Zoe

Well, I just went down to the basement to bring up some winter clothes, and it looks like I have three boxes. DeLarla/Lisa, will someone be able to sign for the stuff if I send it to your address via UPS? I'll try to ship it on Friday, and with luck everything should arrive before the Vegas bash. I'm including the funky polyester dashiki that nearly broke the gestapo dress code at my office -- it's time for someone else to have fun with it! I think it's great that you're giving the leftovers to a women's shelter. One of our local shelters is always happy to get large clothes, because so many homeless women are heavy and so many donors are bony-assed. I'll take my coats to a shelter rather than send them to Vegas -- you Westerners probably don't have much use for heavy winter gear anyway. Thanks!

Nope -- see my signature info below. I tried to get in touch with Dr. S's Loyola office regarding aftercare, but they never returned my call.

Yes, but . . . I have a fat male friend who was teased mercilessly as a child and still feels like a misfit even though he is a highly accomplished and wealthy guy. Most women think he's quite a catch -- until they find out about his size. I agree that American society is harder on fat women, but fat men don't have it that much better. Say, fellas, what do you think?

Hummus is a thick spread made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans), olive oil, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and garlic, plus other seasonings if you like. You can buy it ready-made in the refrigerated section of some supermarkets. I have a pretty good recipe that I'll post whenever I can dig it out from my torn-up kitchen.

(sneaking onto the internet while at work) I have mostly 22s to give away, some 24s, and a few 18s and 20s that just don't suit me any more, including some jeans with 33-34 inch inseams. I'd be glad to send them UPS to whatever address y'all suggest. Don't worry about postage. I think of it as a donation to the bandster cause -- and wish I could be there for the free-for-all!

Boy, DeLarla, I sure wish I were going to Vegas. But I just took a long weekend & won't be able to go. If anyone else is going from Chicago who wouldn't mind schlepping some clothes, I'd be glad to hand them off -- otherwise, I can probably just box 'em and send the stuff UPS. Pants (including a couple of flood-length pairs), t-shirts, blouses, a couple of dresses. . . we aren't talking cutting-edge fashion, but I'll make sure everything's clean!

It's that time of year when I pack a few bags of clothes for the Salvation Army -- but another discussion here made me think that maybe a tall female bandster could use some not terribly fashionable size 22/24 clothing while on her way down. That got me to thinking that there are probably a lot of us out there who are both getting rid of clothes and looking for new ones while we're in transition. I'm one of those people with clothing in about eight sizes from different phases of my dieting life (and I have the Dynasty-era shoulder pads to prove it) but, like a lot of you, I suspect, I'm short on wardrobe basics in my current size. Would a clothing exchange be impractical? I realize that if, say, I send my castoffs to someone, she might decide that they're too ugly, the wrong color, or they just don't fit, and then another person is left with clothes she can't use. But, on the other hand, this might be a way to help each other. We could post photos if a simple description of a garment isn't enough. If you have any comments or suggestions, please post them here. Thanks!

Maybe we should start a clothing exchange. I'll start another thread under General Discussion!

Hi Katie -- I'm a relatively new bandster myself, but I can tell you that one week is too early for a fill. Of course, your doctor may have a different protocol, but from what I understand, most docs wait until a minimum of four weeks after surgery -- often longer -- before even considering filling a patient's band. (For example, Dr. Rumbaut wouldn't even consider giving me a fill until six weeks post-op.) These first several weeks are a time to allow your body to heal. The Lap-Band procedure may be billed as "minimally invasive," but it's still GI surgery, and your body needs time to recover from the trauma. Your appetite has returned? That's good! That means you're healing. I'll pass on some advice I received here: Don't focus on weight loss during this time. Focus on feeling better, and on letting your body get used to the (uninflated) band. You might want to look at some past posts on the board. Lots of people write shortly after they've had surgery, wondering if they're on the right track -- and more experienced readers have been generous enough to share their experiences. Good luck -- and, remember, your increased appetite is a sign that your body is getting stronger.

Well, they would be a good source of protein, but they're hard to chew -- and the dog won't share! I have to admit that on my Day 13 of liquids her Chunky Beef canned supplement was looking pretty good . . .

DeLarla, if you don't have insurance to cover drugs, getting the doggy supplements may be cheaper than an MD's prescription. In addition the usual pet stores, some online sites (Drs. Foster & Smith, etc.) sell gluco/chondroitin combos in bulk. Not sure about that liver flavor, though! I agree completely with your comment about vet care. My cancer-ridden Labrador got much more compassionate treatment than my cancer-ridden father did.

My surgeon gave me tramadol for post-banding pain. I didn't have any stomach trouble with it. But I second all the other posts about NSAIDs. Be careful. Butta, first I gotta say it's great to see another Chicagoan here. Second, you asked about glucosamine. My only experience with it is, ahem, veterinary. My last dog was a severely arthritic Labrador who gained a lot of mobility with glucosamine supplements, which allowed her to swim again. My current dog, a Lab mix, has mild arthritis, and is on gluc. supplements to help prevent her condition from worsening. I'm not sure if glucosamine was discovered by MDs first -- or if a desperate arthritic vet decided to take his dog's pills one day, figuring they couldn't hurt. And I don't know how well glucosamine works in the two-legged world. But my four-legged friends got some relief with it.

Congratulations! Keep yourself busy over the next month so that you don't drive yourself batty waiting for Band Day. Time will fly. Let us know what you hear from your insurance company.

Tzatziki? Yum! Wish I thought of that before, Alex. Must run to Trader Joe's tonight for more yogurt and pig ears (for the dog, FYI).

Gefilte fish . . . wish I'd thought of that two weeks ago! Thanks for the suggestions, Nancy. How about chopped liver? Live2Canoe, hang in there. The mushies are an absolute thrill compared to the liquid diet. And be sure to write if you discover any good mushy food. By the way, Trader Joe's is a great place to buy ready-made mushy stuff for those who don't like to cook.

Hey Kim, check out the "Food" section under "Main Lap-Band Forums" for some advice and commiseration. I know what you mean -- I was never so excited by hummus as I was on my first "mushy" day. Good luck!

Andrea, check out the thread called "Frustrated!!!..." in this introductions section. Those first initial pounds were mostly water. Now you're losing fat -- and if you gained water back even while you lost fat in the last week or two, the scale may show no change. Hang in there.

OK, I'm a new kid on the block, but I live in Oprahville, a/k/a Chicago, so I can't resist adding my very few pounds. Let's hope enough of us keep adding so we can hit the 2000 mark! Penni: 4/6/04 -- 47 lbs Lisa: 5/5/04 -- 51 lbs Becky 6/03/04 - 53 lbs Denice: 8/12/04 -- 20 lbs Leatha 05/29/03 - 67 lbs Michelle 4/6/04 -- 49.75 lbs Marie 5/26/04 -- 39 lbs Donali 1/23/03 -- 102 lbs Kathy 5/21/04 -- 41 lbs Cindy 7/22/04 -- 40 lbs Teresa 5/8/04 -- 63 lbs Kelly 8/20/03 -- 65 lbs Kyleigh 9/23/03 -- 60 lbs Bright 10/28/03 -- 70 lbs Michelle 6/14/04 - 20 lbs Babs 6/23/03 -- 136 lbs Nancy 8/27/03 -- 55 lbs michelle - shellyj 8-18-03 - 130 pounds Vera 8/14/03 -- 64 lbs Jacky 4/5/04 - 40 lbs Chris S. 9/02/03 - 54 lbs Debra 7/19/04 -- 17 lbs. Janie 5/6/04 -- 41 lbs Denise 5/28/04--33 lbs. Kim 8/23/04 -- 28 lbs. Andrea 9/8/04-- 12lbs. Carol 12/2/9/03 -- 102 lbs. Maureen 3/17/04--49 lbs. Carolyn 2/27/04 -- 61lbs (-81 since 1-8-04) Greta 3/12/04---37 lbs. Anne 8/13/04 -- 20 lbs. Zoe 8/26/04 -- 16 lbs. Total = 1692.75 __________________ If a miracle occurs and Oprah actually does a segment on the band, I promise to be your local hostess! (Unless Oprah herself volunteers.)

I didn't have much appetite. The hospital staff brought me a variety of liquids and Jello, but I didn't want anything; my abdomen was pretty inflated from the operation. I drank a little just to keep my mouth from getting dry. I was pretty sore at first, but managed to get out of bed and walk a little the same day of surgery. As DeLarla says, everyone is different. You can read other people's posts in the Introductions section and General Discussion for more stories. October 6 is not far away -- congratulations! Please feel free to start a thread of your own if you have particular concerns.

Hey, anyone in Bandland -- how about starting a list of mushy foods for people slugging through that phase of post-surgery life? Here are a few pan-ethnic suggestions that may be beyond super-obvious foods likely to be on every doc's recommended list; I use "ethnic" loosely, to describe anything past applesauce and cottage cheese. Please add on suggestions. Note that this is not a prescription; your doctor may not want you to eat some of these foods. When in doubt, ask. Middle East: Hummus, soft fresh feta cheese, baba ganoush. Italian: Polenta, Pasta & plain sauce, garlic/olive oil, pesto, or (gasp! calorie alert!) creamy Alfredo sauce. The pasta should be pretty soft; al dente purists, skip this. Also, if you can handle cheese, the inside of a stuffed pesto pizza -- no meat, no veggiees -- is to die for. This is a Chicago specialty that's caught on in some other places. And let's not forget gelato and cannoli filling! Mexican: Outside of tamales (masa), guacamole, horchatas, virgin margaritas, Soup (caldo), refried Beans. . . which also solve a constipation problem. Indian: You can have just the sauces & work around the solid meat in most dishes. Just don't order a big-hunk-o-meat dish like chicken tandoori. Just plain American: grits, mac & cheese, shrimp dip, mashed potatoes. . . and, if your stomach can take it and you chew thoroughly, rare hamburger. (Especially good on certain days for pre-menopausal ladies with certain cravings.) That's a start. If you have some great mushy suggestions or recipes, please post them!

Congratulations, Nancy! Let us know how your surgery went, and how you're feeling afterward. :banana

Nancy (and anyone else who isn't yet banded), there are some good recent threads with helpful info. PamRN got banded this week (and Pam, if you read this, let us know how you're doing); lots of people gave suggestions on what to pack, what to wear, and what to have on hand back home after the surgery. See http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3098. You might want to check a thread I started, where people gave me some good post-surgical suggestions and support: http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2959; also see Andrea's thread, http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3012. Go back and read the older posts too. There's lots of wonderful information here that you can get only from someone else who has been through the experience. It sure helped me a lot. I continue to be floored by the depth of support here for anyone at any step in the Lap-Band journey. You're joining a great group of people. Good luck and keep us posted on how you're doing. Wish I could be in Vegas -- hope to go next year!

Congratulations, Tall Guy, and welcome. That man you know who lost 200 lbs. is a real inspiration -- as are a lot of the other people who write here. If you're feeling this good less than two weeks after the band, just wait till this time next year!

Hey Kimberlilly, don't beat yourself up. Almost everyone falters occasionally on the journey. (Hope that doesn't sound too pretentious and pseudo-Buddha.) If you're craving potatoes during the mushy stage, try whipped or mashed. A lot of the instant varieties are pretty good, and you can buy single servings in disposable cups that you just fill with boiling water. I haven't tried to dip 'em in ketchup yet. . .

Yeah, I can't handle scrambled eggs either, even though I mixed them with quite a lot of milk & they were still shiny. I'm still in the mushy phase (four more days to go) & am hoping I can eat runny poached eggs, as Sue suggested. Mexican food option for those who have trouble with tortilla dishes: tamales. In mushland we can have only the masa (cornmeal) part, but it soaks up the juice from the yummy stuff inside & takes the edge off that spicy jones. (Someone in our restaurant party on Atkins was happy to clean up my leftover meat!) Post-mush, the sliced beef filling might still be too stringy for most bandsters, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try.