gotmyeyeontheprize

I have ordered a Kid's Meal at two different places....Cracker Barrel and Ruby Tuesdays. At Cracker Barrel, they allow "Kids of all Ages" to order from their Kid's Menu, but RT told me there would be an "upcharge" for ordering off of the KM. Has anyone else had trouble with this? I hate to pay for an adult meal that I know I can't eat. I would take the leftovers home, but we usually are shopping after eating and I don't trust leaving food out that long.

As we get closer to Santa's arrival, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone has asked for this Christmas. My list consists of a few different Pandora charms, a Vera Bradley purse in the Baroque pattern, a Wii Fit, some Bath and Body Works, and a new pair of shoes. My husband and I don't usually swap gifts since our money goes towards our children's gifts. This year, we decided we both work too hard and deserve a treat for ourselves.

Once you're banded, you won't be able to eat what you normally would at a buffet. Eat your Protein first. Then, if you have room, eat some veggies. Like someone else said, the food isn't all that great anyways. Also, do some research on the calories in some foods that you are use to eating. Your eyes will open wide to the amount of calories you have been putting into your body. I never even thought about it until I was banded. It is an eye opener that will make you back away from the buffet!!

I have heard of that card, but my doctor never mentioned it. So, I will ask him when I go back on Tuesday. I have ordered the child's grilled chicken breast with either green beans or asparagus. My gripe is what difference does it make if I order from there? I drink water anyways, so it isn't like I should get an upcharge for my drink!

I am wanting a Wii for Christmas too and am wondering about the Zumba game. I have done Zumba before and it was a blast. Like you, I am completely uncoordinated! Even so, it was fun because I was doing it with a group of other uncoordinated women at church. I say try it out in the comfort of your own home and have fun!

Well, I braved a Breakfast for my 5th graders this morning. I only had one mini sausage ball and two sausage cups when I usually eat two plates full! Tomorrow night, we have a family get together with finger foods only. Do you all think it is safe for me to eat the food there or should I bring my own small meal? I have zero restriction in my band because I have not had my first fill. Even so, my conscience has kept me from going over my restricted 600 calories per day. I guess I just need someone to tell me it is ok to eat these finger foods!

Great advice honk! We shouldn't deprive ourselves either. Instead, we should learn how to make better food choices. It helps me a lot to be able to plan out what I will eat. My first plan is to eat on a dessert plate. I know someone is bringing a deli meat/cheese tray and someone else is bringing some popcorn chicken in wing sauce. So, those are two "safe" foods I can lean towards tonight. My goal is to stay far away from the sweets!

A big thank you to all for your advice. I am going to eat my normal breakfast, normal lunch, then eat at the party. I will stay away from the breads and sweets!

I have the most terrible back ache. It is in my back directly behind my port area. Since surgery, the pain has come and gone. Within the past few days, it has gotten extremely uncomfortable. I am wondering if the surgeon has to pull and tug more in the port area which has caused such pain. It just seems strange that I am almost 4 weeks post-op and it is just now getting this uncomfortable. The pain is a constant, dull achey pain. Has anyone else experienced this?

I need to get on an excercise regiment, but I am not ready to go hit the gym. It really bothers me when people watch me excercise. I have considered purchasing a Wii Fit and want to know if any of you have one. If you do, have you had success?

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I will be purchasing one after Christmas. Yay!

Every 15 minutes, try to get up and walk for 5 minutes. Also, take Gas-X strips as stated on the box. I did both of these things, and the gas never settled. The stomach bloating will go down in a few days too. Best of luck and welcome to the other side!

Mandy, more than likely, you are suffering from the dreaded build up of gas. Fortunately, I did not have that problem. Even so, a dear friend of mine did along with many people on this forum. My advice would be Gas-X strips and walk as much as possible. I hope you feel better soon.

That is what I hear from everyone on this forum. It is what my surgeon requires. I started at 347 lbs. So, I don't know if my extreme weight was the reason he set my calories at that. I plan to ask when I go back on the 20th.

I do and stay at 600 calories a day!

I was banded on 11/22. I lost 11 lbs. from the time I had surgery to the time I went back to the doctor, which was a week later. I lost 18 lbs. on the 2 week pre-op diet and have lost a total of 34 lbs. since I started the pre-op diet on 11/8. So, since surgery, I have lost a total of 16 lbs. Today, I am three weeks post-op. Wow, that was a mouthful! I was on liquids from the day of surgery, which was on a Monday, until that Friday. Then, I was on mushy foods until the next Friday. Since then, I have been on solids (10 days). My weight loss has slowed down a lot in the last week, but I have NO FILL in my band. So, now that the surgical swelling is gone, I have no restriction and am beginning to tell! The tummy rumbling has started. Like one poster said, walk as much as you can to prevent blood clots. The first few days, I would walk 5 minutes at a time every 15 minutes. It helped prevent the awful gas build up too! Good luck!!

honk, it is getting pretty hard. Especially, since I do not have any fill in my band!! Like you, I think it is a bit crazy to be as limited as I am. I go back on Dec. 20th and plan to talk to the nutritionist about such low calories and carbs. My energy level is extremely low.

I was banded on 11/22 and had restriction up until a few days ago. Now, I find myself starving. Even so, I am trying very hard to stick to my doctor's orders of 600 calories per day. Like sam3841 said, it is all about will power right now. I won't have my first fill until around the first of the year. Getting through Christmas is going to be a test of that will power. Good luck!

Jess55, the no red meat thing is getting to me. I love chicken and am being as creative as I can with it. Also, I have made meals and substituted red meat with ground turkey. It is wonderful!

I was banded on 11/22 and follow my surgeon's orders completely. He requires 3 meals per day, 20 grams of Protein per meal, no more than 600 calories a day, no more than 5 carbs per meal, no bread, no rice, no Pasta, no crackers, no potatoes, a minimum of 64 ounces of liquid per day, no red meat or pork until I have lost 75% of my excess weight, etc. I have done well and lost 34 lbs. since the beginning of my pre-op liquid diet that started 11/8. I have no Fluid in my band. So, the only restriction I have had is from surgical swelling. Unfortunately, that little bit of restriction is fading away. I find myself very hungry between meals. Even so, I do not snack because I will be mad at myself. I try to ask myself if those few bites are worth the risk of gaining. It is extremely hard and takes a lot of will power. Best of luck on your surgery. This is the best thing you will do for yourself!

Move, move, move! I was banded on 11/22 and did not suffer from any gas pain. I took Gas-X strips faithfully for the first few days. Also, every 15 minutes I would get up and walk for 5 minutes. Did I need the Gas-X strips? No. Even so, I took them and think that it helped prevent the gas build up. Feel better soon!

When I had my surgery, there was a string hanging from either end of my port. The surgeon cut it off when I went back and I forgot to ask what it was for. Now, I am almost 3 weeks post-op and there is a small scab on my port incision. My husband and I looked at it and there is a string attached. The string runs from the scab into the incision. What we can see is about 1/4 inch long. I have no idea how far it goes under my skin. I am afraid to pull on it in fear that it will bleed. Did anyone else have this issue?

Bless your heart. I am almost 3 weeks out and experienced a very uncomfortable situation with my husband last week. We were eating dinner at my grandmother's house. She had made meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green Beans, carrots, mac-n-cheese, and rolls. My husband and kids do not eat meatloaf, but I usually do. She had made it with ground beef. So, I decided I would eat a piece of the fried chicken she had bought. I ate a thigh and pulled all of the skin off before eating it. Then, I ate a few bites of green beans. My hubby was watching every bite I took and was commenting on every bite I took. He would tell me I was eating to fast, or that I was eating too much. Then, he told me I didn't need the green beans. My dad had to tell him to shut up and leave me alone! My hubby continued to talk to my dad about my past eating habits and how my new eating habits should be. He did all of this as if I wasn't even sitting there. Finally, I just got up, grabbed my keys and cell phone, and I drove right on home crying all the way. I was so angry that crying was all I could do. Oh, and that little episode made me realize that stress causes the band to tighten!! I was miserable for about an hour. Our husbands can be complete jack a**es when they want to be! As I told my husband, he has no idea what it took for me to step up and get banded. He has no idea what it feels like to finally admit to the world that you have no self control when it comes to food. He has no idea the emotional and physical stress this decision puts upon you. Needless to say, he was extremely quick to appologize and hasn't even mentioned food since!

Thank you both for the feedback. I do believe it is a stitch. So, I plan to leave it alone until I go back to the doctor in a couple of weeks.

You all are so fortunate to be allowed so many calories. I am only allowed 600 calories per day and am required to get in 60 grams of protein. So, it is extremely difficult for me to get in the protein yet stay within my calorie limit. I don't weigh anything. I simply count the calories and the protein.