I am having

Um, hell no!!!  That is totally normal.  Obviously we all had a pretty good love of food or we wouldn't be posting here.  I remember the first few weeks being hard emotionally because I was healing, in pain the first few days (not horrible, but uncomfortable), had been on the damn liquids for so long, then the purees (blah! Even they are SO EXCITING when you get to them HA HA) it just wore me down emotionally.  I was missed food, I was a little scared that I had done it and if I failed.  Once I hit soft foods it was like it restored me physically and emotionally.  LOL  I mean that too.  I never looked back since and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my band so far.  It was so worth it.  This December month is gonna be hard cause we have so many parties and activities, but I am still losing and normally I'd be up at least 5 pounds all ready.  Even now though, I still miss food and will see a commercial for something and will think I could only eat a 1/4 of that but I would want it all.  You grow to love that feeling though, believe it or not.  You do get used to it and when your not hungry and your working to make sure you get ENOUGH calories in instead of vice versa, you start to love this new life.  The things you miss are soon replaced with the new feelings of excitement, hope, new clothes, more energy, the ton of NSV's you are sure to start having and not being able to pig out on some food in an unhealhty way starts feeling pretty good.  It is a learning process, but you will be fine and you will get through it and you will be so happy for all the hard work you've put into it.  So, you are totally and completely normal and you are most definitely on your way to the losers bench!!! 

Boo

Hi,

I was nervous too. I went to work the day before, came home, and then I watched a movie and went straight to sleep. I decided if I could just sleep then I wouldn't worry. My surgery wasn't until 2pm so I then had to make it through the early part of the day. I cleaned my house from head to toe (which frankly was very nice as when I came home I appreciated it!)  By the time I got to the hospital everything happened so fast there wasn't any time to worry. They admitted me, gave me fluids, then my surgen came in and then I was in the surgery room with the mask over my face and asleep. I remember coming out of the surgery and the doctor saying, "you did great." And I said, "At what?" and she said, "at the surgery" and I said, "Oh it's over. I have the band." I really felt like nothing had happened! 

I would say to plan to have something that you can do the night before that will keep your mind off of it. If my experience is the norm, I wouldn't worry too much though

In terms of the pain after, it's not too bad: 
I had the realize band put in on December 1st. My surgery was at 2pm and I was out of the hospital by 6:30pm. I did not vomit and felt fine. I took pain medication on Wednesday and Thursday and then on Friday I stopped the pain meds. With the pain meds I was in very little pain. Without them it hurt, but it wouldn't have been unbareable. Just took the edge off with the meds so I took them.

I had no problems walking and walked a few times each day (maybe 4-6 blocks). But I was uncomfortable if I bent at all, so my kids and husband did that! :) 

The hardest part for me is that I sleep on my stomach and side and I couldn't really do that. It made the first night or two tough. By the third night I was able to sleep a little on my side and then I was OK.

I've lost 20 pounds so far since I started the pre-op diet (two weeks before surgery).

Good luck! You will do great!

Kim

Your experience sounds very similar to mine! All in all, it was great. I had my surgery at 1 p.m. on Thursday,Dec 10th and I checked in at the hospital at about 1030 a.m. The staff were great. I was not too nervous. I am diabetic so they tested my blood sugar, which was normal. The I.V. wasn't too bad. Felt like a bee sting going in. Then I was wheeled off to surgery where they put this mask over my face then I drifted off to sleep. I think I woke up in a different room with something called a CPAP machine mask on, which I I had to wear for about an hour-I guess my oxygen started to go from 100 to 96 or 94 something like that. They gave me a patch behind my ear to help with nausea. Then after that I had to go get an exray to make sure band was in correctly. It is and then I rested for a bit, then got my things out of security, then my mother took me home. I felt good that evening, started taking the hydrocodone that evening, the next day I was really sore. The hydrocodone helps a LOT. They got me up and walking. I stayed for 4 nights at my folk's house, which is great because they have a beautiful home, and plenty of places for me to walk to. I had my best dog with me for most of the time too. Now I am home, at my own cute little house, doing as much walking and sipping water as much as I can. I got on the scale this a.m. and I have gone down in weight from 364.5 to 352 in just 4 days. Most of it is probably water weight anyway. Only real problem I have is dealing with a  diabetes medicine that I have to take. They are huge pills, I try to crush them, but they still taste horrible and make me want to gag. Tomorrow I go back to work , light duty. I guess now I am officially on the 'losers bench'! Yay! In a little while I will get out of the clear liquids stage and will be able to take in small amounts of broth, and a tiny bit of yogurt. Now it seems that I am almost afraid of food, I mean afraid that food will somehow get stuck in my stoma.

Congrats! Sounds like your off to a terrific start. Keep up the good work. I just had my first pured food and it was so yummy. And shortly I move onto mushies. I can't wait!!!! 

I can't wait until I get some attention from those who are of the male persuasion(no hubby no bf here) !

That will be a nice NSV, huh?  Sad, it takes losing weight for them to see how great I am sure you are.  You'll be feeling so good though, you'll be strutting your stuff.  :)

Boo