Thats All Folks

There's actually a large variety of protein shakes on the market with a good amount of protein besides just Premier and Bariatric Advantage. It's just a matter of reading labels and finding one that you like.

I personally think people need to do whatever works for them. People get way too hung up on the word "diet". But the bottom line is, we're all following some sort of diet whether we want to call it that or not. Here's the Webster's definition of the word diet: a : food and drink regularly provided or consumed b : habitual nourishment c : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason d : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight Low carb, carb cycling, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Paleo, or even restricting calories. It doesn't matter what you call it at the end of the day it's a diet. Do what works for you. We're all unique with unique needs. Some like low carb and do great on it. I personally despise it and think it's totally unrealistic long term- but that's my opinion. Some happen to like Weight Watchers, which really is just a way of counting calories easier. At the end of the day, if it's working for you, it doesn't matter if anyone else likes it or agrees.

Quite honestly, being pregnant, you don't have the time to just wait around and see if it calms down and it's highly unlikely you can get the nutrients you need on liquids. Most women get unfilled during pregnancy and this is exactly why. Proper nutrients for you and your baby are so crucial and right now you're at risk of not getting that. Call your OBGYN, tell her exactly what's going on with your band, and see what she says. If she tells you to get an unfill then call your surgeon for one ASAP. Your baby's developmental health is far more important than your weight right now. Best wishes

I hate to say this, but I'm going to call BS on that doctor. There are very few complications within the first 30 days of Lap Band and statistically speaking, only 8-12% of complications are by no fault of the patient. The rest have complications because of their own poor behavior. As far as the woman going "the doctor could not find a needle that would go into my fat; since I have gained all of my weight back." I'm also calling BS. I started over 400 pounds. I've met people who started closer to 500 pounds. Never, ever is finding a needle to get through the fat a problem. Either that woman is blaming others for her own failure or her doctor was completely incompetent. The Lap Band makes the surgeon the least amount of money of all the WLS. Either that surgeon is only in it for the money or he's an ignorant bafoon. Either way, if I were you, I'd definitely be looking for a new one. Best wishes to you. Sorry you had such a band experience.

here's the 5 day pouch test: http://5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html

I do. I have Multiple Sclerosis and was banded a year ago.

If you're relying on mostly liquids because you can't keep regular foods down, you're likely too tight. A band too tight actually can (and often does) lead to weight gain because you're stuck drinking calories or relying on slider foods. In fact, most people who gain with a band too tight will start losing again once they get a slight unfill and can actually eat a variety of healthy foods again.

It goes to show you how different surgeons and nutritionists have different ideas what works and what doesn't. Mine, ironically, actually recommends healthy whole grain breads and pastas as well as brown rice.

Wow that's a confusing and hard one! I'm just throw out some guesses in case one gives you an "ah ha!" moment: I know your doctor checked the band (btw, very wise move!), could you possibly have a hiatal hernia? What about gall bladder? Are you having any constipation issues? Or do you have any abdominal hernias? If I were in your shoes, I might even request an upper GI. The barium swallow will show your band placement and how things pass through it, but it won't show other problems with your stomach that aren't necessarily band related but can be aggravated by the band. Good luck to you, I really hope someone helps you figure it out.

Donna, I'm not just saying this to stroke your ego or be nice, I mean it. You really are a beautiful lady. You should try to look in the mirror objectively, like you were looking at a photo someone else, and see just how pretty you really are. You ex husband was a fool...don't let one man who doesn't deserve you cloud your self perception and damper your self esteem.

Water aerobics. Most YMCA's offer them and many even offer water aerobics specifically for special needs like arthritis or other joint/pain issues.

I think a lot of us (myself included!) have to learn that just because your stomach is growling doesn't mean you're hungry. After being banded, we hear our stomachs growling and talking and immediately our brains go "Oh, I'm hungry!" But, a lot of the time if we take the time to really think about how we're feeling, we realize we're actually not hungry at all. It's difficult to retrain your mind and the way it reacts to the growling but it's necessary after being banded. A growling stomach simply doesn't always mean hunger anymore once you have the Lap Band. I'm a year post surgery so I've had considerable time to learn this, it wasn't easy in the beginning though. Now, I'd say I'm actually hungry only 20% of the time my stomach is growling and talking.

It's very uncommon for me to get stuck, but if I do, it's going to be on dry meat. Trying cooking it with a lot of moisture. For instance, a crock pot type recipe. I very often even marinate chicken for hours before cooking it so it stays moist.

It's likely because your stomach is irritated and swollen from the fill. However, I have to admit, my stomach is pretty dang noisy all the time since being banded.

Yes, there's a huge risk. Your stomach has been sutured and needs time to heal. If you start going against your doctor's post op instructions, you risk ripping those stitches, stomach bleeding, and your band jeopardized entirely. I'm not saying this to be mean, I'm saying this to be honest. You will have diet rules for the rest of your life to lose weight and keep it off. You will have rules to lose weight at all and live with your band. If you can't even follow some very simple post op rules long enough to give yourself time to heal you're just setting yourself up for long term failure.

I take the Women's One a Day Petites. It's 2 smaller tablets rather than one huge one.

Is there an HR department where you work? If so, it's them you need to clear it through rather than your boss. By going through them you don't have to worry about your boss messing around with you either. If there is no HR department, then I'd go ahead to the consultation but schedule the surgery for after your 90 probation period. Fair or not, if they want to fire you before your 90 days is up it would be extremely easy for them to do. I personally don't think it's worth risking your job, and income, over a surgery that you can still have in 3 short months. Just my opinion.

I look up everything on my Lose It app and decide what I'm going to order based on it's calories and fat content. I tend to order a lot of Soups and salads because I know both always go down well for me. I also order whatever low fat dressing they have with the salad. If the chicken you ordered was dry, that could have been a big part of your problem. It's rare I get stuck, but if I'm going to, it'll usually be on a piece of dry meat. If you stick to meat served moist it seems to go down a lot easier.

Actually it has a lot of possible side effects. I was on Topamax for migraines and had to go off it because the side effects were so nasty. Here's a link listing them: http://www.drugs.com/sfx/topamax-side-effects.html

I'm very sorry you're struggling. I'd be sad, too. You said you're eating well. How many calories a day are you eating? Are you sticking to a cup or less of food per meal? Really the bottom line of weight loss is if you burn more calories than you consume, you'll lose weight. Looking at your eating habits is always the easiest place to start. Best wishes to you.

I can and do. I've never had a problem with any sort of pills, capsules, or tablets.

You should definitely be concerned. Anytime you're vomiting up blood something isn't right. Call your surgeon, tell him exactly what happened, and let him decide what the best course of action is. Always better safe than sorry.

Donna you look fantastic! You're a beautiful lady!!

It's very normal to feel hungry. In fact, it takes most people multiple fills before they have adequate Fluid in their band to control hunger. It's not easy but stick to the post op diet and portions that your doctor gave you- despite the hunger. Best wishes

I've never had a problem taking pills, even bigger ones. In fact, I've never bothered cutting or crushing pills. I've always just swallowed them. If you do need to cut or crush a pill, check with your pharmacist first. Some pills are time release and unsafe to cut or crush, It's always better safe than sorry.