bloomerific

I've decided that just about everything sugar-free makes me nauseous. I hate all things SF/FF anyway. Low-fat? Sure. Depending on the food. I'm steering clear of "no sugar added" and all that jazz as well. Not good for the body, especially the gastrointestinal tract. Face it, any fake sugar in large quantities is going to wreak havoc just as real sugar does in large quantities. I hate the whole chemical aspect when I'm trying to be as organic as possible. Stevia is bitter, and has an awful after taste. I think I'm just going to limit my real sugar intake! Sorbitol, sucralose, I'm done with you!! Do these things bother anyone else? I just can't do it anymore, and I'm only a month out. Feeling sick is not cool.

I'm able to tolerate sugar, in small doses...just like everything else, I suppose!!! To me, every person is going to be different. Just because I can tolerate sugar doesn't mean that that's all I will eat (I know how some people get around here...)

Hey kids, I'm kind of a newbie, kind of not. I joined in the spring, but had previously been on LapBandTalk since late 2007, so technically...I'm not a newbie. Big lurker, though! I'm Sally, 35, 11 days out of my revision. I had my band removed in late May/early June and had never felt better to have that contraption out of me! My surgeon is a god among men, and had told me that he wishes that the sleeve was a viable option in September '08 in my area, he would've sleeved me then (that sounds dirty, ha ha). Nice to be here, and actually posting! So, questions. 1. I can't tell when I'm full (granted, I'm only on full liquids until Thursday), until I start to hiccup or a little reflux (which my doc clearly says is not actual reflux, I don't have GERD or nothing, it's on the heartburn side but not really?). Can any of you tell before that? 2. I feel like garbage most days. Is this just me recovering? I can go out for a while, but I barely can walk my dog without sweating and sitting down when I get back in my apartment. Even at my weight, I've never been like that. I'm actually afraid to go out for a long time because of it. 3. Holy food addiction, Batman! I don't remember this after my band, but then again, it was only a week of liquids with it. I watch commercials and food shows and just fantasize about a steak sub!! Which is ridiculous but is probably just leftover thoughts about the 2 months without the band, ha ha. I was pretty strict while on my band, I just had a low tolerance for the saline and in the end it just prolapsed from me vomiting basically every day. Does anyone else feel this way about food on TV? 4. I've lost 20 lbs. in 11 days (I know it will stall, I'm just on the bigger end). I hope that that's not leading to anything bad! 5. I'm nauseous off and on...too much Protein shake maybe? 6. I plan on making this sleeve my b**ch. But I know there will be times that I will have the opportunity to eat "wrongly." I know that we can tolerate sugar, etc. a bit more than Joe Schmoe with a bypass, but how much? I'm talking ice cream here, peeps. I'm not big on chocolate and stuff unless it's in Reese's form, but on occasion...I'm not looking to cheat per se, but I'm a freakin' human. 7. I'm supposed to stay away from really strenuous activity for 6 weeks...when did you guys go back to the gym and jump on a dang elliptical? I have always loved physical activity--my problem that as I got bigger (my top weight was 465, I lost 100 lbs. with my band, got sleeved at 362, and am now at 341) I couldn't do it anymore or as much. I want to drop as fast and as healthily as possible...that means cardio and protein! Any ideas in the interim to do light exercise as well would be helpful. 8. This liquid phase is so gross, just thought I'd put it out there. I remember hating Protein shakes for months after my band...but making real ones (with fruit and yogurt) is what I miss! The powder and milk is just gross!!! Okay, enough of the ADHD.

I was really hungry and tortured during liquids, but now that I'm pureeing, I never want to eat...everything makes me nauseous!!

I bought a bottle of the grape at GNC during liquids and I still have some in the fridge a week later. Worst ever!! I do enjoy the powder (Dutch chocolate) in the bag, though!! The grape though...blech!!

Wheetsin...this is in Band to Gastric Sleeve Revisions. Thanks for your responses, though!!! The SF stuff is what's killing me, mainly because I think anything SF is SO FAKE that I can barely stomach it...literally. It just goes against nature somehow. I'm not into sweets anyway (with some exception, obviously) but the SF stuff really is getting to me. Probably too much of it. Thanks to all of you for your responses...I can do the liquids for one more day!!!

Yeah, I guess I do have a lot of questions...I just feel like I'm on an island. I use the search option all the time, just felt I needed to vent!!

For those of you who have had their band removed, how long did it take? Dr. Hoffman said it's an outpatient procedure, but how long were you out of work? I was planning on the week because of the wound sites and stuff...any clue? I wish there was a thread for him on verticalsleevetalk!!! --Sally

Hey everyone!!! I haven't been here in FOREVER!!! But just an update...I was banded in September '08, and I have lost about 140 lbs. So I'm at about 320. Then I started having issues last summer, but nothing that I thought wasn't just me chewing enough or something. Or talking while eating. I then had two seizures in a month, and both times I had seriously low potassium levels, something that triggers seizures. So, I just started driving again, and the week before I did, I was waking up at night coughing, throwing up every day, so I made an appointment to have an upper GI. Well, the barium went NOWHERE so I guess that's what's wrong! I was basically malnourished, not eating properly...and mind you, only had 1.5 CCs in my band because I've always been wicked sensitive. Dr. Hoffman decided right then to have me come up to the 2nd floor, and we made plans to have my band removed and revised to a sleeve. So my band removal is May 14th and my sleeve will be made on June 25th. Right now, my band is empty which ticks me off, but I'm in such a routine that I haven't changed my eating habits. This is a good thing! I'm really excited to get the sleeve done, he said that if he would've been able to do the sleeve, he would've done it to me rather than the band. I'm in that small percentage that has issues! Glad to see that some of you have had it done and are happy. I'm all about the slow process with the band, but once it glitched...nothing else came off. So I'll be loving life at this time next year, for sure! Hope all has been well with all of you! --Sally

BigGurl...much better! I actually just realized I never came back to finish the story!! Dr. Hoffman called me back at around 7:00 and asked me some questions, and by now I couldn't even swallow my saliva, I just kept throwing up. So, I went down to BGH where he was waiting in the ER for me. He took 1.3 CCs out and left me with my original 1.5 plus the remaining .2 I must be really really sensitive, but that .2 makes a big difference to me. I'm still on soft foods for another day or so. I would liken the experience to the day after surgery, no lie. He did say it shouldn't happen again, and that there's no exact science. He was really amazing throughout the whole experience. Thanks for asking!!!! Akirra--hope you're recovering well!!!

I had Dr. Hoffman paged, I'm throwing everything up...of course it's only water I'm trying to drink, but it sucks.

That's great news, Bugs! Yeah, I had a feeling your appointment was after mine, I had to be there at 9:30. I got 1.5 CCs, for a total of 3 and I'm SICK. If this continues longer than today, I'm going back tomorrow afternoon to get things fixed. Unless this is normal? I know things swell up and whatnot...and I know I'm drinking liquids for a bit. I felt restriction IMMEDIATELY but I thought that was normal. Well, I had a few things to get at the co-op and I bought a single serve organic chocolate milk, low in sugar, high in protein, and I hadn't eaten yet today. Not kidding you, two sips in and boom. All the way home to Lockport I was in pain. Got out of the car and PBed in the driveway. I've had hiccups off and on since, I feel like garbage, should I have stuck with water for a bit? Has anyone else gone through this?

Hey kids!!! I too, haven't been getting notifications of activity, hence me not being around much!!! I've had a rough go of things since my last appt. in November. I was told I was being laid off as of June which though a good thing it wasn't immediate, it was still a shocker. Finding jobs in education right now isn't good. But, I'm applying to Clarence, Ken-Ton, and Akron so I'm hoping for good results! BigGurl: I too had my first PB this past week. I was stuck for a good 5 minutes before I finally just got it the heck outta there. It was bologna and swiss cheese. I think it was really the bologna, though. My body did not want it in there. Interesting experience to say the least. I mean, I've gotten things stuck all the time but this was special! Not! I had to cancel my January appt. because they had called me to move it and never called me back. Phone tag kills that place. Then finally I got a February appt. that I had to move. So now I am here today, off of work, to go in at 9:30! I know I haven't lost much, and I've been exercising and eating right, I just need more restriction. I can eat about 1 1/2 c. of food! That's just insane!!! I just hope I didn't gain weight but you know what, if I did, that's what restriction is for. So Bugs--maybe I'll see you this morning! I hate being nervous! China--I have good restriction in the morning as well, I can barely drink.

I used Lelito, and my stuff got to BGH pretty promptly. I think the only people that BGH wants you to use exclusively is Quest Diagnostics because the results are easily transferred to them.

I'm hoping to come to the support meeting this week!! I feel like I haven't been doing well at all, so I need a boost.

It's only happened a few times, but I've definitely gotten on the floor and done the DD!

BetsyLynne; both docs are great---this thread just happened to start as a Hoffman lovefest. :cool: :regular_smile: But Posner is just as qualified, etc. but Hoffman does lap bands exclusively. Dr. Posner also does gastric bypass.

I called to change my next appointment because they called me and told me that Dr. Hoffman wouldn't be in tomorrow, etc. so I thought that meant no appointment! Well, that just meant I'd be with Laurie...but I'd made other plans tomorrow! SO I couldn't get an appointment until February 3rd!!!! Can't believe it! Anyway, Malissa did say that The Hoff may start having Wednesday appointments to deal with the overload, so who knows I might get in more quickly if he gets the approval for Wednesdays. Are they hiring another doc or what? Poor Hoff and Posner must be DYING!

Happy New Year, peeps! Even though today is the 1st, and things are supposed to be different in the new year...I'm a teacher so I wait until I go back to school to start anew. I think I've gained some weight over the holidays, I'm not impressed...so off to the gym I go on Monday! God, this is so hard, even with the extra help! I definitely need a fill, but Malissa never called me back to change my appointment from the 6th. So who knows when I'll get in there! Happy 2009!!!

Good luck, Danielle! I'm sure you're in the throes of the "cleanse" right now, but tomorrow your journey starts! Yay!

Yay, China! Make sure you update us! P.S. I hate cookies because I love them so much. Stupid Christmas!! LOL.

The dang emails haven't been getting to me! I just thought everyone had stopped posting!!! Anyway---CHINA! I hope everything went well and that you're feeling okay! I too have been eating bad things, and when all this holiday schmaltz is over things will be back to normal. The cool thing is that instead of eating my face off with bad stuff...I only have a little bad stuff. I definitely need a fill though, not feeling that full at all anymore!

China--I was a total mental case the week before my surgery, that's so normal!!! The gas was hard for me to deal with---the CO2 buildup, anyway. I deal with the other kind. :tongue2: My shoulder/back hurt for exactly 10 days after surgery but on the 11th day I woke up and it was gone. I know the length of time is different for everyone; some people don't even have the issue. This is so exciting!!! I'm so excited for everyone! I feel like I'm slowing down; I've got to bust my butt on the exercising!!! And I feel like I can eat a lot more lately; looks like I really will need the fill in January!

China...definitely ask for the postop instructions! I didn't get them either!!!

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Judy--how was the Trot for you? I was FREEZING and my hands were all swollen by the end but I MADE IT!!! Very close to last but NOT last and who cares anyway, almost 5 miles is formidable! Of course I hurt like a mother today and I've got a 3 inch blister on the ball of my food but who cares! Yay!