stefgray

I'm not too sure that I could bring myself to eat a Krispy Kreme donut even if I wanted to try Grace's solution. I've worked so very hard to get away from stuff like that the emotional damage would probably be worse than the physical effect! I think I'll pass. Mindy - thanks for the reminders! I am diligent about not drinking when I eat (for some reason, that bothers my mother-in-law to no end!). I do have a problem taking my time and suspect that I'm not getting enough calories. My exercise is great. I'm going to work very hard to slow down with small bites and if that doesn't make it, will call the nurse practioner by the end of the week and get with her. The last two days were great days - ate enough, felt good and no PB'ing. I think the key is the slow down! Thanks everyone for the great advice. Steph

Hi. My typical day is a protein shake for breakfast (I like Unjury, but am right now stuck on Extreme Smoothies RTD). For lunch most days it's a light Yoplait yogurt with some Cheerios or Kix mixed in. Dinner is generally whatever I fix for my husband only way less of it. I bought some small plates so that it doesn't stress me out to leave a lot behind (I still have trouble with figuring out the right portions). Lately, though, my restriction has been really good, so I'm not eating much at dinner at all. I always start with my protein, but I do enjoy my carbs and veggies just as much as ever. The key for me is to make the right choices, make sure I keep my portions small and take my time. I allow myself to eat "regular" food knowing that I won't eat much and sabotage myself. Good luck on your consult! Stephanie

I have PCOS as well - surgery 7 1/2 months ago, 81 pounds gone and feeling great. One of the best things about this for me is that now I have a regular cycle on my own, without any meds. I had to take my Provera the first month out, but since then, I've been as regular as clockwork! My fertility doc is very hopeful that having regular cycles will help us to get pregnant when we're ready.

I have coffee every day, all day! I'm not a fan of plain water and prior to my band was a soda drinker - diet, but still soda. When I gave them up, coffee was a natural substitute. I do drink FUZE low carb, iced tea and crystal light. But, the majority of my liquid comes from coffee. My nutritionist and doc both know it and are OK with it.

I only told a few people before I had it - my immediate family, my boss, 2 best friends. My husband was (and is) so supportive it's ridiculous! Once I really started losing weight (80 pounds as of this morning), and people started noticing, I was honest when asked. A few of my friends are now looking into having the band done as a result of my success. It's not that I'm so wonderful at it, it's just that they see the results and realize that they can do it too! I am not sorry that I tell anyone I had surgery - if they think less of me for having done it, too bad for them.

I get my flax seed from a friend, but I think she buys it already ground. It's not powdery, but just very, very small. I also eat Post Bran Flakes. Be careful of Kashi - I got on a GoLeanCrunch kick for a while. It's yummy and wonderful, but packs a lot of calories into a single serving. I still have it if I want, but I was eating a lot for a while and don't now. I agree with Maziemommy - small amount in, small amount out. It's something to get used to!

Hi. I eat whole grain breads - I prefer those made at Panera or Atlanta Bread. Generally, I ditch the soft bread part and eat the crust. Sometimes toasted works OK. Also, I mix wheat germ into my yogurt and have added ground flax seed to my protein shakes. Steph

Hi Susan. I had Dr. Kimberley Steele at Johns Hopkins Bayview. She was wonderful and I'm very pleased with everything! I was so excited yesterday because I actually bought a couple of shirts in size 1X. That's incredible for me because I think I skipped over from big kid sizes into 3X then 4X! There is a board for Marylander's where you can probably find more info about other drs in Maryland. Dr. Steele is great, but if you're not close to Bayview, it wouldn't make sense to go with her when there are so many other folks out there doing the surgery. Welcome to the boards! Stephanie

I don't measure my food. I did buy myself some small dinner plates so that I can use them and I try, try, try to eat more slowly. That's not so easy, but I do manage. I still have trouble with fixing more food for myself than I can possibly eat, but I'm getting better with it. I just do my best to eat slowly and stop when I start to feel satisfied. That's the key for me - in the past, I would eat so fast that I would blast right past the satisfied feeling and then end up overeating. But, this seems to work for me and the pounds are coming off. I'm at 9 cc's in an 11 cc band. Steph

Hi! My dr. and nurse practitioner recommended that I consider bypass because it is faster. But, I chose the band because it is less invasive, reversible, and generally easier (the reasons have been mentioned already - dumping, malnutrition, etc.). I am not sorry I had the band done and would never give the bypass a second thought. I have lost almost 70 pounds in 6 months and feel FANTASTIC! I just got rid of 4 huge bags of clothes that outgrew me today. My closet is empty, but I feel great. I exercise nearly every day, eat well, have pretty good restriction (although I am not quite at my sweet spot yet) and love life. The band is the best grown up decision I've made with the exception of marrying my wonderful husband! Whichever surgery you choose, stick to your plan and you'll be fine. Stephanie

I drink caffeine on a regular basis. I gave up my sodas, but drink quite a bit of coffee along with my water and FUZE. My dr. is fine with it.

I love the Unjury. I still drink it 3 or 4 times a week for a nice protein-full breakfast. My favorite is chocolate with 1/2 c. 1% milk and 2 T powdered peanut butter. Lots of ice and YUM. It's like dairy queen!

I have 6 - 5 of them are really small and the port is about 1 1/4 inches long.

Hi. I started out with chewable Flintstones for kids. But, then I came across Viactiv for calcium and multi-vitamins. I prefer that because it's like a treat every time I take them. I have chocolate flavored, but did have caramel calcium. Wonderful.

I had to wait 30 days after I got my CPAP machine for my surgery. It worked out OK, though and I didn't have to reschedule my date. You should take your machine with you to the hospital because it's calibrated to your specific needs based on your titration study. Had a follow-up with my sleep dr. last Thursday. She's getting me in for another study because I've lost so much weight. She's thinking I may not need the CPAP anymore! :-) Steph

I drink caffeine with no problem at all. I successfully gave up sodas, but now drink several cups of coffee a day. My dr. never said anything about giving up caffeine.

Hi! We're in the same boat. My surgery was May 25 and I'm also down 52 lbs. I started losing hair a few weeks ago. Not quite the same thing as you because I don't have clumps coming out, but still a lot in the shower and when I brush my hair. My nutritionist said it's Protein and that I also need to be careful to get a balanced diet. I have a tendency to focus on the protein I eat and carbs and often neglect veges and fruit. I just sent my nutritionist an e-mail because I'm concerned that I've hit a plateau. Have been stuck at 52 for a few weeks and am looking for a way to jumpstart my system. I'll let you know if I hear anything else about the hair. You can buy shampoo that contains Biotin. That may help. Congrats on the -52 lbs! That's fantastic. Stephanie

I agree! I do monthly pictures and send them to my mom and dad so that they can see my progress. It's a great way to share with people who don't see you regularly as well as a great reminder for yourself!

Hi everyone. So far, so good...3+ months out and just over 48 lbs lost. I feel great and am exercising nearly every day. My question is - I chew a lot of sugar free gum. I also have been having problems with my stomach for the last two weeks or so. I saw where someone else called it "unconstipation". That is a very good way to describe what happens to me. It's several times a day, very nasty and somewhat painful. It just occurred to me in the last few days that it could be from the gum. I've always been sensitive to the sugar alcohol in SF candy, etc., but never really thought about the gum. Is it possible? Any opinions? Thanks! Stephanie

Thanks for the look-up, Mary. I have been laying off the gum now since I posted the original note and have still had the stomach problems. I guess that wasn't it, but now need to work on narrowing it down. Steph

Hi Liz. Getting my band is the best decision I have ever made for myself. I am so very happy I can't begin to tell you. I have never PB'd or had slime. I have never thrown up or run to the bathroom after eating. I have had the golf ball feeling in my chest after eating, but I chalk that up to the learning curve. I am a fast eater and have a hard time slowing down to chew properly. Here's the fantastic news...for most meals, I follow a low fat, good carb plan from my dr. Protein first, veg/fruit next then, if there's any room left, starch. But, I also allow myself to eat "regular" food. Last night, for example, my husband and I went over to my best friends house for dinner. We had steak kabobs from Omaha Steaks, broccoli, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. I ate about 1/2 of a kabob, small spoon of broccoli and about 2 bites of potatoes. No corn and no dessert cuz I didn't have room and really didn't have any desire for it. I was quite concent with the food that I ate and didn't have anyone looking at me like I had 3 heads. Most of my friends know I had the surgery, so they're pretty accepting of my new eating habits, but even if they didn't know, I don't think I'd stand out like a sore thumb because of it. In the beginning, I didn't want to tell many people - just a few close friends and my immediate family. But, as I lost weight and felt more confident, I started wanting everyone to know. I'm quite proud of myself and my accomplishment so far. Whew...after all that, here's the moral of the story. Don't be scared of what you're reading here. You will get instructions from your dr. and if you follow them, your odds of having problems go down dramatically. It's not always perfect, but it's definitely a fantastic tool that will help you lose the weight you need to lose if you let it and work with it. Stephanie

I have pictures of mine, too. Interesting, but not something I want to look at all the time. I don't think I would mind seeing a video if the doc made one, but I don't think she did.

I eat cheese almost every day. But, I do limit myself to only ff or 2% cheese.

Dr. Steele at Bayview did my band. She is fantastic and I'm very happy. Down 39.6 pounds in a little over 2 months! There's a fantastic support group at Bayview as well...meets first Thursday of every month for bandsters. Steph

Hi! I think that the Viactiv chewables are great. I have a chocolate one every night. It has 100% of the recommended daily amount and is yummy too. steph