aubrie

Doc only allowed me to take it for 6 months. He said past that it could be dangerous to my heart. AND IT WAS. I developed an irregular heartbeat, and still to this day have trouble with it. In 6 months I only lost 18 pounds. Not that much. I gained it back and got a weak heart as a result.

It took me almost two weeks to feel like myself again. You might could do it, but I think having to come up with clear liquids, or any kind of liquids while staying in hotels will be difficult. Not to mention that I would be scared to be away from my surgeon for that long so close to post-op. I had problems with constipation and my sutures popped through my skin and were exposed. I was pretty worried. I'd hate to be out of town and have to deal with something like that. You just never know. I'd want to err on the side of caution.

I haven't PBd yet, thank God, but I can definately relate to the sudden escape of air!! I often can't control burps or farts. It's gotten to be a joke at home. My husband says, "oh the little frog is here again?" Or "Damn, that little duck has been busy!" So now we have "creatures" that live with us..... LOL

OMG. You poor thing. What a terrible stroke of bad luck. You may have a set back in your weight loss, who knows, you may not, but if you do, don't panic and get depressed. Be patient. It will happen. Once you get your casts off, maybe try swimming. You may have to avoid prolonged walking, jogging, jumping, elipticals, etc. Hang in there. You have my sympathies.

I went on a business trip with two slim, fit, 30 year olds. They wanted to see everything!! So did I, but hadn't considered having to walk. I thought, "oh no....this is going to be really bad, I'm going to slow them down." Well guess what? We walked about 4 and a half miles and I never got winded!!! I didn't stop for any breaks. I just had a ball. I know how you feel Cerrin. It's the best feeling in the world. Such an improvement in my quality of life!!! Congrats....

I AM SO JEALOUS!!!! I have been wanting to do a class for years. I went to Greece as a teenager, and was hooked from then on. My husband and I go to a Middleastern restaurant here in our city and there is always a belly dancer wiggling around the tables. I love the costumes. My husband was the one who actually suggested I try and find a class. So I guess he wouldn't think I was stupid if I did. I think I may just start looking in earnest. I found a ballroom dancing class, but he wouldn't take it with me and I didn't want to dance with strange men. Not yet anyway. I'm still a bit self conscious.

That's an interesting story but one that I'm sure many bandsters would call an "Ah ha!" moment. When the reality of what you have been doing to yourself sets in. I think this is an excellent example of that. Don't be alarmed. We ALL had to go through a period of adjustment in dealing with portion size. And don't be depressed. This was actually a positive experience. You just have to look at it in the right perspective. Now you know. These ladies did you a huge favor and they weren't even aware of it. Once you get a fill, you'll understand better what a proper portion should feel like. Right now it's hell and a struggle, but it will get easier and easier. I'm proud of you for recognizing it for what it was. Many take a lot longer to do so. Hang in there. You'll make it just fine. We're here if you need help.

I have about three swallows of it every morning to get my meds down. It may be high in sugar (why I don't drink a lot) BUT for your body to process and absorb your iron and calcium, you NEED vitamin C. I buy the OJ that is fotified with calcium. It also has potassium. I can think of a lot of other drinks that are a whole lot worse than drinking a few ounces of orange juice. If you're craving it, then your body needs the nutrient. go with the flow, just don't over do it. A few sips in the morning is my way of starting the day.

I think that's pretty normal. Don't worry.

NO!! My doctor does not recommend high protein diet. He wants me to eat a balanced diet. I am not a bypass patient, so why follow a bypass diet???? they have much different needs than we do. I was allowed fruit on week four after surgery. I am to eat my protein first, or do the 3 -2-1 process of eating. 3 bites protein, 2 bites veggie, 1 bite starch. For starches he recommends sweet potatoes, brown rice, all kinds of beans and 100% whole wheat bread and pastas. white rice, noodles and Potatoes in strict moderation. I have settled into about 1/2 cup protein and 1/4 cup of veggies and starch. It seems to work for me and I've lost weight pretty fast. I am forbidden to drink protein shakes. That's a no no. He wants me to eat solid food. period. I'm only allowed shakes if I'm sick or after a fill. I'm not allowed carbonation or popcorn. Those were his rules. Not many. I didn't have to do a pre-op diet marathon either. Low fat, low calorie for one week, and liquids two days before surgery. He is BIG on nutrition and balanced diet. When I go in, he checks my skin. He said he can tell a lot from the condition of the skin and I have to admit. Mine has definately improved. My complexion is more even and not blotchy or red anymore.

I'm 6 months out and can't even wear a floatation belt in my deep water aerobics class. the pressure from the belt just kills my port. It's fairly close to the surface. The belt is foam and is virtually weightless, but the pressure on my port is just not something I can take so I do the class without it...which makes for a very good workout!!!! I'd wait about 6 weeks to 2 months then try it for small amounts of time until you know how it feels.

Some people are really scared, and can't really express that, so they do it in a different way and it doesn't come out right. My husband said something horrible to me 1 week after my surgery that devastated me. I cried and moped around for two weeks. When he finally forced me to talk about why I was sad, he was shocked to know the way that I took what he said. He was VERY sorry and said he was scared and it just came out wrong. We're fine with it now. KEEP TALKING. She may not know what exactly she's afraid of, and not how to express the confusion. Give her some time. Not forever, but some. If she can't get past it, move on. You have a lot more postive things to focus on.

Susan I TOTALLY agree with you and so does my doctor. If there is a birthday or a wedding, I want to have my little square inch of cake. If my husband and I go out to dinner for a special occasion, I will order what I want off the menu, I just won't eat the whole thing. I enjoy having a cocktail now and then. I just can't make a regular habit out of it, and use moderation when I do. I LOVE my surgeon for this. He said the whole point is to improve my quality of life. Not change it completely. To live like a normal person, not a deprived dieter for my life time. He also doesn't want me to measure, weigh, count calories, fat grams and carbs. He said that when he required that, his patients got bored, frustrated and depressed and didn't do as well. It was just substituting one obsession for another. I agreed and that's why I chose him.

I will be 6 months out on Monday. So basically, my scars are fully healed and old. The long one has been a bit of a purpleish color around the outside and lately it is becoming more pink and it is starting to itch. Doesn't that indicate healing and shouldn't that have been over with a LONG time ago??? :thumbup:

My doctor told me NO POPCORN, so I've been afraid to try. He forbid very few items, so I figured he had a good reason. Going to the movies KILLS me.....

I had tons of friends years ago when I was thin. As I gained weight, it became harder and harder for me to find and make friends. I guess fat people are intimidating????? That has been a source of pain, frustration, heart ache and lonliness for a long time. Frankly, I'm looking forward to making a whole bunch of new friends who never knew me as fat. The few gems I still have, love me no matter what, but it will be nice to have a variety of girlfriends to accent the different aspects of my self. Especially the new aspects that I haven't discovered yet.

I do water aerobics. I've started using the foam dumb bells in the pool. OMG do they work for the abs as well as the arms. My surgeon was shocked last Friday by the muscle tone on my abs and arms from it. The deep water aerobics has really burned up the calories as well. I do my routine without a floatation belt, which doubles the workout, and I'm really seeing the results. As I lose fat and acquire more muscle though, it's getting harder and harder to stay afloat. I'm losing my bouyancy with every pound I lose.

I made it to Onederland on Mother's Day!! Kudos to you and congratualtions. YOU GO GIRL!!! I bought some size 16 pants 3 weeks ago to take to Vegas and they are already a bit baggy in the seat. I hope to be in a 14 on my birthday June 10th. That would be the perfect birthday present. No one in my family has seen me yet. I'm going home August 30th for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I would LOVE to be in a 12 by then. Think it's possible? They will faint when I get off the plane. Can't wait.

Can you freeze a Protein shake? Hummmm.... I hadn't thought of that, but damn, that could work. They have those little tupperware popsicle molds you could pour it into..... I may have to rethink that. But, I too like ice cream. I've switched to sugar free popsicles and fudgesicles. It takes the edge off and satisfies my frozen sweet treat addiction.

I agree. I was bullied about the bypass, but I had NO DOUBTS about the procedure I had chosen. I had an ethical problem of disposing of a perfectly funtional organ, and rearranging what GOD provided for me to be thin. Ridding yourself of your stomach is extreme. You will NEVER EVER be able to eat sugar of any kind. If you do, you will run to the bathroom with the dumping syndrome and have diarreah running down your legs. I personally couldn't live like that. I wanted to be a NORMAL thin and HEALTHY person. NOT one who can't absorb vitamins, be in poor health and have to take Vitamin B-12 shots for the rest of my life. What kind of life is that? Most of the bypass patients in my support group have pastey skin and look sallow. The more I researched, the more I was convinced that I had done the right thing. I also know a few bypass people who are suffering so much that they wish they had gone with the lap band. Now for the biggie. If you don't like the band and the sacrifices you have to make, it's REVERSABLE. It can be removed and you're back to the way you were. That was important to me. I wanted the options. I also worried, if I was ever in an emergency situation or in an accident, my band could be loosened to accomodate feeding tubes etc. If I were a young woman, I would be VERY concerned of any resulting pregnancies if I had a bypass and could not get the proper nutrition to support a fetus. That's just downright cruel to the infant to have them start out at a nutritional deficiet. With a band, you can have it loosened for the pregnancy and tightened back up when you've given birth. I just like the options. Bypass doesn't leave you with many.....

Up your Water intake. You need it anyway, and you could be retaining water. Remember, you're a little swollen from surgery. Try to avoid salty Soups etc. I know you're on mushies, but make wise choices. Look on this forum for ideas on appropriate mushy foods. I posted there as well. Stay away from ice creams or other high fat, high calorie foods. Don't eat more than a cup at a time, for each meal. If you're hungry, drink water. Don't drink during meals. It will wash out your pouch and you'll be hungry again right away. If you're having trouble with BMs, ask your doctor what to do. I was major backed up for about a month after surgery. I had to take milk of magnesia when it got bad.

Soft fish like tilapia, poached in chicken broth can be mashed with a fork quite easily. I ate a lot of what was mentioned above, but here are a few that weren't included. Unsweetened applesauce. They now have it with pomegranate, blueberries, etc. Makes for a nice change of pace. I LOVE quacamole (mashed avocados). I liked egg drop soup, baked winter squash (butternut and acorn), sugar free pudding or tapioca, creamed spinach, bananas, ricotta cheese seasoned with Italian spices, garlic and parmesan cheese and baked in a ramekin (YUM), pumpkin pie filling made with splenda and skim canned milk. (YUM) Spinach quiche filling, corned beef hash. Those are a few I came up with...

The bubbles in beer expand in the tummy. You now have a tiny tummy. All those bubbles probably expanded and irritated that tiny space.Stick to liquids for a day or so. Try some warm liquids. When my tummy hurts I always make a cup of peppermint tea. Works like a charm.

Well, I'm so excited and happy I could just burst. I got on the scale on Mother's Day and made it to 199. I'm FINALLY under 200 pounds. This was my first large goal and I did it in under 6 months. WOO HOO!!! I have something to Celebrate.:biggrin: 3 more pounds and I'm half way there.

Went to doc today. Havne't been in in two months. I felt like I needed a fill. I can eat tons of food at dinner. BUT I had lost 14 pounds in two months. We talked at great length about everything and he finally decided no fill. He thinks I've been very successful with that much of a loss, and didn't want to make me to tight. I'm really happpy that he's pleased with me, but major bummed at the same time. It was SO HARD to lose those 14 pounds. I fought hunger after working out every week. He said he was tickled pink about my muscle tone and said to keep working out. I do water aerobics. Three different kinds. My blood pressure was 114/ 72. That is FANTASTIC for me. I may get completely off my meds yet. So I have a lot to be thankful for but I'm SO DISAPPOINTED that I didnt get a fill. Should I be happy or bummed?