Any Long Islanders?

[jvalve 0]

suffolk county here. got banded july 16. dr. collin brathwaite. doing great. would love to get together with other band-its.

[jvalve 0]

august 6th lap band support meeting for dr. brathwaite and dr. kazsmarski at St. Catherines in Smithtown.

[jvalve 0]

would love to get together.

[only4me 0]

Im back and banded!!!!!!!!!!!!! My surgery went well, ssankofa73 didnt get to see you, hope all went well with you, I guess because of HIPPA laws, names were not on rooms. I asked one of the nurses if you were there and they said they didnt know. I was the last surgery of the day. I am very sore.....especially he incision where the port is. Other than that I am doing very well.

[Ja9 0]

Oh, do you go to their support groups? How is banding going?

[only4me 0]

I went to 1 of the support group meetings, Not this past August one, but the one in July. I really liked the meeting. I was able to meet people who were a few months out and somethat were a year out as well as some like me who what scheduled for the banding. It was really great to talk to the people there, they answered every question I had and gave me such great advise. I really recomend going.

The banding is going well. It was done 4 days ago and I am getting around pretty well. I have to keep reminding myself that I just had surgery and that I need to take it easy. I have really not had much of an appetite, and that is normal due to swelling. Im sure it will return.

[ssankofa73 2]

Hi Only4me

I just read your Lucky 7s post. The list of whole liquids that I was given was short too. I just looked around on our website to get ideas from other people as to what we should have during this phase then I bought what I saw in the stores instead of ordering the drinks. My issues now are trying to get in all the food, keepoing motivated for excersising (sp?) and dealimg with the gas pain...to be quite honest....I miss chewing, too. It got to the point where the other night I took 3 fat free potato chips from my sister, sucked on them and spat them out just so I could have the taste of real food in my mouth. I might do that with a meatball in a few minutes, lol.

[only4me 0]

Ssankofa- I know what you mean about the shakes that were recomended. With all of the out of pocket expense this has been for me there was no way I was going to shell out hundreds of dollars for protien shakes. I just tried the Alba shakes (vanilla) very good and creamy and only 70 calories. I have not exercised yet, I have walked up the block and back for the past two days (only 4 houses), but as far as exercise goes, I think we have to wait for the post op visit. Mine is 8/13--at 9am. When is yours? I have to say, I do miss chewing also, but I am getting full on just the shakes that I am having, so I cant say that I am at the point of "starving". Im sure that it will come.

Anna

[503-250 1]

I totally lived on Carnation Instant Breakfast shakes, vanilla and chocolate, just be careful, I think there is a high cal and low cal version.

[ssankofa73 2]

Only4me

My appointment is on the 17th. The alba 77 shakes are good. If you can, try to add a little Protein powder and more skim milk to it to increase your Protein intake.

Remember how I said I was gonna suck on a meatball last night? Well get this..... I ended up eating 1 1/2 meatballs and 4 olives over the course of an hour. Yes yes, I know....I'm pushing it but I had an odd craving for them so while sucking on them, I chewed them until they were pulverized. They went down without getting stuck but meanwhile I must have chewed so much that my jaw was tired. PLEASE DONT TRY THIS. I'm telling you this because I feel like I needed to confess. I told my friend who's a doctor and she said that I was probably lacking sodium and that's why the craving happened.

503-250

I already got caught in the high cal/low cal carnation instant breakfast web. I bought the 1 that said it was twice the protein of an egg thinking that it would be better for me. It turns out that it only has 1 gram more protein in it than the regular carnation drink but it has about 90 more calories!! I have 2 more of them to go and then I'm done with those.

[Ja9 0]

Any one use Dr. Brathwaite or Dr. Kazcmarski in Smithtown, NY?

[only4me 0]

Ja9- My friend used them from Gastric Bypass. They have a very good reputation and she raves about them.

[only4me 0]

ssankofa- be careful!!! Are you having any pains at all. I am having a pain in my stomach/chest area. Its a wierd coming and going pain. I notice when it is time for a meal its when it happens. Im not sure if this is from hunger, but it goes away after I eat. Its not a "normal" hunger pang though..

[ssankofa73 2]

Most of the pain I feel in my chest travels up to my chest from my belly and I burp it out. I think the pain is normal as long as it "moves."

I'm being cautious but its tough because of this "will to chew" thing I've got going. Not to mention the fact that I returned to my parents house today because they're bbq-ing. My sister's friend came in from out of town and she made fresh guacamole right in front of me. She turned to me and said "do you think its missing something?" I took the tiniest piece of tortilla chip off of a bigger chip and had a fingernail full of guacamole. I chewed until the cows came home and said, "more salt....but my tastebuds have been off lately." Half of the people coming to the bbq don't know I've been banded. So, I've armed myself with a carnation instant Breakfast and I'm hoping for the best.

[ssankofa73 2]

Well everyone,

I made it thru the bbq without incident and I have even better news today. I was able to finish a carnation instant breakfast drink in about 15 to 20 minutes today!! (lots of burpings but that comes with the territory I guess). I think i may be one my way to actually doing what my dr's nutritionists said I'm supposed to do (4 to 6 Meal Replacement drinks per day plus 2 bottles of water). We'll see how the day wears on......