aubrie

Try Bariatriceating.com they have an entire product line of protien products specially formulated for bariatric patients. They ONLY use Whey isolate. I was shocked at what all they have available. I ordered several items and so far I like everything.

soft scrambled egg with skim milk and 1/3 banana. OR Quaker high protien, weight watcher instant oatmeal. (Banana bread flavor) 1 pre-packaged packet is VERY filling. I also like cream of wheat made with half skim milk and half vanilla slim fast. Add a touch of cinnamon and vanilla and it's heaven. My husband asked me for some the other morning!! Cottage cheese in 1/3 cup container. (I was delighted to find these) 5 oz. can of V8 juice. (only 30 calories and 7 carbs) and snack cup of sugar free applesauce with blueberry and pomegranate. (Health food store) OR one half can of tuna in Water, drained with fat free salad dressing, steamed green Beans and 3 slices of canned peaches in pear juice. small fillet of tilapia poached in seasoned chicken broth along with onions and summer squash. (GOOD when you're on mushies) 1/2 container of sugar free yogurt. OR 1/3 cup fat free refried black beans with tbls. fat free cheese and tbls. fat free sour cream. 1/4 cup avocado or a slice of grilled eggplant. I'm still on mushies, but these are what I tolerate the best, and like the taste of.

My doc says starches are okay BUT...... I have to eat brown rice instead of white. 100% whole wheat bread instead of white. and baked sweet potatoes instead of white. Your body processes these starches differently. Something about a glycemic index..... Has to do with the blood sugar it produces. Diabetics have the same restrictions.

Try making a modified crab cake. Beaten egg. Fat free mayo. (tiny bit) minced green onion, dash of worchestershire and a few bread crumbs to hold it together. Add your favorite spice. Instead of frying, spray a baking pan with PAM and bake it instead, not quite as good as the "real thing" but it's still GOOD!

YES!!! Crabmeat is a VERY good protien. My surgeon even told me that. He says oysters are too as long as they are cooked. Any shellfish for that matter. I'm fortunate. I live on the Texas coast and can get a dozen live blue crabs for $15. It's one of my favorite foods, and I don't even have to give it up. We have crab boils on the back patio. Even better....When you have to crack and pick to get the delicious meat, you don't have a choice but to eat SLOW. LOL

Dr. Watkins, Quick question. At two weeks post op I had a tiny end of a suture sticking out of one of my incisions. At my two week check up the doc pulled it out a bit and clipped it off. Good to go. Two to three days later three more sutures popped out. I gently tugged at them, but they have not "melted" inside, so were still attached. I was afraid to pull them. My regular doc said to leave them alone and I have no sign of infection. My question is, with these little things poking through, can I swim in a pool yet? I'm terrified of infection.

Okay.... So that's why I got stuck and slimed in the sink......I had a horrible day and was REALLY stressed out. I didn't think what I ate should have caused this. I couldn't figure it out. Now I know. Liquid dinner on really bad days at work.....

For whatever it's worth.... My surgeon said that not having to count calories is the beauty of the band and that those that aren't bothered by that, stick to it better. Obsessing over calories, fat grams, protien grams, carbs, calories, etc. can get boring, irritating and a royal pain in the ass. It's not necessary. It was one of the reasons I was attracted to the band. I looked up the calories of things my first week, got a good idea of where I stand on that, and chucked the rest of it. It's so nice to not have to worry about it. My little band watches out for me. So I just relax and enjoy my new life. You instinctively KNOW when you're eating to much. If you don't, your band will tell you. You know the rules. Relax.

With all this water we are supposed to be drinking, I'm getting up twice during the night to pee. I have a hard time sleeping anyway, and if I'm finally getting some decent rest, getting up to pee really pisses me off. If I get up from 3:30 on, which I usually do, I don't fall back to sleep. I'm really tired at work. Suggestions? I drink a half hour after I eat dinner, but only a little. I don't drink past 8:00 and usually go to bed around 9:30 or 10:00.

I don't like the feeling of mush in my mouth either. It's gross. I do find that I'm eating to fast though. Only three weeks out and I've already gotten stuck. What a horrible feeling.

My sons are 19 and 23. I told both of them. They were both relatively supportive but the older one thought I was having a bypass and was very frightened. I explained I was having a band. He still looked puzzled so I got out the information booklet the surgeon gave me. It had pictures in it. Once he was able to see what they were going to do to me, and that they weren't going to "chop me up" he was okay with it. I have my own shelf in the pantry and fridge, and they are very respectful of Mom's "special" things. The older one overheard me tell my husband I had lost 15 pounds and he told me he was proud of me. He was very helpful when I got home from the hospital. Washed dishes, vaccuumed, mopped, fed the dog, ran errands, etc. he even cooks dinner now for him and his Dad, so I won't have to smell the aroma of the food. The younger one was away at college. He got home yesterday and hasn't really mentioned it. His brother reminded him not to touch Mom's food things.

DITTO!! My surgeon is also a hottie. I don't have a crush per say, but damn he's cute. My husband met him just prior to surgery. When he left the room, he rolled his eyes around and said, "Yeah... Now I know why you chose him!!"

My rheumetolgist recommeded the band. She said the weight reduction would make my back, knees and hips more comfortable. I'm trying to do the exercise now. I started 5 days after surgery and I'm three weeks out. I'm losing, but the exercise that I'm unaccustomed to, is killing my knee. I got a shot in it last Thursday and it did help. My doc says, when I can finally swim in a pool, it will help until I lose more weight. But my incision opened up a little on the end, and I'm afraid of infection. So I'm still waiting to swim.

Healthy always looks better.

Do they have any that reduce the butt??? I'm losing all my weight in my boobs (husband is NOT happy) and my big butt is still there..... Bigger than Dallas!!!! I've only been banded 3 weeks but already went down a bra size. WOW!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so happy for you. It took me 11 months of hell to get approved. Running in circles, massive expense, frustration, depression, appeals, etc. But I finally had mine done on Nov. 19th. It was like my birthday. Good luck to you.

I had my first "stuck" experience day before yesterday. I ate some fish. It was soft and I took little bites, but I didn't pause between bites. I ate to fast. I also thought I was going to die. I'm three weeks out, and only one week on mushies. I've eaten other things that were questionable in texture, and didn't have a problem. I felt like I was only very mildly restricted. WRONG. I ran around the kitchen like an idiot and was in complete panic. I called my best friend (who was banded for a year before she told me. when I decided to to it, she hadn't even told me yet. We laughed for an hour.) she told me to put my arms over my head and jump up and down. (It works for her) I did and my husband thought I lost my mind. It only lasted about 15 minutes but my tummy has been sore ever since, and I can barely eat anything. I did liquids for 24 hours, but today, eating was still difficult. I also got MISERABLE gas today when I ate. what's up with that? Man, it hurts like hell. I didn't feel better until I started burping non stop. I never threw up, but I will remember to slow down from now on!!

I've been in a quandry over what to eat. My doctor has limited me to shaved turkey breast at the deli in tiny pieces, eggs, low fat Peanut Butter and soft cooked flakey fish. Veggies have to be cooked to mushy consistancy. I discovered poached fish with vegetables when it was all I had to work with. I opened a can of Swanson seasoned chicken broth with roasted garlic. I used about half a can in the bottom of a covered pan. I sliced half a yellow summer squash thin and a few onion slices and threw that in the broth. Covered and simmered until the veggies were mushy. I then put a filet of tilapia in with the veggies and gently simmered until done. The fish was soft and had good flavor from the broth. The veggies were just the right consistancy and it was delicious. Healthy, flavorful, legal, fat free and low in carbs. YUM

I hear ya on the Memphis ribs!!! I went back in August (pre-band) and OMG were they good!!! Don't you just LOVE Beale street? I had so much fun. I had never been there, but want to go again.

Try BariatricEating.com as well. they have an entire product line specific for bariatric patients. Let me tell you... They have it going on!!! They do RESEARCH on flavor!!

Maybe that's why he starts us out with 4 CCs of fluid. I fiind if I eat my protien like I'm supposed to, I'm not hungry. If I fudge or find some other mushie to eat, I do get a little growl in my tummy.

Mine had the clear glue stuff AND the steristrips. the little ones fell off about 10 days out, and the port site was stubborn. The doctor took it off on my two week check up so he could see my incision. My problem is that I'm spitting sutures. I pointed the sharp little tiny thing poking out of my incision to him, and he said yes, it was a suture. He tugged at it and clipped it off. It's the internal ones. Came home and two days later have three more!!! I went to see my regular doc as my surgeon is two hours away. He said to leave them alone. They will dissolve and the little tips will just fall out. So I guess I was worried about nothing. My surgeon contacted all my physicians about my surgery. Now they all want to see me! Want to see my scars and everything. I think the lap band is a bit of a novelty around here.

It's sunny and warm here in Corpus Christi as well! Hard for me to relate, but since banding, I'm ALWAYS cold, regardless of the temperature.

I've only been banded about 2 1/2 weeks, but before banding used to drink a couple of drinks every day. I LOVE beer. Oh well, the carbonation is now an issue......But, I thought giving up alcohol would be difficult for me. Funny, I haven't even missed it for one minute these past few weeks. There is always beer in the fridge, a bottle of wine in the bar, and spiced rum or vodka on the counter. I haven't touched it. I sure hope this lasts.

4jin, I agree. It's not easy to go. Sometimes I grit my teeth. But I also think of the people that go to get information, and they end up getting pushed into bypass due to lack of information and a good example of their other choice. I feel kind of bad for them. I have to think that some regret their choice when they have to deal with so many other problems. I'd be miserable dealing with all that crap. I'm in this for my HEALTH not my "beauty". If I look better, that's a plus. If I feel better, that's a plus. If I've improved my health, I've achieved my goal.