Jrowe1971

I use Papaya Enzyme and it works for me..... hope you feel better

I have no trouble with spaghetti. I just take small bites and chew it well ..... I do have trouble with larger noodles like the large egg noodles and lasagna .... what works for some may not work for you, just give it a try and you will figure it out..... just remember regardless, take small bites and chew it well.

How much weight you actually lose all depends on you. The totals vary for each person. Banding is a slower pace than the bypass or sleeve but, it is also much safer. I know people in all the categories that after a few years weigh as much now as they did before their surgery. (most of the ones I know had the bypass, there was no such thing as a band at their time) I know that you will probably hear different opinions, in the end it all boils down to how committed you are to changing your lifestyle and getting the job done. If your not going to do that then dont spend your money on any of them. I have the Realize Band and now total 171 pounds lost, it has been slow but at least I feel much healthier now than ever before

I got this out of Bariatric Choice Magazine .... I thought some here would be interested THE LOW CARB LOW DOWN The most important thing you need to know is this - carbs are not the enemy. Carbohydrates are fuel for the body. They provide the body with glucose, it's preferred source of energy. If you eliminate your body's fuel, you decrease the speed of your metabolism and the amount of lean muscle mass simultaneously. That doesn't mean that you can go crazy and splurge on bagels and huge servings of pizza and pasta. Moderation is key. The solution to successful long term weight loss is a low calorie, high protein diet with consistent moderate and high intensity workouts, simple as that. But as a lot of you know, that type of regimen is easier said than done. Here are some tips that will keep you on the right path and hopefully keep you from believing all of the hype associated with the carb-free phenomenon. Low Carb Does Not Equal Low Calorie Many times, low-carb options are higher in fat and calories than their original counterparts. This is true for most low-carb comfort foods that try to trick you with their healthy mantra. Examples include low-carb ice cream, pasta, and breads. If you watch your caloric intake and monitor bad (empty) carbs and fats, you will probably see more substantial and long-lasting weight loss than merely cutting carbs alone. And remember- junk food is junk food, no matter how low-carb it is. Rev Up Your Metabolism As long as your metabolism is in great shape, eating carbs in moderation will only make you more energetic and therefore more active. Eating healthy carbs such as fruits, veggies, and whole wheat bread and incorporating in continual exercise, will cause your body to become a caloric furnace.

You can add just about any type of fruit or vegetable ... you can also eat whole grain pastas and such..... just keep the fiber in your diet. fiber is often lost in low/no carb diets. I find that things like oatmeal and apples (remove the skins if you have trouble) often do wonders ..... just remember, if you cut out the things you love, your diet will surely fail. learn moderation and tolerance.

03/01/2012 By: Hannah Chapman Jerry Rowe – a self-proclaimed “hefty child” – tipped the scales at 564 pounds in October 2010, categorizing him as morbidly obese and putting him at risk of premature death. During his two years of employment at a local pizza establishment his waistline started to wander. He would eat an entire pizza and an order of wings by himself, not to mention the breadsticks and soda that always accompanied the two. Rowe also admitted to frequenting fast food joints where he would order several burgers, fries, and soda. He had become accustomed to a lifestyle of excessive eating. “I had made up my mind that I was going to eat myself to death,” Rowe said. As Rowe’s pounds piled on, so did serious health issues. A Midlothian physician, Dr. Paul V. Jackson Jr., startled him with the news that his days were numbered. Rowe, a 40-year-old Richmond resident, who was suffering from chronic back pain and arthritis in his knees, was in the process of committing a slow suicide. “I would get up in the mornings and struggle to get out of bed,” Rowe said. Walking to the bathroom, an undemanding task for most, proved to be a huge challenge for him. He would often stop to catch his breath during the 10 feet trek. Rowe says he was struggling financially and subsequently fell victim to major depression. Being hooked on the euphoria of eating, he medicated his feelings with food. He found comfort in feeling full and gorged at every meal. For breakfast Rowe would have six to eight eggs with six slices of toast. Lunch would be three or four sandwiches, and no matter what was on the menu for dinner, it was usually delivered in large portions. On average, he was consuming 10,000 calories a day. His wake up call came when he was diagnosed with diabetes. “I literally said, ‘That’s enough.’ I was not going to go through that,” Rowe said. Not long after, in February of 2011, he staggered into the Chester YMCA. “I honestly thought I was going to die,” Rowe said. He was concerned about damaging the equipment or hurting himself so he took refuge on the indoor track. “I swear it took about 10 minutes to walk two laps, I couldn’t do any more.” Ten months later, Rowe was still attending the YMCA and discovered the YMCA 10k Training Team. Initially, he signed up for the program as more of an experiment to gauge his level of fitness ability. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine actually participating in the 6.2-mile event. With the encouragement and motivation of the coaches, he bit the bullet and officially secured his spot for the 2012 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k taking place on March 31. “I love to go out with the Chester training team on Saturdays,” said Rowe. During the week he does his best to clock in every mile that he can. As an adult Rowe had fallen into a trap of frequent fast food meals, binge eating, and depression. He stubbornly ignored the urging of his doctor’s to get healthy and lose weight. It wasn’t until he made a paradigm shift from thinking being fat was his ultimate fate to believing that he’s capable of achieving anything he sets his mind to that he now has begun to truly embrace life. It’s the little things, commonly taken for granted, that would make him happy - like being able to walk into a department store and buy clothes off-the-rack, for instance. Rowe knows firsthand what it feels like to be humiliated, embarrassed, and treated differently because of his weight. “Anyone who has ever been in my situation knows the hurt that the words of others can inflict,” he said. “I wish I could help people understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of those hurtful words.” Rowe has left 153 pounds in the dust since the beginning of his quest in October 2010. By striving to exercise and changing his diet to include less fast food and more lean protein, Rowe plans to continue shaving off the pounds until his reaches his goal of 225 pounds. He now takes a proactive stance and advises people to stop overthinking when it comes to decisions or obstacles in life and just take action. “I want to show others that feeling alone in a crowded room only means that you need to talk a little louder to get their attention.” This was just written about me and my journey. I had band surgery in August 2011 but, before that I had already lost 105 pounds. I did mention the band in the interview but the writer focused on the emotional part of my journey. I hope it may help or inspire someone.

I did finish the 10k ..... I'm so happy that all I can think about is ... what's next?

I have found that toast gives me no problems but, the softer breads can cause issues .... something about it gumming up the passage with the softer bread ..... some of the harder breads are ok also ... sometimes you have to try it just once to see if it gives you problems.... what works for me may be totally different for you

You cant actually see the port but, sometimes when I lay down it stands out a little bit

My doctor tells me not to eat anything like 2 to 4 hours before the fill so, you might want to get breakfast and lunch in and just be prepared for liquids for the next 24 hours

Dumping is usually caused by the lower part of the stomach being missing and too much sugar. If you are having these symptoms, it is very unlikely that it is from the band. Someone else suggested gall bladder issues which will cause similar symptoms. If not that then more than likely you could have some sort of virus. I would have this checked if it continues.

That is awesome to lose 145 pounds. I'm glad to finally see some encouraging post here instead of some of the gloom I have seen. Thanks and congradulations

The best thing I can think of for the soft mushy food stage is, compare it to cottage cheese. I was able to eat these foods 2 weeks after I had surgery but, some doctors are different. Good Luck

Well I'll give you my opinion. I would stick with what the doctor tells you, the salesman at the nutrition store is just that a salesman, most salesman try to get the most they can by selling any product regardless of the difference. You can have 2 different brands that are identical in every way except the price, that salesman is going to push the higher priced product especially if he's working on a commission. I know a lot about this especially after 20 years experience. I myself use Body Fortress (like $15 at Wal Mart) not really any difference. You're going to do what you think is best for you but that is just my opinion on things. Good Luck on your journey

I use Body Fortress Protein Powder (around $15 at Wal Mart) just add a scoop to your daily shake, it'll add 26 more grams of protein to your shake. You can also use powdered milk slip it into certain recipes will add protein to your diet. I believe 1/3 cup of powdered milk is like 4 grams of protein.

I have never had medicaide but I have medicare and went through most of what you are talking about here. I believe the law has changed to 35 bmi but there I had no problem. I had to go through 6 months diet, a nutritionist, and a psychologist. When you do to the seminar they will tell you what your insurance will cover. I know here in VA some of the Surgeons will not even see you until you have all the other parts done.

Tha calories you burn in Zumba class can depend on how hard your instructor is. Regardless of the instructor Zumba will burn a lot of calories. The number of calories also varies from person to person, doing an hour for someone who weighs 100 pounds may only burn 300 calories but, someone 400 pounds would burn about 1200 to 1500, I dont know actual numbers but, you see what I mean. Good Luck

Google Chike.... its something like www.ilikechike.com ..... it's a special brand for bariatric patients only .... I tried it and it was really good, the orange was awesome. Good Luck

Over all there really is no difference but, The Realize band is low pressure and the Lap Band is high pressure. I chose the Realize for that reason, I fugured being low pressure would cause less damage should anything happen, I could be wrong about that though. Realize has also been around longer with proven studies that Lap Band could not answer for me. The downfall is that it takes a little longer sometimes with the adjustments. Good Luck in your choice

I got this out of Bariatric Choice Magazine .... I thought some here would be interested THE LOW CARB LOW DOWN The most important thing you need to know is this - carbs are not the enemy. Carbohydrates are fuel for the body. They provide the body with glucose, it's preferred source of energy. If you eliminate your body's fuel, you decrease the speed of your metabolism and the amount of lean muscle mass simultaneously. That doesn't mean that you can go crazy and splurge on bagels and huge servings of pizza and Pasta. Moderation is key. The solution to successful long term weight loss is a low calorie, high Protein diet with consistent moderate and high intensity workouts, simple as that. But as a lot of you know, that type of regimen is easier said than done. Here are some tips that will keep you on the right path and hopefully keep you from believing all of the hype associated with the carb-free phenomenon. Low Carb Does Not Equal Low Calorie Many times, low-carb options are higher in fat and calories than their original counterparts. This is true for most low-carb comfort foods that try to trick you with their healthy mantra. Examples include low-carb ice cream, pasta, and breads. If you watch your caloric intake and monitor bad (empty) carbs and fats, you will probably see more substantial and long-lasting weight loss than merely cutting carbs alone. And remember- junk food is junk food, no matter how low-carb it is. Rev Up Your Metabolism As long as your metabolism is in great shape, eating carbs in moderation will only make you more energetic and therefore more active. Eating healthy carbs such as fruits, veggies, and whole wheat bread and incorporating in continual exercise, will cause your body to become a caloric furnace.

Most of the time a doctor will suggest another type of surgery not just because he thinks it would be better for you but, to pad his wallet. A lap band gets about $18000 where as the sleve nets about $30000 or more. Over all it is your choice and he will have to do as you ask or you need to see another surgeon. I have read where the sleve usually is the first step to a gastric bypass. I have the Lap Band and it's probably the best thing I have ever done. Good Luck

I'm sure everyone will have their own opinion so here's mine ..... Muscle milk is disgusting but if that's what you like, go for it. I use Body Fortress with a glass of skim milk, 2 scoops in the milk and you have your daily minimum of 60 grams of protein. Put it in the blender and add ice and crush it and it adds more of a milkshake texture. Body Fortress also cost much less than most of the others (about $15 at Wal Mart). Good Luck

I am on Facebook often if anyone wants to add me or ask questions my e-mail for Facebook or just to e-mail is jrowe1971@msn.com Facebook will get a quicker response because I check there often during the day but, my e-mail is only checked once maybe twice a day

Find a chewable vitamin like Flintstones Complete and use Citracal Petites for your calcium and you shouldn't have to chew it. Remember to separate the calcium from the iron about 2 hours to benefit from it, taking them together just makes them expensive urine. Good Luck, I hope you find what helps you.