nfl1

Bummer, I was travelling in St. Louis last week for the women's final four - it would have been fun to meet you! (I'm from upstate NY)

I lived on this type of full of flavor broth during my 4 week pre-post op liquids. You feel like you are getting real food because you can taste the full bodied flavor (as opposed to what you buy as broth from the store). If you are past the clear liquid stage, you can take the veggies from the strainer and blend them and add back to the broth, just be sure to strain the broth again to be sure you didn't miss any chunks. This makes the broth seem thicker and creamier even without any cream...

I loved my mushy stage - I was banded Jan. 20. I did a chili dog (turkey dog) and blended it with extra tomato sauce, and topped it with some shredded cheese. My favorite was (love thai food) beef massaman - the local Thai Cuisine serves it with 5-7 pieces of very tender beef and LOTS of sauce, so add in a little rice and bam lots of flavor. I'd made a list of the foods that were driving me crazy (from either TV commercials or people heating their food at work for lunch)...and had these during mushy time.

Hi all, I was banded January 20, and in St. Louis for the women's final four (any banders out here with good suggestions for places to eat that have mostly good choices/size portions?). I was good to go while delayed in the airport and flying, and yesterday in the arena (I'd brought Protein drink, atkins Protein Bar and a Crystal Lite packet), but after all day standing in lines, I went to try to find a store to buy large women's jeans, and lo and behold saw a Red Lobster (ugh, temptation!). I did get an appetiser (grilled scallops) and a lobster tail only and felt ok, but this morning, the tempting waffle house called my name and now I feel over full and decided I'd come here to tell all and get back on track. I figure that I'm walking a lot more than at home, and hopefully won't gain too much, but do have supplies here in the hotel that I'd already shopped for, so didn't need to go out (got deli turkey, cottage cheese, shredded cheese and crackers, things I could bag up and take into the arena for tonight). I'm off to walk to the arena shortly, and have my baby bowls of turkey and cheese with a baggie of crackers with me (I did call ahead to get permisison for special food). Anyone have other good travel tips to help stave off the temptation and magetized draw into the hold favorite restaurants? Thanks, Nancy

Thanks so much, I definitely took turkey slices and cheese and crackers to the arena tonight. I started with a Protein drink, and was so hungry in the 2nd game that I ate my packed food - so I am feeling pretty good, but man, walking around the arena where they sell roasted nuts (done right there, and make it smell so good), kettle corn, pop corn just keeping my mind off the smells took concentration! I plan to get in the hotel pool tomorrow, and know I'm walking much more (about 2000 more steps than my average at home according to the pedometer that I just set - I was curious what I'd do while here).

Also, I've found (banded 1/20/09) that just because my tummy is rumbling and making LOTS of noise, doesn't mean that I am hungry. My co-workers have put up with the noisy new me (I try to keep the burping private, but the tummy thunder I can't control ). Most of the time it happens I don't FEEL hungry at all, and I've had to resist my head telling me to feed that stomach.

Me too - I slept in a recliner for 5 days, then tried the bed for two before doing the recliner for another 2. It was just much easier to get up and walk at night (without needing help). I did have the gas pain, and could only sleep for a couple hours at a time. I was banded 1/20/09.

I'd like to join...just had my 2nd fill today, so maybe I will start losing again! My goal is 15 pounds by Cinco de Mayo.

I was banded 1/20, and got my 2 cc fill a week or so ago. I was happy that he takes it slow, to make sure we are successful long-term, not short term. I don't want to feel bad or get things stuck, I like that it's taking time for adjusting to the life. I'm down 30 pounds since the pre-op diet started 1/6/09, and with 3 golden retrievers, I see it as losing a big bag of dog food that I no longer have to carry around every minute of every day (eventhough I can't "see" it in the mirrow or others see it either). I started at BMI 53, and do feel better - that's what counts.

I was banded Jan. 20 and brought a small gym bag only. Wore the sweats and large turtle neck in (no bra) and out... I didn't wear a bra for 1.5 weeks, one incision is right where my bra band would be, so it wasn't worth it. I brought an audio book, gas X, chapstick, washcloth, extra undies and pad...but all I needed/used was the chapstick and clothes I wore in and out (and the pillow to hold to my belly on the ride home). I was so tired from the anesthesia, that all I did overnight and morning was walk (to get the gas moving), sleep and watch tv.

I love my Magic Bullet, it gives you so many options, and you can blend in the same cup that you drink from (and can simply screw a top on and bring it to work). It's also a whiz for the puree stage and really quick. I got mine from ebay. Nancy

I got my first fill today too! They had me drink a couple cups (the triangle kind from the water cooler) over 10-15 min. before I could leave. No problem. I also had a protein drink and creamed soup so far today. My doc says 24 hrs liquid only, then 2 days mushies and slowly add back solids. I look forward to see how the fill (2 cc) feels when I get back to normal food.

I was banded on 1/20, and had my first fill of 2 ccs today. Not sure what I'll feel, since I can only do liquids for 24 hrs, but look forward to see whether it feels different than nothing in the band.

My partner was totally against it too - scared something would happen to me, but has stepped up and been wonderful, taking care of me (and mom who lives with us while I was on the liquid diet and recovering). Now I am discovering that part of the fear was how her life would change (due to what I could eat), and potentially being "left behind" while I lost weight and she didn't. But it's been inspiring her to eat smaller portions now and be more mindful of what she's eating. Do what you need for YOU, and he may jump on board, or at least follow along.

I didn't have trouble getting used to the cpap at first, except that my nose kept getting irritated. HOWEVER, I did have to take the CPAP to the hospital the day of surgery, and that night in the ICU (all sleep apnea folks are in ICU), I had to take it off after a couple of hours and couldn't wear it again for 2-3 weeks! The air pressure from the CPAP was too much when I had so much gas, and shoulder pain, I thought I was going to blow up. Good luck!

I am a 1/20 bander, and go next Thursday...I've lost about 26 pounds, and am not sure how my doc weighs whether to do a fill or not. It isn't filled at all on installation, so I suspect I'll get a fill. For those who got one the first time - did it really fell much different?

I too did ice on the tummy, heat on the shoulder/back, felt a little weird to be 2 temps at the same time, but it did the job. My doc didn't allow jello post-op only pre.

Wow, I had about 1/2 mug of cream of chicken a couple days post op, and went back for another half and was so uncomfortable - I can so relate - I agree though it probably went through the band, but I was uncomfortable for hours (it was night-time) and I never did it again, but still WANTED the warm soup every day.

After my 2 day clear liquids, my favorite lunches were cream of tomato or cream of chicken (strained) Soups, they tasted SO heavenly. I also had veggie stew and venison stew broth (everything strained out), and I enjoyed getting warm things in addition to the Protein shakes. Adding non-fat skim milk powder to soups, broth or shakes added 5g protein per T. i also drank a LOT of crystal light. After years of drinking a lot of Water, post-surg I wanted flavor! I also didn't like the cinnamon or peppermint flavor of the Gas-X strips, so got cherry GasX and cherry Maalox or Mylanta chewables. liquid Tylenol also was a godsend, it helped with the shoulder pain more than the pain meds for me. Chapstick for the hospital was the BEST advice I ever received from these boards.

I was banded 1/20, and took 1.5 weeks off before going back to work. I was grateful that I could sleep in (in my recliner), not think about anything besides getting the protein in and reading these boards. I'm feeling much better now, and had kept a list of all the foods that "drove me crazy" during the month of liquids (2 pre-op and 2 post op), then pureed some of them during my current mushie stage (beef masaman, chili dog, roast chicken, tandoori chicken...just add broth if they don't have a lot of sauce, so I'm now getting the flavors and it was well worth the wait). Good luck, it WILL get better. Nancy

You may want to check with your nutritionist about the lentil soup. I was planning on lentil soup, and she told me that lentils would not be allowed (not a non-starchy veggie, nor black beans), but you can remove the lentils from the soup. Each NUT may have different option on it.

In the mushy stage, I got beef masaman from our fav Thai Restaurant - it was perfect pureed, lots of sauce, add a little rice in the puree, very tender meat...loved the great flavor after a month of liquid!

I ate sugar free jello, pudding, some SF popscicles, and a lot of broth of stews that we made (I could have the non-starchy veggies so I removed everything else), protein drinks, and a LOT of crystal light. The stew broths saved me - lots of garlic and other flavors (cumin, tarragon, and others) so that the rich flavor felt like I was having more than I was.

I'm on pureed stage now, and chewed a few rarely cooked 95% lean pieces of hamburger last night (my mom didn't finish hers, they are cut into 1/4-1/2" pieces), but didn't swallow what I chewed, though did enjoy the chewing and flavor as it came from the hamburg...I was wondering if I was ok, felt like I was cheating, but rationalized that if I didn't swallow the solids, it might be ok?

Hi Kathy, Thing are going well here as long as I don't twist too much at night (if I do, I get pain still near some of the incisions). I don't feel hungry, even though my stomach growls and makes a lot of noise here and there, it doesn't hurt like hunger...which seems weird. I try to only eat the amount that fits in a baby bowl (I bought some Gerber bowls that have tops, and put my lunch in them). I still drink 2 Protein drinks a day, and have 1 egg scrambled with some cheese on top each morning, then some pureed meat with mashed potato (sweet or regular) whatever fits in the bowl. For supper I'm back to cooking for the family, and pureeing a bit of whatever I serve - we've had roasted chicken with sweet potato, chili dogs, and spaghetti with meat sauce (made with ground turkey). They've all tasted good, and I think I'm not eating too much, or at least I haven't felt uncomfortable like I did the first week when I had more than 1/2 small coffee mug of cream of chicken Soup. My next appt. with the nutritionist is wed, so I'll find out (i have been keeping a food diary). How are you doing?? Nancy