March 2007 Bandsters

[tammyj 15]

I'm going absolutely, positively stir crazy.

I've been sitting in my bf's house since Monday - no cable and no internet (long story). He said he'd take two days off work to hang out with me, but then work is too busy. And he's working tomorrow. And he called earlier to say he's going out with friends, but I can come out and join him if I want.

I'm tired and I'm crabby and I really, really want to eat. I would give anything for Chinese food right now. Yesterday I went and hung out with my sister and on the way home I kept thinking, I could stop and eat it and no one would know. This has been a problem of mine, as if I eat something in secret the calories don't count. As if what matters is how much other people see me eat, not how much I actually eat. I stopped at a Chinese restaurant and got a bowl of egg-drop Soup. It had corn and carrots in it, so I strained them all out and fed them to my dog.

I've caught up on books I've been meaning to read for forever. I've taken my dogs for walks. I've done laundry and kept his kitchen clean, but that's all the housework I've had to do (not a fan of housework in general). Today I took my dog for a long walk down to a play place where there were no children, and I sat in the shade and enjoyed the breeze while listening to my IPOD and watching my dog run and play merrily. So really, it hasn't been that bad. It's no big deal. It's been a pleasant, relaxing week and there's nothing I should be upset or unhappy about. But I just feel tired and frustrated and I don't want another half a cup of soup - I want to go eat all the bad stuff I eat when I'm feeling this way. Except I don't, and I'm glad I have the band so I can't go eat bad food.

But I just feel so frutrated with everything. My bf just called me to see if I wanted to go out, or if I wanted him to come home and hang out with me and I told him neither - for him to just go hang out with his friends. And I freaking started crying, which makes me more angry. If I go out I can't eat, and I can't drink, and no one knows I've had surgery so I'll be trying not to cringe and I will just be out of place. And if he comes home I'll just feel like going to bed anyhow, and I'll feel badly that he's not hanging out with friends.

I go home tomorrow and I'll go back to work on Monday. For the most part, all of my pain is gone and I'm just a bit sore here and there. I got my nails done yesterday and after I'd sat in one place for over an hour, it hurt so bad to stand up. It's strange - the place that hurts is not actually near any incision - it's like the muscle of my lower-right abdomen. I have to really make sure I get up and walk around and work next week so my muscles don't tighten up like this and have me walking hunched over.

Sorry to post in the midst of my mini-crisis. Honestly, I think I was more attached to food than I realized, and it's emotionally draining to me after a week of only liquids. I feel very little restriction. And I feel hungry, but rarely is it an actual stomach hungry - my head is hungry. I just desire to eat.

My bf doesn't own a scale, so I'm really hoping I'll return home tomorrow, exactly one week post-op, and see amazing results. I'll be better for having gone through this, right?

laralynn, You are doing a great job!!! I applaud you for the way you are handling all these new changes. I am going through some of the same emotions and I haven't even been banded yet. I was invited to a Partylite party last night and I was actually planning on going until she said dinner and drinks at 7 and presentation at 8. Sure, I could have just shown up at 8, but the fact that I wouldn't be able to enjoy dinner and drinks with friends was depressing to me so I decided not to go. Since I have been on all liquids I haven't felt like doing doing much of anything. It shows how much my social activities have revolved around food. It doesn't matter what activity they have going on...food will be there. I am hoping to have a healthy, moderate relationship with food and still be able to enjoy time out with friends and family after I am banded. We just have to get past the liquids and the mushies! Hang in there!!!

[tammyj 15]

Heyall you post op bandsters:

When I get to a certain level of emotion (up~down~whatever) I am makingbetterchoices and instead of eating, because gawd knows I have always filled that gap with food, matter it be secretive (calories don't count) or out with food friends (friends who only meet with you at restaurants), I live near 2 massage schools, and 2 cosmetology schools, and they have been pretty good so far about squeezing me in for "anything" and anything means, from a facial to a scientific brushing. You know what is realllllllllly good? No matter what service you choose it is pampering for "you" and every single service takes 1 hour, and by the time 1 hour is gone by the food craving is gone, especially if you take in a 23 ounce water bottle with crystal light tea. The services start at $5.00 and go up so they are about the same that you would spend at a restaurant and take up the same amount of time.

I REALLY love this idea I came up with and sometimes feel a little guilty, just like the food makes me feel. Sometimes the services; because they are all performed by students are NOT the best, but conversation is good and I consider it "food therapy". Nobody knows I am there because of the band, I think they just think I like pampering; which I do.

I really want to get into clothes shopping, but clothes are expensive and I still need to shop at oversized stores. Plus there is the food court and See's candies and Starbucks (trigger points) in every Mall around here; but it would be excercize!!

I hope that if you have great food therapy ideas you would share with the rest of us, even if they are lame, because I am always looking for some release other than "food".

What a great idea! Even those trying to get through the pre-op diet can use some food therapy to help keep our minds off food.

[tammyj 15]

Hey girls I'm back from the lovely Lyon, France!!!!!!!!! Banding was on the 7th and it was good. Had a very good experience. I got to the airport on Sunday and sat on the runway for 2 hours due to snow!!!!!!!!! Finally flew, got to Milan, missed my connecting flight. Flew the next morning at 7am got to Lyon, met with Dr. Frering at 10:30 all set. Monday nite had an amazing dinner of beef , salad, baked potato and brownie dessert. Tues. checked into clinic at 12:30. had endoscope at 1:30 , all clear. Clear liquids- surgery time 9am. Get to operating room, pretty nervous but MUCH better than expected!!!!!!!!!! In the operating room get onto a table that looks alittle like a gyn table. Last thing i remember is telling the Dr. take good care of me i have 4 babies at home. Woke up in post op- pain about a 4. Moving to a 6..6 times trying to restart the damn iv..ok that HURT! My arms look terrible. Finally some relief. back to room. Some real pain relief in a shot..life is good. At 3 o'clock get up to pee.Painful to get to side, ouch!! 4 o'clock..water!! 6 o'clock ..broth..very yummy! to sleep at 7:30. great nite sleep , a bear getting up to pee. next day, up for shower. I feel really good(still in hospital). get shower go to put socks on and ..............and the chair slipped backwards and i fell on my butt!!!!!!!!!!!Can I tell you that i am wincing just writing this. I was fine but alittle freaked.Check out with doc- ok to leave. Get bandages changed. WOW alot on swelling on tummy. 5 incisions. Go back to hotel. Hang out - go to mall shopping , walking is good but slow! Home to hotel more boullion...good nite of movies. Friday sleep in, shower off to airport. Note to self...it's a bitch flying after stomach surgery.Got home 3:30am..went to sleep.

I will say that I had no real gas pain to speak of. I LOVED using the heating pad though. On my back it was soothing and on this damn port site which is tender. The swelling is going down. I am sooooooooooo glad I got this done. All of you that are waiting , you will do just fine!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Sue!!!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I'm glad you are home and doing well. Keep us posted!

[tammyj 15]

March Bandster Babes!

This is the list that I will be keeping up to date for us.. PM me if you want to be added or just post a message on the end of this thread....

HERE WE GO........... Current as of 03/14

CarolynB - 03/01

dec0578 - 03/01

Pam~bander 2/22 - 03/01

bikergirl360 - 03/01

Tea Time - 03/02

hlayne - 03/02

Mommakitty3 - 03/02

wilma - 03/02

analee - 03/02

laralynn86 - 03/03

Sophie248 - 03/05

GloGirl - 03/05

Fur Ellie - 03/05

ThickChickTexas - 03/05

Band STAR - 03/05

Char - 03/06

anniegs- 03/06

Sugarbear - 03/07

gailannr - 03/07

Sue in Russia - 03/07

planoltxgirl - 03/08

HeatherPA - 03/08

bronnie70 - 03/09

Mommy202 - 03/12

Sharon67 - 03/12

Hazelbunny - 03/12

nurseamy - 03/12

Hotpink Bubbles - 03/13

Tabithan - 03/13

Kyethra - 03/14

Charlif761 - 03/14

x-ray chic - 03/14

demsvmejm - 03/14

CuddleNymph - 03/14

gret1964 - 03/14

TammyJ - 03/15

Scarlett - 03/15

ohiobluegal - 03/15

Rosi - 03/15

sushiqwn's DH - 03/15

Machele - 03/16

RowdyReptile - 03/16

countrygirl1404 - 03/16

mnkbrly - 03/16

WendyJ - 03/19

vcarozzolo - 03/19

ebony868 - 03/19

SueA - 03/19

demmemoon - 03/19

momlambert - 03/19

ladybug390 - 03/19

Theresa Ann - 03/19

berry - 03/19

deshar - 03/19

purplemonkey - 03/19

lindsay - 03/19

kuebel j - 03/20

TRANAM1955 - 03/20

GOOD&READY - 03/20

alaverde - 03/20

amrdmr - 03/20

Reesh - 03/20

Janine - 03/20

CrazyCran - 03/21

Mrs Husker - 03/21

lilnena - 03/21

blondylocks - 03/21

Famos - 03/21

chatgirl6 - 03/22

Desiree1970 - 03/23

Maggief - 03/26

sushiqwn - 03/27

slikchik10 - 03/28

Deb - 03/28

kssunflower - 03/28

my5grlz - 03/29

SGDodge06 - 03/30

Fenton - pending

tootsiepop - pending

ClickerSister - pending

Sara Mos - Bumped to April 2nd

ginabobeana - pending

mdicurn - pending

Laurend - pending

SusaninKC - pending (tentative date 03/19)

TracyinKS - Bumped to April 26, 2007 (insurance approved 1/30!)<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

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[anniegs 0]

hiya march band people! I just gor banded on march6th .. it's been a slow recovery, and yesterday I stupidly had some quite thick soup/broth which I'd seived lumps out.. god I could hardly breath - and all night I was panicking I'd damaged the sutures or whatever! anyway ammuch better today and my daughter brought me some Bovril from the store (chicken flavour) and I have to say it's very satisfying with boiled water.. (do you have it in the states?

well good luck to you who are about to go under the knife, I was so nervous pre op but these boards have been a life saver. The GA is worse than the actual op I think - once that was out my system I felt loads better!

[tammyj 15]

hiya march band people! I just gor banded on march6th .. it's been a slow recovery, and yesterday I stupidly had some quite thick soup/broth which I'd seived lumps out.. god I could hardly breath - and all night I was panicking I'd damaged the sutures or whatever! anyway ammuch better today and my daughter brought me some Bovril from the store (chicken flavour) and I have to say it's very satisfying with boiled water.. (do you have it in the states?

well good luck to you who are about to go under the knife, I was so nervous pre op but these boards have been a life saver. The GA is worse than the actual op I think - once that was out my system I felt loads better!

:welcomeB: anniegs and congratulations on being banded!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Success in lapband 0]

Tammy

I want to tell you after banding you will be able to go for dinner and drinks, you will NOT want to eat and it will not bother you to be around food, and if you feel the temptation of tasting; go ahead and taste.

All I can say is TRUST ME. You will 10000% be in control and not want more than a taste.

Went to El Pollo Loco for dinner last night (my fav. fast food) and I really was HUNGRY (at least I thought I was) I cut off (fork and knife cut off) (no more bite chew and swallow for me), as I said I cut off a tiny piece of chicken and chew chew chew chew and after awhile realized I did not want to swallow so I spit it in my napkin.

What I am trying to say is: Food is kinda different after the band. Sweets aren't different, they are still delectible and well you know.... But real food just does not have that satisfying sensation anymore, even though you think you will get that feeling, it just is not there like you remember it being. You will see what I am talking about and maybe you are more eloquaint/creative with your words than I and you can maybe help me explain what I am talking about for others will know it.

But absolutely you would have been able to go to dinner and drink without ANY problem what so ever post band.

I just ate one egg for Breakfast and I feel "stuffed" so that is not to say that hashbrowns don't sound really good right now but the thought of eating them does not sound good right now.

I have never experienced these feelings so my expressionary words are not flowing like I would like to express my feelings.

I guess it is like looking forward to a really really hot hot hot hot lots of Water pressure shower and everytime you go to take a shower it is NOT lots of pressure and your hot hot hot water only lasts 1-2 minutes. It just does not have that HUGE satisfying appealing factor anymore, even though you want it to.

[momlambert 77]

Tammy

I guess it is like looking forward to a really really hot hot hot hot lots of Water pressure shower and everytime you go to take a shower it is NOT lots of pressure and your hot hot hot water only lasts 1-2 minutes. It just does not have that HUGE satisfying appealing factor anymore, even though you want it to.

What a GREAT analogy--I love it! I haven't been banded yet but can totally get the picture from your analogy. Thanks for sharing! Karen

[kyethra 0]

I get what you mean or at least I am thinking of it in turns of baths now that you mention Water. I lived in a house with a deep tub- and it was longer than average too I guess. So I would like to take baths in it and soak in it. Then I moved to an apartment with no tub but just a shower (and not a very good one) disapointing and I would really want a bath. I tired taking baths at my fiance's place but the standard tub size and everything made for a really unsatisfying soak. What kind of bath is it if my rolls of tummy flab are just floating and not submurged?

So when we decided to redo the master bath right after the wedding I mentioned I wanted I nice deep tub. So we got the deepest whirlpool type tub we could find- a kohler sok overflow tub. I can sit with water up to my chin if I want to in that thing and so forth. Its bath nirvana. Sort of like Ben and Jerry's is Ice Cream Nirvana (especially on a waffle cone) or a really good pulled pork sandwhich is perfect BBQ, etc. So I guess after the band instead of being food nirvana like my tub is tub nirvana, they will just be food like a standard tub is a standard tub? And a standard tub is hardly worth it...

[sushiqwn 0]

Hi All, My husband and I both are getting banded this month. He is scheduled for the 15th and I am scheduled for the 27th. This is an incredible forum that everyone provides so much support and information.

As far as the pre-op diet the practice we are using has 3 docs and one of their wives (also a doc) has started her own side business of dietary products, shakes, Protein Bars, Soups etc. So of course they are totally pushing do all of your pre/post op diet through us. We will make it so easy for you by selling you everything you need. They only problem is it is quite pricey.

So far we have been doing a high Protein diet for a couple of weeks, cut out starches, sugars, caffeine, carbonation and we have found it to be so much better than the liquid stuff. We are losing weight and hubby already went for pre-op and his protein levels were great.

He had filters placed yesterday and all of the hospital staff kept asking us (in veiled ways), how do you guys qualify? You don't look like you need it. I told them I just hide it well. We are/were both 100 pounds overweight, and of course he has already lost close to 30#, me not so much.

Good luck to everyone and thank you all so much again for the support and information that you all share.

[mnkbrly 0]

I wanted to start a thread for those of us who are waiting "with bated breath" for our surgeries in March.

I am supposed to start Optifast on February 26th. I am currently waiting for the shipment, including my surgical package to be delivered. Once I get my package I am supposed to call the clinic.

Ever since committing to this surgery (which I am paying for myself via a personal loan) I have been obsessed with reading everything I can about it and about people who have had it. I am still kind of hoping for some kind of "divine word" about whether or not it is the right thing for me to do.

I am "only" 75 lbs over my ideal weight but am type II diabetic. I am trying to figure out if my reason for doing this is my health or my vanity or a combination of both. The diabetes needs to be gone (when I am 20 lbs lighter it is gone) but I am sure looking forward to losing the weight and actually keeping it off for more than 20 minutes...

I started my liquid fast, my surgery is March 16th I only hope I will also do well with the lap-band. My surgeon has been trying to get me to do the gastric bypass but I don't want to , I am having the lap-band but he thinks I will lose more with the other. Anyway, I hope I will to well.

[tammyj 15]

Tammy

I want to tell you after banding you will be able to go for dinner and drinks, you will NOT want to eat and it will not bother you to be around food, and if you feel the temptation of tasting; go ahead and taste.

All I can say is TRUST ME. You will 10000% be in control and not want more than a taste.

Went to El Pollo Loco for dinner last night (my fav. fast food) and I really was HUNGRY (at least I thought I was) I cut off (fork and knife cut off) (no more bite chew and swallow for me), as I said I cut off a tiny piece of chicken and chew chew chew chew and after awhile realized I did not want to swallow so I spit it in my napkin.

What I am trying to say is: Food is kinda different after the band. Sweets aren't different, they are still delectible and well you know.... But real food just does not have that satisfying sensation anymore, even though you think you will get that feeling, it just is not there like you remember it being. You will see what I am talking about and maybe you are more eloquaint/creative with your words than I and you can maybe help me explain what I am talking about for others will know it.

But absolutely you would have been able to go to dinner and drink without ANY problem what so ever post band.

I just ate one egg for breakfast and I feel "stuffed" so that is not to say that hashbrowns don't sound really good right now but the thought of eating them does not sound good right now.

I have never experienced these feelings so my expressionary words are not flowing like I would like to express my feelings.

I guess it is like looking forward to a really really hot hot hot hot lots of Water pressure shower and everytime you go to take a shower it is NOT lots of pressure and your hot hot hot water only lasts 1-2 minutes. It just does not have that HUGE satisfying appealing factor anymore, even though you want it to.

That's exactly what I am hoping will happen. I don't want to have to eat a heaping plate of food to feel satisfied. A few bites will be fine with me...Awesome!!!

[BandSTAR 0]

:welcomeB: anniegs and congratulations on being banded!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tammyj,

I just think you are the coolest. You are so on top of things and so sweet. I am now 5 days post-op and feel better than I've ever felt. I am down 28.5 lbs and am thrilled. YOU WILL ROCK AFTER YOU GET BANDED. I know this because of your beautiful soul. Keep up the positive feedback.

BandSTAR

[mnkbrly 0]

Hi All, My husband and I both are getting banded this month. He is scheduled for the 15th and I am scheduled for the 27th. This is an incredible forum that everyone provides so much support and information.

As far as the pre-op diet the practice we are using has 3 docs and one of their wives (also a doc) has started her own side business of dietary products, shakes, Protein bars, Soups etc. So of course they are totally pushing do all of your pre/post op diet through us. We will make it so easy for you by selling you everything you need. They only problem is it is quite pricey.

So far we have been doing a high protein diet for a couple of weeks, cut out starches, sugars, caffeine, carbonation and we have found it to be so much better than the liquid stuff. We are losing weight and hubby already went for pre-op and his protein levels were great.

He had filters placed yesterday and all of the hospital staff kept asking us (in veiled ways), how do you guys qualify? You don't look like you need it. I told them I just hide it well. We are/were both 100 pounds overweight, and of course he has already lost close to 30#, me not so much.

Good luck to everyone and thank you all so much again for the support and information that you all share.

I am also trying to lose more weight like 150 pounds. I hope I can on the lap-band? I am also doing the liquid stuff and I agree it is pretty boring, but I am sticking to it. I hope I will do okay! I also hope yall will too. My husband is skinny and sometimes that is hard too.Thanks for the reply! Kim

[tammyj 15]

Tammyj,

I just think you are the coolest. You are so on top of things and so sweet. I am now 5 days post-op and feel better than I've ever felt. I am down 28.5 lbs and am thrilled. YOU WILL ROCK AFTER YOU GET BANDED. I know this because of your beautiful soul. Keep up the positive feedback.

BandSTAR

Awwwww thanks so much bandstar!!! It's so good to hear you are doing well so soon after surgery. It really helps to calm my nerves. 28lbs is awesome!!! You are off to a great start!