kittyforet

Good luck today!!!!

Can't wait to try this!!! Only on full liquids now but start mushies next week!!! I've already bought all the ingredients!!!

I hear ya, Cpt!!!! I am so tired of the sweet-flavored crap and want something with more substance!!! I even have the unjury chicken broth, but that can only go so far!!! Today I took a can of bean with bacon soup and blended it...was much better than the chicken broth, but still felt like I needed a side of steak pudding with it!!! LOL I am seriously craving bacon!!! I <3 bacon!!! I can only imagine how many little sugar bugs are feasting on my teeth with this post-op liquid diet!!! I find myself brushing more to get the taste out of my mouth!! So you are not alone in wanting a tequila chaser!!! Carry on.

If you like Beans and Soup is ok with you, there is a bean with bacon soup that I just had on the full liquids stage....I ran it through the blender since I can't have it like it comes out of the can, but it seems to be a pretty thick soup. I had to add Water to it to thin it, per can directions, but if you wanted something a little thicker, try it and don't add the full can of water.... also, I liked beanie weanies growing up, you might try that, it's just little beans in a can with a few small slices of hot dogs....not sure if you can eat the hot dogs or not.

Almost a week later, here is my surgery day story!!! Sorry for the long post! Each day gets better as far as pain and what I can do. I've been walking daily, got a pedometer and trying to make sure I increase each day. I don't walk to increase my heart rate or do real exercise, just to get moving. . Not ready for real exercise!! Surgery day, June 20, 2011.... Had to be there at 7:00, was first in line. By 8:00 I was in the gown, had the iv, and met the anesthesiologist. At 8:10 Dr. Reilly came in and then it was about time to go. At 8:30 they were wheeling me into the OR and that's all I remember!! I was wheeled into the OR, looked up for a second, and didn't get the chance to say or do anything else!! They blindsided me!!! Woke up at 10:30 in recovery to the leg things squeezing my legs. Throat was sore due to being intubated but pain wasn't too bad. After a little bit they helped me dress and go to the restroom. Was nauseous but the nurse held a peppermint-smelling stick under my nose and that took care of it. I had to sit in a recliner in recovery for a bit, took some liquid pain medicine (NASTY!!) and then went home. We were home before 12:30. Then I rested on the recliner and walked every hour, first along the downstairs of my house, working my way up to puttering outside. Walking really helped. sleeping was pretty much non-existent, but I wonder if that was due to post op nerves. I was like that after my last c-section, didn't sleep for about 24 hours after, too wired, too much adrenaline. Now I sleep a little at a time and rest when I can. Only had the main gas pain that first day, and after that just abdomen pain...it took a few nights of sleeping on the recliner couch or the rocker with the ottoman before I could actually sleep in my own bed, but getting up and down was the worst...once I was walking for a few minutes I could handle it. Since I could not stand the liquid pain meds (did I mention it was NASTY, even with cherry flavoring added???) I took childrens' dissolvable tylenol and then liquid childrens tylenol once and those were blah too, so after trying both of those, I stopped taking pain medicine and was ok without it....each day gets better and the pain goes away....now just mild itchiness at my steri-strips. Thursday I was able to drive so I treated myself to a pedicure. Friday was somewhat normal and yesterday my 8-year-old had 2 flag football games that I went to...my dad nicknamed me Ginger, since he said I was walking gingerly...I tend to walk these last few days with my shoulders hunched up so I am trying NOT to keep doing that. Started full liquids today after almost a week of Clear Liquids, and it is so much better to have a little more variety!! I am so sick of drinking fruity-type drinks!! But I bet it will be just a few more days and I will be sick of drinking my Protein shakes again!! Bring on the mushies!! LOL The hardest part is making sure I drink enough liquids right now. My NUT said to drink 1oz. Fluid every 15 minutes, and that makes my soup get cold!! So i eat a few spoonfuls, then wait a few minutes and eat a few more...Am I supposed to be taking my time already when I eat and following the no drinking during a meal now, even though I'm not on solids?? I go back for post-op on July 18 and fill status will be decided then. My stats so far... Consultation weight, 223.4 Pre-op meeting weight 217 Surgery day weight, 209 (was worried I hadnt lost any!!) Today's weight, 202.8!!!!!! Wearing the pedometer to log my walking and keeping a food diary is helping...at first I wasn't going to do the diary, seemed like a huge pain, but my NUT needs that once I see her on the 18th, so I've been faithful at that. I understand that once I start "real food" again that it will help me get not only the correct nutrients, but also allow me to monitor my intake to control weight. thanks for reading!!!

I totally feel your pain!!! I've walked around my kitchen looking for something that I'm not physically ready to have but wanted so badly!! I have to stop myself, for I know that once I start I probably wouldn't be able to stop!! But then I have to remind myself I didn't pay all that money and go through all this pain just to throw it away.....if I am patient I will be be able to eat small portions of what I want soon enough. I'm glad that you learned something but also that you shared it with us so we can learn from it to. Hang in there!

I <3 my pampered chef deep covered baker!!! Can't wait to start food again so I can enjoy food from it!!!

I agree with the above posts....I've read the book and enjoyed it. Ordered it from Amazon and I also receive her weekly emails. You won't regret the purchase.

I was banded June 20 and it's normal.....wait a few days and you will start having liquid out....not fun!!! I still feel bloated and pregnant but not having any gas pains, thankfully. You will probably be bloated for a few weeks. Once you start having "real" food, other than the liquids, your bathroom habits will become more normal. Hang in there!!!

Hey everyone! Happy Friday!! I was banded Monday, June 20 and today I am actually feeling pretty good!! Haven't taken pain meds in a few days (mainly because it tastes HORRIBLE!). I've been walking daily, wearing a pedometer to track my steps and still on the liquid diet...ready to lick everything in the kitchen though!!! But I haven't! Anyway, I have hardly slept this week at all!!! Is that normal? When I go to sleep at night I doze for about an hour, two at the most, then am wide awake for 1-2 hours, then doze off for another hour max....keep repeating that cycle all night long. Yesterday I ran some errands and tried to nap when I got home but only slept for 30 minutes. Does this happen to anyone else? I know I need the rest but can't stay asleep, and it's not due to pain anymore. It is getting easier to get in and out of bed, and standing up is not terribly rough either, so I know I am healing!! SCALE VICTORY!!!!! I bought a scale!! But that's not the victory!!!! Consultation weight, 223.4 Pre-op visit weight, 217 Surgery date weight, 209 TODAY::::: 203.7 !!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! Closing in on ONEDERLAND!!! Hoping I don't gain too much once I get on full liquids or mushies!!! Have a great weekend everyone!!! kristi

I was regular before, even while on nuva-ring for birth control....kept the ring in for surgery and just now started....great.... but at least LBT members posted about it and I was aware that having surgery might bring back the flow!!!!

Thanks 54Shirley!! Each day the pain gets better!! Hoping to sleep all night tonight!!

Something my NUT suggested to me was whenever you are making a protein drink, pudding, etc. with milk was to make it with DOUBLE MILK to increase protein.... To make double milk: combine 1 cup skim milk with 1/3 cup non-fat dry milk powder. Use double milk to make puddings, custards, hot cereals, cream soups, etc. Double milk has 16 grams protein per serving. So, if I had 1 packet carnation instant breakfast SF, I could add double milk to it and the protein would be 20-22 grams instead of 10-12 with plain skim milk. I was banded Monday June 20 and am having a hard time making sure I get in all my liquids. Right now I'm not allowed to have a protein shake with milk yet, but once I am I will for sure be making it with double milk!! Already tired of drinking "sweet" drinks like crystal light, etc.!!! Ready for something that seems less sugary!

I had to bring mine to surgery this past Monday. Yes, you will be intubated during surgery. I don't know if they even used my machine, but I was required to have it there. good luck!! kristi

I bought a small snow cone maker/ice shaver machine at Target the other day and my kids want snow cones every day!!! Since my surgery I've used it for making myself some cups of shaved ice. I just got some recipes for making your own sugar free snow cone syrups, so I will try that tomorrow...already made the syrup, so tomorrow I will have a SF lemonade snow cone!! The machine wasn't expensive (under $20) and has been well worth the investment!!! It is a fun little gadget to have around!!

I'm now a BANDIT!!! Not feeling great, but not as bad as I expected! Going to post in "Surgery Day Stories" soon... Good luck to all my BANDIT SISTERS (AND BROTHERS!) that are getting banded today!

Thanks Connie!! Didn't sleep much yesterday but gas pain isn't as bad today....just more stomach pain...almost like I had a c-section..... trying to get my Clear liquids in today.... trying to take it easy!!

Hi! I love the strawberry flavor of the Carnation Instant Breakfast!!! I like to add that to my Protein powder (vanilla or unflavored) to make it taste more like a "real" strawberry milkshake. However, I've only been able to find the CIB assorted packets that have 2 strawberry packets and a variety of others (I like all the others too except for dark chocolate)....anyway, my stores don't sell just a container of the strawberry flavor (only milk chocolate).... SO my question is..... Can I add Nestle Quik strawberry powder or syrup to my vanilla or unflavored protein to make it more tasty? My stores don't carry the SF Torani syrups in strawberry, otherwise I'd just buy that. They don't even carry regular strawberry Torani syrup, but while I was perusing that aisle last night, right near the Torani syrups were the chocolate milk mixes, hot cocoa, etc. and that's what got me thinking about adding the strawberry Nestle Quik when I want a strawberry flavor. My daugther wouldn't drink plain white milk when she was a little younger but would happily guzzle it when we added the "magic" syrup (strawberry nestle quik) to make it into "princess milk"....(whatever works to avoid a power struggle with a 2-year-old!) I know the Nestle Quik has lots of sugar and probably calories, but I'm talking maybe using a teaspoon or so, just to perk up the flavor. Any ideas? Thanks!