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Everything posted by kamicola
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Aren't you being treated for it with meds? Make sure if you are that your doctor that is treating you is a specialist in Thyroid disorders.... your TSH level should be lower than 2.0 and the other levels like your T4 and such need to be monitored often as well. The AMA has a normal range of .3-5.5, but you have and should be treated for a hypothyroidism if it is above 2.0. Also, maybe your med is not working efficiently for you either... maybe change to a natural thyroid like Amour Thyroid..... if your thyroid is tightly controlled and monitored, you shouldn't have too many issues... I am losing steading in the two months since surgery, but my thyroid is TIGHTLY controlled... helps when you go to a naturalpathic doctor with a specialty in thryoidism. I can't see how a doctor could tell you what the weight loss is of a person with or without a thyroid disorder.... unless he did a study and controlled the eating, medications, etc.... that seems unprofessional... if your thyroid is controlled properly, this shouldn't be an issue! Kammi in Everett, WA DOB 5/27/08 335/203/180 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico
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Wait a minute... if you are only a week out of surgery, you will not be getting all the Protein you can get necessarily.... for a few weeks you will be tighter than you will end up being due to swelling inside. Thin down your Protein drinks with Water or milk, sometimes I had difficulty at first with thicker liquids... when you blend things to eat, make sure you add some chicken broth or vegetable broth to make sure they are thin enough to drink through a straw.... I am not sure what your post op diet consists of, but you need/MUST let your stoma heal after all that it has been through. Drink small little tiny sips as well. I would say unless you add cottage cheese to whatever you are eating (like chili) and then blend well and thin down, don't just do cottage cheese regular with just a week out.... give it another week and then when you do cottage cheese... chew it well and break it down as with everything else... your tightness that you are experiencing now will most likely go away until you get 1-4 fills and find your "sweet spot". Up above someone said to add vanilla something to diet root beer... DO NOT DRINK SODA! Not sure if that is what they meant or the sugar free syrup or soda... but wanted to warn ya as I am sure you are already aware! Give yourself another week or two and you will be fine! Kammi in Everett, WA DOB 5/27/08 335/302/180 Dr. Kuri - Mexico
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I got my first fill last Tuesday... got 3 ccs in a 11cc band.... and I am going back this coming week for at least 2 more ccs. I had restriction (a tiny bit) or a day or two but now I am back to eating normal and a lot! I had to have a fill via fluroscope as my port is pretty deep and they don't believe in poking around forever....which I appreciate... but since they got in with the fluro, they may be able to get into it without this coming week.. I sure hope so or I have to wait until mid August when they have the fluro appts. again. I haven't PBd yet or slimed, but know that if I push it,I have almost PBd and I am trying to be careful... but eating pretty much everything. I luckily haven't gained any weight back and am down 33 pounds since my pre=-op mid may (surgery 5/27/08). I am still slowly losing and know with better restriction it will come off much better. They do say that if you are eating a lot and waiting for the SWEET SPOT fill that you can periodically go on a liquid high Protein low carb diet and it will tide you over! I may try that this week waiting for my fill. Kammi in Everett, WA
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Did hypothyroidism cause you to be denied?
kamicola replied to annecolorgreen's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
By the way for anyone interested... here a few interesting links on flouride and hypothyroidism.... I personally don't use flouride and try not to drink tap Water any more than I can help it... my 5-1/2 year old daughter has never brushed her teeth with flouride toothpaste either and is doing great oral health wise... even my dentist agrees that there is no proven research that proves flouride is good for protection of teeth... though some of you may find the link between the thyroid and flouride interesting.... I did. The Effects Of Fluoride On The Thyroid Gland Hidden Danger in Your Drinking Water and Toothpaste / Fluoride and Fluoridated Water's Link to Thyroid Disease Kammi in Everett, WA -
Did hypothyroidism cause you to be denied?
kamicola replied to annecolorgreen's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
leknigh... I wasn't explained the "technical" explanation of how thyroid and oral health are tied together but I found this... "Hypothyroidism. Common oral findings in hypothyroidism include macroglossia, dysgeusia, delayed eruption, poor periodontal health and delayed wound healing.44 Before treating a patient who has a history of thyroid disease, the dentist should obtain the correct diagnosis and etiology for the thyroid disorder, as well as past medical complications and medical therapy. Further inquiry regarding past dental treatment is justified. The condition’s prognosis usually is given by the time of treatment and patient compliance." As far as the medication that I am on... it is a prescription... luckily VERY CHEAP as my insurance will not cover it... they only cover synthetic meds.... but it is called Amour Thyroid and I think it is from pigs or cows.... I don't like putting medication/chemicals into my body any more than I can help it... so this works perfect for me and seems to be controlling my thyroid very well... you can do a search from Google on it.... I pay like $7 or $8 a month out of my pocket for my prescription, which is less than my co-pay... so it's cheap! Any more questions, let me know! Kammi in Everett, WA -
Did hypothyroidism cause you to be denied?
kamicola replied to annecolorgreen's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I was diagnosed with hypothyrodism in June of 2007 although I am sure I have been dealing with it for many years before. Luckily I found a naturalpathic doctor that specializes in Thyroid conditions and put me on Amour Thyroid (natural thyroid, not synthetic) and my TSH level is 1.2. She believes in tight control and says that really anyone with a TSH level above 2.0 should be treated. The difficulty and why it was overlooked for many years is that the range that is normal by most traditional doctors is .5 to 5.5... I am not sure if it has yet been modified but there was a lot of information out there on trying to get the range down to .5 to 3.3. So... know your TSH levels... get your blood work done every 3 months or so and understand what low thyroid can do to your body. Since mine has been under tight contol... believe it or not my oral health has improved dramatically. When they took the measurements for my bone loss.... they said I had an 85% improvement in the past year since thyroid is is under tight control... they say it is directily related. Just though I would share my story.... I was self pay in Mexico so insurance denial wasn't an issue. Kammi in Everett, WA DOB 5/27/08 335/302/180 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico -
Well, I did it and I did it in Mexico!
kamicola replied to sphynxmomma's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
For those close to the border of Washington... like Vancouver... I have met several banded people from Cananda in that vacinity that come down to NW Fill Management in Arlington, WA for their fills.. the cater to Mexico patients.... if you came through the border near White Rock, Arlington would only be about an hour South.... there is also a doctor in Bellevue, WA that I recently found out about that will also give fills AND aftercare for patients banded elsewhere.... NW Fill Management is $175 for the first fill and then $150 for each thereafter... if you need more fill within 2 weeks, it is only $50 and unfills are free if done by them. They rent a fluroscope for difficult to find ports from another doctor once a month as well for $200 per fill with fluro. The few people that I met from Canada that came down for their fills, come either early in the morning or the night before depending on if they want to stay in a cheap motel for the night.... sometimes they stay the night after the fill to make sure it's not too much or there are not any issues before heading back up there... just thought I would pass on this info since it was being discussed. Just do an internet search for NW Fill Management in Arlington, WA and it is the first link! Kammi in Everett, WA -
Help!! I don't do any kind of milk products, how can I get my protein in?
kamicola replied to amonroy's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
thanks for the resource! Kammi in Everett, WA -
Nika... thanks for your taking the time to explain.... I just got my first fill last week and have a little bit of restriction.. eating about half what I was... so I think I either may ride this out a while and see if it stays with me or I might go back right away and get a small fill to increase restriction. In general , I probably do eat more heavily on the protein side.... but feel fortunate that good quality carbs in a little higher quantities than allowed on Atkins and such are settling well with me without being totally restricted. Good luck to you on your journey, I look forward to reading more posts and learning more! Kammi in Everett, WA
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LOL... but remember on the serious side.... once you drop your weight and you drop off of low carb, which is hard to maintain over time.... the weight has a good chance of coming back... if you lose it more slowly with good, healthy carbs... then when it comes off you are more likely to keep it off..... but do whatever makes you happy! Almond flour or meal is good, I buy mine at Trader Joe's.... it's like finely ground almonds... you can make your own by grounding raw almonds in a food processor till as fine as you think you can get them... this prevents you from having to find it to buy it.... just be careful as you mostly can not replace 100% flours with these low carb alternatives... but experiment.... we eat coconut flour pancakes... and they are pretty band friendly and good fiber.... my 5 year old daughter loves them more than life! Kammi in Everett, WA PS.. where are you now BlooEyez?
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Help!! I don't do any kind of milk products, how can I get my protein in?
kamicola replied to amonroy's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
clipped: "I would reccomend 'Isopure' Protein drinks from GNC. They are fruit flavored, clear liquid drinks. If you take a bottle and split it-1/2 Isopure 1/2 Water, it tastes like watered down Koolaid, then you're getting 20 gms protein and 10oz water at a time. " Isopure provides a great source of protein, however, the original post needs something that does not contain whey protein and Isopure is a whey protein. So she may be able to tolerate it, but seems whey and milk are making her throw up. Kammi in Everett, WA -
I wanted to give you info on a flour that I use as well... since flour typically is a no no due to being so high in carbs and also makes breads sticky due to the wheat gluten therefore not being too band friendly... I use coconut flour. It has only like 6 net carbs per 2 tablespoons and often you don't use very much in cooking due to it's high fiber content... I have a great cookbook that uses 100% coconut flour in it's recipes.... although you can substitute it for like 20% of your wheat flour and it brings down the glycemic effect of the wheat flour... the cookbook I have is by Bruce Fife and you can get it off Amazon... it is recommended for low carb diets.... check it out... I am a huge fan of coconut oil and coconut in general as it is so darn healthy for all sorts of things! Great for your skin too! Nutrition Facts 274-0001 Aloha Nu Coconut Flour 2 lbs. Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons (28 g) Servings Per Container: 32 Amount Per Serving% Daily Value*Total Calories124 Calories From Fat38 Total Fat 4.2 g6.5% Saturated Fat 3.9 g20% Trans Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg0% Sodium 56 mg2.3% Total Carbohydrates 16.6 g5.5% Dietary Fiber 10.5 g42% Sugars 1.9 g Show Net Carbs Net Carbs Minus Fiber 6.1 g Protein 4.9 g10% *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.This product contains NO TRACES of the following allergens: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shrimp, soy, walnut or wheat. 100% pure USDA certified organic. Certified organic by Organic Certifiers. KOSHER Certified Rabbi Sholom B. Dubov. Kosher Pareve.Ingredients: Organic Coconut.Recommended Use: See label for recipe. See also the cook book Cooking with Coconut Flour.Certifications: kosher If you notice any errors in the information above, please let us know. If you have further questions about this product, please contact Aloha Nu at 719-596-4875
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Help!! I don't do any kind of milk products, how can I get my protein in?
kamicola replied to amonroy's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Just be careful of soy... it has a lot of effects on health that many people are not aware of... I try to avoid it at all costs, especially when there are other althernatives... just do a search for dangers of soy and you will find lots of interesting info... coconut flour in cooking is great to provide tons of Fiber which is totally necessary and some good Protein as well... it is so darn healthy and because it doesn't have wheat gluten in it, it doesn't make things sticky or gluey like wheat flour does.... it's tricky to work with if you don't have the cookbook or know much about it... low in carbs though as it is so high in fiber.... great for low carb diets. Nutrition Facts 274-0001 Aloha Nu Coconut Flour 2 lbs. Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons (28 g) Servings Per Container: 32 Amount Per Serving% Daily Value*Total Calories124 Calories From Fat38 Total Fat 4.2 g6.5% Saturated Fat 3.9 g20% Trans Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg0% Sodium 56 mg2.3% Total Carbohydrates 16.6 g5.5% Dietary Fiber 10.5 g42% Sugars 1.9 g Show Net Carbs Net Carbs Minus Fiber 6.1 g Protein 4.9 g10% *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.This product contains NO TRACES of the following allergens: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shrimp, soy, walnut or wheat. 100% pure USDA certified organic. Certified organic by Organic Certifiers. Kosher Certified Rabbi Sholom B. Dubov. Kosher Pareve.Ingredients: Organic Coconut.Recommended Use: See label for recipe. See also the cook book Cooking with Coconut Flour.Certifications: kosher If you notice any errors in the information above, please let us know. If you have further questions about this product, please contact Aloha Nu at 719-596-4875 -
Help!! I don't do any kind of milk products, how can I get my protein in?
kamicola replied to amonroy's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
The Beneprotein can be used, but only has 6 grams of Protein per serving... not too much and it's also whey protein isolate which won't help those who can't do whey or milk products.... just wanted to pass on this info... Kammi in Everett, WA -
Help!! I don't do any kind of milk products, how can I get my protein in?
kamicola replied to amonroy's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Jalishelly... I am always looking for new ideas to share with people that can't do dairy and need the Protein... thanks for the info! Here is another link for the pea protein... really high in protein! 25 grams I think. Pure Advantage Pea Protein vanilla -- 2.2 lbs - www.Vitacost.com Kammi in Everett, WA -
Well, I did it and I did it in Mexico!
kamicola replied to sphynxmomma's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
My husband and my parents and I were all banded on May 27th and 29th at Hospital Angeles with Dr. Pedro Kuri... he was excellent and I would do it the same if I had to again.... I would just probably return home the day after surgery instead of staying if I knew it would be that easy.... I know it isn't for everyone, but for me, it was a breeze... I don't think going to Mexico was a whole lot different than having surgery done locally except up here in WA, they often send you home a few hours after surgery.... and you need to make sure you have after care set up, but besides that... it was a great experience. As far as the safety issues in TJ, I believe you are fine as long as you use precautions... I wouldn't be walking around anywhere... we took a taxi way out to Walmart and felt totally safe.... we used a taxi driver named Pepe' and he drove a very old loud car, but was friendly, spoke a little English and knew how to keep you safe... we even had our little 5-1/2 year old daughter with us and felt very safe... I wouldn't walk around the streets though! The hospital and hotel was very safe! Kammi in Everett, WA 335/305/180 DOB 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico -
Help!! I don't do any kind of milk products, how can I get my protein in?
kamicola replied to amonroy's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
amonroy.... below I pasted a link to pea Protein... it is great for those sensative to soy, dairy, etc.... but when you get to the mushy stage... a really great source of protein is Beans.... chili surprisingly has like a lot of protein in it and when blended is great! Refried beans did really well too with some cheese on them... cheese is really high in protein as well.... a slice of swiss cheese has like 9 grams of protein in it.... so hope this helps! Check out the pea protein... i am not advocatiing for the brand, just pasted it and you can do a brand and price search if you are interested... health foods stores in your town may carry a pea protein product. Pea Protein Concentrate Kammi in Everett, WA 335/305/180 DOB 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico -
Chicken or steak fajita salad is what I used to get when sticking more to the low carb lifestyle with ranch or blue cheese or salsa dressing.... Taco Salad minus the shell works too.... those generally did well... just skip the chips at the beginning.... ALSO... you all continuing to low carb it after banding for what purpose? Just curious... I am losing, even those slower now since my recent fill didn't give me too much restriction.... but I am not really watching my carbs too much... just making sure they are healthy carbs.... I was on low carb, high protein for years due to diabetes, but now that I am banded, my diabetes went into immediate remission. I know how well you can lose weight on a low carb diet, but I do think you often neglect some of the nutritious foods that your body needs to be balanced for multiple reasons.... so I would love to hear why you are continuing low carb after banding.... Kammi in Everett, WA
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Just make payments Allison... tell them that you can only pay $50 a month or whatever you can stretch... they will set up a payment plan... at least in my experience with medical payments they do.... then if you get a little more money, plop a bigger chunk down... but stretch it out as long as you can with the minimal amount possible... I hope since it was an elective surgery they are not telling you that you have to pay in full at once.... that would be a shame! Good luck to you! But in the scheme of things... you are right... $2,000.00 is minimal for what you had done.... let us know! Kammi in Everett, WA
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Hi Everyone... some of your names look familiar, so I thought I would respond! My husband and I have been eating low carb for about 6 years... fell off a few times, but overall, generally try to watch carbs closely. I do agree that one thing that gets missed is the fiber intake when you are eating low carb.... fiber is essential... you need both soluable and insoluable fiber for a multitude of health reasons. In my opinion you need 35-40 grams per day of fiber... but I think most doctors recommend 25 at least. The Kashi Go Lean Original cereal does have 20 net carbs per 1 cup serving, but 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein as well.... that is almost unheard of with any food you can eat. That is why I start my day off with it.... I am not yet restricted too much... just got 3ccs in my VG band today (first fill) and still don't have too much restriction... but am really trying to eat about 60-70 grams of protein and 35 grams of fiber... that is tough! But tuna or canned meats are way high and spinach is good too... it's about 75-80% fiber.... 2 cups of shredded fresh spinach has about 10 grams of fiber.... eat that with some canned chicken on it and some slivered almonds with some low carb dressing.... and you get a lot of nutrition out of it. Spinach is so good for you and is pretty band friendly, unlike salad.... it chews down very well. Chewing on coconut meat, dried is best... the large unsweetened flakes gives you tons of fiber as well and is so good for you in many ways as well if you can chew it down good enough. Just thought I would share some things.... can't wait to hear more from you and share more as well. Kammi in Everett, WA DOB 5/28/08 335/302/180 1st fill: 7/18/08 - 3 ccs in a VG Band - Unsure of restriction
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Alternative medicine and natural health
kamicola replied to kamicola's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
PS... I can say that when I make sure what I eat has coconut oil in it or I eat the large flakes of unsweetened dried coconut (which contains a good amount of oil), i don't get hungry as often and eat less when I do... I am starting back today... but work yourself up as if you start with a larger amount of it, you get loose stools and gas pains! Kammi -
Alternative medicine and natural health
kamicola replied to kamicola's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Excellent info Nachtigall.... thank you, I will read more on those... I have taken Arnica Montana and did so before and after Lap Band surgery... hardly any recovery pain and no bruising. Aubrie... I am glad you got the chance to read more up on Coconut oil.... why the government and actually sometimes traditional doctors do for the sake of profits is quite sickening... I just read all I can and educate myself on my and other medical conditions and sometimes I feel I know more about things than my family practitioner does... that is why I really don't go to her... my naturalpath has helped me more in one year than my doctors have all my life. As for the coconut oil helping your skin and arthritis... my arms are clean and soft finally after starting to use the oil and also I have forgot my daily doses of coconut oil the last 3-4 days due to business and I can barely walk again, my feet hurt so bad. All that was gone with regular use of coconut oil. I am doing an experiment as well... I am making sure I work myself back up to the 3 tablespoons daily (whether cooking, rubbing it on or eating it plain) and I am not going to count it in my daily calories, because I read somewhere that you don't have to count it.... and I am going to see if I stick to a 1200 calorie diet, then add the 360 calories from the coconut oil.... will I still lose weight at a good rate? So far I did lose 30 pounds post surgery eating it... so I am wondering if I get back on it... will that continue, especially since I am getting my first fill today! I will let you all know! Kammi -
Alternative medicine and natural health
kamicola replied to kamicola's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Make sure that whatever doctor you go to, you monitor your heart disease risk... you have to ask for a few tests that are not typical, but these are a few tests for the some of the biggest indicators of heart disease... make sure you ask for C-Reactive Protein levels and fibrinogen levels.... also, many overweight/obese people have thyroid disorder and it goes undiagnosed in many people for years.... the range levels are set too high... although recently I know they have been lowered. Your TSH should be under 2.0 to be under control, but also your other T4 and T3 levels are very important in your thyroid profile. I post this on here because I have learned the hard way that my traditional medicine doctors never tested me for any of this and when they did do thyroid screens per my several requests, they all said they were in the NORMAL RANGE, but for years it was way too sluggish and I should have been treated. I now to a naturalpath and thyroid is tightly controlled and I have a baseline for my C-Reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. Don't know if this is helpful to anyone, but I have rampid heart disease in my immediate and extended family and wish I knew this info earlier! Kammi in Everett, WA DOB 5/27/08 335/302/180 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico -
It's all about food choices... right now you have no restriction so, like me you can probably get about anything down without too much of an issue... but decide how you want to eat.... pizza is partially what made us obese so why continue eating it? Especially when you are restricted, every calorie and thing you put in your mouth should give you optimal nutrition the majority of the time.... why not start super healthy habits now if you want a truly new life? Isn't that why you got the band in the first place. Making bad food choices can definately take a toll on you band over time... don't risk it. What is done is done, just a bad choice, but set some goals and work hard to develop new habits. Good thing the band is pretty forgiving and lets us start over most of the time. Kammi in Everett, WA DOB 5/27/08 335/302/180 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico first fill tomorrow! 7/17/08
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Looking for a buddy who's done it in Mexico
kamicola replied to Sooverit!'s topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
I went to Dr. Kuri at hospital Angeles at the end of May this year. My husband and my parents were also banded then as well. We had a great, hastle free experience (except for the VERY HARD beds at the hotel) and would do it the same again if we had to. If you would like to chat I would love to help out! Kammi in Everett, WA 335/302/180 DOB 5/27/08 Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico