January Bandsters???

[stacyrtl 0]

I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th.:clap2: :clap2: I was originally going to have my surgery on December 15th, but I ended up having my gallbladder out on that date instead. Now I have to wait 6 weeks to be sure that I have healed completely. I am soo happy!!:bounce: I have been waiting for a long time, it has been a long process.

[jenslapband 0]

Hi! Wanted to check in, wish all upcoming bandsters good luck and let you know what is going on with me.

I did the dumbest thing on my pre-op diet, hopefully I can keep others from making the same mistake. I was on liquids only but made the mistake of having almost no carbs. Everything I drank was sugar free. Well, I ended up with a Migraine the night before surgery. I couldn't take anything for it and then vomited over and over and...It was so terrible. I finally paged my doctor who told me to take an Ocycodone that I already had for after surgery and one of the suppositories for naseau. That all helped.

I feel good since my surgery. I am getting about 50 grams of protien in a day and am walking for 30-45 minutes. I divide the protien and exercise into 5-6 increments over the course of the day.

I get to start on mushies on Sunday because I am doing so well. My doctor specifies mushies as low-sugar yogurt, refried Beans, cottage cheese and eggbeaters. YUMMMMMMMMMMM!! I never thought I would be so excited to eat those four foods!! I still have to blend any chunks out of the mushies.

I'm not going to weigh myself until my check-up. I am trying to stay focused on this as a HEALING time and to pay attention to how the band feels and what it feels like to eat my protien, etc.

[Chris1982 2]

I will be banded on Jan. 25 ye haw!!! lol Seems like the day would never come and here it is nocking at my door. I have bcbs of n.j. is anyone was wondering.

[juno610 1]

Jen -- glad to hear you are doing so well! Yay mushies! I know what you mean about looking forward to those foods. I'm on Optifast right now, so I'm actually looking forward to my post-op week of liquids, just so I can have some juice and yogurt drinks!

Maria

[mcwms 0]

Jenslapband- great to hear from you! It sounds like you are doing great with your eating plan and also your walking program! Sorry about the headache! You're doing the right thing by remembering that the first weeks are for healing and not to focus on weight loss- I've heard several veterans say that numerous times on this forum- any weight loss is a bonus! Congrats! Can't wait to join you on the bandster side!

[angyl2314 1]

For some reason I am addicted to my scale. I am down 5 lbs tho, but have not eaten much since Tuesday anyhow. I am on full liquids today...yum@ Protein Drink and blended yogurt. I am not drinking enough Water and getting nervous. I am uncertain about how much to drink, what kind of sips, and just understanding my body. My mom is forcing me to drink every so often. Otherwise, I feel fantastic today. My soreness is nearly 75% gone. I am able to stand up, move around, roll over and all of that. I think I am going to start driving today. My back is killing me from doing that hunched over old lady walk for the last few days, but that will work itself out in no time. Just wanted to let you guys know how I was doing 3 days post op. Any suggestions about the water? I love water, and aside from iced tea, it is all I ever drank pre op. How much should I be able to tolerate in what kind of time frame?

[Kellie Reachell 0]

I Am Also Having A Hard Time Drinking Water! Hot Tea Goes Down Really Well So I Figure Thats Water Too. Not Getting Much Protien. Hopefully Tomorrow When I Move Up To Full Liquids. Looking Forward To Drinkable Yogart. I Am Also Addicted To My scales. I Haven't Weighed Yet To Day, But I Will Soon!

[Edieday 0]

Edie, PBing doesn't necessarily happen because something is stuck...it can also happen when you eat too fast or too big of a bite because the food then backs up a bit into the esophagus. Because it doesn't belong there, it's very uncomfortable. Sometimes, you can wait it out...wait until the food moves on through the band. However, for me, waiting it out doesn't work because your body keeps producing more mucous to move the food down. If the food isn't going down, the mucous doesn't either...so it gets more and more uncomfortable because you more stuff sitting there.

Most of the time, no, you don't have to do anything to PB in this situation. The food isn't in your stomach..it's not quite as bad as throwing up. It's usually just a matter of "letting" the food come back up. In fact, drinking Water usually makes it worse (again, adding more stuff) and laying down makes it worse (since it already wants to come back up). Sometimes, walking around or raising your arms over your head make it better.

Almost everyone with a band, if they have good restriction, will PB at least once.

Cindy

Thank you, Cindy. I just let my husband read this email and he is totally grossed out I guess I still have a lot to learn. I think I will eat at home until I master eating slow and small bites. I have always been a fast eater. I tend to do everything to quickly. I have to tell myself to slow down:o

Edie

[shues138 35]

Hey guys,

got a phone call from the Dr's office on Thursday. Was told that my payment was due on 1/10 even though I was told payment was due 10 days before surgery (1/16?). She then informed me that it was 10 business days and the office is closed on Tuesdays. So, I was freaking out, I already had the change my date once already and my boss is getting pissed off, so I thought I was going to lose my job and postpone my surgery until May. My mom said there was no way the payment could be made by the 10th because of the closing on the loan was scheduled for the 13th. But, she called the bank in New York and they changed the date to today and my dad is going to put the cost on his credit card and when they get the cashier's checks, just pay off the balance on the credit card. I feel so bad, but he told me in the end it's okay because they got a better interest rate on another loan to build a garage because he'll be paying off that big balance all at once, so he thanked me as well. LOL.

It was a pretty hairy Thursday though, I'm glad it's over.

20 days to go (hopefully)

I just have the bad luck gene in me. LOL.

[susantunanoodle 0]

Hi everyone!

I am now packing for Mexico. I did a REALLY DUMB blonde thing though. I booked the flights for my friend as well as myself and by mistake she is arriving 12 hours after me, almost midnight! What an idiot I am! When I discovered the mistake I immediately called Travelosity to see if I could just change the departure time for her flight. I had to wait on hold for 25 minutes and then got a anice person in Bombay. He said he would connect me to the agent. After waiting all that time the call was dropped and so I had to start over. The second time I got another very nice lady in Bombay and the calla was successfully forwarded to the ticket agent. Unfortunately, the fee to change the time was $80 BUT I HAD TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE in the cost of the ticket. As everybody knows

[cinward2001 0]

I have always been a fast eater. I tend to do everything to quickly. I have to tell myself to slow down:o

Edie, the band will definitely slow you down. You'll think you're eating small bites and so slowly...only to realize that it wasn't quiet small enough or slow enough. The good news is that it becomes routine after a while.

Cindy

[susantunanoodle 0]

tickets are very expensive on short notice and they wanted $^ so i SAID NEVER MIND. I am having al kinds of trouble with my computer right now so bear with me. The end of it is that for $70 someone wil go up and get my friend at midnight. What a nightmare! ps, I'l never use Travelosity again. But I have a question for everyone:

do they alow curling irons/brushes on board? Should I pack it?

Thanks for listening,

Susan

[cinward2001 0]

Any suggestions about the Water? I love water, and aside from iced tea, it is all I ever drank pre op. How much should I be able to tolerate in what kind of time frame?

Angyl, when you're doing full liquids, you're most likely getting enough liquid because that's ALL you are getting. But the key to drinking early on, especially if you're feeling the swelling/restriction from surgery, is to take small sips. Keep your water beside you and sip, sip, sip. It also helps if it's not cold. Cold food and water usually tighten the band (which can be VERY useful if you're not that tight and eating out...drink the ice water before your meal arrives).

How much you can tolerate and the time frame varies from person to person. Drink as much as you comfortably can...or, if you're curious, try "guzzling" water the way you used to (if you did)...you'll know the difference soon enough. Can you tell I did that? If you take too large of a drink, it'll sit in your chest for a sec or two and be really uncomfortable.

If you're really worried about how much you're taking in, fill up a 32oz container and make sure you finish it. With the additional fluids you're taking it, that would be plenty.

Cindy

[sherilynn 1]

I hate vomitting so badly, I cry when I do. I mean, it just wipes me out, and makes me sad. I'm horrified of the first time I PB, or even slime. I'm just so afraid of when it will happen. Is it something that I can 'hold' back, enough time to let me excuse myself from the table to the ladies room? And the sliming, I picture it like a rabid dog or something. I know it is different for everyone. I just hope it doesn't make me cry also. lol:(

[cinward2001 0]

I hate vomitting so badly, I cry when I do. I mean, it just wipes me out, and makes me sad. I'm horrified of the first time I PB, or even slime. I'm just so afraid of when it will happen. Is it something that I can 'hold' back, enough time to let me excuse myself from the table to the ladies room? And the sliming, I picture it like a rabid dog or something. I know it is different for everyone. I just hope it doesn't make me cry also. lol:(

Sherilynn, I have *never* PBed in front of anyone. For me, at least, I always know when it's going to happen because it "builds up." It's a pretty simple matter of excusing myself to the restroom. As for sliming, it's not anything like a "rapid dog." I don't drool or foam at the mouth. Sliming refers to when your esophagus is producing more mucous to help food go down...so that contributes to a PB because it causes more of the "backed up" feeling.

Try not to make this more than what it is. PBing is NOT the same as vomitting when you're sick. Vomitting from the stomach flu or something is so much worse because you feel sick, there's bile and acid in the contents, and it's your stomach muscles clenching and making you vomit. I HATE that kind of vomitting, too, and will do ANYTHING to avoid it.

Pbing, on the other hand, is only food and mucous. It's coming from the very top of your stomach and/or the bottom of your esophagus. If you eat too much or get something stuck, it's actually easier (I think) to just PB and be done with it. The first time I PBed, I'd had a fill the week before going out of town. My FIRST fill. I was eating out by myself, reading a book. I had sweet tea (mistake #1), a roll (mistake #2), and roast beef (mistake #3). I was very hungry sitting down (mistake #4) and wasn't paying attention (mistake #5).

The cold tea made me tighter than usual, the roll just turned to a dough blob when I ate it, and the roast was stringy. Because I was eating too fast and NOT paying attention, all of a sudden, I had this very uncomfortable feeling in my chest. I stopped eating immediately but did try another sip of tea thinking that it'd help (mistake #6).

I paid my bill, walked out to my truck thinking that it'd go away. But it went from a little uncomfortable, to a lot uncomfortable, to downright painful. I pb'ed 3 times while outside...drove back to hotel, pb'ed twice more in the hotel...and felt completely fine! What a relief!

I have NEVER pbed that badly again because it taught me the lesson very well the FIRST time. I've never made that many mistakes at one time again.

Please, please...don't let this worry you. The first time you PB, if you ever PB, you'll think "That was it?" Or, like me, it was "Ah, so THAT'S what they've been talking about! I must be a "real" bandster now! I PB'ed!" LOL

Cindy