CanyonBaby

What it is: Doctor Kracker pumpkin Seed Cheddar Crispbreads. Serious awesomeness in a box! I just got these (off Amazon.com) today and am in love. I searched Protein crackers (I love crunch!), and these came up, among other varieties. It is a 7oz box (I got the set of 6 boxes), and has 8 servings per box. It is a large (3.5"x5") cracker, thick with pumpkin seeds and covered lightly with cheddar cheese. It is very crunchy, lightly seasoned, and I found them delicious. It is a very substantial portion, with 100 calories, 4.5g fat, 13g carbs (now subtract the 3g dietary Fiber for 10g carbs), and 4g of protein. I think it will go great with cheese, melted or not, hummus, dips, or spreads. $22.74 for 6 boxes. Definitely reasonable. Try it with sliced apple, fat-free cream cheese....lots of options, and great plain. I have already ordered my second set of boxes, as this will be a snack go-to for me! Now, let's get this Yum Alert! going! All participants welcome! What's YOUR Yum Alert? Oh! I forgot to tell you it is organic, whole grain, and non-GMO, and no added sugar!

You can always add seasonings to broths (or anything, really) for added flavor. Great know about this product...thanks!

My incisions only took about 3 weeks to fully heal over, so it just depends on your healing ability. Wait until they are thoroughly healed over before immersing them in water. However, you can always contact your surgical team, and they should be able to tell you when it is ok. Have fun at the beach....wish I was going with......

Why not? Your health is of the utmost UTMOST importance. If the doctor is not responding appropriately (in your opinion, and who's is important here - yours or his?), you need to do what you need to do!

When I post on here, or any other site, I try t put things as the bible states " do unto others as you would HAVE them do unto you". What I mean is I wouldn't want someone to give me bad or unresearched advice, I would want them to give me the very best they could, with my WELL-BEING in mind. I guess that's why I went to a SURGEON for this surgery, trusting that his surgical team would also ensure I have the BEST program in place for me. If I follow it, I can rest assured that I will more than likely succeed FOREVER by following it. On the same note, if I, personally, give out bad or unresearched advice, I could POTENTIALLY albeit INADVERTANTLY cause harm to someone. No, I can't/won't do it. First, I don't want to harm them. Second, I couldn't live with myself. Third, I don't want the LIABILITY of such action. No thanks. I "do as I'm told" by my surgical team. I paid them for this, because I was not able to do this on my own. NOW all of a sudden I CAN? HA HA HA HA HA!

@@Miss Mac I love you, Miss Mac, I just LOVE YOU!!!

What you say is SOOOOOOO true. Everyday it seems I read on here how people just assume the surgery is the end-all of their struggle....but NO! It is still just a tool, and if left UNUSED it will not work!!!!! Love you, love your post, love the HOPE you give us all.....bless you, my dear, and THANK YOU for putting it out there!!!

Ha! You WERE stabbed there! That is where the stomach was pulled out, and so it will be the sorest of your incisions. They really had to pull and tug to get that puppy out, so yes, it will be sore for awhile. Just use either a heating pad on the lowest setting OR an ice pack (whichever feels better to you) with a towel between you and the unit. Don't leave it on there for more than 10 minutes at a time. This should help. Hope you feel better soon....

@@Julie norton It IS a good "problem" to have! I, too, have so many clothes, with 20+ years of accumulation. That's why my basement has become the new "store"! I put the seasonal stuff I am not using presently down there in tote boxes (clear), so I can see at a glance what is located where. And I have packed those totes seasonally (fall sweaters, holiday clothing, summer tees...), and in order. Then when the seasons change, I change out my dresser, and haul the out-of-season stuff down, and switch out the clothing. The mall is sure gonna miss me! Ok. Maybe not! There's ALWAYS a reason to go to the mall, RIGHT?!

@@Elode I have missed your eloquent responses, I hope you're back now!

It is truly inspiring to see someone so proactive about this! You should do great on your journey!

No, I can't say this happens to me, nor has it ever. It sounds like the old demons that haunted you prior to your surgery are rearing their ugly heads again, and it is time to take action BEFORE all you have gone through (the surgery) is for nothing. I would suggest a psychologist who specializes in food issues. Everyone who has WLS has a different story to tell, a different experience to share. But this support site is here to bring us all together to assist each other when possible. Ain't it great?! I sincerely hope you can get a handle on this issue, let us know how you do, ok?

@@jmshields It is great you aren't having any issues at this time, you are truly blessed! Some problems may arise, but right now it looks like you're on a peaceful road to recovery, and I would be thrilled if I were you! Doing well now bodes well for the future...stick with your program and you should continue to do well....all the best to you!

Along with no rice or pasta, keep up the theme by not eating white foods, such as bread, potatoes...these are just basically sugars (carbs), with little or no nutrition. Stay away from sodas, even diet, as you won't be allowed those anyway after the surgery (at least most plans call for that). Empty calorie foods are going to be a thing of the past for you, after the surgery, except in very small quantities...do the same now! Good luck to you on your new journey! Keep us posted on your progress!

@@BLERDgirl There is one more possibility...alterations. Really good seamstresses can do wonders, but can be pricey. Sometimes the alteration can cost more than a new garment in a different size. But if there is a piece of clothing you'd rather not live without, alterations might be just the ticket!

@@wannaBthinsoon Are you on an acid reducer? That may help with the "hunger".....

I am so glad you are participating, and opening your arms to a healthier life! I just responded to a question you asked on another post, so here I am again! If you need a bariatric pal, let me know, I'd be happy to be one for you. Good luck on your MISSION!

I think it would be a good idea to call your bariatric team. NOW. It can't hurt, and that is what you paid them for! Keep drinking your fluids, and try to get in some more shakes. Call a friend or a relative and let them know what is going on and have them check in on you. Do this NOW! Have them keep checking you periodically, and even stay with you. If you feel you should, call an ambulance, and make sure you tell them about your surgery. I have been told if you have had this surgery NOT to have a tube inserted into you esophagus, but I am not a medical professional, so ask about this. Good luck to you and keep us posted! Blessings to you....

Have you tried unflavored Protein powder? Sometimes it's not necessarily the whey that is an irritant, but the artificial flavors and colors, and artificial sweeteners. You can add the unflavored powder to anything liquid, and even throw it in scrambled eggs, Soup....it just has to be really wet food. It would work in chili, stew, (but mix it with cool Water - just a little - before putting it in hot liquids, or it may clump), any beverage. You can find it on Amazon.com, and I'm sure other places, as well. OH, and as is anything unflavored, that does not mean it doesn't have a flavor, but that it isn't flavored with anything.

@@BLERDgirl I don't know if this will be of help to you, but today I have done TONS of laundry in the attempt to shrink down favorite tops. If they were of synthetic material, it is a no-go. But cotton and wool are another story! I have had lots of luck on t-shirts and sweaters, shrinking them down by at least a size or two. I rinse them in hot Water, then stick them in the dryer on medium to hot heat, depending on how much I need to shrink them. Most of the cotton or wool items shrunk successfully enough for me to still use them. The wool, however, is tricky, and can be shrunk too much. Be careful with that. Sometimes just washing those items and then let them dry naturally is the way to go. And you may have to "block" the wool items, to stop them from shrinking too much. Now some of my favorite items will be back on the "shopping" shelf in my basement, waiting for winter to come again, when I can use them!

@@LousPeachy Hi, Louise! Your first seminar may or may not give you information on the pre-op diet, it depends on your particular program and surgeon. However, you can always ask when you go if they have a packet of this kind of information. Are you already signed up for the surgery, then? Have you scheduled an appointment with your surgeon of choice? Once you are in the program, you will more than likely meet with a dietician. Each surgeon, again, will have their own program, including specific pre-op diet for your particular need. Some surgeons, from what I understand, and maybe depending on your starting weight, don't have certain patients go on pre-op diets at all. It all has so many variables. So I suggest the best thing for you to do, is to attend the seminar and ASK questions...all you can possibly think of...start writing them down now, as you think of them. Best of luck to you!

Newest news on Snacks (for me, anyways!): "Just the Cheese" crunchy baked Wisconsin cheese. 1/2 ounce bag, contains 99 percent cheese. Nutrients: fat: 6.5g, carbs: 1g (YES! ONE!!!), protein: 5g!!!!!!!!! OH! And only 75 calories! I found them on Amazon.com, package of 16 bags, $18.24. Classic White Cheddar flavor. I thought they were very good, on the order of Parmesan crisps. They are round little nuggets of cheese that have been baked. A new find for the snack bag!

Just an idea, but why not try the pre-op diet for WLS? You will have to be on it anyway, once you are approved, and doing it now will show you're sincere about doing this. Yeah, it is not the most pleasant of things, but how bad do you want the surgery? How bad do you want to change your life for the better, for life? After the surgery you will still have to be very strict with yourself (as we all try so hard to be) to stay on your post-op plan. It is a very difficult thing to do, in my opinion, far harder than the pre-op and surgery. Because they are changes we make FOR LIFE! Good luck on your decision, and with your insurance.

@@KateP I know, they can be nasty. I am focusing on the tinned ones, they are smoked and I love them! The sardines can sometimes get the better of me, being so oily. And I prefer the smaller, slimmer ones as opposed to the big, heavy ones, but they don't tell you what you are getting (on the outside of the tin), so it's hit and miss for me! Wish I were with you right now! Where are you at now?

There are other protein sources, but you will have to do some research to find where you can find them, and what types might work for you. Ditto what Elizabeth21 said. Good luck to you!