Cindy C

To all of you who had your surgeries in the past few days...make sure you are drinking lots of water. Even if it makes you sick to your stomach, get in as much as you can. With the heat wave we're having across the country (it was 106 here in Detroit today) added to your recent surgeries it will be so easy for you to become dehydrated. Trust me, you don't want that!

I did it too. I was lucky that when I got my surgery date, I only had about 3 1/2 weeks. I ate like a pig for the first 10 days and got it out of my system. I dieted my a$$ of for 2 weeks and managed to lose 15 pounds.

Sounds like a real loser to me. Mine sees patients at the lapband center inside the hospital Mondays, Thursday mornings, Fridays and between surgeries on Tuesdays. Thursday afternoons he spends in his "real" office seeing his general surgery patients but will see a lapband patient there in an emergency. The only time he is unavailable is Wednesdays when he is doing surgery at the other hospital in town. He has a partner who is available when he is not. He even met me at the hospital on a Saturday once when I was too tight from a fill on Thursday. He is supportive beyond belief as is his entire staff. I NEVER could have had the success I have without him and them. Every one of us deserves the same. If you aren't getting that then you should maybe think about switching doctors if that's an option. In answer to your question...YES your surgeon really is that bad! Although I do agree that if you can swallow your own saliva and water you will be ok for a couple days. You just need to put yourself on liquids until he can see you. But you shouldn't have to wait more than a day or two.

Well have a fun trip and Happy Birthday!! If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I would be tempted to meet you in Lansing just so I could hear YMCA being played on a Ukelele!

Cipro comes in liquid form. If you haven't already filled the script I would request the liquid.

You're driving almost 300 miles each way to buy a Ukelele? You must REALLY LIKE the ukelele!!! I bet YMCA is awesome on it!!

Welcome.

Welcome and congrats on your success thus far. You're right, exercise is key. The weight will fall off much quicker with it. Good luck in your journey!

It would help if you were a little more specific about where you are looking. Manitoba is a big place. I searched and found only one...in Winnipeg. It's the Maples Surgical Centre. But since it's the only one I found I'll assume that's the one you already contacted. How far are you willing to travel and do you need to stay in Canada or can you cross the border? There are a couple in Grand Forks, ND. That's about 3 hours from Winnipeg but I guess it beats going to Mex-ico!

Lemon will help that. Drink lemonade or suck on lemon hard candy. (both s/f of course!)

Congrats to you both. Your hubbies are going to be thrilled.

You figure it out when it gets stuck every time you try to eat it. You are on mushies now with no restriction. Your band can handle pretty much anything. Once you go back to solids and begin having restriction you will have to figure out what you can and cannot eat. You may even find that after a fill those things change and you have to refigure it out. There's really no rhyme or reason why different foods effect us differently. I suppose it has to do with our different anatomies, band placement, amount of fill and how well we chew. I can't eat red meat....won't even try anymore. But chicken never gives me a problem. Others can't eat chicken but can eat steak. Most of us can't handle white bread or pasta but some can. There was a time when mashed potatoes would get stuck but then after a fill I could eat them again. That was crazy! You'll learn in time what works for you. It's all trial and error.

I have a feeling you're going to lose way more than 20 pounds by Christmas. I started out right about the same place you did and lost 85 pounds the first 8 months. You're already 10 pounds ahead of where I was at the same point. You're doing great. Keep up the good work!

When I was growing up, my mom made a stew that she cooked in beer. It was awesome! I don't eat that kind of stuff any more. Red meat and my band just don't get along. But I used to cook ham in Vernors. Don't know if that is available nationwide but it's a Detroit made Ginger Ale.

I don't have an IPhone. I have an Android. I went to the marketplace and searched "food journal" and it came up with several pages of apps. I use mylapbandjourney and don't bother doing it on my phone. I just remember everything and log it when i get home.

That's what we're here for!

I hear ya, Sister! In the old days, I may as well have been invisible. Now men flirt with me constantly. Clerks fall all over themselves to wait on me. Cops pull me over and DON'T give me tickets. Yesterday I got out of my car to pump gas at a station you have to pay first at. The attendant told me, over the intercom, go ahead and pump first. People make eye contact and smile as they walk by instead of diverting their attention. The list goes on and on. But guess what? I'M THE SAME PERSON I WAS 145 POUNDS AGO!!!!!

I'm in the green zone with 5.8.

4cc is the original band. When I got mine 3 years ago they had just started using the 10cc. Now they have one that holds 14cc. If you've had yours 5 years then, yes it's probably 4cc. It might hold slightly more than that but not much. Just curious, why did you change doctors?

I had bcbs and was approved easily. Good luck.

Elizabeth, I lost like that in the beginning too. I don't think it has to do with age since I was 30 years older at the time. Enjoy it whiles it lasts. What you're doing seems to be working. Keep it up! When the weight loss slows down (trust me it will) you may need to adjust your habits but for now you are doing great!!!! Good Job!

Every doctor is different with his/her directives. My doctor had no pre op diet and no "mushy" stage. Post op was clear liquids for 2 weeks...full liquids for 2 weeks and then gradually reintroduce solids. He never dictated a measured amount of food, just eat slowly til your satisfied and then stop. He also has no prefill diet and post fill is liquids for 12-24 hours.

That is SOOOOO well said!!! I couldn't agree more. In answer to the OP's question, I used to open my eyes in the morning and my first thought was "what am I going to eat today?" And I would head straight for the fridge. After I had my surgery, I became completely addicted to the scale. I would weigh myself numerous times a day and as the numbers came down, so did the cravings for food. I knew that I had to give up one or the other. Before long my first conscience thought became "what do I weigh today?" And I would head for the scale. I'm no longer obsessed with food although I'm still obsessed with the scale. I found that keeping a copy of my "before" picture on the fridge helped. I look at it and think "is THAT really what I want?" Of course the answer is always HECK NO!!! I very seldom even think about food anymore. My mindset has changed. I no longer live to eat. I eat to live!

Good luck to you both.