faybie

Hello! =)

Wheetsin, You put up a new pic on your avatar! We can see you now. LOL. I really liked the old one because it was a bit mysterious and comical. I don't know if you intended it that way. It was cute. Susan, I had bunco with the girls last night. This time they decided to have it at a local Mexican restaurant. Everyone was served a single portion of fajitas. I ate a few pieces of chicken, little guacamole, little sour cream, little cheese and a bite or two of the pica de gallo. While I slowly ate my food, I talked and laughed. Everyone but one other person scarfed down their whole meal. Not a single person noticed how little I ate. I asked for a togo box. They started passing down tortillas and offering their unused guacamole etc. to fill up my box. LOL.

Hi Sweetsue, I am 12 days post op. I am not on a strict diet from my Dr. like most. I can have fish or chicken just not beef. I have had no problems what so ever digesting chicken. I am sticking strictly to eating 4 to 6oz per meal. I have been out to lunch and dinner with several friends. I section the portion off that I am going to eat (it is always good to have a visual of how much you intake so you never over do it on accident) and ask for a to-go box for the left overs. My friends 1) never noticed that I divided my meal and 2) didn't ask a single question about why I was taking my food to-go 3) had no idea I was taking small bites and eating slower. We sat and chatted, I would put my fork down, pat my mouth pick my fork back up and continue eating. Goodness I can think of so many excuses you could give people for not eating much: 1. I had an unexpectedly big breakfastlunch so and so brought xyz I couldn't refuse. 2. I haven't been feeling well today and I seemed to have lost my appetite. 3. I have decided that regular diets aren't working for me so I have chosen to cut back on portion size, seems like a happy medium that I can live with. 4. I am going to a big dinner with so and so and I want to eat light at lunch today. I have been eating ridiculously small portions for breakfast where I used to walk into work with a breakfast taco, kolache, bagel or croissant sandwich every morning. No one has even blinked an eye or noticed the change. I have also sat at my desk eating a meal of 2 oz of cottage cheese, 3 oz of fish, etc. No one has noticed that either. It is a lot easier to mask than you think. I don't think you should tell anyone that you don't feel comfortable telling.

As I was getting close to my surgery date, many other dr.'s had people on an all liquid diet for 2 weeks. geeesh! All I had to do was eat low carb, have no red meat 48 hours before surgery and fast 12 hours before surgery. I tried my own self imposed version of the liquid diet and failed miserably. I did manage to have only liquids 24 hours prior even though it wasn't a requirement. I ended up losing 12 pounds in 3 weeks. I was pretty happy with that. Supposedly, nothing in the stomach and bowel tract greatly decreases your discomfort after surgery. I adopted that theory and had minimul complications and minimul gas.

I saw your other thread in Lap Band Discussions and came here to post exactly what leenerbups posted, almost word for word. Except hunger wasn't my problem but my love affair with food and emotional demons related to food that took me back EVERYTIME, but not this one. Best Wishes!

Dr. Spivak did mention this to me and it was 50%. If you reach 50% of your expected weight loss (which honestly, I never saw what he expected me to lose, my number is my own) within the first year, your second year of fills is free. LOL. No joke! It was one of the many, many reasons I chose Spivak over Speigel.

For us Houstonians: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HoustonAreaBandsters/ the next meeting is 9/16, that's Saturday, I can't make it on Saturdays, too busy with the kids. I wish it was after work, I could just swing by on the way home.

LOL, I am waiting on this one as well..... I had no idea.

LOL. Very cute story about how the plans came about. My husband and I were similar. We weren't necessarily in a hurry however we grew out of our 3 bedroom apartment. I think 4 bedroom apartments are rare..... LOL.... so our next logical step was a house. House plans came first, then the wedding. A little bit backwards, however it is much better than a new house and a wedding at the same time.... whew! I don't know much about " Hedonism II" however, I took a cruise once and one of our stops was in Jamaica. It wasn't necessarily very romantic. I would say, if you don't want to spoil the memory, don't adventure out into the cities. Sad, very sad. I would say "all inclusive" adult only hotel in cancun. Our trip to cancun was very fun and I was jealous listening to the couples talk about all of the adult games they played at the adult only hotel on one of the dinner cruises we went on and I plan to do that next time we go to Cancun. Mexico has its fair share of unfortunate living arrangements as well, however Cancun has the tourism to "mask" it, if that makes any sense. Only other thing though is....... to swim with the dolphins in Jamaica is about $50 where in Cancun its about $120 per person. If you want to go snorkeling in Jamaica, LOL, bring your own equipment. It was really gross. However at the hotel we stayed at in Cancun, the equipment was very well sanitized. The only way that I will ever go back to Jamaica is if I stay at 5 star hotel that has everything I would want to do on location with beach front access so that I don't have to adventure away. Good Luck and congratulations again!

Well, this past Saturday was my birthday. I was just looking at what I had to eat that day. What a BIG difference! I was discussing with my husband what we would normally do on birthdays and I saved myself probably 3000 calories (what would that be? more than a pound). We usually go to a very fancy restaurant and have a five course meal with bread, appetizers, salad, main course and dessert, not to mention the wine. Not only did I save myself from that but probably saved $130 by not going out. I also usually get cakes from the "dessert gallery" on birthdays in our house. Those cakes run $50 a piece, however they are truly amazing cakes. So a grand totol of $180 savings right off the bat from not obsessing over meals on my birthday. What a nice adjustment. 10 years of that and I have saved myself 1800 bucks just on ONE day a year. Not that this ordeal is in any way related to money, its just an interesting side perk. =) I peeled my steri strips off last night. The nurse said they should come off between 6 and 10 days and they didn't. So, I decided to take them off. Every incision looks great. The largest one of course is my port site. It is not quite as healed as the others. One of my spots doesnt even have a scar it has a small pink spot. Hard to even tell there was an incision at all. I couldn't find my "madera" (I think thats what it is called) for minimizing scar tissue. So I will stop by the store soon to get some of that. I wore a bra to work again today. I may be able to make it through the day with it on. I just have to be sure and sit up straight. If I hunch over at all, it hurts too much. The port site is tender. I wonder how long that continues?........ I was also sick all weekend, so I spent most of it in bed. Sore throat, achy muscles, runny nose, coughing, congested ..... the whole works. I took cold medicine and it didnt help, so today I have taken an allergy medicine. I hope that helps.... Morning Scale: 210 Food today: Breakfast - 4 oz of 50% fat free pimento cheese with a small spoon of fat free mayo. Lunch - Dinner - snack - Excersize:

Sat 9/9 - day 10 Morning Scale: 211 Food today: Breakfast - 1/4 of a bisquit with sausage gravy Lunch - 2 oz of chicken, 1 snack wells sugar free devil's food cookie Dinner - 1/3 of a La Madeleine chicken, broccoli, tomato crepe. snack - sugar free jello caramel pudding. Excersize: None Sun 9/10 - day 11 Morning Scale: 211 Food today: Breakfast - 4 oz of 50% fat free pimento cheese with a small spoon of fat free mayo. Lunch - 4 oz of home baked blackened tilapia. Yummy! Dinner - 2 snack wells devil's food sugar free cookies Snack - sugar free jello chocolate/vanilla pudding Excersize: None

Sat 9/9 - day 10 Morning Scale: 211 Food today: Breakfast - 1/4 of a bisquit with sausage gravy Lunch - 2 oz of chicken, 1 snack wells sugar free devil's food cookie Dinner - 1/3 of a La Madeleine chicken, broccoli, tomato crepe. snack - sugar free jello caramel pudding. Excersize: None Sun 9/10 - day 11 Morning Scale: 211 Food today: Breakfast - 4 oz of 50% fat free pimento cheese with a small spoon of fat free mayo. Lunch - 4 oz of home baked blackened tilapia. Yummy! Dinner - 2 snack wells devil's food sugar free cookies Snack - sugar free jello chocolate/vanilla pudding Excersize: None

Ha Ha. My husband ate my leftovers before I started this journey and that has had me concerned that he will put on weight as well. So, I have gotten him to agree to many guidelines that he will share with me. So far, He has agreed to share meals with me. If the meal isn't quite big enough, we have also agreed to order a vegetable side item. I have also gotten him to agree to forgo bread and chips with me. He hasn't agreed to forgo sodas yet, but he has verbally agreed to cut down. Oh, and my husband is the type that if you blink an eye, his food is disappears and you have no idea where it went. Before banding, his bites were 4 times as large as mine and I hardly ever saw him chew. So, as you can imagine his bites are now the size of my entire meal! He is working on taking as long as I do eat my meal. He is also practacing putting his fork down between bites. And to his dismay, I am trying to get him in the habit of reducing his bite size. As you can see, I have my work cut out for me, however I am fortunate that he is willing to work with me and be supportive. Good Luck!

I noticed that I am walking faster today, almost back to normal pace. Soon, LOL, I will be able to keep up with my husband again. I had an interesting NSV today that I think has nothing to do with weight loss, so to speak, and everything to do with my "new found" positive feelings about myself. For the past two years I haven't really had a good positive image of myself. I lost my long straight blonde hair to chemotherapy. I was over weight even then, but I had my pretty hair to help me keep a positive image about myself. With that gone, it has been hard. Not to mention that my hair came back extremely curly! Everyone tells me how much they love my curly hair, but I just absolutely hate it, and I really mean ~~~loathe it! I guess this not so good feeling about myself has put me into the mousy quite type category, which I have never been in until this year. Well obviously looking at my numbers, I haven't lost much weight. I have been taking pictures and I can see slight differences because I myself know where I feel lighter so I can see those changes in the pictures. However, my husband really can't see any visible changes. So, I know this isn't happening because I showed up to work looking "thinner". Well here goes my NSV.... There is a very handsome man that sits just a few cubicles down from me. I have been walking past him since January, ever since I returned to work after my chemotherapy. He has not once ever turned his head, acknowledged my existance, looked up from his computer screen at me or anything of the sort. I even had to discuss something work related with him and he talked to me while he looked at his computer screen. So, I have walked by his desk countless times and never a reaction. These last few days, I have been talking about this "natural high" that I am feeling. Well, my natural high must be radiating, because everytime I pass this guy now, he glances up. He even said "good morning" to me in the kitchen. Interesting perspective into how positive or negative feelings about yourself can change a situation. Morning Scale: 212 (up +1) Food today: cup of coffee black w/ 1 equal Breakfast - ham and swiss cheese, about 3oz total Lunch - 3oz of Red Snapper and 4 pieces of yukka protein snack - Dinner - 1/3 of a La Madeleine chicken, broccoli tomato crepe. Calories 416, fat 21g, net carb 31g, protein 22g. Excersize: None

I noticed that I am walking faster today, almost back to normal pace. Soon, LOL, I will be able to keep up with my husband again. I had an interesting NSV today that I think has nothing to do with weight loss, so to speak, and everything to do with my "new found" positive feelings about myself. For the past two years I haven't really had a good positive image of myself. I lost my long straight blonde hair to chemotherapy. I was over weight even then, but I had my pretty hair to help me keep a positive image about myself. With that gone, it has been hard. Not to mention that my hair came back extremely curly! Everyone tells me how much they love my curly hair, but I just absolutely hate it, and I really mean ~~~loathe it! I guess this not so good feeling about myself has put me into the mousy quite type category, which I have never been in until this year. Well obviously looking at my numbers, I haven't lost much weight. I have been taking pictures and I can see slight differences because I myself know where I feel lighter so I can see those changes in the pictures. However, my husband really can't see any visible changes. So, I know this isn't happening because I showed up to work looking "thinner". Well here goes my NSV.... There is a very handsome man that sits just a few cubicles down from me. I have been walking past him since January, ever since I returned to work after my chemotherapy. He has not once ever turned his head, acknowledged my existance, looked up from his computer screen at me or anything of the sort. I even had to discuss something work related with him and he talked to me while he looked at his computer screen. So, I have walked by his desk countless times and never a reaction. These last few days, I have been talking about this "natural high" that I am feeling. Well, my natural high must be radiating, because everytime I pass this guy now, he glances up. He even said "good morning" to me in the kitchen. Interesting perspective into how positive or negative feelings about yourself can change a situation. Morning Scale: 212 (up +1) Food today: cup of coffee black w/ 1 equal Breakfast - ham and swiss cheese, about 3oz total Lunch - 3oz of Red Snapper and 4 pieces of yukka protein snack - Dinner - 1/3 of a La Madeleine chicken, broccoli tomato crepe. Calories 416, fat 21g, net carb 31g, protein 22g. Excersize: None

Congratulations!!!! My wedding anniversary is Oct 5th! =) he he, amoung many other reasons, I picked it because it didn't come too close to any other special days, so I could be sure and get anniversary gifts that weren't combined with anything. LOL. Of course, we all know that once you are actually "married" almost all gifts are combined with something else more practical. LOL. ie, new furniture, re-modeling, broken A/C, bleh, I could go on forever. October is a great time for honeymoon and anniversary trips, I might add. Are you guys taking a honeymoon? If so, where to? let us live vicariously through you......

Wow! grats, those are some nice NSV!

I found this.... It is more based on someones personal experience and suggestions.... http://chetday.com/yeastinfection.html and this, your hubby may not be giving it back to you.....more based on medical facts and recommendations. http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/articles/292/alternative-health/natural-cures-for-yeast-infections.html I found both of them to be very helpful and informative. Good Luck!

Thank you for sharing. This definitely will help me stay on target. I have been doing ok, but tried a piece of sausage, knowing I shouldn't have. Boy, do I feel lucky now. I hope that now you have registered you keep coming back so that we can share our journeys here on LBT. We also have an "August Band Crew" for all people banded in August to have a support group and share similar experiences. We are a great group and everyone is very nice. Everyone is welcome even people not banded in August, if you are interested come say hello. It is titled "ABC September chat". We would love to have you. Welcome to LBT!

I wouldn't worry about Proteins this early on either. As your stomach is still healing and may have a hard time digesting Protein. I would continuously sip something to drink, no matter what your mind is telling you about your stomach. Fluids are the most important substance for you right now. All of your organs need fluids not just your stomach. I felt the Dr. put my port too high also, even after I had a lengthy discussion to have it lower. When he didn't do it, I got to thinking........even though my stomach and breasts are overlapping now. In the near future they won't be, so the higher up the port, the more discrete it will be. The reason why your port incision hurts so much is because they actually attach the port to the muscle wall. I suggest keep taking your pain medicine or liquid tylenol when it becomes unbearrable. I have been back to work for 4 days now and I have to take my pain med in the afternoon because the irritation of my boobs on my port in addition to the desk and conference room tables being the perfect height to continuously irritate my already sore port, starts to get unbearrable as the day goes on. My 4th and 5th days were the worst, however on day 6, it was amazing how much better I felt. All in all, it sounds like everything is normal. Knowing that the pain is only temporary really helped me to cope with it. That and sleeping as much as I could. I wasn't awake enough to really realize I was in as much pain as I was. You are doing great!

Please forgive me if this is too personal and inappropriate, but honestly I am a bit embarrassed to call and ask the nurse this question "out loud". LOL. When do you typically get your first BM after surgery? I am 9 days out and ....nothing. I only had to do liquids for the first 48 hours and have been on mushies ever since. I have had plenty of fish and vegetables. Feel free to send the answer in a PM if its too embarrassing to post here. LOL. Just wondering if I should be adventuring to the store for some ex-lax or something.......

LMAO, this cracked me up! I'm still chuckling..... ~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, it happens to us all. I am a business professional and I shop for business professional clothes, lol (go figure?). I don't always do it fully dressed up with jewelry, make-up, hose and high heel shoes on. Most times, I go shopping on the weekends, when I have wash and go hair, shorts and a t-shirt with flip-flops on. How many times have I gotten the "eye of inquisition", do I really belong in the up-scale store? LOL. Try buying a wallet at Louis Vitton dressed like that, you practically have to chase and tackle the sales person. But I don't, I wait patiently for someone to come over and greet me, and when they do, they very well may make a better sale than the salesperson chasing down someone based on their "stereotype" that should be shoping at the store. Actually Jojo, it would be interesting to find out if the store that you were shopping at pays based on commission or sales goals bonuses. If they do, you can still shop at the store with a good a conscious knowing that she will not reap the benefits of your business. Jojo, you may very well never see this girl again. Don't let her have the power over you to ruin your moment, day, week, family dinner, etc.

True. True. This test comes from a RNY bypass suggestion and even the lady who hosts the information is not even a WLS patient of any kind. I just found it to be very interesting. I could have worded that statement much better. I should have said "Here is a good website that I found on this board that is suggested to help you determine what your pouch size is now:" I imagine that this could work with other food other than cottage cheese as long as it wasn't liquid, soft serve frozen yogurt maybe? as long as you had the container to do the measuring and started with a specific measured amount. I also would not do this test in the recommended time myself. A lapband patient doing this test in the recommended time may very well cause a PB. I would do it in the normal amount of time that I eat, because that is in fact what I would want to measure. .....How much you are eating in a sitting, not how much you can shovel down in 5 minutes. Those days of shoveling are long gone for us. Although, my first bite sometimes goes down like this until I realize what I have just done. LOL. Like your first bite ever of a mushy after surgery. **Pureed strawberries and a dash of splenda added to the cottage cheese may also help eliminate the desire to gag over the cottage cheese.

<start tone="">[begin analytical engineering tone now] Well, I am very, very new to this process so this reply isn't based on personal experience but on research. I have read many, many posts on this site and also read every lap band site, Dr. Site, Advocate site, Negative site, Before and After site that I can locate multiple times over. For two years now, I have been doing this, I am the kind of person that likes to know every single detail good or bad, so that I know what to expect. So, now that you know the history of where this comes from, out of all of the research that I have gathered via websites, Dr.'s, statistics and real life people, I have concluded that the best recommended way to maintain your 4oz pouch "for life" and to not have it dialate, slip or erode, is to only eat 4-6oz in a sitting. This includes people restricted and non-restricted. The Restriction is designed to keep you full longer, not necessarily to allow you to eat more. So, if you are non-restricted and 6oz does not keep full for long, then it is recommened to have two 6oz. snack/meals when you feel hungry, instead of one big 12oz meal. It is a proven fact that your pouch will dialate over time, it is body tissue and cannot be prevented. (If supervised and caught early enough, it is a very, very simple procedure to get you back down to your oringinal 4oz. pouch size, which is why you should never skip an annual appointment) So, it would be easy to surmize that a person eating 8-10oz in a sitting is going to dialate their original 4oz pouch over time faster than one who eats 4-6oz. in a sitting. Can you eat a sandwich? Yes, you stated that you can. Can others eat the same amount? Yes, people have stated they can. Is it good for you to do so? I don't know, measuring and using a scale is the best determination to calcuate the proper amount. Do you have to only eat 4-6oz at a sitting? No, that is a personal choice and commitment that only you can make. Here is a good website that I found on this board that help you determine what your pouch size is now: http://www.geocities.com/sweetartz1975/cottagecheese.html I sincerely apologize if this isn't what you wanted to hear. I am the kind of person that this type of explaination would greatly help me understand the mechanics of the tool that I have purchased for myself (self-pay). Everything is a choice from this point forward, however I hope this information helps you to understand the pros and cons of the choices you make so that you are not dissapointed or surprised in the future. <end analytical="" engineering="" tone="" now=""></end></start>[end analytical engineering tone now] <start now="" tone="" engineering=""><end analytical="" engineering="" tone="" now=""> Now, if I could approach all of my eating disorders with the type of logic that I layed out above, I wouldn't be over weight to begin with. I am only 9 days out and my Mind Hunger is really trying to take over right now. If I didn't have this demon, I wouldn't be here in the first place, right? So I, as much as anyone, know that food choices are for the most part not chosen based on logic. LOL. However, having this knowledge in my pocket has helped me fight back so far.</end></start>