Candle

I wouldn't say "like". I think all protein drinks are gross but Unjury was the least gross I found out of the 1,453,745 I tried :rolleyes2:

Thanks I tried this today with the canned chicken. Since my cheese was a Mexican blend, I also mixed in a little salsa! YUMMY!!

1) I have PCOS. I would miss 1-2 periods per year and I'd go thru phases of being light or heavy. In the 5 months post-op, my cramps seem a little worse and my flow a little heavier but no real changes.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 2) I really lost my sex drive in the months leading up to banding. It had previously been very HIGH! I've not experienced much of a change in this area unfortunately. It's been about a year now

An update on me: I stuck to the plan I mentioned above. I'm now 5 months out from surgery and down almost 85lbs!!! And back to my regular smoking habits with no problems.

I love this website!! If you aren't already a member, sign up. They send you a daily email with product reviews & information, along with diet & exercise tips, and recipes. A few products I love that I discovered because of that site: Weight Watchers English Toffee Crunch Ice Cream Bars: 1 bar = 110 calories, 6 grams fat, 13 carbs, 2 Fiber, 1 Protein The only thing I don't like about them, there are 12 in a box and I want to eat them all!!!! Morning Star Farms Parmesan Crusted Chicken* Patty: 1 patty = 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 17 carbs, 2 fiber, 10 protein * Morning Star Farms are vegetarian products. If you have really good restriction, use caution. I really like the Black Bean Burgers too but they have rice and corn in them so again, use caution depending on your restriction level. Discovered any new products you want to share with us?

I don't have any restriction so it went right down but it shocked me!!

I forgot this was on today. Was Dr Davis from Big Medicine on?

I'm Jen. 32. I live in Long Island NY and was banded 8/27/07. Doing FABULOUS so far

Not looking good here either. Plastic surgery is in my future. No doubt about it. I'd like to be at a comfortable weight for at least a year and then I'm going for it! It's going to take me at least that long to save the $$ anyway - lol! I'm an apple shape and seriously need panni removal/TT and a breast lift. I've got my fingers crossed that the girls don’t deflate so badly that I need implants. I'm holding steady at a saggy 36DD from a 44DDD. My arms are borderline but still much worse than I was expecting. My inner thighs are a maybe too but looking more like a YES than the arms. (specially after a TT) I'm about to be 33. No children. 5'5". High weight of 311. I have very pale skin and lots of stretch marks. I've been over weight my whole life and always had this shape.

Same here, except I started losing BEFORE surgery. I lost 14lbs on the 10 day pre-op diet and haven't looked back since! I've been very fortunate - I've been losing very consistently and much quicker than I even expected. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Wow! You've been through hell! I hope you are feeling better now! How's the new fill feel? I swallowed a whole cough drop the other day by accident. I guess that's why docs warn us about gum and hard candy. :frown:

I'm the same way Juli! Our stats are pretty similar too. (my high was 311, a few months before surgery)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I'm an apple shape so I have large (now deflated) breasts and lots and lots of tummy that doesn't seem to be going anywhere.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Clothed I think I finally look pretty good but naked - forget about it!! I'm more self conscience than I was at 300lbs! I think this has played a big role in the fact that my sex drive is pretty much non-existent at this point.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I'm starting therapy soon. :wink2:

It is kinda cool that the band makes the people are us more healthy too!! My boyfriend is eating much better these days!! I just worry about him feeling like he needs to clean up my leftovers all the time. I think I've finally beaten that thing in my head that tells me it's BAD to throw out food or leave food on my plate. Now I just need to work on him - hehe!

I'm not offended! I doubt anyone else is either. I was just curious. I'd never seen the DH, DW, etc thing before this forum and I've been on a lot of forums over the years. I never know what to use for my boyfriend. If he'd just marry me it would make it so much easier :wink2:

I don't really have an answer about my fill/restriction level. I’m trying not to over think it and just stick with what’s working for me! I'm not sure if something just clicked in my head and I'm suddenly able to stick to an eating & exercise plan or if there's something to the theory that the band placement alone helps some people. I haven't had any restriction since day one though so the “natural restriction” thing doesn’t apply to me. I was obsessing about fills for awhile, I think I got the one fill just to experience it and get rid of the anxiety about the needle and the whole process. I've never been able to lose this much weight on my own and I've been over weight my whole life! I love having the safety net of my band if I need to start using it! I've lost almost 85lbs since the start of my pre-op diet on 8/16/07 ... no complaints here!!! It really is a different journey for every one. PS. You are doing awesome as well!!

Cerrin - re: ground turkey. I mix it with ground beef sometimes too. My boyfriend complains the turkey is too bland when I make meatballs or something similar. In chili or mexican food he doesn't notice. Anyone ever try the ground chicken?

It took me awhile to figure it out too - lol! This is the first forum I've ever seen use those abbreviations. Are they common?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Most I’m on seem to use SO for significant other. DH and DW leave out a lot of people. What about those of us in a relationship but not married and/or gay/lesbian couples?<o:p></o:p>

name.............starting#......current#......goal#.....togo# Anitak33...........245............218..........199.......19 Anna2766____.......232............232..........220.......12 TxArcher...........360............353..........345........8 Candle.............218............211..........207.......4 Cerrin.............350............350..........325.......25 chickatee..........188............184..........175.......9 Cookielover........202............202..........192.......10 cQQlgirl...........220............220..........210.......10 Faithmd............306............301.2........296.......5.2 georgiagirl........275............268..........260.......8 Hollyberries.......298............298..........285.......13 Hoppingto..........350............314..........294.......20 Irishmae11.........233.8..........234..........219.......15 Jennie1976.........290............251..........235.......16 jfran..............187............181..........177.......4 Jillrn.............176............176..........166.......10 Jsrico.............255............178..........165.......13 juliegeraci........220............220..........210.......8 KarenG.............207............197..........189.......8 keekahari..........220............217..........205.......12 kjl315.............237.5..........231..........220.......11 legster............223.5..........216..........199.......17 LessnLess..........172............172..........164.......8 liz_hager..........202............198..........190.......8 Manatee............188............179..........175.......4 Mandyjo............191............187..........180.......11 metawnny...........252............252..........240.......12 MJRouse84..........274............233..........218.......15 nip50..............250............243..........238.......5 Rainer.............264............253..........248.......5 Redtulips3.........248............234.5........226.......8.5 RenewedHope........228............221..........210.......11 rharriet...........367............256..........248.......8 Sades..............229............199.7........189.......10.7 Skinny_Jill........195............190..........180.......10 Stacy73............230............223..........222.......1 SueMagoo...........230............224..........220.......4 Sunny112...........145............145..........140.......5 Susan4794..........240............240..........225.......15 Suzzzie............303............294..........290.......4 SWEETY.............180............174..........170.......4 Trystelle..........219............211.5........205.......6.5 Twilight...........206............197..........185.......21 uxbus5.............240............240..........230.......10 want2lose..........236............236..........225.......11 wombat712..........154.8..........150.2........140.......10.2

Have you been putting ice on it? My port site was very swollen and bruised - I kept ice on it as much as possible for the first week or two and I think that helped a lot. Some liquid Tylenol might help too. It just takes time to heal.

I've never heard that before! What was on your mushie stage then?

Not to scare you but how can you say that you didn't follow your post op diet and you "did fine"? The reason you need to follow the post op diet and slow food stage progression is to ensure the band has time to settle into place and adhere to your stomach by forming a nice groove of scar tissue. It makes it a lot harder for that to happen when you are eating too early and causing your stomach to churn and move - upsetting the placement of the band. Progressing to mushies or solids before you are suppose to rarely causes someone an immediate problem (unless you get stuck and/or PB) it's 2-3 years down the road when your band slips that you are in trouble. To the OP - I know it's hard. We've all been there. 2 weeks of liquids after surgery is pretty standard. Hang in there, you only have 1 week left and you're doing great!! Keep it as interesting as you can until then. V8 is yummy! Maybe a smoothly with some skim milk and a little fruit and/or yogurt. Is applesauce on your list? Motts makes flavored ones now in little single serve cups. Low calorie/Fat Frozen Yogurt was on my list. Try some of the organic soups in the health food isle - they tend to have more "exotic" varieties with lower sodium. Although, I do like the Campbell's Soup at Hand too! Keep coming here for support! You'll be onto mushies before you know it. Your doctor may even let you start a few days early.

Without restriction, you really don't have a pouch yet. The band is sitting loosely around your stomach. For some people the band is tight and they have restriction from the get-go but for most, that's not the case. I'm 5 months out from surgery with only 1 fill and still have no restriction. I could eat 3 or 4 eggs if I wanted to but limit myself to 1 or 2 and maybe a piece of light toast or some fruit. You are still in a critical time for healing and want to make sure you don't do any damage to your band. You don't want to over stuff yourself causing your stomach to work over time, churning and moving the band around or worse, PB. You want that band to settle into a nice groove of scar tissue around your stomach. This is the reason for the slow progression of food stages. You are in "Bandster Hell" right now - which is completely normal. Maybe try a few small meals per day? I know many doctors push the 3 meals and no snacks program but in this stage I think maybe 5 small meals would help curb your hunger a little more. Certainly talk to your doctor and nutritionist about your portion size, hunger level, and concerns.

You look great, Judi!!!!

I saw my PCP twice and she was no help. I ended up going back to my gastrologist. Since it was after a stuck episode, did you call your band doc? Hope you feel better.

I didn't cheat at all on the pre-op and I really stuck closely to the post-op diet. Both REALLY jump started my weight loss and got me on the right track!!