isit5yet

Metformin didn't help me at all except to give me horrible diarrhea. I used it while trying to get pregnant in conjunction with fertility shots/IUI. I was lucky to have a baby girl after 4 years of fertility treatments. Metformin works differently on each person, and it's more for the insulin resistance portion of PCOS rather than just using it for straight up weight loss. The Lap Band has been the only thing that has helped me, thank G-d.

I noticed that with my gummy vitamins and Citrucal chewables. What made me think twice was looking at the Benefiber and seeing something like 4 carbs per serving, and my doctor recommended taking it three times a day. I take it twice a day and figured pooping was more important than the carbs.

Isopure tastes like vomit. Seriously, vomit. I use GNC Total Lean and have found it the best. The strawberry one is positively the best strawberry ready made shake I've tried. In a pinch, I get the EAS Carb Control or Atkins Advantage. I try to catch GNC when they are having a buy one, get one 50% off sale along with free shipping and get a bunch ordered online. It's easier than shlepping a huge back of shakes from the store. I wish they came out with another flavor though.

I used Care Credit and did the 6 month, no interest plan. Check with your surgery center and doctor's office to see which of the Care Credit plans they accept. I found out at my pre-op appointment that even though Care Credit approved me for the 18 month no interest option, my doctor's office only accepted the 6 month plan. Jerks! I was pretty mad. We did the 6 month and then applied for a Discover credit card and did a no fee, 0% interest for 1 year balance transfer to that card.

Don't forget yogurt and cottage cheese as protein sources. Most salad bars have cottage cheese, and maybe your school cafeteria has yogurt out for breakfast.

I really just liked the Pacific Organic broths, and I could find them at Whole Foods, Target and some local grocery stores: http://www.pacificfo...ur-foods/broths I really likes the mushroom broth and the French Onion soup: http://www.pacificfo...ll-natural-soup It doesn't have cheese or croutons in it, so it really is more broth like - good for full liquids stage.

To be honest, you may actually be in a great position to fast post-op. You'll be used to smaller amounts of foods and liquids if your dr makes you go through a pre-op liquid diet. I'm not sure how it is with your family, but with mine, the high holiday meals are a little lighter than what we do for Hanukkah. I'd rather be banded and maybe in mushies in time for tuna salad, egg salad, gefilte fish, applesauce, chopped liver, even a little matzo ball Soup, split pea soup w/ flanken (blended), etc. for breaking the fast (I just listed some of my family's traditional items). I honestly think that soon is a great time before getting too close to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, the holiday season when ppl bring tons of sweets to work, holiday/work parties, and New Years events. Think of how prepared you'll going into this season having already had a month or two of experience with the band. That said, I just thought about how this is my first year I'll be making latkes for Hanukkah since I was banded. I'll probably just make a batch small enough for one meal and no leftovers to help control me from devouring the deliciousness.

I love Mucinex and way too scared to choke down those big pills. With my last cold, I got Robitussin Liquid. It uses the same active ingredient, guaifenesin, as Mucinex. You just have to get past the gross taste of the liquid med.

it's the result of either irritation post abdominal surgery, eating too fast or getting too full related to the Phrenic Nerve. The Phrenic Nerve passes on either side of the neck and down through the diaphragm. It's the nerve responsible for the hiccups we get also. I know that when I get that pain, I've eaten too much. It hurts so bad, I take note to try not to do that again!

I ask the same question about my ability to do this my whole life, too. It does get easier as I go on. I'll be really honest, the first week after surgery I completely broke down when it was super obvious how addicted to food I was. I'm kind of a control freak, so in a weird way, what got me out of the funk was realizing how much I could control now. For example, I eat around 1200 calories a day, and I get to chose how I complete that. I identified very early on all the way I can sabotage myself: eating sliders, drinking while eating, etc. After identifying those behaviors, I then knew what to stay away from. There is a great amount of control with that, which I love. I think as the weight comes off, it becomes easier, so I think less about even having a band. It just becomes a part of my life. I'm with you on the type of eater I am... emotional, comfort, boredom, the fact that something is delicious. I will say that there are a few foods that I specifically used for comfort that I still stay away from: These include Chinese food and triscuits w/ sliced cheese. Sounds odd, huh? I mean, who gets addicted to triscuits and cheese? Me, I love salty foods. The Chinese food is a big issue. I stay away from it not that I think I'll binge, I can't do that physically anymore, I'm afraid I'll miss it, miss not being able to eat a lot, or worse - I'll realize I CAN eat more than I'm comfortable with and then start eating it to comfort again. So, I keep it simple and stay away from it. I grew up in a family who uses food for comfort, so visiting my parents in S Florida is a little scary. I'll be doing that in 6 weeks. Getting stuck, there are two types of "stuck" from what I've seen: A painful, overfull feeling and then a complete obstruction. I have not experienced an obstruction, and I guess this is where people end up vomiting. This can happen when a bite taken is too big, not chewed well enough, or the food is too dry (e.g.- saliva doesn't break it down enough). I've heard people have problems with chicken because it is a drier meat, and gets really dry when reheated. I do watch out that I don't reheat leftovers where they dry out too much. I've experienced the overfull kind of stuck a few times, and every time was my fault. I took 1 or 2 more bites than I should have. I kick myself every time it happens. For me, I feel very full, and can't take a deep breath. I haven't slimmed or PB. I also get pain in my left shoulder from the phrenic nerve. My pouch gets too full, presses on my diaphragm (causing the difficulty taking a deep breath), and the phrenic nerve is also pinched equaling left shoulder pain. You'll experience the left shoulder pain after the laparoscopic surgery to get then band when the Dr inflates the abdominal area with gas to have room to operate. Papaya enzyme and pineapple juice help digest the food quicker, which help relieve the pain. Actually, if I can get one good burp, then I'm ok. Gross, I know The food then eventually passes through, but I can't do anything more than sip liquids during this time. Warm liquids help too. I've seen people say on here that their doctor suggests taking a few swigs of soda when this happens, because the carbonation/chemicals in the soda will break down the food OR the carbonation will force the patient to vomit. I don't like the principle behind this, so I don't try it. It's gross that soda is so corrosive to digest food, and I don't want to vomit and put myself at risk for a band slip. You don't want to get used to drinking to force the food down, because that will empty the pouch and you'll feel hungry again. Trust me, once you get a stuck feeling, if you ever do, you'll do whatever you can to not experience that again.

I know it's scary reading the posts of people with complications, but it's really good to go in with you eyes wide open. One thing I've found is that the band is different for everyone. It's just the complexity of the band and our bodies. I questioned the decision all the way up to surgery date. Now, I don't regret it at all! I'm one of those people who can eat anything, just in much smaller portions, and it's all about what I choose to eat. chicken, steak, rice, Pasta, toasted bread.. anything. Some people can't eat these at all without getting stuck. I'm of the mindset that if I had a food or an an entire food group or food I couldn't eat, I'd fixate on that and get pretty depressed. However, it's super tough to chose lean Protein over pasta. I have PCOS and try to stick to a higher protein diet. About throwing up, I haven't thrown up since my surgery. I've actually feared throwing up most of my life. When I do have stuck moments, I don't freak out and vomit. I just close my eyes, take deep breaths, chew some papaya enzyme tablets or room temp pineapple juice and keep calm until it passes.

I think people naturally seek out support or those who will listen when things are bad, depressing or not going as they expect. That may be one reason why there are more of those posts here than happy stories. This is one reason I check in on here for a little bit then may go silent for a few weeks. It stinks seeing so much negativity.

Thanks! Nice to meet you too! I have a feeling that link is no longer valid or people aren't on it since this thread is over a year old. I see you're new to the site; are you just beginning the process (pre-surgery)? I hope all is going well, and feel free to ask on this site any questions you have. You'll find most people are excellent supporters on here

I'm here, but I haven't seen much activity on this forum thread in quite a while

I'm going through it right now and it sucks! This is the first month since I got banded that I experienced this. However, the replies on here totally gave me perspective. Before the band this phase would have been an entire pint of Ben and Jerrys or a whole box of triscuits with cheese. I guess a handful of tortilla chips and a little extra trail mix for the salt love is much better than where I was.

Keep yourself hydrated. It may be thrush, but it may just be bacteria and either can be aggravated by dehydrationg. Be sure to brush your tongue when brushing your teeth. Using a tongue scraper can help today. You can get one at any oral care aisle at a grocery store or Target/Walmart. Warm salt water rinses can help too.

I don't think anyone has mentioned this, but when you get seriously stuck you may want to go on full liquids for the rest of the day and the next. The stuck episode can upset your stomach and pouch, and there can be some swelling. So, you really may not have a problem with bagels, but eating one after getting stuck on steak might have been the issue. I'm lucky that no foods are off my list, but if I wait until I'm too hungry and eat too fast, or don't chew well, then I get stuck. Sipping room temp pineapple juice or chewing papaya enzyme works well for me. I keep the papaya in my purse, at home in the kitchen and in my desk at work. Hope you start feeling better!

I 2nd Chipotle. I get the burrito bowl, no rice (sometimes get a weird look when I say that, black Beans, lettuce, and carnita (shredded pork). Sometimes I get guac on the side. Also, I bring a 1/4 cup of nonfat plain greek yogurt to use as sour cream. It totally works as a substitute for sour cream. The bowl is two meals for me and wonderful. Longhorn Steakhouse has an amazing Salmon with grilled veggies, and I've been able to get the lunch size portion for dinner. A lot of times I just look for a great spinach salad where I can add chicken or salmon to it and ask for dressing on the side. I love places that have smaller sizes of their salads too.

I'm going on a cruise in late Sept (Oasis of the Seas) and already talked to my doctor about this, and she said she will not do a fill 2 weeks before I go on the cruise. She doesn't want me stuck in the ocean or in another country if I should have problems. I don't know how I'll react to the massive amounts of food on the ship. I have great restriction right now and am able to eat anything, just in much smaller portions. I have a feeling I'll be just fine and will end up trying a few things and feeling satisfied with the one or two bites of treat items. Actually, I'm really looking forward to the fish dishes on the ship. They are wonderful. My breakfast will most likely be eggs with some lox, or a well toasted 1/2 a bagel with the inside scooped out, a little cream cheese, lox, tomato and onion. Yummy! As far as drinking, I'm not a big drinker but enjoy a mojito before dinner and sometimes a Baileys on ice in the evening. I'll still do this knowing that I'm now a cheaper date than before since I have very little in my stomach to buffer the drinks. We did already book dinner at Chops Grille (Royal Caribbean); their steak is amazing. I'll get the 6oz filet and just eat half. My husband will devour the rest.

I'll give a different perspective others haven't as to why it sucks. First of all, the racks being so close together for Plus and Maternity at Target are a pain in the rear, as people are lazy and shove stuff wherever when they are done with it. So you may find something cute and find out it's a maternity shirt, not plus. Secondly, for those of us who are apple shaped (carry our weight around on middle), we shop for clothes and often times have to stay away from certain styles because they make us look pregnant. Or, someone has actually asked us how far along we are, and we're not pregnant! This is one reason one should never ask a woman how far along they are unless you see them crowning Lastly, I'm going to be very honest here, I'm sure I'm not the only one who in a fit of sadness and desperation just thought, "You know what? F this. I can't find anything to wear. I'm just going to buy maternity pants with the full panel because nothing else looks good or fits." I'm serious. Having Plus next to Maternity just hits all of these nerves. However, I can look at it from a strategic standpoint of the store. They are just placing specialty sizes together. If Target had a Tall section, it would be next to Plus and Maternity too. It's not malicious on their part, just annoying. Stores like Macys and Dillards placing Plus size upstairs just sucks. The upper floors of department stores are warmer! Like I need to sweat more than I already do going shopping, trying on clothes and in the 100 degree Kansas City summer.

I weigh daily and find comfort and control in seeing it every morning. I also agree that it gives me insight in how my body changes water-wise throughout my cycle. I do not count lbs lost until I get two consecutive days at that weight, then I consider it my new weight.

I often times just order from the sides menu. Since you don't like eggs, maybe a cup of fruit, side of bacon and an english muffin. I eat half of the muffin and ask that it's well toasted.

I went to a Japanese Steakhouse about 2 months post op and walked in with a plan: Eat the soup, eat half the salad, eat half the protein (I did teriyaki chicken), eat 1/3 of the veggies. Skip the rice and noodles. I asked for a box right away and boxed up the rice and noodles for my husband and daughter to enjoy for lunch the next day.

Maybe when your husband gets the surgery, follow his diet plan along with him as if you had the surgery too. Please don't restrict yourself for too long. Long term your body may think you're starving and then hold on to every pound you have. If you stall, try adding more protein to boost the lean calories. Hang in there. I do appreciate your doctor's honesty. It's all about your safety and him being comfortable during the surgery. I know it's a rough blow and sucks, but I'm sure you can dust yourself off and keep pushing forward!!

How about taking an antihistamine 30mins before sex? The antihistamine will dry up mucus membranes and does not discriminate if the mucus membrane is your lungs for asthma, nose for allergies or cervical mucus. I know this because I had to go off my daily antihistamine while going through fertility treatments, as it was drying up my cervical mucus and not making a happy environment during our IUIs. Good luck!