motivatedlap

i'm currently taking l'il critters gummy vites multi-vitamin (yeah, it's for kids, but all i could find!). they taste JUST LIKE gummy bears with a slight twinge of flinstone. there's no aftertaste. however, once i'm done with these i'm planning to switch over to some of the vitafusion varieties, particularly the pre-natal, as i've read these can help with hair thinning issues. i also may try out a bottle of their fiber gummies. calcium is not a big concern for me because i get a lot from what i eat, but good to know about the calcium carbonate causing gas! i was planning on using Tums for additional calcium and heartburn, but i don't think i want to if they're going to cause gas...

ok- here's one i haven't seen mentioned yet that i just tried and would recommend. it's called nutrilite Protein powder (it's an amway product). it's unflavored and it doesn't smell vitamin-ey, it smells sort of nutty. it's a soy based protein. i mixed it with a cup of milk and some chocolate milk mix (nestle quick). i just tried half a scoop, but it was not gritty and i couldn't really taste it- it just made my milk smell a little nutty and made it creamier...though that could have also been from mixing it in the blender. my coworker mixed some in with her apple juice and she said it was sort of like having applesauce. i can't vouch for how well it works in hot foods, but i'll give it a try and let you know how it goes. given the nuttiness, i feel like it would be good mixed in with something that has cinnamon! 1 scoop (which i think is ~1.5 to 2 tbsp) calories: 45 fat: 1g protein: 10g

congrats! great progress! how big are your Protein shakes, like in ounces. i tried my first one this morning and i was hungry about 2 hours later.

from what i've read, it seems like lower BMI folks don't have to do it, but maybe it also depends on the doctor. i'm having surgery saturday and there is no pre-op diet for me- just nothing after midnight on friday and avoiding alcohol this week. i'm going to do liquids at least one day before, maybe even two, just to sort of let my digestive system rest before the big day.

i feel so all alone...am i the only one going in on the 12th? heehee! just had my pre-op consult, which ended up being very short because i had already had most of the tests done that they needed. i'm not required to do a pre-op diet, but i'm trying to eat a sort of "clean liver" diet this week and i may try to do liquids only for 2-3 days before my surgery. i'm feeling nervous and excited! i'm going to do all my shopping today to stock up on liquids for when i get home. i'm for sure spending the night at the hospital after my surgery- they mentioned they want me to stay so they can keep an eye on me. good luck to everyone!!

i'm keeping my surgery very quiet, too. today after my pre-surgery consult i was thinking, "hey- maybe i'll tell others. what's the big deal?" but reading this post helps remind me why i decided to keep it quiet- i don't want the judgment from others and it's none of their business. one coworker and my boyfriend know exactly what i'm having done and both are, thankfully, very supportive. my boss knows i'm having surgery, but i think he misunderstood and thinks it's lipo, but he at least knows i'm going in for surgery. NONE of my family knows and i don't know if i'll tell them- they're worriers so i definitely am not going to mention it before, but i may tell one or two of them when i visit for the holidays.

i am outside of the US, so it's the SAGB. he doesn't seem to favor one or the other, so i guess i'll just go with the port profile as my deciding factor.

yeah, i know about the costcos here, but they aren't the same as north american ones- the product selection varies greatly, so it's not a big help in the Protein or meds department. as for one of the posters on here from korea, i've been in touch with her- we're using the same surgeon and she has a great blog, so it's been really helpful to not only find out the challenges that come with having this done abroad, but to also feel more comfortable about what my process will be like as far as the hospital and procedure.

i'm facing the same choice and don't really know what to decide. i have a choice between the allergan lapband 10 or 14 OR the swedish band (SAGB, not the realize band- don't know if it's an older version or what, but the doc specifically indicated it's NOT the realize band). :Banane37: all the research i found seems to indicate there's no major difference in postoperative weightloss and complication between these two (SAGB and allergan). i was reading that the realize port is not sewn in and there's less port site pain...but i worry that might mean the port could move around or flip- i don't know if the same applied to the SAGB, but if so i think i might go with the allergan band if that's the case. my biggest concern is the port showing after i lose weight- i'd like the one with the lowest profile port since all other things seem equal...

thanks for the words of support and encouragement! however, amazon unfortunately WON'T ship Protein powder to my international location, along with a lot of other types of meds that people on here suggest for gas, pain, etc. and costco only ships to US and canada, so it's a just a difficult situation from that perspective that i can't avoid, not a situation that i have created or made more difficult for myself. i'm sure my doctor will be able to prescribe and advise the equivilent types of meds for me that are offered locally to help with recovery. i'm finding ways to work around the lack of protein supplements for my liquids stage though and once i'm past it, i think eating will be a much easier task. i've already got half of my mushies in the freezer and i'm preparing the other half this weekend.

Since deciding to install a lapband, I've been pouring over these forums daily, reading both the good and the bad. One thing that I've started to wonder about as I an preparing to have my surgery is what kind of complications low BMI bandsters have experienced. From what I've read, the heavier you are, the more likely general surgery risks/complications are, so for those who went in at ~200lbs or less, did you feel like you experienced less problems post surgery (like in the first few days/week after)? I know that each person is different, but it's something I've started wondering about. I'm planning to have the surgery on a Saturday and return to work on Monday, Tuesday at the latest. I know of two people who used the same surgeon I will be using that did this (one was a low BMI, the other was higher). Both of these individuals also seemed to have few problems with the gas pains. Fingers crossed this will be what I report to you all in a couple of weeks, but I was just curious about others' experiences. Thanks for sharing!

what about the unflavored isopure mixed with something else...like may a supplement to a carnation instant breakfast with milk? i've read that the unflavored does have a taste, but does adding it with something else help cover it up?

i'm currently having treatments done that include IPL, some different lasers for more stubborn spots/blemishes (including a CO2 laser, but i'm not sure about the name of the other 2 they use), ionic vitamin C treatments, light chemical peels, ultra sonic lifting treatments and moisturizing treatments...and maybe a couple other things. i live abroad, so i got a great deal on a package with 16 visits, with 6 of them including the IPL/laser. i'm on viist number 7 and i can see a HUGE difference, particularly with some of the darker spots. so far i've only done 2 of the IPL/laser treatments. i've gotten many comments from both people who see me daily and who haven't seen me in a while that notice a difference (for the better!). it's not too painful, though on the days i have the IPL/laser, they apply a numbing gel before they do the lasers. it still stings a little, but it's totally bearable. i get it done on saturday mornings and my skin is back to normal on monday morning for work. i'm 35, but i played tennis for YEARS and wasn't the best about sunblock, and i love the beach, so i had quite a bit of damage. i recommend IPL at a minimum because i think it's made a huge difference for the overall appearance of my skin. it's firmer, though there are still fine wrinkles, and it's much more even-toned.

my pre-op consult is the week before my surgery and i don't have to do a pre-op diet- they just said i can't eat after 9pm the day before surgery. i have a low bmi so that may be why...but i'm planning to try to do as much liquid and as little food as possible a couple of days before the surgery. maybe your surgeon is planning on doing all the pre-op procedures the day of. calling to confirm is probably the best idea. good luck!!

:Banane06: yay!!! (LOVE this guy!) yeah, i was considering lipo at first, but then i thought it would be better to get to the source of the problem rather than cover it up. i'm in korea and going to a surgeon that i know at least one other poster on this site uses, so that makes me feel really good about the procedure. i'll let you know how things go. my biggest worries are what to eat in the first few weeks...i know i'll be on liquids a while and i'm going to try to go back to work pretty quicly after the surgery...and i'm not telling people at work- only one person knows other than my boyfriend. so, that's going to make it a little tricky...and i'm visiting my famiily and friends in the US about 3 weeks after the surgery. i'm still undecided on telling them, but it will be AFTER the fact if i do. good luck to you!! let me know how the seminar goes!

me too! my bmi is around 33-ish and i want to lose just under 50 pounds. i feel a little strange getting the surgery since it seems like so little... have you scheduled your surgery yet? mine is coming up next month. i'm nervous, but very excited! and this site has been great- there is so much info here!

that's the great thing about this bra- the individial bra size is a range between two bands and cups, not just a single size, so you're able to get one that is snug but not suffocating- there is one that is a 38-40 D/DD size. i'm a 34DDD~36DD and i can wear the 34-36 C/D or the 34-36 D/DD- the first one is snugger, but i have a little spillage on the sides, so i find the bigger cup option more comfortable. and the bra has good separation without underwire. good luck!

try the Champion Jogbra Action-Shape Sports bra. i played tennis in these for years and the bras not only held my girls in place, they also held up well, even with machine washing. i like them because the straps as well as the band are adjustable. if you're near a Sports Authority, they usually carry them and you can find them on Amazon as well. they run true to size, so if you order your bra size you should have a good fit. there is also a good t-back Champion bra i got at Target, but it's not as supportive because the straps can't be adjusted and i'm short, so the girls are a lil' droppy- i only use it for walking and light-impact activities.