Kathy473

I don't know what "brand" my Lap-Band is or what size it is but as far as seeing it on the stomach, my doctor gives each patient a color picture of "your" band on "your" stomach and the picture of the barium swallow that you do after the surgery. It is very cool!

My doctor never told me to quit prior to surgery. hmmm. But then again I only smoke at night and maybe have 4-6 per day. I guess he might have thought that was enough to not have me quit totally.

My band is great and has changed my life...because I am starting to feel like myself again and my self-esteem has been recharged! The 'sexy' factor is starting to come back too! My husband loved me no matter what but I love the feeling that I feel when he tells me that he can see the weight loss in my legs and my waist and how it feels when he holds me is out of this world!

It is all trial and error. I had alot of different things on the soft food stage. Buy some fat free, sugar free frozen yogurt and add some fat free whipped cream to it...'pretend' it is a sundae, or mash up some bananas and get some fat free vanilla pudding w/whipped topping...yummy! I am a big sweet freak and this helped out alot with those sugar cravings....I became a whipped cream fanatic at night! I put it on my Jell-o too. I would also buy the less sugar cereals (Fruity Pebbles!) and let it get a little soggy and it would go down fine....sugar free popsicles and fudgsicles are great too. But as far as the meals I would have eggs, grits or oatmeal in the morning. Lunch would be tuna w/mayo and seasonings or a Soup-at-Hand...dinner i loved eating refried beans with ALL the fixings but lettuce and w/out the chips or taco shells or a gourmet soup...a soup different from lunchtime to kind of jazz it up a little or baked fish w/mashed potatos. But bread, NO WAY!!! WOOOO...that just hurts. Do not worry about the carbs so much because if you think about...exactly how much are you actually getting down? Not much....it isn't like you are eating a pizza or the never-ending pasta bowl at the Olive Garden! You are not taking in that many carbs like you might have done before...I had to get my mind wrapped around that and now I am eating carbs but not alot. Good luck!

Good luck and let us know how you are doing!!

I have done ok with sodas but I just stay away because of the sodium in them. But I have the same problem with candy but found out yesterday that if you have a Twizzler, watch out! Those can get ya! I had one from the Halloween candy bowl at home and I had a piece out of the fun size pack and I think because it is sticky and chewy that it was hard to get down....so no more of those! So I think I will stick to dark chocolate and melt-in-your mouth candies! Just not a whole bag of them!! Moderation is key!!

OUCH! I am so sorry that happened to you. I almost had a bad moment last night at dinner with my hubby and kids. They wanted Chinese and I figured I would eat the grilled salmon. Well, after my fill last week I have been eating fish but I think it was a little dry and I had to stop, get up and go to the bathroom and walk around for a bit and stretch until the pain passed and then I was fine. And it killed me not to be able to drink the large glass of water in front of me! I knew that if I did I would for sure have something come back up. So far I haven't had anything get stuck or come back up *knocking on wood*!! I have figured out that the smaller and more wet the bite is the better! Sauces and gravy are a big factor anymore, just have to watch the calories in them. And what others have said about the warm tea, even coffee or hot lemon water might help. But just watch those bite sizes!! Take care.

I had mine done on 11-03-05 and Dr. Spivak put 1.5cc in mine and I can tell the difference. If I start to eat a little too much I can REALLY tell. Ouch! It was my first fill so we'll see what happens in a few weeks if I need another or not.

My doctor told me to go on a very low-carb diet to help shrink the liver and it worked. I lost 4 pounds!

Easy as pie! Just a little stick. But my doctor is so sweet and funny. Dr. Spivak is the best!

Wish me luck you guys! I am leaving in about 10 minutes to get my 1st fill and I am terrified! I know I shouldn't be scared but it is the not knowing what is going to happen is what is killing me! My stomach is in knots! C'est la vie!

Hey guys! I did this last night and thought that I would share with everyone. One of the first things the nurses told me at the surgi-center when I had my surgery was to put this card in my wallet that said I had the Lap-Band. This way, in case of an emergency the ER staff or EMS would not put a gastric tube in if I needed one. Well, I thought about it and decided that what if I didn't have my wallet with me? How would they know I had it. It isn't a guarantee that my husband would be with me to tell them. So...I went online and did a search for custom medical I.D. bracelets and found some really nice ones. Not the ones that your grandma would wear but ones that were stylish and hip. I was able to put my name, Gastric Band, date I had the surgery, doc's name and office phonenumber. And the engraving was free. So, I thought that I would pass along this information if anyone is interested. It just really put my mind at ease knowing that I ordered a bracelet that I would wear because it was nice and stylish AND informative! www.americanmedical-id.com

Vonnie.....you can also go to the FAQ's and Reference section at the main forum page and it has a list of abbreviations. That was really helpful.

A PB is a productive burp. I had to look it up too. Once I found out what it was...I didn't want one!

Sorry you had to go through that. I have not had a PB or vomited as of yet. **Knock on wood** But I did have a small hamburger (not cheese) with all the fixings and small fries and let me tell ya...after I ate it...I felt the little pain in my chest area and I knew I was full and I belched REALLY big! And that was it..Thank GOD! I am so scared that I am going to vomit or PB that everything is dipped in something. I had the Jack Daniel's Salmon at TGI Friday's and dipped the salmon in the sauce they give you and it was so awesome! The only thing drives me nuts is the waiting 30 minutes to drink. But it is worth it!

Hey Lisa! I know it totally sucks to see all those sodas! I am the one who buys for my office and I have Cokes, Diet Cokes, A & W Rootbeer, 7UP and Brisk Ised Tea...But! I found that Propel Fitness Water is a great getaway from the sodas! And they taste great! Plus have vitamins. So, I buy those for me! Maybe you should try some of those and maybe even talk to the person who handles the buying for your office and see if maybe they would consider buying something a little more healthier for the office as a whole. The cases of Propel are about $10 each...and that is not a bad price at all! Heck! Even a few cases of juices would benefit them as well. And as far as the broth that you have to drink...have you tried the Soup at Hand? The Cream of Potato is great!! And so is the Creamy Chicken Cup of Soup packets! Yum! And as far as drinking sodas myself...I have done well staying away from them but I will take a swig every now and then of my hubby's just for the taste of it. If I want something sweet to drink, I will drink some OJ or tea...or drink a glass of skim milk just to drink it instead of water just to take a break from it. Take care!

Don't worry about. I did the same thing last week and then with Halloween coming up it makes it even worse. I caved too but then you have to give yourself a swift kick in the ass and get it together. It's ok. PMS is a bitch!

I have the same problem with water. The only thing I know is that when you drink water with a straw it does go faster but then you have to deal with the air you suck in with it! I will go to Sonic and get a Route 44 cup of ice and munch on that during the day, that could be one way for you. You can make your own homemade popsicles with sugar-free Kool-Aid. I also drink hot tea during the day with Splenda and I count that as a water. I have been told that iced tea with Splenda can count as a water. So if you drink the tea, count it as a water but still get the regular water in. Also, try making your own lemonade with fresh lemons and Splenda...yum! The lemon is good for you too! Hope this helps!

1. Bread-very little 2. Pasta-no 3. Pop-Only if it sits with ice a little bit--breaks down the bubbles--makes flat 4. Tortillas-very little 5. Salad-small ones 6. Steak-very little, has to be tender 7. Roast-haven't had yet 8. Cereal-yep! 1/2 the sugar Fruity Pebbles!!! they get real mushy and have Splenda! 9. Hamburger-yes. but not the whole thing 10. Pizza-one slice 11. Apples-haven't had yet...just the juice 12. Chips-Funyuns or Cheetos...but only twice since banded in Sept.'05 13. Cheese-yes, melted and chunk cheese 14. Shrimp-not yet 15. Pop corn-not yet.....too scared 16. Pretzels-not yet....too scared My big downfall is candy...and now that it is Halloween...I am having fits! I did break down and buy some candy corn and pumpkins and have a few a day but I would love to get my hands on a Wonka Mix-ups bag!!!! Bottle Caps! My favorites!!!! But, the will to lose the weight has to be more than the craving for the candy...so I am having a bit of a time getting my head out this sugar fog! I did go to the Texas Renaissance Festival this past weekend and I paid for that one! I was able to have a WHOLE turkey leg and a sausage on a stick...it didn't come back up but I was in the bathroom all sunday! So, now I know better...oh well!

I know it may sound weird to me but how can you only get a tablespoon of grits down and that is it? Since I have had my band I have always been able to eat alot more than most people that are on this website and lose the weight, especially being newly banded...even in the beginning. When I read that some people can only get down a couple of tablespoons of a certain mushy food and I can put down almost a cup I just can't believe it. And I know that most have had a fill and their band is tighter but it seems to me that maybe what they are trying to put down is too thick? I don't know. I just know that I guess I have been fortunate to have not had a PB or even vomiting everything that I put down. Like this morning, I made a 3 egg omelette with chese and thin sliced turkey breast and I only ate half of it and saved the rest for later. I knew when I was full and I stopped and waited for 30 minutes and had some hot tea. That is the hardest part is waiting to drink but I do drink before I eat. And for lunch I will probably have just a Soup at Hand and nothing else. I don't know maybe it is just me and my make-up but it just throws me...anyone else wonder this too?

Great thread! 1. To be healthy for my kids and hubby. 2. To be able to go to the amusement park and not worry about the size of the seat and whether or not I will fit in it! 3. To not get all the medical problems that run in my family! 4. To get on the back of my hubby's motorcycle and my belly not hit his back! 5. To not shop at Lane Bryant anymore! 6. To feel better about the way I look. The list could go on and on and on!

Sorry that you are feeling so bad. I hope you get to feeling better soon. Much luck and the best to you. Take care.

Haven't a clue! Could they be bookmarkers?

You will do fine! I had mine on a wednesday and out being social on saturday! Stay calm and everything will be fine. Best to you.

Isn't that a great feeling! Keep up the good work! Many cat-calls await you!! Woohoo!