Joining the rest of you Gents February 11...

hey Fenton - you're right. my back was stiff though this morning and i just did a 30 minute light walk to loosen it up before being tied down for the surgery. i feel great now (if not very anxious and excited) and allthough thirsty, not dehydrated.

just got back from hospital. still sore but definitely not awfull. the "anesthesia hangover" was the worse part for me. right now just feel super bloated from the gas they pump you with and a little sore....

definitely minor in the scheme of things. here we go !

Hey, Mike! Welcome back!

Thanks Fenton. Every hour gets easier. The bloating is the only bothersome thing at this point. It feels good to walk around - i guess it keeps the gas moving...

Congrats Mike! Glad to hear things went well. I flew home yesterday, the plane ride wasn't all that enjoyable, but, feeling better now. You need to get a ticker up so that the race to a jersey is visible!

Q

Q- glad you made it back ok. yeah, i have to figure that ticker thing out - i will get it up there by end of day...

Hi chaps, Im due to get banded on the 20th and the only people I have told is my wife and mother in law. Not to stressed about it at the mo but that may change in a week. Ive been watching this thread for a bit and some interesting stuff has cropped up. Well done to you guys that have had it done (Mr Q) I think for me the hard bit is thinking I can never sit down and have a normal meal ever again with family and friends without looking like a grazzing mouse. Tell me it's not so.

Cheers. JRC (not my real name, im just a massive johnny cash fan)

from England.

Hello JRC and welcome. Yeah, I think we all have that thought of not being able to have the big family meal, but i'm sure we'll all manage just fine. Good luck on the 20th !

Congrats Quinn and Mike, you give me hope that this will all go well. I am scheduled for Feb 26. My age concerns me, but my heart Dr. and PCP both say go for it. I am a self pay (ugh), but I need this tool if I want to live some more years. I have only told immediate family and one good friend. Like my Dr's, they are with me on this too.

good luck Fresca - as long as the doctors think it is ok, then you should not worry...

Gaffer,

I was following the thread of MightyQ and laughed at your reply to him about another optifast and lettuce. I noticed you are really the Biggest Loser of weight that is so you are probably a good person to ask real questions to. I was banded on Feb 11 and so far feel great lost 15 pounds and and walking and mowing the lawn already. My questions are diet specific. It seems there is a great deal of variation on what MD's are recommending to patients. What's worked best for you?
How do you handle the cheating desires or avoiding the Fast Food commercials literally blasted at you 24/7 on the TV? Also what vitamins do you regularly take?

One of the recommendations the nutritionist gave me was to stop watching TV for a while...

But I worry I'd end up with too much time on my hands, and get tempted.

Here are somthings that have worked for me. I cant say that they will work for everyone.

I start the day with a protien shake. I know many Dr.s will tell you not to because they are liquid calories but I find a quality protien shake (not SlimFast or something like that) gets me through to lunch. It is an automated meal that I dont have to think about in the morning.

I will be the first to admit that my diet is not as clean as it can be. I dont eat the fast food that I used to and overall my diet consists of a lot less calories than before, but I know I could be doing better with it. I have had Dairy Queen treats pretty much every week since I was banded. For me it is the quantity of food and not so much what I eat. I basically try to the right thing more often that not. I personally dont crave the garbage food that I used to eat. I have said that they must have done brain surgery on me while I was out.

The combination of calorie restriction caused by the band and working out hard had been the key for me.

Find new food that you never knew you liked. Who new that I liked yams & sweet potatoes. I eat way more beans than I used to. Use white beens that are smashed up instead of potatoes. I still hate vegitables, but I try to east them.

I attribute much of my success to working out really hard and keeping the right level of restriction. I think that too many bandsters keep thier band too tight and then cant eat quality foods and resort to what I call soft calories. Things like mashed potatoes, sauces & ice cream rather than hard protiens that will keep you full.

Eat you protien first, then veggies and carbs if you are still not full. Listen to your body and learn what being full feels like. Eatin slower will help with this.

For me, I had a take no prisoners attitude and it seemed to work for me. I am by no means the biggest or the fastest loser around here. There are so many people on LBT that I drew inspiration from.

Andrew

Hey Guys, just thought i'd give an update. Surgery was a week ago today. Feel real good. Dropped a good amount of weight so far (unofficailly around 20 pounds includiding a few before the surgery). Eating shakes, yogurt and baby food this past week and next until I meet with surgeon and the nutritionist (Feb 28). Doing all meds/vitamins/calcium as instructed with no problems whatsoever. I do not feel hungry at all, ever. I really do not crave foods. My girls are off of school this week so we have been out often doing things, which includes a lot of eating out. I thought this would be difficult, but not at all. I have been to the gym every day (at least 35 minutes on treadmill-usually more). Backed up a bit (sorry to get into details, but you may be wondering). Have a "movement" on day 5, which was the longest I was supposed to go without going! On day 6, had another movement which I almost had to call off because so painfull (again, sorry). What kept me going through it was Austin Powers (who does #2 work for ?). Pain is only where the stitches are from the hiatal hernia I had repaired at the same time band was installed. And it is really is not pain, just discomfort which keeps me from being able to sleep on my side, thus not able to sleep through the night. I have stopped taking pain meds.

Would love to hear how everybody else is doing....

Hey Gents,

This is day nine post op and I returned to work yesterday. Things are going really well. The plane ride from Toronto home sucked, other than that, recovery has been smooth.

I have a small infection in my port site incision which concerns me a bit, but I have really no pain. I went to cabin on the weekend, and ran into my cousin who gave me two friendly shots in the gut (he has no idea), and that is by far the most pain I have experienced since surgery. After the post punch sweat session passed, I have been basically pain free.

I haven't been doing a lot of walking yet, but, I purchased my first pair of running shoes in years today, and I am now officially light enough to get on my woman's treadmill so tonight is the night. I'm also going to set up my gym although it will be a little while till I hit the weights hard.

I'm down 20 pounds in the 19 days since I started my pre-op diet although things have slowed since introducing chili back into my life yesterday. I know already I have very little restriction and I am looking forward to my first fill.

Glad to year you are doing well Mike as well as the rest of you characters. Looking forward to the rest of this journey with you guys.

Q

PS... Sex after surgery took place on day 4, and 5, twice on 6, and... Now all I have to do is fix my damned golf swing...