SpideyMom

My doc told me to do 30/60. If I'm really dying for a drink, he said 30/45. But if you look on the Lap Band website, they say 60/60-120!!!! whoa. Thanks for the warning about the soda. I won't try it. I was a Diet Coke addict, but I have successfully broken the addiction by drinking Fuze when I feel the need for something sweet.

bkmom, my surgeon never told me not to go swimming, and I had never heard of any restrictions (nor did it cross my mind) and I went swimming 3 weeks after surgery! I put a waterproof bandage over the one incision that was still healing. I've been swimming since the pool opened on Mem. Day weekend, and have had no problems whatsoever. Now, of course, you didn't hear that from me.... :thumbup:

GREAT!!! :tongue2: That is what I like to hear! Sounds like a small needle compared the needle I used to have stuck in my chemo port, so I am very glad to hear that! And, it really does sound like the restriction is keeping you full. Woohoo!

Thanks for the update, David! Sounds pretty easy! :tongue2: I have two questions -- how big was the needle she used for the fill -- was it a thick one or a thin one? Also, are you now on a liquid diet again, and if so, for how long? I get my first fill next Friday, and I'm anxious to get some restriction! Let us know how it goes with your restriction and feelings of hunger, if you would please. Inquiring minds want to know!

I don't crush -- I cut into tiny pieces. It goes down easier without leaving the bitter taste in your mouth. Put a few pieces in your mouth at a time, then swallow with whatever you'd like. HTH!

Sarah, congrats on finally having your eggs! I had some on Wednesday night, and they were so good, I forgot to eat slow and they got stuck!!! I actually PB'd a little bit, but it wasn't gross or awful, it just made me feel a little better. I love shumai. Thanks for the suggestion. That's a great thing to get if we go out! Also, Trader Joe's sells them frozen, and they're pretty good. :biggrin:

Hi, Toot! Thanks for the heads up about being hungry still. Two important questions for you that I'm sure a lot of us Mayo Banditos are dying to know the answers to: 1.) Did you go through Bandster Hell before you had your first fill, where your weight loss slowed down dramatically; and 2.) If so, did your weight loss start up again after your first fill? I think I'm willing to put up with some hunger (since I've done it now for over a month ) as long as the scale starts going down again! :confused: Thanks!!!!

I've given up on crushing them! I break or cut them into small pieces that I can swallow with sips of Water. I was having a hard time taking them any other way because of the bitter taste! So, now it takes me a long, long time to take my pills each day b/c I have to take 8 in the morning and 10 at night. My surgeon said it's okay, just take it slow... like 10 min. between each total pill. Oh! And please learn from my experience -- don't ever take two capsules back to back. I did and they got stuck. Felt like two razor blades stuck in my stoma for 15 minutes slicing my insides. Shear pain!!! Good luck!!! :confused:

That particular stab wound is longer and more distinct for me. The port pushes it up, I believe. That's how I remember my stab wound from my chemo port.

I've heard that if you dilute these protein "bullets" with Water and pour them over ice, they are more like Kool-Aid than thick syrup. HTH! :confused:

Congratulations, kbritt, on your successful surgery and a smooth recovery! :confused: Here's to more good days ahead!

Thanks, Sarahbellzz! :mad2: Yeah, that skim ricotta is pretty yucky, huh? I was disappointed. Sorry to hear you got sick.

So, Mamadot, you're helping deplete the endangered Redwoods, huh? LOL!!! You poor thing! And to be in a store when it happened. But what relief you must have felt! :confused:

I love the Daily Plate! :frown: And if you can't find a food on the Daily Plate, check out www.calorieking.com. It has a huge database of nutritional labels! HTH!

Carrie, it is disappointing, isn't it? :welldone2: EileenMary, welcome to the Mayo Banditos! You are a part of the club just by being banded in May 2009! :thumbup: If you'd like, you can just copy and paste the Mayo Banditos siggie from the bottom of my post into your siggie. That's what most people have done -- just copied and pasted from another post. Also, you can click on any weight loss ticker and it will take you directly to the weight loss section of tickerfactory.com. From there, just choose what you'd like for your ticker, then copy the html code and paste it into your siggie like Carrie said. Good luck and, again, welcome! :frown:

My first fill is on June 12. I'm getting anxious! I'm so hungry all the time, it will be nice to feel full! This Bandster Hell is for the birds!:frown:

If you click on this link, it gives you the whole list of abbreviations. :frown: Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum - FAQ: Lap-band Abbreviations

Welcome to Bandster Hell! :frown::thumbup: It is completely normal at this stage and will go away once you get your first fill, I'm told. Those of us banded earlier in the month were just complaining about this last week! lol Just keep doing what your doctor tells you to do, and take some measure of comfort in the fact that the rest of us are going through it also! :welldone2:

The steristrips are supposed to stay on until they start falling off on their own. Once they are halfway off, you can peel them off. But in the meantime, just remove the gauze over top of them so you can clean. You can shower and use soap and Water to clean the steristrips and incisions. Hope that helps! :frown:

Nope, no caffeine in FUZE, and the Slenderize line is Low Carb. (They have some that are full sugar, so be careful to look for the ones that are marked Slenderize.) I love them! And if you have Giant supermarkets near you, they are on sale for $1 each through Aug. 8. They're normally $1.49 I believe. Worth it even at full price, IMHO. Here's their website for more info: Welcome to Fuze Beverages: Refreshingly Smart Enjoy!:party:

Oh, I'm sorry to hear you're all feeling poorly! The pp is right -- time will heal. I had a horror story of pain after my surgery and I didn't post right away either, but I lived through it. If you can, take as much time off from work as possible. I took 10 days, and I wished I had another week to take. I was so wiped out that first week back. Rest as much as possible, get as many fluids in you as possible b/c you're at risk for dehydration right now, and do not hesitate to call your doctor! We're here for you! We wish you all the best!!! :party:

Must. have. WW. cream. cheese. dipping. sauce. now. ohhhhh......

Shelley & Gonnagetbanned, Milk of Magnesia finally did the trick for me. I took everything under the sun before I broke down and tried good ol' MoM. It's true, it's slimy, but swallow it quickly, drink some Water afterward, and go to bed. I had to take it two days in a row before it worked, but then again, I have IBS w/constipation as a regular problem, so that didn't surprise me that it didn't work the first time around. Now I add Miralax sometimes and Benefiber sometimes to my drinks. I must ask others this TMI question, though: Has the quantity/amount of BM you are passing gone way down? B/C mine has... a LOT. I guess that's normal since we're eating much less, right? But it never went down significantly when I was on other diets.

Singingintherain, I found vegetable broth to be a good alternative. I even mixed the broths together, such as veggie broth and chicken broth; veggie & beef broth, etc. Also, I've heard many people say, get French onion soup (you can buy it in the can) and strain off the onions. I bought some but haven't tried it yet. Have you tried SF popsicles? Those are considered "clear." Also, try FUZE Slenderize drinks. I love them! Only 10 or 20 calories per 18 oz. bottle, and they are full of Vitamins. Really yummy fruit flavors. I was a Diet Coke addict, and these drinks have helped me replace my need for a sweet drink in the afternoon. Good luck! Hang in there!!! Ann

Yikes! :wink: My internal stitches from the incision on my port area are sticking out a little bit at the end. I didn't realize this until all the scabbing had fallen off, i.e, last night. There are two tiny clear threads sticking out. I know it won't hurt me, but how gross is that?! I go back to the surgeon soon, so I'll show him then. If you were wondering what your internal stitches looked like, think of clear fishing line.