Oregondaisy

Thank you for posting this thread. This is something I have been worrying about. I am 54 and just got banded 2 weeks ago. My biggest fear is that I won't lose weight. I know someone who got banded and hasn't lost an ounce. I made exercise a habit 3 years ago though, and that was really frustrating to exercise like crazy and not lose. I have lost 12 lbs but I am still on liquids and I have been afraid that when I go back to food, I will stop losing. So thanks again. This thread is very encouraging!

Audree, Dr. Ortiz's place sounds wonderful! I came home in less than 4 hours, so I didn't get all that luxury treatment. :phanvan It's funny how being on liquids doesn't really bother me anymore. I had to go to a funeral today and afterwards they had a huge buffet and I was watching everyone stuff their faces while I had a glass of water. I was so annoyed to be on liquids at first. Now, I just don't feel like eating and I am so happy:p I am really afraid to go to the mushy stage because I am afraid I will quit losing. I am perfectly happy most of the time drinking chocolate protein drinks. I love chocolate anything.There really isn't anything mushy I like anyway. I hate cottage cheese. What in the heck is Skinny Cow cheese anyway? Is it like string cheese? Audree, you are an inspiration to all of us! I almost completely quit posting on Dec. bandsters because I love reading your posts. Do you work? Seems like getting through the first few weeks of being banded is a full time job. I have been really happy that it snowed here for the 4th time in 30 years on the Oregon coast. (100 mi past the Calif. border) I got 2 days off of work because they closed the schools. Tomorrow is a holiday so I had 5 days off in a row. I have hardly told anyone about the banding. My daughter had RNY, so she knows, but I haven't told my dad, or hardly any of my friends. I know my daughter really hated it at first when every person she saw said "so how much weight have you lost now" I didn't want to go through that. I wasn't able to stay off the scale all weekend. I gained a lb yesterday but I think it's because the egg flower soup is pretty salty. So I am at 12 lbs lost in 2 weeks and 2 days. Hey I have a friend who got banded by your doc and she said she can't even get water down. I don't have any trouble getting my 64 oz of water in every day. I am going to call her tonight and find out if it's just because she hates water or if she got too tight after her first fill. She got banded about a month before us. Thanks so much for posting all about the South Beach Diet. I grew up using Atkins off and on and have always been curious about SB. I am like you though. I can't hardly lose if I make carbs a regular thing. Good Luck to everyone tomorrow with happy eating/drinking!!:biggrin1::hippie::dance:

Does anyone know where you can order the things we need without paying really high shipping costs? I can buy Isopure and extreme smoothies from my dr. but I am getting bored. I checked out a few sites and I was shocked to see how much they add on for shipping.:help: thank you!

I got the egg flower soup at the Chinese restaurant. There is a food thread on the main page that gives a recipe for it but I am too lazy to make it from scratch. Not that it's hard. :phanvan Where did you get your Nectar Protein Drink? I went to Bariatric Eating but I was really surprised at how much shipping they added on. It comes out cheaper for me to buy the Isopure from my dr.'s office. I bought the hot chocolate from him too. I would imagine you could use regular sugar free hot chocolate and add a scoop of Protein powder to it. I have been advised that the best protein powder is at unjury.com. I got mine from my daughter though. She had RNY a year ago and had lots of stuff left over. I would like to find a site that doesn't add so much for shipping. I don't think I got enough protein in today but I am just not hungry. Have a good tomorrow!:):girl_hug:

Your BMI is the same as mine. I am 5'2" and I started out at 212. I am down to 199 in 15 days. I am on a liquid diet though. At first liquids were hard but not so much anymore. I am just thrilled to be losing. I was hungry the first week but not at all anymore. I have to remember it's time to drink a Protein drink in order to get my protein in, instead of my stomach growling all the time. I am actually afraid to go back to food-afraid I will stop losing. Best of luck to you. I experienced no pain what so ever. This has been pretty easy, compared to what I imagined.:):girl_hug:

Audree, I went to your myspace page and asked to be added. It said you are in your 50's did I read that right? You can't be 50 years old. I must have read that wrong. It's funny how when I first started liquids I was so miserable and now I have to remind myself to eat or drink to get my protein in. It's 6:30 and all I have had all day is one can of protein drink and 1 quart of water. I need to figure out something for dinner. Luckily, my doctor sold me hot chocolate that's 20 grams I think. I usually have that in the evenings if I havn't had enough proteins in. Dr. said I could have egg flower soup so I guess I will go and eat the rest of it that I bought yesterday. :):girl_hug::girl_hug::)!

Hi everybody! I am happy to report that I have lost another 2 lbs finally. I commend all of you that are strong enough to stay off the scale. I am going to stay off of it all weekend, because I will get weighed Mon. at my post op first appointment. I finally have stopped thinking about food. I really don't feel like eating at all anymore. I know I have to get that Protein in, but I must be adjusting to liquids finally because I am not craving anything anymore . It feels great to not be obsessed with food all day. I look at some of those tv commercials and tell myself it's all poison. I still don't want to be around anyone else that's eating though. I am lucky I don't have to cook for anyone. Hope everyone else had a great day!!:biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:

:)Audree, Your incisions look great! You are healing so well. I was banded on 12-29 and I still have scabs over every incision. Plus I am not happy where my surgeon put my port. It's exactly right at my waistline, so every pair of pants I wear rubs on it. My incisions are all over the place, and in completely different spots than yours. I don't get it. I thought my surgeon knew what he was doing. You are so sweet and encouraging. I am so glad you are on here. I am going to visit you on your myspace page. I have a myspace page too. By the way, your other pictures look great too. You don't even look like you need to lose weight, but I know you want to feel good about yourself. You are already thin compared to me!:biggrin1:

You do not need to be over 100lbs overweight. Most insurance companies want you to, but if you are willing to self pay, you can get a band. I just got banded 12-29. I have lost 9 or 10 lbs, so I am now down to about 203. I am 5'2" but I am also 54 years old. I don't really know how much I want to lose, but I would be thrilled to get down to 145 or 150. Have you looked at all the different boards? You should get a lot of responses here, but you can also try obesity help.com. It has to be your decision. Even though banding is a good tool, it's not true that you will be able to eat whatever you want in small portions. I have talked to a lot of people that are banded, and just can 't get certain foods to pass through the band.

Thank You Stenphanie!:huggie: I feel like a kid with a new box of crayons!

okiefamily, Have you tried sugar free hot chocolate or sugar free popsicles? They seem to hit the spot when I have the munchies. They are hardly any calories. How are you getting your Protein without the protein drinks? It's the only way I can get mine in.

Gerbera: Thank you for sharing your weight loss history. I thought you had lost it all since you got home from the hospital. I did mine in day surgery so I never was hosipitalized at all. I am going to try really hard to stay off the scale. I will get weighed Mon. by the dr. anyway for my post op check. I am so glad you are here and being so supportive! It makes all the difference in the world to have everyone's support here. :huggie: VABandster I have just started to track my calories. I had been only tracking my Protein intake. I am careful if I haven't gone potty in a few days to take a stool softner (I know, GROSS) because I don't want to have a problem when it's the time comes. That seems to help. Thank you for writing to me. It makes me feel better when people answer me. OfferRocker: I do weigh myself naked in the morning before I get dressed. I am going to try really hard to not weigh myself all weekend and just see what the dr. says on Mon for my first post op appointment. It's really hard to stay off the scale, but it's probably better so that I don't feel depressed if it's not moving. Then I stand there, because it's not digital, and try really hard to see what the little needle is on, almost like I can force it to move if I stare at it long enough. How are you guys doing the smilieys? On my screen, at the bottom of the last person's post there is a blank spot where it says reply, but the smiley menu isn't there. I have been doing it by typing a punctuation points. Today I tried the orange juice thing I think I already told you all about. My friend that was banded a few years ago told me. It's a scoop of Protein powder, a carton of vanilla yogurt, some orange juice and ice blended. It was yummy. I am going to try freezing the yogurt next time too though to make it more slushy. I found the ice just seemed to make it watery. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks on liquids. Tomorrow I am going to try the cheesecake sugar free vanilla pudding that I read about on here. It's time to start experimenting, if I am going to do two more weeks of this! I know it was page 67 where there were several recipes for smoothies too, that I need to go back and read. I am so glad all of you are here. I would hate to be alone in this! Siyah- We got snow here too on the Oregon coast. It's the 4th time in the 33 years that I have lived here. I work for the schools too, and I am so glad there was no school today, none tomorrow or Monday. I find the days easier when I don't work. Everyone at work is always snacking.

I hate that feeling that I need to burp and I can't! I am wondering what is going on because in the evenings, I have that feeling all evening. I wonder if it has to do with the swelling going down or something. I am only a week and a half past surgery. I really should start counting my calories.all of you seem to know your calorie intake. Maybe that's why I am not losing. I count my protein grams, but not calories. I have no clue how many calories I am getting per day. I bought the protein drinks from the dr. and never even looked on the can to see the calories. I usually drink 2 cans of slim fast low carb per day too, and I know they are 190 calories. I like it over here at the "lower BMI" EVeryone is so friendly and informative.

Baby Got Back, Don't I wish I had a Trader Joe's here. I live in the middle of nowhere. I have to drive 100 miles to go to Trader Joe's . I didn't think I could have any kind of beans. I would suppose as long as I blended them until they turned into liquid, I could have them. I am supposed to be on liquids for 4 weeks and it will only be 2 weeks this friday. I really need to search around for more liquid recipes. I am getting discouraged too because I feel like I really should be losing again. I am at a standstill. I have my post op appointment on Monday. I will be curious to hear what my dr. has to say about all of this. I appreciate you answering me! (ALOT!) You are really sweet.

Gerbera, I realized I hadn't read all the pages. I am sorry to hear you were feeling down. It's so easy to feel that way. This is a big change for all of us. When I think of all the things that I am not supposed to eat, I get really depressed. I have a friend who always called me and said " I made brownies for you" She loves to bake and I am afraid I will not even be able to go over to her house anymore. I just can't handle the temptation. I wish all of us lived close together. It's so great to have the support on here, but it would be so wonderful to actually be able to see each other and be around fellow bandsters. Going out to eat is practically my only social life and I wonder how different my life is going to be. I get depressed when I think about it, so right now all I can think of is what liquid I am going to try tomorrow to make it through this phase.

Gerbera, Thank you for those ideas. I will get some V8 juice and some different Soups. It seems like all of you are losing and I am not. I lost the first week, but seemed to have stopped. It's discouraging. I have heard it's harder to lose if you are on hormones and I am. I am really afraid I am not going to keep losing! I am not as hungry as I was at first but boy today I really wanted to eat. I couldn't stand it. I seem to be craving salt and I ate a bite of a pretzel. I am a bad girl. I am not even at 2 weeks since surgery and a bite of a pretzel is definitely not a liquid

I have that magic bullet blender too. It's great. I need to try to make some smoothies. Today I tried the liquid yoplait and it was delicious. I forgot my dr. said I could have very thinned down oat meal. I had that for dinner and I am very full. too full in fact.

Baby Got Back, You do so well with posting often and giving us all encouragement. I have been following your progress since before your surgery. I love reading your posts. I am so sick of liquids already and I have over 2 weeks left to go. Does ANYONE have any suggestions besides soup? I just remembered I can have very thin oatmeal and I am having that for dinner. I can't face another bowl of soup. I don't seem to have much trouble in the day time with the protein drinks but but evening, I want something to eat! I have said this before, Thank God for the internet!

Gerbera, I have only been on liquids for a week and a half. I got banded on 12-29 and I am supposed to be on them for 4 weeks. How are you managing for 3 weeks already? If you have any advice, I would love to hear it. It's not that I am really starving, but I am really tired of drinking the same things over and over. I bought some Soup from the dr.- a tomato soup and a chicken soup, which both have 20 grams of Protein. I am so tired of those already. I don't seem to mind the Protein drinks in the day time, but when I get home from work, I want dinner. What are you doing for liquids? I am still at 9 lbs lost which I have been for over a week. I went to the gym today and could hardly exercise. I am used to doing cardio for over an hour and could barely manage a half hour. I hope this helps me lose another lb. I really feel like if I am only on liquids, I should start to lose again. They say not to weigh yourself but it's hard not to. Does anyone else have any ideas to share on how to not go insane drinking the same things over and over and over? thank you, I need help!:phanvan

Hello all! I was kind of worried that I would come here and have posts telling me to mind my own business because of my post about carbs. I am a carb addict too. That's what got me into this shape! Skinny Mom, I hope you are unstuck. I don't have any experience with that, but I hope it passed through by now. I can totally see how that can happen! I have been staying away from anyone with food. I can't even imagine the thought of anyone eating in front of me! Siyah- I live in Oregon and I can totally relate to the too much rain thing. It's supposed to get really cold here too. I live on the coast, so I am not used to very cold weather. I hate it. It's even supposed to snow on Wed! I think I am getting a little used to being on liquids. I didn't totally think about food all day today, like I usually do. I still can't believe I am not even half way through with liquids though. OfferRocker, my daugher had gastric bypass, and I have tried those Cookies. They are really good. I can't wait to be off liquids. I bought her a Splenda cookbook for Christmas, although, I would really like to stop craving sweets. Well I hope everyone is doing well and hanging in there. This whole thing scares me. I talked to a lady that lives close to me that has had her band for a couple of years. She has had some complications after fills and that's the part that really scares me. I can not afford any more doctor bills! Good luck to everyone for their tuesday's eating! :welldone:

Hello all, I don't know if anyone ever read any of Dr. Atkins' books. I was an Atkins dieter all my life. I have read how some of you are feeling hungry. According to Dr. Atkins, when carbs are processed through our body, it causes the hunger pains. My dr. wants us on 70% and 30% fruits and veggies after we get to the eating stage. He says that is 4 ever! He doesn't recommend eating carbs such as potatos, etc. I know when I did Atkins, as soon as I ate potatos or some other carb, I did feel hungry right after. A lot is being said these days about good carbs and bad carbs and it makes sense. The gylicemic (sp ?) index thing that everyone is talking about makes a lot of sense too. I am going crazy drinking liquids because I am sick of them, but my stomach really doesn't growl. It's more in my head that wants to eat, rather than I am actually hungry. I hope I don't come off as sounding preachy, because I certainly don't mean to. I know for me, it's practically impossible to lose when I eat carbs. That's why I did lap band. I had lost a bunch of weight doing Atkins, but then I started eating those dreaded carbs again and started gaining and gaining. I really hope once I get to the eating stage, I can follow my dr.'s rules and stay away from carbs. They just make me want to eat more carbs. Hope everyone had a good weekend! Thanks for posting those Protein drinks. I have finally started using my blender, but I am sure I will still do more Protein Drinks than anything else. I am so lazy.

Thanks, now that it's the weekend, I will have time to look back through the posts. My dr. sells quite a bit of stuff - Isopure in many flavors, several flavors of Soups, several flavors of Protein shakes, the hot chocolate is really good (20 gram protein) and two different kinds of oatmeal. That's all I bought so far, but he has other stuff to. It's all expensive though. $10 for a box of 7 packetts. The Isopure is 4.00 which I read on here you can buy at GNC for 3.75. I don't have a GNC here. I did find a GNC section at one of the drug stores and found a Protein Drink banana flavored that has 50 grams. It's also 4.00 a can. It's good though. I am excited that I have lost 9 lbs. It's the only thing good about this liquid stage. A friend that had lap band 5 years ago told me to mix Protein powder with orange juice and vanilla yogurt and 6 ice cubes and blend it up and it's supposed to be wonderful. I am going to try that. Best Wishes to everyone for Sunday!:)

My daughter had gastric bypass a year ago 12-27. That's what made me decide to have lap band. I found out about it in her support group which I have been going to for over a year. She has lost 130 lbs. She had a lot more to lose than I did though. She was 315 at the day of surgery which was exactly 100 more than I was the day of surgery. I wonder what is going on and why there is talk of some people moving to another group or thread. I have no clue what's going on. I thought we were all supporting each other so well. I mixed my doctor's cream of chicken Soup with Campbells cream of chicken and milk and blended it and felt satisfied for the first time in a week. I am going to buy more Soups. Hope you're all doing great this weekend. I think the weekends are easier. I don't like going to work while I am trying to do this.

I really agree with Dream. It's very strange how all the doctors have different opinions on what we can eat when . You would think there would be a standard lap band diet. They all do the lap band, so why aren't the diets the same? I really look forward to my yogurt every day. I would be really upset if I couldn't have that. It's the only thing that is sort of solid. I am completely sick of being on liquids after only one week and I have 3 more to go. Personallly, I think my doctor just wants to make money on the foods he sells. He's a great doctor, but so many people can have other things besides the Soups he sells. I did find a 50 gram Protein Drink at the drug store, but I WANT REAL FOOD! Oh well, I know I can do this. My daughter did it a year ago, and I went through it with her. If she can do 4 weeks on liquids, I can too. Plus there is all of you, sucking liquids down too. Thank God, we are in this together. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a computer. I love reading all of your posts! Oh, I forgot I cheated today! I had a left over sugar free peppermint pattie from my Christmas stocking.

Anyone is welcome at Dr. Tersigni's support groups. They are the 2nd and 3rd tues of the month. It doesn't matter who did your surgery. There aren't very many bandsters there though. It's mostly gastric bypass because Medicare pays for it. I found out about banding by going to that support group. I wish more bandsters would come! It's a long way to drive from Eugene though. :phanvan