ValleyGirl

Funny. Fast food was my weakness too....especially drive-thru so I could hide how much I was actually eating!

Is there anything besides liquid gravol that works well?

I've been up with my two young children all night long- one has bronchitis and the other seems to be over the bronchitis but is now throwing up every thirty minutes since midnight. Their dad is on a business trip so I am tending to them on my own and I'm terrified I'm going to get one or both of these illnesses. I can't imagine coughing will feel good, but it's the throwing up that could make my band slip, right? I've left a message at the OCC already but would love some input. Should I down some gravol just in case? I am only 8 days opst-op. What next??? Sabrina:)

I am planning to do the same. I think it's a GREAT idea! It's quite the letting go process, isn't it? Best of luck on your journey. Sabrina:)

I didn't think they drew my blood either but they do it at the same time they give you the IV and you don't even notice it's so fast, drawing a tiny bit than sticking the IV in. I hope you feel good today. I'm still pretty sore but I couldn't take any pain meds cause of allergies and I can't find anywhere to buy liquid Tylenol:( The pain wasn't so bad with all those cute doctors around to distract me but here at the hotel it's kicking in, haha. Have fun shopping. Sabrina:)

Sorry I missed you Kristy. Nice to meet you Sara and Christy (from Georgia) and Star! Stay in touch. Sabrina:)

Good morning everyone! I was so drugged up when I posted this that I just remembered about it now, haha! I'm glad it touched so many of you and I'm glad I had to wait for this because I got to research SO much. I'm normally way too spontanious and will try anything before knowing all of the consequences. I think that was one of my husband's worries. He didn't want me to come home and say "honey, I just put another 10 grand on the credit card for this thing I read about in a magazine". That and the fact that behind his machismo, I think he was truly scared something bad could happen to me-especially in Mexico. And yes, Cara and Stormy, he can be a bit controlling (it's not all warm and fuzzy) but so can I! We have our struggles as most couples do. Anyway, I am leaving Lucerna this moning to go to La Jolla for a day at the beach and shopping at Westfeild UTC which I hear is a must-do. Have to walk, walk, walk. What better way to get in walking than shopping?! I was actualluy quite hungry yesterday, which surprised me. I drank some broth and water and gatorade and I managed. Today is day three of clear liquids and, to my surprise, I am aloud powdered non-dairy creamer in my coffee so I am enjoying that right now- there's even flavoured kinds of coffee-mate here, vanilla and cinnamon. Yum. I'm also so excited to see so many people from my area on this board. I live between Surrey and Langley, work in Vancouver, and attend lap-band meetings in North Van so I'm all over the place and would love to meet for coffee any time. Maybe there are enough of us to start a second support group since the hospital group is only once per month? I'd like to meet at least once per week if I could! I think Vangirl and Louisem have my email address, but for anybody else ne in the Vancouver area, please email me at sabrinadelray@yahoo.com- that's the only email I can check on my phone. Thanks to ALL of you for making me feel included, understood, and listened to. Sabrina:)

I'm not sure how many know my story, but I've wanted to get a lap-band for three and a half years . MY husbnad has always been dead-set against this. I remember at one oint he said this was "a hill he was willing to die on". Anyway, eventually,I said, I know you won't let me spend "family money" for this but What if I got a second job and saved the money myself? I don't think He believed I could save it all so said fine. Well, I got the job (s) saved all the money and here I am, banded at OCC yesterday. This is the letter he just wrote me.......sniff sniff "I've never been more proud to be your husband then I am today. You are a very strong lady, who without any support from me set out a goal and achieved it. I believe in my heart you can, more than most people, set a goal for yourself, work very hard and achieve that goal. I always thought you were beautiful regardless of your weight, and whether your appearance changes because of your surgery: - I love you - you are an amazing mom - you are a patient and great wife You did not need this surgery to be beautiful to me. I am proud of you Sabrina, you are a great role model for Syd and Drew." Love, D

Ha ha ha. Thanks for that. I'm sitting on the net at The Lucerna right now thinking, what the hell am I doing? I needed to hear that. I get picked up in 45 minutes for surgery so please send more happy thoughts my way. Prayers would be nice too. I'm not particularly religious (I pray going through turbulance on a plane) but I know some of you are so I'm sure it won't hurt! Sabrina:)

Hi Vangirl! Sorry, I already forgot your name! Anyway, I know everyone is different, but let's just say that I end up with the pain you are having on day 4 post-op. Do you think doing my job would still be possible? I'm scheduled to return to work on day 4 post-op. This will require: -driving there 40 minutes to and from -sitting in the booth for seven hours -talking live on the air every ten minutes for that seven hours My job is not physically demanding at all...in fact, it is the opposite. I have to be in this booth for seven hours straight and sometimes don't have time to pee. The reason I didn't book off any more time is that I really wanted to keep busy to make the next 21 days go by faster. Based on how you are feeling (and I'm hoping I won't feel as bad) do you think you could perform the above duties? I'm starting to re-think my decision. Sabrina:)

I just called the OCC....I can't believe you can call the doctors directly!!! I spoke with Dr. Martinez who said as long as I don't have a fever, I should be fine, that it sounded like a common cold and that I should just take it easy but to go to the walk-in if I feel feverish or get a real sore throat cause it is more serious if it's something like strep. I'm sure I'll be fine but I'm going to go to a walk-in right now anyway. Maybe under these circumstances they will do a swab and I can get the results right away. I'll keep you posted.

“Are you ready to go the distance?”......Every time I hear people say that or some version of that, I freak out because I have answered YES so many times before (Weight Watchers, Sure Slim, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Herbql Magic, Atkins etc etc etc). I always feel I'm ready to go the distance (and usually do well for a few months) but have yet to actualy go the distance!!!. How do you know when you are "truly" ready to go the distance? How do you trust that you are not kidding yourself and that this time it will be different?

....please tell me they will still do the surgery?!

I assume that making my own protein shakes with skim or 1% milk is fine after seven days of clear stuff? Also, I didn't see BROTH on your list. Get one at a health food store instead of a grocery store if you can- they taste better and are better for you. For Canadians, there is one made her by NUtrimax Natural foods....they make ckicken, beef and a spicy tomato that is not like Campbell's tomato, but thinner, like a tomato broth.

I sent you a PM about some great broth I found here at home. Hope you got it and I'll see you at the next hospital meeting! Sabrina:)

Shoppers sells Stacker2 Protein water in the health section and it has four times the protein as the Special K stuff!

Oh yeah, one more thing...even with the cheat, I still dropped a couple pounds and just noticed my BMI is now under 40! When I started looking in to this, my BMI was only 33 and by the time I had the means to make it happen, it was over 40. Do all the research you can, but don't put it off people!!!

Thanks everyone! I think I just needed to fess up. For some reason, being honest here helps me get honest with myself. Yesterday was a breeze and I'm feeling confident going in to today. Being on here really helps. Now I'm just trying to find a good counsellor to go through this with me. I know there will be many changes ahead and I feel I will need to learn some new coping mechanisms now that I won't have food as a vice. In the past I've been everything from a serial dater to a shopoholic, did some bad binge drinking in my college days, I'm a recovered smoker. I have no vices left!!!I guess I could try gambling and drugs- JUST KIDDING! If only I could become addicted to exercise,lol!

I'm already beating myself up enough so please don't go there, but I guess I just felt I needed to "confess". I had stayed the course for eight days and then yesterday I decided to make cookies with my two kids (I don't really like sweets so I thought this would be do-able) but it all went downhill from there. Try telling your three and five-year old that "No, mommy can't have that" without putting my dieting issues on them. I try very hard not to say the word diet in front of them. I was a normal kid who my mom thought was fat cause she is petite and she put me on diets from 8-years old. I think all that dieting ended up making me fat...but that's another post. I suppose somewhere in the back of my mind I keep telling myself I don't really need to do the pre-op diet due to info I heard at my WLS meetings in the past...like you only need to go on one if you're BMI is over such and such (which mine isn't), or that some doctors don't even make you do one and that those patients turned out fine. Most people I know went to a doctor in Washington State that doesn't believe in them. I kept doing this self-talk all day, convincing myself I didn't really need to be on a pre-op diet. Add to that I keep freaking out that I'm never going to be able to eat X, Y, Z again so I thought I better have one last hoorah. Anyway, I am so dissapointed in myself this morning. I'm feeling like if I can't stick to 14 days on a pre-op diet that is actually easier than a lot of the crazy diets I've done in the past, how will I ever be able to do the 21-day post-op diet and, following that, stick to all the new rules that come with having the band?! I've already paid so changing my mind is not an option; however, maybe I need some serious psychiatric help. When I get in sabotage mode, I can't snap out of it and am so good at telling myself what myself wants to hear....that little devil on the one shoulder always wins. Is this normal? Do many of you struggle with this? It's the same reason every other diet has always failed. Why can't I just do what I'm supposed to do?

I'm no expert (I don't even get banded until next week) but I don't think you should be throwing up non-stop. From what I have read, that can destroy your band. Any more experienced bandsters want to shed some light on that?. I hope you feel better now.

Hi Louise! I'm having my surgery with Dr. Ortiz on Dec 2nd and I also live in the Vancouver area! I've been researching this for more than three years so if you have any questions, please feel free to PM me. I attend the Lap band support group at Lions Gate Hospital but would like to find more bandsters in the area to connect with. You are lucky you were able to come up with the cash so quick. My husband refused to pay out of "family money" so I've been saving on my own for all this time- I wish I was three years post up and not still waiting but finally my day is near! BTW-I'm also in my 30's and agree about the energy thing. Zapped....and I have two small kids! Sabrina:)

Hi Jude! I've noticed in your posts that you often recommend drinking protein water. I live in Canada and I've never seen Special K Protein Water but I found some at the pharmacy called "Stacker 2" . It has 20 grams of protien and 80 calories per bottle. I don't know why I figured protien water would be calorie-free. Is the Special K kind calorie-free? I'm on the pre-op still and don't want to add too many cals drinking this stuff. Maybe I should just save it for post-op? I'm also going to look for Gas X strips and the chewable fiber- hopefully I can get them here. I did get some benefiber to put in water, would that be the same thing as the chewable fibre just in a drinkable form? Thanks for all your pointers! Eight days till surgery! Sabrina:)

Massage? Mani and pedi? I'll be there Dec 1-5th and would love to get these too. Do they come to your room? Who did you use? How were the prices? Thanks! Sabrina:)

Hey Guys! I just got back from a cruise out of San Diego where I met a ton of people from the area (I live in Canada) and I have to tell you, the issue of the murders and kidnappings in TJ came up at the breakfast/lunch/dinner table daily- casually brought up by people who had no idea I was going there in a couple weeks. It was like a jab in my gut every time someone would bring this up. My husband (who was already against the surgery wheteher I did it there or anywhere) would just give me the "told you so" glare/look every time it was casually brought up in conversation. I thought I was going to be sick- like I didn't have enough to worry about already with all of the changes that are about to unfold in my life. I had no idea about all the violence there right now. I have never been concerned about the qulaity of care in Mexico (especially at OCC) but we're talking about innocent bystanders being murdered and kidnapped for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. One lady I met from San Diego has a vacation property there she won't even go to right now. I just did a google search in hopes of finding that the stories I was hearing were exagerated-nope. I am SO mad at myself for not knowing this before paying for flights, deposit etc. All I keep thinking of is my three and five-year old....the thought I could be leaving them without a mom `cause my three years of research wasn't thorough enough. How did I miss this????? I am so so so sad and stressed-not quite the frame of mind I was hoping to have as I start the two-week pre-op diet tomorrow.

So, the tylenol and vitamins don't need to be liquid? For some reason, I thought I wouldn't be able to swallow pills and I get tons of head-aches so I need to have some Tylenol on hand. I've never been able to tolerate vitamins or NSAIDS (stomach spazms so bad from some I've ended up in Emergency) but I know vitamins will be more important than ever so I want to find something I can tolerate. I've read that NSAIDS aren't recommended after banding, but I've had this problem for years- I'm not actually being banded until Dec.2.