EquusEMS

Before my first fill, and even now, I track my food on Livestrong.com's The Daily Plate function. I set a calorie goal to lose 2lbs a week, and I try hard to stick to it. I eat when I feel hungry, and stop when I'm full....definitely making smarter choices than pre-surgery. No soda, no fried foods, no alcohol...and try to walk as exercise every day. Just take care of yourself, listen to your body, and try to eat balanced, with all your Protein, sneak some veggies in, try to avoid the bad carbs, and all your Fluid.

My band was tight today for some reason, I swear it's so odd that 3 days ago I could tolerate chicken fingers, and today, they are stuck. Banded Dec 6, 2010, first fill was Jan 6th. Today, 1/2 c of Egg Beaters mushed w one piece of Scrapple - breakfast lunch: 2 McDonalds Chicken Selects (awful stuck). I also dont think I chewed carefully enough, because I was driving and not paying attention. dinner: 1 cup of green beans, with a few tablespoons of hummus.

I have a question. Do any of you know why I am HUNGRY?? (lol)

The liquid calcium is Wellessee Brand, I found it at Target. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/183-9146914-3506240?asin=B00188ASO6&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|B00188ASO6&CPNG=health%20beauty&ci_gpa=pla&ci_sku=B00188ASO6&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001 I drink Nature's Source Multivitamin, even on an empty stomach it doesnt upset my stomach. http://www.evergreen.ie/natures-plus-source-of-life-liquid-multivitamin/p-306059pd.aspx

I warned the docs and anesthesiologist that I was sensitive to anesthesia, I had a scopalamine patch, preloaded Zofran, and dexamethasone, I STILL was sick for a whole day retching.

G3 - I too get awful nausea with anesthesia. I was retching, vomiting, and peed myself in the hospital bed, while crying to the nurse, that 'I made a mistake, I made a mistake'... and I was terrified that the retching would make my band slip. She calmed me down, and assured me it would get better. I have had off a MONTH almost, I'm so bored! My daily routine, I get up in the morning, have my liquid Calcium 500mg. I drink tea about an hour later, I have some scrambled eggs. In your case, soon after surgery, have a small Protein shake. Around lunch time, take your liquid Multivitamin. Then around 'dinner time' take your 2nd dose of 500 mg of calcium. Sip fluids continuously, even when you dont feel like it. Youll get through this rough period, and get stronger. You did NOT make a mistake! Itll be worth it. Hugs and Strength! B

GBTB - I'm in DE too, Felton area. Small world!

It's amazing how much food we DONT need, but now appreciate the tastes and texture! I have scrambled eggs with refried beans mashed up, with hot sauce, it's pretty good!

I have noticed my sense of smell is much sharper, especially for food smells! I feel like a blood hound, haha. I can smell peppermint ice cream from a room away, and smell chocolate chips in my kitchen. Also cigarette smoke, and the smell of fatty fried foods make me nauseated.

Had a nice NSV this morning, went horseback riding in the snowstorm, I'm almost 3 weeks postop, and I have 5 horses. So getting more fit as a rider, was a huge push for me to get the LAP Band. Had a nice half hour ride out in the snow, walk and trot, on my little elderly Arabian mare. She is small, pony sized, and I sometimes felt self conscious riding her, as I felt that I was "out of proportion" to ride such a petite horse. I'm down about 17 lbs, eating normal soft foods, no vomiting or real complications now. So YAY for horseback riding in the snow! I had no discomfort mounting, dismounting, tacking up, walking and trotting. I'm back to being me

I am on 3 weeks off work, then a month of light duty, I don't go back to my full job (heavy lifting, pushing, climbing stairs, active vigorous stuff) for almost 6 weeks postop YAY for down time. PS - Alien Bandit, I horseback rode 2 weeks postop, walk was okay, but ouch a trot beat me up!

I had my first 'stuck' episode last night, really scared me. Most foods have been going down great, with no problem. So I tried half a piece of potato bread, with some hummus spread on top. It got stuck, I was panicked, walking tried drinking to get it down, it was 10 minutes of pain, and panic. I think I had a few PBs and overly full feeling, but no nausea or vomiting. I will NOT be trying bread again. Banded Dec 6.

I thought the same thing, that crunchy foods would not be good, I pictured them getting stuck, so I haven't tried. HOWEVER. My boyfriend is Mexican, and his mother sent homemade tamales, and flour tortillas from California today. OH. MY. GOD. Amazing. I agree, Mexican food is neccesary for life! The flour tortilla got a little 'uncomfortable', I realized it and stopped eating it immediately.

I use Livestrong.com's the daily plate function to count calories, it's great. I'm 15 days post op, and Im 16 lbs down, I'm trying to watch what I eat, and staying under 1200 calories. Yes, the band does give you more willpower, that's for sure!

I feel exactly the same way, I almost feel guilty, for eating, I imagine stretching my band or popping stiches. I have been eating 'regular' food for a week, and my first postop appt is tomorrow. I am going to come clean to my doctor and confess, and ask for a fill as soon as possible!

SPT - I would buy your cookbook, what a great idea ! If you put it all together, let me know how much it would be for a copy!

I think already (13 days post op) I am eating pretty much "normal foods" I just make myself live by certain taboos: no caffeine, no fast food, no bread, no soda, no alcohol. I'm just eating much smaller amounts. Oh, and roasted chickpeas...they got stuck.

Ckeely - I like that approach to the getting us back to regular foods, if one doctor is doing it that way, than it's not a completely crazy idea!

So I finally bought a scale, I'm almost 12 lbs lighter, on day 13. I only did a 2 day pre-op diet of clear liquids, so yay for my BAND. I was worried that I wasn't losing, I thought I was stuck at 8-8 lbs lighter. I don't really have alot of restriction, honestly I can eat pretty much normal foods, but smaller amounts.

See my nutritionist and doctor didn't give me a calorie limit, just to make smarter choices, and try to avoid sugar, alcohol, bread, fast food, etc. I don't eat regular 3 meals a day, I more 'graze' during a normal day, because I work a crazy schedule. I wonder where they get 600 calories a day, did anyone hear reasoning behind that? It doesn't seem like enough? And that I need to eat atleast 60g of Protein a day.

I'm so relieved to read that some people are trying 'mushies', I'm not the only one. Banded on 12-6, and feeling alot better this week. I haven't been walking too much, because I feel "protective" of my belly, just normal walking around stores, down to my local post office, etc. It's also been 22 degrees outside here in Delaware, BRRR!! I can't wait til I can horseback ride, I will clear it with my doctor next Tuesday, she's pretty conservative, so I dont know what she will say. I'm not having bread, or anything too "hard or scratchy". I've been living mainly on scrambled eggs with some ricotta cheese mixed in, soups, hot chocolate protein powders, cream of wheat, lots of fluids. It's so hard to break the habit of eating while drinking, ie washing things down. No soda, no coffee, no alcohol, no bread, no sugar. Wow I'd lose weight following that alone, based on how much sugar and bread I used to eat! I made the mistake of trying to be polite and basically "peeled" a chicken finger to eat, with some squash at TGI Fridays for lunch, and my stomach gave me hell to pay. I was so rumbley with diarrhea. I thought I'd explode like a seagull with an Alka-Seltzer. I'm terrified of "messing up" my pouch, by trying mushies too early. But I cannot stand any more full liquid diet. Everything in moderation I guess. Anyone else having this fear, of "messing up"? B

The Devil is trying to tempt me. Dominos just mistakenly tried to deliver pizza & Pepsi to my house . I almost swooned smelling pizza. I *almost* told him he was at the right address. My two biggest "trigger/gluttony" foods, presurgery, and I'm now 1 week, 2 days post-op. aaaarrrggh!!!

Vanilla protein powder is great w one packet of cream of wheat, and 1/2 cup of skim milk. Makes it sweet and adds 20g of protein.

My back was hurting too, when I sleep at night. I almost wonder if its because suddenly your abdominal muscles are so weak, from the fascia being cut, that your back tries to over compensate. It only hurt when I laid on my bed for more than 6 hours, so as soon as I get up in the morning, it works itself out.