AirKuhl

I'm not sure what your question is, but each doc is different. Mine was just liquids only the day before. Others have to do liquids for a long time or lose 10% on their own first. Just follow his instructions, safest thing.

Everyone is different, some can process only 20g, people like bodybuilders may eat hundreds of grams per meal. Good news is that excess Protein will not damage your kidneys, that's a myth. It also doesn't make you gain weight as it's low calorie and it takes almost half the calories for your body to process it. Excess protein is eliminated via your digestive tract and you know when you have way too much because, for lack of a better term, you have really stinky farts. It's better to have a bit too much than too little. It won't hurt you. Best is to split it up over the course of a day, especially if your gas can clear the room. Protein, more than anything else, will make you feel full longer and overall less hungry.

I love positive news, it's motivating. :sad_smile: I've been banded about a month and: I was at costco and they were just putting out some Wii Fit's for $79, I grabbed 2 before they were all gone in under a minute. Thanks to that thing, I exercise every day and enjoy it. I had to poke a second hole in my belt to keep my pants on. Today I am wearing jeans that I haven't worn in so long they have dust on them. We still eat out 3-4 times a week and we're saving at least $10-20 each time since I share a plate or order just an appetizer and only get Water to drink since I won't drink it all anyway. I'm starting to go up stairs 2 at a time without even thinking about it. I weighed myself right before banding and was weighed once at the Dr, and that's it. I don't care as long as my pants keep getting looser. Last night, my wife said I "feel different, and in a good way." That's all I'm saying about that.

I'd rather use a teaspoon of real butter than a tablespoon of the fake stuff.

I didn't tell very many people, but the ones I did tell were very supportive. And yes, I feel more confident already and I'm just 3 weeks in. Remember that confidence and a positive outlook is sexy, for both guys and girls.

Great stuff. I make a similar one but I add about a tablespoon of fresh chopped dill, some minced green onion and a few capers. The dill really makes it IMO.

This morning I was getting dressed for work (I'm a guy, btw), and I was putting my belt on. It's still dark out as I come in early. I kept fumbling around trying to poke the metal shaft (does that thing have a name?) into the belt hole. I was actually getting frustrated and had to turn the light on to see what the problem was. Turns out I had it cinched up past the last hole! It's a small thing but it really made by day. 2 weeks post op, it was the first "real" example of my weight loss. I guess I need to go buy another belt. :thumbup:

"Only" 40 pounds? 40 lbs is fantastic! When was the last time you lost 40 pounds this easily? Be proud of your accomplishment. Realize that some people lose faster or slower but that's them and you are you. There is always someone out there faster or taller or smarter or more talented than you. Who cares? This is NOT a competition. You have the right attitude. This is a tool, just a chunk of silicon. It doesn't choose to lose weight, YOU do. You are losing weight slow and steady, best possible way. This is not a diet. There is no "goal" where everything ends. You permanently changed the way you live, for the better. Things like food habits and activity are not things to do for a while, but as much a part of you as breathing. A few small tips that seem to work for me: I almost never watch TV in real time. We have a DVR and I always record so I can fast forward past commercials, especially food ones. If I find myself staring in the cupboard for a snack, I brush my teeth. The taste curbs my hunger for some reason. (ever drink orange juice tight after brushing? blech.) Otherwise, I'll go for a quick walk around the neighborhood. A lot of times that 10 minute delay gets my mind off of food, plus it's exercise that gets your metabolism speeded up. Buy an article of clothing that's you really like and is just a tiny bit too small. Try it on every couple of days. Avoid the scale for a few days too. (I never weigh myself, I just use my clothing fit and belt notches to track size loss.) Pick one thing you can't do today because of size that you really want to do and daydream a bit about it. Look at that nasty "before" photo you took. That scares me straight every time. Thomas Jefferson said: I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

They both work the same, but they are VERY different in construction. As an engineer, to me up close one looked like a precision instrument and the other looked like something made in someone's garage. I'm not saying which is which because I don't want to "diss" either product, but your doctor should be able to let you look at and feel both so you can decide which you are more comfy with.

They put in some saline to displace the air. The band is not any more constricted than when it's empty, it's just saline instead of air.

The band, or at least the upper part of your stomach is rubbing against a nerve located on your diaphragm. This causes a phantom sensation of pain in your left shoulder. This is pretty common. I have found that things that relieve the pressure on the diaphragm help, even just standing up soldier straight for a few seconds. Or sit up really straight in your chair if you tend to slouch. For me, it's only noticeable after I eat a lot. I actually hope it stays, because when I get a quick twinge up there it's like an early warning signal to stop eating.

If your doctor is certified for both, I strongly suggest you go to his office and personally look at and handle both. They both seem to work great, but their construction is very different.

My surgery was at 10:30AM and I was home by 2:00. Wouldn't have it any other way, hospitals are full of sick people. :crying:

I have to agree that there is nothing inherently inferior about the Mexican surgeries. The facilities are very nice from what I hear and the doctors are MORE experienced than any of the American ones including Dr. K. As far as medical insurance goes, I've not heard of anyone ever getting rejected for any necessary procedure just because you had surgery outside the US in the past. I travel all over the world and I have medical insurance everywhere, India, China, Japan, Germany, etc. IMO the most important thing is to have confidence in your doctor. There is also a lot to be said for using one locally, if that is an option.

It's called papain and it's basically the same thing as meat tenderizer. It will help digest (i.e. break down fibers) in whatever it is that's stuck and help it pass through. pineapple has it as well.

I self-paid as well. I researched doctors for about a year and finally found one that I really like within driving distance. Experienced, treats you as an equal, tells you WHY you should and shouldn't do certain things instead of giving you an arbitrary list, etc. I read on this forum some of the wacky and medically unnecessary hoops some doctors make you jump through and I count my blessings. I paid $14K which is more than your limit and that doesn't include fills. But my point is to suggest that it's hard to put a price on having this much trust and confidence in your doctor. Save a few grand on your next car, clip some coupons, shop for stuff on sale, but spend on your health. PS: I want to be clear that I'm not saying that pricier = better. Just that price is maybe not at the top of the decision list.

This is a great idea and it works for me too. There are a few things I really want to do that I can't today, and a bit of daydreaming about them really helps me regain my determination. And I'm also tired of always looking through the back of each rack for the XXL's. They are usually butt ugly orange monstrosities while there 50 perfect Mediums just sitting there. :crying: And yes, the week before my surgery was like a FoodTV style tour of all my favorite restaurants!

I've heard the same types of comments. The most likely thing is that people that don't have weight problems don't understand how hard it is for us, because it's easy for them. You will only be successful if you do this mainly for yourself. Not your spouse, or your kids, or your friends. This HAS to be about you and your health. That way, what anyone else thinks can no have no impact on your success.

Heat up a non-stick skillet. Add a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle some shredded 2% cheese directly into the skillet, I use the stuff that comes pre-shredded in a bag. Do NOT use a lot of cheese, you should see spaces all over the place. I find that one healthy "pinch" is plenty, around 1 oz. Cook it until the edges get nice and brown. Remove and place on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil. Blot it immediately while still flexible to get rid of excess oils. Let cool, it'll get stiff and crunchy in seconds. If you did it right, it'll look like a big brown lace doily. :wink_smile: Once it's cooled, it's a crispy as a potato chip, tastes like that yummy browned cheese on a pizza, 80 calories and 7g Protein. :smile: Not something you should eat every day, but if you are going to "cheat" with something crunchy, you could do a lot worse.

I play video games for a living. More specifically, I'm a software exec at a gaming company in Silicon Valley. I'm losing weight mostly because it will make my car faster around Laguna Seca. :rolleyes2:

I asked my doc for a copy and he burned me a DVD. Very cool to watch.

Every doctor is different, no doubt. I suspect the same doctor might also have different programs for different patients as well. Mine told me that there is no food or beverage that I can't consume because of it's chemical makeup, only a few that might be hard due to consistency, like soft bread for example. Other than that he just said to pay attention because some substances have a lot of calories and are easy to eat a lot of, like ice cream. I also noticed that some doctors install the band slightly differently. I watched several youtube videos of lapband installs and it seems most doctors put like 1 stitch over the band to keep in place, where mine sewed pretty much all the way around to really lock it into place. No idea if it's related, but all the more reason to follow your doctors advice.

My doc just said clear liquids the day before surgery, no other special restrictions, so 2 days before I went to my favorite German restaurant, had my favorite dish, favorite beer and favorite dessert. It was awesome. I look forward to going back soon and having just a bite of each of those from the spouse's plate. :-)

Um, yeah, OK. I'll have an extra bite of wild boar sausage in your name tonight. :wub: And remember, vegetables are what food eats. :confused:

I've had elk and wild boar, anything will go down if you chew it long enough.