I'm With the Band - Pre-op Diet

 I started my pre-op diet yesterday. The purpose of the diet is to shrink my liver to make it easier to move for the surgery. I guess right now it's the shape of a football. This diet will shrink it down to the size of a stingray.

So what IS my pre-op diet? Liquids. Nothing but sugar-free liquids. I have supplements from the doctor's office that I drink 4 times a day and then I'm allowed strained soups, sugar-free jello, sugar-free popsicles, and all of the water my body can drink. I can flavor the water, so I'm experimenting with different sugar-free flavorings like Mio and Crystal Light. (Please don't lecture me on chemicals or how terrible faux sugar is for my body. Let me tackle one demon at a time.)

I was very nervous about doing this pre-op diet. In fact, Tuesday night I was a little sad. I didn't get to almost 250 lbs because it's easy for me to NOT eat food. But Wednesday morning I woke up determined and ready to go.

And honestly, it hasn't been that bad. I've felt hungry a few times, which is odd for me because it's something I've never really felt in many years! Mostly I felt lost. I didn't realize how much of my time was spent cooking, eating, and thinking about food. And now that it's being taken away from me (albeit temporarily) I wasn't sure what to do with myself. It's a big learning process!

I meet with my surgeon next week for my pre-op appointment. Want to know more? Tune in next time!

I'm with the Band Pt 4

The weeks are just flying by - I can't believe surgery is just three weeks away.

When you decide to get any type of bariatric surgery, there are requirements you have to complete before you can actually do it. I'm pretty sure they are for insurance purposes, but I'm so thankful I was made to jump through these hoops. So what have I had to do?

• Blood tests
• Ultrasound of my liver 
• Sleep study - it turns out I have mild sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome! 
• Psychological evaluation - I had to meet with a psychologist and talk to him for an hour. I was so nervous about this! But he was very nice and pointed out that I tend to take responsibility for negative things that are not my fault. "Guilt" could be my middle name! It was nice to have him point that out so that I'm more aware of when I blame myself for things out of my control. 
• Written psychological exam - It was LONG and at the end I had to finish sentences. For the first one it said, "I like to..." and I wrote, "eat apples and bananas." (Cue the Raffi song!) I was certain they would determine me crazy after I forgot to erase that...but surprise! I'm sane!
• Meet with a dietitian once a month for 6 months. Her name is Whitney and she is so nice. But she's also not afraid to tell it like it is. I'll continue to meet with her through out this entire process, so I'm glad we get along. 

I also tried to read everything I could get my hands on about Lap Band and bariatric surgery in general. This is a huge step and it would be silly to go in uneducated. Somethings I found especially helpful are:

• Blogs! Honestly there don't seem to be many up-to-date blogs about lap band. But I really like Lap Band Gal!, The World According to Eggface (RNY, not lap band. But still excellent info!), and Bariatric Foodie.  
• Books! My favorites have been 
• Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribble (Not about bariatric surgery, but EXCELLENT for those with food issues!!)
• Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny by Nick Nicholson and B.A. Blackwood
• Bandwagon by Jean McMillan - my favorite so far. She breaks the book up into time frames and explains everything. I can see myself going back to re-read this book several times! 
• Facebook - I belong to a FB group specifically for Lap Bandsters. Some are new, some have been handed for years. It's been an awesome resource for all my questions. 

I start my pre-op diet next Wednesday! Want to hear all about it? Then ya'll come back now, ya hear?!

I'm with the Band Pt. 3

Can't you do this on your own?

No, I can't.







Okay, I suppose I'll elaborate. This is my #1 thought that plagues me.

Why CAN'T I just do this on my own??

I wish I had perfectly wonderful answers to that question, but I don't. The truth is people DO lose large amounts of weight and then keep it off all on their own. And "Hooray!" for them!

Losing all the weight I need to AND keep it off is an impossible feat in my mind. I'm working on that. (A huge part of ANY weight loss process is changing your mindset, not just your diet and activity) The gastric band will be a tool that will help get me there.

Is it the easy way out? Well, it will be easier than trying to do it all on my own. I'll have a physical reminder to make the changes necessary to be successful. But just being banded will not guarantee any weight loss. It will help me, it will NOT do it for me. The choices to lead a healthier lifestyle are still mine and mine alone to make.


What are you afraid of? 

Frogs, mostly. Toads really. They don't move for the longest time and then jump unexpectedly (I say they jump AT you, my husband says I'm crazy...) It scares the bejeeezus out of me.

"I vill kill you in your sleep!" (Toads speak with a terrifying German accent - didn't you know that?)

Oh! You mean about the band?! Well, I'm a bit nervous about the procedure. It's outpatient, but it will be the first time I will have been put under. There are complications that are rare but still worry me. But my biggest fear is that horrible four letter F-word...

I'm really afraid I'm going to FAIL. 

It can be easy to cheat with the band. Just ask Sharon Osborne. I'm really afraid I will find a way to work around the lap band and remain fat forever. 

I'm educating myself, committing myself to the new lifestyle and surrounding myself with a support team and accountability partners. My fear will not become my reality! 

I'm With the Band Pt 2

1. Why Lap Band?

 My surgeon does three different types of bariatric surgery, Roux-en-Y, Gastric Sleeve, and Gastric Banding. Each surgery has it's own benefits and risks. I felt like gastric banding was the right pick for me because:

• None of my internal organs will be cut. With the band, if something happens, I can have it removed and everything will go back to the way it was before. 
• The recovery time is much shorter. It's an outpatient procedure, so I will not have to stay in the hospital. And since Grace isn't walking, having a weight restriction for a long period of time wouldn't work for our family. 
• There will be long term follow-up. I will have to stay in regular contact with my surgeon, especially in the first year, to be sure I'm using the band correctly.
• The weight loss will be slower. I LOVE instant gratification and losing weight quickly sounds terrific! But I know that in order for me to use this tool and be successful with it, I need to change my habits. I worry that if I dropped the weight quickly, I would go back to my old ways just as quickly. 

This wasn't a decision I took lightly. I weighed pros/cons, costs/benefits for quite sometime before making the decision. 

2. How did people respond when you told them? 

I didn't tell anyone for a long time because I expected the worst. I expected judgement, ridicule, and conflict. Instead all I have gotten has been love and support. My husband, Jeff, has been my biggest support through all of this. He's excited for me to feel better about myself. My family and friends have been quick to offer help with the kids and even feed my family afterwards. 

My kids don't quite understand. Riley told me he doesn't want me to change because he "loves me just the way I am". Those were the sweetest words I could have ever heard! But I'm sure he'll still love me when I'm healthier and able to jump on the trampoline and run around the yard with him. 

So why did I choose surgery? Can't I just do this on my own? Tune in next week to find out!