lisacaron

I think Missy was trying to say not to expect the band to be a magic wand. You will have to do the work, you know that. The best thing to do is probably to hire a personal trainer. They can assess your current fitness level take your goals into account and help you to get where you want to be. They are good to help keep you accountable to your work outs as well. I know I had one in the past that was a slave driver but he got the job done even if I whined the whole way and gave up. I didn't have this awesome tool then, or great supportive people that you find on here to motivate me. Now I know it's all hard work, fortitude and perseverance in the face of adversity. My own worst enemy can be myself. Good luck! I haven't found any short cuts so far, but keep me up to date if you do

Clara, seeing as that is next year...you have a whole year to lose. Keep your eye on the prize! Book the trip and even if your half way to goal by next summer I bet you will be a stunner on the beach and feeling awesome about it! Just tell those bigillion people..no pictures please! Speak to your publicist, cause I'm sure you will be looking marvelous!

Good advice here. Surgery can cause a bit of weight gain, and Water retention. Our bodies tend to insulate and swell up when we have any kind of trauma. Give yourself some TLC, put an ice pack on the port site. Mine took some time to heal as well. For me it's also at the exact level of my desk at work so it gets bumped often Keep up your H2O, and get some walking in when you can. Your doing great! Hope all feels right for you soon!

Is there a reason why you are still on a thin liquid diet?? Dr.'s orders? Any chance of adding some more Protein in?

Aim for the stars! Just don't hurt yourself on the way there!! The reality is what you actually lose, but hey go for gold, and see what happens! Silver is also a pretty precious metal and copper looks good on everyone!

Thanks I'm going to give it a try tonight! Love the puppy pic!

This site should never be used as a diagnostic tool. IF you have a serious question, the default answer to it should always be speak to your surgeon or bariatric doctor's office. There are some here with medical background, and some who are long term veterans having been banded longer then others. Some with non compliance issues and some with issues just because they are that one anomaly that factor into the percentage. There are some with out an issue from 3 months to 20 years. All of us are newbies to this we were not born with this band inside us, and we are all as fallible as the band itself can be. Sh*t happens, and we ask questions to see if we can learn from other peoples experience and knowledge and so that we can share ours in return with the hope to help even more people. Take it in that vein, and you won't go wrong. Nothing here is to be taken literally or as gospel, other then the words "Call your doctor." They and only they can give you the answers you truly seek. They know you literally inside and out. Please share your stories, give me your advice, tell me what you think, and know that when in doubt I will call my doctor. Having this forum helps me to better form my questions to my doctor, and if info scares me, I'll ask my doctor if this is something to fear, or practice or something to take in stride and left at the curb. I am not you, you are not me, but together as banded people we are all learning from each other to be better and move forward from where we were to where we want to be. Hope your doing better today KT and I'd like to know what your doc said to do.

A friend of mine walks the field or track perimeter when she takes her kids to soccer/lacrosse/wrestling.

Thanks! No nausea, just congestion and some fatigue. I know they have liquid mucinex, I'm sure it's horrible though I wonder if it would work.

The story is a sad one, and it seems that for every positive result and every supportive member of the site just like in life there is always someone who has an opposite opinion, thought or feeling and that is OK. It's important to know the good the bad and the ugly it helps us all navigate our way to where we want to be, and if we can avoid some pot holes that tripped up others and they mark the road for us, well all I have to say to them is THANK YOU and I hope that you never have to fall again

Heating pad is not to be used on wounds but to be used on the back or shoulder to help with the gas pain. Low setting or even hot Water bottle work great. Ice pack on the port site wounds works wonders.

Good luck and a speedy recovery!

My shoddy typing here with one finger bound...missed the last bit Your doing great and you have an awesome support team here!!

Hi ms Kat Measuring is a big key. As bandsters we should really be eating 1 cup at each meal. For me portion was and is a big roadblock to weight loss. You may need a fill or 2 or 3 to get to the point where one cup is enough. Also the foods you have listed...can be high in sodium and sugar depending on the product, and can cause Water retention and too much sugar actually can cause a weight gain. Bulk up on the solid Protein, alot of the items you listed are slider foods that go through so easily we can over eat them. It takes time to figure out what works for you and what doesn't. It can be frustrating I know but you will get there

Try putting an ice pack on the site that is hurting you. It will really help to reduce the swelling and ease the feeling of burning. If you find that the wound is red or hot to the touch please call your doctor. Feel better!

I'm with Sandy, Premier Protein had the highest amount of protein 30g for lowest amount of calories and they taste pretty good and have a good texture.

Cam- The pain pills can contribute to the constipation problem. I know they do that to me, see if you can try switching to Tylenol instead even for one or two doses. Warm decaf tea helps move things along, as well as a heating pad to help move that gas out. Go slow with the walking but keep doing it. Short slow walks are better then longer marathon walks right now. Protein is essential for hair and nail growth so stick with your shakes but also get some Water in to help with the constipation. Try the warm decaf tea. I also take a Biotin 5000mcg supplement every day for hair and nails. They have them in dissoluble pills that pretty much just melt in your mouth. Good luck and feel better!!

Zingy that's an awesome story! I have clothes that used to fit me years ago when I was thinner and as I was cleaning out some of the storage (finally) I was shocked to find those clothes fit me! So now all my "larger" size items I am bagging up and donating. So happy to be able to give them away and know I will never have to see that size on clothes again and looking forward to the next round of clean out when these hit the donation pile

I'm sure you can. I take pills every day. Take one at a time and be sure it's gone through. Feel better!

My Nut told us there is a ratio of how much protein to eat based on body weight. .4x your weight gives you the approx amount of what you should be eating every day.

Sparkle, let me first say your amazing! You are going through something that can be so painful and so personal. The way you are feeling is totally normal. Your body has been through so much in such a very short time. Your emotions are bound to be all over the place, and your hormones are also a bit out of sorts right now. Give yourself a little break, it's OK! Yes it really is OK. Take a deep breath, and think for a moment about where you want to go from here. When you are sure, go back and see your surgeon. You may need/want a bit of fill to give you that feeling of restriction again, and then go slow getting back into a routine. Let your body tell you when it's ready. Get out of your head for a bit and let your heart and mind catch up to your body and things will balance out for you again my friend. Exercise body strengthening exercises, walking, running, and stretching can be a good way to help take your mind off things, but incorporate them as you are ready to. It's not a race, it's the rest of your life. {{BIG HUG}}

They actually sound kind of low in Protein. What are the calories in each and then combined? I used premiere protein, it's 30 grams of protein and about 160 calories per serving.

Toot your horn darlin! I have the same issue, the hubby does too. We are eating better and taking care of ourselves and it's a symphony of healthy eating. Public toots are at your own risk though on those occasions it's beno or gas-ex or a quick trip to the restroom for a tune up.