aubrie

Maybe it's a bit thick for you at this point. Try diluting it with a little skim milk and see if that helps. I put it in my coffee every morning. I like it that way, and I get a little extra protien. BUT I do realize some docs don't allow coffee or tea. (I only drink two cups a day) The warm liquid in the morning helps me ease tightness.

Personally.... I wouldn't set foot in an IHOP, Dunking Donuts or a Baskin Robbins now that I'm banded. I spent to much money to get healthy. why risk the obvious temptation? As for the others, I can only eat 1/3 to 1/2 of an entree at a restaurant. If it's touted as 500 calories, then I figure I'm fine. TGIFriday's has a low fat/low calorie menu with quite a few choices. Other restaurants, I just order what I CAN eat prepared in the best way possible. For example. Meat with sauce on the side instead of swimming in it. I avoid pasta meals if possible. I only get steamed veggies. No hollandaise or garlic butter.... If they offer to bring bread, I refuse it. I get my salad dressing on the side as well, so I can control how much goes on my salad. The ONLY desert I will consider is fresh fruit. I order broiled or roasted instead of fried. I'm usually a pain in the butt at a restaurant, but I always tip my waitperson well for the aggravation.... LOL

Your body just went through a major jolt. Surgery for one. Anesthesia, massive reduction in calories, no sugar, no caffeine, large amounts of water, liquid diet. Your body is in mild shock. Give it some time.

I was three months out yesterday. I've lost 36 pounds and I'm VERY pleased with that. It sounds like you're not far from that. I think you're doing great. I agree, it may be time for another fill, but I think you're right where you need to be. Don't beat yourself up or give up. Just go get a fill and keep going.

I have my own shelf in the fridge. My family knows that if it sits on that shelf, it's off limits to them. They have their own "stuff". For the most part they are respecting that, and their respecting that is very supportive of me. NO ONE asks how much I've lost. I've briefed them on plateaus, and how frustrating it is for me. If I'm along for a dinner out, they consider where to go where I can have a choice and stick to my plan. If I miss my exercise classes, it's accepted. I don't get chastised for it. that's my business. I've chosen not to tell people about it. My family has respected my privacy by not telling people about my surgery.

Banded 3 months. I've just started getting cramps in my calves and toes regularly. It's awful. Does all the water we drink flush out the potasium we need?

When I tell any of my doctors that I had LapBand surgery, they are all so fascinated they ALL have asked to feel the port and see my scars. Then they want to know all the details. The fill procedure is a mystery to them. It's so funny...... For several, I am the first LapBand patient they have. They have several bypass patients, but not any LapBand. I thought that was wierd. Anyway. I'm a celebrity in all my docs' offices. LOL

I have one major Incision to the left and slightly above my belly button. That was where the port and band went in. I have 3 tiny puncture holes and that's it.

My husband is fascinated with my shoulder bones. They just recently started showing and he's constantly feeling them. Almost as if he expects them to disappear at any moment. It sure does feel good to see your body change and improve. Congrats on those ribs!

I was 5'4" and weighed in at 252. I was big with a BMI of 43. That was exactly 3 months ago. I'm now at 216.

Yup. My doctor said the same thing. NO SHAKES! the only time he allows them now is after a fill for 24 hours. Other than that he wants me on a regular diet, eating regular food. I'm not allowed protein bars either. He considers that a "snack" and he does not want me snacking. Period.

I was banded 3 months ago today. I put vitamin E on my scars and they are soft and no longer raised, but they are still very purple in color. They haven't even begun to fade. Is that unusual? I usually don't have this problem with scars. How long does it take?

I've sold my clothes on consignment before, and the only time I bought anything on consignment was if it still had tags. But I made a nice little chunk of change on selling my clothes in the past. I plan on doing it again to help finance my new wardrobe that I'll be needing.

I too think the low rise pants are GROSS. From the back, if you look at people, the eye naturally falls on the band across the hips. It accentuates the hips and makes them look WAY bigger than they actually are. Not to mention the flab and gross stuff hanging over the "waist band". Many young girls have jelly belly along with it, and it's disgusting. It's not lady like, it makes you look WAY fatter. I would much rather have a pair of TAILORED high waisted pants that compliments your female shape, smoothes out the bumps, holds in the jiggly bits, accentuates your gentle curves and hides the negative uglies. Personally I'm sick to death at seeing peoples' stretch marks, dimples, bum cracks, folds and creases. The tiny, to small tops they wear with these pants definately don't help. YUCK!!! It's definately time for a fashion revolution.

I've caught myself adding up calories on my fingers for lunch and breakfast to see if cheating with some potato chips would be "feasible"......I wanted to kick my ass!!! As if THAT were feasible......LOL

My DH has become my food patrol and my diet cop. I to am going crazy. I hear the following constantly.... "Can you eat two of those? I think one would be better." "No. You can't have any of my popcorn. It's bad for you." "Are you sure you can eat that?" Uuhhhmmmm.... I'm telling Dr. Chang that you ate that." "After all you spent on this surgery, are you going to eat that and mess it up?" "Did you go to the gym today? why not?" The interesting thing is, is that I am following the rules. I exercise 4 -5 times a week. I don't eat sweets, carbonated drinks, excessive carbs, etc. I watch and weigh my portions. So this drives me to insanity. He also tells me how proud he is of me, and how good I look, and he notices my little milestones like "Wow, I can see you have a waist now." "Your smile is so pretty now that your double chin is disappearing." "You are REALLY slimming down your butt. It's starting to look hot!" So I do get kudos, but the nagging is grating on me. He's more obsessed about all this than I am!!

I do water aerobics 3 times a week. I've discovered I have to wear a very tight suit with tummy control. When I jump up and down in the pool, and my belly flops around, my port hurts a lot. When I lose weight and tighten this up, do you think it will still hurt?

Offer to bring something you can eat to the shower???

My doctor put in three CCs during surgery just to test it and make sure it didn't leak or anything, and that it was placed well etc. Then he took two out. I still had about 1 CC in there. My first fill was 3 CCs. So I have a total of 4. I'll have my 2nd fill on March 5th. He's not aggressive with fills past the initial, so I have no idea what he plans. But I have a 10 CC band, so I still don't have a lot of restriction, but I'm losing anyway. Can't complain about that!

I have Aetna. I HATE them. What they did to me was cruel. They said they covered the surgery. I made the arrangement, then they said, no, you have to do a 6 month supervised diet with a doctor, do a sleep study, meet with a nutritionist and attend a seminar. I did all the above. At the end of 6 months, we resubmitted the paperwork. I WAS DENIED!!! I cried for three weeks and gained all my weight back. I was so depressed. THEN I GOT MAD!!!! I was a crazed BIOTCH with a mission! I did my psych evaluation, I went to support group twice a month for three months, I went back to a nutritionist. I had all my heart tests updated. I went to all my doctors for support. I had my OB/GYN, my rhumetologist, my family doctor and my heart speicalist all write letters to Aetna on my behalf. After 11 months, they approved my surgery. I had it done on Nov. 19, 2007. I've lost 36 pounds. Now, I'm getting letters from the hospital telling me Aetna's not paying and I owe the whole enchilada. Is that not the shits? I think I smell a lawsuit.

Ditto. Went five weeks. BUT I tried changing up my diet like the recommendations on this board. I upped my calories for a couple days. Went back to normal then did 2 days of liquids. Within two days I dropped 4 pounds all at once. Now I'm losing a pound every 4 - 5 days. It's worth a try.

I probably wouldn't make a habit of it, but the thing about this band, and my doctor HIGHLY supports this, is to enjoy and live your life. If it were me, I'd eat the broth first. Wait a few minutes to let it pass through, and then finish up with the veggies and meat. Maybe it would stay with you longer that way? Soup is so healthy. The broth of soup is where all the vitamins end up, so I wouldn't avoid the broth entirely. Just don't fill up on it and then not be able to eat your meat and veggies. As long as this is an occasional thing, enjoy it.

1/3 cup cottage cheese and 4 sections of grapefruit peeled along with two cups of coffee. Instead of milk I put vanilla low carb slim fast in my coffee. I get a little extra protien and it tastes good. I also like the Quaker Weight Control oatmeal. It has Protein already in it. I add half a scoop of unflavored Protein powder to it. It stays with me until lunch. I eat eggs on the weekends.

My favorite mushy stage foods were refried black beans with low fat sour cream and guacamole, whipped sweet potatoes, ricotta cheese, creamed spinach, egg drop soup and cream of wheat. I also liked Musselman's brand, no sugar added, applesauce with blueberries and pomegranate. I also poached some tilapia filets in seasoned broth and then mashed it with a fork. That's about what I lived on for two weeks.

I tried the activia cottage cheese. I HATED the consistancy. It was thick and pasty, but the yogurt wasn't bad. I haven't tried the yogurt again since being banded. I too have a problem with constipation. My doctor said I wasn't getting enough water. So I upped my water. I also learned that lemon water is helpful. Doctor also asked if I was eating citrus. I said no, I had cut it out because of the sugar and the pithy parts of the fruit. He suggested getting fresh grapefruit. Only 3 - 4 sections at a time or serving. Slice off the pithy part where the seeds are and peel off the fibrous part and eat them peeled. I started doing this at breakfast every morning. The last two days I've had a MUCH easier time going to the bathroom. It was like pre-band days. No effort or strain. What a difference!! I will try the activia as well. there is nothing as miserable as irregularity.