June 2007 Bandsters

[toniteach 0]

Don't panic Toni. You are he longest banded. Those instructions are from my Dr and refer to the first two weeks. I just thought that it was extra important to the just banded in case the reason why we can't eat solids wasn't properly explained to them.

I think it is natural to worry that we have damaged our band. I am worried myself after my thick Soup. I say assume it hasn't happened and then just check everything's OK at the first fill.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Insub }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Thank you Sweetie....feeling a tad bit better after that post!!!!!

[toniteach 0]

Hey there everyone!! You all are doing great! It has been a while since I have posted/read so I had a LOT of catching up to do today! I am 6 shakes and 1 day of liquids till surgery!! WOOOOOHOOOOO I have had the week from "down under" that is for sure! I won't go into ALL the details except for what happened today! I have so far been able to go "out" with my family and drink my shake and eat my strawberries (the center said I could do this) but today I was gonna go out with my dad for fathers day and well we ended up at a Mexican restaurant (which is my most favorite). Anyway I thought I could do it but when I sat there and was watching my family eat the chips and salsa and knew the fajita's were coming I lost it!! It was horrible! The main thing that kept going through my head was "how have I lost such control of myself for me to HAVE to be in the position"? My very kind and understanding husband just got up and took me home where I sat here and read the last 3 days worth of post's which helped me allot! Thank you all for all of your words of encouragement!! I can't wait to "not want" food!! BTW I have lost 4 more lbs!! woohoo

I *know* how you felt at your fajita moment Holli. You have a wonderful husband! Congrats on you latest weight loss! That is fantastic!!!!!

Big hugs,

Toni

[TexasFire 84]

Okay, today's posts are so appropriate for me. I am on mushies since Friday, and having zero problems eating anything. I'm sticking mostly to canned chicken with a little mayo, colby jack cheese, fish, tuna and my Protein Shakes. I've lost 13 pounds in nine days and very pleased with that, of course.

However, tonight my family went to Texas Land & Cattle for Father's Day. I ordered grilled trout with garlic mashed potatoes. I'm not ready for salad yet, so I ordered chicken tortilla Soup. I ate approximately half of everything...maybe a little less than that. This was the first regular meal I've had. It's been over four hours and I am still miserable full. I don't tend to worry about very much, if anything, but this has me a little concerned.

I know WHAT I can eat, but have no clue HOW MUCH. I thought I stopped in time, but obviously I did not. Now I read about rupturing stitches without even feeling it, slippage...and I'm a little worried.

I wish there was a way to KNOW! I'm pretty sure everything is okay, but not knowing is bugging me. I'm hoping to feel better very soon.

I sure will slow down more and pay very close attention to my band from now on!

[hottytoddy 0]

It sounds like several of us have eaten either the wrong thing a little too soon or drank too much at one time, etc... My surgeon told me when I could advance to full liquids and to mushies but did not tell me not to eat over a certain amount either. I think the surgeons tell us the extreme because they know there will be mistakes along the way. They know all of us are bmi >35 or need to lose around 100 lbs.... obviously we're not the pioneers of will power when it comes to food and right choices!! We should all be careful and continue to follow our own surgeon's advice, but I'm sure we're all fine. My surgeon hasn't had a slip in over 3 years, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that ate too much sushi at the 2 week mark!! If eating/drinking too much at one time on one or a few occasions EASILY caused slippage or ruined your surgery in the first couple of weeks our surgeons would be VERY strict post op and make us sign 1000 papers saying we understand that if we cheat even once it could ruin the surgery!! There is sooooo much inconsistancy in pre and post op diets. Some are strict liquids for a month... some have mushies in the hospital! Again, I think we need to all be very careful and follow instructions... but we probably should all exhale and trust that our surgeons sewed the heck out of that band cause they knew our asses would cheat!! We're cheaters! We're binge eaters! That's why we need the band!!!!

Again, I'm not encouraging cheating or excusing those of us who have slipped up... I'm just saying I don't think the FDA would have even approved it in the first place if drinking 2 cups of Soup instead of 2 ounces caused the whole flippin thing to fail and required additional surgery!

I will see my surgeon on Tuesday and confess about the Nagoya Roll...

I'll let you know what he says....

[kt_999 0]

KT!!!!!!! I can't believe you're half-way to goal, and then some. That is OUTSTANDING! Holy Crow!!!! Keep it up! I just can't believe it. You're an inspiration

Toni

Thanks Toni!

I was a lower BMI to start so still haven't lost as much as some... but for me it has been a hard slog so far and I know the second half will be even harder... however I am motivated and just so excited about being able to fit into some of my size 12/14 clothes again (small steps... I refuse to buy new ones until I'm at goal :-)

I am definately experiencing abit of Bandster Hell... I am hungry and have nooooo restriction... I would happily do liquids for another 6 weks if I could just have a fill now! How is your hunger?

[kt_999 0]

Bravo HottyToddy!!!

I agree that we have to be careful and try our best to follow the rules but I don't believe that we are the only month of Bandsters who are learning (sometimes the hard way) about what and how to eat!

I am sure that we are all fine and just have to continue to do the best we can... none of us would purposely sabbotage or hurt our new "best friends"!!

[TexasFire 84]

You all are right. Surely a slip up like this can't undo what we and our doctors have put in place. All the comments below make good, logical sense and I feel 1000% better now.:amen:

Now if only my gut would ease up! LOL

Lesson learned!

Good night, all...and have a fantastic week!

Stef

[lo2us 1]

Okay folks, lots of questions for ya!

I have about 3 days until I'm 2 weeks out and I am SOOOO sick of the shakes. I've lost about 13lbs since surgery, but man chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry is getting OLD after 4 weeks! Any suggestions. I started actually feeling a little hungry in the evenings too which is hard at bedtime, anybody else going through this. I can't believe I'm fantasizing about eating cottage cheese! Also, has anyone else been nervouse just before starting mushies?

I accidentally forgot and halfway picked up my 40lb, 2 1/2 year old little boy today too, now I'm a little panicky that I messed up my port, but I didn't feel much of anything. Anybody know if you can mess it up and not know? Anybody else have their port kind of almost in the middle of their tummy and up high?

[TexasFire 84]

Okay folks, lots of questions for ya!

I have about 3 days until I'm 2 weeks out and I am SOOOO sick of the shakes. I've lost about 13lbs since surgery, but man chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry is getting OLD after 4 weeks! Any suggestions. I started actually feeling a little hungry in the evenings too which is hard at bedtime, anybody else going through this. I can't believe I'm fantasizing about eating cottage cheese! Also, has anyone else been nervouse just before starting mushies?

I accidentally forgot and halfway picked up my 40lb, 2 1/2 year old little boy today too, now I'm a little panicky that I messed up my port, but I didn't feel much of anything. Anybody know if you can mess it up and not know? Anybody else have their port kind of almost in the middle of their tummy and up high?

I was feeling more than a little hungry in the evenings. I added fruit to my evening shake. costco has frozen organic blueberries, strawberries, mixed berries, and a tropical mix. I'm sure you can find them in most stores, though. They are great to add to the Protein Shakes and give you something more for your tummy to hold onto that is okay for you at that stage.

Don't be nervous about the next stage. Just take it slow...chew, chew, chew...and above all else, wait in between bites to learn how to recognize when your band is talking to you and telling you when you are full! I learned that the hard way tonight, and it is not fun to overdo it!

If you are really concerned about your port, call your doctor. I think if you had done something to it, that you would feel it for sure. If I strain to much even picking up my 4 pound pomeranian to put him on the couch, I definitely feel it!

Good luck to you! Stef

[Serena 0]

Serena go to userCP at the top of the page click on it and then go to edit signature and delete one of the message lines.

Tammy

Tammy,

I'm forever in your debt! I never could get the delete button to work for me in my previous attempts. Thanks!

[Holliwagz 0]

Thank you guys so much!! ((((HUGZ)))) I found out later on yesterday that my parents felt worse than I did! My mom said she just hurt for me and she was soooo sorry for asking me to go with them! hehehe She is a doll and my best friend and will be going through all of this as soon as insurance get's their butt in gear! UGH We started out to "do this together" and I got ahead of her because I am self pay!! Part of me feels bad for her and the other part is glad that I'm going through it first so I can honestly tell her that SHE CAN DO IT!! :-) I have told her about this site but dunno if she's "lurking" yet. She isn't much of a chatter so who knows! 5 more shakes to go!! I am hoping and praying that I don't have to do ANY more shakes post op!! OMG I am so sick of them things I could die!! I can't imagine doing this part for 4 wks!! UGH Good luck to all of today's bandsters! I am gonna go back to bed and TRY to sleep!! I am getting so excited that I can't sleep!! Glad you all are here for me any hour of the day/night :-)

Hollie

[bcrazy7 0]

well, it's almost 6am, my mom should be here any minute to take me to surgery. Good luck to the others getting banded today! I'm off for mine, woohoo!!!

[ja9va 0]

Lucy,insub,Heather I agree with what you said and not cheating. I am on mushies to include fish, chicken, fruit, so it is all chewing! I am not offended, and I agree we need to follow the doctor's orders! I think I have done well so far. I know to stay away from certain foods.

Holli not sure I could go to a Mexican restaurant at this point. Your DH seems like a great guy! Parents too!! My DH mentioned yesterday how much he likes my surgery because we are saving eating out money!

Stef I agree about the portions and fitting in all the food. I plan to email my nurse today for guidance. I know it is to be no more than a 1/2 of food at a time,if that helps?

lo2 I picked up my granddaughter yesterday, about 24 lbs, now I am worried too! It is just so hard not to do it. I have a protien drink a friend gave me, pina colada, nectar, CARIBBEAN COOLER( SYN TRAX, www.S103.com. I blended it with strawberries and drank it at the pool yesterday, very good!

I did something stupid yesterday! I dove into a pool?? I will include this in my email as well to my nurse. I was allowed to go in the pool. I am a NUT about it now. I don't feel pain, but I am worried,

Have a great Monday!! Who is being banded today?

Oh, GREAT Weight Loss, KT!!

[musicalmomma 1]

I'm so glad to read that I am NOT alone in eating stuff a little too soon! I kept excusing it by telling myself that "some doc's don't even have post op diets" or "some doc's do only 1 week liquid, 1 week mushie, 1 week soft"...etc! I really think part of it is the shock to our system when we've eaten so little or been on liquids for so long then all of a sudden...there's too much...or a soft solid and BANG we're up a couple of pounds! I know that it COULD cause a slip...but like others have said, if we could slip THAT easily, I doubt the FDA would have approved it. Now I am NOT excusing myself. I am back to Protein Shakes and mushies today...I am up a couple of pounds because of poor choices. This is definitely a HUGE adjustment and big learning experience!!

[Pippz 0]

Ugh, hunger is back as of last night. It comes and goes, but not fun!!! I really hate this burping thing.

I spent most of yesterday outdoors in the hot weather and I feel SUPER dehydrated. Also maybe getting a UTI? I'm drinking as much cranberry juice as I can take today. I don't want to have to add even more medicine into my already overwhelming amount (haha - 4 pills plus a Vitamin. Takes me 2 hours to take all of them!).

Today's my first day back at work and I think I'm ready for it, but I'm also bummed. I have a LOT of work to catch up on. That's the problem with my job. No one else does what I do so the work just sits there piling up for me!

I hope you all have a great day. And good luck to everyone getting banded today! I can't wait to hear from all of you!

-Michele