Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!
$99 Yearly Supply Alert! 🌈 "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamins

lifeisjustbeginning2011

LAP-BAND Patients
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    752

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by lifeisjustbeginning2011

  1. Posted

    Here is the thread that you were referring to that has all of the recipes for the different stages. :)

    http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/3908-lapband-food-stages-lists-suggestions/

    Amy

    All,

    I thought I saw a thread with mushy recipes and I thought it was pinned but I can't find it. Can anyone help guide me there and/or provide good recipes or ideas for the next two week mushy stage? Thank you!

    http://tickers.Ticke...wsZu76k/weight.

  2. Posted

    I had full labs drawn right before surgery, and I plan on having them drawn regularly to see the effects of my new diet. I was prediabetic with high cholesterol....I can't wait to see those numbers go down. That's one thing that won't change - it can only get better! Once I meet with my PCP next week I'll post some more details on my blog.

    Amy

    That is so awesome Amy!

    I wanna smash my glucose meter.

    Anyone else have medical goals?

  3. Posted

    I think that dropping so much during my pre-op week (16 pounds) kind of fooled my head a little bit. Every day I lost...and now, well....I'm not. I think my body was in such a state of shock after the sudden drop that it is now in a protective mode. I'm not gaining, I'm not losing. But I did have a non-scale victory - NO MORE PRILOSEC!! I've been taking it for TEN YEARS. Now....GONE. Woot!!

    Amy

    I overdid it today and lifted my 4 year-old up when he fell and hit his head. He is 40 pounds and I'm not supposed to lift over 10 pounds. I'm a little sore but nothing major.

    I feel better that I got off the three pounds I put on post-op but worried my first goal won't be met when I hoped it would be. Really wanted to get 9 pounds off in next six weeks but fill isn't for another 4 weeks and I feel almost no restriction. I feel that 1.5 pounds per week isn't an unreasonable goal - 5200 calories per week, 800 calories per day calorie deficit. I'm scared that I've plateaued because I lost weight before surgery.

    I know I'm not the only one freaking out - I just needed to get all that out. Why am I so insecure?

  4. Posted

    Well, 5 days of no movement on the scale. I don't really care, to be totally honest. I just want to have my energy back. I'm hoping that my blood tests next week will help me and the doc decide which supplements I need to be taking. I'm over the exhausted phase, down to one nap a day, but I'm sill feeling like a slug. I'm not allowing myself Snacks, only three meals a day as Allergan recommends. I still think about food all the time, but the only way I know I'm really truly hungry is a grumbling tummy. I try not to let that happen, because when it does, I'm usually very tired and need food immediately. I'm able to drink more Water and that is helping.

    I'm officially on solids now. I haven't tried steak or anything like that, but basically my diet is back to regular foods. If anyone is interested, my daily food diary is available at myfitnesspal.com. Just send me a friend request if you're on there. I can't say that my choices are always the best, but I'm trying to change a lot of really poor eating habits. It is a lot of fun tracking my foods and holding myself accountable for every bit. I have no pain or discomfort at all. 2 out of the 4 incisions are almost completely closed. No bloating or gas feelings, but I rip a few good burps after meals.

    I'm continuing to write daily (sometimes more than once a day) on my blog. I really enjoy doing it. Sometimes I write about recipes (I'm a sucky cook), sometimes it is about emotional struggles, but it is always about stuff I'm thinking about.

    Hope everyone is doing well post-op. Tomorrow marks 3 weeks post-op for me!

    Amy

  5. Posted

    I'll tell you a little story here. When I was researching surgeons, I asked to attend their support groups so I knew what type of support they offered.

    I went to a support group one evening and there were two rooms: one for Lap Band patients and one for the other surgeries. The Lap Band "group" was one person (and a psychologist). The other group had 20 people, easily. I sat in both groups for a little bit. And I'd be lying if I said that I didn't go home questioning myself over and over. But you know what? I made the decision with all of the facts. I knew what was important to me. I talked to patients that had both procedures. In the end, I was the only one that could make the choice. People fail with the Lap Band. People fail with bypass. People fail with the sleeve. Your dedication is what makes you succeed. YOU are the driver. But in the end, it's your choice of which road to take.

    I think that the feelings you're having are totally normal. If you really think about it, any major decision that we make in our lives involves some amount of second guessing. I believe it is human nature.

    Hang in there. You've got a bunch of cheerleaders (well, overweight ones, LOL) here for you. WE CAN DO THIS!!!

    Amy

    So I went to my final appointment today. I had to meet with the surgeon, do my pre-op paperwork, attend this Bari-Bootcamp program that we have ( they just tell you what to expect with pre-op, post-op and the diet) and then I had a nutrition class to attend. I was there from 9am until 6pm, and had to be at work at 11:30p..so needless to say 8am cant get here fast enough. I just wanted to share some feelings I had about my visit today. I was the only one in my sessions that was getting the lap-band done. I am a nurse and have spent tons of time researching both the band and the bypass. I chose my band because of the long term success rates, and the fact that I know I am an overeater..I dont graze, and I really didnt like all of the cutting and malabsorption with the bypass. I have never second guessed myself until today?? I dont know if it was because I was around everyone who was getting the bypass, or what? I saw men and women that were much smaller than me and all of them had chosen the bypass..I just kept thinking to myself "Wow, Im bigger than some of these people here and they are choosing the bypass". I know people have their own reasons for choosing which particular procedure they have, but I just felt really weird today. The staff was nice, and the people were all wishing me well and were talking about how successful they had been...but when I mentioned I was getting the band they were like "Oh, I had the bypass done"..I'm sure I'm just being paranoid or reading into so much..but I felt as if they didnt think my results would be as good as theirs. Dont get me wrong, I know I probably wont lose as much as them, or nearly as fast as them..but I am confident I am going to do well...so why am I having these feelings? Maybe its just pre-op nerves, or my food addiction trying to talk me out of it lol! As I type this I can only imagine how stupid I must sound lol..Anyway, I guess Im just looking to see if anyone else ever doubted themselves?? I have lost a total of 27 pounds on the 3 month low carb pre-op diet..and I have made the commitment to follow through with this, so I think I'll be fine. The closer my surgery date gets (July 29th) the crazier I become???

  6. Posted

    I tried cooking my ham steak in my slow cooker today (not for very long, maybe an hour) in DIET ORANGE soda. It kept it pretty moist. I've heard of people cooking chicken in soda as well, does anyone have a favorite recipe? I've also cooked a ham steak with Diet Dr Pepper, but this was pre-band, so I used brown and white sugar in it.

  8. Posted

    Shauna,

    Cut yourself a break! :) You're only 5 days postop and you're thinking your goal might not happen? Never! Six months is a long way away. Also, you have less to lose than many of us, so you won't lose weight as quickly. Many of us have 100+ lbs to lose. Hang in there...you'll do great. My doc says exercise is ok after the first month, so once you add that in, I bet you'll see some more loss. Don't be discouraged - you've got to give yourself time to heal.

    Amy

    I would check in with your surgeon's office to see what they recommend....if you get dehydrated you'll end up in the emergency room and that's no fun!

    I have the opposite problem....I've been starving since day 3 after surgery. I have NO restriction and am totally bummed out about it. Have to wait 6 weeks for a fill too. Doesn't help I've only lost 2 lbs. since start of pre-op diet. Looks like this weight loss may be slower for me than I expected. Hoped to reach goal in 6 months for my 40th birthday but that's looking like a bit of a pipe dream now. :(

    Shauna

  9. Posted

    Yes! I couldn't tolerate shakes after[ surgery. I lived on fruit juice (the kind with sugar), small amounts of Jello and popsicles for days. It wasn't fun, I was really dizzy, but the last thing I wanted was to throw up. Just make sure to stay hydrated and you'll be fine. I wouldn't do that for more than 48 hrs though without checking with your doc. I also found that applesauce was wonderful after the first 48 hours.

    Amy

    quote name=karmaandkismet' timestamp='1311174149' post='1642296]

    to any of the July bandsters who have gone have had surgery already: my doctor said I could resume my pre-op diet today (day after surgery) but the shakes are making me nauseated. I can only tolerate a few sips of Water at a time. Anybody else stay on clear liquids for a while after their banding?

  11. Posted

    I have to use the soy Proteins, too. Here is what I found at my local Hi Health store - NOW Soy Protein Isolate - unflavored. It has 20g of Protein per serving (most of the time I just sneak a tablespoon in my meals. I think it was $20 for 2 lbs and I can't taste it, but wow does it thicken!!

    http://www.nowfoods.com/?action=itemdetail&item_id=3236

    Amy

    Hi Everybody,

    Sounds like everyone is doing great. It's a steep learning curve here for sure. Thursday I will be a week post-op. I've not got any restriction on liquids but I am doing my due diligence with protein and fluids. I discovered unflavored Soy Isolate protein powder, $15 for a big oatmeal sized container at Whole Foods and have been boosting the protein content of smooth Soups just to have something hot and more substantial. I am sooooooo looking forward to mushies, especially a little hummus. Not sure how much I'll have lost with no real exercise in more than a week but they'll weigh me Thurs at my recheck appt. So we shall see. I am desperate to start real exercise again, I was doing so well in the gym when surgery and recovery broke my rhythm! Still taking a percocet at night to sleep comfortably on my side, anyone think that's an issue almost a week out? We are having a heat wave the next few days too, and I hate the heat. Give me strength!

  12. Posted

    Went to the Lane Bryant outlet today - dropped $130 there. Yikes. I got quite a bit though. I needed some good sports bras (I've dropped a CUP SIZE!) and some exercise clothing (when I get to that point). I think I'm down from a 28 to a 26 pants. Although it is nice, I really have to be careful with what I buy because of the weight loss - my exercise stuff is all drawstring so that I don't have to keep buying new clothes. The surgery really took all my money (and then some).

    Question - so clothing sizes are always 22-24 and 26-28, but why doesn't anyone make a 24-26? I've never seen it at any store. Kind of drives me crazy! Just a little rant there. :)

    Amy

  13. Posted

    Yep - I'm with ya. Yes, I know that physically I can eat a lot of what I did pre-surgery. But why? Yes, I want fries, ice cream, nacho cheese dip and all that useless crap. I had ice cream once, but it wasn't the same. I knew it would go right through the band and right to my butt. I had mac and cheese once, but you know what, I was hungry two hours later. Everything I've been told about carbs and junk food causing hunger earlier is completely true. I just try my best not to eat anything that isn't very nutritious. Emotionally, it is tough. But I didn't shell out all this money to do it half-arse. :) Stay strong!!!!

    Amy

    I'm eating more than I thought I would be able to, but way less than I used and way differently than I used to. Before I started pre-op diet I had a lot of bread, butter, fries, cheese, Pasta, all stuff I can't do now. I tried eating a piece of a tortilla the other day and spit it out. Was proud. Just ate fajitas naked with a little cheese. Big step for me. I've had ice cream twice, child portions, as opposed to a 5 scoop monster with Peanut Butter, whipped cream, heath bar and chocolate fudge. I felt guilty both times! I would have felt hog happy before for managing to demolish such a monster! So I feel some physical restriction but mentally I impose restrictions because I want this to work.

  14. Posted

    Just scroll back in the pre-op section, its here in our July group. The one thing that I would highly recommend is: Biotene mouth spray (designed to help dry mouth and also freshen breath) - in the toothpaste aisle at Walmart. It is a moisturizing mouth spray. SO awesome for dry mouth. It was the first thing I asked for when I woke up. My mouth was SO dry. Even when I was lounging around, that stuff was great. It was like $5 and a very gentle mint flavor. Trust me....buy it. If you don't use it, return it. But you will, trust me! :)

    Amy

    Shauna ~ so glad you're doing well enough to post :) Now that I'm getting close to Betty the Lapband's Birthday (this Thr) I can't find the bring to hospital list and after hospital list .... do you still have it? Why oh why didn't I mark that post when you posted it? Thanks !! (No biggie if you can't find it). Have a wonderful evening !

  17. Posted

    Good!! I'm glad you spoke up. Sorry you're having a hard time! You could also trying splitting shakes and drinking them more frequently. That might help a little. G2 was my lifesaver!

    Amy

    Great news! My nutritionist is going to let me go to mushies on Wednesday, two days early. I can't handle this all liquid diet, I have no restriction and the hunger is just out of control! Bummed I have to wait 6 weeks for my first fill since I'm clearly going to be in bandster hell what with no restriction. Might mean I'm going to lose little weight at first, but I'm not going to starve myself either. If I wanted to/could starve myself I wouldn't have just dropped $13,000 on this band!

    Shauna

  18. Posted

    Can I be your friend, too? :):)

    Amy

    Lea - I just friended you and my food diary is set to share with my friends...HTH!

    I don't use their suggested calories...it just isn't practical for bandsters. You can set your own calorie level by logging in on-line and under the "My Home" tab choose "Goals" and then click "Change Goals". I have mine set for 1,200 calories.

  19. Posted

    You're welcomed to look at mine. Hopefully I have it set so you can see what I'm eating. I'm 2 1/2 wks post op, so still not the healthiest choices because I'm on mushies, but getting better. I update mine every day, I LOVE IT!!!! My user name is the same as here.

    Amy

  20. Posted

    Glad to hear it! Walk walk walk and sip sip sip! :)

    Amy

    Hey Band Buddies biggrin.gif

    Finally banded yesterday... thgs getting better by the hour thank God ... yesterday was pretty tough but its getting better... sipping fluids wn i can, and trying to have small walks which really make me feel better....

    hope everyone is recovering nicely.... happy to be finally here on the "post" side :)

  25. Posted

    I was always hungry, but I knocked off the mashed potatoes and high carb stuff, which helped A LOT. I have Protein filled meals (1/2 C) three times a day, and I'm not hungry in between. Just blend up some chicken so it is super duper mushy and see if that helps to tide you over longer. I was miserable for a few days when I was eating mashed potatoes - but try more protein. We're all different, but we've all got to make it to the first fill! We can do it! :)

    Amy

    I'm eating a lot! 1/4 cup of food? No, no way. Try 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups. Trying to stick to mushies but not enough. Anyone else hungry?

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

Bariatric Forums

For Patients

Health Professionals

Search Surgeons

Bariatric Surgeons: Want to research a weight loss surgery surgeon? Enter their last name below to start!

×