Domika03

Oh, I'm going with my hubby, and Lord knows he's going to make sure I'm ok with anything I drink. HUm, or maybe he'll want me buzzed... LOL .... I don't want to put anything with soda in my drink but I kinda like the Vodka & crystal light. I'm sure I'd be sipping that all night :-)

I have a halloween party to go to Sat night. I'm pretty excited because I'll get to dance & socialize! While I'm not a big drinker, I would like to be able to have 'something.' This party is at a hotel so they should have a decent selection. Any suggestions out there?

Sorry to hear about your loss. I can kind of relate to you as my dad has been in Stage 4 cancer for quite some time. He's defeated the odds as he was diagnosed with colon & liver cancer in Feb 2011. They successfully removed a large mass from his colon in March 2011. They only gave him 6 - 9 months to live. That was 20 months ago. Mind you, he chose not to do any chemo, or take any meds. He's still with us, but we just found out the cancer has spread to his lungs, and the prognosis is now maybe 3-6 months. It's hard to deal with the news, when he still "looks" ok. My apologies as I digress. Stay strong as I know the stress can be difficult to deal with at times. God bless & good luck to you

Hi there, I don't have any pics other than my profile pic. Notice I'm "hiding" behind trees? LOL. Looking forward to not hiding anymore. My weight the day of surgery was 244. I had it done on 8/17/12, so almost 2 months ago to the day. As of today, I weigh 217. It's been quite the journey thus far, and I can't wait to get under the 200 pd mark. Feel free to view my bog with honest comments about my journey so far. I wish you the best on the 31st. I'm sure you'll do great. Make sure you have the essentials for after surgery: Protein powder, broth, SF Jello, SF pudding, heating pad (my friend), and gas ex (as you'll be burping like a sailor)...

I went for a possible fill today, and I didn't get one. The Nurse asked me if I was eating meats, and I told her that I really wasn't because I was afraid of getting stuck. I explained how scrambeled eggs got me stuck the 1st time for breakfast. She suggested I stick with yogurt in the morning as our stomachs are typically a little more swollen in the morning so it's much easier to get things stuck then. Hum, I didn't know that. I mean I read that some people couldn't eat breakfast, but didn't understand why. So, now I know. I'll try to have yogurt with strawberries or something from now on in the mornings. She said if I can eat meats (chicken, beef, turkey or pork) that aren't dry, and eat every 3 hours or so, that I should be in a good place. Sometimes our bodies change & I might need another fill down the road, but I could be OK. I told her I baked burgers last night (not fried or grilled), and they came out OK. I added a little honey mustard for flavor & so it wouldn't be dry. Got it down OK, so I think I'm in a good place... I lost 5 pds, and she was only expecting 1 1/2 or 2 pds, so I guess thats good. So, there you have it... no more eggs for breakfast for me...

Hey there, just keep in mind we're all different, and hopefully you'll learn to eat sloooooowly & actually chew your food instead of inhale it :-) Every day is a new learning opportunity. Yea, let's call it that - "a learning opportunity!" HA!

I've written about my 2nd fill the last few posts, and here I go yet again. This fill is definitely leaving it's mark. Sometimes I still have issues when I eat, because I guess I'm not chewing the shi* out of my food, or I'm eating too quickly. There are times when I can just tell that I didn't chew something enough because I felt it slide down too soon. It sucks because I know what's going to happen. It happens when I eat scrambeled eggs sometimes, because it typically slides down too fast. Tonight I tried to have pesto shrimp. I might have had 2 & BAM, I knew it was going to come back up. So, for dinner, I ate SF vanilla pudding. I know I'm not getting enough protein because if this, and I've been feeling tired at the end of each day. I keep going back to Vitamin Cottage to pick up some tasteless protein powder, but they're always out of it. They even ordered it for me a week ago, and I'm still waiting to hear back from them. Not sure where else to get this "tasteless / flavorless" protein. I've heard people talk about it, because they mix it in with their regular food, not just shakes. I've been losing weight, but I feel it's because I'm not eating enough, or not really eating well. Don't get me wrong, the idea is to lose weight. But, I don't want to lose weight, then not be healthy enough to enjoy it. I think I lost maybe 6 pounds in 2 weeks. I have an appointment on Tuesday, for a possible 3rd fill. I'm sure they'll decide whether or not I'm ready to have another. I'm just scared of having another fill, because I'm afraid of having more stuck episodes. It's like you have to re-teach yourself how to eat. You need to reeeeeeeally chew your foods well, and eat slowly. Apparently, this is a concept that's going to take me a few times to get used to. UGH ;-0

No worries my dear, that's very normal. My husband said I burped like a sailor, and he was right. The good news is that burping is GOOD. It helps get all the gas out. I was letting out some good burps for about a week.

Two of my favorite meals are almond crusted flounder, and turkey chilli. The almond crusted flounder I buy pre-seasoned at my local super market then I bake it. The turkey chill I make in the crock pot. Both are pretty yummy !!! What are your 2 favorite meals?

Besides Vitamin Cottage, which NEVER has this on hand, where can I buy it? What kind do people use to add to their food in order to get enough Protein?

So, I've had 2 staff lunches this week, and have done pretty well overall. I had tomato bisque soup the other day, and pea & barley soup today. I'm not sure either was very filling because I didn't eat a lot, but I didnt want to take a chance & eat something that would make me uncomfortable, or God forbid, stuck The pea & barley seems to have given me a little gas in my stomach. Yes, I've been passing gas for a few hours now. Not every single minute, but you know...often.... Is this normal?. So lady like, I know...LOL.. I wonder if anyone else has trouble with gas after they eat? For dinner, I'm having 1/4 cup of pollo adobo with just a "tiny" bit of rice. I don't want the wild rice to fill me, so I'm keeping it to a very bare mimimum. I'm actually using a tea cup plate, and eating VVVEEERRRYYYY slowly because this is my first real piece of a harder food. And yes, I hope I've learned my lesson, and am chewing, chewing, chewing. I don't want another one of those horrid stuck episdoes.

I'm happy to report that I had a lovely tomato bisque soup, and it was deeelicious. I feel full too, so I'm OK :-) To those that asked: my surgeons office had told me to have liquids that night & that I could go back to normal food the following day. Needless to say, I won't do that again. YIPES! Noe for dinner tonight... maybe some yummy soft flounder... Thanks everyone!

I'm taking my staff out to a team lunch today. Since I'm the one that had those lovely stuck episodes yesterday (had 2nd fill on Tuesday), I'm a bit nervous. I thought I might try some type of Soup for lunch. We're going to BJ's Restaurant in CO. They have a huge selection but I'm thinking a soup might be what my body needs. Having a banana Protein shake for Breakfast. Ay suggestions?

I'm no Dr, but my guess is also that this is food related. I know you say you've been following a gluten free diet for 2 years, but, perhaps, there is something that you are eating that is causing this gassy, painful problem. I don't know, but maybe cheeses, yogurts, dairy? Wish I could help more, but I'd really look into what you're eating. Congrats on the great weight loss. Good luck & feel better!

I admire your dedication to working out, that's awesome! However, please listen to your Dr, and focus on your eating. A week won't make a difference. Rememberm this is a journey not a destination. You'll be OK :-)

The heating pad was my friend, and good Lord, I was burping like a sailor! My husband would tease me at how "healthy" I was burping.. LOL .... Both helped me feel better. Hang in there!

And yes, I said episodeS..as in plural... I got my 2nd fill yesterday, 2 1/2 cc's, and things were OK. I hate 5 1/2 cc's 2 weeks earlier that didn't affect me. Anyway, I stuck with liquids last night, no problems. I had egg beaters for Breakfast (maybe 2 - 2 1/2 oz) and, OH MY GOSH! Let's just say they weren't as tasty the 2nd time. Yes, slimy, yucky stuff came out... a few times... Mind you, this is at work...and in the garbage can at my desk. Thankfully, I'm not loud. Sooo, I played it safe & had some yogurt about 2 hours later because my stomach was growling at me. That went down OK. But, I was still hungry, so several hours later, since I didn't really have much in the way of Protein, I tried to have a Southbeach PB protein snack, which I've had in the past. Holy 2ND stuck episode people!!! Hey, you'd be proud as I made it to the ladies room this time. I know, impressive. WTH! Obviously, here it is dinner time, and I'm afraid to eat anything. Oh, I'm hungry! I know I need to suck down some protein in the very least. I don't want to read into this & think that I might need an unfill yet. The NP that did my 2nd fill yesterday said that she called this the OH CRAP fill because I'd be able to tell the difference from the 1st fill (which I couldn't notice). Um, yea! I'm going to journal what I eat tomorrow & see how things go. It could be that I ate too fast & didn't chew the eggs, or the PB snack enough. I have been known to inhale food in the past, so I'll be mindful of that. The other thing is that maybe I also need to space my food intake further out... wait longer to eat the next snack or meal. I'm going to keep an eye on this before I panic. I hope the newbies learn from this, in a good way. CHEW CHEW CHEW AND EAT SLOOOOOWLY (no, apparently I didn't learn from my 1st stuck episode a week ago).. "Honey, where's my protein drink!" xoxo everyone!

And yes, I said episodeS... I got my 2nd fill yesterday, 2 1/2 cc's, and things were OK. I stuck with liquids last night, no problems. I had egg beaters for breakfast (maybe 2 - 2 1/2 oz) and, oh my gosh. let's just say they weren't as tasty the 2nd time. yes, slimy, yucky stuff came out... a few times... Mind you, this is at work...and in the garbage can at my desk. Thankfully, I'm not loud. Sooo, I played it safe & had some yogurt a few hours later because my stomach was growling at me. That went down OK. Several hours later, I was still hungry because I didn't really have much in the way of protein, so I tried to have a Southbeach PB protein snack, which I've had in the past. Holy 2ND stuck episode people!!! Hey, you'd be proud as I made it to the ladies room this time. I know, impressive. WTH! Obviously, here it is dinner time, and I'm afraid to eat anything. But, I know I need to suck down some protein in the very least. I don't want to read into this & think that I might need an unfill yet. The NP that did my 2nd fill yesterday said that she called this the OH CRAP fill because I'd be able to tell the difference from the 1st fill (which I couldn't notice). Um, yea! I'm going to journal what I eat tomorrow & see how things go. It could be that I ate too fast & didn't chew the eggs, or the PB snack enough. I have been known to inhale food in the past, so I'll be mindful of that. The other thing is that maybe I also need to space my food intake further out... wait longer to eat the next snack or meal. I'm going to keep an eye on this before I panic. I hope the newbies learn from this, in a good way. CHEW CHEW CHEW (no, apparently I didn't learn from my 1st stuck episode a week ago).. "Honey, where's my protein drink!" xoxo everyone!

Had my 2nd fill today. My first fill was 2 weeks ago, and was 5 1/2 cc's. Mind you, my band is large, 14 cc's or something like that. Today, I was given an additional 2 1/2 cc's. I believe I was told not to take bites that are bigger than an M&M. Oh, how I would enjoy a peanut butter M&M... Im not a big chocolate fan, but chocolate & peanut butter. Sign me up LOL... I didn't really notice a decrease in appetite, or a more filling sensation with the 1st fill, and the NP told me I probably wouldn't notice anything yet. Somehow I managed to lose 6 pds in 2 weeks. Not bad I guess. Actually, I would LOVE to lose 6 pds every 2 weeks. Did you do the math yet? So, if I lose 6 pds in 2 weeks, that should come to 12 pds in 1 month, then 24 pds in 2 months, oh my gosh, 36 in 3, 48 in 4... eventually I'll disappear! OK, maybe not. Just trying to make a point at how quickly our mind starts calculating as we go through this weight loss journey. I had actually lost 2 more pounds, but found it again in the last week or so. Not sure how I did that, but I'm going to blame being constipated. What? I need an excuse. No wait, I'm doing this to avoid the excuses... I suppose if I worked out 5 times a week like I'm supposed to, the weight could come off alittle quicker. Damn, I have to make an effort. Lesson learned: You get out what you put into this. Some weeks you will lose 3 pds, another week (God help us when this happens), you won't lose anything. Stay focused Fran, stay focused! See the end result!

So, I'm having my 2nd fill tomorrow. Will I notice a difference from the 1st fill? If so, how? It's not like I eat that much now as it is...

I guess my problem is that I always "used" to swallow my food. I mean, I hardly chewed it, then swallowed. Now, I have to chew 100 times, then chew it again. I'm "still" afraid to eat anything solid... My sturnum was a little tender yesterday, and this happened on Sat night. I was actually worried that I hurt myself some how. Well, I guess I did if my stomach tossed it back up at me... ;-0

I NEVER EVER want to experience this again! My husband had made an absolutely delicious ham bean soup. I scooped out 1/2 a cup, and decided I would just puree it. While it didn't exactly look appealing, it was genuinely delicious. But then, stupid me, thought I would just try 2-3 ham pieces, and without thinking, ate them. I must not have chewed them very well, and BAM, they were stuck! Forgive me french, but holy shi*. I could feel it just stuck in the middle of my breast bone. I walked around, and around the house, tapping my chest. My poor 10 yr old kept asking are you OK. I replied, I will be. But, I wasn't, not right away. Within minutes, I had tears, and eventually I threw it up. It was that lovely slime everyone has talked about, along with a little of the soup. Sorry for the details guys. I was so scared. This isn't anything I want to visit ANY TIME again. Oh my God! I was so upset with myself, and scared. Mind you, I'm allowed to eat solids as I'm 1+ month post op with 1 fill. Lessson learned? You bet...... CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW Have I made myself clear?

I NEVER EVER want to experience this again! My husband had made an absolutely delicious ham bean Soup. I scooped out 1/2 a cup, and decided I was just puree it. While it didn't exactly look appealing, it was genuinely delicious. But then, stupid me, thought I would just try 2-3 ham pieces, and without thinking, ate them. I must not have chewed them very well, and BAM, they were stuck! Forgive me french, but holy shi*. I could feel it just stuck in the middle of my breast bone. I walked around, and around the house, tapping my chest. My poor 10 yr old kept asking are you OK. I replied, I will be. But, I wasn't, not right away. Within minutes, I had tears, and eventually I threw it up. It was that lovely slime everyone has talked about, along with a little of the soup. Sorry for the details guys. I was so scared. This isn't anything I want to visit ANY TIME again. Oh my God! I was so upset with myself, and scared. Mind you, I'm allowed to eat solids as I'm 1+ month post op with 1 fill. Lessson learned? You bet...... CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEWCHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW CHEW Have I made myself clear?

I was just curious if anyone else has named their band? Mine is LULU... :-)

Kinda crazy, isn't it? Now I'm watching every single thing that goes into my mouth. I'm afraid to try anything that's not soft food. But, I'm guessing that at some point I will get there. Good luck to you too. :-)