Day before Sugery and I AM HUNGRY!

Tomorrow at 5:30 am is the BIG day for me. I am overly excited, nervous, and scared. I sometimes dont feel like I really need this surgery. I am 5'6 and weight 275 with a BMI of 43, but I am blessed my insurance approved me on the first try. Ok, tomorrow is the big day and I am on clear liquids today. How do I cure the hunger? Having 3 kids around that need to eat and me who cant eat makes it really hard to cope. Questions Post OP: 1. How long are you on the "liquid diet"? 2. Can I drink Diet Pepsi? 3. Any good ideas for making these shakes taste better? Please someone have any advice, I sound pathetic...

Good Luck Katie! I will be thinking of you tomorrow and hoping that all goes well. My husband had RNY by Dr Hung on Feb 28 and he got to have small amounts of SF Carnation Instant Breakfast and cream soups as soon as he passed his swallow test the next day. They will give you the information you need when you are in the hospital about when to go to mushy from full liquids, etc. I don't recall exactly what it was, but it wasn't long. What brands of shakes are you using? I ordered some of the flavors that bariatriceating.com carries and those are pretty darn good. The Protein Delite brand has an almond coconut and a vanilla very berry that are good, and the Matrix brand chocolate makes good 'hot cocoa' if you mix it right and use water that is hot but not boiling. (Boiling water will give you chocolate scrambled eggs.) I recommend ordering some of the SAMPLE SIZES first, so that you don't spend $$$ on something that you find you do not like. I've also had the Atkins cafe au lait shakes, served over ice with a bit of SF DaVinci brand french vanilla syrup added... and that tastes just like a frozen cappuchino from a fancy coffee stand. I've seen the DaVinci syrups (be sure you get sugar free!) at both TJ Maxx and at Walmart south (near the whole bean coffee). Of course, I order cases of SF DaVinci from netrition.com myself, since I like a lot of the different flavors that you can't buy locally. They only have a FEW flavors at walmart, but Davinci makes A LOT of flavors. ck it out. ... and GOOD LUCK! Sally

Katie - I can't really help you as I haven't had surgery, but I wanted to wish you well. I'm also in Lincoln and I have an appointment with Dr Hung late this month. I didn't realize he hasn't done many LapBands - that is what I was hoping to do. Looks like you first saw him in June 2005. May I asked why it took so long to get scheduled for surgery? Patience is not my best virtue. Janet Waiting for appointment with surgeon

Janet- It took me so long due to insurance hoops. I was a NE Medicaid insurance holder up until December of last year when I got a great job with a great benefits package. Medicaid was no help for me, and financially I was not able to pay for the surgery myself. I appealed and was still rejected. I began to believe this surgery wasnt right for me and I exercised and went on slim fast. I lost about 14 lbs, and that documentation of weight loss plus my past weight loss attempts was enough for Blue Cross Blue Sheild of California. Once I was off of the medicaid, I was able to get the process started again. I contacted Lisa with the change and she did what she does so well and put in the necessary documentation and with in a week I was APPROVED. Patience is not my strong virtue either, but prayer and determination will make you successful at this process. It was very hard being rejected the first time, but you know I was bound and determined to have this surgery. I have been unsuccessful for so many years trying to lose weight so this was my only hope. I wish you luck in your journey to surgery, and remember patience may be difficult but well worth it in the long run. This site will help you with your struggles and celebrate your accomplishments, so keep in touch! Best, Katie

Janet... Dr Hung only took his training on the lapband last spring and started doing them on his own last summer. If you have met Shelley, the bariatric co-ordinator at St E's, she was his 2nd patient and has done very very well. She leads the post-op support group meetings on alternate Tuesdays at St E's. From attending pre-op meetings and informational meetings and post-op meetings, it seems like the MAJORITY of his patients are now choosing the lapband. There are a few whose insurance will only cover RNY who have gone that route, and a few others, like my husband and myself who feel that RNY is the 'right choice' for our cir****tances.... but mostly he is doing the bands now. I'm not sure how many he has done by now, but it has to be over 30, probably closer to 50-60. And he has an EXCELLENT reputation so I'm sure he is very good at those too. I know he has done over 350 gastric bypasses... and the technique is probably similar in some respects. We think he is fantastic! You will like him. Three of my co-workers are planning to have him band them. Sally

Thanks Sally! You are very reassuring and I really appreciate your help! Janet

I forgot to answer the diet pepsi part. I'm still pre-op, but I've read and read and read and read about both the lap band and the RNY, and I've been attending the post-op group with DH. You will find you have the best result if you give up the diet pepsi. DH gave up his diet pepsi and I have already given up my diet code red mountain dew. And TRUST ME if I could give up my dcr mtn dew then it isn't THAT hard to do. I was drinking EASY 2-4 liters of it EVERY DAY. Since they don't sell that in the machines at work, every day I would carry in a two-liter bottle and generally have it all gone in an 8 hour day. I've bought several flavors of the crystal light, and the 'generic' crystal light that walmart carries. The generic stuff is just as good as the regular, and much cheaper... and I'm ALREADY saving $ from what I used to spend on soda! Plus, I feel better. If you are going to go thru the trouble of getting on an operating table and having surgery, then GO ALL THE WAY and give up the soda. Sally

Sally - any concerns about the type of sweetner? A lot of people try to avoid aspertame, but it is used in crystal light. Does Dr Hung say anything about that? Janet

Janet, It is in the pre op diet booklet. They recommend Crystal Light. I have heard many people mix there protein shakes with it and it helps kill the "nasty" flavor of the protein. ~my 2 cents~ Katie

Thanks Katie! How's your day going? Where will your procedure be done? I'll just be getting up at 5:30, but I'll be thinking of you. Janet