mrsto

Oh....he'll know! Like, when he's rubbing your back, and all of a sudden feels his hands on hot clammy skin

Actual "menopause" is when your period stops completely. After going one year without, you're considered "post menopausal". Peri-menopause is all the (what can be several years) of changes leading up to actual menopause; hot flashes, irregular periods, mood changes, sleep issues, libido changes, etc. There is other fun stuff, but I'll reserve that in an open forum (the older women know what I'm talking about) - LOL! So - CG, you've entered the world of "peri". All women experience this to different degrees, but this life change typically doesn't happen un-noticed

Yeah, I don't know why they do it the way they do, either. I stuck with my doctor's advise, because that is who I paid for his expertise. It was more rigid that some, but a LOT less rigid than others. My pre-op diet was two weeks at 1200 calories/day....low fat, low carb. The two days prior to surgery, I was on full liquids, only. Post-op was Clear Liquids for two days, and full liquids for another 12 days. Then mushies for 10 days. Other things were added back slowly in 10 day increments. The worst one I've seen on here was post op - 30 days clear liquids. Really?! As much as I wanted this, I don't honestly believe that I would have made it on that. Talk about overkill?!

When I was in the beginnings of peri-menopause, my blood work also came back perfectly normal. Many times some of the symptoms start, before it shows up in black & white.

Never mind.....I see your doctor posted on your profile. Duh!

Who was your doctor when you were in Santa Barbara? My doctor is Helmuth Billy in Ventura. Love him!

I used to like protein shakes too. But that ALL changed after living on them for 14 days

Are you on full liquids, or Clear Liquids? Makes a big difference!

I'm with ya sister!!

CG - come to think of it, you can buy progesterone cream at the health food store. It's usually the wild yam type. If you're having a lot of flashing, you can try that first; it might help, without having to go to the prescription forms.

It's an estrogen patch, prescription only. The one I use is Vivelle Dot, but there are others. If you still have a uterus, your doctor will also prescribe progesterone to go with it. There are all different forms of this stuff; pills, gels, Patches, creams.... It's a matter of finding what works best for you.

I'm no longer on a liquid phase, but even still, BOTH hands are raised!! No doubt, the worst part of the journey. But there is a reason for it, and you WILL get through it My best suggestion is....be as creative as you possibly can. Switch it up so you don't get completely nauseous from the thought of another Protein shake. It's still pretty bad, but switching gears between sweet and pungent, is what helped me through. How much longer do you have to go? Are you on clear liquid only, or on full liquids?

Yeah, the hormones can play havoc with weight. I go on and off the estrogen patch (had a hysterectomy...don't need the progesterone), and notice that when I go off, three pounds drop off within two days. I only go back to the patch when the symptoms become un-manageable, and completely disruptive. Once I slap on the patch, everything calms down within three days. And I know from the start that I'm going to feel a bit of bloat. As much as I hate it, sometimes the other issues outweigh (no pun intended) the bloat discomfort.

Absolutely FABulous! Good job! The picture of you stooping down over the plants; that one really struck me. That's a horribly uncomfortable position for me, and I know how unbelievably better you feel when stooping down for anything, now. Well done!

I was told to give it up entirely. Fortunately, I stopped drinking any type of soda over a year ago, so it hasn't been an issue. There have been some serious complications reported from carbonation, and given that, I wouldn't chance it. That being said, my doctor also said, NO MORE coffee. Okay, a girl can only do so much I drink my coffee, but limit it to one cup a day.

Boy - I wish that was the case on Memorial Day! NO issues whatsoever. Drank like I did pre-band, and didn't have any problems.....until I woke up the next morning LOL!

But dear God I love wine. Me too! And the reality is, when I have it I don't want one glass; I want two......at least

At the end of the day, no matter WHAT is posted on this site, it's best to follow your doctor's instructions. Between all the doctors, there are so many varying protocols. Your doctor is who you paid and put your trust in. He/she is the one to guide you. If you want to drink on a regular basis, do it. If you find that you're not losing weight the way you'd like, stop drinking regularly & see what happens. My doctor doesn't have an issue with a little bit of wine....or scotch...or, or, or.... As long as it's counted, and doesn't lead to loose eating. In my own experience, drinking while dieting slows the process. And I've had many a doctor resonate that same thing. Though Dr. Simpson may be a pioneer, SO much of what he promotes goes against what many bariatric doctors tell their patients. I've seen all of his videos, and at one point thought "oh, well then my doctor is just being too cautious, and I can do this, that or the other thing". Then I came to my senses and decided to stick with the man I paid thousands of dollars to, for HIS expertise. Some of this stuff can be very confusing, especially for people who want to hear what they want to hear. IMHO - of course

Ryvitas in the states are called Ry-Krisp.

My feeling is, only have a glass of wine once in awhile. Alcohol slows down weight loss, because our bodies don't recognize it as any kind of food source; it only stores it as fat. If you want to drink once or twice a week, be prepared that your weight loss may not go as quickly as you might like. ALL that being said, I hadn't had anything to drink for close to three months before Memorial Day. Then I went to a BBQ, and drank close to (if not) an entire bottle of wine. It was SO good!! Haven't had any since, but I allowed myself that day. If the metabolic issues of alcohol were different, I'd be drinking a hell of a lot more often! When I get closer to my goal weight, I'll probably indulge a bit more. And I WILL count it. Only problem is, drinking also spikes my appetite, and brings down my defenses toward eating

I also opted for the added plication, and I'm glad I did. I can't say what the band would be like without plication, but I do know that the times I've tried to push the amount of slider type foods, my smaller stomach stops me from going out of control. I'm pretty good about sticking to my program, but the days when I veer off path, the plication stops me from eating too much......of anything! You're not finding a lot online, because the long term studies aren't there. The procedure is still considered investigational, and won't be approved by the FDA until there is long term data; at least 5 years. From what I know, banded plication has only been done for about 3 years, but so far it's looking very promising. Good luck!

Gallbladder is good. Or you can tell them that it's "female" and leave it at that :-)

Bubbs - I think cutting carbs is an excellent idea. I myself notice that when I keep them to a minimum, I don't get as hungry, and I lose more weight. If I eat one egg and a slice of toast, I'm hungrier a lot sooner than if I eat just two eggs. Carbs have their place, but it's much better to stick with the "good carbs", in very very small portions. Protein is the key with the band, and sticking to that with maybe a little bit of veggies, you might find a better sense of satiety. Keep your chin up! You can do this!! I wish the band could make us stop eating, too. But the signals can be very subtile. But I really think that once you're at the right restriction, and stick to mainly dense protein meals, you will notice a difference.

So.....you're doing well, yes? Based on what you're saying, one day you're going to get on the scale & see some pounds dropping off. As Carolinagirl said, sometimes it's inches, before seeing movement on the scale. I do suggest that you start counting your protein. It's the key to this whole thing, and if you're not getting in a minimum to 60 grams per day, it's not healthy. Also - if a lot of your 1200 calories is carbs, that can also be an issue. Have you tried the application MyFitnessPal? It tracks both calories and protein, and is an excellent program. You can use it on your phone, computer, iPad......all of it. Here is a link... myfitnesspal.com

The recipe ideas didn't come from a website. They were some ideas that I gave to BeeKipp. What she made isn't exactly what I gave, but she improvised and made it with add-ins that she likes. The idea is to make a pot of something you like, that's band friendly, and can be eaten for a few days. Unless you're someone who likes to cook on a daily basis, having something ready to nuke when you're on the fly, can be a savior My recipe ideas are just about anything you can mix up with ground meat; beef, turkey, lamb, etc. My favorite is: 1lb ground turkey or beef, seasoned with salt, pepper & garlic powder; browned & drained. 1 can Rosarita traditional refried Beans (or any refried beans that you like) 1 can black beans. I do not drain the liquid because it helps keep the whole thing moist Mix it all together, and heat through. Sometimes I'll make Pasta sauce with meat, and eat my 1/2-2/3 cup without pasta. I'm not against pasta, but I find it difficult to control. You can do any variation of these that sound good to you.....like Bee did. Since surgery, I've found that ground meats are the most band friendly for me, so I invent recipes around them. I made something really yummy with ground lamb, onions, mushrooms, condensed cream of mushroom Soup, low fat sour cream and couscous. Hope that helps. Just be creative with what you like