untfluter

for me to bring up something that is stuck, all I have to do is cough and there it is.. LOL but usually it's not the stuck food, but I slime and that also helps the food to go down....

I have lost around 75 lbs and I have gone down 4 sizes, from a size 28 jean to a size 20 jean.. I have always thought the 10lbs=1 dress size is a bunch of BS... my sister weighs at least 25lbs less then me and she also wears a size 20 jeans... and she is like 2 inches taller then me... so it truly depends on how you carry your weight, etc..

Any of the Leslie Sansone Walk away the pounds videos are very good

I think I will have to eventually break down and buy a smaller crock pot... LOL

I love all of these crockpot recipes... but I am finding that since it is just me, these recipes make so much that even w/freezing they go bad before I can eat it all so I find myself giving some away.. LOL Sometimes it is easy to figure out how to cut the recipes in half, sometimes not so much... that is something I will need to really work on.. LOL

I don't know where in Florida you are but I am in Florida. I was banded May 19, 2009. I am very fortunate that I have a ton of support. Feel free to contact me w/any questions you have or when you are having a moment that you really feel like you need some support... I guess I would be like your sponsor in AA.. LOL you can contact me at untfluter@comcast.net Congratulations on your surgery date and good luck!! You will do great!

If you can handle a wrap, spread the laughing cow light, I am partial to the garlic and herb myself... heat in the microwave for about 10 sec and then put some slices of either turkey or chicken breast. Then heat in microwave about 30 sec. You can add some sauteed veggies or just some lettuce, tomatoes, etc and wrap it up...

I work in the Travel Nursing staffing industry. There is STILL a HUGE nursing shortage. In order to entice people to go to nursing school, hospitals are offering very generous packages, such as tuition reimbursement if they commit to working at their hospital for a period of time to offering large sign on bonuses, even for new grads, but they also must commit to a certain amount of time working at that facility or they must return the sign on bonus. In regards to the travel RN's some facilities are offering large completion bonuses but the RN's can not call out sick for ANY shifts...

Here's what I do when I'm scheduled for a fill and I'm not sure if I need one.. I go see my surgeon anyway.. I tell him what has been going on and that I'm not sure if I need a fill or not... I let him make the decision, he's the expert.. LOL

I'm so sorry you are having such a hard time w/the infection.. I too had an infection in my incision on my belly button that was discovered when i was 2 wks post op... what antibiotic do they have you on?? My surgeon gave me Levaquin.. it's a VERY strong broad spectrum antibiotic and I had developed a staph infection in my incision... it did the trick for me....

I have a friend, or rather had a friend, who had bypass several years ago. When I told her last year, like March, that I was doing the lap band, she basically started asking me if I was sure that the band was right for me and basically telling me that I should be using her surgeon, etc... I have never heard from her again...I have called her, texted her and emailed her and she has never responded. The sad thing is a little over a year before that I had gone to visit her in Chicago for my birthday after SHE begged ME to come visit her. You would have thought that she would have been more supportive of me considering that she had had WLS herself... oh well, guess she wasn't the friend I thought she was... and if that's the case, I am better off w/out her..

I agree w/everything you said. My surgeon has a saying.. "It takes 1 hr to change the body, it takes 5 yrs to change your mind" the surgery takes about an hour, but it takes about 5 yrs for your head to catch up w/all the changes and way of thinking.. and it is so true...

Hey everyone.. I thought I would let you guys know that Payless Shoes sells a pair of sneakers JUST like the Sketchers Shape ups... they are by Champion and they are only $39.99. I bought a pair tonight.. I have worn them around the house and then a quick walk outside with the dog and they are COMFORTABLE!! $40 is much better then $100 LOL

Sounds like you were glad you stayed over night... and you had morphine.. so that made it all good.. LOL I stayed overnight, it was planned that way and I loved my morphine pump too.. LOL I am originally from the DC/MD area, born in DC and raised in MD... I still have a lot of friends there and my oldest friend was ready to get on a plane yesterday if the airports had been open and she is terrified of flying.. LOL

I found a great recipe for BBQ pulled pork that makes it's own BBQ w/out using a bottled sauce.. I also use this recipe to make BBQ pulled chicken. I used the same weight of meat in chicken thighs and it turned out PERFECT.. of course, this recipe is for sandwiches, but I just eat it by itself... When using the pork shoulder ( boston Butt), I cooked it on low for 8 hrs and rotated the roast every 2 hrs so that each side had 2 hrs cooking in the sauce... I also couldn't find a boneless one, they were out, so I used one that had the bone in.. but the bone was not that big... Prep: 15 mins Cook: 8 hr., 10 mins Ready in: 8 hr., 25 mins Serves:Update Ingredients 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 3 1/2- to 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast, netted or tied 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed French Onion Soup 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup cider vinegar 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar 12 round sandwich rolls or hamburger rolls, split Cooking Instructions Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until it’s well browned on all sides. Stir the soup, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the pork and turn to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours* or until the pork is fork-tender. Remove the pork from the cooker to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Return the pork to the cooker. Divide the pork and sauce mixture among the rolls. *Or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

My surgeon said no NSAIDS because it can perforate the stomach around the band... and ALL excedrine has aspirin in it..

I had the same issue. 2 wks after my surgery the incision on my belly button opened.. on a friday night... and it was leaking Fluid. My primary is open on Saturday thankfully... I went and they did a culture and it came back as staph... my primary put me on a basic antibiotic until the results came back and once they did, my surgeon put me on Levaquin... He also stated that if the infection did not clear that he would have to take the port out and let it heal.. I was a self pay.. I didn't have the money for a second surgery.. he said he wouldn't charge me but I would have still had to pay the hospital and anesthesia... so I suggested we do a second round of the Levaquin and do another culture before we decided what to do.. he agreed... and the 2 rounds of Levaquin cleared it up and the incision closed... let us know what happens...

Don't get frustrated and don't compare yourself with everyone else. It is not uncommon for it to take up to 5 or 6 fills before you feel restriction... everyone is different.. that is why it is called bandster hell.... unfortunately you just need to use good old will power until then... you can do it... just make sure to drink enough water. You will find that when you are hungry, the water will help w/the hunger... don't give up...wait a few more weeks and then call and make an appt for another fill. Just to show you how different we all are, I have 3.25 CC in a 10 CC band and I have restriction... everyone is different, some of us are more sensitive to fills, some of us have bigger fat pads over our stomach that help us get restriction before others who do not have large fat pads... keep up the good work and be confident that you can work this band until you start to feel restriction.. GOOD LUCK!!

Every surgeon is different with their pre-op diet. The two weeks before mine he had me on 5 Slim Fast shakes a day plus one meal a day of 5oz lean protein and salad w/fat free dressing. I lost 12 lbs in those 2 wks... you would be better informed if you called your surgeon and ask him how many protein shakes he wants you to have a day.. we can tell you what OUR surgeon had us do, but the only one who matters is what YOUR surgeon tells you to do. Good luck!!

My surgeon does my fills, but that's because I am a hard stick. My surgeon has his first assist RN, who assists him in the OR, trained to do the fills and they hold a fill clinic once or twice a month where she does them. I work in the nurse staffing industry and I know that a First Assist RN is a higher level certification/licensure then a regular RN. His first assist couldn't hit my port, that is why he does mine, he finds the port first time every time...

i didn't have an xray or barium swallow before I was released from the hospital... and I have never had one since my surgery on May 19, 2009

I am in S. Florida, but not Miami. I was banded by Dr. Wizman in Margate.. I love him! LOL I was banded on May 19, 2009. I too was a self pay as my insurance would not pay for it. Feel free to contact me w/any questions. untfluter@comcast.net

I am untfluter@comcast.net on Facebook... please put note that you are from LBT...

285.2 this morning for a total of 73.3 lbs since the 2 wks liquid pre-op diet.. I am so excited. I now know that my first 100lbs is well with in reach by my one year bandiversary!!

I can't bring myself to pay $120 for a pair of sneakers... but I sell Avon and they sell Curves products and they have the same kind of sneakers... they are normally $49.99 but I can order them through tomorrow for $39.99 and I am going to do just that. THAT I can handle.. LOL I will let everyone know once I get them if they work as well. $50 is much better then $120... LOL