bambam

Congrats on your bands! When I moved to pureed foods I just ate whatever I had made my husband for dinner, and put it in the JCP version of the Magic Bullet -meatloaf, spaghetti sauce and meatballs, chili, fish, you name it I pureed it. Best of luck!

Hi guys - I know this is really a hard time right now, but whatever your doctor will allow you to have, have a variety of it. Don't stick to one thing all the time - vary it as much as he/she will allow so you don't get bored and feel deprived. It really does help. In the meantime, just think of the great jump start you are giving yourself! Before you know it this phase will be over!! Best of luck to you!

I've gotten the protein powder added to my skinny vanilla lattes before - usually when I know I'm struggling to get my protein in. It isn't real noticeable, but when I get to the bottom of the cup I run across some that didn't get dissolved. I prefer just my skinny vanilla latte, but find the further out from surgery I get the less I need that boost of protein, even from the milk. My doc is big on no caffeine, so I do the decaf option. I'm not a big coffee drinker so I'm not missing them like I thought I would. However, after a fill when I'm on liquids.... I still enjoy :scared2:

Kiwi - I'm glad you talked with your doc's office and got reassurance. I hope you feel better each day!

I wonder if the tube they put down your throat during surgery may have irritated it and you're feeling that? I'd call the doctor's office and check with them - they are always your best source if you have any concerns. Hope you are sleeping better.

Erin - The dailyplate is free - if you want the "gold" version then it costs. I just use the regular one and have since surgery.

I was so anxious to hear I kept calling my insurance company (bugging) to see if a decision had been made and one day they said I was approved and that a letter was in the mail. I called my surgeon's office and informed them. I was so thrilled!!!

Tracy - Sorry you had a bad experience but it sounds like you handled it well. I really can't handle breads, unless it is a small piece of a crust or something like that but I've been where you are and it is no fun. When I've had an unusually bad stuck episode my doc recommends liquid Benadryl to help with the swelling (and hot liquids make me feel better too). I'm sure you know this already, but go to liquids for a few days until you feel better and gradually go back to soft foods, then solids. I myself would skip the Tylenol too. Feel better.

Mrsboomer - I haven't had this happen, but if I were you I think I would talk with my doctor's office. Go over with them how you are feeling, what you are eating, how much, etc. They will be able to help you and see what changes can be made in what or how you are eating so you are more comfortable. While liquids aren't a long-term answer, maybe going back to liquids for a few days would allow things to calm down a bit and you could gradually work back to soft foods, then solids to see how you do. Check with your doctor's office though as they are the ones best able to advise you. Let us know how you are doing!

Congrats! How exciting!! I'm 4 pounds away and it feels like it is taking me forever to get there... but prior to my surgery I never dreamed it was a possibility - so I'm trying to enjoy the journey and not be too impatient. Keep up the great work!

Mimi - Hope you enjoy it! I have fresh strawberries in the house this week and have been using those instead of the frozen, but they do make the smoothie a little thinner (which is okay because I had a fill last week and the thicker smoothie was even slow going the first few days).

I hicccup once - for me it is a sign that I'm done with my meal (but sometimes it is a sigh or a burp instead) - it's funny what signs your body gives you. The hard part is listening to those signs sometimes :biggrin:

I have pretty good restriction and am pretty tight in the morning so I have a breakfast smoothie. Here's what in it in case you are interested: 3 oz pineapple juice 3 oz milk 1 Activia lite vanilla yogurt 1/2 frozen banana 3 frozen strawberries (few blueberries if I have them on hand) 1 scoop vanilla Protein powder It is about 280 calories and 28 grams of protein so gets me off to a good start protein wise and gives me some dairy and my fruit for the day. It lasts me about 4 hours (no different than a solid food does for breakfast) - I seem to go longer between lunch and dinner than breakfast and lunch. Your breakfast is one of my old favorites, but just doesn't work well for me much anymore. Hope you get some more ideas!

Oh my, there are so many - but here are just a few! - Being able to go in a theater, etc., without wondering if I'll fit in the seats comfortably. - Going from a 3X to a L/XL and being able to shop in "regular" stores (although this is really overwhelming at this point. I really have no clue what stores to go in anymore - what stores are age appropriate for me, etc.) - Feeling I actually look somewhat "normal" - not wondering who is staring at me because of my size. - Being able to bend over to tie my shoes, etc. - Sitting with my legs crossed - so much easier! - Going on walks and hikes with my hubby without having to stop every 10 feet to breathe. I can even tackle the hills, etc. - Having my daughter say "OMG Mom - I've never seen you this "skinny!" - as she stood there with her jaw dropped). She lives across the country so it was about 9 months after my surgery before she saw me.

I'm a little over a year out from my surgery and find I'm usually tight in the morning so this is my "Breakfast smoothie": 3 oz of pineapple juice 3 oz of milk 1 vanilla low-fat yogurt (I use Activia) 1/2 frozen banana 2-3 frozen strawberries (8 blueberries or so if I have them on hand) 1 scoop whey isolate Protein powder - vanilla I just mix it in my blender and it's great. It is about 280 calories and 28 grams of protein. That is pretty much my fruit and dairy for the day. For lunch and dinner I concentrate on getting in the remainder of my protein and try to get a little veggie in. HTH!

Most of mine went to a local consignment shop to help pay for new, smaller clothes. The rest went to Goodwill. I also went from a 3X to a L/XL. It's a great feeling, but boy was I panicking 2 weeks ago when I realized I had 1 pair of shorts (they may be too big - haven't tried them on yet) and 2 lawnmowing T-shirts - that was it! What my old items sold for allowed me to buy 3 crops, 2 new pjs, 2 pairs of shoes (even my shoes were too big). 2 coats for spring, and about 12 tops. I bought some consignment items but have really been price shopping to get the most for my money by taking advantage of the sales in the stores. Like you, I don't want to invest a lot of money in my clothes at this point, but don't want to wear the same thing every day either.

Tuna salad doesn't work for me either - it is just one of those things my band won't tolerate.

I'm averaging about a cup of food per meal, some meals it is less, some meals it is more. I'm going for a fill today to just tweak things a bit as the scale hasn't been moving and I've started to get hungry more often. I mainly eat Protein, fruit, and dairy in the mornings (smoothie as I'm usually tightest then), protein and a little veggie at noon, and the same at night. I rarely do potatoes. I can't eat muffins, my band just won't tolerate them. I quit drinking with meals 6 months before my surgery. I stop drinking 30 minutes before and don't drink until 30 minutes after. I just don't have anything nearby to make it easier not to automatically reach for it. I wonder if you are too tight - in that you end up having the mashed potatoes, which could be considered a slider food? If you are drinking with meals, that could be filling up your pouch too - and you need that space for good solid food, especially protein. HTH!

My doctor's guideline is a minimum of 60 grams of Protein a day. Here's how I get mine in: Breakfast: smoothie consisting of: 1/2 frozen banana 3 frozen strawberries. 10 fresh blueberries 1 vanilla Activia light yogurt 3 oz pineapple juice 3 ounces milk 1 scoop vanilla Protein powder (about 280 calories, 30 grams protein). I'm usually tight in the morning so the smoothie works well for me. lunch & Dinner: 3-4 ounces of protein Try to add some veggies with these meals. I've got the protein down, it's the Water I need to work on. :thumbup: HTH!

I don't have allergies but my doctor's office encourages me to take liquid Benadryl if I have a stuck episode bad enough that I have swelling. It helps with the swelling in the those instance, but am guessing it would be perfect for your alleriges. I buy the Children's medication, but there is adult dosing listed on the packaging as well. HTH!

Sometimes sweet things go right through my band and I feel I could eat them forever and other times a tiny bit can stop me dead in my tracks. I just never know. My philosophy is that there are no "bad" food choices. Seriously, if you saw someone without a weight problem eating a bite of cotton candy no one would think anything of it, but because we have eating disorders and little self control (at least I do!) we deem things "good" and "bad." I think that just sends us down a path of beating ourselves up, which then leads to a vicious circle of eating "bad" food again and gets us out of control. I didn't get the band to never have anything sweet again. I got the band to LIVE. Yes part of that means being wiser about what I eat and treating myself less often (and in MUCH smaller quantities) but it doesn't mean that life has come to an end and I can never enjoy a bit of this or that ever again. For those who are able to be very disciplined and restrict themselves to that extent - great! But different things work for different people and we all have to find out what our own good balance is. With that comes trial and error - we are human, we will make choices that are less healthy.... but I didn't have this surgery to live longer and be miserable.

I'm usually tight in the morning but also short on time, so I have a smoothie. Here's what is in mine: 1/2 frozen banana 3 frozen strawberries 1 Activia vanilla yogurt 1 scoop vanilla Protein powder 3 ounces of pineapple juice 3 ounces of milk Some days I throw in some blueberries. This is an easy way for me to get a protein-filled breakfast in, but also a great way to get some dairy and fruit in. I think it is right around 300 calories and 30 grams of protein. HTH!

My daughter made a spiral sliced ham for Christmas and since the slices are so thin it was very easy to eat. That is what I'm going to make for Easter. I think those tend to be more tender as well. JMO :frown:

I was a little worried about being able to eat mushy foods, but honest to goodness, they tasted so good I could have cared less! I put mine in a Magic Bullet type blender and pretty much ate whatever I made for my husband. It was heaven!

Doctors really vary on the time frame for drinking - mine says to wait 30 minutes before and after a meal before drinking, so do whatever YOUR doctor said. If you are truly hungry talk with your doctor's office. They may advise you to take some Protein between "meals" (my doctor's office did). If you let yourself get too hungry, with hunger pains, you run the risk of overdoing and you don't want that. Talk with your doctor's office to see what they suggest. Until you start getting fills you likely won't have much restriction and they realize that. Good luck!