just one week has passed and i am ready to give up!

[shamrock 0]

When you lose someone or something dear to you it is very natural to go through the grieving process. As a matter a fact it is very good for you to do so. It is the first step of healing and saying good by. As for the milkshakes ( I am waiting to be banded) The nutritionist I saw for my banding even suggested if you are not home and on the road needing something to eat, one of the things you can do at a fast food drive through while you are on the full liquid or mushy stage is get a small milk shake in a larger cup and have them add some ice cubes to it so they will slowly melt and you can sip on the watered down shake. I don't think she meant to do this day ofter day but in a pinch.

[Brissiebabe 0]

Pink, consider yourself one of the luckier ones.... My surgeon requires me to be on that liquid diet for 4 WEEKS! Then mushies for another 2 weeks! I'm on the pre op diet presently and it's killing me, just vegies, egg and shakes, that's it. My surgery is in 2 days, so give me a couple of days to recover and I'll be back for all this wonderful support, liquids suck! And hopefully some more wonderful ideas about coping without solids! Thanks guys!

[tambonzjo 7]

Hey all!

I am ten days post-op and yes, I do miss Poptarts, macaroni and cheese, and shrimp. My Protein shakes, however are really good. I use Myocel. It is a bariatric shake for weightloss. I have the vanilla one and mix it with milk, orange juice, or yogurt. If anyone decided they want to try this, e-mail me and I will give you the phone number to order them.

My nurse practitioner warned me before my surgery not to stop my anti-depressant. She has another patient that was banded and looks great but is mourning her "food friends". I am not really mourning now. Just wish I could still have them. Even though I am still on Clear Liquids, I was craving and actually ate pintos and cheese from taco Bell. It went down well without any problems. Kinda scared me, am I setting myself up for failure? But I know that my band has no fill yet and just won't eat it again until I am allowed to......right?

[Tuff Enuff 0]

Brissbiebabe, I hear you about the liquid phase, I also have to do a two week preop full liquid diet, two weeks post and then mushies for two weeks. I still have a couple of weeks before I have to start it and am not looking forward to it except that it makes me that much closer to geting this done and on my way to better health. I have found a low carb, caramel, whey Protein Powder that I can tolerate pretty well so figure I'm good to go. Good luck on your surgery.

[khoelscher 0]

I just returned from Tijuana last evening after having lap band surgery by Dr. Ortiz on 4/15. They have me on completely Clear Liquids for 7 days (no milk, yogurt, etc.). They said I wouldn't be physically hungry but my stomach is constantly growling. I know about the mental hunger, but this feels different. I am drinking plenty of Gatorade, juice, Water, and broth but nothing seems to help. V8 (which I previously hated) seems to be the most filling, but only temporarily.

Any suggestions? This is my first posting and really don't want to mess up my band, but I see many other lists that include 1% milk, watered milkshakes, etc. So far, I have tolerated everything on the list with no problems.

HELP!!!!

[the best me 6]

Please stick with your doctor's menu...noone here would recommend otherwise. I am not to have milk/yogurt/dairy until day 10, which today would be day 10 but my V-8 did not settle well with me, so count yourself fortunate.

I wonder if it is too soon to blend the chunks out of chicken vegetable Soup, strain it and drink that? That was on day 4 of my menu, but, again follow your Dr's menu. It's only for a short time.

Hey khoelscher, post an introduction in the Introduction forum, so we can all say hello to you!

[rsduhe 0]

Hey Pink,

I'm two weeks post-op today. Dr Rodrigues in Monterrey Mexico has his patients do 1wk liquids, then 1wk mushies, the on to solid foods. Well I went beserk! First I went out to lunch, to my favorite place and had quiche lorraine. To make it worse I drank some tea during the lunch. I didn't stop there, no I went home and cooked a spaghgetti dinner for my husband and me. I didn't fill my Pasta bowl as full as usual, but it was still way to much and I knew it. I ate it all anyway. Now, here I am 4 hrs later, and I feel so overfull I could throw up. Yes food is my old comforter and I felt I needed it, since I'm depressed. I'm still having pain from surgery. I don't feel I look like I've lost weight, though the scales says I have. I can't bend over to pick up things or shave my legs without pain. The scabs on my incisions itch. I can just now turn on my side to sleep, but with some discomfort. I'm bored. My house needs cleaning, but I can't do it all yet. Yes, I'm a bit of a mess. Aren't we all, at one time or another? Sorry you are down, but it gives me hope, that I'm not alone. Lets hang in there together. I know I'll have lots of time later this evening to reflect, while I'm lying in bed with my overfull tummy. Wishing I hadn't been so stupid. Hang in there!

[khoelscher 0]

I feel your pain!!! I called Dr. Ortiz's nutritionist yesterday and she said I could start on yogurt today (hoorah!!!). She also said I could have soy milk or regular milk if it didn't upset my stomach. I drank a little chocolate milk last night and didn't sleep worth a darn. I feel fine, but I can't get comfortable for some reason.

My incisions are itching too, but I guess I'm lucky since I ALWAYS sleep on one side or the other and haven't had a problem with any of that (no pain). Have you been lifting anything heavy or overdoing? I was told to only do light aerobic workouts (no weights) and nothing over 20lbs for 3 weeks.

Please, please be careful with the solids. The discomfort will pass (so I've heard) and hopefully it will help you from excess again. That's what I am hoping for. I have never had a snacking problem, I just like bad foods and can't seem to stop once I start, but I hate feeling sick. Hoping the band will keep me in line for this reason.

Good luck and stay strong!

KH

[laraestokes 0]

Pink-I felt the same way. I did mine right before New Years! 12/28/04 and went to a party and was stupid and ate a deviled egg! Well that ended the night for me and I was miserable the rest of the weekend. But you ya need to get up and moving again and if you don't have the support there you will always have it here. I was lucky my husband had been through it just a few weeks before me. I ate a lot of pudding and yogurt the rest of that weekend and sipped on Water and broth. The broth was the most soothing for me. Wish you happier times ahead. You CAN do this, and it WILL get better. I still question it and then I step on the scale and know that it was the right thing for me! Good Luck!

[vinesqueen 2]

ah ha ha ha ha, my band Doc said to drink chocolate milk when I took my meds while on the liquid phase. I got some yummy organic chocolate milk....

[Suntres 0]

Hello Pink- I am in my 2nd week also and have been getting alot of help from LBT. I too wondered oh what have I done, I am so hungry and I want pizza, mac & cheese, something, anything besides Soup, posicles,jello etc... I am having such a hard time as far as what to eat in the mornings I drink coffee, then a BOOST drink, and for lunch some kinda soup and at dinner it is a nightmare, I am such a picky eater and some of the creamier Soups taste terrible, and I can't imagine blending some foods. I try to drink the Water but I find I drink a lot more iced tea, not sure if the caffeine is hurting me, but I seem to keep it down. I too ahve been feeling pretty depressed and my stomach is constantly growling, not sure if I am not eating enough or what? I am supposed to go on mushies next Wednesday 4/27/05. Not even sure then what to have does anyone have any suggestions for now and next week. ILUVHARLEYS on this website has been a angel she is trying to help me, and I thank her so much. But, for some reason today I am so hungry had some brocolli&cheese soup for lunch and a popsicle today. And I just want some bread, crackers anything. My husband says don't complain you wanted this, and he is absolutely right I want to have energy, and feel better about myself I just keep praying the LORD will guide me.

HELP ANYONE

Thanks so much for your time

Teresa

[khoelscher 0]

Suntres,

I too am in my 2nd week. Count yourself lucky, I am not allowed mushies. Week one was all clear liquids, Day 8-10 add yogurt (creamy only), and then ONLY adding protien drinks until Day 22. I would kill for some creamy Tomato Soup or cream of chicken Soup right now. I am also a very picky eater. I keep thinking about bread and Pasta. I had to go to my grandmother's birthday party yesterday where they had catered Texas BarBQ. Thought I was going to DIE from the smell!!!!! My husband says the same thing too. It helps sooooo much to know someone else is feeling the same things and I'm not alone. Thanks for sharing your story.

KH

day of surgery 4/15/05

Loss to Date: 13.5lbs.

[khoelscher 0]

Jack,

Great to know there's hope! I am hoping my tastes will be different when I go on solids.

Thanks,

KH

[rena 0]

I am reading post here and I had no idea it was that miserable of an experience after gastric banding. I just went for my first 4 hour appt today, psych eval, labs and ekg today, tomorrow I go for the other 4 hour appt; NP, PT, dietician and psych eval follow up, I go saturday for my sleep study, then I go to a surgeon.

I had decided last month to do this, and decided on the band because it seems safer. But I just read all these research articles that say the weight loss is not that good and the re-op's are high. So here I am searching for real people with real stories. I am torn... I need to lose ~120lbs to be back to my high school weight of 150. Is this possible with the band? Or do I need bypass?

I hope I can figure out this web site, I don't know How I got here or how to get back. If you don't hear from me I got lost in the shuffle.

email me with any advise.

rapon2@comcast.net

Rena

[khoelscher 0]

Rena,

Don't give up on banding. I am post-op by 3 weeks and just went back on solid food. I want to loose 135lbs and have lost 22lbs. so far. I know this will slow down and I too had heard that with the band weight loss was not as fast as the by-pass, but I am so glad I did not have the other one. I know someone who had the gastric bypass the same week I did and they are still in bed, on pain meds, and restricted diet/excercise.

I was working from home the Monday after a Friday surgery and traveling across the country for work the following week. I went through a rough patch on the liquid diet (thought I was crazy for having the surgery) but am so happy now!

I have not had a fill yet but can tell a huge different in how much I can eat but still eat the things I love. My tastes have changed some, but not dramatically.

The research I did shows that the weight loss evens out after 2 yrs., we will just lose it more slowly and at a steadier pace.

Good luck no matter what you choose! Be sure and post back on how you are!

KH :banana

Surgery 4/15/05

Loss to Date 22lbs (5/9/05)