Kimbergro

Crystal light gave me nasty heartburn before surgery, but not anymore! Yeah! Love the fruit punch. But I have also read about the artificial sweetener making you crave more sweets, so I try to do plain Water too.

I mixed mine (Bariatric Advantage) with Water and chugged it with a fat straw. The PA told me I could mix it with anything, but don't go over 1000 calories a day. I did try it with Soup and oatmeal but that was kind of gross. The powder made them too thick. I lost 19 lbs on the pre op diet. I use vanilla Arbonne shakes now with Almond milk and fruit. They are actually delicious! Looking back, I could have done that pre op and easily stayed under 1000 calories. Good luck though, and while at the time the pre op diet seems to take forever, it will be worth it.

Thanks guys! While reading your posts I realized that the bread I ate was the first untoasted bread I'd had since surgery! Won't do that again! And glad to know that being able to chug Water is normal. When you're thirsty, you're thirsty right! Sips just don't cut it!

Just when I thought my band was too loose or had slipped, I got stuck this morning eating an egg salad sandwich. It was very moist, so I was kind of surprised! Probably eating too fast on my way out the door! I do have a question though. If I can drink Water pretty fast, is the band too loose? There was a time when I could feel the cold water waiting to go down if I drank too fast, but no more! What is normal, or is there really no normal?

Yes, that happened to me too! It was like a light bulb turned on. Thought maybe it was all in my head! Flo doesn't visit me anymore, so I know it wasn't that. I was really liking that not being hungry feeling and so far it hasn't returned.

I think the issue with popcorn is the hulls getting stuck and collecting above the band. I do eat popcorn too. I make it myself and use hull-less popcorn when I can get it. Otherwise, I use regular popcorn and chew the crap out of it!

I had the same concerns. I will say this, if you don't want someone telling everyone and their dog, tell them this is private, and if you want someone to know, you will tell them. My father in law decided it was ok to just tell people who knew me that I was having lap band. I was not pleased, but, lesson learned. I also told 4 co-workers who I have meetings with each week, one of whom is my direct supervisor. They did not spread this around the office...(that I know of). And I figured that if someone judges me for getting lap band, they were already judging me because I was fat. As far as people trying to talk you out of it, my mother in law came close. She was very concerned, and I love her for that, but I told her I had done a lot of research before making this decision.

1. I don't really count calories. You pretty much know if something is really high calorie and avoid it, mostly! That's not to say I never eat something that is high calorie, just not the whole thing anymore!

2. Protein is the only thing I try to watch, to make sure I'm getting enough.

3. No special diet. Not a fan of the protein shakes....I like to eat too much!

4. No, I don't eat exercise calories. I lost a lot of weight in the 90's and I look back and realized I was basically an exercise bulimic! Every time I ate something, I worked it off. It worked for me, but I also gained all that weight and more back. I don't think it's a good habit to get into.

5. Do I eat at scheduled times? Yes. I am married to a farmer. We have meal times when he comes into the house. Breakfast is usually just Cereal or something, so that's not scheduled. lunch is always at noon, and supper at 6:00. We also have a snack at 3:00 if he's around the farm.

Keep in mind that you will only be eating 1 cup of food at meals. I use a small plate and have gotten used to eating this amount for a meal. I think that alone has really helped with my weight loss. Some days I want to snack more than others. But try to keep healthy ones around.

Oh, forgot one more, cottage cheese! It's quick and good Protein. I'll also eat leftover meat. had a delicious portion of leftover pork chop with BBQ Sauce last week for breakfast! I always try to make breakfast a good protein meal, it holds me until lunchtime better. But also try to keep it under 300 calories.

What is PB2? On mornings that I go in to the office, I like to have a hard boiled egg. If I don't feel hungry first thing in the morning, that is an easy food to take along and eat at my desk. Otherwise, Kashi has some good high Protein cereals. Add 2% milk to the go lean and you're at 260 calories and 21 grams of protein! Not a lot different than a Protein Drink made with milk, but I like some crunch in the morning. Going to try it this morning with almond/cocoanut milk, fewer calories, but less protein too.

You'll be told to drink a lot of Water. I've read posts where people have a hard time getting so much water in. I haven't missed my diet Pepsi at all, and didn't give up coffee. I did switch to half caf though.

That is a nasty feeling. When I go to a restaurant the first thing I do is portion off the amount I'm going to eat and either move the rest of the food to the other side of the plate, or to another plate or to go container. That has really helped me, because otherwise I would keep picking away at it til I felt exactly like you did!

I am 8 weeks post op and having some pain at the port area too. About a month ago I had pain after getting up from my chair quickly. Found out a few days later that a stitch that holds the port to the muscle had come loose and my port is now tilted. They saw it when i had a fill. I was told not to do ab exercises for 4 weeks. Well, the 4 weeks were up, so did a little ab work. Pain is back, but not constant. And I will get a twinge just sitting here. I'm kind of wondering if it may be scar tissue. I've had pain at incision sites before and had to massage them to get the tissue loose. I'm afraid to rub the port though! Especially since the port is tilted. So laying off the ab stuff for now, hoping it is just scar tissue.

My doc told me to wait about a month after surgery. I did, and had no problem at all.

I've had both knees replaced. Before replacement I was in the same boat. I tried swimming first, for some reason my knee would feel like it was out of joint or something afterwards. I don't know if it was the buoyancy or what, but that happened twice before I gave that exercise up. Stationary bike seemed to work best for me. Sometimes had to pass on a day because knee was clicking with each turn of the pedal, next day might be fine. One piece of advice though, I did and still do, rub a generous portion of deep heating rub on my knee before I begin any workout. Makes a world of difference, even with artificial knees. My right one has been scoped since the replacement because arthritis has developed under the plastic kneecap. Go figure..right! Good luck with the knees though!

I do 1000-1200 also. And at least 70 grams of Protein. Kime-Lou, what is fitbit?

I wondered the same thing! I did have my first fill a few days ago and made an appt in 3 weeks to get a second one. The PA told me that if I was doing ok and didn't feel like I needed a fill that I could cancel and call in when I do feel I need one. I also would like to try to do it without much restriction. So far the band has had an effect on my hunger, so hoping that will continue.

I lost 19 on pre op diet and as of yesterday, week 5, have lost an additional 20 since surgery.

Had surgery 11/27. Second post op visit to Dr today. 39 lbs down since starting pre op diet, yeah!! Had my first fill. Now here is my concern. My port is tilted. Last weekend I got up from a chair, apparently too quickly, and had immediate pain just above port. Had the same pain off and on for the next dat or two. When I went for my fill today, the PA said the port is tilted and that I probably tore a stitch and that is what the pain was. He didn't really seem concerned about it, but I'm wondering if the port is stable enough to exercise, or if there is a chance that since its tilted, can the other stitches tear. I've read about ports flipping, and would like to avoid that if at all possible. Anybody else out there with a tilted port??

I keep my Water loaded with crushed ice. That way when I take a sip, I get some ice too and suck / chew on it. Makes the sip seem like a little more that way. I'm 12 days post op.

Try some hot Decaf tea. It makes you belch. Helped me.

I've done chicken broth, Tomato Soup, strained take out Wisconsin cheese, strained take out hot and sour Soup from Chinese place, and blended potato soup thinned with skim milk mixed with unflavored Protein Powder. Still on full liquids for a few more days. As per my Dr instructions, I can also have thinned mashed potatoes. I've thinned them with homemade chicken broth, and also turkey gravy from a jar. Both very tasty, but only eat about 1/2 cup at a time.

My Dr. said to take them whole, but one at a time, and wait a few minutes between pills.

The nurses at home health were going by advice for people after something like Gall Bladder surgery since they do the same thing to inflate the stomach for that surgery. I was walking too, started on my treadmill the day I got home, but it didn't help as much as the raising my arms. It even helped when I was laying in bed for a nap. Oh, and am drinking Decaf hot tea.

Hello All! I was banded last Tuesday 11/27. Felt pretty good initially, then started having double me over gas pains beginning monday afternoon. Tuesday morning felt better, then again tuesday afternoon started the horrible gas pains again. Wasn't sure if this was from the surgery gas since I went for 5 days without much gas pain. Anyhow, went to work Wednesday and told some coworkers. I work in the home health department of the local hospital. They told me to walk, raise my arms over my head several times a day, and drink hot tea. I did these things for the rest of the day and had minimal gas pains. And each time I started having some pain, raising my arms seemed to help. THis advice helped me...so far. Hope it helps others too!!