honk

Perscription strength NSAIDS. Ugggg. This year a medical journal came out with a study that people who took NSAIDS (esp. perscription) increased the chance of stroke and heart attack. At 39 after being on a perscription NSAID I had a stroke for 11 months. The doctors really did'nt have a reason why (though of course they brought up my weight). After reading this research (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1473048/) I am convinced this was involved with my having a stroke. Even though my doctor said I could take NSAIDS I have'nt taken one since.

I feel like I am not "finished" eating until I have something sweet. Totally based on my experience with food growing up. We always had dessert immediatly following a meal. Before banding I took Benecol caramel chews to reduce cholesterol. I find them really good to close out to a meal. You could try Alpine Suger Free hot cider (powder) for an evening "snack". I also take a couple fiber chews at night for a treat.

I use romaine lettuce as a wrap for chicken breast sandwich almost everyday for lunch.

Is this your first fill? My doctor says two things can happen: a fill can give you restriction and within two weeks subside or it can take two weeks for it to hit. My last fill took me to 10cc and at first I def had more restriction than now but there is still some. My TOM is pretty messed up so it's hard to tell what is band and what is internal swelling. If it's been 5 days I would'nt say it's swelling from the fill, more likely you are feeling tightening from the fill. As mentioned about hard to tell whether that will contine.

<br /><br /><br /> I don't really have an answer for you. You are entering what is lovingly called Bandster Hell. I also religously followed my post op diet. Since hitting mushies and solids I've measured out my Protein and always choose lean protein and mostly raw veggies (I live alone and rather eat raw than cooked). I am 6 months post op and have only lost 34 pounds and I exercise an hour a day seven days a week. Anyway. My doctor prefers that you gut it out eating 3 small meals a day and use will power. My Nut said it's okay to have a low cal/fat, high protein snack if you have a long period between lunch and dinner (that's when I go to the gym).

I would fry egg whites using PAM and at the very end add fat free cottage cheese with chives. Leave in pan until it cheese gets melty. Chobani fat free Greek yoghurt with fruit (I used a stick blender though I don't know if I really needed to), I also thinned it down with 1 tablespooon of milk.

Sigh. My hair started to fall out about 4 months after surgery. My PCP did a second thyroid test this week and the test came back "normal". I am going to meet with the Nurse Practioner tomorrow to discuss what other reasons could be causing this. They site "rapid" weight loss but my surgeon's office does not consider my loss "rapid" at all. Sugery was 8/13 I am down 34 pounds which sure I am happy about. I am however frustrated when I read that others are down 50; when I religiously follow my doctors foods orders and excercise for an hour daily (7 days a week).

I don't really have an answer for you. I can tell me my doctor calls for 3 oz of protein vs 4. At this stage 1 oz is a lot for your stomach which is healing.

I ate almost the same breakfast preband as I do now. Chobani fat free Yoghurt with fruit, half scoop Vanilla whey Isolate protein powder and splendra. Post band I add benefiber and 1/4 cup Kashi Go Crunch (high protein) cereal.

JaGo, I'm sorry but your friend is a jerk. And trust me that's not the first word that came to mind. Either that or they are a major narcarcist. If they wanted to have a weight intervention they should have put on their big girl panties and done it face to face. Giving you weight loss CDs so you could get the hint? Seriously? Do they have to much facial hair? How about forwarding a link to a laser removal spa.

There are times I drink right up to the first bite; sometimes I wait 5 minutes. I also don't see why we can't drink before. Water is going to flow right threw. I have my one cup of regular coffee every morning before breakfast.

I agree with a previous poster to bring your own food and coolers. You won't find mushies at stadium stack bars. I would bring at least 3 ready to drink protein shakes per day. How about the individual serving applesauce containers, they are available now in several flavors.

It's hard to say but did they finish medical school and start immediately with lap band surgery? Or had they been practicing for 10 years before starting bariactrics. Clearly in the second scenario the doctor has a lot more general experience.

I would call the insurance myself. After all you're paying them. I have never heard an insurance saying you have to wait 3 months. Unless you changed employers and you are'nt covered for the first 3 months of employment.

You're lucky that you can have yoghurt. For the first week I could have clear liquids and protein shakes. I had broth and then a couple hours later the shake. I did that for three meals. I would disagree about not watching calories at all. Believe it or not I have read of people having ice cream or McDonalds shakes because they were liquid! In general my Nut says to stay at 1200 cals a day.

I also bought biotin. I am losing alot of hair. My surgeons office said they don't think I'm losing weight fast enough for it to cause hair loss. Gees thanks! I mentioned that my Thyroid levels came back low in my last blood panel and they said that causes hair loss. I went today to retake the thyroid blood test. The also mentioned that could explain why I am not losing as fast as I would like.

I need to have my coffee through out the day because I live in the frozen tundra that is New Hampshire. It's Cold, Cold, Cold here. I work from home so I'm paying for the heat. Keeping in mind I keep my house at 61 degrees, and take all my showers at the gym; I got a oil delivery this week for $635! That's for 5 weeks of use.

I really like Gold Standard Double Chocolate. For vanilla I get Dymatize brand. One thing I would caution about adding things to the vanilla or any flavor really is watching the calories. Esp. if the shake will be a snack vs a meal. FYI I do add half a scoop vanilla to fat free greek yoghurt with fruit that I have everyday for breakfast (also add splendra as ff greek yoghurt is rather sour). Personally I find Vitamin Shoppe to have better pricing.

Buggirl, are you referring to having a liquid diet 3-4 weeks prior to surgery? Each doctor is different. I would say a majority require a two week liquid diet. My doctor did not have a set plan each person get's their own orders. My doctor put me on a special liquid diet that I bought from the hospital, I tried it for 5 days and stopped bacause it was giving me weird allergy like reactions, and I was not losing weight on 500 cal a day. His office decided to let me do my own diet, my surgery was another 4 months out (My surgeon thinks this 500 cal diet is sustainable for months on end but I know it's not because other patients told me they took weekends off and ate real food!). I lost 50 pounds on my own pre surgery.

I agree with a previous posters this whole process is about a life style change. Many, many people think this is going to be a magical fix to their problems. The reality is this is more than 50% mental. Esp. until you start to see some restriction. Due to other health issues I had to wait 7.5 months to have surgery. This gave me time to live new food practices. I think some doctors don't stress this enough because our society likes to look for easy fixes. Just look at how prescription drug commercials are all over the TV. Why? Becuase patients/consumers go to the doctor and demand the drugs because it will be an answer to some problem. Really stressing that the band isn't going to prevent you from drinking a large McDonald's milkshake is going to translate to some people saying "Then why have this surgery". And that would cost the doctor money. Sorry back to the original question. Do some people go off their presurgery diet, yes. If you WERE to do that would it be better to have a baked chicken breast with no skin than a Big Mac, Yes. As mentioned by a previous poster if I had to rate which is more important following the pre or post op diet I would say post. You must, let me repeat, MUST, follow your doctors post op diet. You can do SERIOUS damage to your stomach if you progress to quickly. Because doctors have different diets, many posters say "Oh it's okay you moved to solids 2-3 weeks early because my doctor allowed it". No. If you doctor says 4 weeks of liquids, mushies that's what you need to do. I know some people will find my post mean spirited but it certainly isn't meant that way. I am just repeating what my doctor said.

To be truthful I would be less worried about your pouch stretching than I would be about the stiches in your stomach holding the the band in place. I'm not trying to be an alarmist. I just want to remind you that eating solids makes your stomach churn which can stress those stiches. Depending on where you are in the diet. Even if you had moved to mushies I would probably return to full liquids for a day to let your stomach rest.

FYI I ask my doctor if I could drink regular coffee and he said "Why not?" My Nut. however said to do a regular coffee at Breakfast and then switch to decaf the rest of the day (I drink it black with splendra). Her issue is that it is a diuretic and reg. coffee will dehydrate you. Also, depending on the state of your office coffee you might want to bring your own instant decaf. The stuff today comes in individual servings and is pretty good for instant. My old office had one of those reallyyyy old school machines (not the nice Keurig kind)that had the world's WORST coffee. I tried many ways to cover up the flavor (flavored splendra, etc) and NOTHING helped.

I second upping your Protein. Grilled chicken breast strips are great for that. Before I had got closer to restriction I would have it as a snack. Also, I swim every day which is a great for those of us who are over weight. No joint issues. I use a Water proof MP3 player. I was the same bmi as you when I started the lap band journey. HOWEVER. I had already lost 30 pounds from swimming. It was and continues to be quite a sight at my gym. Me in my fat lady swim suit and the high school swim teams (a different town everynight). Oh and the 20 parents sitting in the bleachers.

"my doctor told me this is why she charges $500 because if people started all this and she guided them and they quit half way in, her time is just wasted." I'm going to call BS on this one. No doctors does work for free. If someone starts the process they are paying for each appointment. The cost of each visit is priced to pay their overhead. I think of it like a college education. I did'nt give them a tip in addition to all that tuition.

I am to eat full liquids first 24 hours and mushies second 24 hours. FYI when I stood up from the table I felt this tightening sensation in my sternum area. Not really painful but just a feeling. I told the nurse and she said it was very normal. Oh course it is important to drink a cup of water before you leave the office. My first fill was 4 CCs. I did not start to see any restriction until I was at 9.4. I am now at 10CC and think I may be at restriction now.