TamifromAL

Wow, you've got a great start! How many fills have you had? Tami

The nurse in my recovery room took my BP, and said, "Wow, look, your BP has really dropped already!" OK, I'm no nurse, but I had to figure that the drop was because I was lying down and well-medicated, not because I had weight loss surgery! Tami

Carlene, we should thank Rush, actually. His behavior will bring even more attention to Parkinsons and stem cell research, and will probably bring a few people to the voting booths so they can direct their anger where it counts! Tami

I don't have any advice as far as the heartburn, but I just wanted to say that I think your attitude is great. Taking a break from weight loss can be good for you, in my opinion. It gives your body and mind a chance to catch up. But without the band it's not an option unless you want to gain! I also respect the fact that you are aware that the Coke could be the cause of your problem, and have given it up. I wish you the best of luck getting rid of the acid reflux, and continuing your weight loss journey when you are ready. All my best, Tami

I'm not sure what Dr. Clement's requirements are (all docs are different), but Dr. Miles required only one day of Clear liquids prior to surgery, then a week of clears after surgery, then a week of full liquids (purees), then two weeks of soft foods, then on to regular foods. The 8 days of clears are tough! The worst day for me was the day before surgery, because you're already anxious, then you're literally starving, too! My advice...stay busy! The day before my surgery, I made some homemade beef and chicken stock (much better than purchased!) I froze it away in 1 c. portions to micro after surgery. Besides that, I had sugar free popsicles, sugar-free Jello, apple juice, tea and black coffee. One day mid-week, I wanted something a little different, and my hubby suggested won ton Soup. When he told the guy at the Chinese restaurant that I had just had surgery and really only needed the broth, he gave us two quarts, strained, for the price of one. I wasn't really hungery for 2-3 days after surgery, I guess because I was sore and a little doped up! It's much easier once you're on full liquids. I bought several different low-fat Soups and whirred them in my mini Cuisinart (you can also use a blender). I love Progresso's light clam chowder! The nurse told me that during the liquid phase, eat whenever you're hungry. Don't try to stick to just 3 meals a day, because you're just not going to get in enough calories. Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I know it's a little scary, but it's really not that bad. This has been a wonderful experience for me, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. Let me know if you have any other questions! Tami

Jessie Ahroni, who literally "wrote the book" on lapband, "Laparascopic Adjustable Gastric Banding", is a member of a YahooGroup called Smartbandsters, which you can find here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SmartBandsters You have to join to access the files, which include the information (I think) that you are looking for. I'll copy it here, and hope that I'm not breaking any rules or copyright laws, since I'm giving credit to the author! How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted (You are properly adjusted if) You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment: 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1.You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened </O:p 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) e. If your pain is severe <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com</st1:PersonName> <st1:PersonName style=" /><st1:PersonName style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: left bottom; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(res://ietag.dll/#34/#1001); BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x" tabIndex=0>Jessie H. Ahroni</st1:PersonName>, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M.

Sherilynn, a scare tactic by whom? Also, you said this was an old study, but I believe this is a new study. The most recent participant surgery was 2003, which is realistic. They were studying the *long-term* complications of lap-band surgery. You can't get long-term results by studying people who only recently had surgery. Although I know they constantly are improving on technique, and surgeons undoubtedly gain skill over time, I was still shocked to read that 1/3 of the participants had complications. That's a far higher figure than I have ever read. I hope ya'll don't mind that I posted the article. I didn't want to post it in the main lapband forum, because I am seriously not trying to alarm anyone, yet I really wanted to talk about this, because it does concern me that there is apparently a higher risk of complications than I believed. Since I was self-pay, I will also be responsible for paying for additional procedures if necessary. Tami

I'm down 3 lbs. this week, for a total of -8 towards my challenge goal. I had my first fill a week ago, and I do have some restriction. I thought I was eating slow before, but now it's at a snail's pace! I had to give up on cereal with milk because it gets too soggy after just a couple of bites. But, I'm glad that (so far) I haven't had anything come back up. Life is good. Tami

Who is Brandon "Myzeri" Taylor? Never heard of him.

My first diet was the Stillman Water Diet, at age 13. I lost 40 lbs., but gained it back within a year. Since then, I've done the Cambridge Diet (Protein powder), various over-the-counter diet aids, Weight Watchers twice, once to 1/4 lb. of goal. After my first child, I went on Physicians Weight Loss Diet. I lost 70 lbs. in 4 months, but of course, it started creeping back on as soon as I went off of it. After my second child, I was in a clinical trial for Orlistat (Xenical), and lost 90 lbs. in a year. I really must have skewed the results, though, because I found out two years later that I had been on a placebo the whole time. Since that regain, I've been on LA Weight Loss twice, both times losing about 30 lbs. LAWL sucks you in, takes your $$, then requires you to come in 3 times a week for additional high pressure sales tactics for their over-priced products. And I did Atkins for several months, losing 40-50 lbs. I've joined probably a dozen gyms and exercise programs over the past 25 years. I've bought thousands of dollars worth of diet books and exercise equipment. I wonder how much money I've wasted trying to lose weight. I'm sure it's more than the $14,000 I paid for lap-band. Tami

I went to a seminar near my home on weight loss surgery, expecting it to be about gastric bypass. However, although the surgeon touched on RNY, his primary topic was the lapband. His practice does both surgeries, but he presented a strong case for the lapband. I was sold on the fact that it's less risky, and doesn't require a lifetime of supplements. My insurance doesn't cover lapband, but I chose to self-pay rather than have the more radical surgery.

Mine is off-center towards the left (under my left breast). I sleep on my left side, too, and it's no problem past the first week or so. Tami

I just had my first fill yesterday, and my first couple of meals have been similar to what you described. I've only had very soft foods (poached egg for Breakfast and Brunswick stew for lunch), but after each bite, I feel like I have a bubble in my chest. I have to wait for it to pass before the next bite. But, this just doesn't make sense to me. I thought that the idea of the band is that we eat to fill the upper pouch which then slowly empties into the lower stomach. But, eating like this it's more like each bite has to pass through before the next bite. I hope my situation is just because of swelling due to the fill yesterday, because if I have to eat like this from now on, it's totally gonna take the joy out of eating. Tami

My doctor said 6 weeks, but that if I start really struggling with hunger before then, to call the office and they'd move the appointment up a bit. Tami

I got my first fill (1cc in a 4cc band) today. On my way home, I realized that the doctor didn't mention whether I should go back to liquids temporarily after the fill, as I'd read others have done. So, I called the office and asked. I was told that it isn't necessary for me to adjust my diet at all. Did you adjust your diet after a fill? Tami

Thanks for your replies. I'm going to play it safe and stick with liquids for today. I can definitely tell a difference with the fill even when I drink liquids. I had a bottle of Water in the car, and took a big glug-glug after my appointment, and realized that I need to slow down just a bit, even with drinking water! It felt like it sort of backed up into my throat, but then went down. Tami

Are you avoiding carbonated beverages? If so, then those choices are both out. Personally, if I want a drink I stick with a glass or two of wine (red is better than white, because of anti-oxidants), or a pomegranet martini. Then, even though you're adding a few extra "liquid" calories for the day, at least you're getting some health benefits, too! Tami

Good morning, ya'll! I'm down five pounds this morning. :biggrin1: I go for my first fill this afternoon, and I have really mixed feelings about it. I've been losing consistently, and in a way I don't want the extra challenges that may come with restriction unless I feel like I really NEED it. Yet, on the other hand, I want to make full use of this tool I paid $14,000 for! (Self-pay). I guess I'll see what the doc has to say about it. But, anyway, I'm absolutely thrilled with how it's gone so far. I don't really feel like I'm "dieting" at all, since I'm eating a wide variety of foods. But, I'm pretty much staying under 1,000 calories/day. Hope everyone has a great week! Tami

I made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious! Obviously, it won't work for folks who are avoiding Pasta, or who don't like spinach! I'm sorry, but I don't have nutritional data. I got the recipe from our local paper, and they don't always include that info. Vegetarian Lasagna 1 pkg. chopped, frozen spinach, thawed ¼. lb. lite feta cheese ¼ c. parmesan cheese 1/4. c. part-skim mozerella, shredded ½ white onion, chopped 1-1/2 c. spaghetti sauce 6 lasagna sheets, 8-10” long, cooked, drained and patted dry 1. c. lite ricotta cheese Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of spinach with paper towels. Mix spinach, chopped onion, and feta cheese. Lay pasta sheets out on flat surface. Spread ricotta on pasta sheets, and then sprinkle with mozerella. Spread spinach mix over ricotta/mozerella. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of spaghetti sauce, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Take edge of each pasta sheet and roll inward. Place rolls, seam side down into casserole dish which has been sprayed with Pam. Top each roll with a couple tablespoons of spaghetti sauce. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy! Tami

Yep, it makes for a pretty presentation. I'd serve it to company, fer sure. But next time, I will definitely try some mushrooms, too! Tami

Aww, I didn't know there was a deadline for getting in the Christmas challenge, cause I didn't get online since Thursday. Can I please still get in? I weighed this morning---243. Tami

I was banded the day before you guys. I've been eating between 800-1000 calories a day, and still losing pretty steadily, although it's slowed just a bit in the last two weeks. I don't feel like I'm starving myself, or anything, I just eat bandster portions, low-fat foods, and no sugar. If I get hungry before meal time, I drink a bottle of Water. Sometimes I have a snack, but stick to 100 cal. or less. Tami

I was searching around to see if I could find a Women's World article online which was mentioned by another poster. I came across a different article that I'd like to share. It's about a bariatric surgeon's (Dr. George Fielding) journey to his own lapband surgery. He explains so well why it is justified (or even *necessary*) for the morbidly obese to choose bariatric surgery to lose weight. http://tinyurl.com/o6sod Tami

I just want to know what I missed! Hey, a little drama :drama: can keep a board lively! It's a tough job being a moderator (been there, done that), and it's difficult sometimes to know when to step in and take action to stop a flame war that might chase off members. That being said, this *is* the rants and raves forum! Tami

I just remembered an old recipe that I used to make my kids when they were little, and it's a good band-friendly recipe (at least for those who can tolerate some bread...the Pepp Farm thin whole wheat is better than most). We call it "egg party": Spray the inside of a mug with Pam. Crack an egg inside. Microwave on high 37 seconds* Tear up 1/2 slice of 2% American cheese into egg, and mix up. Tear up 1 slice of Pepperidge Farm Thin Whole Wheat bread and mix in. Sprinkle lightly with salt Enjoy! *The time to poach an egg in my microwave is 37 seconds, but you may have to play with the time to get it just right for yours. You want the egg cooked so that the white is done, but the yolk is still runny. Tami