doclynch Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Ok kids. Here we go. I'm going down to OCC tomorrow to get my band on Wednesday. Wish me luck. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 How did it go? I'm anxious to hear as I am getting banded on Feb. 9th. I am worried about the clear liquid diet afterwards. Keep us posted on your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doclynch Posted February 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 How did it go? I'm anxious to hear as I am getting banded on Feb. 9th. I am worried about the clear liquid diet afterwards. Keep us posted on your progress. Well... Here I am at the OCC. Had my bad about 4 hours ago. I've heard some say it was pain free, but no so for me. It hurts inside a little, and the incision sites hurt a little too. Did you notice i said A LITTLE. I've had more pain from a ruff day of xmas shopping. Pain...yes, but would it cause me to not do this??? Not in a million years. I know myself, and I feel well enough to travel home. They won't let me of course but thats in my best interest. I get a night here at the hospital. The room is as nice at the hotel room was, one more night there, then home on Friday. I'll have to say, I am a HUGE skeptic about all the positive feed back on this site. I thought it wouldn't take long to find SOMETHING I could bitch about....again... not so. The staff is what makes this place. They are the best team I've delt with ANYWHERE. Everyone is ready to help, and I've been asked over and over if I have any questions. They want to make sure we know whats going on. Dr. Ortiz is awsome. He came in, sat on the couch and just put me right at ease. His mother was who picked us up at the Hotel to bring us here this morning. She is just a total sweetheart. She took care of everything. The staff at the Lucern Hotel Jump when she says jump. She has that place locked on, and they are very sharp. To those of you sitting on the fence do it or not do it. I am sitting here 4 hours post op in pain... singin praises. I have ZERO regrets, and i'm looking forward to the next step of my life. I'm not sure how well i'm going to handle the post of diet... liquids for several weeks and such. I'd been on a liquid diet 20 years ago when i broke my jaw, so I know some of what to expect. But you can get pretty creative about what you can pull thru a straw. Thanks for the support and good luck with your decision. I would give my whole experience so far 5 stars. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriBecky Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 Hey Randy > It always makes me happy when another one of my patients finds what I tell them is true... Dr. O is the best! And the staff and the clinic are great. I'm so happy you had a positive experience and took the time to come and let everybody know! I'm here for you anytime you have any questions or need some support. You know how to get in touch with me! I know the post-op liquid diet is hard and can get boring... but its for your health and safety and so you body can get used to the band! It does pass by quicker than you think it will. Keep us posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 Randy, Wow, it sounds like everything went really well. You are helping to put my mind at ease. Right now the hardest part for me is to loose 13 pounds by next Friday! Keep us posted on your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doclynch Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Hey kids.... Just got home after my lap band trip. The flight was not too bad. The hard part was waiting for my flight sitting across from the Pizza Hut both. The smell was killing me. Oh well... thats what got me into this trouble in the first place... Again, I am gonna sing the praises of the OCC. After 2 days to think about it and reflect, I have nothing but good words for the staff and facility. I was a HUGE skeptic as I said the other day. I could not find a single thing they could improve there. The staff was very friendly... and more importantly NON judmental. I felt like they actually cared about me, and want me to suceed. If you worried about the pain... I took 1 of the Toradol pills they give you as you check out, before I went to bed last night. It was more a "just in case" if I rolled over funny at night. Still have 3 left and prolly gonna toss em. I've been able to drink ok. Be careful of really cold stuff, and make sure you take smaller sips than you would normally... Don't GULP stuff. You'll feel it a little and learn... Just have to pay attn to what your doing. Broth is pretty yummy. Never loved a popcycle so much... Thats about all for now. I would love to help you with any questions you might have. I'm not a represenative of OCC so anything on here is just my opionion.. but I'll help if I can. Good luck Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindaC Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Well... Here I am at the OCC. Had my bad about 4 hours ago. I've heard some say it was pain free, but no so for me. It hurts inside a little, and the incision sites hurt a little too. Did you notice i said A LITTLE. I've had more pain from a ruff day of xmas shopping. Pain...yes, but would it cause me to not do this??? Not in a million years. I know myself, and I feel well enough to travel home. They won't let me of course but thats in my best interest. I get a night here at the hospital. The room is as nice at the hotel room was, one more night there, then home on Friday. I'll have to say, I am a HUGE skeptic about all the positive feed back on this site. I thought it wouldn't take long to find SOMETHING I could bitch about....again... not so. The staff is what makes this place. They are the best team I've delt with ANYWHERE. Everyone is ready to help, and I've been asked over and over if I have any questions. They want to make sure we know whats going on. Dr. Ortiz is awsome. He came in, sat on the couch and just put me right at ease. His mother was who picked us up at the Hotel to bring us here this morning. She is just a total sweetheart. She took care of everything. The staff at the Lucern Hotel Jump when she says jump. She has that place locked on, and they are very sharp. To those of you sitting on the fence do it or not do it. I am sitting here 4 hours post op in pain... singin praises. I have ZERO regrets, and i'm looking forward to the next step of my life. I'm not sure how well i'm going to handle the post of diet... liquids for several weeks and such. I'd been on a liquid diet 20 years ago when i broke my jaw, so I know some of what to expect. But you can get pretty creative about what you can pull thru a straw. Thanks for the support and good luck with your decision. I would give my whole experience so far 5 stars. Randy I am new to this forum I have only recently decided this was for me and then started working on a way to come up with $8,500 plus travel expenses but I expect to have that taken care of with in a month and then I will make an appointment, I am very interested in reading what every one has to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doclynch Posted February 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Linda, well good luck with your plans. When I was thinking about how to come up with the money I figured it this way: The money I was going to save on food alone was going to add up to way more than $8500 bucks. I work 5 days a week. I didn't bring food to work, so I ate junk out of the vending machine. Energy drinks $2 each... prolly spend $6-$8 each day. That ALONE is around $1700 bucks... Not even counting the drive thru breakfast on the way in, and stopping for chow on the way home. So the money is there. You just have to RE-DIRECT it. Even after you get your band, if you want drive thru food, you will be full with 1/2 a kids happy meal vs. getting a SUPERSIZE meal with extra something. $2 bucks vs. $8 bucks. It adds up. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Randy, I am heading to the OCC this Friday for my band! I am pretty excited and still a little bit nervous. How is your post op diet going? I plan to go back to work on Monday as I have a sit down job anyway. So, the pain isn't very intense? Did you have to loose weight before the surgery? I am trying to stick to a strict pre op diet but it is difficult. Good luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doclynch Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Pamela, The pain is not near what I thought it was going to be. If you read my first post... I was up out of bed checking my email and posting a note on here like 4 hrs post op. They give ya pain meds, and anti nausea meds in the hosp every few hours, and all the capri sun juice packs you want. I drank like 4 that night. The post op diet is getting pretty old. Today is first day off clear liquids< so im having some soup. I flew back Friday and went to work Saturday. My job is pretty active EXCEPT on weekends, so I did OK. I keep a bottle of juice close. I'm not really hungry, but the habits of eating are the hard part. My stomach is GROWLING like the lion on the INMED commercial. I'm trying to be a good "bandster". I wish you luck on the trip. I'm 1 week Post OP and I wouldn't change a thing.... other than I wish I would have came sooner. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Randy, The wanting to eat when your not hungry is going to be a struggle for me at first. However, that is a bad habit that we can break! Just be strong and keep sippin' water and soup I am flying into the San Deigo airport tonight and I get banded tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!! Keep up the good work! =D> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becky Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 I am at the hotel typing this. I got my band a little over 24 hours ago. I felt the air pain in my chest until I went to sleep last night, but when I woke up I felt terriffic! My husband and I spent part of the day shopping and part napping. The hotel restaurant makes a mean bowl of chicken broth!! I have had a wonderful experience. I felt cared for in every way. I was the biggest skeptic, but I am now singing their praises. My only complaint is that my husband was not able to spend the night with me the night after the surgery. If I could change one thing, that would be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 My surgery went great too! I was banded last Friday the 9th of February. Saturday, my sister and I went shopping on Revolution in TJ. We had a blast. No gas pain in my shoulder either. The whole experience was great but I didn't realize that my sister wasn't going to be able to stay at the clinic over night with me. She had fun with some of the other supporters there so it all worked out. Becki, glad you experience was a good a mine. This post op diet isn't so bad until you smell some of your favorite foods. You become stronger than you used to be and this time you can resist temptation because of the band. Randy, how are you feeling??? Are you eating solid food yet and if so, how is that going? Good luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becky Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 I am starving. I want to eat. I am freakin' starving!! I am smack dab in the middle of the liquid phase post-op. (My surgery was 3 days ago.) It is not head hunger. This is gut wrenching hunger pangs from the depths of the firey abyss. The clinic told me that I would not be hungry for a week after the surgery, but in true Becky fashion, I am the exception to the rule. I was looking forward to not having that nagging feeling of hunger that I experienced so commonly in the pre-op weight loss period, but to my surprise the morning that I was released the beast (my stomach) started to growl at me!!! Don't get me wrong, I am VERY pleased with the surgery, and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone that they let Dr. O do their band, but I am very mad at my body for not giving me a break!!! I am counting the SECONDS until I can drink some yogurt. That's a phrase I never thought I would say. On a positive note, I have lost 6 pounds since surgery. I am sure this is worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doclynch Posted February 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 I am starving. I want to eat. I am freakin' starving!! I am smack dab in the middle of the liquid phase post-op. (My surgery was 3 days ago.) It is not head hunger. This is gut wrenching hunger pangs from the depths of the firey abyss. The clinic told me that I would not be hungry for a week after the surgery, but in true Becky fashion, I am the exception to the rule. I was looking forward to not having that nagging feeling of hunger that I experienced so commonly in the pre-op weight loss period, but to my surprise the morning that I was released the beast (my stomach) started to growl at me!!! Don't get me wrong, I am VERY pleased with the surgery, and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone that they let Dr. O do their band, but I am very mad at my body for not giving me a break!!!I am counting the SECONDS until I can drink some yogurt. That's a phrase I never thought I would say. On a positive note, I have lost 6 pounds since surgery. I am sure this is worth it. Becky It took my stomach a few days to start growling... Then is sounded like my big guts were fighting my little guts. I just drank more. More often and diff stuff. It does help to be sipping often. I had a bottle of juice or something in my hand the whole day. The drinkable yogert helps a BUNCH. It gives a full feeling too. But remember to sip it too. Just have something close at hand to drink and this too shall pass... I have 4 more days till I get to ear REAL food again.. yayyyyyyy and a little motivation for me.. i'm down 24 lbs so far from operation today Keep up the good work gang... it gets better.. i promise Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim927 Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Hi, I was banded on 12/12 and by 12/14 my tummy sounded like it had a party going on in there and I wasn't invited! I started drinking the yogurt drinks on the 4th day (and I counted the day of surgery) and that did help a lot. The Yoplait Light ones only have 90 calories, so I had 2 a day, one mid morn and one in the eve. Just sip them slowly. A couple days later, when you can add protein drinks and soups, that will really help. At first I was trying to find soups that didn't have any chunks in them, but didn't find many that I liked, so I bought some I liked and just ran them through the blender really well before heating them. I have a Vita Mix blender, so it did a good job, but I think any kind would work. That gave me much more choice and flavor and I felt fuller and more satisfied. Basically though, I learned to make a friend of that hungry feeling, it told me I was going to see results, and during the liquid phase was when I lost the most amount of weight. I didn't understand what everyone was talking about when they said they weren't hungry for at least a week and got "full" on 1/2 a cup of broth, that was never my experience either. I still get hungry some, but am trying to just live with it and am very happy with the 28 lbs. I've lost so far. I'm so thankful I was able to be banded. Best of Luck to you! Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becky Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 I appreciate the words of support. I did split a drinkable yogurt with my 14 month old yesterday, and it helped a lot! I felt full and the hunger sensation was gone. There is hope after all! The weirdest thing happened when I got home. I was so use to the action of eating that I found myself going to the refrigerator and the pantry without even consciously doing it! That lets me know that I really do have a problem and that I definitely made the right decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Yep, my stomach made a lot of noise the first week after surgery! I always have a bottle of flavored water with me. I am always sipping on something. I found that I don't have to take small sips any more. I don't guzzle it down but I can take bigger drinks than I thought I would be able to. Becky, try those Campbell Soups at Hand (sip cup style) when you get to the full liquid phase. There is a Velvety Potato and Cream of Brocoli that are really good and they help you feel full! I love my protein shakes that I mix up with the Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl protein powder I found at Akins Health Food store. Mix it with fat free milk and some ice. I added a small spoon full of peanut butter and blended it up real good. It is really tasty. Randy, I guess you are finally eating solid foods??? I am hoping that I feel some restriction once I start on solids. Let me know how you are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doclynch Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Yep, my stomach made a lot of noise the first week after surgery! I always have a bottle of flavored water with me. I am always sipping on something. I found that I don't have to take small sips any more. I don't guzzle it down but I can take bigger drinks than I thought I would be able to. Becky, try those Campbell Soups at Hand (sip cup style) when you get to the full liquid phase. There is a Velvety Potato and Cream of Brocoli that are really good and they help you feel full! I love my protein shakes that I mix up with the Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl protein powder I found at Akins Health Food store. Mix it with fat free milk and some ice. I added a small spoon full of peanut butter and blended it up real good. It is really tasty. Randy, I guess you are finally eating solid foods??? I am hoping that I feel some restriction once I start on solids. Let me know how you are doing. I am so glad you guys are doing well. I have been on solid foods for 2 days now. I went out to dinner with my folks last night and I had one of my favorites to celebrate. I had crawfish etoufee to keep in the tradition of Mardi Gras... it was yummy. The last time I had this particular meal, I ate hush puppies, small salad and the whole plate of etoufee. Last night all I could eat was less than 1/2 of the plate... with nothing else. They looked at me like I was sick, cause I usually tear into it... I don't think I have any restriction, but my stomach and appatite are sure smaller now. My victories are starting to pile up. 2 belt notches and loose pants, and almost 30 lbs from Pre op weight. I'll be looking to make my fill trip to TJ the 2-3 week of march, anyone else going then? After the fill is where the real weight loss will come, and I"m ready. Good luck kids Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 I will probably get my fill in April as I have a trip to Florida planned for March. Sounds like you are doing good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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