infamy

You could refrain entirely from messing with your hormones and go barrier for 18 months (diphragm, condoms or both) - that's really not that long. This is going to be an emotional enough time, as it is. I'm not anti-chemical, but you might want to spare yourself another thing to stress and worry about. Regardless of what you do - get yourself to your gyno and get a proper checkup! That's way more important.

Yes, they do have one and how long you are on it depends on your BMI at your consultation. It's not a bd one at all - lean Protein and low-carb. Yoghurt, chicken breasts, tuns, sole and green leafy veggies.

Points is fantastic. It's mostly calorie counting with simplified math. But the focus is on well-balanced eating. WW has always been recognized as the best commercial weight loss program. The last time I lost a lot of weight, it was with points. I use their online program, it's great. I just had issues that WW didn't fix (of course) that I'm hoping my band will make me face up to. But for people who like control, accountability and structure it's great - and it does it but still leaves you fully flexible in what you choose to eat. It's brilliant. If you're an OCD counter-type person - you'll love it. You get to assign points to food, to excerise - you get your bonus points. Then you get to balance it all out like an obsessive accountant. You get to check off your Water, your Vitamin, your healthy oils and your fruits and veg. I really recommend the online tools - the recipe builder alone will keep you entertained for hours at a time. Edit: I myself am recording my points again - even though I'm still on full fluids. There's something statifying about filling out the little form.

Candy was everywhere at work today. It was hell. I'm on full fluids after surgery and between my pre-op and post-op diets, I haven't had much in the way of sugar recently. I let two little chocolates from a small package dissolve in my mouth as a "treat". Some treat - I was sick as a pooch and high as a kite. I licked the rest of them and threw them in the trash so that I wouldn't eat them. (Fearing that simply throwing them in my trash bin, in their package, wouldn't make them unpalatable enough)

pineapple. It has enzymes in it that will dissolve food. If you've ever stirred pineapple pieces into yoghurt, you'll know what I'm talking about. meat tenderizer is another one that I've heard.

It will depend entirely on you and your incisions (and your gas) I've heard people say it was weeks before they could lay on their sides even. But the day after surgery I had no problem laying on my stomach with a heating pad under my tummy and watching TV. So hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. How are you on your side? My first night I slept on my side with a big pillow behind me and another one in front of me (with the heating pad draped over it, held close). It was super-comfortable.

I wasn't scared until I was laying on that table and they were putting my IV in. Something about laying there under those lights made it all real for the first time. I don't tend to be afraid of anything, but I was terrified and had an urge to call it all off. It's understandable - you are giving over complete control to someone else. In a much more personal manner than, say, when you fly (to pick a common control-phobia). What everyone here has said is true - you are probably saving your life by doing this. Practice some relaxtion techniques and deep breathing - they'll calm you down and will help you out when they put the mask on you, to boot. Congratulations and good luck.

Thank you so much everyone, for the great replies. I've read a lot about post-surgery pain, but I can certianly handle this. And I could handle it even if it gets a bit worse if I stiffen up a bit. Grats to everyone! This was a surreal day, I'm sure you can relate. So glad we decided to take care of ourselves.

I was banded this morning and just got home. My mother is out at the drugstore getting my prescriptions. I"m feeling pretty good. Sore, but OK. Cloudy in the head more than anything. I'm wondering if this is a grace period, like after a tough work out and if days 2 or 3 are going to be much worse... Anyway, it's pretty exciting.

What - in heaven and on earth - is a Swedish Fish?

I read a great post once at... Weight Watchers, I think. A woman asked her husband (who had never had a weight problem) to weight himself on their scale, stark naked, twice a day for a week. This man's weight was up, down, sideways and back again. It would sometimes be higher in the morning than the evening before, and over the course of the week it varied within five pounds. The moral is - weight changes. Unexpectedly and inexplicably. Don't let the number on the scale make you crazy. If you work the band, work your plan, over the long run you will lose weight. What I like to do is keep a chart. I weight myself once a week and I put it in Excel and then I like to look at it. Over the long term, that swoopy curve leads inexorably down, and it's fantastic.

I have found, in the past, that a switch from pure unhealthy eating to fresh foods and lots of Water leads to about a week of icky whiteheads. I'm no doctor, but I think that the poster above is correct. If you are flushing toxins, they'll leave any way they can, including through your face. Don't go crazy with scrubbing, just keep at it with a gentle cleanser, and you can CAREFULLY pop whiteheads if your face and hands are clean. This too shall pass.

I once complained to my mother, while on Weight Watchers, that I'd only lost a pound the preceding week. She replied "Picture a pound of butter. Now picture it around your heart." I'll never say "Just a pound" again.