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You are so much better at taking your vitamins than me! I haven't taken them in awhile. I usually get enough calcium from my diet, but a good multivitamin is in dire need. I have lost a lot of hair, but my hair is still pretty thick (it was SUPER thick before and I'd have to get it thinned out!) I'll definitely let you know which ones don't suck. lol

I'm going to Clearwater Beach. It's the Allegiant Tampa/St. Pete flight. I'm going with 7 other girls. I cannot wait!! I've been 2 other times, but in a size 26 and 24. I'm going in a size 18 swimsuit this time :)

I do occasionally drink protein shakes if I'm feeling particularly tight. Does your band tighten on your period? I use the Bariatric Advantage Chocolate. I had the Banana ...it was AWFUL. I can still remember the taste in my mind. I just ordered a sample of their vanilla. I want to start drinking more of them with blended fruit or low fat/sugar yogurt.

Doing pretty well here, too. My diet has been a little screwed up b/c it seems that there's just one thing after another going wrong. First, I had thrush....so I had to start yogurt early. Then I had severe constipation, so the docs told me to go ahead with the mushies to get things moving along...almost wish I hadn't. Had to go to the ER at 3:45 yesterday morning - the most painful thing I've ever experienced, including 3 natural childbirths. Now I'm not eating anything at all - not b/c I can't - but because I'm just scared to. lol...I've lost a total of 30 lbs from pre-surgery till now, but haven't lost anything since the 5th day post-op. It could be the mushies that I started, but they were low-fat/low-cal and I was only consuming a little over 300 cals a day. I hope this is not what I can expect from here on. I need more than 300 calories to function properly! I go back to my surgeon on the 25th for my 2 week follow up appt. I was really excited, and now....not so much.

hello... i haven't heard back from you... Is everything okay? I'm fine... it's a process and having my hernia fixed during the lapband installation has made my recovery very long-winded. I am still on clear liquids... it seems like forever... almost a month. but tuesday i start full liquids. So i can add yogurt, pudding, and cream soups... so that will be a change... How are you coming along?

I'm sorry that i couldn't get back to you sooner, i just got home from the hospital yesterday. My surgeon also fixed a large hernia while installing my band...so i'm still pretty sore but dong alot better now... how are you feeling? I'm still on clear liquids for another week... so even though i'm really not hungry yet I'm looking forward to some cream soups and yogurt next week...LOL I never thought i'd say that. How's everything with you? *Maria*

My diet starts June 1st and consists of pretty much sugar free liquids with limited fat free dairies. I am gonna try and find stuff that is high is protein, like greek yogurt.

hey, you are shopping already. i havent thought about shopping yet. i want to wait till i lose more weight, the fun stuff is putting on some slacks that i wasnt able to zip up and now bingo. its great feeling isnt it. i had a great weekend with my boys, my hubbie was away working. love 3 day weekends. started munchie on diffrent things, i added some blackberries to my yogurt. went down good, of couse i make sure and chew.

The nut was great. I do like her and got lots of good eating tips for my pre-op, oh yeah, 2 weeks baby! But there are a number of 'acceptable' things on there that I won't feel like i'm starving too much. yogurt, grits, mashed potatoes!!, jello, pudding, sf popsicles and lots of broth. Still trying to figure out how i'm going to smuggle some of that with me to disneyland! I have a friend or two in the area, i'm thinking a ride over to the grocery store will be in order for my foods.

June 2nd, huh, ouch...that is a long time to wait. i'm sure it will be here before we know it. next week?

kathi

OMG, WTF is going on...ugggghhh i could of sworn i was going down a hall way located in HELL...lol so you are up to 7.?? cc's in a 10cc's band, i think i'm around 5.?? cc's in a 14cc's band. Damn why does that make it sound like my stomach was HUGE..lol i'm not sure what's going on but i am no longer in charge, when i tell you SASHA is FIERCE. she got me again this morning trying to eat a boiled egg, like i have done several times before. yogurt went down smooth, which i thought would some what lubercate my throat. man was i wrong ! yeah after that it's over for that break, it's scarmbled eggs for me from here on out. and it wasn't PB neither time, this was straight up and out .i was pounding on my chest so hard this morning, a lady saw me on my way to the restroom and thought i was having heart problems and was getting ready to call the paramedics ! how often do you have PB ?

What are you doing as far as food? I've been eating a lot of yogurt and applesauce. I tried Malt O Meal yesterday morning and all that seems to be fine. When I have any cream soup or like the spaghetti sauce last night I get HORRIBLE heartburn.

My husband bought me one of those arm bands like they use on the biggest loser so I can count my steps. I've been doubling my activity everyday since surgery.

I have to go back to work in two days and I'm really worried about the gas and bowel issues. My bowels are so LOUD it is embarrassing!!! Like just sitting there everything moving around inside, you can hear it accross the room.

I haven't been able to do three shakes a day either. My shake has 26grams per serving so, I really only need to do 2 if I get protein from food. HEY SF fudsicles have 2 grams EACH!!

I've also already lost 10 lbs. Keep me updated on your progress.

Rosie

I honestly do not stick to calorie intake. I do however watch my carb intake. But not so much calorie. I eat tofu at least 4 times a week. (I know I hear you all already ewh.... tofu. don't knock it till you try it the right way). I make stir fry dishes using tofu and if we are having chinese at work I order tofu. I love the maximum protein from GNC. However it's expensive. Vitamin shop is cheaper and you can buy any protein, take it home, try it, and if you don't like it you can return it. I also recommend greek yogurt. It is called Fage. It kinda tastes like a sour, sour cream but it has like 18grms of protein in 1cp. I add one sweet and low to it. I have a 4cc band and I am at at least 3.7. I get fills and unfills often, so I can no where my optimal restriction is. I have realized it changes with weight loss.

helloooo I had my second fill yesterday and would you believe despite my insistance the Dr only gave me 1cc! That wasn't even close to enough. All up i now have 3'1/2cc. So i went home and had a yogurt with ease and then i had a normal dinner. Still no restriction.... ho hum. I have only lost 26lbs And i tried to explain to the Dr i know what restriction feels like because i had it for 2 weeks after my op. So now i have to wait another two weeks to get another 1 cc. To me it just feels like it is holding up my weight loss going sooo slow in fills. I'm guessing you will have noticed a lot of restriction considering you were feeling some b4 your first fill. I am worried i will never feel restriction.

Congrats on ur great weight loss... you go girl, your a shining example of how this band can work and doing every thing right.

luv Trace.xx

For the pureed diet, I would put chicken or beef into the blender with a little bit of broth. Then I added mashed potatoes with it. It tasted good. A lot of people thought it would be grosee, but it wasn't like a drink. It was tasty. Also try salmon or tuna. Adding mayo helps if not potatoes. Then eat yogurt or mashed bananas. I even put a hotpocket in the blender because I missed pizza so much. It didn't go down very well.

is in love with Fage yogurt

Thanks ...... I have been putting ice on my stomach to help the wounds lol that's what I call them. I'm not really hungry.......I just think I should be able to grab something and I can't, it's weird.....but good at the same time. I guess by the 4th day I should feel better then I do now......I haven't climb my stairs yet or got a shower. I am waiting until tomorrow to do so. I am eating jello and I did have some nonfat plain yogurt, with splenda and it went down and felt good...just a shot glass. I am use to grabbing an apple or some blueberries, almonds and just munching on that and I can't. I think I didn't realize how much I ate though the day......now I am learning. This will be all good in the long run.....I just can't wait now until I go back and see if I lost anything and how I am doing. What are you eating?

Lisa

mine is VERY strict! Its liquids only!!! I can have sugar free jello and popsicles, I bought popsicles and they are only LOW sugar So I'll have to save them and eat them later or something, I can have 3 cups of yogurt a day, and can only drink crystal light/water. No real foods pretty much... Its really hard!! I go for my pre-op testing at the hospital tomorrow, I'm not even sure what they are gonna do... hmm, should be fun, keep me posted !!!

Yeah! I am doing well. I am down 10 lbs so far. Only about 5 from the pre-op. I do fairly well with it. Ours seems fairly easy. I get 2 shakes, 4 oz of lean protein, a yogurt, 1 piece of fruit and unlimited non-starchy veggies. All the sugar-free Jello I can stand. Is your strict? My doctor about had a nut when I called it the stupid pre-op diet. He said if my liver isn't reduced he will sew me back up and not do the banding. BE GOOD! )

So today I had some Honey Treat Yogurt with Reeses. It was my first slip up and I immediately regretted. My brain and my sleeve are in agreement, never doing that again.

Biggest craving of the week: Fage strawberry yogurt. My how things have changed!

im hungry for egg over easy and coffee yogurt. weird usually a bacon sandwich.

Sprinkled Peach Mango Crystal Light in Greek yogurt this morning...YUM! Finally found a way to eat yogurt without the >bleck< LOL

I am so hella sick of protein shakes. Having to force myself to drink them to get my protein, as the powder makes pre-made pudding and yogurt taste funny. Won't get cleared for puree/soft until Wed afternoon. I'll get through this, but last night I seriously wanted to suck the salt off of a cracker my hubby was eating. LOL. Chew and spit makes more sense in my head now. LOL

2 week appointment went well... cleared for exercise without lift and egg/yogurt/soft cheese in 6 days. Looking forward to chewing

Had surgery last Thursday, so I've been home for 2 days as of 15 minutes ago.  I weighed more when I got discharged than when I went in despite only having eaten a Jello cup in 2 days, but I put that down to inflammation. This morning I weighed a little less than I went in.  I sneezed last night and my fiance saw me cry for the first time, and we've been together 16 years. I took my multivitamin first thing this morning and threw up. Kept it down after drinking 4oz protein shake. Yogurt gives me diarrhea, water hurts more than the fuller liquids, and my stomach is turning somersaults and I think I'm hungry because I'm used to interpreting it that way, but I have no desire to eat.

My biggest problem is that I am used to being busy.  I own a business and I've been getting active on these boards, and when I'm on my laptop I forget to drink. Will I hurt myself if I drink faster?  I've been scheduling 4oz every 30 minutes with breaks before and after meals.  Is it too fast to drink 4 oz in 15 min to get caught up on what I missed?

I just had a teaspoon of hummus with a teaspoon of avocado topped with a teaspoon of greek yogurt and it. was. GLORIOUS. I'm four days out and my surgeon gave me the greenlight to work in small amounts of pureed food. 

FYI. I'm going to discuss poop! I'm a Registered Nurse x16yrs.  It's possible this might be to much information for some but I'm not gonna sugar coat my info/experience. I hope some find this much detail helpful.

Post op gastric sleeve 8 days out. The first day/night was AWFUL. I believe the majority of discomfort was from all the gas placed in the abdomen during surgery. Day 3 I started have less pain from the gas yet the spasm/pulling/tightness in right lower quadrant of abd. continues to this day (maybe a 4 on the pain scale w/ 10 being worst). I recommend WALK, splint your abdomen w/ a small pillow to cough/sneeze/laugh/try to have a bowel movement!

Speaking of bowel movements, my Doctor did not have me do a liquid fast 2 wks prior to surgery, only 24 hrs prior to day of. I was unable to pass gas or have a bowel movement until day 6 and that was with the help of Miralax on day 5 ( note I did take the pain med's/Lortab the first 3 days). I have no problem taking in H2O as I'm a water snob so this wasn't the issue.  FYI. Narcotics can increase constipation. I recommend the Miralax, I purchased individual dose pkg's which make it simple to take on the road/convenient. Bowel movements should return to pre surgery consistency if not discuss w/ your MD. 

 It was difficult to urinate ( minimal volume/stream) the 1st 3 days as well, I assume due to gas and swelling in the abd. cavity, 8 days out and the all things back to normal in that department. 

No appetite, only thirst first 3 days. I started the Protein shakes my local health food store offered NutraBio 100% whey protein iso. 25 grams protein in one scoop and it tastes clean no after taste/grit. I started to notice a desire to eat on day 3. I found heating up Lipton soup mix or ckn soup from a can and straining out the solid bits extremely fulfilling. Now day 8 I want to have something of substance in my belly. I'm not sure if it's hunger or habit. I am still cooking meals for my family. I bought some ice cream last night and that made a huge difference in my attitude/energy/outlook. I've noticed many different diet recommendations throughout my research in regards to the liquid phase of the diet. My surgeon wants everything low carb, low fat, calories 700-900. That is a bit extreme for me I beleive. I've already gone back to work (day 5/modified w/ no lifting over 15 pds) and couldn't make it through the day on that limited amt of calories. I've been blending canned soups to liquid consistency the last few days, loads of yogurt, popsicles and yes protein shakes. Tonight I needed something with richer consistency so I made myself a small bowl of mashed potatoes maybe 2oz. I felt so Satisfied and afterward, the idea of another week on a Liquid diet didn't seem so disappointing/unattainable. 

The most dramatic changes I've noticed to my body since having the surgery is the overall inflammation/bloating in my face/abdomen is 70% resolved, my skin is 90% clearer and I don't feel the need to take my bra off the second I put it on ( strange I know). I am thrilled with my choice to have this procedure thus far. I feel much better when I listen to my body and not just blindly follow the strict eating regimen ordered by my MD. I'm not encouraging anyone to go against your MD's recommendations but for me, listening to my body and making small adjustments is making this journey more positive/manageable.  

To date I've lost 13 pds and it's only day 8 post op.