auntlucy

I was never told that either. You probably just need to be really careful not to swollow it.

Congratulations Cakes! It is such a hard decision, but once you really make up your mind, you are right that you have a complete mind shift. (At least that was the case with me.) I was banded 6 months ago, and I've lost 61 pounds (28 kilos). I still have a ways too go, but I know that I have a great tool that is going to help me succeed. It is perhaps the best thing I've ever done for myself. I've always been a very confident person, but I'm definitely feeling better about myself than I have in years. As far as throwing up, I haven't really had that experience. Twice I've had food get a little stuck, and then it comes up. Both times it was after a fill when I was much tighter. I've had a little hair loss (doctor says my body is in stress mode from the weight loss), but my doctor assures me it will come back. The good thing is that my hair, skin, nails are all very healthy...probably from all of the Protein and Biotin I take to help prevent hair loss. You mentioned your friend has a friend whose teeth have rotted. If I were guessing, that's probably because she's not getting the proper nutrition if she only eats chips. I would say those types of stories are very few and far between, and I have to question why someone would allow that to go on for 8 years...they could always have the band removed. Good luck! I think you will find a lot of support here.

You're doing great! You've lost about 13 pounds more than me, and you had your surgery a few days before. I think you are probably losing a litle faster than most, but as long as you are getting enough protein, veggies, etc., then you should be very happy!

This is a fabulous recipe. I served it at a dinner party. It's super easy (much easier than the title sounds) and it tastes great! Whisk the following ingredients in a small bowl 1 t wasabi paste (can find it on the ethnic food aisle in most grocery stores) 2 t light soy sauce 2 packets Splenda 1 T lemon juice 1 large clove garlic, minced Heat fry pan on the stove on a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, spray pan with cooking spray. Dip the 1 pound salmon (I have mine cut into serving-sized filets) in the mixture, and put it in the pan. Spoon the remaining mixture on top of each piece of salmon. Cook on each side for 4 or 5 minutes until cooked to your liking. It's great just like that. If you want to make it extra special, you can make a Creamy Wasabi Sauce to eat with it. Just mix the following in gredients together and serve on the side: 1/4 c fat free sour cream 1/4 c low fat mayonaise 1 1/2 t light soy sauce 1/2 packet splenda 1 t wasabi paste I promise it's really easy and people will be very impressed! Better yet, 4 oz of salmon prepared has 199 calories and 24 g Protein. 1/4 of the creamy wasabi sauce has 37 calories. (It'sfrom the Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery cookbook)

I suggest getting some Vitamin B drops. They are in liquid form and you put a dropper full under your tongue and hold it there for 30 seconds. They give you a boost of energy, and it's a good source of vitamin B. You can do it!

Hi Mandi! You must be so proud of yourself! I'm in McKinney. While I have a ways to go still, it's been a great journey so far.

Thursday is probably better

Mandi, I'm sorry those days won't work for you

Let's try to start Sept 16th...I don't think it would hurt to get it going...even if there are just a few. I'll look on this site and see about setting up something just for our group. Thursday nights would probably be best for me. Maybe 7 pm?

I would think 1 or 2 days a month would be good. 7:00 would be a good time b/c it would give people who work outside of McKinney time to get there.

Dr. Stephen Hamn is my doctor, and I have been very pleased with him. He is very forthright and doesn't believe surgery is for everyone. I also like the fact that his office is just made up of he and his partner (Dr. Cribbins), who also does WLS. In my research, I found that he is one of the best in the area. It has been a great experience, and his staff has been there to answer any and every question along the way. He also does the fills himself, so he is very hands on. His website is: Obesity Surgery In Texas - Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth TX I'm not sure how much it is for self-pay, but I believe it says in the FAQs on his website. Let me know if you have any questions.

Send me a PM with the location of your church. That might be a good option...especially if it is a central location.

I asked my doctor to do some bloodwork to check everything out. I've had my band for almost 6 months, and I just wanted to make sure everything was ok. I've had quite a bit of hair loss (yes, I'm getting enough protein), and I wanted to make sure my body is getting what it needs. I just received the test results in the mail, so I haven't spoken to my doctor yet. But, I was a little concerned about a couple of the results and wanted to see if anyone had any insight. My triglycerides were really high. The goal is for them to be under 150, and mine were 246. When I looked it up online, it said it's caused from a high fat diet. I haven't eaten a high fat diet for years, and especially not in the last 6 months. My HDL and LDL was also in the normal range (maybe slightly high, but not much). It said it could also be caused from hypothyroidism, but my thyroid levels tested in the normal range. The results also said my folic acid was borderline. Any insights on triglycerides or folic acid are greatly appreciated!

Good for you! I remember how agonizing that was for me too. It sounds like you made a great choice. That was also what I had for my 1st business lunch (which fell on my 1st day on solids!).

Congrats mergatroy! You are close to your goal! You should be really proud of yourself.

Thanks everyone. I'll follow up with my doctor. He wants me to re-test in 1 month.

I really like the baby romaine. If you haven't tried it, I recommend it! Although, it may not be quite as crisp as regular romaine.

My doctor encouraged me during the mushy/soup phase to crumble a few crackers up in my soup after a few days. I am still able to eat crackers, but of course, I eat them in moderation to make sure I can get all of my other nutrients in.

I eat salad almost daily. I even eat the raw veggies. Everyone has different things that they can and can not tolerate. You just have to be careful when you try them. Good luck!

I didn't have a pre-op diet. My surgeon is one of the best in Dallas, and I completely trust his judgment on that.

gritar, We all need to vent sometimes. This is a great outlet to do it. We all have our down moments...this is a very emotional journey.

way to go mominlv13! That is awesome! And Tess, I see you have lost 60! That is fantastic! I guess your fill was just what you needed to break that plateau!

I ordered mine from www.supplements.net. See link below: New whey liquid Protein 42g - 12 Vials by IDS Sports, supplements.Net Other stores may carry them. I think The Vitamin Shoppe does. But, I found the best price at supplements.net. I hope this helps!