Emily8

I am 3.5 weeks post op and feel no restriction, although my appetite has decreased. Not sure if the 6.5 weeks of controling my diet (most of the time) has helped or if it is the presence of my band. What ever it is, I'm going with it! I am down 18 lbs since starting the pre-op diet. At 18.5 I will have lost a third of my weight. Someone told me about 10% of patients feel restriction before a fill.

Hi Olygrl, I am doing well, and really tired of eating only liquids!. Incisions are doing well. The large one itches a little, but they are all healing well. I find my energy comes and goes and sometimes I need to just "crash" for part of the day (or on the weekend, all day). I was trying to limit my liquid calories to 800-1000 a day, but found I was way too irritable and that I loose more on a higher amount. I am trying 1000-1200 a day now. A little nervous about "bandster hell" because I know I am a re-bounder after dieting. I plan to start yoga classes at the same time I start eating solids (on Friday). How are you?

I did a little research on the issue because my sister wanted to go with me to be banded (a week and a half ago). She realized her passport had expired a couple of days before leaving. Here is a web site that describes the possible consequences of not having the right ID when crossing back into the U.S.: http://acrossthebord...s-at-the-border Given the relatively minor consequences, she decided to go ahead and accompany me. When crossing back into the U.S., she told the border agent her passport had expired and showed it to him. He said "your passport expired but your citizenship has not" and waved her through. No written citation, no secondary inspection. I'm sure it depends on the agent you get, but it sounds like the worse that can happen is they send you to secondary inspection where they look up your citizenship on the computer. So, maybe a delay. I would give it a try without a passport, if I had another form of ID, like a driver's license. If I was in your shoes, I would also have someone fax a copy of my passport so I had that documentation, too. I grew up in San Diego, and, as a teenager and young adult crossing the border, I was sent to secondary inspection several times. It was just a delay. I'd give it a shot, but, I guess I have a little bit of an outlaw in me. :-)

It usually takes a day or two to hear back from Dr. Miranda. I really miss feeling full with this pre-op diet!

Hi Shmee and Mark, I'm in Washington state. It went better today, I started the Metamucil capsules and that help (thanks Mark). Dr. Miranda told me not worry about the calories from the minestrone, it is so few. So, I added a bowl of the Safeway Signature minestrone, and that has helped, too. Yes, let's keep in touch. It really helps to hear from other people going through the same process.

Hi Shari, Thanks for the words of encouragement. Wow, three weeks of liquids pre-op. I should stop complaining. Eleven days down, 18.8 pounds and no cheating, that is awesome! Today I am down 5 pounds since Saturday. The really good news is when I used my keto sticks this morning and (for the first time since Saturday) the result was positive. I'm in ketosis. Yea for fat burning! Would love to meet up with you in TJ. I'm staying at the Marriott.

I started my pre-op diet on Saturday and today (Monday) it really hit me. I'm hungry! I on the two protein shakes and the lean cuisine meal. I started three weeks before my lap band date (9.17) because I have gained weight (210) since my decision weight (206) and I wanted to get back down and then loose my 5-10%. I noticed the diet instructions said have minestrone soup when hungry. That is pretty much all the time. I am afraid to start in on it...I just emailed Dr. Miranda to see if there is a calorie limit for the diet. Right now I am eating a box of sugar free jello a day, piles of steamed broccoli and cucumbers in addition to the shakes and meal. Reading the forum is really helping when I fell like I can't stand it anymore.