marfar7

I've been on 4 cruises in the last 4 years (all with my lapband in place) and only gained weight on my last cruise (this past May to Alaska) because my band was unfilled awaiting revision surgery for a slip. Make sure you get an RX for Scopolamine Patches for behind ur ear. The first cruise I was so seasick (had no clue I even got seasick) I actually lost a couple lbs! Works like a charm! There r many healthy option in both the dining room and buffet. Don't forget about the chocolate buffet (Carnival does it everytime)! Over 120 varieties of chocolate. Just a few bites will do ya! Have fun! Where r u going? We're hoping to do the Carnival 16 day to Panama Canal in Jan 2015. Lots of time to save $...

Yeah! Not sure there's enuf posts on here about stalls, so I thought I'd add yet another. I'm almost 8 weeks out and hadn't lost anything in the last 2 1/2. Every single morning (yes, I'm 1 of those daily weighers! Plz no judging) I anticipate a loss and every single morning I'm faced with the scale saying yet the exact same weight. I've only lost 18 lbs in 8 weeks. While I started at a bmi of 28 (I'm a band revision) I knew I would lose slower, but this is getting ridiculous. So yesterday I thought I'd change it up a bit and actually count my calories. While I thought I knew the "range", I haven't actually counted them since being sleeved (seems much too like a diet to me). I came close to 800. I guess thats the magic number. I can easily do 800 (wasn't deprived or hungry at all) and even spared an extra 100 calories for 4 oz of red wine! I see the RD today for the 1st time. Not sure what to ask him. I'm pretty much a nutrition expert myself by now. I guess that's why I'm still fat, huh? Did u guys have a list of ?'s to ask ur RD or did u let them lead the conversation? What do I ask?

I've received free Atkins bars in the mail so why not Quest. Not everything thats free is a scam. Most but not all. This is the world we live in

Since surgery 8 weeks ago (and after 1 bout with dehydration) I've become a Powerade 0 junkie. Never liked Gatorade - tastes like salty kool aid to me but Powerade (and Propel) are good. I especially like the lemon lime one (and it's a pretty green. And we all know the prettier the drink, the more we actually drink!) I buy Powerade for .69 cents at food 4 Less. I've seen it for as much as $2.50 at Circle K, however. So, yes, Powerade is a good go to choice...and it's making my hubby drink less Coke Zero.

Had my big back surgery in 2000 (laminectomy, diskectomy) and 3 RAQZ procedures (roto-routing the scar tissue in my spine) since. Haven't had a RAQZ procedure since 2007 so I'm about due. I was lucky enuf to have hurt my back while on active duty in the Army so they generously pay me forever. Can't imagine trying to survive on disability only after a back injury. I've now lost almost 100 lbs (between my lapband and sleeve) and feel so much better. It feels good to walk. Can't stay in bed a whole day and feel good. I use a TENS unit daily but it's temporary relief (as in as soon as I take it off, it stops working) as is the heating pad. The worst thing I can do is sit still for very long. Even while I'm playing poker 3x a week, I get up and walk around every 15 minutes or so. If you can avoid surgery, do so. Mine came with a whole new spectrum of problems. Scar tissue build up is the biggy. And the RAQZ procedures aren't like Christmas day.. But yes, ur back will feel somewhat better when u lose weight. It has to, doesn't it? makes sense that if you take some weight off of it, it'll feel a little better?? Good luck!

I'm 8 weeks out and just going back to the gym this week. I was cleared for walking at one week (which I walk my dog daily) but not cleared for abdominal exercises or weights till 6 weeks. Well, it's now been 2 weeks and I haven't been motivated enuf I guess. Yesterday I went in for a 60 minutes massage so I actually stepped foot in the gym. Looked like fun so I'm up for going this afternoon. Hate it when I have an appt before the gym. I hafta take 2 showers. What a waste! So to answer ur question: I wasn't cleared for abdominal stuff till 6 weeks. I'm ready to go back and do about 400 crunches today! Yeah right! That'll happen...

Just last week I was at the VA clinic changing my last name (was married 20 mths ago and just now getting to it - it's the very last place I hafta change it). Had to take a new pic for my health ID card. Wow. What a difference. And the last one was after an almost 75 lbs loss after my lapband. I wish I woulda kept me original card, 248 lbs. The pic is still on the main computer and I hear "Wow" everytime someone looks it up. I now tell the truth on the weight part of my drivers license. First time ever. Lied about it on my 1st license at 16 and since. Wonder how many people are actually the weight their license says they r?

Feels great, doesn't it? enjoy it while you still can. My hunger woke up at about day 12 and hasn't shut up since. About 50% of us still feel hunger early on while the other 50% won't feel it for months, sometimes even years. I wish I was in the latter group. Not even sure they took out part of my stomach (except that I get full on 4-6 bites of food now) as I'm constantly hungry. And u can't convince me it's acid. I take a PPI 2x a day plus I know what hunger feels like. And I know what acid feels like. This is hunger. So enjoy this while you can. I was still on full liquids when I started getting hungry again. Nothing helped until I was on solids then I can eat very little. I'm eating regular food now and get satisfied on very little. Amazes me how little I can actually eat and survive another day! Hope you're part of the latter 50%!!

I'm surprised u have staples too. Thought they went out with the Vietnam war. I had steri strips that fell of themselves and 1 stitch over where my drain was. At my 4 weeks visit the nurse saw it and said "uh oh" It was sposed to come out with my drain before I left the hospital! She painlessly took it out. It was starting to get on my nerves, poking me thru my clothing... It should be painless. Don't worry...

I'll letcha know. I have my 1st appt with the RD today at 11am (and I'm almost 8 weeks post op). One thing that I've noticed that is different from my MD's advice from the others here is mine says not to do low fat versions of anything cept dairy products. Everything else (including mayo) is sposed to be full fat. Keeps u satiated a bit longer. And fat doesn't make u fat, thats the old thinking. Yes, there's more calories in a gram of fat than in Protein or carbs but those all come out in the wash. And since doing so, I feel so much less deprived. Let me tell how exhilarating it is using regular salad dressing instead of fat free. Or worse - calorie free, fat free=taste free. So the only low fat product I now use is 1% milk (oh, and light yogurt. I actually don't like regular yogurt). Can't do skim milk, reminds me of breast milk (see thru) Shows how different our drs and RD's are...

My hubby is definitely a food ****i. The 1st 4 weeks of liquids almost killed me (made it to week 2 after my lapband almost 4 yrs ago before cheating. This time I didn't cheat cuz now I'm married. Was single follwing my band) cuz I had my husband watching everything I put in my mouth. I knew he's tattle on me to my dr at my post op visit at 4 weeks. Now that I'm 7 weeks out and eating just about normally again, he reminds me of everything that goes past my lips how many carbs r in it. He's a carb fantatic. Lost 80 lbs on his own version of Atkins (his own version meaning almost NO carbs, instead of low carbs) a few years back and he swears ketosis is the ONLY way to weightloss. It's hard to argue with someone who's lost 80 lbs but I look at the science in it, not just the results. I had wls so I wouldn't have to count every calorie that went into my mouth. Now I have someone counting my carbs for me. I've bounced back and forth between 156 and 157 for the past 2 weeks (lost 18 lbs the first 5 weeks, starting at 174 I don't think thats too too bad) and I hear everyday it's because I eat more than 10 gms of carbs a day. Over 10 and ur out of ketosis. Wow. 10 gms is NUTHIN. I mean NUTHIN. He doesn't understand that I can only eat a few bites at a time and that I NEED carbs to function. Carbs are the enemy. Anyone else live with a food ****? I went out to lunch with a friend yesterday and ordered fried clams. yes, I know, not the healthiest choice. I ate about 1/4 of the lunch amount and brought the rest home. Heated them up last nite and proceeded to eat about another 1/4 of them. I heard "All you eat is deep fried and breaded crap. That can't be healthy." hello. What besides this has been breaded and deep fried? Before surgery I ate alot of fast food fried crap but this has been the only fried food I've eaten. Guess I could've gone with the grilled fish (went to a seafood restaurant) but the fried clams sounded so yummy (btw, clams don't do well being reheated. They get even rubbery-er) and since I only ate a few I figured it was worth the splurge. I'm happy he's so supportive, really. Tells me constantly how proud he is of me and calls me "Skinny Minnie" all the time. But I can't stand the constant reminders of how many carbs r in 1 oz of yellow cheese (1 gm, btw) vs 1 oz of white cheese (0 gms). Anyone else?

You may have to change PPI's. I took Prilosec pre surgery for my slipped lapbands severe reflux but my dr switched me to Pepcid post op. The 2nd week of surgery, my reflux was totally gone but I developed pretty bad heartburn. I switched myself back to my Prilosec and it's worked perfectly for the last 7 weeks. Told my dr at my 4 week post op exam and he was fine with it. Whatever works. Not all meds work for everyone the same. Good luck!

I thought I'd be in the group of "not feeling hungry until 12 mths", but no, I'm in the other 50% - the ones that felt hunger almost immediately (actually it took about 12 days to feel hunger). While I can only eat 4-6 bites at a time ( 7 1/2 weeks out), I'm hungry again 90 minutes later. I'm sposed to be eating 3 meals by now, but I'd starve it I did that. I counted up my few bites + my Protein shake and if I ate 3x a day, I'd be getting about 400 calories. Far too few to live for very long. So I eat 7-8 times a day. Sometimes just a few bites of cheese will tide me over. Since I started eating regular foods the past couple days, I'm going to start keeping Jerky and almonds in my purse for quick Snacks (preventing me from the Taco Bell drive thru for refried Beans - those are 3 meals in that little bowl). I'm definitely a cheap date now! So, yes, about 50% of us have actual hunger. Some will say it's stomach acid that it's not possible to have hunger. I know what stomach acid feels like plus I take a ppi 2x a day. And I know what hunger feels like. I feel like I got ripped off, that they left the Ghrelin (hunger hormone) in there...

And you see yourself everyday so ur not gunna see a difference for a LONG time. After my laphband, I went from 248 to 144 in 2 yrs. I never did see a difference in the mirror. But when I look back at pics, I'm amazed that I was ever that fat! I just posted about friends not telling me I looked like I was losing last week. While I've only lost 17 lbs post op (7 1/2 weeks), I went from 174 to 156 and I thought people would for sure be able to tell, since I lost 2 pants sizes. Nope. no one has said a word. The only one who notices is hubby who calls me "Skinny Minnie" but I'm not sure if he really notices a difference or he's just trying to make me feel good! Keep checking back with pics and I guarantee that you'll soon see differences... Good luck

I use Syntrax Nectar (besides the sample variety pack I got before surgery) I have the Vanilla Torte and Cappucino. I make them with 1% milk (skim remind me of breastmilk - see thru) for an additional 8gm of protein. I'm 7 1/2 weeks post op and pretty sick of them. I drink maybe 1/2 - a whole 1 a day. not getting the required 80gm in a day. I should be adding the unflavored Syntrax to other foods, but I keep forgetting.

I didn't go for a week post op and I needed a couple of stool softeners (just the generic ones). Since the 2nd week (I'm now 7 1/2 weeks out) I've been going daily without problems. Sometimes 2-3 x a day. Occasionally it's diarrhea (aren't u sorry u asked now?!) especially when I've eaten the wrong things (like ice cream). Haven't had a stool softener since a week out. Good luck to u!

I'm 7 1/2 weeks now and I eat pretty much everything (including potatoes). I haven't yet tried bread, rice, or Pasta yet tho. I was sposed to wait for 8 weeks before I started raw veggies and fruits, but I ordered a salad last week. It was yummy. no problems. I was on a 4 week liquid diet and 4 weeks of soft foods. I can now eat everything in small amts, but they don't recommend bread, rice, pasta for 6 mths.

While I hear everyday that a stall is normal in the beginning especially, it's still frustrating. I had my surgery on July 16th, lost 17 lbs the first 5 weeks (I started at 174 so I knew I would lose slower) and haven't lost anything since. In fact, I've been bouncing between 157 and 158 for the last 2 1/2 weeks. yes, everyday (I know, I know, I shouldn't weight everyday. But it CALLS to me) I get on the scale and its EXACTLY the same, ounces and everything. Not sure how many calories I'm getting (maybe I should count!?) but I'm sure it's not more than 1,000 including my Protein shake. How could I go over 1000 eating 5-6 bites of my meals? Not sure what to do - I will kick up my cardio a bit and see if that breaks my stall. I have 26 lbs to goal and I know it will be the hardest 26 lbs I've ever lost. I was hoping I'd be to goal within 6 mths but at the rate I'm going, it'll never happen. I'd be happy with losing 1 lbs at this point. Nothin much you can do (as long as you're getting in ur protein and Water, exercising, and watching ur calories) but ride it out. I'm starting to think maybe I will fail at this too. I'm hungry all the time. My meals satisfy me for about 90 minutes. I'm wondering if they even took out a part of my stomach?? Good luck to u! We WILL get thru this and get to goal eventually!!!

Oh, and my stay was 2 days. not sure what the difference woulda been if I had stayed just 1 nite...

I found out before surgery that because I cancelled my Medicare Part B a couple years ago (paid $110 a month for something I had never once used. It's the drs office portion and I'm a disabled vet so I use the VA clinic facilities) that I would have to cover the entire drs charges. They dropped them to cash pay amt ($5400) and my wonderful in laws lended us the money. They wanted to see me get my failed band out and recover. Thats all I paid prior. Just received the hospital bills the other day (I'm 7 1/2 weeks out) and it was $26,000! Wow. If I had paid cash, it woulda been $12,000. But they charged Medicare $26,000. And thats just the hospital (room, surgical room, anesthesia, meds, labs, radiology) not including the drs charges. If I'd paid cash, I coulda gotten the whole thing for less than$18,000. If my drs charges were billed to medicare too, I'm sure they woulda been astronomical too. Thank God I only have to pay $1200 of the $26,000. Not sure where they get that number, as I'm sposed to pay 10% but I'm not gunna argue with their math. I've already arranged $150 a month payments with them. We pay my in laws $250 a month so this surgery is costing us $400.00 a month. Can't wait till they're paid off, the it'll seem like "extra" money!

I learned to eat fast in Army basic training. If u didn't eat in 5 mins, u didn't eat. With my lapband, I rarely ate slow. Making me vomit alot. I'm scared to vomit with the sleeve so I've slowed down considerably, but I still eat way to fast for someone with only 15% of her stomach. Have vomited once. I've heard it takes the stomach 15 minutes to register with the brain that there's food in there. If you eat too fast, u run the risk of putting too much in. I'm so guilty of this. Good luck!

Now thats something u don't read everyday "last night I was cutting kangaroo steaks into stir fry strips".Whats kangaroo taste like? Does it taste like "chicken"? Lol!!!

My dr recommends a Protein shake everyday forever, thinking that there's no way I can get in 80 gms of protein eating as much as I do. I'm 7 weeks out and drink maybe 1 a day at most. Sometimes I only drink 1/2 of one. I'm getting pretty sick of em and can't imagine drinking them forever. I was sposed to drink 1 forever after my lapband almost 4 yrs ago. After the first month, I never drank another one till my revision 7 weeks ago. It's a good idea, however, since I don't really count my protein. Hate counting anything...

I use Twin Labs brand from the Vitamin Shoppe. It's also sublingual but I end up chewing it after 10 minutes and it's not dissolved at all. not sure if it doesn't work right or what...doesn't taste too bad. Not as bad a my multivitamin...

Ever since I was a kid I've always heard that the faster you lose weight, the unhealthier it is and the faster you'll gain it back, not to mention you will only lose so much weight. While in the car yesterday, I was listening to KLove radio (a Christian radio station) and they had some weightloss stats from Wake Forest University nutrition program: 1. The fallacy that the faster you lose weight the easier it is to gain it back is untrue. Actually, the faster you lose, the more % of your excess body fat you'll lose. And you will no more gain it back than if you lose it slower. So that debunks the prior school of thought. 2. Eating after 7 pm will slow down your metabolism. I knew this one was false and argued it on many occasion. How does your body know what time it is? Your body works on a 24 hr clock, not just waking hours. 3. And my favorite (can't believe people actually think this): That muscle will turn into fat. Muscle is muscle, fat is fat. It's like trying to turn a bear into a tiger. one has nothing to do with the other. So us wls losers actually have a better chance of losing MORE weight in the long run than people who lose slower. Can we all know that the rate of loss has nothing to do with saggy skin. Thats 85% heredity and 15% luck (oh, and I think age plays a part too, the younger the better). It has nothing to do with exercising, expensive creams, or the rate of loss. While I'm losing pretty slowly (only 17 lbs in 7 weeks), I started at 174 (band to sleeve revision) so I knew it would come off a little slower. So lose away and don't worry that you're losing too fast. Eventually your body will slow down the closer you come to goal anyway!