Oregondaisy

is it possible to stretch my new stomach already while I am on liquids? My protein shakes are mostly 8 oz (the ones I make myself.) Some in a can though are 11 oz. You say you can only eat 2.5 oz. I realize this is liquid compared to a solid, but it got me wondering. I try to drink it as slowly as possible, but it's hard for me to judge. I don't really get a full feeling after drinking it. I don't feel hungry, I just drink it because I look at the clock and realize I have had nothing for 6 hours.

Is it possible that you can not go directly to Dr. Cierny and you have to go to Cosmic Bliss? Just wondering?

where is dr. zapata located? just curious....

go to the food section of this board. there are good ideas there for all food stages.

If food starts getting stuck where you end up having to bring it back up, then it's time to start thinking you're too tight. You are supposed to take tiny bites. This fill could loosen on it's own in a couple of weeks.

After watching my daughter go through labor and deliver my adorable grandson, I was thrilled that I never went through that.

a lot of people don't have band problems at first. Then all of a sudden, things start going wrong. It's usually the people who have been banded over a year when you start to see people complaining of reflux or slippage, etc.

just go to the food section of this board. there are a lot of suggestions for this phase. You're not going to feel much or any restriction without a fill. A lot of people really can't feel any until about 3 fills.

I had 2 c sections with no labor. my daughter quit moving and was delivered c section 4 weeks early. They hospitalized me when I was pg with my son at 7 months and delivered him c section as soon as his lungs were developed. I was thrilled to never have to go through labor. My C sections were easy to recover from and I am really glad I did not have to go through hours of labor. I don't feel like I missed a thing. My scars are hardly noticeable as they are in my hairline. My stomach is pretty flat and I don't need any plastic surgery from losing weight.

How long is it until that staple line is considered healed?

I had a resting met. test taken at my band dr.'s office shortly after banding. I couldn't exercise for 48 hours prior to the test. I had to have the test within one hour of getting out of bed on an empty stomach. I was hooked up to a computer and had my nose closed shut with a thing like a close pin. I had to breathe in and out through my mouth into this tube thing for 20 min. It determined I burn 1200 calories per day just sitting there. It showed me how much I needed to exercise and how much to cut my calories in order to lose. it was an eye opener.

I eat sf popsicles in the evening and that helps with the wanting a snack after dinner.

The band may work perfectly for a couple of years. WasA is one of the people that had band troubles right from the beginning. I didn't. I know a lot of people who had no band problems in the beginning. Eventually though, all the problems with the band start showing up. Losing weight is also slower with the band. It's tricky to get the right fill and reap the benefits of having a band. Feel free to ask questions. For me personally, having self paid twice, I wish I had known about the sleeve before I got banded.

gastric bypass and the band are not the only options. There is also the gastric sleeve which has great results and a very low rate of complications.

I think it's a bit ridiculous that they all bury their heads in the sand. There are people who come in and have had erosion or slips, and tell their horror stories. It's like those teenagers who have unprotected sex. "That won't happen to me" kind of thinking.

Interesting that now there is a place that isn't pushing gastric bypass.

it's really hard in the chat room. I used to really enjoy chatting in there, but anymore, they ask me why I had my band removed, then they get mad when I tell them.

Dr. Aceves and his staff are all wonderful. I had a great experience there. I really can't imagine going to anyone else since he is so experienced with doing this surgery, and if you are a self pay, you aren't going to find a better price. Great surgeon, great price, you just can't go wrong!

Target does have an EAS strawberry Protein powder that's good. My favorite is a find from WasA. It's chocolate Peanut Butter whey Gourmet that you have to order from WWW. netrition.com. It's yummy. As far as the clear stage, I bought unflavored whey Protein Powder at GNC and mixed it in all sorts of stuff.

I really don't feel much restriction at all drinking fluids. I drink more slowly because I am told to, but i don't seem to have the issue that others have mentioned. Others have said they feel really full and have a hard time drinking fluids. I could easily drink an 8 oz glass of water, protein shake or whatever, in nothing flat.

I thought when I saw Helen on The Ellen show after she won, she said she weighed 114.

You are by no stretch of the imagination fat. I know how determined you are so I have no doubts you'll get to where you want to be.

Another good clear liquid is Isopure. A lot of people don't like the taste of it but it has 40 grams of protein in it per bottle. You can get it online or at GNC. My dr. also sells it. It comes in different flavors. If your doctor says you can have protein, it's a good way to get it.Protein keeps us from being hungry.

You are in what we call bandster hell. You have a band but it's not working right now because you don't have a fill. Don't freak out if the first fill doesn't make a lot of difference either. Just try to eat right, and you will get restriction. It may take more than one fill though. A lot will depend on how aggressive your doctor is with fills.

You can buy unflavored protein powder and put it into clear liquids. My doctor encouraged us to use crystal light even though you can't see through it. It's thin like a clear liquid and pretty much calorie free. I put my unflavored protein powder in it.