Jodi_620

1.) You should start by clearing all carbs out of your system for a few days. 2.) In my opinion, counting carb grams is not neccesary. It is not so much how many carb grams you are getting as it is what types of carbs you are eating. Highly processed carbs made from bleached white flour and sugar need to be cut back or eliminated. Starchy carbs like rice, potato, pasta and corn need to be limited and when you do have them, watch your serving size and pair them with protein. Having protein with your carbs slows down the effects it has on your blood sugar...this lessens spikes and dips that cause cravings. Get the majority of your carbs from natural, unprocessed sources like fresh fruit and dairy. Limit bread and only eat 100% whole grain bread (in the US make sure it says 100% on the package) and whole grain sugar free cereals. 3. If I were you I would go back on my pre-op diet for a week...I would do liquid protein. This would reset your blood sugar levels. Then be careful about what kinds of carbs you reintroduce into your diet.

The original version is 300 lbs. and the newer versions go up to 330 lbs.

You should make sure that you are getting enough protein but excess protein really isn't necessary. If you are tight and are having problems getting in enough solid protein then shakes as a supplement are probably a good idea. But you shouldn't replace your meals with liquid protein.

I've never used mine either. I just order my food and ask for a takeout container at the same time. I put 2/3 of the food in the container and take home what will be two meals for me to eat later.

I went through the problem of not being able to get in the recommended Protein too. I used shakes and shots. My doctor does not want me to use these as a meal but said I could use them as supplements while still getting in 3 meals a day. I would have a shake mid-morning and if needed a shot before exercising in the evening. I only needed to do this for a while, eventually I was able to eat enough solid protein. Worldwide shakes make it easy with 35G in one shake. I got mine at the local Vitamin Shop store or you can get them online: Pure Protein Shake Frost Choco by Worldwide Sport - VitaminShoppe.com Or the shots are small 3oz and pretty easy to get down and you can get them at the Vitamin Shoppe too: New whey Liq Protein 42 Fruit by IDS Sports - VitaminShoppe.com

It depends on the agreement your company made with Aetna. You should check with them.

It is certainly not unusual to feel pain if you do not eat properly with the band. That includes taking small bites, chewing well, eating slowly and not overeating. The pain I feel from not eating right is above the band in the esophagus and so it is chest pain. The couple of times I've tried drinking too soon I have had discomfort and even had the liquid come back up once.

Vain or not, it is a legitimate concern. I was worried about it too. We are close in age and my face isn't as tight as it was when there was a bunch of fat but it doesn't look saggy either and I am not too far away from goal now so I don't see it getting too much worse (due to weight loss anyway :ohmy:). Overall I look MUCH, MUCH better without the weight.

Here you go Barb.... NAME*************START WGHT.*****CURRENT WGHT.*********GOAL**********LBS. LOST ***:cursing: *************:w00t:*************:eek: ***********:ohmy:**********:bored:*** 1000words..........237............225............220...........12 1dayatime..........259............250............239............9 aJoneen............213............210............199............3 alliemorris73......229............229............199............0 Ariel..............193............193............183............0 Barb12590..........207............192............187...........15 Bea1129............198.5..........194............183..........4.5 Brandy.............208............200............198............8 CQQlgirl...........188............186............170............2 crzytchr...........265............253............250...........12 JasonR.............366............366............351............0 Jodi_620...........174............163............159...........11 KikiVal315.........229............223.5..........215..........5.5 Kirsty39...........237............234............217............3 laurigee...........170............162............158............8 Leslie2Lose........215............214............199............1 LilMissDiva........244............244............225............0 lindar172 .........257.8..........249.8..........240..........7.8 LisaB..............189............181............170............8 mamanmidwife.......275............268............255............7 MegMegs13..........266............260............250............6 mominlv13..........282.4..........272.8..........270..........9.6 noosagirl..........138............138............124............0 Renee74............198............191............185............7 renewedhope........162............161............150............1 SailorChristy......251.5..........248............230..........3.5 southernmissy......209............198............195...........11

Welcome Danielle! Good luck on your journey, it has been a wonderful one for me. This is great place for support.

I was overweight since I was a small child. I learned to use food when I was stressed. Mom and Dad had a really bad abusive marriage and finally divorced when I was seven. Plus being overweight I was always tormented and teased in school. Then mom remarried another abusive man. When I left home at 17 my life improved and I was able to lose weight but never able to keep it off for good.

It usually takes a fill or two to get that full feeling. On average around four fills. I felt a little more restriction with each fill and the fifth fill was the charm.

Your avatar does not show your age which has a lot to do with it. From the beginning I accepted the fact that at 39 years old, I was going to have some loose skin. My upper thighs and upper arms do have extra skin and no amount of lotion would have kept me from having at least some. I have been using Olay Quench with Shea butter and I think it is fantastic I could see the improvement after using it twice a day for around two weeks. I use their soap too. I did see improvement in my facial skin soon after quitting smoking. It was healthier looking and others noticed it too. But I have since lost 71 pounds and my facial skin is a little looser...not saggy but looser than when I weighed 234. I have this scary little thing on my neck that I am hoping will snap back, not exactly a waddle but almost. It does not stand out too much but I know it is there and it REALLY bothers me. I also use Olay face products (Regenerist) and I have been slathering that stuff on hoping it will help. It does make it appear to go away when I first put it on then several hours later it comes back. :ohmy:

Wednesday: Breakfast: Eggbeaters with cheese Lunch: (Christmas Party at work:ohmy:!) Catered dinner of ham, mashed potato and gravy, broccoli/carrots, rolls and biscuits with orange conserve, salad and cookies and brownies. I had a spoonfull of everything and left the bread and goodies alone...so I would say I survived the second holiday food obstacle (Thanksgiving being the first). Two more dinners/parties to go. :ohmy: Dinner: DH and I went out to Buffalo Wing Factory Pub for dinner. Had one chicken finger and a popper.

I saw several people here mention this so I asked my doctor and he said that he didn't see any reason to do this unless you feel like you are unable to eat solids, in that case he said I should really come see him.

Tuesday: Breakfast:Eggbeaters cooked with green onion, fresh spinach and swiss cheese Snack: small handfull of dry Kashi Go Lean Cereal Lunch: Leftover Stew Dinner: ...I was on the go all night. Grabbed a banana on the way to the mall then when I got home I picked a few pieces here and there off a baked chicken breast while trying to get things done.

I think it depends on the hospital. I am not sure if this is typical but with all my surgeries, about a week before surgery I got a pre-admission call from the hospital. The nurse goes over everything from what to wear, what not to wear, what medications I take and whether I should take them the day of, how to deal with TOM if applicable, when to arrive where to go and details on checking out. I was told that it was not even necessary to remove nail polish. But from what I have read here many times, these rules vary greatly.

Yesterday Breakfast: oatmeal cooked in skim milk and berries Snack: 1/2 banana with tbs. Peanut Butter Lunch: Mixed green salad w/scoop tuna Dinner: Brunswick Stew

Your doctor should have given you nausea medication. I needed them off and on for about two weeks. See if you can get some, I don't remember the name brand but I got some tiny cherry flavor pills that disolve on your tongue. He should have also given you a script for antacid, mine are also tiny pills (Pantaprazole). I still carry those with me for rare bouts of reflux.

Yep, I love my "pony" :mad2:

I was told to wait 24 hours then drive when it was comfortable for me. Surgery was on Friday and I was back behind the wheel on Monday (when I was no longer doped up on pain meds). Getting in and out of the car was a little uncomfortable (I drive a Mustang) and the seatbelt had to be adjusted but once seated I was fine.

I can't see why that would change anything. The decision on whether you qualify for surgery has already been made. You are supposed to lose weight on the pre-op diet.

I didn't have to do the laxative/enema thing or the antibacterial shower...no antibiotics the day before either. Just no eating or drinking after midnight, no makeup-lotion-deoderant or jewlery and I had to tie my hair up.

I had two similar experiences with bypass people. Both were not people I knew personally rather came through my MIL. One was a lady that she worked with who had already lost most of her weight with bypass and when she heard I was going to get the band she told my MIL that the band is a ripoff, I will only lose a little weight and I will be on a liquid diet most of the time. And that I would have to keep going back for the rest of my life for adjustments. Then MIL's sister told her about a neighbor who had bypass and lost a lot of weight. She told her neighbor about me getting banded and she guaranteed that I would not lose weight and would probably gain. My MIL didn't say much but I knew that she didn't have much confidence in what my outcome would be. Seven months later she now sees that these people were wrong. The real revelation came on Thanksgiving when I had on new clothes that actually fit me and she saw me in my size 8 jeans. She was amazed. She said that not only was my weight loss as good as her co-workers but I look healthier...apparently here coworker is pale and her face looks sunken all the time. She is also out sick a lot. So from my experience it does seem like some bypass patients tend to look down on Lap Band.

My hiccups are really deep and hard. I use them as guage, when I hiccup I have had enough to eat. I have not been able to burp since surgery though others say they burp a lot more.