lizbuff

I've had band to close to 2 years and for the most part have been very happy with it. However, for about the last month or so, my stomach makes loud growling noises. When I drink my 1st cup of coffee in the morning, I can hear it gurgling down and around in my stomach. When I was at the dentist and laying there it was growling and groaning enough that the hygenist asked "what in the world is that"? When I eat, I can hear it going down and moving around. Is this normal or do I have an alien in my tummy??

I haven't had a fill since September. I really don't think I'm too tight; I don't PB very much. Only when I eat certain foods that I know I shouldn't because they cause problems - like eggs. I have had some reflux since Christmas time. About 1 x a week. I thought I had just eaten something spicy, etc. However, I ate a LOT of salsa yesterday on my quesadilla and had no problems at all. I'm scheduled to go back to dr in April for 2 year check with blood work and everything. Were you PBing a lot when you were too tight?

My Dr. and his nutritionist told me they don't want me drinking protein shakes. They want me to eat real food. I'm glad because the protein shakes give me the "you-know-whats". I do eat a Luna protein bar for breakfast because I just can't eat before 10:00 am.

We also eat there a couple times of month. I cannot do eggs anymore in any shape or form. So I order the kids shrimp with pinto beans as a side. It's 7 popcorn shrimp and about 1/2 c. pinto beans. I asked my the nutritionist at my doc's office about this meal and she said even though the shrimp are fried it's very high protein and a very good choice. Interestingly, I've never had anyone question when I order this kids meal. Probably done it about 10 times.

I really don't miss my diet cokes. As a matter of fact, I took a sip of my hubby's the other day and it tasted NASTY! I've had 3 margaritas in the last year (frozen) and they were sooooo yummy! Just sips though. If I drink anything cold quickly, guaranteed PB.

I live in Georgia and we have very high humidity so I'm used to it. However, when it rains, I can hardly get anything down. I asked my doc about this and he said it is not unusual. Has something to do with the barametric pressure. Weird!

I haven't tried pancakes cause I figure they don't have any protein or nutritional value. About once a month I do have a strong craving for pizza. We order a thin crust pepperoni from Domino's and I can eat 2 small squares very very slowly generally with no problem.

I've had several PB's since my last fill, which I feel is my sweet spot now. I can almost predict when I will PB. If it's raining (barimetric pressure?), if I'm eating with a big group of people who are talking, laughing, or if I am stressed. Before I had my 1st PB, I also thought it was like vomiting. Now I liken it to hacking up a hairball. Just kind of shoots out, then I feel better. Someone posted a while back about keeping a cup in her cupholder of her car. I try to do that now. I've only had 1 PB in the car and had to pull over in a parking lot. It was embarassing because I had one of my employees in the car with me (I had taken her to lunch). She knows about my surgery and wasn't freaked out about it or anything.:tongue_smilie:

I buy the refridgerated Delmonte pink grapefruit in it's own juice. That way I can have a few bites at a time and none of that white stringy stuff. My doc recommended it. I've had no problems at all. As a matter of fact, when I'm craving something sweet, sometimes having the tart grapefruit will satisfy the craving.

The ONLY way I can eat eggs is in egg salad. Mix hardboiled eggs with a little Miracle Whip light and mustard, salt & pepper. But like most people this has to be for lunch or later. The only thing I can stomach in the morning is a Luna protein bar and coffee.

Maybe it's the cold of the liquid? If I take a large swallow of anything cold, it's like my band just squeezes as tight as it can and I'll get liquid stuck and slime. Love milk, but must take tiny sips. Cool, lukewarm or even hot liquids no problem at all.

Does anyone else have problems getting stuck when eating leftovers that have been reheated in the microwave? At first I thought it was just the rice with Chinese food, but I heated a small hamburger patty today and it got stuck and I PB'd. I don't overheat it. Just enough to it's a little warm. Should I just say No to microwave reheating all together?

My nut also doesn't like me using them. I only use them when I know I haven't gotten enough protein in a day. Usually 2-3 times a week. I just can't eat that much food. I do buy the 42g of whey protein bullets and only drink 1/2 and put the other 1/2 of it in the fridge. It's more economical to do it that way. That way it's only one swig at a time. I get the fruit punch flavored ones from GNC online.

The lady at the jewelry store sprayed my finger and ring with windex and voila! it came off. She said they use it all the time when customers try on "too small" rings.

:thumbup:I LOVE doing Water aerobics. We have a pool so last year I bought the belt, weights, etc. and do it at home. Unfortunately, we just closed the pool (not heated) for the winter. We don't have a Y or anything around here, so hubby and I just dusted off our bikes and started riding today. My grandkids think it's really neat to watch me work out in the pool. They even try the weights in the shallow end after I'm done. I don't know how much it will help in the weight loss, but it sure won't hurt. I have fibromyalgia and it is about the only exercise that doesn't cause some sort of flare up.

Walk, walk, walk around in circles if necessary. I also will stretch my arms over my head and lean left and right trying to squeeze it down. It should eventually go down. I got my 4th fill yesterday and ate mushies at lunch today (kraft mac & cheese). It took about 1/8 of a cup and I got stuck and started sliming. Yuck. Just try to move and stretch as much as you can, but like the other lady said - don't drink. Hope it passes soon!

I order from the kid's menu all the time. One time at Red Lobster the waitress did say it was their policy for only kids to order, but she would let me. Hubby and I discussed it and decided that if ever they refused to let us order, we wouldn't make a fuss, just say thank you, get up and walk out. I've also never been asked to show my card. If they don't want my business then they don't want my husbands either.

The worst sliming I've had has been with anything reheated (i.e., leftovers). My doc says that when you reheat things in the microwave it sometimes slightly changes the texture and dries things out. He advised no reheated food. I have PB'd twice since being banded 5/5/08 - both times was with chicken. I've pretty much had to give it up all together; which is hard becausing I'm finding that's pretty much what I ate all the time. I usually slime if I eat too fast and am with a group of people and not paying attention to eating slowly. I've had it last up to an hour and that was a miserable feeling. I tried walking around the house in circles trying to let gravity do its work to get the food to go down. I'll definitely remember the hot tea idea next time.

I just have a Luna protein bar for breakfast. I also can't eat a lot at 7:00 in the morning. This usually holds me till lunch. I like the idea of skipping the breakfast food and going for lunch food. Maybe some coldcuts or cheese slices? Where is it written in stone that we must have certain foods at certain times of the day?

My doc doesn't use floro either. Sprays my tummy with cold, cold, lydacaine, mini crunch, poke the needle 1st time and I feel nothing.

I have Aetna (banded 5/5/08) and I called them the day after my surgeon's office submitted paperwork. Aetna told me it should take no more than 24 hours to find out. I called the next day and they told me I was approved. Call Aetna and ask them directly. I am in Cartersville and had my surgery by Dr. Byron Scott at Floyd Medical Center in Rome. They have been wonderful! Good Luck!

Man, I don't know that that nurse wouldn't have been flying across the room after that many jabs! I've been lucky. 1st fill was done by surgeon, no problem. 2nd was done his by his PA; even better. They both have me put my hands behind my head and do a slight "crunch" to find the port. They've always found it on the 1st try. Before they even start though, they spray me down heavily with lydacaine so I really don't fill any pokes at all. I go for my 3rd fill next Tuesday. Hope I haven't just jinxed myself by bragging on them.