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I am saying good bye to all my favorite foods so not really heeding the diet. My BMI is 32.7. I am not too worried about my liver esp. since I don't drink alcohol. The 6 week liquid diet shouldn't be a problem since I am scared to death of getting things stuck, puking, and band slippage. I'm self pay.

I dont know about anyone else, but my psych eval and my meeting with the Nutritionist was about half an hour each in length. The Psychiatrist just asked about my mental health, if there was any drug/alcohol abuse in my family, why I wanted to have the surgery, what my expectations for the surgery were (mainly how much weight am I looking to lose...is that realistic?), and in the end, she gave me two prescriptions. One for sleeplessness. Weird, huh? It was pretty painless. The meeting with the Nutritionist was also about half an hour for me. He had this list of discussion topics to cover with me and it included my eating habits (good and bad), what Vitamins to take, how much Protein I would be expected to eat after surgery, what I could drink (no cafeinated drinks...however, sodas are okay if they are flat...lol, my exercising program and what I needed to be doing after the surgery. Take notes if you need to. I found it beneficial to take notes as we spoke. I guess it all depends on who you see, what to expect. I am sure you will be just fine. Just be honest and it will all be okay. :scared2: Best of luck!!!!!!!!:tt1:

Wow, I was up for the evening posting, but got way behind this morning! Went for a nice 3.5 mile run and it was beautiful this morning. Slightly overcast, but the temp was perfect for a run! Came home and mowed the lawn so the poor pups could use it for their business! It was getting so tall the little one could hardly go!:wink2: I love hs kids, they are great! So full of energy and creativity. The hs drama gets a little old, but, have to take the bad with the good! I teach marketing so they want to be in my class (well, for the most part) and we do a bunch of fun business projects, run the student stores (coffee shop, clothes, snack shop) and travel for competition. They keep me hopping and they are the reason I can get up and go to work every morning! Kind of like suntea, but with alcohol! Oh yeah! I need to get my drink on! You all have such good recipes, I am heading to the liquor store today! Girl, you need a vaca! You get way too little sleep! Thank God for neighbors, at least you can still see the Hotties - I am sure you have binoculars!:biggrin: My DD is off to college here at the end of Sept. Isn't it crazy how fast they grow up and head out the door to start their own lives! Do you have a good CC in town where you live? DD is going to OSU, but if she doesn't make the crew team, she will most likely be heading home to CC before the year is out. I just can't believe how expensive college is! :sad: We are trying to get her set and ready to go. We get no financial help whatsoever - sux! She does get a loan for $5500, but it accrues interest while she is in school - ick! Kat~ Hope the grandbaby is well! Can't wait to see some pix!

Ok - so I just got home again - this time it wasn't even for meetings but the poor new nurse I was training had an insane night - and by the time our shift ended still had not documented anything - so I just had to sit there and walk her through the night's activities - poor thing she was in a daze with all the crazies. OK LOVE True Blood, Nurse Jackie & Hung (still warming up to this one though - needs to pick up the pace) - now I wonder what they all have in common besides being on cable television?! No problems leaving the hospital - don't be mad but I walked out on my own - no worries guys - It's just normal for a lot of us - I had my ipod in and didn't think anything of it. For every 'crazy' and ill-mannered patient/visitor there are a multitude of others who are so adorable you just want to squeeze them and take them home with you and then we have the entitled ones who feel because they are in the top earnings bracket for the city that they get 'special' treatment and none of the rules apply to them. It's all about balance ALCOHOL - dang it jealous again - go back to work tonight and with family coming in town - wont drink till next weekend :wink2::nanahump: So please enjoy 5 drinks each for me - my vote is for the swirly things.

Man, I was going to try to multi post, but you guys have been busy again this morning! I haven't had moonshine, but you would think it would be easy for me to find here in the sticks. Moonshine with tea...hmmmm I have never had sangria either. It sounds so good with all of the fruit. When I was in college, they used to make this punch with some extremely potent white liquor (I'm not sure of the name), beer, and dark rum with all types of fruit in it. They called it "through 'fer" punch. They called it that because after one drink you were "through 'fer the night because the alcohol would sneak up on you (you couldn't taste it). I remember drinking it once. I don't remember much after that.:wink2: KC-I guess I am not ghetto enough because the thought of those loud talking people scares the crap out of me for you. Please be careful. TGIF!!!!!

Now that makes sense! But of course it eliminates the possibility of me enjoying this concoction. Which leads me to the topic of alcohol...last weekends discussion was on Mojito's. What shall the drink of this weekend be?

i am 22 and i had that same question. my doctor told me that it shouldn't be a problem. he told me that i might get drunker faster and the carbonated drinks might make my feel nauseated. the only other problem i can think of is that alcohol has a LOT of empty callories. one night of drinking could potentially set me/you back quite a bit. but i have decided that if i do decide to go to the bar, i have to work out twice as much the next day.

Yes...I stay constantly lathered up. Literally. You called me? Beth, that's still technically illegal here in Texas! Ah, but that's a big "if"...I remember the first time the nurses showed me the "shaving cream trick" of bathing a pt. Good times. Nothing like that. You just said something about visiting PG for a week for an old-fashioned revival. I found out quite by accident (when taking organic chemistry) that the old wives tale about oxygen curing / preventing a hangover is true. Turns out the chemical process the liver uses to break down alcohol is oxygen dependant. Increase the O2, increase the efficiency of the detox. Netflix rocks!! I can / will kick all y'all beyotches ass' See above Good luck! Absolutely false. My wig is pink. Too late! I heard that! I can help you with that. My hands are certified as "manual mammographers" Heh heh heh heh..... Beth, please quit posting my personal pictures without my permission. Both her accounts have been banned, I believe. On a unrelated note, my new favorite drink is a "firefly". Gotta beware of them, though.....

I have not had surgery yet, but hope to in the next 1-2 months. It sounds like your surgery went well, which is great to hear. I like what you wrote, my addiction to food does remind me of an alcoholic. Best of luck in your journey!

Sure you can. The carbonated stuff is usually off limits for most of us but there are other choices out there. Be mindful of the calorie content of your choice, I go for Vodka and sugar free cranberry juice myself. Alcohol has no different effect on me because of the band either. Some say that they get drunk faster but I really don't see why that would be except that as we lose body mass, alcohol might affect us differently. I guess because with the band I can't drink as fast as I used to so maybe that balanced it out because I don't get drunk any faster.

Thank you for all the kind words. This is such a great place for connecting with the people who "understand" what we are going through. I told my wife the other day, even though I am not physically hungry, mentally is a different story. I told her that it is like being a recovering alcoholic. That we battle with this mentally all the time. We may not show it, but every commercial with food and innocent casual conversation about what's for dinner is a struggle. But we have a prize at the end of the tunnel and know in a few months we can taste that food again and that keeps you going. My wife, I think, understands the best she can, but until your body is going through this you never ever will. Now, I am not a sweets person, so I am in search of recipies for the full liquid diet that is not on the sweet side. I found a great one for potatoe cheese soup.

Haven't lost a pound!!!! Been on low fat alright. Drinking my water and taking my milk thistle. It was my birthday on Tuesday and my kids birthdays last 2 weeks too so that hasn't helped either. Haven said that, not been drinking alcohol, eating chips or burgers, or eating chocolate, crisps. Living on Muller Lights if I feel like something sweet. Porridge for breakfast. Salad for lunch and veg with chicken/fish for dinner. I'm in Campanile hotel. What about you?

There is seems to be a lot of opinions out there. My doctor said: No NSAIDS (ever, period, no discussion) No Birth Control Pills For the first 3 months all pills have to be crushed or you can't take them. He said to talk to pharmacy about what can be crushed and what can't be. If I need antibiotics a suspension needs to be taken. I should ask if there is a liquid version of all medications for life. Liquid is always preferable to pill form. Capsules that can be opened are next best. I should look for alcohol free syrups. I should avoid alcohol. Under no circumstances should I drink on a daily basis (I don't even drink so I don't care about it) I think my doctor is Dr. Strict. :ohmy:

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 Dealing with Snack Foods Snack Foods. The perfect food for ADHD people. Grab and go. Don't have to cook, put together ingredients, shop for those ingredients, remember which ingredients to shop for. They're full of all the taste and flavor (mostly artificial) ADHD people crave. They provide the stimulation we seek when the TV shows don't cut it all by themselves (most don't). They also provide the majority of the salt, sugar, and fat that shoot up our blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. Just thought of something slightly amusing--or maybe alarming. My name starts with ch and so do many of my favorite snacks: cheetos, chocolate, chips (taco, potato, pita). It is so much easier for me not to eat them now that they're not in my house and my husband's not eating them in front of me. He might have a secret stash hidden somewhere but I never see it and he never eats it in front of me. America's food industry, like the tobacco and alcohol industries, has a lot to answer for. All of them know they're dealing with addictive substances and do their best to make them even more addictive with chemically designed addictive additives in addition to those old standbyes--salt, carbs and fat. Oh, and let's not forget chocolate and caffeine being increased and put in all kinds of new products. Many are designed to appeal to children and teenagers. Did you know a lot of teenagers are now having lapbands? The obesity epidemic is out of control among our young people. I see the food parents put in their kids lunches or that kids pack for themselves. Some start hauling snacks out of their lunch bags and backpacks as soon as they arrive at school. Those with healthy snacks trade with those with all the unhealthy snacks. Schools are eliminating snacks from their cafeterias and vending machines, but the kids just carry them with them. I don't have an answer for this dilemma. I am nutritionally quite well-educated. Didn't stop me from eating snacks. The best advice I get on the topic is don't expose yourself to the snacks. Keep them out of the house. Ask people not to eat them in front of you. In situations where exposure is unavoidable, it might be better to eat just a little bit of those things that most appeal to you than to ruin your good time spending all your effort not eating those things. Fortunately, I've got the lapband to let me know when I've had enough. Especially if I start with higher protein items the band will help me limit the snacks. The key will be to get right back on the food protocol once the party's over. Right now, I don't have a lot of restriction and have slowed way down on weight loss. I have a family reunion this weekend. All my siblings and some nieces and nephews and their children (along with my own children and grandchildren) will be together. Food will be a big part of the reunion. So, for three days before the reunion I'm eating protein almost exclusively, a protein shake for breakfast, meat for lunch, and meat and a veggie for supper, with milk in my iced latte in-between meals. I noticed yesteday already that when I just eat meat without a lot of moistening agents, I can still feel some restriction in my band. I already lost 2 lbs. That puts me at 30 lbs total weight loss. When the weekend is over, I'll probably go back on high protein until I get my first fill on August 11. I'll probably be back on a liquid protein diet for a few days after that, so my stomach can heal. That should jumpstart the weight loss again. I hope the Dr. puts in enough fill to give me restriction. Otherwise I'll go back 2 or 3 weeks after to get another one. I have few clothes that fit me. I'm going through my closets trying to decide what's worth taking in, which of my "skinny" fat clothes fit me now, and what to give to Goodwill. I've started going to thrift stores, since I will not be at this weight for very long and don't want to spend money on clothes. I can't buy ahead because I don't know how fast the weight will come off. But these are good problems to have. I've dropped one cholesterol med and one blood pressure med. I'm seeing if I can do without my stomach med since I ran out of it and won't be seeing my regular doc for 2 more weeks. I get to see my relatives this weekend and I'm not going to worry about food! God is good all the time. All the time God is good.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 Dealing with Snack Foods Snack Foods. The perfect food for ADHD people. Grab and go. Don't have to cook, put together ingredients, shop for those ingredients, remember which ingredients to shop for. They're full of all the taste and flavor (mostly artificial) ADHD people crave. They provide the stimulation we seek when the TV shows don't cut it all by themselves (most don't). They also provide the majority of the salt, sugar, and fat that shoot up our blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. Just thought of something slightly amusing--or maybe alarming. My name starts with ch and so do many of my favorite snacks: cheetos, chocolate, chips (taco, potato, pita). It is so much easier for me not to eat them now that they're not in my house and my husband's not eating them in front of me. He might have a secret stash hidden somewhere but I never see it and he never eats it in front of me. America's food industry, like the tobacco and alcohol industries, has a lot to answer for. All of them know they're dealing with addictive substances and do their best to make them even more addictive with chemically designed addictive additives in addition to those old standbyes--salt, carbs and fat. Oh, and let's not forget chocolate and caffeine being increased and put in all kinds of new products. Many are designed to appeal to children and teenagers. Did you know a lot of teenagers are now having lapbands? The obesity epidemic is out of control among our young people. I see the food parents put in their kids lunches or that kids pack for themselves. Some start hauling snacks out of their lunch bags and backpacks as soon as they arrive at school. Those with healthy snacks trade with those with all the unhealthy snacks. Schools are eliminating snacks from their cafeterias and vending machines, but the kids just carry them with them. I don't have an answer for this dilemma. I am nutritionally quite well-educated. Didn't stop me from eating snacks. The best advice I get on the topic is don't expose yourself to the snacks. Keep them out of the house. Ask people not to eat them in front of you. In situations where exposure is unavoidable, it might be better to eat just a little bit of those things that most appeal to you than to ruin your good time spending all your effort not eating those things. Fortunately, I've got the lapband to let me know when I've had enough. Especially if I start with higher protein items the band will help me limit the snacks. The key will be to get right back on the food protocol once the party's over. Right now, I don't have a lot of restriction and have slowed way down on weight loss. I have a family reunion this weekend. All my siblings and some nieces and nephews and their children (along with my own children and grandchildren) will be together. Food will be a big part of the reunion. So, for three days before the reunion I'm eating protein almost exclusively, a protein shake for breakfast, meat for lunch, and meat and a veggie for supper, with milk in my iced latte in-between meals. I noticed yesteday already that when I just eat meat without a lot of moistening agents, I can still feel some restriction in my band. I already lost 2 lbs. That puts me at 30 lbs total weight loss. When the weekend is over, I'll probably go back on high protein until I get my first fill on August 11. I'll probably be back on a liquid protein diet for a few days after that, so my stomach can heal. That should jumpstart the weight loss again. I hope the Dr. puts in enough fill to give me restriction. Otherwise I'll go back 2 or 3 weeks after to get another one. I have few clothes that fit me. I'm going through my closets trying to decide what's worth taking in, which of my "skinny" fat clothes fit me now, and what to give to Goodwill. I've started going to thrift stores, since I will not be at this weight for very long and don't want to spend money on clothes. I can't buy ahead because I don't know how fast the weight will come off. But these are good problems to have. I've dropped one cholesterol med and one blood pressure med. I'm seeing if I can do without my stomach med since I ran out of it and won't be seeing my regular doc for 2 more weeks. I get to see my relatives this weekend and I'm not going to worry about food! God is good all the time. All the time God is good.

Omg, Tina, that is GREAT! Didn't realize you were dating! You SO deserve it. What would be BETTER is if hottie could take YOU for a date to the same place and you bump into the ex. Yes, I like to grind the knife when I stick it in. And then pour alcohol on the wound.

I went out last night with my girly-friends and had 3 glasses of wine, then we had dinner. I came home and ate TWO HUGE brownies. It's a sure thing: alcohol increases my sugar cravings and decreases my control. Period. Note to self: Do not drink alcohol!

Hi Guys may I first of all welcome Mandy back thats a whole lot going on in your life, try not to get too stressed babe. Gary Im soo pleased your not out of pocket, do you know what part of the band is leaking and if you have to get whole new band. Im sure your just relieved to be getting it. I was wondering if you have to go through the whole scenario again with waiting for weeks before first fill or because you already have a band placed will it just be a matter of filling it to where you were before. Either way Im sure you will get on with it without complaint because thats the type of guy you are. Good luck Gary. Time is now I am so ready for a fill. Glad you enjoyed the Wedding WEEKEND hope it hasnt done too much damage. What time is your appt? Bev that episode must have been so embarrasing for you but sometimes I think it takes something like that to happen to give us a kick up the back side although its not nice!! I remember my mums 2nd trip on a plane she couldnt get seatbelt fastned and they had to give her extension. She was mortified, and 3 women who were sitting across from her were giggling, she couldnt hold her head up for the 4 hour journey. When the plane landed and the overhead cabins opened the woman who had done the most giggling got hit on the head with a bag containing duty free alcohol and she started to cry,the stewardess knew what had happend earlier and smiled at my mum, guess who wasnt feeling any sympathy??? Anyway to cut a long story short on that holiday mum lost a stone. Could fasten her seatbelt flight home and continued to lose another 3 stone when she got home. Jx Got to go to work now.

Well its fudge cake day today, so far I am surviving it, but there are only so many cups of coffee I can drink, especially since everyone else is saying "Well a little bit won't hurt". But everyone here know's just how much alittle bit can and will hurt:frown: The other thing is I normally go to the gym in the mornings and hadn't really noticed how I get into a routine and now that I am not there it is really bugging me. Took me longer to get ready today as well because I couldn't just chuck on the gym gear actually had to make a bit of an effort. Maybe I should take some of the cake to the gym and hang it in front of me like they do in the cartoons.:thumbup: I feel now after nine weeks I;m really beginning to get a grip on the food I can and can't eat and if in doubt vow to try it out in the privacy of my own home not in the middle of a packed out restuarant, as this can lead to a hasty exit to the ladies room.:eek: I'm wondering about alcohol these day's and do you end up drunk quicker? Because generally if I drink I eat lots and it's a good night out because it used to happen so rarely. But now because now there is no food too soak it up I think I will end up on my ear a lot quicker than ususal, so this is something I am going to have to watch out for . Cheers Chooky

Well its fudge cake day today, so far I am surviving it, but there are only so many cups of coffee I can drink, especially since everyone else is saying "Well a little bit won't hurt". But everyone here know's just how much alittle bit can and will hurt:frown: The other thing is I normally go to the gym in the mornings and hadn't really noticed how I get into a routine and now that I am not there it is really bugging me. Took me longer to get ready today as well because I couldn't just chuck on the gym gear actually had to make a bit of an effort. Maybe I should take some of the cake to the gym and hang it in front of me like they do in the cartoons.:cursing: I feel now after nine weeks I;m really beginning to get a grip on the food I can and can't eat and if in doubt vow to try it out in the privacy of my own home not in the middle of a packed out restuarant, as this can lead to a hasty exit to the ladies room.:cursing: I'm wondering about alcohol these day's and do you end up drunk quicker? Because generally if I drink I eat lots and it's a good night out because it used to happen so rarely. But now because now there is no food too soak it up I think I will end up on my ear a lot quicker than ususal, so this is something I am going to have to watch out for . Cheers Chooky

I agree with Riley. If you are close to surgery than I wouln't risk it. When on a pre-op diet for 2 or so weeks, it is meant to shrink the liver. That is why you either go on liquids or no carbs(in my case). Alcohol is made up of a LOT of carbs.

IMHO, it depends on your pre-op diet and how long you are on it . . if it is the 6 month weight loss diet that you have to do for insurance, it's probably OK as long as it's still a while out from surgery. .. but if it's the semi-fast immediate pre-op diet designed to shrink your liver, or if your surgery is coming up real soon, then NO, alcohol is the LAST thing that you need! The liver has to process it, it won't help you at ALL.

Has anyone drank alcohol on the pre-op diet...I have a function and I'm wondering if would be ok to have a few drinks HELP!!

No hottie pics here - but I did post on my blog a copy of an earticle with reduced calorie alcoholic beverage recipes.