Melinco

For breakfast during the week I eat Kroger's CARBMaster yogurt, 12 g Protein and only 4 g carbs, and a stick of Frigo's Light cheese stick, 8 g protein. So that right there gets me 20 g protein. Then for lunch and dinner, I eat chicken or beef or whatever I'm making for dinner. You'd be surprised how much protein you can get in if you concentrate on the meat first, but do work in your veggies as they are important too. Also, look for veggies/beans that are high in protein. I got my from my Krogers (King Soopers) grocery store from their deli the edimami caviar (doen't actually have fish eggs in it). It was made with edimami, black Beans, garbonzo beans, red onion, red and orange bell peppers, cilantro, and a vinegar/oil dressing. Very light and refreshing, and it has protein in it as well. I also make turkey chili a lot, which can be quite high in protein as well as Fiber. Just brown your ground lean turkey, add a bit of onion and garlic, pinto beans, chili beans, kidney beans, black beans (if you like them), diced canned tomatoes, and your favorite chili spices like cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper. I even will had a small can of diced green chiles to it, and diced green or red bell pepper. Good luck. After experimenting with foods, you will find what provides you with the most protein.

I'm not sure but the vitamins that I just bought from WalGreens, Finest Natural B Complex, has 833% of the recommended daily allowance of B12, plus a lot of other vitamins and minerals. So I think if you take the B Complex you should get both the B12 and the rest, and be energized! On the front of my bottle it says Energy Support.

My surgeon had a $200 initial consult fee that he charges, but waives it if you attend a lap band seminar first. Then his normal fee for the surgery, $5,000, includes the first year of adjustments, regardless of how many. I paid cash for my surgery as it was not covered by my insurance. It is worth every single penny. Also, my surgeon does not accept insurance for WLS.

This morning's weight brought a huge smile to my face! 243.4. I've now lost 50 pounds from my highest weight! 24.4 pounds since the surgery. To celebrate, I'm wearing one of the new dresses I bought last weekend. I had a bit of help from Aunt Flo though. Every once in a while, when my period shows up, I'll have bad BMs. This was one of those months. I needed it though as I hadn't gone in a few days. Despite the pain and cramps, it was good to get all that stuff out. Sorry about the TMI. I started using different vitamins too. No more Flintstones chewables. Now using Centrum multivitamin, Biotin, and B complex. Another funny TMI, is that the B complex pill is bright yellowish orange, and it makes my pee neon yellow!

I just went to mine Tuesday evening. The coordinator (surgeon's wife and office manager) spoke about the importance in calling their office the very first day if you are vomiting, due to flu, etc. She said they just had a gal who band prolapsed for the second time! She'd been vomiting for 6 days before calling. So the coordinator said how important it is to call right away so you don't risk having to have surgery to fix the prolapse. It was good meeting with everyone. One lady there has had her band since Sept 08 and has only lost 30 pounds. She is going in next Monday for another fill, but she admitted that she hasn't been following the rules. I think having the in person support groups is great. You actually get to see the other people and offer in person support.

I was taking the Flintstone's chewables, but I've recently switched up to the Centrum multi-vitamin, biotin 1000 mcg, and B-complex with Vitamin C with rose hips and rice bran (from Finest Natural bought at WalGreens). It's funny, the B-complex is a bright yellow in color, and when I pee, my pee is neon yellow!

We were just talking about this the other night at support group. We all said wouldn't it be nice if the band was looser in the mornings but tighter at night, helping up to really cut back on the night time munchies. But I too drink coffee before trying to eat anything in the morning. There are times though that I do drink Water before my coffee and don't have any problems with the water going down.

Most mornings, after using the restroom, before hopping in shower. But I log my "official" weight on Mondays.

All of my fills are done while standing up. However, my first fill, he tried inserting the needle while I was standing but my port wasn't facing directly ahead, so he had me lay down. Then he found it and inserted the needle, then I stood for the actual fill. Every fill since, I lay down for him to insert the needle, then stand for the fill.

Glad everything went well.

Mine has me back on regular foods right away. I've had 3 fills so far, go back in for my 4th next Monday.

I won't go into the food things, as the previous posters have covered it really well. Of course, the most important thing is to listen to your doctor's advice and follow it regarding what you can and cannot eat. My list will be for the comfort items: Pajamas tops/bottoms - the reason I mention this is that I normally sleep sans PJs. However, getting banded, for the first few nights, I couldn't sleep in my bed due to the discomfort of sleeping on side/back (I'm a tummy sleeper). So I found myself moving to the couch in the middle of the night. Having long pajamas helped keep me covered as well as warm (since it was middle of December when I got banded). Zip up tops/hoodies - again, first few days when the incisions are very tender and your tummy feels like you've done the billion + 2 crunches a previous poster mentioned, it helps to wear shirts that zip up or button up so you don't have to lift your arms above your head. And if you're a gal (since I know some men may be reading this too) forgo the bra for the first few days. The girls will be fine without the bra for a while. Loose fitting pants such as sweats or yoga pants. Your tummy may still be bloated due to the gas from the surgery, and having a loose fitting pant on makes everything so much more comfortable. Pillow for the trip home - this time of the year when snows are melting, pot holes are forming, having a pillow for the trip home to hold against your tummy, or protect your tummy from the seat belt, will be the BEST thing! Heating pad - not for your incisions, but for your back and shoulder to help sooth the gas pains. More people get them than not. Gas-x strips are great to have too! Slip on shoes - since you won't feel like bending over for a few days, having shoes that you can slip on will be a must have. I think another very important thing you can have post op, especially the first couple of days, is someone there to help! I could not get off the couch/bed/toilet the first day without the help of my husband. My tummy just hurt too much from the surgery. I know some people did it, but I think to be safe, you should have someone home with you for the first two days at least. Also, when you shower, I'd recommend placing a foot stool covered in a towel in the shower so you can sit on it while showering. It's just a bit of added security so you don't slip or fall while showering. One last very important thing is to have ALL of your prescriptions filled prior to the surgery itself. Don't wait to get them filled on your way home. By then, you may well need your pain meds, and sometimes the pharmacies don't have what you need in stock. And don't forget the liquid Tylenol for pain that isn't intense enough for the Rx pain med (if you're doctor says it's okay to use). Good luck! You will do great.

I too lay down when he inserts the needle as my port is tilted in such a way it is easier to access while laying down, rather than standing up. However, I don't have to do any crunches or anything like that while he locates the port. He does it by feel. Once the needle is in, then I stand up so we can do the adjustment. Perhaps next time you can bring a pillow with you?

I said 30-45 minutes, which normally it does. But yesterday at lunch it took an hour! Sunday evening I made a noodleless lasagna. Instead of noodles, I used zucchini cut lengthwise. It had lots of veggies in addition to the meat sauce I made. By the time I was done eating it, my jaw hurt, because it required so much chewing! I've found that meats like sausage does require a bit more chewing. I asked my doc if I should time myself when eating and he said no, just to eat until I feel the fullness. And again, it depends on what I'm eating. If I'm having quite a few veggies, I can eat more, than if I have a ton of meat but few veggies.

Happy March 1 everyone! Did your March start out like a lion or a lamb? When I looked outside this morning, it looked like a lamb, everything was covered in fluffy white snow! I am 1 pound away from 50 pounds lost! And am only 0.2 points away from having a BMI of less than 40! My hubby and I went clothes shopping this weekend for both of us. I went directly to the clearance rack and picked up a couple of pairs of size 20 slacks. Took them back to the dressing room, tried one on, they were a bit loose, asked the sales clerk to bring me a size 18. While the 18s were a bit snug, they fit! So I bought 2 pairs of them, figuring they'd give me a while of wear before I have to go down more sizes. So now I have 3 pairs of slacks I can wear for work that aren't sagging all over the place. I'm not going to give away my old slacks just yet, because I figure I may need them if by some miracle I do get pregnant. Of course, I'm not sure how they'd fit. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I also bought two dresses, yes, dresses, in size 22. Since my girls are still quite large, size 22 had to do it. But that's down from a size 24 top! I've got pictures on my blog if you want to check it out. The Winding Road to Parenthood I hope everyone had a great weekend!

I'm down 2.4 pounds this week, to 245 pounds. My BMI is 40.1. I can't wait for it to go under 40!

I was reading a work related website today and ran across this HR Strange But True story. When I read through it, I immediately thought this had to be a bandster! Here is a short snippet from the page: Odd Co-Worker Behaviors and What to Do About Them Careerbuilder.com recently conducted a survey that found that 39 percent of workers say they feel that they don't fit in with their colleagues. And if the workers' descriptions of their co-workers' oddest antics are any guide, there's no wonder. The survey asked respondents to describe the craziest things their co-workers have done on the job. Here are some of the oddest responses. Co-worker ate the cheese off the pizza box at a company meeting Co-worker talks openly about flatulence. Co-worker in the cubicle next to me wears 3-D glasses with the lenses removed. Co-worker repeatedly bangs a mallet on the table for no apparent reason. Co-worker whistles 8 hours a day. Co-worker chews tobacco and spits it into empty soda bottles. Former boss brought a baby sippy cup to a meeting and started drinking out of it. Co-worker cleaned fingernails using a counterpart's business card while sitting in their office. What do you think? Is this you? :cursing:

I got my third fill on Monday (about 6.5 ccs total in 10 cc band that can hold 12 ccs). I don't think I'm at my sweet spot yet, but I'm definitely feeling some restriction. Tonight, I got dinner started (turkey chili) and while it was simmering, I went downstairs and did 30 minutes of exercising. I drank little over 1/2 bottle (16.9 oz) of Water, then ate a small bowl (maybe a cup, if that) of chili, and just under an ounce of cheddar cheese. Within moments of finishing eating, I start coughing. It's not because I'm coming down with a cold. I can feel it (whatever it is) in my stoma region. Do you think I probably ate too soon after exercising? Or perhaps I'm too tight? I haven't yet drank any water, as I wait an hour after eating, and that time is almost up. Any input would be welcome. Thanks!

Congrats Todd! I bet the feeling is great! I hope to be there soon.

Luckily, the coughing didn't last very long, just about two hours, although it was only intense for about 5 minutes. I have a feeling I just should not eat so soon after exercising.

I don't know what DVT or clexane is, but my incisions were scabbed, a bit, still at two weeks. There were two incisions that a stitch was poking out of, and until that stitch was snipped and removed, it didn't completely close. Do cuts on you normally take a while to heal over?

As I've said before, I take my official weight on Monday mornings, but I still weigh most mornings. Last night, before putting my pajamas on and hopping in bed, I got on the scales. When I saw it read 248 and change, I knew that this morning's weight would be really good. And I wasn't disappointed! 245.6!!!! Now let's see if I can keep up whatever it is I'm doing and have that weight or less on Monday morning! :wink:

Just to show you how different each surgeon seems to be, mine made me wait 6 weeks before my first fill. Then one week later I had my second fill. Now I go in every two weeks for fills. I had my third fill Monday afternoon, and will have my next fill on March 8. So it seems like there is no rhyme or reason as to why surgeons do what they do. Because there is certainly no consistency, or at least it seems. I'd let your doctor know if you're getting hungry earlier than 3-4 hours and see if you can go in for a fill. In my humble, non-medically educated, opinion, I think waiting an arbitrary time between fills rather than listening to your own body is just a waste of time and good money. But perhaps it has something to do with being self-pay vs insurance paying? I'm self-pay (my surgeon doesn't even take insurance for WLS), and he is a firm advocate for listening to his patients about their hunger level. If we need a fill earlier then we get it. Good luck with it. Let us know what you and your doc decide to do.

Are you getting hungry between meals sooner then 3-4 hours? If so, you need a fill! I think it's BS that your doctor is making you do all this work, when we shouldn't have to. Yeah, we don't want to make it a habit of eating cake, candy, ice cream, etc., but we shouldn't have to be counting calories. The whole point behind the band is to help with portion control. Otherwise, why spend all this money just to count calories? If you're hungry DEMAND a fill! That's why YOU pay THEM for their service.

I guess you could always thin down the V8 with a bit of Water, or even some broth? Not sure, I only use V8 when cooking! lol I hope you are able to get to the point of eating again soon. That sounds like absolutely no fun. However, perhaps you are getting close to your sweet spot?