thinkoflaura

what a great story -- talk about getting NOT what you wish for, but what you GO for... great lesson for us all! looking forward to hearing how you feel after the fill! xoL

I snooped around the site but couldn't find anything like this... I'd love to hear all your favorite mushies... what are no-no's and if you have any awesome recipes, please reply with them too! Today I was in costco and dared to sample the spanikopita... probably shouldn't have since i'm only 6 days banded, but i took tiny bites and chewed until it practically evaporated in my mouth. I gotta say, it was SOOOOOOO good. But this got me thinking about the mushy phase... what are your faves? thanks for sharing! laura

i love how passionate everyone gets on topics like this!

i have great sweet protein shakes that do the trick for the sweet cravings (bsn syntha-6 strawberry milkshake & vanilla ice cream flavors -- OMG - amazing!)... but i am really really really looking forward to SALTY food again! drooling a bit at the notion of refried beans... is hummus ok? i heard people talk about chili --are the kidney beans ok? i was afraid the skins might be too much. thanks for all your tips so far! keep them coming!

that's fantastic!!!!! congratulations! you must feel great! have you treated yourself to anything yet? something sexy to wear for the holidays? i love hearing stories like this... keep inspiring the rest of us! xo

so scary... during a pre-op appt, i once asked my doctor about the whole getting stuck thing. i envisioned it being stuck so you couldn't breathe. he said, no, you can always breathe. but then he said, "it won't kill you, but the pain could be so bad you might wish you were dead." Nice, huh? but in a way, i hope you're comforted to know that even though it's horrible, it's kinda normal.... please update tomorrow and let us know how you're feeling. xo

i am about a week ahead of you... banded on 12/7... i was hungry 3 days after banding... even w/the Protein shakes etc... called the dietitian at the office and she gave the ok for pureed Soups (pea, tomato, etc)... REALLY did the trick! never heard that about Jello, but every post-op plan is different, i'm learning. as for the pain - it sucks! i also was coughing, had chesty/gas pains that felt like they would never go away! but if it's any consolation, 6 days after the surgery, i bet you will feel soooooo much better!

I'm only a few days past surgery and ever since, I've had these crazy pains in my chest area (not heart, don't worry!). It feels like a burp that's stuck inside. During my banding, they repaired a hernia... and post-surgery i did have a lot of trouble with gas pains. Is this GERD? Years ago I had a few bouts with heartburn but nothing like this. In fact it doesn't feel heart-burny at all -- it's more like trapped air??? My post-op appt is next week, I figure if it's still happening I will talk to my surgeon about it. Just curious if anyone had a similar experience or knew what it was. It happens at random times, too - when I walk/inhale, when I drink, when I don't drink... so weird! and OUCH! :eek:

interesting... i get them so often and at such random times -- when i drink, don't drink, breath in deep, sit still -- don't seem to get the pains (or notice them at least) when i sleep. the frequency feels like burps, gas or heartburn but i can see where you'd describe it like a muscle thing. i remember when i was pregnant years ago and asked my ob how i'd know a real contraction. she said, "the pain will take your breath away." she was right! and even though these pains are short (and frequent), they, for a moment, hurt so bad and take my breath away too!

not sure if this constitutes as mushies, but last night -- 3 days post-band -- i had pureed pea Soup for dinner. baby food consistency. dietitian said it was ok. later, can i have SOME chunks? what exactly is MUSHIES?

way to go, jaime!!!!!! baby steps! so awesome that you got up today and did 10 minutes! that's bigger than you know! i hope you feel REALLY good about that because, hopefully, if the progression continues, that will be a defining moment for you and your healing. did you take your multi-vitimins today? maybe that could be your other baby step? or - you said you have pets -- if they are the run-around/playful kind, maybe you can swing by the dollar store and buy a ball or toy and spend 10 minutes playing a little wild with them? again, even if WOW is an addiction, if you can make it so it doesn't prevent you from achieving balance in your life, in my opinion, you don't have to give it up. your plan to find a new way to play sounds promising, just be open minded about it --personally, i hope you don't lose interest and find a great way to enjoy the game for a 1/3 of the time you're doing it now. imagine how awesome you're going to feel 6 months from now when you're back on track?!!!!!!:rolleyes2::cool2:

ditto what everyone said. also, think of how differently you are handling this indulgence versus all the ones pre-band... you're MINDFUL of it. you are balancing it out with activity, renewed commitment, etc. that's what healthy people do, right? sounds like the entire experience (and the way you're dealing with it) is actually a sign that you are evolving into a new kind of eater. i love astramom's support group mantra... "face it, deal with it, and move along." great advice. anyway, sorry to hear of all the family struggles. prayers to you and yours. and greytz -- your family is in my thoughts too!!!! laura

thanks all!!!! it kinda feels like gas pains but i didn't expect them so strong up in my upper body like this! i know i'm still healing so i'm not panicked... it's just great to have a forum like this to ask some peeps who've been here!

yes - that's exactly what the costco ones look like -- only they're 25g of Protein. thanks for the visual aid! :eek:

well, the bloating/gas has deminished and i guess i am now able to feel what's happening in the ole' gut -- and i was surprised to find my stomach GROWLING -- twice today! i just finished my second Protein Shake of the day (muscle milk in the AM and Syntrax matrix chocolate (bleh!) just now... and i am still hungry. is this normal? is this in my head? i was contemplating having a V8 or something but i don't know if i'm allowed. any suggestions would be appreciated!

thanks all for the support!!! yeah, it's probably a little of both (emotional and real hunger!) but i talked to the dietitian at my surgeon's office today. she said to up the Protein Shakes from 3 to 4 if needed, to make sure i'm getting enough Water and, believe it or not, CARBS! i've had a constant headache since i came home on tuesday and she said adding carbs from non-fat milk, etc will help. she said if all else fails, i can even ease into thicker Soups -- like pea or tomato Soup. No chunks, just something with a heartier consistency and a little Fiber. i've never been so thrilled to have soup!!!! she said no V8 by the way -- i didn't ask her why (i was too happy about the soup!) maybe the acid and sodium?

my nurse said those Protein shots (look like test tube vials, right?) are ok... the ones i have are 25 gms of protein each. They sell them by the case at costco (the nurse told us that, too). i got the fruit punch (i WISH costco let us mix the cases), didn't really like the flavor or consistency out of the vial, but i diluted it in a large glass of Water and sipped it over the course of an hour. it wasn't as bad.

as a brand new bandster, my first reaction to your post was, "Wow -- even after the band, after losing 100 lbs, life/health is still just as challenging as before the tool was in place." that for me was a good wake up call, to always be mindful and ready to face the struggles as they come (as they've always come)... my next reaction was F#@$ that boss - you're an experienced CPA, you could work anywhere! then i realized, the one you're probably most frustrated with and disappointed by is yourself. i know we've all been there! and it sounds like you feel trapped in this weight-work-depression-time suck-rut. but you have made a HUGE move in the right direction, coming into the light here, putting your challenges under the microscope -- now it's just a matter of deciding what to do next. i think the other gals have given you great ideas to think about, but at the end of the day, you are the only one who really knows what brings you peace. if something like WOW fulfills you, great, keep that hobby! but you owe it to yourself to find balance. if its worth it to you to play 15 hours a week (like it would be worth it to others to do scrapbooking or watch TV - my vice), fine. but then you have to commit to getting up at 4:30 to work out. you know, i heard that michelle obama gets up to at 4:30 to work out every day. i would never be willing to do that (i'd rather watch less tv personally), but i do say to myself, i bet michelle obama is as busy as i am... maybe a little busier :eek:... and if she finds the time to get on a freakin' treadmill every day, then i have no excuse! when you're thick in a funk, it's so hard to find a clear way out. but take baby steps. make one choice, make one promise to yourself to actively put your health first. maybe it will lead you into a brighter more hopeful spot.

I was just banded a few days ago and I, along with my family, am still getting used to the new life change. My husband is very supportive. My parents are too - in theory. But my dad just came in to my room (my folks live in our guest house out back) and asked, "so when can we all go out to dinner again?" "Not til I'm ready," I said, "and probably not until we can all agree to go for something healthy." "That's the wrong attitude," he insisted. "When I've been on diets, I didn't begrudge others from eating what they wanted." We started getting into a heated argument about it, and then he left. We are a family of over-eaters and until now, we'd eat many calorie-carb-fat laden meals together. Part of why I decided to get the lap band was because I wanted to break the cycle. I want my 4 year old daughter to see you don't have to eat ridiculous amounts of bread and Pasta to be sustained. I know I have this great new tool that will enable me to be successful if I make the right choices. I know my parents don't have that tool so I'm not expecting them to change their habits just because I am. But at the same time, I think if dad expects me to join him while he pigs out on lasagna, why can't i expect him to join me for Soup and salad one night? I also don't want to be the one cut off from all the camaraderie and fun -- but (over)eating on unhealthy meals was our primary way of family bonding, and right now I just think it's not smart for me to be around that. anyone else go though something similar? any advice would be appreciated.

thanks all for the advice and your stories! elfiepoo - i will try that!

your posts are all fascinating to me -- thanks for the inspiration!!!

it's funny - the reason i finally decided to go for the band was because i had lunch with a friend who gotten the band 6 months earlier (than our lunch date). she ate a cup of Soup (maybe pea?) and a small chicken caesar salad. she was a big girl - like me - and was thriving on a meal that seemed balanced, healthy and delicious. sure it wasn't the cheeseburger and fries i was chowing down... yet i envied her. SHE, i thought, WAS EATING LIKE A NORMAL PERSON. so yeah - i guess it's all relative. i know for the past 30+ years i've eaten abnormally. now i'm on post-op liquids and can't wait for that soup and salad lunch out!

haha! i forgot about Mario's! i went to Piper -- class of 88. haven't been back to the area in nearly 15 years.

sorry - new here and learning the terms... what does "slider food" mean?

well spud.mama -- it's been 3 months since this post (I am a newbie and was perusing the site), and i'm curious how you feel now about this issue compared to 3 months ago? what's different? what's still a struggle? thanks!