Trip2bme

You're right, with those perametersm it is impossible to get in 64 oz. of water/day. I often will think I've had 1/2 bottle during my morning walk only to discover I barely opened the bottle. But I do drink as much as possible at every moment...speaking of which, i am going to get some more now!! Honestly, drink as much as you can...You can only do what you can do. Donlt fret, try harder tomorrow.

If you have an intrinsic knowledge of how a toilet must feel when the plunger is headed it's way... If you must ask your husband several times if he's so color blind he doesn't know the difference between the Lt. Blue and the Red capped milk... If your children are rewarded with bikings, walks, and interactive playtime with Mom & Dad rather than candy or an evening with Spongebob... If getting out of the bathub is reminding you less and less of the "Save the Whales" campaign... If a Magic Bullet is your hot new toy (and that's for the kitchen)... If you drink bottled water to keep track of how many ounces you've had... If you have actually calculated that it is mathmatically impossible to drink 64 oz. of water in a day, drinking one ounce every 10 minutes, stopping the liquid intake one hour before and one hour after a meal, and get at least 6 hours of sleep... If you don't know whether to count Isopure Ready mades as a water or a meal... If you know what on earth an Isopure Ready-made is, or for that matter, Isopure!... If going into GNC isn't embarrassing any more... You Might Be a BAND STER!!! ok, I think my work here is done!! Thanks for the fun tonight...I got to read through the whole thing, and crack up. What a fun group!

You all ROCK!! Thanks for the inspiration...JOYCE...WTG!!! That is incredible!!! I hope there's room for me to squeeze in here and join all of you cool losers! This appears to be a great thread for those of us traveling south together from UP NORTH. I have not fought the battle with much courage these past few days. But reading your posts have given me a fresh desire to be successful today. Thank you. I have started my morning out right. I plan to be successful through the evening hours as well. Have any of you experienced this?? Following the first 3 weeks of surgery i was cooking for my family every breakfast and supper, and never had one temptation. But other people were uncomfortable eating around me because they thought I was struggling. Finally one evening, I can up the fight, and began eating...still only a fraction of what I used to eat, but I did move into solids too fast. (I'm not blaming my decision to make the wrong choice on others, but that was one of the factors) So, I was wondering how you have dealt with others feeling uncomfortable.

Welcome, Cathy! I'm in Bay City. You don't happen to be near Brimley, do you?? I have friends up there! Are you beginning to haw from the winter yet? Or still wearing your muckalucks? Well, welcome at any rate!

i would check in the baby section of your store. I know I had to use that kind of stuff for my kids...and I think that would be more gentle on our systems as well. Hey, everyone, I just though I'd let you May Bandsters know how glad I am to have you here!! I look forward to my 30 minutes on this site learning and getting to know you all. You have each become a happy part of my day. Just wanted to thank you!! :hug:

Jim, Check out this site http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/obesity/us/patient/patient.html#lapband It will answer more of your questions than i can. I think I would choose the one that's easily 'serviceable' in your case. But, before I surfed this board I didn't know there was an option! I also think there can't be any validity to the 3/4 concept...I held one at the "inaugural seminar" and it clamped completely closed. Good luck in your decision!

Audrey, What an amazing testimony of the human spirit...specifically your human spirit. I love the fact that in each of these photos you're smiling. Your sparkling personality and positive attitude reaches through the PC!! You are definitely my new hero. You have my sympathy during this time of grief and loss. It's amazing the amount of emotions you must be going through...including the numbness. I recall almost feeling bi-polar. My the peace of God wrap you up and surround you like a warm blanket on an autumn day. Thanks for sharing about you!!!

Okay, I'm not a doctor, not do I play one on TV, but Heresdeb, my guess is that the sore throat and croakiness would be due to the things they throw into your throat while on the table. I also had blue lines running down my face from the dye they ran in to make certain there weren't any leaks. (They mechanically made me swallow...how Grey's Anatomy can you get???) I don't think they're related (the throat feeling and the chest pain) but they might be, and that pain in your chest could be ANYTHING. It could simply be gas still trying to find its' way out...but it could be an infection, or any number of things. Take some time to get it checked out. You should have a quick EKG at least to rule out a variety of possibilities, but please call the doc. When in doubt, call the doc! :confused:

Thank you...not only for what you said, but for sharing your heart and mind. Only 2 weeks banded myself, I've already sunk in and out of the 'honeymoon' stage. Discouragment is a close shadow when you only have liquids. As for what people think of you as a person and your personal journey...that's why we're all in this place at one time. To be a community of newbies, oldbies, and in-betweenies...remember it takes a village? We are all going to have different thoughts, ideas, helps, hurts...and we need to share them in such a way as to strengthen each other. So, ROCK ON P'NUT!...and everyone else who has questions, answers and pontifications! btw...you're right, you do have the best husband. I am blessed by the way he supports you!

<p>Lola Leather Whip .. Watch yourself now!</p>

FYI...Liquid only phase drink. Bolthouse Farms (in the organic section...usually by the produce) They make wonnndddeerrrful Chai and Mocha flavored beverages with added PROTEIN! Not chalky, think, or ooeeyy gooeey. They also have Carrot juice, and a variety of fruit drinks that are all natural...no sugar added, and often have vitamin benefits. Check out your grocery store for this yummy tip! Enjoy! I am now on to Full Liquids!!! Praise the Lord...or whomever you want...but for me it's the Lord. I am really into my soup at hand. Have a successful day!

I used to think I really loved me. I guess thes last couple days have proven me wrong, because I'm mentally falling into bad behaviors. Oh, nothing I'm in serious trouble for...for bad behaviors none the less. I'm biting and chewing...and chewed really super good and had some chicken breast. It felt wonderful. I had no problem getting it down, nothing came up, everything settled well. The part that scares me is whether or not I'm going to be able to stop myself next time. Right now, I have a bowl of tomato soup with stuff in it. I don't know what the stuff is, and I'm not eating it, just the soup around it. Fair enough. But reality is, I need to get to know my blender. If I don't, I will fail. Ok, so I do love my personality. I have a great sense of humor, sensitivity, caring, grace, understanding, and fairness. Everyone who knows me even half-way well loves me. I don't like my weight. My weight doesn't allow me to be the person that lives inside...I'm captive to it. Yet, on various diets, I have lost and then gained...sooooo...what is it i am afraid of, or don't like, or can't stand, or whatever that keeps me from wanting to lose weight??? That's my questions to myself...then I'll have my Oprah moment. So, I wake, believing tomorow will be a new day and bring about positive change. I look forward to the morning walk before work, and the rest I'll get tonight. And in looking ahead, I realize it's again time to stop, listen to creation, think about it, and pray.

I had to tell everyone...It's just who I am. It seems I don't do much 'secretly'...I do, but I don't even admit it to myself. Since Mom died, I had to tell my Aunts, because they took care of my Trinity while I was in the hospital. Well, news with them spreads quicker than butter on a hot griddle, so there was no hope of keeping a secret there. I work at a school and had to take a couple days off, and of course my weight is no secret...so my weight-loss won't be either. They have been super huge excited for me and have been so encouraging. Ultimately, I am blessed to be surrounded by a ton of people who just want the best for me. For those of you who don't have that kind of support, I used to live in that world. Know that there are those of us in cyberworld thinking of you, and rooting you on! Three cheers for you, the decision you've made, and your strength to carry it through! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip hip Hooray!

As for today, it was a successful day. But this evening, I've been grazing...chewing and spitting. ick. And not good things either...just things. Left overs from Trin's plate...duh. I know this is the time on a normal diet I would cave. Completely, udderly go into the fridge and eat anything and everything until I couldn't breathe. Honestly, I'm afraid of the skinny me. I don't know what kind of person she is, how she copes...is she friendly, or will she ruin all the safe relationships I've built? And at this moment, when i see success staring me in the brain...I want to quit. Not really, but in this moment i yell and scream and fight for staying fat. Why??? That's ultimately the question. If i can figure out the 'why' I can have my "Oprah moment'". But I think I;m afraid to consider what it might be. Clear liquids for 2 weeks?? When everyone else is on full??? Gimme a break!!! How come? I want to be normal...alas, for years I haven't been normal. For years I have eaten like a fiend, made myself and everyone around me uncomfortable...I;'ve started the back pain and the joint pain, and I can't live there. That's why I had to have the surgery...so I wouldn't back down. So now, just because the wedding ring is fitting loosley, and the clothes are fitting loosely, and the bone structure is peeking out, this isn't he reason to quit. Fish will come soon enough...that's what I want my first 'meal' to be, broiled fish. It won't be long. I've been eaing my whole life, so perhaps now I can just be patient for a couple more weeks. It won't be long, and then it'll get easier. And now I wait, and pray...

As for today, it was a successful day. But this evening, I've been grazing...chewing and spitting. ick. And not good things either...just things. Left overs from Trin's plate...duh. I know this is the time on a normal diet I would cave. Completely, udderly go into the fridge and eat anything and everything until I couldn't breathe. Honestly, I'm afraid of the skinny me. I don't know what kind of person she is, how she copes...is she friendly, or will she ruin all the safe relationships I've built? And at this moment, when i see success staring me in the brain...I want to quit. Not really, but in this moment i yell and scream and fight for staying fat. Why??? That's ultimately the question. If i can figure out the 'why' I can have my "Oprah moment'". But I think I;m afraid to consider what it might be. Clear liquids for 2 weeks?? When everyone else is on full??? Gimme a break!!! How come? I want to be normal...alas, for years I haven't been normal. For years I have eaten like a fiend, made myself and everyone around me uncomfortable...I;'ve started the back pain and the joint pain, and I can't live there. That's why I had to have the surgery...so I wouldn't back down. So now, just because the wedding ring is fitting loosley, and the clothes are fitting loosely, and the bone structure is peeking out, this isn't he reason to quit. Fish will come soon enough...that's what I want my first 'meal' to be, broiled fish. It won't be long. I've been eaing my whole life, so perhaps now I can just be patient for a couple more weeks. It won't be long, and then it'll get easier. And now I wait, and pray...

Prayers, thoughts, and good things sent your way!!!

Josette...WOO HOO!!! You'll enjoy the Port Huron Team. I'm so excited for you!!

LindaV: The green eyed jealously monster steps in. Thank you for admitting that...felt like I was alone. I have to hang in there until Friday...but if you need my support, I'll go clear all week until Sunday with you. The weather is really keeping me indoors, and since I have a 3 year old to haul all over tarnation that I can't pick up, I have avoided taking the kids to the mall. But I guess i can't keep that up for much longer. Time to get those bootstraps in check for another week...it's only one more week. Tie 'em up walk and clear liquid, clear liquid, clear liquid! Off to work..yippeee!!!

Is anyone from the middle of the state? I see way up northerner's and metro folk, and MSU folk...anyone a Chippewa??? Saginaw, Bay City, Midland, Flint? Anyone?? What else is happening in this beautiful state besides the weather?? I know there are people gettnig banded everyday in this state...that's why it took most of us so long..we had to wait our turn!

Today is Mother's Day. i should be in the other room enjoying my kids and husband, laughing and having fun. Instead I've just cooked lunch for the fsmily and am sitting at the computer sorting out my anger issues. Of course, i can't have anything to eat to forget them...so I'm upset about that. For Pete's sake, today is SHRIMP DAY!!! This is my day to eat every shrimp in town and not feel one bit guilty for that!!! do they make liquid shrimp??? What if I promise to spit them all out after I chew them to shreds. I Love Shrimp! And low and behold, I'm trying to avoid my hunger issues be blending into the computer with no one around. i do have a cup of chicken soup broth cookling down next to my computer so that when it cools I can drink it. Maybe that will help heal my food-longing heart. Meanwhile, church was today. Scott did a nice job of ministering to all the women of the church with flowers and a card written to each of them to share how he feels. I think they really enjoyed it. I ended up in the nursery playing puzzles with the 2 little ones...which was cool...but I didn't get to talk to anyone after service. Oh well, as long as everone else has a nice time, it's not supposed to matter to me. Also, because it;s Mom's day, i'm thinking a lot about mine. Miss her, wish she was here to yell at me again. But she;'s not. Had a minor meltdown on the way home from church because of it I guess...and the shrimp thing. Asked Scott if there was any cheese at home so I could make the nachos I had been talking about for 2 days and he said no...well, duh! I haven't been eating it, so I assumed he would keep tabs on that for me. My error...turns out, we did have enough cheese to feed them today...but it didn't stop me from becomming upset about it in the car while I was driving and drive like a lunatic...a safe lunatic, but a lunatic nonetheless. I'm thinking about bringing this brother to a boil and adding some egg whites. There's another thing I'm ticked about. What the heck is the difference between clear liquid, full liquid, and some other kind of liquid I can't think of right now. I mean i don't want definitions...I really know the difference. BUT I want a full menu of each stage so I have a map that says yes and no. I need to be able to consume about 10 more kinds of liquids to come close to getting in what I need to each day. I'm missing the protein and calorie mark by a long shot...I have to be. Truthfully, I mentally want to eat again...just for today, and then i say tomorrow I'll be better, but I know that's not true either. ONE STINKIN' SHRIMP! j/k Oh well...I have made it this far with minimal cheating. chewing to chew and then spitting it out...but I don't think that counts toward being successful either. About this time in a typical diet I have caved...I'm beginning to see where I'm losing weight...fingers, face, feet...so now that I can feel it, I can quit. That's my MO. Not this time though...I can't quit...ever...this is a decision for life. My dream is that food will not consume me...my thoughts, my dreams, my life...that it won't overtake me and hold me captive. My hope is that I experience this freedom before I die. Anther day to think and pray.

Today is Mother's Day. i should be in the other room enjoying my kids and husband, laughing and having fun. Instead I've just cooked lunch for the fsmily and am sitting at the computer sorting out my anger issues. Of course, i can't have anything to eat to forget them...so I'm upset about that. For Pete's sake, today is SHRIMP DAY!!! This is my day to eat every shrimp in town and not feel one bit guilty for that!!! do they make liquid shrimp??? What if I promise to spit them all out after I chew them to shreds. I Love Shrimp! And low and behold, I'm trying to avoid my hunger issues be blending into the computer with no one around. i do have a cup of chicken soup broth cookling down next to my computer so that when it cools I can drink it. Maybe that will help heal my food-longing heart. Meanwhile, church was today. Scott did a nice job of ministering to all the women of the church with flowers and a card written to each of them to share how he feels. I think they really enjoyed it. I ended up in the nursery playing puzzles with the 2 little ones...which was cool...but I didn't get to talk to anyone after service. Oh well, as long as everone else has a nice time, it's not supposed to matter to me. Also, because it;s Mom's day, i'm thinking a lot about mine. Miss her, wish she was here to yell at me again. But she;'s not. Had a minor meltdown on the way home from church because of it I guess...and the shrimp thing. Asked Scott if there was any cheese at home so I could make the nachos I had been talking about for 2 days and he said no...well, duh! I haven't been eating it, so I assumed he would keep tabs on that for me. My error...turns out, we did have enough cheese to feed them today...but it didn't stop me from becomming upset about it in the car while I was driving and drive like a lunatic...a safe lunatic, but a lunatic nonetheless. I'm thinking about bringing this brother to a boil and adding some egg whites. There's another thing I'm ticked about. What the heck is the difference between clear liquid, full liquid, and some other kind of liquid I can't think of right now. I mean i don't want definitions...I really know the difference. BUT I want a full menu of each stage so I have a map that says yes and no. I need to be able to consume about 10 more kinds of liquids to come close to getting in what I need to each day. I'm missing the protein and calorie mark by a long shot...I have to be. Truthfully, I mentally want to eat again...just for today, and then i say tomorrow I'll be better, but I know that's not true either. ONE STINKIN' SHRIMP! j/k Oh well...I have made it this far with minimal cheating. chewing to chew and then spitting it out...but I don't think that counts toward being successful either. About this time in a typical diet I have caved...I'm beginning to see where I'm losing weight...fingers, face, feet...so now that I can feel it, I can quit. That's my MO. Not this time though...I can't quit...ever...this is a decision for life. My dream is that food will not consume me...my thoughts, my dreams, my life...that it won't overtake me and hold me captive. My hope is that I experience this freedom before I die. Anther day to think and pray.

<p><p><p>LindaV, i totally get the "cheat" and except for the fact that I spit it out before swallowing, I did the same. i have tripped the light fantastic by having creamed Soups...which I'm not supposed to have yet.</p> <p> </p> <p>I'm wondering if any newbies have felt a swelling and uncomfortable feeling where the band probably is. After I drink my broth, eat Jello, or anything with some kind of possible consistency I feel a bulge for lack of better term in my side. I don't know if that's from overextending my pouch, or just the "full" feeling, or if I've slipped and my stomach is pulling through my band...ack.</p> <p> </p> <p>Any words of wisdom from those of you new to this? I am now a whopping 8 days out and still not sure what I'm doing right or wrong.</p> <p> </p> <p>Thanks...by the way , WELCOME HOME May 8,9,10,11 bandsters!!! You Rock!!</p></p></p>

TIDGE, Looks like a tough start. It sounds like you are out of energy even for healing because of the lack of nutrients getting in your system. Have you tried a vitamin yet? My preference so far has been Viactiv the Chocolate Cherry Chews. You can slowly let them melt in your mouth and drizzle down. Also, Yoplait Light Yogurt Smoothies (just don't swallow the bits of fruit) might give you a boost. I hope you're starting to get closer to feeling human again. It will be worth it all. Keep hope alive! ~Tricia

Justduckies, I am supposed to be on clear liquids for 2 weeks, full liquids for 2 weeks, then the mushy stage. I am struggling really hard. I'm trying to cheat, which isn't beyond me. Of course, there was a 'manual' that I just received in the mail yesterday...should have had it 4 days pre-op. The manual gave me the complete instructions. I'm sure the personnel did too, but with all the drugs, heck if I remember! I really felt good this morning, but think I overdid it. For lunch today I had Egg Drop Soup (don't know where that lies on the clear/full side) and quite a lot of it...but there wasn't any starch in it. Since 5 this evening, I've been feeling yucky. Sooo, I thought, I must be hungry. I went to Tim Hortons and tried Cream of Mush Soup...spitting out the chunks. I feel worse than I did before. So, now I'm questioning myself. I can't figure out if I dropped or slipped or something when I picked up a basket of clothes I should have left alone...I felt something weird go on inside me. I don't have any symptoms, but feel weird today. Maybe it's the weather. okay...not what you asked for...I am really thinking it's smart to be on clear liquids for the rest of my two weeks! <ick> i know I felt a lot better when I was true.

I don't believe, but man that was kind of fun anyway...just to find out that I am a chimp (11% better than me) and more poor hubby is a rabbit (70%) are better than he. I really should have more compassion for him...or he for me if he ever reads this thread!! Thanks for the free entertainment!