missybear

Happy to report sushi for me also goes down fine. With the rolls, ensure you can chew and breakdown the seaweed wrap before swallowing. An alternative is having the roll cut in smaller slices if your teeth cant tear through the seaweed.

It can be a little personal and uncomfortable to bring up. To help break down the embarrassment factor, suggest you bring up that you'd like to play with them together. I understand your aversion to secrets, but this is a thing many people have been given the impression its dirty or wrong (which it's not, just something not to advertise to the world), dont think she has kept it to herself to hurt or upset you. hope you can move on and find a positive way to enjoy them together

Acupuncture could also help. I broke my foot years ago where it was crushed in a car accident. The swelling, bruising and pain was very uncomfortable. Physio didn't help. A few sessions of acupuncture though I felt more feeling back in my foot, noticed the swelling reduce significantly and improved color and circulation. I still get a laugh that a colleague was impressed how good my foot was coming along, but she thought the good foot was the one that had been in the accident! The time spent just lying still as the needles were in was also relaxing. I found it very painless, u don't need to watch if your squeamish about needles. I still follow up with a podiatrist every few years. They check my shoes, inner soles and alignment and also inspect my nails and treat hard skin build up. Worth the visit. My feet look great and its prob one of my fav body parts that I hope to keep in great condition in the years to come

My surgeon in Sydney, Australia described the plication as part of the procedure. I wasn't aware that it was an option. He is considered one of the leading WLS surgeons in oz. I've had no issues and understood the reason they did sew a little bit over the band was to help secure it in place prevent slips

Sushi train, Mexican and tapas are good options for lunch, you can try a few things and share. Other option is a picnic or BBQ where you can control the type if food offered

Traveling and being a consultant makes lunch a little hard on occasion. Key things I stick to include: - tuna, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado or mayo on toast or mini crackers - sushi if I can buy some on the way or the night prior - yoghurt, bran and fruit - plate of salad, with Beans or cheese like feta or cheddar cubes - prawns, smoked salmon or a boiled egg are also good as a lunch Protein if you need to eat cold food.

I'm glad to see your seeking treatment and feel this is a safe environment to seek support and guidance. Best wishes on your journey. Just wondering if exercise is featuring in your plans? I fall back into the trap of seeking food after boredom or when I got stuck in a deep depression usually caused from a stress induced event at work or home. Even pre lapband, I had to escape the indoors and just grab my shoes, pop the iPod in and walk. It was me time away from food and other people. Variety in heading to new places helped, sometimes I'd drive to a new suburb and start there. I found new experiences mentally that I've achieved and am in control helped build my confidence, by adding more and more experiences where im in control, has helped overcome the mental issues ive felt burdened with despite many of them not being caused by my doing. Getting two for one in terms if exercise and escape has also helped lead to a healthier lifestyle, reinforcing that I need to take care of myself as a priority.

As the previous responders said trial and error works best. All the things on the list I've eaten and not had a problem with. My advice is the chew, chew and chew. If you can get it into a smooth paste consistency, best not to swallow it. Fresh pineapple chunks and mandarins have been a problem for me, despite chewing, I just can't get it down to a soft enough consistency, it just balls up in my mouth and i find its best to discreetly spit it out. Fortunately chopping the pineapple in tiny little cubes for a salsa and peeling the mandarin segments worked fine.

I was suffering from terrible migraines, which doctor put down to very low sodium levels as a result of drinking so much water along, frequent peeing, increased sweating due to training and a very healthy plant based diet. I was drinking over 4 litres a day and more if I was out training. Didn't kill me, just made it extremely unpleasant. Increasing my sodium intake to replenish the sodium level has helped and stopped the headaches.

Clothes and fashion are definitely up there, but I realised I'm going scuba diving this weekend and hope that being fitter and lighter, I'm looking forward to a smaller wetsuit, fewer weights and not consuming my air as quickly to enjoy more bottom time exploring the sea floor

I think if your blending constantly to get more volume of food in its not a great idea and against the band principles. However, if your blending certain foods on occasion given you prefer the taste/texture, the pre blended solid volume is within your portion control and your satisfied with that amount regardless of how you consume it, I can't see it as a major problem. For instance, if U want a serve of chicken and peas as a meal, if it is measured as a cup first and for presentation u purée the peas portion, I can't see that as a issue? If the volume isn't satisfying, suggest try it again with the peas solid and see if it was how u consumed it that caused the hunger?

Yes I would do it again. I'm three months post surgery and finding the satisfaction from eating a reasonable portion of food at 3 meals, chewing my food slowly with every bite, making conscious choices with my food and portions and losing weight as a result has been worth it. Yes, I could and have done these things before without the lapband, but I found I slipped and returned to bad habits and regained the weight. This was the core reason for me getting the band. The band is the reminder to definitely chew slowly and thoroughly and I've found with even only 1 fill, I'm more satisfied with smaller portions than I was ever before. i've had one stuck episode and between sheer embarrassment and feeling terrible for the rest of the day, it's reminder enough to follow the rules. I've also found given I spent both the time and money getting this surgery, telling myself my health and well being is really important has helped me focus on not just the eating, but exercise, reducing my alcohol intake and adequate sleep. I fortunately started a new job post this surgery and have a new persona as the fit healthier one in the office which is a nice change. Although all that said, I did really feel like crap for a week post surgery. I was uncomfortable, having to sit up or shift around to move some of the gas pains and as a side sleeper found it difficult to get some decent rest having to lie on my back. I was really lethargic and felt like a bit of a zombie, as well as nauseous from the anesthesia. Come week two just felt like I wanted to eat something and was on the hunt for food, despite being on liquids. Week 3 & 4 on mushies, was better, but just had to be smart planning ahead or limit the amount of going out and social interaction that involved food if I didn't think having something soft and mushy was possible. But come the end of week 4 I was happy and proud to go back to the doctors to show how well I did sticking to the rules, the weight loss achieved to date and ready to get on with the real deal living with the band day to day.

Dark chocolate works well, satisfies the craving and given its quite strong I find it easier to turn away after a square or two. Sharing a piece of cake out with a friend then going for a walk has also been a great experience. I find if I eat treat food out with other people I feel more accountable.

Hi, I've gone back to working out pretty hard as well, and given my new apartment building has a sauna, been hitting it for an extra sweat fest. I'm 3 months post surgery. I've been drinking plenty of Water and eating well. But in the past two weeks I've been suffering from terrible migraines, which I've not experienced before. I saw the doctor over the weekend who suspects I'm very low on sodium (I've always had a low sodium level). Awaiting a blood test to confirm, but he us fairly confident that's the cause. Just a warning to keep an eye out on the sodium front if you are sweating extra hard, drinking lots of fluids and having an extra healthy diet. Sodium at healthy levels does assist with hydration and balancing minerals in your body. A few gatorades have kept the migraines at bay since I spoke to the doctor.

Hi, I was instructed to go on Optifast for 2 weeks prior to surgery. 1st week I was allowed any of the Optifast range and told to have a reasonable serve of vegies each day. I drank the liquid shakes for breakfast, typically blending them with some ice. lunch i would have a shake and some vegies, or a optifast bar (there was 2 choc based ones i preferred from memory) as i found come lunch I wanted to chew something. dinner was the shake or a bar if I was out. I typically only had the vegies at a time i had a shake. I made some to ratatouille, salsa, salad or vegetable Soups to eat for my serve of vegies. 2nd week was the same, with the last 2 days to be liquids shakes only prior to surgery. I recall drinking a ton of Water to starve off the hunger, with a few herbal teas as well.

i waited until i was back on normal food which was 6 weeks after surgery. I had to turn down the resistance and pace at first but back to normal now

A few things - Definitely fashion, the idea of going into a shop and feeling confident i will fit into the clothes - A bit of vanity as well, especially bumping into people I haven't seen for a while who are amazed at what you look like, esp the men - Excelling at the gym, looking like one of those people who look like they belong there - Being satisfied at a normal portion of food Also given the warmer weather has kicked in here in Oz, my left thigh not having such intimate knowledge of my right thigh has been great

Sorry to hear you've lost a friend, hope things calm down and you can be friends again one day (perhaps not dinner buddies any time soon). I've also had some unfortunate times out with friends poking fun at what i'm eating and saying they all want a lap band just to lose weight. Funny none of them want to come for a run or spin class though! Most disappointing was some comments from my fellow lap banders friends last week, who said i must be doing something wrong and not really caring given i had a tuna salad wrap, (which i agree was at the upper end of the size scale for a lapbander) for lunch vs their fried fish and fries covered in creamy sauce. Even at half the portion size, the calories were dripping from very mouthful they were eating which was repulsive, and i copped a lecture about eating too much. Funny i wasnt washing mine down with alcohol and needed something to fuel my body before going for a surf. I've just started to develop a tough skin and come to learn those who i expected more support have sadly let me down and some of the best support has come from those i never expected.

Sorry to hear your feeling down.. but i feel i need to remind you to Celebrate you have got through the surgery and you have lost to date, a much better result than gaining. No doubt your body and your mind is going through some changes. Hope those here on the forums can lend you some support and advice. I was banded only a few weeks prior to you and have also found the weight loss is stalling, despite watching what i eat, exercising and staying in touch with my surgeon. I've also had a few times where i've gone back to eating the wrong foods or indulging on the weekend. A few key things i've come back to remember: - Drink plenty of Water. Sometimes thirst feels like hunger. - Visualise a cup of food, try and restrict your portions to this size - Dont feel pressured to keep up with non banded friends while out or eating with them - Treat yourself on occasion, but make up for it in exercising or reducing the rest of the calorie intake throughout the day. - Keep busy, head outside, go for a walk, go to the movies, do the ironing or anything to keep your mind off wanting to eat for the sake of it. If i'm truly hungry, then I listen to my stomach and have something Protein rich, low fat and nutritious.

I had checked in at 8.30am, operated on around noon, stayed overnight and left around 8am the next day. I always feel terrible from Anesthesia, and was quite uncomfortable and in pain which I appreciated the nurses help.

Wondering whether taking your mum with you to the dr appts to discuss the risks may help? May help to balance her views from what's she's seen vs what the doctors statistics/experiences are. Not sure if your dr can provide insight into success rates, complications and frequency (my doc in Australia gave me a sheet with statistics during my pre op visits). My mum is a nurse as well and this helped her come around, I found she focused on a few horror stories ( which I had to acknowledge were risks as well ) but then i had to balance them up with why people or the doctor failed and did that risk apply to my case.

My surgeon added 2 cc at time of surgery, then after 8 weeks added another 2 which we took out 0.5 given I was having trouble keeping the water he gave me to drink down.

Australian bandsters, just tried the aldi Protein shake in vanilla and chocolate this week and was pleasantly surprised they tasted so much better than Optifast, with similar protein, Vitamin and calorie content. Nice and smooth, not like the grainy powdery taste I get with optifast. Not bad on price either at around $2 per pack and a handy Meal Replacement while I'm on the run for work. Although cant say the same for their Protein Bars, they taste like crap!! I think I'll stick to the optifast ones there!

I felt like crap for about a week. It does go away, but I had some pretty unnerving thoughts when I was feeling pretty crap wondering if I'd done the right thing. sleep wise, normal to feel pretty groggy and exhausted, your body has gone through surgery. Rest when you feel you need to. Sleep position wise, I think everyone is different, I couldnt lay comfortably on my side, instead had to lie on my back. As a side sleeper it was annoying. I could go back to my side about a week later. For the back pain, it's likely to be trapped gas, I found moving around helped ease the pain and shift it, I used to go for a walk even down the street and back to feel better. food wise, follow your docs instructions, worse case give them a call to clarify. The very first few days I wasn't very interested in food, just stuck to sipping liquids. Hope you recover soon and best of luck on your weight loss plans