aubrie

PB the fly???? EEEWWWWW. I haven't laughed today either. Thanks for the entertainment. I have to add here though..... The ONLY A+ I ever got on an English paper in college was one I wrote about finding flies in my taco from Taco Bell. They were in the meat, and I'd already eaten half of it. I was so upset. It was all I could write about that evening. Damned if I didn't get an A+ on it. I guess my professor was laughing as much as everyone else on here. Extra points for entertainment.....

I used to really like Dr. Phil a long time ago. As time as passed, I'm sick of his holier than thou attitude, his wife horning in on the glory, his questionable resolutions to problems, his talking down to people he clearly doesn't like, and now I hear he's not even a licesenced doctor. Well that just seals the deal for me. I'll never watch again.......

I've only lost 30 pounds so far and have a long way to go, but I'm beginning to notice some small things, that I didn't realize would make such a difference. 1. When I stand with my arms relaxed at my sides, my hands now touch my upper thigh. Before, the fat under my arms and my sides got in the way and my arms hung out at an angle. 2. My double chin has gone down enough for me to wear a necklace I haven't worn in 6 years. 3. I don't grunt when I lean over to tie my shoes. 4. I can shave my underarm COMPLETELY. The excessive fat used to cause a fold that I couldn't get to with a razor. I can also easily shave my legs. It used to be a strain and uncomfortable. 5. My hands and feet don't swell anymore. 6. My snoring is improving. I don't wake myself up snorting anymore. I'm also sleeping better. 7. My energy level has increased 10 fold. 8. I can "participate" in sex, instead of just laying there exhausted.:tt1::biggrin2: this truly is amazing. these are benefits I didn't expect at this stage of the game. I'm delighted.

I didn't feel mine at all. that's so strange. Is it the band or the port that hurts?

At least you get it while you are eating. I don't get the sensation until about an hour AFTER I eat. It really makes me mad. Sometimes a cup of food is fine, others it's to much. I wish my body was better at telling me in ADVANCE.

At the rate my girls are shrinking, I definately won't need a "reduction", but I will definately consider getting them pulled back up in place. It's been YEARS since my nips watched me put my lipstick on. Now they just watch me tie my shoes.

I LOVE beer. I'm an import queen. That has probably been the hardest thing for me so far. I have switched to a very occasional wine, but it's just not the same. I'm missing it less and less as time goes by though. I had to laugh.... A college aged bandster on this message board told me that when she has a party, she opens two bottles the day before and leaves them in the fridge to go flat. Then when everyone else is enjoying a beer, she can too, but limits it to two. YUCK. Nothing worse than flat beer. It sounded horrible to me, but I guess I can relate! I think I would have just served the beer to someone else, washed out the bottle and filled it up with water. Then I'm on track and still no questions or explanations.

Ask for a coffee cup. That is one cup. Fill it up, scoot it back on your plate and then turn the coffee cup over on the saucer and they will take it away. I don't know if you have a TGI Fridays where you are, but on the back page they have low-cal, low-fat half portions on the menu, and several are well under 500 calories. They are delicious. When anyone asks where we should go eat, I'm not shy any more. I speak right up and say Friday's! Personally, I can't even finish the half portion plate, but it keeps me in check, and no one really realizes it.

Be careful with the hydrocodone. It can cause some wicked constipation. Call your doctor. See what over the counter pain meds he recommends. My doctor was very adamant about what to use, due to the possibility of causing bleeding, but I don't remember what he recommended. I didn't take it anyway. I can't take hydrocodone, so I just toughed it out. It wasn't so bad. I was out a week and a half. I needed every bit of it. Be gentle with yourself.

My opinion? And it is my "opinion". YES!!!! Artificial sweetners are bad for you. they are chemicals. If they say that they are made from sugar, that may be true but they have also altered the sugar molecue so It is really no longer sugar. Most OB/GYNs won't allow it during pregnancy anymore. I eat as little as possible. Not only do I know it's bad for me, it also gives me wretched headaches. the human tongue can tell when you have eaten something sweet. It sends a message to the brain to release the insulin to process it. Your body DOES NOT know the difference between artificial and natural sugar. It all registeres the same and causes the same insulin dump. If there is no sugar there to process, over a long period of time, it causes problems and eventually insulin resistance. I've read way to many medical journal entries and books to feel comfortable eating it now. I avoid it when possible. Now that I'm banded, I occasisionally eat a teaspoon of honey in a mug of herb tea, but I don't make a habit of that either. If I want something sweet, a few strawberries or a 1/2 cup of melon suites me just fine. I've never been a chocoholic, so that was good, but I know a lot of people have a problem with sweets. It's difficult, but once you get used to it, it's not so bad. My problem was always with carbs. I loved bread and chips. I don't eat that any more either. I've switched eating white potatoes to baked sweet, white rice to brown, and all my bread and pasta is now 100% whole wheat. Your body just processes it more efficiently. God has made a wonderful buffet of natural food for us. Experiment. Try eating some fruit and veggies that you've never had before. It's fun and nutritious. I've found I like Japanese eggplant, star fruit, fresh brussel sprouts, plantains, bok choy, asian pears and chayote squash. Who would have thought?

Cut your regular eggplant down the center length wise. Soak in salted water for about 30 minutes and then boil until soft and pulpy. Peel and cook 1 small potato in water until soft. Brown 1/2 to 3/4 pound hamburger very well and pat dry with a paper towel. Add 1/2 small onion chopped, about 4 to 5 cloves of crushed garlic, some parsley, oregano and lots of thyme. Cook until onions are tender. Add the potato and mash into the mixture. This helps hold it together. Then add the pulp from the eggplant. Mash well. Save the eggplant skins. Mix all this up together and then gently stuff back into the skins. they will be thin and fragile, so be gentle. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Italian bread crumbs and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. HEAVEN!!!!!

I too love oranges. I have eaten them, but found that the fibrous material that is left in your mouth after you chew is difficult to get down. So I just chew all the juice and pulp out, and spit out the pithy stuff. I have also noticed that I weight well the next day, but that's becasue it now acts as a laxative for me.....

I can't eat popcorn. Grilled meats tend to be dry and I feel uncomfortable when I eat them, but everything else is okay. No problems.

I had the same problem. My doctor was on Christmas vacation when it was time for me to start mushies. the paperwork I was given originally was signed by him, and it matched what I was given in the hospital, so I went ahead and started them. I felt like I DID have his blessing on it. I was given a folder with explicit instructions in it. It was pages and pages of information. All of it was signed off by him personally.

I had a barium test years ago. I struggled not to gag on that vile, thick, nasty stuff. I remember them telling me not to vomit or I would have to start over again. I wanted to die. It was horrible. After Lap Band surgery, I was told before I could be released I had to do a barium swallow to make sure everything was in the right place, funcitoning properly and not leaking anywhere. I was frantic. When I got down there and they handed it to me, it was in a tiny cup. It wasn't very thick at all and it even tasted half way decent. Like vanilla ice cream. They have come a LONG way with improving the whole barium experience. Fortunately for me, I don't have to have barium for my fills. My doctor only does that if you're having problems. When he does my fills, he fills you up a lot and then with the needle still in he has you drink water with a straw. (the nurse helps) He keeps adding fluid until the water backs up. Then when it does, he slowly starts taking the fluid back out until the water goes down easily. I rest for a little while and then drink water again to make sure. He put in 5 CCs and backed out 2 so I ended up with a 3 CC fill. (I have a large band) I really like this way, as he actually tests it, right then and there. Less chance of being to tight and having problems after I get home. He's a wonderful surgeon.

My doc said okay on the hot tub as well, but wanted the incisions 100% healed first. I've noticed that sometimes if I'm stressed and tight, a dip in the hot tub not only relaxes me, but also relaxes the muscles invovling the band.

I was only on clear liquids for 3 days post op. (broth, jello, herb tea, clear juice) then went on to regular liquids which included cream soups, runny cream of wheat, protien shakes, pudding, etc. for a week. then two weeks of mushies which included applesauce, pureed foods, mashed banana, mashed avocado, mashed potatoes, refried beans, oatmeal, etc.

At three weeks post op, the abdominal swelling has gone down, and probably the bloating from gas, but the tissue around the port will still be swollen, so it will protrude a little for about another 2 or three weeks. Glad your seeing your doctor though. Always rule out a problem.

If you have a health food store near you, (or look in your regular grocery...Ours has this as well) there is an entire line of organic cream soups that are to die for. Cream of Portabella Mushroom, cream of brocolli, cream of carrot, ginger and cashew(awesome), tomato basil, butternut squash. I lived on these. I just added some whey isolate protien powder. They come in little soft pack boxes, with at snap lid. They each have two cups, so for us it is two servings. When I feel bad, it's cold outside and I can't get warm or have had a fill, I still eat them.

Damn, what did my doctor call these??? they are some kind of esophogial spasm. He said they were normal the first few months and not to worry. I had the same thing. They eventually went away after I healed up completely.

I order an appetizer and say I already ate. That solves the problem.

I think a cracker might be a little dry. The mushie stage is just that, wet and mushie. It needs to slide through easy, and also easily digested. A cracker might turn pasty in your stomach and cause you to work harder to digest it. I'd wait.

Every once in a while I can feel the actual band. It's a wierd feeling up under my ribs on the left side. It's like a dull ache sometimes, and others, when I'm twisting and exercising, it can be a sudden sharp pain. It's not bad, and it's rare, but yes, I can feel it. The one time I got "stuck" I also felt the food pass through to my stomach. That was also a wierd sensation. It was sure a relief. My port gets sore with rigorous exercise, but most of the time I can't tell it's there unless I push on it with my hand.

Remember....you have no restriction at this point. The sipping is to get you in practice to eat slow when you do have restriction. I can gulp water too. I've only had one fill (3 CCs) and I can still gulp. I try not to, but when I'm thirsty.... forget it. Keep trying to sip. It will be helpful if it's a good habit when you do have restriction.

Wombat, Where in Texas are you? I'm in corpus Christi. My sons know better than to make a comment like that. I'd knock them into next week!! LOL. they are 19 and 23 so they are a little older. Actually, they are pretty protective of me. Imagine that........ they have told me that my baggy pants don't look nice, that I need to buy new clothes....