honk

I'm at restriction and I don't have trouble eating any foods so it's eating out is'nt an issue for me. Is your concern more about portion size? I find the healthier the food you buy the smaller the portions anyway. I just divide the meal into halves and take half of it home.

I am at restriction and can take mucinex no problem.

I buy the Costco chewable children's vitamin with choline that is the same as Flintstones but much cheaper.

FYI my doctor says you should be ABLE to eat just about everything. The band will help with hunger but it won't STOP you from eating things you should'nt. Not to be a downer but this is going to be 80% you. I'm at restriction and while I can eat anything I choose not to pick high calorie foods.

What shocks me is most of the food you ate was protein based. So how is that really that different than a protein shake? My doctor wanted me to do a 500 calorie a day liquid diet for like 4 months. First of all 500 calories a day is just crazy; considering I was doing a hour of cardio a day and working. Second the shakes gave me an allergic reaction so I stopped taking them. I still lost 50 pounds in the 7.5 months between consult and surgery.

I would dust yourself off and move on. Please note however AFTER surgery no cheating. No matter how tiny. Your stomach will be recovering from serious trauma. I recommend you watch a real surgery on youtube not at all gross, no blood. You will see why you MUST follow doctors orders.

I find that very odd! I have BCBS and I actually got a Voicemail message saying please call us so we can help you plan your surgery. This was about 2 weeks after my consult and was my first news that I had been approved.

Just so NO to program fees. The first hospital I went to had $600 fee. I called a much higher rated hospital that was about 15 minutes further away (total of 45 minute drive) and they had no fee. Guess where I went?

Did your doctor require sessions with a psychologist on Why you overeat? Mine did and boy did I learn a lot! I was a realtively healthy eater for a fat person. I learned that I am a compulsive carb eater. You can gain weight eating mini rice cakes if you eat 3/4 of a large bag in one setting. I had to make a life change that I can't keep crunchy carbs in my house; I will eat them. This is the time to think about food and decide Why you want to eat it. Are you really hungry or just board or the food is in front of you? It took me 7 months to get restriction so I feel your pain. Now that I am at restriction I still need to make conscious decisions. Today at work there was left over fruit salad from a lunch meeting. 3 hours after lunch I walked buy and it called out to me. I asked myself are you truely hungry? The answer was no. Could I have eaten it? Sure. But I was able to make the decision not to.

I was on blood thinners after surgery so I was well messed up. I would'nt be suprised if your cycle is abnormal for a few months. I would use some form of birthcontrol to make sure.

Also some doctors require weight loss prior to the liver shriking diet. Mine required 10% body weight loss.

Some doctors will not take on a patient that was operated on by another doctor. I would look into doctors in your area to see if they will do so. You will also need to ask the doctor near your mother what their preop requirements were. My doctor required the following: recent pap smear, recent Mammogram, EKG, heart ultrasound, full blood work, First consult, second meeting with surgeon, 3 mindful eating group therapy sessions, last consult with surgeon, presurgery blood work, presurgery training class on post surgery diet. Then post surgery I went in every 3 weeks for 7 months for fills. So a six hour trip for every appointment will be a lot.

At 4 months post op I started to have hair loss. I started taking 5000 mg Biotin and within 4 months the hair loss was gone. Was it my body stabilizing after surgery or the Biotin? Who knows. I still take the biotin since I also have bad nails.

Premier brand ready to drink protein shakes at costco are very good. 30 g protein 160 cal.

My doctor wanted me to do an open ended liquid diet of 500 calories a day. A special mix that you bought at the hospital. 1) It made my throat tingle, 2) it was $200 for 12 days so I stopped. I was losing weight on my own which included protein shakes made with whey Isolate. Anyway in 7.5 months I lost 50 pounds.

FYI my doctor wants you to eat most foods just to eat less of them. After reading this site for 7 months I went to Not Your Average Joes to have their Onion bread with Romano cheese/olive oil dip thinking I would never be able to eat it again. I am at restriction and I can still eat it; though I tend to just eat the crust and leave the bready part.

FYI some doctors say no ibuprofin after surgery as it irritates the stomach.

I am not being mean spirited deli meat and cheese are not mushies they are solids. I did not have solids until a month after surgery. Mushies for me included cottage cheese and ricotta. I would recommend stopping the solids they will cause you problems right now.

While I've lost about 150 pounds since summer 2008 I still have 80 to go. Today 95% of my male coworkers open doors for me. Will rush up from behind me to get the door. Not something that used to happen!

My doctor never said I could'nt have carrots. I have baby carrots every day for lunch. I do eat them with hummus. My only stuck episodes have happened with carrots though so be sure to eat them slowly.

Yes and yes. Also if you keep the band too tight you can't eat solid protein and veggies. This leads to drinking your calories you often hear people drinking ice cream based shakes etc. Also eating foods that more or less desolve in your mouth (cookies, crackers, candy) will pass right through the band.

My doctor required 10% body weight (33 pounds). Due to having to delay for other health issues I ended up losing 50 pounds. This is the time to develope a new relationship with food. Does your doctor have therapy sessions on eating (even group sessions)? Those are really helpful. At least when I was on this stricked diet for 8 months I felt like I was losing for the last time. That I was'nt going to regain it. Fingers crossed.

I think many people think if you just try/think hard enough you can stop being fat. Alcoholics are told they can never drink again. Food Addicts are told eat 3 meals a day for the rest of your life. Your friend would never tell an alcoholic it's only one drink! Do what you need to do to be healthy.

I had my initial consult in Jan 2010 I was approved in 2 weeks. I had to lose 34 pounds which I had done by late Feb 2010. Due to an unresolved blood clot I had to postpone my surgery. When I got a go ahead in July I was put on the doctors schedule in August. So basically even with insurance approval depending on how busy you doctor is that may affect how quickly your surgery can happen. Also you'll need to do the presurgery labs as well. My doctor had a class on the post op diet to explain exactly what you should be eating at what stage. Depending on how flexible your schedule is you could ask to be put on a cancellation list (many people get cold feet). My mother moved up her hip replacement by 3 weeks being on such a list.

Well it took me 7 months to get restriction so I was going in every 3-4 weeks to get a new fill. Now that I am at restriction I have not been there in 4 months. My insurance has changed so I no longer have bariactric coverage. If I was having trouble however I would go in! One of the biggest issues I have seen on this site is people who keep their bands too tight and end up having a slip. My doctor says if you can't eat 3 oz of solid protein and veggies you are too tight. Some people want to be tight so they can't eat pizza or other junk food. This is a bad mentality. Look to the band for help in controlling hunger not as a storm trooper.