BabyGotBack

Congrats on your banding!! Let me know if you have any questions, here, on the lower bmi thread or PM me. Let me know how you are doing. Once banded, I have learned more about myself. My body is not hungry or able to eat, yet my head wants to feel the textures of food and tastes. But, I know that I wouldn't even be able too. Not drinking enough water also has me thinking I am hungry when i am really thirsty. I never believed that one, that if you don't drink water you will feel it as hunger, but I am experiencing it now. Before, I'd just eat. Now, I am drinking more water and not feeling as hungry. What is chile guajillo? Can you give me the recipe to your caldo?? Thanks!:hungry:

I have really enjoyed the protein water. It is keeping me hydrated and I am getting the needed protein in. I like the lemon flaver a little better I think. And they are better cold. I am a bit week, but I think from the lower calories and not drinking enough water. Also, I am resting a little too much. I need to start getting out and doing some walking! I am being lazy!!!!! :notagree

We'd love to have you!! I think where ever you feel you are getting the support is where you should stay and if it is here, that is where you need to be!!!:clap2:

My doctor also gave me a card. I don't know if I will use it, but I just like to know I have the option to. Also, I think if you are going out to a buffett, you would get a lower price, if they wanted to honor the card. Buffets are like $14 or so in some places. For kids is a couple of dollars. A lot of really unscale restaurants have clam chowder and really delicious soups for about $4 and under for a nice size cup. All in all, I just want to have the option if I feel like doing it! Audree

I see this site as my support group. I also love to research the net and other threads to get good tips and like to post them on Lower Bmi thread so I have a place to refer to all I find more conveniently as well as share. My friend is having gastric bypass and had to take six months of classes to learn how to deal with the mental stuff. I see this group as doing the same thing for me. It really helps to know you are not going through things alone. Audree :biggrin1:

Blended soups Milk sugar-free blended yogurt Sugar-free hot cocoa Carnation instant Breakfast Sugar-free fudgesicle Sugar-free pudding C ooked Cereal (oatmeal, Grits, Cream of Wheat, Farina) Dry cereal with fat free milk-soggy Dannon Lite and Fit creamy yogurt (like a drinkable smothie on the go) Low-fat cottage cheese (small curd) chicken, Tuna, salmon, crab, Egg, salads made with (low-fat mayo) premade crab cakes Mashed potatoes Unsweetened applesauce Soft cooked/scrambled eggs Canned fruit in its own juice Sugar-free Jell-O Soft cooked vegetables Soups should be non-chunky. Low-fat cream soups or pureed low-fat soups like Healthy Choice. (I bought a little food processor at Wal Mart for $14 from Black and Decker. You can just add any delicious soup and puree it) Add tasteless Protein powder to boost protein in soups. canned fruit in their own juice (no pineapple) and baby fruit, V-8 juice. ****Avoid overeating/vomiting at all costs. Both may cause slippage of the band and send you back to the operating room. Eat slowly and chew foods until they are a mushy/thin consistency. Work your way slowly up to ¼-1/2 cup of food meals. Do not eat pieces of food that are too large and can block the stomach opening (avoid thick meats and soft breads, opening of the stoma is the size of a dime). Stop eating when satisfied and comfortable not when overly full. Overeating can cause the pouch to stretch prematurely and may cause vomiting. This may also cause a slip of the band and require surgery. Eat three meals a day and consume protein with each meal. Consume one Protein shake (ex: 1/2 cup a few times a day if needed for extra protein) Always read food labels for low fat, the sugar rule, and high Fiber. Make sure you journal so you can keep track of what you are eating so you can let your doctor know. Also, you don't want to exceed 1,000-1200 a day. Also, what was happening to me, was that I was not getting enough Water, cyrstal light so my body was really thirsty not hungry. When I upped the water intake, my hunger pangs went away. I hope this helps!!! Audree:clap2:

Welcome Sophie!!! I felt like crap binging before my surgery. But, I was just getting it out of my system. The thing is it is so much easier to have to gain than lose!! Go for it!!! I can't wait to see how my journey unfolds!! Audree

I know how you feel. I was supposed to be banded Dec. 18 but had to wait for my financing to come through and it did!!!!! From San Diego the driver picks you up and drives you to the hotel, then picks you up for surgery. Then drives you back to the hotel and back to the air port. I think you'd be okay to go alone. And we always meet people on these boards who are having the surgery the same day we are and meet up at the hotel. I met a really nice lady named Debi and now we call each other and will go get fills together. You may find someone to share a room when you find out your date and see if anyone else is traveling alone. Dr. Ortiz also has his own site lapbandforum.com and his patient coordinator tries to help patients match up for dates, surgeries, fills etc. Let me know if you have any questions!!! Audree

Me three!!!

It is so funny how different doctors have different post ops. Dr. Ortiz just changed his. It is now only 3 weeks of liquids (first four days clear, liquid yogurt on day 4, protein shakes day 5, cream soups day 7) and on day 22 you can start on solid foods. So for me, I need to stop being a baby because I can't have my cream soup until Friday!!!! I have been feeling sorry for myself!!! I only have 3 weeks to go till I can eat "normal". My nutrionist said divide the plate in 4 quadrants, 1st quadrant is protein (very finely chopped), 2nd quadrant is veggie, 3rd is fruit and 4th is healthy carb. The middle of the plate has to be some form of healthy fat. She also said no protein shakes. Better to have solids than liquids, for example the new Kelloggs Protein meal bars. For dinner I had broth, chamomile tea, crystal light and a sugar free pudding!! I felt a little better after that, but it still put my to about 600-700 calories today. I was feeling very week. Audree

I can't feel my band at all. I can feel my port kind of. I am aware my stomach is swollen and bloated, but that's it! Audree

Lucky you cuz I am starving!!!!!!! I think I am not having enough water. I think I will try sipping on crystal light! Audree

Thanks SkinnyMom! My thing is I don't really have a sweet tooth and I am soooooo burned out already on the juice, gatorade, ice pops, jello. I finally burped and it felt soooo good.I'd have this sensation that I wanted to burp and couldn't and it HURT!!!! It was a lot of pressure. Audree

I want some creamy soup so baaaaddd! I don't like sweets so i don' really want yogurt or protein shakes. I am about to have more broth for dinner. Dr. ORtiz has you on 4 weeks of liquids then to solid food, chewed well. I AM SO HUNGRY IT HURTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Audree

You should come by our lower bmi thread. We are all lower bmi. I was a bmi of 31. I just got banded on Friday. If you post this question there you will get a lot of feedback!!! Audree

Thanks!!!! I like to find intersting things to help my journey easier and want to help others along the way!:welldone: I am hungry and am thinking about taking my Quick Slim 30 because I am too darn hungry. This is what I have eaten today Breakfast: Better Than Boullion Beef broth Snack: Juice pop Protein Water Gatorade Frozen Juice box (100% juice) Audree

I am getting hungry too and feeling week. I was told by my nurtionist that I can have drinkable yogurt tomorrow and up to 6 protein shakes on Wednesday. My question is when can I start creamy soups?????? I can't wait. I want to melt some Skinny Cow cheese in them. Someone is eating Skinny Cow cheese here per her nutrionist post of day 4. Man, why can't I??????????????? She had me on 4 weeks of liquids, shakes, soups, yogurt and then solids after that. Audree

I was able to sleep on my tummy and sides the night back to the hotel from the hospital. My port is not sore during the day. It was a little sore last night, but laying on my heating pad helped. I find putting a little squishy pillow under my port feels good too! Congrats on your surgery! Let us know how you are doing! Audree

Also found this on water intake: "Pace yourself through out the day. I drink 5 or 6 16.9 oz bottles of water per day. Or the equivalent in tea or crystal light as well as my water. I drink 1 bottle before I get to work (at home, on the way to office) I drink another bottle between arriving at work and going to lunch Another bottle after lunch, before I leave the office Another after dinner That is 5 bottles. But somewhere during the day I usually manage to get some more in, and always end up drinking around 6 bottles, or between 84 and 100 oz. As for water fitting in the small stomach, it goes right through the aband, so that as long as you don't gulp it, you are mostly filling the large portion of your stomach. "

I found this on another thread for constipation: "What I have found is that you can take 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (which are almost tasteless), and mix it in with one packet of instant oatmeal for breakfast. That works well, and doesn't alter the taste of the oatmeal at all. In addition to the fiber effect, the ground flax seed provides other nutritional benefits. It has the good omega-3 fats, lignans, (which are antioxidants that promote breast and colon health). Research has shown it to be helpful in keeping cholesterol in check. Two tablespoons adds 60 calories, but contains 4 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. It tastes kind of nutty. Add it to whatever you'd like. I put it in soups, stews, pancakes, breads, top yogurt with it.. "

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 align=center bgColor=#ffffff><TBODY><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD vAlign=top width="100%" colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Palatino Linotype, Georgia, Times New Roman" vAlign=top>Frozen chocolate Cheesecake Bites! (2 Bites: 40 calories, 0g fat, 100mg sodium, 6.5g carbs, 0g Fiber, 1g sugars, 2g Protein = 1 Point!) Meet our new favorite use for ice cube trays. Ingredients: 3/4 cup Cool Whip Free 5 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese; softened 1 tbsp. SPLENDA, Granular 10 tsp. HERSHEY'S sugar free Syrup Directions: Using a fork, vigorously mix Cool Whip, cream cheese and Splenda until smooth and well blended. Evenly distribute mixture into 10 sections of an ice cube tray. Tap tray firmly on the counter a few times to get mixture to settle flat. Next, top each with a teaspoon of chocolate syrup. Tap tray again to settle. Place tray in freezer until Bites are solid -- at least 2 hours. Once frozen, Cheesecake Bites should pop out easily (if not, run the bottom of the tray under the faucet for a few seconds to loosen them). Makes 10 Bites! </TD><TD width=20></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD colSpan=5 height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=5 height=20></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#b2e7f4><TD vAlign=top width="100%" colSpan=2></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> 2. Prepackaged crab cakes (love crab cakes. They give me my protein, they are easy to eat even on tight days and there are endless recipes or pre-packaged ones available. Also salmon in any form. Can find them at Trader Joes or Henry's) 3. Tilapia fish with homemade tartar sausce out of yogurt and relish 4. Chili Beans from Wendy's 5. The bean and cheese burrito from Taco Bell with out the tortilla Tex-Mex Cheesy chicken Chowder Ingredients: 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup thinly sliced celery 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tbsp oil 2 cups milk 1, 16 ounce jar chunky salsa 1, 8 ounce package Velveeta 1, 4.5 ounce can diced chiles <DIR><DIR><DIR><DIR>1 ½ skinless, boneless chicken (bite-sized) 2, 14 ounce cans chicken broth 1, 32 ounce package frozen Ore-Ida diced potatoes 1, 2.64 ounce package country gravy mix </DIR></DIR>corn chips (optional) </DIR></DIR>In 6 qt Dutch oven, cook and stir onion, celery, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken, then cook until chicken is no longer raw. Then, add broth and diced potatoes. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for approximately 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender (stirring occasionally) In separate pan, dissolve gravy mix in milk (until it’s gravy lol), and then add this gravy/milk mixture into the above pan of ingredients. Then, stir in cheese, salsa, and chiles, and then reduce heat to low. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. This can be served over cornchips, but without it’s great too! Nutritional Info: (Based on a 1 cup serving, and this recipe above will make about 16) 303 calories 15 g fat 35 mg cholesterol 857 mg sodium 26 g carbs 2 g fiber 16 g protein *** find a low-sodium chicken broth, skim milk, lower fat ingredients, etc..) Obviously you can choose the kick of the salsa and chiles. Also, I like to use the canned chicken (usually a white/dark meat combination), because for me it goes down easier. :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: Almost Veggie Chili <HR><TABLE height=233 width="73%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TD width="66%">Ingredients</TD><TD width="9%">Calories</TD><TD width="6%">Fat(g)</TD><TD width="9%">Carbs (g)</TD><TD width="10%">Protein (g)</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">3/4 pound ground turkey</TD><TD width="9%">582</TD><TD width="6%">32</TD><TD width="9%">0</TD><TD width="10%">66</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1c diced onions</TD><TD width="9%">53</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">17</TD><TD width="10%">0</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1 can of diced green chilis</TD><TD width="9%">10</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">2</TD><TD width="10%">0</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">4-6 cloves of minced garlic (I buy the processed kind because it's easy) </TD><TD width="9%">18</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">4</TD><TD width="10%">0</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">2 cans of drained pinto, kidney, black or garbanzo beans (your choice -- mix it up!)*</TD><TD width="9%">414</TD><TD width="6%">1</TD><TD width="9%">76</TD><TD width="10%">26</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1 can of diced, stewed tomatoes (buy the Mexican style, if available) </TD><TD width="9%">71</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">17</TD><TD width="10%">2</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1 small can of tomato paste</TD><TD width="9%">139</TD><TD width="6%">1</TD><TD width="9%">33</TD><TD width="10%">6</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1c diced carrots</TD><TD width="9%">53</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">13</TD><TD width="10%">2.6</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1c various veggies -- zuchinni, corn, bell peper-- whatever </TD><TD width="9%">28</TD><TD width="6%">0</TD><TD width="9%">8</TD><TD width="10%">1.5</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">chili powder, cayene pepper, cumin, black pepper to taste 1/2-1 teaspoon ea</TD><TD width="9%">x</TD><TD width="6%">x</TD><TD width="9%">x</TD><TD width="10%">x</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">1-2c of chicken stock</TD><TD width="9%">38</TD><TD width="6%">1</TD><TD width="9%">1</TD><TD width="10%">5</TD></TR><TR><TD width="66%">Total servings: appx 13 -- Breakdown per serving</TD><TD width="9%">108</TD><TD width="6%">2.5</TD><TD width="9%">13</TD><TD width="10%">8.3</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Brown first 4 ingredients in a large soup pot with a small tad of vegetable oil or cooking spray. Add rest of ingreients to pot, with just enough stock or Water to cover contents. Simmer for 2-3 hours. Serve with melted cheese and fresh onions on top. Variations: Vegetarian: Replace turkey with texturized vegetable protein or tofu, and chicken stock with vegetable stock. Usually veggies have their favorite meat replacement. Or skip the replacement and add another can of beans or more vegetables. Also be sure to add a tablespoon of either Peanut Butter or miso soup concentrate to the mix. You won't taste it, except that it thickens the soup and gives it a good mouthfeel. This was the secret ingredient to my Vegan Chili which I lived off of for the 2 years I was a vegetarian. Meat-Lovers: Replace turkey with beef; add 2 strips of bacon to the chili for flavor. If you want more meat, subtract a can of beans and replace with meat. Others: You don't need to follow this ingredient list exactly. My cafeteria often puts in leftover chicken breast, in tiny chunks, instead of ground turkey. If you have some old brocolli or green beans, they can do well here as well. Chili is like a casserole -- supurb left-over management.

I got this advice on another thread about daily intake. I think it is pretty consistent with what we hear: "Calories : 1000 Fat: 20g Protein: 60 - 80g Water: 64oz" Is this about what we all are doing? Are you all journaling what you eat? I am going to journal so if I don't lose or lose slow, I know why. Audree

I had the Mirenea IUD for like 3 1/2 years. I did enjoy not having a period, but it wasn't worth the other side effects. It was harder for me to lose weight no matter what I did. I had a lower libido, felt moodier among things. I feel so much better having it out. My periods are lighter than before Mirena. I am very glad I had it out! Weight loss was also easier after I had it out. I am glad it's out now for my weight loss with the band. Audree

I already have a my space, but I don't want them to know I am banded. I am a very private person and a lot of my family are very negative and gossipy. Do you know how i can make a 2nd page just for my lapband? Audree

I used Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. His staff was so attentive. They always answered my calls even during the holidays any time. I even get Dr. Ortiz's cell phone that I can call anytime, 24 hours a day. I had a great experience, 3 days post of and feeling really good! His website is obesitycontrolcenter.com Audree