst headache ever !!! i just want to chew something!

[JonMon 0]

Getting banded 8/24. On day 5 of my 14 day liquid diet. It's very hard for me. 3 Protein shakes and 2 Protein Bars per day required by doctor. All the jello/broth/water/skim milk/crystal light that I want. Cheated a few times but it's less than I thought I would. Have been getting better every day. Will be getting more strict once I get to 10 days before surgery. Everyone on here is saying how they are excited, unfortunately I don't feel that way YET. I'm very nervous about how life will be after the surgery. Seems like everything revolves around food. lunch meetings for work, dinner with friends, drinks with friends, family dinners, the list goes on and on as you all know. My state of mind is that I am very embarassed and ashamed of letting myself get to this point. I have only told one close friend about the surgery. His words were "would you rather be fat and embarassed or have the surgery and lose weight and be embarassed". Seems easy when worded it like that. Keeping it to myself because I don't want any attention. Also worried about if things go wrong or don't go as well as expected.

Reading peoples stories on this website has been very helpful and encouraging. I am so happy for everyone as they seem so excited for a new chapter in their lives. I know I will feel the same way soon. I've had surgeries before due to injuries so I'm not worried about that aspect. Just going to take a lot of work on my part to change everything I've been doing my entire life. Hearing peoples success stories is great motivation to get their myself.

Congrats to everyone who has been banded this month and good luck to everyone else who has their big day coming!