Ann D

I love mine and my crock pot, for meats. I put them in and even some of the toughest meats come out tender. Be careful with the pressure cooker w ith the steam and letting the pressure out before you open it. My DH nearly blew off the lid when he blocked the pressure gauge once. A loud pop and boiling hot liquid everywhere. Luckily no one was hurt. He stays clear of it now. As for the crock pot put it in add liquid and leave it. the longer it cooks the more tender it becomes.

Breakfast - Yogart Snack - Chex Mix Lunch Hormell Chicken & dumplings Snack - Cheese Dinner - Hamburger no bun Blooeyez you have been able to eat beef jerky. I love jerky but have been afraid to eat it, since it is so tough, I am afraid I won't be able to chew it enough.

During the mushy phase I loved the Pintos and cheese from Taco Bell. My DH and I love Charlie Gittos restaurant in St. Louis. I have had to change what I get to the mannicotti, I only eat the cheese filling, and maybe a few bite of salad. I can eat bread but only if I dip it in the olive oil first and only 1 piece. (if you ever come to St. Louis you'll have to try Gittos) I have not tried Mexican food yet, but we go to Mexico every year for vacation so I guess I better try it before we go to see what I'll be able to eat. I also need to try some Jamaican Jerk, I love that too but have been too scared to try it. I just have to remember slow down and chew. I get so excited when I get good food that I eat real fast.

Robin, I know its not the smartest idea, and I'm sure you have your reasons. I have not always followed doctors orders. I was a cnacer patient for years and did a lot of things I probably shoudn't have. Does your friend know what she is doing, has she ever had any experience with someone who has had a lapband? Just think long and hard about the complications that can arise, are they going to be worth it. I am sorry for the harsh comments but I want to be the voice of reason. if you don't see any other way then do what you have to do. I had to have an unfill due to some circumstances in my life. I talked to the nurse in my doctors office under the utmost of confidence and she told the doctor I needed a partial unfill, no reason given to him, she just assured him that I needed it. I did not have to pay for it. I went back a month later and got a re-fill. I had to pay for that one. Good luck in whatever you decide.

Hi Tess, Hi all, I too on occasion will work 12hour shifts. Tess if I can ask what do you do and can you eat at work at your desk or whereever? I have the luck or the unforunate role as a Police Officer, I eat in my car. Not the greatest. That is how I gained all my weight. Eating fast food for 12 hours a day 4 days a week. Anyway, I now bring food and I try to make time for lunch, we only get 30 minutes for lunch so now I bring food with me. My breakfast consists of yogart, fast and easy, and since I have a problem eating in the morning so the smooth liquid seems to go down. Then I keep chexmix or some type of cereal with me, to snack on along with a lot of liquids. I eat a pasta for lunch or a soup since I am limited on time. Towards the end of the day I will eat string cheese or the chex mix snack if I have any left. The cheese seems to really help hold off the cravings, if I don't get it I'm like you ready to ravage the fridge. Then I usually eat too much to fast and PB and feel miserable the rest of the night. Then for dinner I try to get a pure protien and maybe a veggie in if I have room. Good luck. Keep up the good work. Think healthy snacks. Oh yeah, I don't have the energy or desire to workout either when I get home. So I don't. I get yelled at regularly by my surgeon.

Hey guys great post. I love it its so encourageing. One thing I want to add is such a bonus but also a warning. If you are on Meds prior to surgery, monitor your condition very closely. I had REALLY High Blood Pressure, but after only losing 20lbs it went back to normal. I wasn't paying real close attention to it, until I felt faint one day. Sure enough I have been off all medications since. I can't eat potato chips anymore, but I guess that is really a good thing when you consider it. Keep up the good work, good new is always beeter then the scary stuff.

You know your a bandster when... Everytime you eat your DH reminds you to eat slow and take small bites. OR You tell your DH to slow down and take smaller bites. OR Your once highcut hipster undies look like ganny panties. OR Your boobs look like tubesocks with baseballs in them OR Before buying new cloths you look like a kid wearing your mom or dads outfits. OR You buy Childerns Liquid Motrin or Bendryl and you don't have kids OR Your knees and back don't hurt as nearly as often as they used to OR You can take a flight of stairs without getting winded OR You actually look forward to shopping

I just flew to Vegas two weeks ago. I am at 6ccs. No problem with the metal detectors at all. the flight was from St. Louis to Vegas to 3 1/2 hours in the air. It was okay not to many problems. I drank tomatoe juice on the plane and had no problems. I even ate a few peanuts. I just chewed the heck out of em until I had Peanut Butter. My biggest problem in Vegas we figuring out how to eat. Buffets, regardless of your surgery you have to pay the full price just to sit and watch people eat. I know I asked. By day three I figured I would just eat of my DH plate. He is a big eater so the little bit I took was no big deal. But the first two days I wasted so much food trying to order for myslef and not being able to eat it all. Have fun and Happy early Birthday.

Hang in there I lost very slow at first, then went about a month and a half and lost nothing. Then all of a sudden last month I lost 19lbs in one month. nothing changed. I think my body just finally figured out that this is a good thing and its not going anywhere, so it finally let go of the weight.

I get them al the time, usually when I eat too much. or am just too full. OUCH!! my husband makes fun of me. THey do hurt and they are hard to get rid of. I agree with Dawn, the controlled breathing really helps.

Dustydog, Hang in there with her, I agree call the doctor to make sure nothing else is going on. Just a note, I had my gallbladdeer out 6 months before I had the Lapband. The recover from the gallbladder was much harder then the lapband. Also, the meds used to knock me out made me very depressed and I cried a lot for a couple of days. How weird was that. I never had that happen before. Again call the doctor to see. Hang in there it will get better and she might start in on you about your eating habits like I have done to my husband.

Bring a pillow for the ride home. if you get a bumpy ride or have to cough a pillow against the stomache for that port site helps a little.

Sunshine, Just another bandster, adding to the mix that it is normal. I was banded in December and from December to April I lost 20lbs. most of that was from the pre-diet and the liquid phase immediately after surgery. then nothing lost until last month. I am up to 6ccs w/3 fills and I losts 19lbs last month. It will happen beleive me. I was very doubtful and thought I made a huge mistake. But now, I am loving it. Hang in there and stick to what the doctor and dieticians tell you. Good Luck and welcome aboard.

I'm almost there 9 more pounds to go. Can you believe it I lost 19lbs last month. I almost past out at the doctors office yesterday. So hopefully by next month I can report in as a Onederlander.

Hi all I posted before that my DH has no idea how much I weigh and he doesn't ask. However, I am going to tell him when I reach onederland. My heaviest was 262, the date of suregery I was 248, hopefully in another month I will be 200 or below. I get my official weigh in tonight. I think I am down another 15lbs. I'll let you all know.

I think I found my sweet spot. I am down 34lbs now. 14lbs to Onederland. I can't believe it. ithas been almost 15 years since I have seen onederland. I am so excited!!!!!I have lost 14 lbs in a month. Its carzy, when the frist couple of months I lost 2 here and 6 there. Then nothing last month, now 14lbs. I don't see the doctor until next week. so hopefully it will saty 14 lbs or more.

OMG!!! 14 more pounds to go. It might actually happen. I am down 34 lbs since December. I AM SO EXCITED! I can't believe its happening. I have not been under 200lbs in almost 15 years.

Okay so I made it through. It was a little tricky trying to find out what I could eat. I know hotdogs go down easy, so for lunch and while we were out walking I would get a hot dog and not eat the bun. Now for the buffets, I still had to pay full price, I even talked to the manager and showed her my lapband card. she stated even if I only entered and did not eat anything I would still ahve to pay full price. SO we only did the buffet once. After that we just ordered off a menu. My husband and I would decide on what we wanted and he ordered it all for him and I got a second plate and ate off of his. If he ordered a salad I ate a little bit, he ordered shrimp and I ate a few pieces. I think it worked out wonderfully. And with all the walking (because the weather was in the 80's) I think I lost quite a bit of weight. I think I am going to the doctor in a week or two.

Okay so my husband is taking me to Vegas in a week for vacation. I am a little nervous this is my first vacation since being banded in December. Also, I had a fill a week ago and am having a lot of restrictions. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas? I am ecstatic that I am skinnier then before and can wear a few dresses while there, but I am still nervous about what and how to eat while there.

Hi all, I self paid so I can't talk about insurance issues, but Dr. Wagner had a $200 fee for paper work and such which was applied towards the surgery when I decided to have it, which was fantastic. Sara at Dr. Wagners office is great and will lwet you know up front anything you want to know. Good Luck.

Hi all, Not only am I a loser but I am a slow loser. Sounds like an insult to me. Anyway I was banded on 12/13/07 on that day I weighed 248lbs. I last saw my doctor on 5/6/08 and my official weight with him was 228. 20lbs thats it...:confused2: At my last visit I reached 6cc's in my 10cc band. I have a lot of restrictions with it so I hope I have reached my preverbial "Sweet Spot". I'll keep you all posted to see if this is in fact my sweet spot. I go back to the doctor June 10. I just want to lose as fast as some of the others. Its discouraging.

LauraP - I love how you put it I laughed too hard when I read that. I can't get motivated either. I atlk myself into it and then just don't do it. I have to get off my Fat lazy butt and just do it as you all say. I know that but knowing and doing are two different things. I am sure my weight would just drop if I did it. I am setting a goal for my birthday. so I am going to have to do something different if I want to meet that goal. My goal is to be in onederland by August. That will be my birthday present to me. I have to DO IT.

Wow, I did not mean to stir up such a contorversal topic. I was just trying to get into the mind set of the guys I work with, and see if anyone else had experienced similar things. I guess, I'm just stirring the pot. Hey it got us thinking didn't it...

I LOVE Soup. My doctor actually recommended soup when ever I want it. I make a killer chicken noodle soup; and regardless of how much broth I drink I get full with my current fills. Before Lap band I could probably eat 2 large bowls of soup maybe 2 cups each. Now I am lucky if I can get down 1 cup. It's more like 1/2 to a 2/3 cup.

Okay all, I found this years ago and my family LOVES it. With Summer right around the corner and seasonal fruit getting ready to hit the markets I thought I would post this recipe. You will need equal portions of: Fat Free/light/anykind Coolwhip Lemon Yogart (or plain and add a teaspoon of Lemon juice) Marshmallow Cream Whip all ingreadiants together and chill for a few hours to let the falvors blend. Mix again before eating. Enjoy with your favorite fruit. Very Light, Very Tastie, Very Good!:cry_smile: