KimberlyCoyle

I have informed my Lapband doctor and regular physician of my choice to start juicing. They've both given me the okay to do it. I tried some tonight and it wasn't bad, but I know it could be better. Any suggestions/recipes I could use to make it taste a little better? Thanks all(:

I have been banded since last year in February and don't really have much to complain about. I know at first if I laid on my stomach, the part where my port is located would be kinda sore and tender. I haven't had any of those feelings for a long time. All of a sudden today after standing up from sitting in a chair for a couple of minutes, it feels like if I walk normally my port is moving inside. It doesnt hurt but it is awkward. Im not sure how else to explain the sensation but I wanted to know if anyone had the same experience?

I'm pretty sure you can mix other vegetables and fruits with it. The cabbage will be the base of the drink. As far as how much and how many times a day he should drink it, I'd probably start with 2-3 glasses a day using whatever sized glasses he may be comfortable with using. I read that some cancer patients are only on juicing, and take vitamin supplements to make sure that they are getting all the vitamins and nutrients they need. So 2-3 glasses a day should be okay to start with him(:

Yeah cabbage will definitely help with ulcers. I had a friend who's grandmother juiced all the time for her ulcers and it helped her so much. (: I actually love the taste of ginger. My mom used to Cook ginger root in her food and I remember eating them a lot when I was sick and had sore throats. It certainly did help! As for the cucumbers I never peeled mine. Idk, I just never really thought I should peel the cucumber since I read and heard that it wouldn't be harmful if I wanted to keep it on. Lemons I definitely peel. I made the mistake of not peeling it the first time and it was AWFUL.

The jack LaLane juicer was what I was looking at. I'll have to look around more and compare prices. I have seen that documentary. It was such an inspiration and I wanted to hug both of those men--they did such an amazing job with sticking to the diet! That documentary is definitely something I go back and watch to get motivated!

Celery I can actually use. Not too much of it, but some. It's cucumbers I refuse to use anymore. It's so watery and it seems like it doesn't matter what I mix with it, the cucumber overpowers any other taste. I also want to get a better juicer. I just don't know what brands are good.

And I'm also considering picking up a juicing recipe book because I've tried google and looked at recipes and I'm the type who likes to read opinions and feedback on the recipes, but most of the sites I went to seriously lacked in feedback.

Ugh beets! I tried beets and I was not a fan of it at all ): it was a little too "earthy" tasting for me. I actually like the combination of lots and lots of spinach and 2 green apples. I don't really have a specific recipe or anything but I do use the apples and spinach a lot. I also like carrots as well(:

It'll be a year in February since I have gotten my band. Though I have lost weight, I seem to be standing at a still point in my progress. I can't seem to lose anymore weight than what I already have. I've lost about 50 pounds from last year. I don't ever gain my weight back but now the progress seems to be even slower than when I first started. I did have some issues with my band being way to tight so I know that had a lot to do with it. I'm recently in school and can only come back once in awhile to get my band readjusted. I used to come in every month, but like I said, I go to school and am not in the same state as I was when I got my band. So my last visit consisted of me getting some fluid taken out because it was way too tight and I had a horrific case of acid reflux. Point is, I'm asking if anyone has any suggestions as to what I can do that will possibly wake my body up and help me shed off some more pounds. I normally go to the gym 5 times a week after my classes are done. I do not work, so I have a lot of free time when I'm not spending it studying and doing homework. Any suggestions are very much appreciated!

On the days where I have made my band angry with me I know I need to go on liquids for awhile. Well the soups at the Bariatric center cost me an arm and a leg and my doctor has told me I can just get other soups at the store and add my Pure protein to it. He never has been specific as to what brand of soup I can use.....sooooooo what brands of soups have you all used? Snacking. Yeah yeah yeah I know, biggest rule they tell you is no snacking. BUT on the days that I am not in my home state and need a fill, I know three meals aren't going to satisfy me throughout the day. Normally, I'll eat a handful of sugar snap peas if I feel a little hunger pain before the time I need to eat or maybe some frozen berries. But that gets kind of monotonous and makes me feel sick to my stomach. So suggestions on that as well? Thanks everyone![:

Congratulations!

Let me start off by saying I do not have the best support system at all. I had some complications with eating from my band and felt like I was having a heart attack each time I swallowed any food. I went through that for about 6 months all the while I kept getting readjusted. My family could be so much more supportive if they weren't so busy talking crap and putting me down every chance they get. So, anyone who's willing to help me go along and start from the basics again to get to where I need to be, will be gladly appreciated. I've had my band for about a year now and have lost about 50 pounds, but I still have quite a few more pounds to go to reach my goal weight. Looking forward to hearing from anyone!

@ Crimson, what's the hardest part for you?

Oh my goodness girl lol I just wore some sweats. Seriously, you're going to have to be naked anyway under the nightgown they give you. So wear sweats, don't put any lotion or antibacterial soap on the area that is going to be under surgery. Obviously take out any piercings you may have. I had my tongue pierced so I had to take that out. Make sure that you don't do your makeup (Idk why you would anyway haha, but I guess some people do) and no perfumes. That's pretty much it:)

Well, after I had surgery my only option was to walk from point A to point B for so long. I did this for 10 minutes every 2 hours just so my body could get used to me being active again. Until you are cleared to full on exercise, walking is your best bet to do. Yeah it can get boring, but it might help if you have a dog, or maybe a friend or family member who can walk with you so that you won't get bored or unmotivated. What kind of activities do you like to do? Do you like Yoga or Pilates? What about swimming at the gym or if you have your own pool? Those are great exercises as well. Trust me, we all need a kick in the butt for motivation from time to time because things can start to be so montonous, but it definitely is worth it. Remember, start slow and gradually start to increase your pace while adding in extra exercises to work out more muscles. That is when you're fully recovered of course.

I'm in Vegas! Trust me you will gain a lot of confidence. Before I used to get anxiety attacks from just thinking about meeting people in public or being in a large crowd of people. Yeah, I definitely don't like the fact that I can't talk to the people whom I am closest with, but sometimes it is what it is sadly. Plus I find that it's easier to bond with others you don't know but are going through similar things at the time as you are. Who's idea was it to get the band?

Congratulations! I know that's how I felt when I went in for my first appointment after my surgery. It was nice to hear that all the pain and uncomfortable feelings I went through that first week paid off. Good luck on the rest of your journey!

Hello, I was banded when I was 19 which was last year in February. I've certainly had my ups and downs with my band but all in all I don't regret getting it. It has helped me and it has made me feel so much better. I too was looking to see if I could find anyone closer to my age group since I don't have many friends who actually understand what I am going through. Anyway, good luck and hope to hear from you soon!

I actually had the same exact thoughts when I first got my band as well. The nurses and doctors kept telling me that I was going to feel a restriction when I got my band adjusted. If you just got your band, depending on who your surgeon was, they might have left the band pretty loose when it was first placed inside you. That's what happened to me, so it took several different tries at first to get it to be where it needed to be. It wasn't until the 5-6 time I went in did I finally start to feel some form of restriction and I knew I was heading down the right path. Once you find that "sweet spot" you should be able to eat the right portion of food and have no difficulty doing it. I wasn't so lucky to keep my sweet spot for long because eventually I had to get readjusted because I ended up really sick and was also on my period. Obviously there are other things other than throwing up that can inflame your band; things like allergies, being sick, periods, etc, can have an effect as well. Point is, you're going to have to pay attention to your body more than ever. Especially if you feel like you're still hungry. Maybe you should take a step back and ask yourself if you really are hungry or is your mind trying to make you go back to your old eating habits? You've probably heard this a lot, but it does help when you talk to yourself and question yourself.

Wow! Thanks so much for the awesome advice. I definitely will try the 5 day pouch test. I think I was in dire need to get back to the basics anyway since I haven't really been "all about" my band lately. I also had no idea that Netflix had any workout videos that I can follow along with. I'm always looking on YouTube for instruction and exercise videos but find those to be way too short for me. I completely understand the free day rule, my body certainly goes into shock every once in awhile if I do not take a rest and give it the proper care it needs to recuperate. So, how has your progress been coming along? Have you seen anymore weight loss?

I know how you feel. My parents like to attack me every chance they get with my weight loss. But instead of pointing out the fact that I have lost weight, they like to point out the fact that I'm not at my weight goal yet. As far as your friend goes, I agree with Bev. You definitely need to sit down and have a talk with her and tell her that you're doing this to make yourself feel better. Not because you want to make anyone else uncomfortable. I had a friend that basically did the same as yours. Me and her were pretty much the same size before I got my band, and now 2 of me make 1 of her. She likes to make comments like, "oh you're gonna be so skinny and you're going to look anorexic and you won't know when to stop and you're gonna look horrific." Bottom line is people will always be people. Some don't know how to handle change so all they can do is be negative and talk down on it.

Hello everyone, My name is Kimberly Coyle and I am 20 years old. I got banded when I was 19 on February 4, 2011. So far I have been quite successful in not gaining any weight back. But that definitely does not mean that I have had no problems in my journey. The first two weeks before my first appointment back to the office after my surgery I had lost a total of 13-14 pounds. The first couple of months I was able to easily adjust to the new diets and routines and managed to not throw up any food or get any food stuck in my pouch. But like they say, all good things come to an end. lol It wasn't until a couple months later did I start having some problems with my band, such as food getting stuck, not being able to hold anything down, or recently having acid reflux. All of these problems were obviously fixed with me going back to the doctor's and having some Fluid drained. Now one of my biggest problems is exercise. It seems like I can exercise everyday for an hour to two hours and still not be able to lose any weight. Of course dieting goes hand in hand with the exercise, and I do admit that I don't always eat 3 times a day. As of late I've been eating only twice a day with no snacking (I know shame shame) and have maintained a busy schedule. Though I am up moving around and focusing on other things, I can't say that I am not disappointed every time I step on that scale and see that I have made no further progress. All together I have lost about 50 pounds since last year. Hurray for me! But my goal weight is to be around 140-150. At the moment I am standing at 214 and it's been on that number for as long as I remember. My surgeon was Dr. Soong, at the Weight Loss and Surgery Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. He did a beautiful job on my surgery and I have scars that are not noticeable at all, which I am very thankful for. I hope to hear back from some of you and how you're progressing as well.