juliecatherine

I love eggs benedict and I wanted to create a lower calorie version. I started with a base of two Tomato slices. I removed the peels because I heard they can cause problems for some people. To that I added 2oz of shaved, smoked ham that I pan-seared in a dry skillet until it was slightly caramelized. On top... a perfectly poached egg, and my own Mock Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is just a tablespoon of light mayo, not quite a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. I sprinkled some Smoked Paprika on top. I just love it when the yolk is perfectly runny. But not too runny.  This is definitely a weekend Breakfast, because it took some time and created a LOT of dishes to wash, but it was dee-licious.
Nutrition Info: Calories - 206, Total Fat - 11.2g, Total Carbs - 5.7g, Protein - 16.6g

I love eggs benedict and I wanted to create a lower calorie version. I started with a base of two Tomato slices. I removed the peels because I heard they can cause problems for some people. To that I added 2oz of shaved, smoked ham that I pan-seared in a dry skillet until it was slightly caramelized. On top... a perfectly poached egg, and my own Mock Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is just a tablespoon of light mayo, not quite a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. I sprinkled some Smoked Paprika on top. I just love it when the yolk is perfectly runny. But not too runny.  This is definitely a weekend Breakfast, because it took some time and created a LOT of dishes to wash, but it was dee-licious.
Nutrition Info: Calories - 206, Total Fat - 11.2g, Total Carbs - 5.7g, Protein - 16.6g

I love eggs benedict and I wanted to create a lower calorie version. I started with a base of two Tomato slices. I removed the peels because I heard they can cause problems for some people. To that I added 2oz of shaved, smoked ham that I pan-seared in a dry skillet until it was slightly caramelized. On top... a perfectly poached egg, and my own Mock Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is just a tablespoon of light mayo, not quite a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. I sprinkled some Smoked Paprika on top. I just love it when the yolk is perfectly runny. But not too runny.  This is definitely a weekend Breakfast, because it took some time and created a LOT of dishes to wash, but it was dee-licious.
Nutrition Info: Calories - 206, Total Fat - 11.2g, Total Carbs - 5.7g, Protein - 16.6g

I love eggs benedict and I wanted to create a lower calorie version. I started with a base of two Tomato slices. I removed the peels because I heard they can cause problems for some people. To that I added 2oz of shaved, smoked ham that I pan-seared in a dry skillet until it was slightly caramelized. On top... a perfectly poached egg, and my own Mock Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is just a tablespoon of light mayo, not quite a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. I sprinkled some Smoked Paprika on top. I just love it when the yolk is perfectly runny. But not too runny.  This is definitely a weekend Breakfast, because it took some time and created a LOT of dishes to wash, but it was dee-licious.
Nutrition Info: Calories - 206, Total Fat - 11.2g, Total Carbs - 5.7g, Protein - 16.6g

I love eggs benedict and I wanted to create a lower calorie version. I started with a base of two Tomato slices. I removed the peels because I heard they can cause problems for some people. To that I added 2oz of shaved, smoked ham that I pan-seared in a dry skillet until it was slightly caramelized. On top... a perfectly poached egg, and my own Mock Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is just a tablespoon of light mayo, not quite a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. I sprinkled some Smoked Paprika on top. I just love it when the yolk is perfectly runny. But not too runny.  This is definitely a weekend Breakfast, because it took some time and created a LOT of dishes to wash, but it was dee-licious.
Nutrition Info: Calories - 206, Total Fat - 11.2g, Total Carbs - 5.7g, Protein - 16.6g

I love eggs benedict and I wanted to create a lower calorie version. I started with a base of two Tomato slices. I removed the peels because I heard they can cause problems for some people. To that I added 2oz of shaved, smoked ham that I pan-seared in a dry skillet until it was slightly caramelized. On top... a perfectly poached egg, and my own Mock Hollandaise Sauce. The sauce is just a tablespoon of light mayo, not quite a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. I sprinkled some Smoked Paprika on top. I just love it when the yolk is perfectly runny. But not too runny.  This is definitely a weekend Breakfast, because it took some time and created a LOT of dishes to wash, but it was dee-licious.
Nutrition Info: Calories - 206, Total Fat - 11.2g, Total Carbs - 5.7g, Protein - 16.6g

I absolutely love this post. I am a week and a half post op and you are an amazing inspiration. Keep up the good work!

I was told not to use a straw either..because it brings in to much air?
I look forward to hear what others think.

I was told no straws. Went without for about 3 weeks then started using them again and have had no problems at all. My doc told me that its for air issues and also the sucking can cause issues when you are first banded...like too much pressure on the stitches or something...
I showed up at my fill appt with a Water bottle with a straw and he didn't say anything. So I take that as consent.

Do you use them? Or not? What sorts of problems do they cause. My surgeon has no hard fast rule about this, but I see that many do.

Hello everyone! Well...I'm officially banded. I had my surgery at 9 Friday morning and stayed in the hospital one night. I was not too excited about that, but now I'm really glad that I did.
You know...you read everyone's stories and experiences and you feel somewhat prepared, but it's a whole different thing when it is happening to you. The worst part of everything has been the nausea. Saturday after I got home I felt pretty damn good. Even walked around the block in my neighborhood to help dissipate the CO2, etc. Yesterday (Sunday) was much, much rougher. First of all, I was glued to the toilet all day. People talk about Constipation, but I had the complete opposite problem. It would not stop. Sorry for the TMI.
As the day progressed, I kept feeling more and more nauseous. Around 8 last night I took another slow walk around the block. It didn't help. Around 9:15, I laid down in bed and immediately began feeling like I was about to throw up which terrified me. My husband helped me sit up very quickly, but by then it was too late. He handed me a cup and I began throwing up foamy Water. Less than a 1/3 of a cup total. Of course as soon as I could I contacted my doctor and my doctor's nurse. Both assured me that my band was still secure. That it is repetitive vomiting over time that is the enemy. I felt somewhat reassured, but still cannot shake the feeling that I've messed something up. What is strange though, is that after I vomited, I immediately felt better and haven't had any major nausea since. I was able to sleep through the night with no problems. I can even sleep on my side comfortably which I didn't expect to do this soon.
While my doctor was talking to me, he asked me if I had been forcing fluids. He said to not be too worried if you cannot get in the 48 - 60 ounces that the literature recommends. I wish someone had told me this sooner. Yesterday I had 8 ounces of chicken broth, 8 ounces of diet cranberry juice, and probably 12 ounces of Water. And getting all that in was a struggle. I didn't want any of it. He also told me not to be too concerned with dehydration because for every pound of fat the body breaks down, it produces a quart of water. Right now I'm using my urine color as a guide. It is still very, very light yellow although I am not going very often.
I have to say...last night during all of this, I was experiencing a big "what the hell have I done to myself" moment. Is this normal? Did any of you feel this way at any point? Did any of you experience the nausea and retching that soon after surgery? Any advice is welcome. Thanks.

I am 10 days post OP. no more nausea. a little on Saturday, but I took one of the nausea pills the dr prescribed. I took them alot the first 3 to 4 days. don't know what I would have done without them...

I read posts like yours often. Seems quite normal to me although I didn't experience it with my surgery. My doctor gave me a prescription for nausea, did yours? The nausea will pass within a few days and you'll have an all new perspective

The combination of anesthesia and pain meds are the most common cause of post op nausea. General anesthesia always makes me sick for about 24 hours. I had a minor procedure on Friday (unrelated to my band) with general anesthesia and was sick all day Friday and most of Saturday. sleeping helps.
I'm on all liquid meds right now and only taking the Rx liquid Tylenol for mild discomfort.
Welcome to the losers bench!

Ask yourself this: What if you don't have the surgery? Are you like I was that no matter what you did you keep gaining? Even if you maintain your present weight, are you happy? Do you like how you look and feel? What if you don't fail? Are you willing to do almost anything to lose some weight? Does food really make you feel better?
WLS may be right for you or it may not, only you can decide. At the very least if you're not happy or have problems with the band, you can have it removed unlike other weight loss surgeries. I know when you first go to find out about Lap-Band surgery, you're presented with a bunch of you can't eat this anymore, you have to do this, etc. and it sounds very daunting and difficult, but I have found that it's not! Just having the surgery and knowing I'm doing things that are better for me, has lifted a great weight off of my shoulders. Not many people know I have a band and they never will. It takes the same motivation and "want power" (as someone on here calls it) as it does without surgery, but somehow there are times when it is a little easier and other times when it is not. With Lap-Band there are so many more tools at your disposal, including this forum.
Losing weight has always been extremely difficult for me (my metabolism is not the greatest) so I am not the fastest at it, but I'm in it for the long haul. Before surgery, I couldn't stop gaining weight, no matter what I tried and I would have been excited to lose 10 lbs (which I was finding very difficult), but now since starting this process I have lost 50 lbs! Even if I don't lose anymore (that is not my plan), I am in a much better place than I was before. My journey has not been easy since I have had some complications (unrelated to the Lap-Band) along the way, including being very restricted on my exercise (scheduled for tendon repair in 7 days with an extended recovery of no walking, etc.), but I'm still losing.
In the beginning I wasn't sure WLS surgery was for me either and because of my doubts, I stalled a little by not trying to alter my eating or exercise habits during my 4 month waiting period. I could of had my surgery a little sooner than I did. One of my big excuses was the holidays were coming and who wants WLS at Thanksgiving and Christmas time? Now I wish I had gotten it done sooner. The tools are out there if you want them. It's up to you to determine which ones will help you and when is the right time. Overweight or not, you are still the same person. Being fat does not make you less than, just like being thin does not make you better than someone, but it does make life easier. Believe me I know I went from being a size 24W to a size 6 (sometimes) 4 and back again. That's right - I lost 165 lbs and gained almost all of it back before Lap-Band. I will never be a size 6 or even an 8 again, but I don't like being almost 300 lbs either (and I'm short!). Having the band is helping me to make life altering permanent changes. You're only a failure when you stop trying. Best of luck to you.