I'm here to help...

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

I know most of you probably know this, but I'm going to put it out there in case you forgot. I have not had hardly any reflux since my hiatal hernia was fixed when they put in the band, but when I feel it coming back at all, I go back to what worked before my surgery. I also had an ulcer as a child.

When you're stomach and stoma have been irritated and the band is tight, try following the reflux rules as well as the band rules.

sleep with your upper body elevated.

Avoid coffee, tea (most teas have acid), fruit juice, pop, flavored drinks of any kind. Almost all of them have acid in them.

Avoid things with acid and roughage. fruit, raw veggies and whole grains irritate (think of sandpaper) and get stuck.

Avoid carbs that swell. No bread or Cereal (and maybe not rice or pasta). Period.

Avoid prolonged bending over and vigorous exercise.

chocolate is one of the worst things you can have. So is anything made from tomatos or oranges. Chocolate relaxes the muscle between the esophagus and stomach and allows food to creep up--especially acid and tomatos, of course, are highly acidic as is orange juice.

No alcohol! Period!

This is not a good time to be eating peanuts, or any nuts or seeds.

Avoid oil and grease and butter and margarine. They float to the top and creep up, carrying acid with them.

Check your blood pressure meds. Many of them cause reflux. They cause acid to creep up your esophagus and even your pharynx (vocal cords). Coughing and laryngitis can result.

Cut down anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibuprofen and Celebrex and Naproxyn as much as you can until you are healed. They are major causes of stomach irritation.

Too much Water also forces acid to creep up.

Don't fill your pouch all the way up with food.

Milk products coat the stomach but too much, especially combined with acid, is not good. (Think curdled milk.)

Prevacid or some other product that stops your body from creating too much acid might be necessary. It works a lot better in the long run than trying to control acid once you've got it.

Just saying, guys.

I think there'd be a lot less emergency unfills (except for really violent, long-lasting stomach viruses and bacteria), if our disease didn't keep us pushing the envelope with our food choices and quantities.

Sip on Protein Drinks and yoghurt till your body heals. You won't die from doing without these other things. Add them back to your diet very, very slowly.

When I first feel reflux, I treat it like an early warning system. It usually means my food choices have been poor and I've been eating and drinking too much and too fast.

Just sayin'

Cheri

[JeweI 2]

Morning.. I only have a minute to post before leaving for church, but I had to share....

My cold is better!!!!!!!!!!! thank goodness

The shoulder attack of pain from hell that lasted 9 hours last evening and night finally passed and let me sleep some........... Thank God!!!!!

I weighed 275 this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!! one more pound to make it to where I haven't been in 26 years...

Love you all.............gotta go......... Will pray for us all.... Julie

Julie, so glad things are improving for you. You deserve it.

Sparkle, thanks so much for helping me put things in perspective. I guess I am getting overwhelmed at aiming for perfection.

I fell down the stairs again this morning. Thankfully I am not hurt too bad. Just rug burnt on my ankle and foot. Hubby did end up with the day off today and MIL canceled her request that we move her stuff today because she thought it was going to rain. We did get a little shopping done but we gotta wait til his bonus comes in to get the big ticket items we need. We still need a recliner and mattresses. I may end up buying an air matresses til we can get a regular one. Right now we are sleeping on my MIL mattresses.

Gotta get in some studying tonite. I have an exam in anatomy in the morning.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Okay now! You caught me! lol I am going to walk in the sunshine today.

LOL hell I noticed you are like at level 54 - I'm at 14 !!! But I have just started farming - use to farm on farmtown but looks like farmville is the place to be

So I was reading on Dr Oz website one of the things you can do to cut the sugar and Creamer out of your coffee is to do the following

In your coffee pot: Brew your morning coffee with a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean and ditch the flavored Creamers. Just 1 tablespoon of flavored creamer can add 6 grams of sugar

Has anyone tried this. Do you use a whole stick or just sprinkle Cinnamon in your cup? Were do you get a vanille bean from?

You can get them at the grocery store - or World Marts - or just add some vanilla flavoring - I use the sf flavored creamers - I think it's 30 cal be serving - but to tell you the truth - I never ever counted those calories - I have one maybe 2 max coffee a day - ya per beck those calories count :0) but I never counted it.

Hmmmm.... where WOULD one get a vanilla bean???

Have you tried the sugar free flavorings??

Laura... what kind of cereal?? I bought some shredded wheat a month or so ago, but when I tried to eat it... softened it up with soy milk. It went down fine... but then seemed to swell up and I pb'd most of it.

Janet, I think I'm going to head for DHS and do some shopping, too. Earl is packing up the RV already! Told him we have 10 days, but he insists he has to start NOW! So I think I'll just get out of here!! He is redoing his canned goods inventory for openers!! But I've asked him to put all my books in one place so I can organize them, too. Maybe I'll even INVENTORY my books!! LOL! But I know I'm in for a count if he gets them out for me. He's going to tell me how many books I have, probably how many purses I have in the RV, how many hats and how many pairs of shoes! I hate when that happens! LOL

   

Sounds like the ticket to me - I went to Ross got dress for $15 - black ankle pants $16 - house dress (smocked teeshirt dress) for $12 ...

Phyll...when DH gives me crap about shoes, purses and clothes...I just tell him you can never have enough just like the tools of his trade. I tell him he was a good teacher. I've even offered to do an inventory for him.

Apples - I love your justification - That's a good one..

I know most of you probably know this, but I'm going to put it out there in case you forgot. I have not had hardly any reflux since my hiatal hernia was fixed when they put in the band, but when I feel it coming back at all, I go back to what worked before my surgery. I also had an ulcer as a child.

When you're stomach and stoma have been irritated and the band is tight, try following the reflux rules as well as the band rules.

sleep with your upper body elevated.

Avoid coffee, tea (most teas have acid), fruit juice, pop, flavored drinks of any kind. Almost all of them have acid in them.

Avoid things with acid and roughage. fruit, raw veggies and whole grains irritate (think of sandpaper) and get stuck.

Avoid carbs that swell. No bread or cereal (and maybe not rice or pasta). Period.

Avoid prolonged bending over and vigorous exercise.

chocolate is one of the worst things you can have. So is anything made from tomatos or oranges. Chocolate relaxes the muscle between the esophagus and stomach and allows food to creep up--especially acid and tomatos, of course, are highly acidic as is orange juice.

No alcohol! Period!

This is not a good time to be eating peanuts, or any nuts or seeds.

Avoid oil and grease and butter and margarine. They float to the top and creep up, carrying acid with them.

Check your blood pressure meds. Many of them cause reflux. They cause acid to creep up your esophagus and even your pharynx (vocal cords). Coughing and laryngitis can result.

Cut down anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibuprofen and Celebrex and Naproxyn as much as you can until you are healed. They are major causes of stomach irritation.

Too much Water also forces acid to creep up.

Don't fill your pouch all the way up with food.

Milk products coat the stomach but too much, especially combined with acid, is not good. (Think curdled milk.)

Prevacid or some other product that stops your body from creating too much acid might be necessary. It works a lot better in the long run than trying to control acid once you've got it.

Just saying, guys.

I think there'd be a lot less emergency unfills (except for really violent, long-lasting stomach viruses and bacteria), if our disease didn't keep us pushing the envelope with our food choices and quantities.

Sip on Protein drinks and yoghurt till your body heals. You won't die from doing without these other things. Add them back to your diet very, very slowly.

When I first feel reflux, I treat it like an early warning system. It usually means my food choices have been poor and I've been eating and drinking too much and too fast.

Just sayin'

Cheri

Cheri - Great info !!!! I can get heart burn from water at times - especially on an empty stomach

Julie, so glad things are improving for you. You deserve it.

Sparkle, thanks so much for helping me put things in perspective. I guess I am getting overwhelmed at aiming for perfection.

I fell down the stairs again this morning. Thankfully I am not hurt too bad. Just rug burnt on my ankle and foot. Hubby did end up with the day off today and MIL canceled her request that we move her stuff today because she thought it was going to rain. We did get a little shopping done but we gotta wait til his bonus comes in to get the big ticket items we need. We still need a recliner and mattresses. I may end up buying an air matresses til we can get a regular one. Right now we are sleeping on my MIL mattresses.

Gotta get in some studying tonite. I have an exam in anatomy in the morning.

Jewel - It will all work out - I have an airmatters I got for dil when they visit - $40 at Ross - she loves it..

Well headed for the couch - CBL

[NYSparklegirl 1]

Julie, so glad things are improving for you. You deserve it.

Sparkle, thanks so much for helping me put things in perspective. I guess I am getting overwhelmed at aiming for perfection.

No problem!!! Anytime. .Sometimes I can sometimes I cant.

I fell down the stairs again this morning. Thankfully I am not hurt too bad. Just rug burnt on my ankle and foot. Hubby did end up with the day off today and MIL canceled her request that we move her stuff today because she thought it was going to rain. We did get a little shopping done but we gotta wait til his bonus comes in to get the big ticket items we need. We still need a recliner and mattresses. I may end up buying an air matresses til we can get a regular one. Right now we are sleeping on my MIL mattresses.

Gotta get in some studying tonite. I have an exam in anatomy in the morning.

Jewel, We got an Auro mattress.....from Bed Bath and Beyond. It was 80 dollars but with the 20% off that they send out all the time it was a bit less. We use it every weekend and it stays filled up till we unfill it. It is more comfortable then a sofa bed.

[ladykcusa 1]

Busy day today. Finally convinced DH to give away old entertainment center (which was standing in the corner since we got the flat screen). It was custom made for the wall and cost lots $$$$$. So he was attached to the thing. I repeatedly referred to it as the dinosaur and explained that everyone HAD one, but they are obsolete.

Anyway - we cleaned it out - then there was no place to put all the "display items" and junk.

So ---- he finally agreed to put away all the family pix which were on the bookcases - many 10 years old or older to make room for display items.

So we spent about 3 hours boxing up frames, removing pictures, sorting items for sale, and reorganizing. I'm exhausted. We have lived here for 23 years and it was time to "move some energy" in the house.

Feels good to have it done. Will take some items to one of our tenants who conducts sales once a week. Maybe get a few dollars.

[NYSparklegirl 1]

Hi. Just taking a break from cooking.....trying to at least. lol

so far...the sink decided this was the right time to clog...and when calling the super he said..yes, I know..the woman in the downstairs apt she...had a clogged sink but when calling him she told him she wouldnt be home till about 11 AM tomorrow morning as she is on call as a doctor at the hospital. Hmmm what to do what to do??

well, I cooked what I could without using too much water...washing the veggies and food and leaving all the pots and pans to wash tomorrow morning....turns out the Water is going down but very slowly so I can at least wash the dishes used...so we are using them sparingly.

What a time?? figures!! Im cooking for 13 and and my sink clogs.....bad karma???

well... so far the pot roast, the kifilta fish, the tzimis, the meatballs, the bitter hurbs and the charoset and roasted eggs done! Yea

Tonight maybe Ill bake a cake or two.

Tomorrow....Ill make the chickens, the Soup, zuchini kugel and Quinao, in between.....I made an apt to get nails done...need to go to the market and get a few more items that I could not find before..kosher for passover...I need to get these items for my zuchini kugel!! Ive looked all over...and ill try one more place but if they dont have what is needed...Ill have to try another recipe but really would like this one.

Im happy to say with all this cooking and good smells, Im not at all tempted to even taste something!! Not hungry at all...and maybe Ill have a little meatball since that is mushy....but not really needing it.

I pretty much have settled on a reg diet....

In the AM I have a poached egg..and yes even the yolk.

For snack my Protein drink...

lunch is about 2-3 oz of cottage cheese...or greek yoghurt or rigatta

afternoon snack is a Protein Drink

dinner is about 2 tablespoons of some baked fish,,,sea bass, halibut, flounder or talapia.

During all this....im sipping the water and sipping and sipping

and not sipping enough!!!

I have not gotten up to 64oz as of yet per day.

I just cant seem to do it???

any suggestions?

well...must go now have a great night all.....

Jodi

[Apples2 19]

Busy day today. Finally convinced DH to give away old entertainment center (which was standing in the corner since we got the flat screen). It was custom made for the wall and cost lots $$$$$. So he was attached to the thing. I repeatedly referred to it as the dinosaur and explained that everyone HAD one, but they are obsolete.

Anyway - we cleaned it out - then there was no place to put all the "display items" and junk.

So ---- he finally agreed to put away all the family pix which were on the bookcases - many 10 years old or older to make room for display items.

So we spent about 3 hours boxing up frames, removing pictures, sorting items for sale, and reorganizing. I'm exhausted. We have lived here for 23 years and it was time to "move some energy" in the house.

Feels good to have it done. Will take some items to one of our tenants who conducts sales once a week. Maybe get a few dollars.

Did a bit of the same today, Joyce. Took a lot of the framed photos that have been up awhile and put them away, cleaned some drawers that just had old crap in them. Things that have not been used but do not want to get rid of yet. Down to the storeroom they went. We have also been in our home 23 yrs and sometimes I just need to make a sweep through the house and do an update. Feels so good when it's done. More space for reorganizing.

Jessica...have a great trip to visit your brother. Take time to relax and have fun. You deserve it. You will be in your own home b/4 you know it.

Seems so strange...beautiful sunny day and we got up to 55 degrees. Put some miles on my bike...more than I had planned on. And, no jacket needed. What's strange is...we still have a huge snow bank in front of the house and most likely will until we have a few days in the 70's. Dog and I just rode around singing and talking to each other. Thank God we live 15 miles out in the country!

[phyllser 3]

Busy day today. Finally convinced DH to give away old entertainment center (which was standing in the corner since we got the flat screen). It was custom made for the wall and cost lots $$$$$. So he was attached to the thing. I repeatedly referred to it as the dinosaur and explained that everyone HAD one, but they are obsolete.

Anyway - we cleaned it out - then there was no place to put all the "display items" and junk.

So ---- he finally agreed to put away all the family pix which were on the bookcases - many 10 years old or older to make room for display items.

So we spent about 3 hours boxing up frames, removing pictures, sorting items for sale, and reorganizing. I'm exhausted. We have lived here for 23 years and it was time to "move some energy" in the house.

Feels good to have it done. Will take some items to one of our tenants who conducts sales once a week. Maybe get a few dollars.

We had one of those entertainment centers, too! When we got a big screen, we took out the center section and put it in our bedroom. Worked great. Then we moved to a condo... less than 1000 sq ft!! Guess what.. center section is STILL in our bedroom being used for storage! The rest of the entertainment was sold with our house, and the big screen TV. Have a flat screen hanging above our fireplace now.

I have a hard time getting rid of photos! I love having them around! A good alternative is a digital photo frame. In fact, we even have one hanging in the RV. It's always turned on.. 24/7! It's tiny, but it's opposite where I always sit and I love looking at the pictures. They are all several years old, though, and every day I think.... I need to make a new SD card of more recent photos!

  

Did a bit of the same today, Joyce. Took a lot of the framed photos that have been up awhile and put them away, cleaned some drawers that just had old crap in them. Things that have not been used but do not want to get rid of yet. Down to the storeroom they went. We have also been in our home 23 yrs and sometimes I just need to make a sweep through the house and do an update. Feels so good when it's done. More space for reorganizing.

Seems so strange...beautiful sunny day and we got up to 55 degrees. Put some miles on my bike...more than I had planned on. And, no jacket needed. What's strange is...we still have a huge snow bank in front of the house and most likely will until we have a few days in the 70's. Dog and I just rode around singing and talking to each other. Thank God we live 15 miles out in the country!

I guess it was one of those days!! DH decided he needed to start getting us ready to head north. So he did a massive inventory of all the canned goods, dragged out all my books so I can go through them, and reorganized about everything in the kitchen/living room area. I endured it as long as I could. Then I escaped and took a ride in to town! Got Papaya at Riteaid... 2 for1 this week, finally found a pair of white pants that fit nice at KMart for only $7.98, and topped off the afternoon with a SF, FF Starbucks latte! Now I am surrounded by things I have to "process", sort and find a place for!!

Yuck!

  

[IndioGirl55 32]

Jodi you are doing great - crystal lite added to your Water may help - drink ice tea that's water :0) - I am not always good about getting mine in either - I have to force myself - if I don't get enough water - I have tmi issues :0) - today has been ok as far as water & food goes..

Apples - Target did have $99 beach crusiers that's all I want - but only boys no girls - so I didn't get one..

Just finished mopping my bathroom floor and am washing rugs

Unloaded & loaded dishwasher - vacuumed my room that's about it for me today..

Phyl - sounds like you had fun...

Joyce - I know how hard it is to get rid of stuff - I lived in my prior house for like 28 yrs - but I got rid of everything - even my Dad's kitchen table - gave mostly everything to neighbor she needed it and appreciated it..

[llkb4me 1]

This must have been the weekend for cleaning and redoing. My Mom gave me a mattress and boxspring. So new bed for me. Had to buy some new sheets of course. Washed all bedding, curtains, even cut them off and hemmed, just like getting new. Bought paint to do the bed room, so that is next weeks project before carpet goes in. Just love when Mom gets new, her stuff is never worn out so it comes to me.

Made my nut granola, tortilla Soup (knock off receipe from Quodoba's) and 2 loads of laundry. Even walked 2 miles tonight.

Laura & Julie, prayers for you and your troubles.

Apples, we are still on the cool side but supposed to get 60-70's this week too. yeah

Laura K

[IndioGirl55 32]

LauraK WTG on planing food and exercising - isn't it great to get new stuff - What color are you painting??

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Jodi, Protein drinks count as part of your liquid quota. All liquids do. Some liquids are better for you than others but they're still liquid. I don't hardly drink any Water at all, but I pee gallons because I drink Decaf coffee constantly with a lot of milk in it. Keeps my Protein going, keeps me from getting hungy.

Cheri

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hi everyone, we had a busy day..........after church we went with our friends to Bismarck for the day... got there about 11:15 and found a place to have a nice breakfast... Not a good deal for me... I had to excuse myself and PB right off the bat.... Then just sort of picked at things til the others were finished... So, not much breakfast/lunch.......... I did have 2 small pieces of Jerky much earlier...Then to the hospital to visit a friend who just had back surgery... then we went to Lowe's so DH could return a few things.... and then to the church of our friends' daughter and family.... A big Evangelical Free Church.. Every other year they do a big production of the passion story at Easter time... 6 of us had tickets and the kids saved us very good seats right up front.... Wonderful portrayal of the Easter story beginning with Jesus birth..... It's a young, financially healthy church so they spared no expense... Live animals and very realistic scenes..... It was just wonderful..... Afterward all 6 of us went to Texas Roadhouse for supper.... I thought I ordered well enough... salad, chili, baked beans... Ate a little salad, but the chili was smoking hot.....nope.... didn't like the baked beans...too strong and sweet..... ate a little baked sweet potato...... otherwise not much supper either.... Went to Wal-mart only to leave without what I needed.. Got home at 8:00 and watched an hour of TV before falling asleep in my chair... Woke up at 11:30 with pain.... and of course had not taken my pills beforehand... So, now I'm doing the ritual and waiting for the pain to subside.... Wednesday just can't come fast enough for me.... So here I am on here for a bit getting caught up I hope.... You all were busy today..

Apples Joyce and Laura K, you guys are way ahead of my in the spring cleaning department.. I'm lucky to just keep the light stuff done.... Apples, I have a bike that DH bought a couple years ago... Matching ones for both of us.... Still haven't really used them... I keep thinking this might be the year I get to actually ride again.. My balance is so bad that I can't just hop on.. Wish I could have training wheels for a little while... last year about now I tried but the pain was too great from my long incision.... I'm hoping for better this year....

Jodi, you poor thing.. just when you get yourself pyched up to do all this cooking and such you have kitchen maintenance problems.. Hope they get solved soon.... Even though your traditions sound harse to me I think it is so wonderful the way you described why you do it... It is you and what you are.... Good for you for sticking to your beliefs...... Too many are content to be Sunday worshipers and then do whatever the rest of the week.... I hope this is a wonderful time for you and you accomplish all the is necessary.... Have a blessed Holiday...

Lori, can't remember if I told you how great the pictures were.... They were... You looked so amazing.. DD is beautiful, too..... Best wishes for the rest of the week now with your parents there with you... Lean on us when you need to......

Cheri, sounds like you had a great time with your grandkids... and the info you posted was very helpful to everyone... A good thing to remember

Laura, dear, I don't like the sounds of things with you.. Hope you get things figured out real soon... take care.... Hugs to Nelson and hope his doesn't hit so hard as yours did.....

Janet, sorry you had a bad food day, but we know you can pick yourself up and keep going... You do seem to find the bargains on clothes.. Apples, too... I never seem to, but I hate to shop... One has to put yourself out there before the bargains can be found.... I guilty of not doing that.....

Phyll, I'm feeling for you... I hate it when DH starts something when I'm not ready.... It gets us all out of sync right off the bat.... Never a good thing here at our house... Can't believe it's time for you to leave for home already..... happy trails.....

Melissa, sorry you gained a couple pounds back.. You'll have them gone again soon... Just a stumble....no broken bones, right?????

Arlene, you are doing so well.... I hope you enjoyed your walk in the sunshine.... We had a very nice day here, too... Had to take my jacket off it was so warm.... 56 I think..... more tomorrow they say...

Jessica, hope you aren't hurting tomorrow from the fall... They can be nasty.. don't worry about the money thing right now... Just do what you can.. If you have to get a blow up bed for a bit, then so be it... You need this independance.... just keep plugging away at it and soon you will be just where you want to be.... Study hard and good luck on the test....

Joyce glad you were able to rid yourself of the dinosauer..... I did that a while back and I'm happy about it too...

Well, I hope I got most of you.... Judy and Eva must be out having fun... and Deb ..... and whoever else I missed... Best wishes for a good start to the new week for all of us..... I'm counting on some positive things happening in my life.... Also have to get things in line for Easter Breakfast at church.. We have sunrise services with a pancake and sausage breakfast cooked by the men afterwards.. However, they can't make breakfast until I get all the supplies and such ready for them... Must get on that tomorrow... Small church os only have to plan for 50 or so... Not a big deal.. Will shop on Wed when DH is with me.....

Love and hugs to you all.... thanks for everything you do for me everyday....

[llkb4me 1]

LauraK WTG on planing food and exercising - isn't it great to get new stuff - What color are you painting??

Thanks, been trying hard to keep up the exercise. I feel so much better when I do it every day, gets my mood up. I figure if you can do all that work I can too.

I'm painting Minted Lemon. It's more of a green than yellow, real springy. Carpet is going to be a grey color.

Only two rooms in the whole house painted other than white/cream is my room and bath. Can't figure out why I have such a hard time putting color in other rooms. hmmmm

[ocotillo 0]

Morning ladies...sounds like some of you are doing a little spring cleaning....I love it when things get done.

I was stamping all day yesterday...got most of my invites done for the purse party. It was very windy out and didn't want to spend too much time outside.

I ended up not working too much. Yeah...but I didn't get the other engineers trench detail done. Oh well.

Have to take the dog to the vet this morning for testing. She has valley fever and needs blood tests every 6 months, so I'm on the run again.

Just wanted to let you know I'm around...just not hanging out on the web.

Talk at you later.

Eva