Telecia

Egads band or no band that is extreeme. That woman didnt need a band she needs her jaws wired shut. OH bleh no that wouldnt work, shes the type who would then live on milkshakes through straws and whine she hasnt lost anything. I always assumed the pre op psych visit was meant to catch people like that?!? so why was she allowed to have the surgery to start with? Musta been a psych that didnt their job very well or something. And if shes in ongoing counceling it sure aint working. unless they have gotten her down to 21 ice bars or something. Thats mind boggling. Thats like 3 boxes of ice cream bars.

WoW! Awesome job.

when you make your jello use half the water!! :confused_smile: it still makes jello but its thicker, I would ask your doctor about it after surgery before doing though because its allot thicker and wouldnt be good for liquid stage. But should be ok before hand as long as its still sugar free. Its thick enough kids can pick it up like finger food.

If jello is on your allowed list :confused_smile: Pre op and not post op (I wouldnt recomend it post cause it makes it more solid) you can also use half the recomended amount of Water when making up the sugarfree jello giving it a more thicker consistency, I used to make the kids cookie cutter jello thingys that way. Or get a bunch of flute type wineglasses (or any old glass honestly) and do layers of 2-3 flavors.

Not all doctors require a liquid pre op some just say SUPER low fat, low carbs. And a few say liquids Breakfast and lunch with a sensible dinner. If you've ever watched the lapband surgery videos on youtube you can see how they have to use a bar of sorts (Shaped alot like a L or J)to hold the liver up while they work on you. If your liver is to large there have been people on these boards who doctors have just closed them up and stoped the surgery at that point(not very many but it has happened!), because their livers were to large to safely move out of the way. It is my understanding that the liver cannot be handled to much as it damages easily. And being as we only have one they cant take chances. Their might be other reasons some doctors insist on liquids too besides shrinking down the liver, if your on only liquids that would tend to make sure your bowels were also cleared out BEFORE surgery(liquid in liquid out after a couple of days), so the chances of the anesthisia and or surgery causing constipation would be less and avoiding the old pre surgery enemas they used to do. Also being on all liquids, its pretty assured that you will have none or very little fat in your liquids, youv'e also started on breaking the carb/sugar/caffiene addictions before surgery to. Many don't allow caffiene before/after surgery either. And it could be also be a way of testing you to make sure your dedicated enough to handle the liquid phase afterwards, When healing is the most important part of the whole process. And honestly the fastest & most weight loss I have ever had over the years has been on liquids, (medifast, slimfast etc.) But you can't live on them forever. linksmom OOh now that sounds good! We dont have any Coldstones around here. Closest thing even remotely similar (so not really! ) is the snow cone stand out front of the hardware store LOL. Now I may just have to go out again and get some strawberrys. But my feet hurt darnit! :confused_smile:

Actually if shes very big or has any kind of back issues at all back pain is not suprising. I know after my apendicitis back pain was my WORST pain, cause they put you on a totally FLAT operating table. And if your like me and have much of a backside laying on anything flat & hard actually twists the spine up pretty bad in ways your not used to. MRI's or anytime I have to lay on a hard flat surface will put me in pain for DAYS afterwards. Imagine trying to sleep on a hardwood floor :cool: Same difference. Best bet is a heating pad and make sure she takes her pain meds regularly as the perscription says. Like Northwest_Nance said they work better if she takes them before they run out or the pain returns.

propbably a man. who needs to be shot. LOL!!

It may be deceptive but you know what. I think it's worth it to keep from hurting family members feelings, because people do take it personally. Ever get bummed cause your dish you took to a dinner didnt get wiped out? We as people in general have based most of our lives around food, especially when celebrating. Seems like no matter how much you talk about things some people just wont *get it* cause they are to set in their ways or just don't want to change their opinions, every family seems to have those so why not do a tiny bit of deception help keep the peace. So when grandma (Or insert relative here) Says you should go try (Insert dish) I's go get a spoonfull of it and taste it at least. Most times they won't even notice if you had food left on your plate. they will noticed if you tried any in the first place.

Heck I haven't even been banded and I can already tell differences, Been a yea now this month since I joined this site and started research etc. It's been a year now that I have changed our diet (Not just me the whole family) And while its still and ongoing process there are several things I have noticed. Going out to eat. A whopper isnt nowhere near as good as I remembered it. To greasy, felt heavy and half nauseated and overall yucky for hours afterward, after eating a whopper. Same with a rally hamburger. OMG I used to eat so much grease!! My favorite chineese resturant is now not my favorite anymore!! The lovely BBQ rib meat I used to adore and sent my blood sugars up in the 500 range. Now tastes sickly sweet. the honey almond shrimp that used to be to die for just doesn't taste good. And I KNOW they haven't changed cooks.. I find asking my BF now for a bottle of Water instead of a fountain pop cause they always taste off now. So yea I can believe foods taste different now. Because your getting used to food now being good for you and not building your life around it. And your tastes have changed.

nice!! You can tell a difference keep up the good work.

Actually many people do not know what a *Normal* Portion is. Honestly. Up untill I started looking into the band I sure didn't know what normal was I just knew what normal to me was. Ever buy a tv dinner and think *OMG I Will need 2 of these to make a meal?!?" That little ball of potatoes, spoonfull of veggies and half a palm full of meat IS A NORMAL meal. At least thats what I have been taught in my diabetic and several nutrition classes Ive been to. 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes 1/2 cup cooked veggies. or 1 cup raw veggies. 4 ozs of meat. Most of us are so accustomed to the huge portions we can get in restaurants or at home that a normal meal looks impossibly small. but yea good for you! 1 burger is a good step. I know for me ive taken to sticking to less meat and way less carbs but more veggies to take up the bulk. Till such a time as I can get banded. I even bought smaller plates and ONLY make enough for one serving at the meal. Its hard when family members push food at you. My mother in law was one of these. Always had baked goods, Cookies, ice cream etc for the kids. And was always doing things like sending us home with loaves of fresh baked breads, pies, kids got huge homemade cakes on birthdays etc. We seem learn early in life to equate nurturing with pushing food and then wonder why we end up overweight.

Well if the doctor didnt specify a diet plan they would go back to old records and look it up. I guess they don't take into consideration that you might not be diabetic anymore since it seems to be strongly felt that once your diagnosed with diabetes you will always have it. Which we know isnt the case. You could ask your doctor to have it corrected in your records, with the reason that you don't want all the carbs. or next time you get admitted BEFORE the first meal ask to talk to one of the diaticians.

pinapple, pears, apples & bannanas make it sweeter. While citris (oranges grapefruit lemon) make it more bitter. I know from experience the difference between a guy who's diet is almost exclusivly meat & starch (my ex) is way more bitter & salty then a guy with a average(my BF) diet that eats lots of fruits and veggies.

Being raised buy a hunter I was taught at age 11 how to handle and respct a gun. I am not affraid of them and I certainly respect and think that people do have certain rights to gun ownership. But the brutal honesty is no matter what, your going to have people who abuse them or simply don't respect them enough to understand what it really means to use one.There are a huge portion of people out there that don't take owning a gun seriously. And to many people getting hold of guns that really have no buisness owning them. I have to agree that Joe Horn should have responded differently. Heck it wasn't his house. He had already called the police and the 911 operator was telling him to stay put. He should of. But I can also possibly see where he was comming from he KNEW they had broke in next door and they came into his yard. Probably thinking he was next and at 62 there was no way he could have stood up to 2-30 something year old men without a gun. The article also said one started running towards him. But he shoulda stayed inside. Heck in a later article he admitted he shoulda stayed inside. But I am glad he didn't get convicted. There is a problem with "Why didn't he shoot em in the knees/legs etc." Because poor Joe Horn got in less trouble then if he would have simply wounded the thiefs. He might not have been questioned/jailed but you bet he would of paid. Probbly for the rest of his life. In our society today people seems to be eager to sue each other. There have been cases of OBVIOUS criminals with long records, caught in the act of breaking in/stealing then injured by the homeowner who have turned around and successfully sued the homeown and WON! Regarless of the fact they were breaking the law and admitting it in court O.o (Never figured that one out wouldnt the judge have to have you arrested for a crime you addmited to commiting in a courtroom?) btw a good site to look those up on is The TRUE Stella Awards -- Exposing Lawsuit Abuse with Real Cases hehe sorry gotta plug my favorite newsletter author. Now this in Indiana and I have no idea if the laws have changed since. In 1988 I had a girlfriend staying with me for a while. She had left her alcholic abusive husband. Who had just left her mothers house on his way to mine. So I called a neighbor of mine who is a state policeman and asked him what I should do. The guy was armed(shotgun) and extremly drunk. Her mom called cause she wanted us to leave and or warn us. The officer friend told me "Well till he actually shows up the only thing we can do is take a description of the car and pull him over for D.U.I. If he shows up here do NOT go outside the home. If he refuses to leave tell him youv'e called the police (And call) DO NOT under any circumstance open the door. If he kicks/breaks in the door or busts a window let him get inside!! Then shoot him! He even advised me it would be BETTER to shoot him comming in the door as the refrigerator (right next to the door) would make sure any bullets didnt make it into the neighborhood (hit someone else) My ex at the time had a 357 so exiting bullets was a major concern in a 60's type trailer with 2 inch walls!! But to be carefull NOT to shoot him outside and to make sure if I had to shoot to not just wound him. I was taken aback at this advice cause I had always assumed a police officer would tell you to avoid getting in that situation to begin with. But he was clear and adiment that If I had to shoot the guy I HAD to do more then just hurt him or else we could suffer. Thankfully the jerk got caught before he made it to my house. So it was all moot. But I learned allot. And got an added assult of a police officer on top of the D.U.I and got to spend a few months in jail. I guess my point is no matter how detailed they make laws & guidlines every situation is individual. Thats why they allow such broad interpretations by judges. I would have hated to see a man like Joe spend the rest of his life in jail. For shooting a couple of criminal thugs, who's idea of making money was stealing from others.

I would think that any doctor that required you to be on liquids for long before the surgery wouldnt require one. Just being on liquids alone will clean you out pretty good. lol But thats another one of those things some require some dont.

Ive seen other threads from lactose intollerent people who mentioned soy based protien suppliments. Look for ones that are soy based instead of whey. I can't find the thread now but they are out there.

well its good to see places adressing the problems but gastric bypass. EWWWWWW.. I would love it if my 15 year old daughter would even try weightloss and I would overjoyed for her to get the band. Shes like 230 lbs at 5'7 But GB no way. I would only allow any of my kids to do that if a band had already failed for them. But thats me I have personal issues w ith bypaass watching family members suffer malnutrition & hair & teeth loss from it. But I wish there was more attention on our kids diets besides avoiding sweets. Cause that isnt her problem, shes a carb junkie, rameen 4-5 times a day plus the dinner I make. I don't buy sweets/chips etc. never really have only the occasional treats

Well I made it through my first day as a NON Smoker. Actually yesterday was pretty easy its this morning that is rough. LOL. My normal morning routine is a huge 32oz mug of coffee and of course a few cigarettes. I got sugar free gum, mints, cough drops, and a jar of menthol rub to inhale from to help with the menthol part of my addiction. So far sitting here drinking coffee and sitting in bed gaming with marv has been my 2 times that I really start feeling it. Other things, one tire on the van has had a really slow leak in it. He's taken it back and they can't find the leak so we have just been living with it for now. Keeping an eye on it and keeping it full. Well it went flat on him last night. And of course today being the 4th NOONE is open. LOL My SIL was telling me last night that at the new casino next door (the horse park recently opened a 24 hour casino) to us they are having a FREE concert tonight. One of my childhood idols is gonna be performing and I can't Go!! *crys* If I'd had enough warning to make the half hour drive to the nearest place to rent a wheelchair I coulda gone. So I guesss It's opening my patio door and hoping the sound carries enough. Anyhow its Davy Jones from the Monkees. I adored their show growing up I was a religious watcher. To bad its not all 4 or I would go somehow. Even if i had to crawl lol!! lol Ahh well there going to have a big fireworks show too. So at least jay wont have to miss seeing any because Marv has to work. The park is close enough we will have a great view of any of the fireworks from the sidewalk just out front of the apartment. Man in just the few minutes I have been sitting here since I got up 35 or so) I have started to reach for my missing cig pack 7 or 8 times unconciously lol..All the ashtrays went into the dishwasher last night. I Put my case, lighter etc up out of sight. And since I rolled my own I took the plastic tuperwear containerI used to hold it all in the dishwasher also and put my roller thingy & tamper away. threw away all the empty tubes I had too. So even if I am tempted to cheat i can't cause there isn't anything here to cheat with. lol My daughters not home either so I can't bum one off her. Shes gonna have to clean up her room too now. Gotta get carpet powder or rent a cleaner to help get the smells out. But I am doing it!!!

Crunchy knees and one hip!! 2 years ago I lost a good 5-60 lbs and the crunchy feeling subsided allot. Then my BF started bying me the Osteo Bi Flex suppliment and the crunchyness is gone in my knees. It takes months to do it though. The hip still does it sometimes but not near as often and its not as painfull as it once was. When I was at my last doctor appointment (new doc) he was telling me he was stopping my antiinflamitory(NASIDS) and muscle relaxers and to start taking Glucosamine instead!!(Main ingredient in osteo bi flex!) LOL. And was pleased that I was already on it. He said that it was the best thing to do to prevent knee replacements or to aid in the recovery from them. Now If I can get my band and lose more I pray the crunchyness will leave my hip too!! But will have to see.

It IS considered ELECTIVE surgery. So many doctors & insurances have stricter guidlines on it. Unlike a surgery that you might HAVE to have where they can't afford to play with your life to wait till your healthier. While I cannot see where smoking can have any effect on the band whatsoever IT CAN have an effect on how fast you heal, or the % that YOU MIGHT have complications. Cause there are very well documented facts that come with smoking that CAN be of concern to the surgeon. Smoking can reduce healing. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict, retarding blood flow to the body. This can also cause the raising of blood pressure too. The build up of the tar and everything else in a smokers lungs often means we dont have the same lung compacity that a non smoker has. Therefore after surgery complication of pnumonia can be higher. Fluid buildup in the lungs after surgery is a COMMON problem that they normallly address after every surgery for smoker and non smoker alike. This build up can also cause a smokers lungs to not be able to utilize the oxygen as well lowing the % Of oxygen in the blood stream which again retards/slows healing. I am a 29 year hard & heavy smoker. And yea I have had nunmerous procedures in the past that smoking hasn't hurt. But I probably didn't recover as quickly as I could have. But I have decided that living past the age of 40 is something I am now going to strive for. So one of the things to go is smoking. I know it's gonna be a challange. And it won't be easy. But dangit my health is worth it. Any day now I gotta go pick my first batch of Patches (Ins wont cover chantix, Waiting on the dr to call em in to pharmacy) And start on that adventure. While not all surgons will insist you stop smoking, many of them will. And honestly they have good reason to. While I know that many like to place the blame on 90% of health problems on smoking they do have some valid reasons for doing so. It all boils down to the fact that smoking does nothing good for our bodies, and if your serious enough to consider surgery for weight loss for your health continuing smoking just don't make alot of sense(at least not to me). Why do something so drastic as elective surgery to improve one area and then refuse to continue to keep improving your health?

I know how bored eating is also. Something I have been working hard to put a stop to. What helps me is not buying the junk in the first place. If its sitting there in your cabnit/drawer/shelf your way more tempted.. Now if I could only get my BF to NOT bring junk home too. lol The ONLY snacky type foods I have in the house now is the kids Breakfast cereals (All NON sugary) and microwave popcorn. lol. And making sure I have healthier alternatives onhand for when I get the urge to snack. Anymore I keep raw broccoli, caulliflower, 2 differnt types of apples, was buying pears & bannanas too but the doc said no to them cause of my diabetes. Those bags of precut salad mixes are great for a light meal with sugar/FF dressing. Carrots & celery. If I do snack its either fruit or a store brand Cereal thats like frosted mini wheats but have no frosting. Or chex cereals. Also find things to stay occupied! I don't get bored if I have something to do. A hobby, books, find more great boards like this. Anything to do to keep you occupied will help. Bi weekly trips to the library, I also love to do word search puzzles, have 3-4 different hobbies I do occasional also. The hobbies part wasnt a problem for me cause I have always been one of those people who have to be doing something. I can't just sit around and watch tv or I go nuts. Start making the changes now. Slowly if you need to. But you'll be amazed at how soon it will be that you get used to it.

Probably a bit of overdoing it and the stomach bug both. but calling the doc is a good thing too let us know what he/she says

Well I finally managed to get in and see my cardiologist and boy am I NOT happy. Why? Abnonrmal ECG he didn't exactly say what was abnormal about it but he now wants a heart cath done. BUT there are problems with that. Because of my large belly they can't go in through the groin, (BUT he did say something about the possibility of having my belly removed? Have to see where that goes) So they will go in under the arm. We sat for a extra hour while the nurses played phone & fax tag. Since I had M.R.S.A before they wanted to get ahold of the records from 2002 saying I was cleared from it. But that wasn't possible. So tomorow I have to go and get a nasal swab done to be sure. Only when that comes back can they actually schedual the heart cath. Since its a culture test it will be 72 hours before they get back anything. The doc wants more testing but he says at my size most of the tests can't tell him much. One of the reasons he said something about getting my large stomach removed. He was pleased that I want to get the band and mentioned possibly having both done at the same time. But he had to see just what was goin on with my heart first. Also durring the cath they will be doing some imaginging. I also start the patch for quitting smooking too soon so life sounds like its gonna be a trip for a bit next week. Gotta take a 30-45 minute drive to the center where they want to do the cath at. I REALLY hate driving into Indianapolis. Seems the older I get the more nervious I get riding in the car, interstate/city driving utterly freaks me out anymore. FINALLY got a accurate weight though. 6-months ago I was 440 today was 424. So there has been some loss. Just not as much as I would have liked. But I now also know of place I can go to get weighed durring daytime office hours if I need to, another office in the cardiologist building has a full blown wheelchair type scale. Dad is in the hosptial atm we have the same cardio doc. Hes gonna have a cath also and possible stent replacement. In the morning. He started having chest pain last night. He is 82 now and had several caths. Doc was trying to warn me that dad is increasingly more negative and vocalized to him that he was ready to be done with life. I told the doc yea I knew he had started talking like that 2+ years ago right before they had to put him in the nursing home. At the time we were living with him but he refused to follow his doctors orders and refused to let me help him with much. He was already talking like that then. So for really close family this is nothing new. But I could tell the doc was spooked by it. He really does care about his patients. So thats it. I now have 2 docs that care (FINALLY) And want to help me improve my health so only good can come from that.

Well I finally managed to get in and see my cardiologist and boy am I NOT happy. Why? Abnonrmal ECG he didn't exactly say what was abnormal about it but he now wants a heart cath done. BUT there are problems with that. Because of my large belly they can't go in through the groin, (BUT he did say something about the possibility of having my belly removed? Have to see where that goes) So they will go in under the arm. We sat for a extra hour while the nurses played phone & fax tag. Since I had M.R.S.A before they wanted to get ahold of the records from 2002 saying I was cleared from it. But that wasn't possible. So tomorow I have to go and get a nasal swab done to be sure. Only when that comes back can they actually schedual the heart cath. Since its a culture test it will be 72 hours before they get back anything. The doc wants more testing but he says at my size most of the tests can't tell him much. One of the reasons he said something about getting my large stomach removed. He was pleased that I want to get the band and mentioned possibly having both done at the same time. But he had to see just what was goin on with my heart first. Also durring the cath they will be doing some imaginging. I also start the patch for quitting smooking too soon so life sounds like its gonna be a trip for a bit next week. Gotta take a 30-45 minute drive to the center where they want to do the cath at. I REALLY hate driving into Indianapolis. Seems the older I get the more nervious I get riding in the car, interstate/city driving utterly freaks me out anymore. FINALLY got a accurate weight though. 6-months ago I was 440 today was 424. So there has been some loss. Just not as much as I would have liked. But I now also know of place I can go to get weighed durring daytime office hours if I need to, another office in the cardiologist building has a full blown wheelchair type scale. Dad is in the hosptial atm we have the same cardio doc. Hes gonna have a cath also and possible stent replacement. In the morning. He started having chest pain last night. He is 82 now and had several caths. Doc was trying to warn me that dad is increasingly more negative and vocalized to him that he was ready to be done with life. I told the doc yea I knew he had started talking like that 2+ years ago right before they had to put him in the nursing home. At the time we were living with him but he refused to follow his doctors orders and refused to let me help him with much. He was already talking like that then. So for really close family this is nothing new. But I could tell the doc was spooked by it. He really does care about his patients. So thats it. I now have 2 docs that care (FINALLY) And want to help me improve my health so only good can come from that.