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lrs

LAP-BAND Patients
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Posts posted by lrs

  2. Posted

    last nite i had chicken and alittle squash and some chicken Soup that i made the chicken in

    i think it was to much

    i am still not feeling great

    any thoughts

    Your doc did not give you a aftercare food plan? My doc did not give me the best aftercare, but he did "briefly" go over what I should and should not eat. May I suggest that you give your doc's office a call, becasue each doc seems to have a different method for healing. I was on solid foods in 3 weeks. Some people are on clear liquids for a month or longer. Might be a good idea to check with your doc.

    All the best to you on your journey.

    ~Fran

  8. Posted

    how do i know what stage i am at

    the mushie or solid

    last week i was able to cottage cheese

    this week crock pot foods and thicker Soups

    tuna

    One of the healthiest and tastiest things that Portuguese people eat is their Soups. Their creamy and filling and full of Vitamins. This is a Soup for people who hate to eat vegetables and who don't get enough minerals and Vitamins. There are many variations so I will start with the basics.

    The base for any Portuguese soup:

    -1 cup cubed pumpkin or acorn squash (Portuguese use pumpkin but I bet you can use any variation of squash and it should be nice, I know it sounds weird but trust me these soups are great!)

    -2 cups carrots cubed

    -1 medium onion chopped

    -1 cup scallions chopped

    -2 medium potatoes cubed or 1 can of Beans (your choice they usualy use navy or butter beans) (use ONLY potatoes OR Beans but not both)

    -1 tablespoon of sea salt

    -4 tablespoons olive oil

    Bring a large pot of Water and salt to boil. Add all ingredients and boil until soft, add Water as necessary. When all the vegetables are soft, add the olive oil and blend with a magic wand (hand blender) until smooth. This is the base.

    Soup Variations

    If you used beans:

    -1 cup chopped artichokes or 1 cup chopped cabbage or any other vegetable you like to eat with beans. Add to the pot, and boil until soft. If you want chunks the soup is ready, if you want it creamy, blend again.

    If you used potatoes:

    - add whatever vegetables you want, green beans, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, peas add as much or as little as you like, all chopped into smaller pieces. You can even add more potato or carrot if you want chunks.

    -If you want a creamy soup, add these vegetables and boil until soft (always adding more water as needed) and then blend again when all the vegetables are soft. The more water you use the thinner it will be, the less, the thicker it will be.

    -If you want chunks in your soup, add the vegetables cut to your desired size and then boil until soft.

    -Small chunks of white meat chicken can also be added for extra Protein.

    Options: you can always add herbs for different taste like thyme and parsley. I sometimes use Mrs.Dash for extra flavors and fresh ground pepper; it's a taste choice so have fun with it. Also you can use bags of frozen mixed vegetables that are already chopped up to save time and to get a better variety.

    Note: These soups freeze well, I often freeze individual portions and then thaw and microwave on the day I eat them. If you make a big pot it will usually stay in the fridge for about a week, frozen about a month. I know it sounds like a lot of work but 1 pot usually makes a weeks worth of servings so if you make it on the weekend it will last all week. Most Portuguese people eat these soups for dinner because they generally have a big lunch. I also like to eat a bowl of soup with some wheat crackers and sliced lunch meat like turkey or chicken. It makes a very filling and healthy meal.

  9. Posted

    thanks

    great article

    keep them coming

    So, what's the "green zone" and how do you get there from here?

    The green zone is an expression that's often used to describe where a LAP-BAND® patient is in regards tohis/her hunger and eating regime. Certainly, just because a patient has had surgery doesn't mean they can eat whatever they want or that they can maintain the same food choices they've made in the past. Far from it.

    In order for a tool like the LAP-BAND® System to work effectively, it needs to be fine tuned. That requires multiple visits to a care provider that has the ability to adjust the band, whether that's putting more Fluid in or taking some out which as you likely already know adjusts the "fit" (or restriction) of the band. Just know that it's a process to get there and requires assessments from a healthcare provider to get you to the "green zone".

    Many bariatric practices require frequent "office visits" post surgery so as to monitor a patient's progress, offer encouragement and perhaps to perform an adjustment. Many people say that a key advantage of the LAP-BAND® System over the other procedural alternatives is that it's adjustable. And reversible too for that matter. Every LAP-BAND® System has the ability to be customized for fit, so as to bring about a sense of satisfaction(lack of hunger) to the patient after a modest and healthy meal.

    Comparisons from one patient to the next in regards to who has what amount of Fluid in their specific band is futile. We're all different people inside and out. And even two people of similar size (on the outside) may not require the same amount of fluid in order to both feel satiated. So, stop asking your fellow band patients how much fluid they have in their band. Their answer won't matter to your LAP-BAND®.

    What does matter – is your hunger and getting you to your "green zone".

    Imagine a color spectrum moving from yellow to green to red. I know, the colors are not in the order we were all taught in school – but bear with me. Think of it as the colors of a stop light. Yellow means caution. Green means go, while red indicates it's time to stop. Some would say that yellow represents "not quite there" while red indicates you may be over filled. And that leaves us with green. The best zone of the 3. It's the "go zone". Fully satisfied after modest meals, eating the right kinds of foods and losing weight.

    post-203688-13813139874233_thumb.png

    Here are a few questions to help you identify within which zone you're currently residing.

    post-203688-1381313987463_thumb.jpg

    Your healthcare professional may also ask you

    • How often are you hungry?
    • What foods have you eaten recently?
    • What foods give you trouble?
    • What are your portion sizes?
    • What time is your first meal of the day?
    • What time of day is your last meal?
    • Do you drink liquids with your meals?
    • And how often do you exercise?

    All of these are good questions for self reflection as well – but you'll only get "a fill" (if needed ofcourse) by seeing and being evaluated by a qualified professional from your bariatric surgeon's office.

    Allergan's Executive Council of top LAP-BAND® surgeons from across the country recommends 11 visits within the first year of your surgery in order to optimize your excess weight loss results. Read that again. 11 visits within year 1. Let's be clear though, success is not just EWL or # of pounds lost – it's about feeling good and being healthy. And getting back to doing the things you enjoy.

    The aftercare algorithm that Allergan's experts came up with are only their recommendations. They are only for others to consider as each healthcare professional is responsible forhis/her own medical decisions. But with that said, here's what they came up with: Follow up visits should occur at week 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48 and then again at 24 months.

    That's 11 visits within 12 months of your surgery date. So with that said, if you're a year out and you aren't seeing the results you anticipated and also haven't seen your support team several times over the course of the last 12 months, you need to ask yourself why?

    And if you're not in the "green zone", call your bariatric surgeon's office and ask for an appointment to discuss your options.

  11. Posted

    congrats

    i am alittle over 2 weeks

    feeling much better

    looking forward to solid food next week

    how much walking are you doing

    the only walking i am doing is in the stores

    i hope that counts

    Hi everyone~

    Love to hear about all of the great progress being made and all the different things that each of us are trying. I am 3 weeks post op and doing very well. I had my first post op last week and things were looking great. My doctor allowed me to go ahead and start pureed foods...HOWEVER I have mental block with pureeing meat. Sooooo...I eat real foods and just chew it to death..LOL For the most part I am doing great with it. I am still getting used to taking tiny bites. Apparently i used to shovel in my food by the plate full so what I think is a tiny bite is not so tiny. I am getting better everyday with it. My weight loss is steady and I get excited each day when I step on the scale and see it going down. I have had a couple of days where it has went up and it infuriated me. NO WAY will I accept the scale going up!! So I just walk extra and it goes back down. As far as excercising goes all I am doing is walking. I am so ready to go to the gym or something more. I want to work on my abs but not yet....dr says NO!

    How is everyones port feeling? That is the only place I still have discomfort. I am not sure how long that is susposed to last but my port is right at my waist band in the bend of my waist. I only notice it if I bend over and stand back up or if my clothes push into that area. I hope with time that that will go away. I wonder how it will be when I don't have as much cushion around it..lol

    Well, thats all for today. I will check back in soon

  16. Posted

    you have to walk

    it takes about 2 weeks for all the gas to go away especially in the shoulder

    don't worry everything will be fine

    I'm on day three post op with the band and can't get used to the gas... I wish I could burp or something but I can't and it hurts. Does this gas ever go away or is this just going to part of my life for now on with the band?

  17. Posted

    i am 6 days post op

    only drinking 2 the most Optifast and sometime chinese broth

    of course Water

    the gas is still in my left shoulder and the incisions still give me a twing

    back to work today so i will see how that goes

    I am 4 days post op and feeling pretty good (except no bowel movement yet)!!

    I am drinking carnation instant breakfast with fat free milk, lots of home made broth, chinese takeout egg drop Soup,

    and popsicles! thats it. I think I am running about 500 calories a day, I try to have a bit more, but it still seems to be between 500 to 800 calories..

    I'm not real hungry yet but this morning reading the NYTimes I saw a recipe for chicken cutlets and my mouth watered. haha.

    I have had a pretty wicked headache today, so I am drinking more water than usual.

    What is everyone else eating and drinking?

    ps.. I'm having a gin and tonic tonight come hell or high water. It's Saturday night!

  19. Posted

    so glad to hear that you are doing well

    and that you are happy you made the right choice

    I was banded September 29th :P . I was nervous up until a few days before surgery. I began to get excited. My surgery was a breeze, spent a couple of days on the couch and slept a lot. Now, I'm five days in, I am going by all the post-op rules and feeling good overall. So far I can say it was worth it. I researched LapBand surgery and knew it is right for me.

    Now, if you truly believe its right for you, go for it.

  20. Posted

    i know what you mean

    my head wants to hit the desk i am so tired

    went cold turkey as well

    I am being banded on 10/17 and started my pre-op diet yesterday. I have to say I am excited as well. The surgeon doing my surgery did my gall-bladder surgery back in 1996 and I have complete confidence in him. The pre-op diet is not as hard as I thought it would be. The hardest part is the caffeine withdrawal. I went cold-turkey and boy did I get a headache!

  21. Posted

    i know i miss my diet coke

    I am being banded on 10/17 and started my pre-op diet yesterday. I have to say I am excited as well. The surgeon doing my surgery did my gall-bladder surgery back in 1996 and I have complete confidence in him. The pre-op diet is not as hard as I thought it would be. The hardest part is the caffeine withdrawal. I went cold-turkey and boy did I get a headache!

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