Sapphirejewel

I am confused as to why, again, we can't have carbonated beverages.....believe it or not, when I drink a diet coke in the morning...it clears out all of my mucus, due to asthma, and I feel much better. My surgery was Jan 18th, but I did cheat and have like one diet coke per week. Let me know what your surgeons or dieticians have told you. Thanks!!!

Actually, I KNOW the feeling; I was banded 1-18-11.....and filled to 5cc....need to see my surgeon tomorrow and HOPE that I haven't gained weight; it is coming off slowly for me.....only lost 25 lbs so far. I count calories and keep a food journal....but I have a broken kneecap...so don't get too much exercise either....which is a bummer. Something that helps me at night AND feels like I am cheating is to buy the new : Jello Mouse chocolate cups.....it is really fluffly and feels like you are eating something OFF of a diet....AND....it is only 60 calories. So at night when I have the munchies....I grab one of those....PLUS....V-8 Splash and other drinks....diet....but they give you fruit AND vegetables in each drink.....like 20 calories for 8 oz. Very satisfying and good for the body. YES....a lot of the food is boring.....but GOOD LUCK with Everything!! and God bless you, Cheri....from AZ

Excited to be here. I have, off-and-on, read many posts from this site. My only concern is my slow weight loss; I have lost only 26 pounds in 1 month and 3 weeks; which I lost most of it on diet protein drinks. My first fill was last month and the surgeon put in 5cc; never told me if any was in, like some have had during surgery. Basically, I count all my calories and have staye at 900 approximately daily....except for like two days of going off the diet. Because I am self pay....it feels like I could have just gone on protein drinks and more liquids to lose what I have so far. Consequently, I am not convinced that this was the right decision. Any ideas for scar help???....my main one is ugly, three inches and spread out a little....still reddish looking. However, I FEEL blesse to be on a better path in life AND look forward to my future with Hope and happiness that I can finally run after my new grandkids! Love to all of you from Arizona!

So far, after reading a zillion posts on this web site, I've come to the conclusion that Everyone is different....sort of like each pregnancy is different. I had my first fill last month....she put n 5cc...but never told me how much my band holds...except they gave me the Realize band....which comes in two sizes. Yes, I have had a few gas and burpng sensations......and tonight at dinner out....I thought I was dying when something got stuck.....and how to explain it....it is hard to say. Plus, I have yet to feel much restriction at all; so I am mostly just using my own food journal calorie counting.....so I still am on a calorie restriction diet. But NORMAL.....I am also confused as to what or how or when I will feel certain things with the band. All I know is that I still hurt when I sleep on my stomach....some say it is scar tissue around the port. Good luck...and hope you find some answers on this website. God bless, Cheri

Great! Good luck with you band. You sould awfully perky....I have been in a lot of pain....and my port area still hurts when I sleep on my tummy. Sounds, though, like you are going to be GREAT; please be patient....the weight does Not just fall off....you MUST follow all your diet restrictions. At the end of my day....I treat myself to that new Mouse from Jellow....it is dark chocolate and feels like you are cheating...but it is only 60 calories. So be good with the food journal and calorie counting....that is what keeps me on track!! God bless, Cheri

God bless you. You will be just fine! Keep a positive attitude; my surgery was Jan. 18th....and even though I am losing slowly....it is not like a gastric bypass....I am right on course. You will have to use your own will power for a while when your stomach is unswelling from the surgery....and don't sleep on your tummy....it will hurt like Heck! Basically, you still need to count calories. I am going in for my 2nd fill in another week. I have yet to feel much restriction....but then again each person is different and also your fat pockets that the band nestles into....are different....so YOU will do just fine and I am praying for your safe and fast recovery. Take care, Cheri

HI.....I had my band on January 18th.....and have had one fill of 5cc.........but never feel any restriction.....have only lost 27 lbs in two months....so it seems rather slow to me....and I THINK most of the weight lost was from just the days on liquid Protein and Water diet My friends say I look better, so far....but my husband keeps staring at me....in confusion....like: when are you going to drop weight??? LOL. YES, I have noticed the January Bandsters are not out chatting in here. BTW, I live in AZ and am middle aged. Keep in touch.....how did you lose so much so fast???? Of course, I have a broken kneecap....so I can barely walk....so I have some problems that way. Take care, Cheri

Hi Renee, Hey, I was banded on the very same day as you were....guess what? I have only lost 25 lbs and struggle with hunger....but have tried my darndest to stay on 900 calories per day....up to a thousand if I am terribly hungry. I live near Tombstone, AZ and do a lot of singing there.....so it will be Fun to have a smaller wardrobe some day. My first and only fill, so far, was 5cc....but I am due back this next week. With the trauma of excess skin....and since I am self pay....guess it is fitting to not lose too fast...since I doubt that I could afford plastic surgery in the future. Have any ideas about the scar?? Mine looks gross, red and spreading out a tad....3 inches. Have you totally healed in that area yet??? Anyway, drop me a line in here. God bless, Cheri

Muscle Milk is kinda nasty.....so I talked to my son, a body builder, about protein drinks and he agreed that Muscle Milk is GROSS! However, I bought pre-mixed Strawberry & Cream Muscle Milk and totally LOVE the flavor; the chocolate one was AWFUL!!! He also made me (in the blender) the most Fabulous protein drink: he mixed chocolate protein powder, fat free milk, some banana, and some peanut butter....Wow...it knocked my socks off! Plus he had that drink made for him at a gym once and it was over $6 for a little cup of it......and it makes a ton....TRY it.....it sure changed my opinion of protein drinks! Hopes this helps! God bless

Hi, So how are you doing??? My surgery was Jan 18th....weight off is kinda slow...except for when I just drink protein drinks period....but my Dr is happy. My first fill was a little weird though....I nearly passed out cause my port site is still hurting and I have a bruise on the outside of my body....gross....so they pressed hard for several minutes and shot the needle through the bruise to find the port; but then again, I sleep on my stomach. So....how is the weight loss coming along??? God bless, Cheri

So how did the fill go??? My doctor had me stand up an she felt hard through a large bruise on my tummy....but I nearly passed out.....the long skinny needle really didn't bother me at all though; it was just her pressing into my Sore port area. So how did your Dr do the fill???? Plus mine did not numb me at all....others have mentioned laying down AND skin numbing.

Wow, everyone on here has lost more weight than I have; it gets slightly discouraging....since I lost most of mine from just the pre-op protein shakes. Oh well....BUT, on the bright side my doctor told me that I am on track and DO NOT want to lose too fast; due to terrible sagging skin and all.....which I agree!! She told me that she put in 5 cc on my first fill....evidently there was nothing in there at the start; still do not know what restriction feels like; Does that mean you are NOT hungry???....cause I seem to be hungry too much. Trying hard with my own will power most of the time. Banded on Jan 18th.----but only lost 27 lbs. Still sore and bruised where my port is. Hi from AZ. God Bless~

Thank you Sue-----you know I have never yet had something come back up.....some one told me that when they didn't chew up a piece of watermelon enough...that they threw it back up; guess I have not had the pleasure yet. LOL. Thanks.....I thought perhaps the carbonation ruined the band some how; my only symptoms lately has been burping more than usual....otherwise all is fine except my port area still hurts; but I sleep on my tummy, oh well. Thanks guys for the responses! God bless, Cheri

Thanks so much......guess my brain skipped over that info since I didn't want to hear it. All I need is a stretched pouch! LOL Good luck with your surgery. I am only 40 days out; lost 24 lbs, but wish it were more; my surgeon is happy, though, with the results so far. Take care!

I spent $73 on two cases of made-to-drink Muscle Milk....and the strawberry and cream was good....but the Chocolate was Horrible; so I asked my son about it, in Tucson yesterday, and he used to body build and drink many protein shakes....he agreed that Muscle Milk is way over priced and tastes terrible; then he proceeded to make me the BEST drink I ever tasted. Since I had already drank two cases of Muscle Milk; I nearly died and went to heaven. This is what he put in the blender: part of a banana, some peanut butter, low fat milk and chocolate protein drink or powder.....WOW.....he said that when they mix that up, in person at a gym, they charge $6 for a small glass of it. TRY IT....you won't be disappointed! Hope this helps.

<P>Me too Rosey.....just 8 days since the operation....but my stomach and port are hurtin big time and it is excruciating if I roll anywhere near my stomach in my sleep. But I am Happy and Excited about this Journey~~~<IMG class=bbc_emoticon alt= src="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif"> </P>

Hi Andy, This is my first visit to this site; I was lap banded on Jan 18th...but I cannot sleep on my stomach and I am still in a lot of pain....you are doing Exceptionally well for having it done so recently!!! Congrats....and to think I have only lost 17 lbs....but I still feel bloated in my tummy. I live near Tombstone, AZ. I wonder how long it will take to not feel the pain and when can I sleep great??? Well, Hello from AZ...take care