aubrie

Bread is usually difficult for many bandsters. I can eat it, but it has to be 100% whole wheat TOASTED or a chunky multi-grain. Soft breads turn to a wad of glue in my pouch and sit there for hours yelling at me. It hurts really bad........ but everyone is different, and you'll just have to try. But I would wait a few more weeks.

Is it found in the bread or cracker section of the store? Are they crispy? I found a pizza place here in Corpus Christi that makes the pizza fresh. YOu pick it up un-cooked and cook it at home. YOu special order it at the counter just the way you like it. The crust is SUPER thin and comes out crisp when you cook it. I don't have a problem eating it. I get a veggie pizza and one slice is just enough for me. If I could find a bread I can manage so I could eat a half a sandwhich again, I'd be SO HAPPY!!!

My port is okay most of the time, but if I do an overly aggressive ab workout, my port will be sore for a day or two.

I have seen a period where I didn't lose a damned thing for a couple MONTHS, but at the same time lost a dress size. While I like when the scales shows progress, for me losing a dress size was just as wonderful.....scale be damned!!

Your journey will be like a roller coaster. Ups and downs, exhilerating, degrading, euphoria, torrents of tears, boring, exciting, satisfying, frustrating, irritating, positive, nagging, self sabotaging, uplifting, infuriating, gloating, confidence building, depressing, surprising, and a growth catalyst. And all at the same time!!!! I'm two years out next month, and it's amazing the person I've become at my age. I shudder to think of what joy I would have missed had I given up everytime the going got tough. I look back now and am very proud of what I have accomplished, and that does not just include a loss on the scale. I've gotten rid of several medications that I thought I'd be stuck with for the rest of my life, I'm stronger, healthier, have more self confidence and self respect. I have a better relationship with my higher power. I've discovered my inner strength and inner beauty. Okay, I'm a little saggy and wrinkled, but that's okay. It's frustrating and irritating, but as I listed above, that's just part of it. My peaceful acceptance of it, or having the strength to get off my ass and do something about it, instead whining, is part of who I've become. I'm no longer a slave to my food addiction. I can turn down a piece of cake or an ice cream cone. I can be satisfied with a few bites of something, instead of the whole damned thing. I'm in control. What a beautiful thing. It's a miracle. So yeah, the reduction in pounds are wonderful, but this journey has provided so much more!!!

My doc requires 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day. He has NO problem with banana and actually recommended them when I complained of leg cramps at night. I'm to eat 1/2 a banana as a serving. Fructose (in fruit) is not metabolized the same as sucrose, lactose, maltose etc. the nutrition you gain FAR outweighs the cost of the calories..... If you're not snacking, watching your fats and eating proper portions that shouldn't be an issue.

I think your one pound gain was just a coincidence. when your throid gland is slow or sluggish that's when you tend to gain weight. The synthroid will put your TSH level back where it's supposed to be. It helps regulate your metabolism. It won't cause you to lose weight, but it will make it much easier to do so. You DO NOT GAIN weight when adding synthroid for hypothyroidism. If someone has gained weight as a result of this, they have other health issues that haven't been identified. Don't mess around with this. The thyroid controls many things in our systems. One that is out of whack can cause severe depression and emotional distress. Before I was diagnosed, I was like a zoo animal. (MY poor husband) My neighbor across the street came VERY close to dying before she found out she had a thyroid problem. You can experience hair loss, menstrual problems, fatigue, blood pressure issues, etc. Two weeks after I started taking it, I felt like a completely new and different person. I got my life back. since I've lost a good deal of weight, I've been able to reduce my dose. I went from 150 mg. to 112 mg. but I know I'll never be able to quit taking it completely. Make sure you check your levels twice a year from now on. I don't think I would have been successful losing my weight had I not gotten this issue under control.

At 50 I know my skin issues won't totally go away either. My tummy has made some improvements, but other parts that I didn't expect keep nagging me. I now have frown lines in my face and have even developed dimples in my cheeks that I never had when I was thin. My hubby thinks they're cute. I don't. My face sags and I literally developed crows feet overnight. It all happened so fast I didn't have a chance to wrap my head around it. I aged a good ten years in 4 weeks time. It was like being in a time warp. Once I hit the "critical mass" stage of weight loss, it was a rapid change. My hair is only 1/4 of what it used to be. I've lost massive amounts of lovely hair. And like many of the rest of you, my arms are horrifying. I work out several times a week and have very hard muscles underneath, but when I hold my arms out they sway in the wind. Amazingly, my butt looks so much better. My tummy is getting there. My legs have shape instead of looking like stumps, but the arms and the face just blow me away.........

Carbs increase hunger. The more carbs you eat, the hungrier you get, the hungier, the more carbs and on and on..... It sucks you in. An addiction..... IF you can...if you're hungry stick to protein. Fix yourself a nice juicy steak or an omlette. Give in to the hunger, NOT the desire for carbs, and you'll have control of it in no time. Instead of 100 calorie snack packs of cheeze its, grab a handful of almonds. Upping your water helps too. For me... I'm a sucker for chocolate during that time of the month. Make your own sugar free chocolate pudding and add a scoop of protein powder.

I'm NOT ALLOWED to have protein drinks. That was only allowed the first three weeks after surgery. Now ONLY after a fill for 24 hours. Outside of that I'm to eat real solid food only. My doctor says this curbs the appetite better, and that he want's me to learn to live like a normal person, not a hospital patient. So I don't drink them. I do occasionally add protein powder to other kinds of foods like oatmeal, soup, cream of wheat, or stew. I eat all kinds of meat and fish for protein and CHEW, CHEW, CHEW.

Yup. Hiccups, gurgling and burping. Sometimes I start to slime too. The gurgling has gotten obnoxious the past few months. I feel sorry for my secretary. It seems to be the worst at lunch time.

If you were cold and tensed up and shivering, I could see that happening, but I've never experienced that. Stress or emotional upset make me VERY restricted. Flying in airplanes does too. The change in cabin pressure and the altitude seem to do a number on me for a day or two. I'm flying to Washington State next week, and don't look forward to my first night there. I'm also tight in the morning. Can only manage yogurt, cottage cheese or a smoothie.

I can eat salad, but some kinds of lettuce are better than others. I seem to tolerate Romaine lettuce the best. I guess because it's crisper and crunchier? Bib lettuce and green leaf are a no go. No celery either. But everything else seems okay. As for meat, if it's dry or overcooked I can't eat it. If shrimp is overcooked and becomes rubbery, forget it. 3 minutes for shrimp, tops. My steak has to be medium rare. I can't do chicken breast at all. Only dark meat now. It's much more moist. If meat is dry, it has to have a sauce or gravy of some kind. the health food store has fat free gravy in resealable boxes that comes in real handy. Bread.... I can eat bread if it's either toasted crisp, or if it's grainy. Soft bread like white bread or french bread gives me fits. It turns to a glue like ball in my pouch and sits there yelling at me for hours. I rarely eat sandwhiches anymore, but on the rare occasion I do, it's on 100% whole wheat toast or a chunky multi grain bread.

Emergen-C powder is good in the winter time during cold and flu season. I mix it with half water and half O.J. Seems to help fight colds etc. and it's high in most all vitamins.

Dragonfly, I'm 50 and I have to say that the weight loss makes me feel 35 again!!! Hell yeah it made sex better!!! I'm more flexible. I can reach "places" I couldn't reach for years. I don't have the arthritic aches and pains I had before, I'm more relaxed and comfortable with myself, My husband is more turned on, and more frequently. I feel sexy again and have even started buying lingerie again. I even got a couple things at Victoria's Secret. So much for feeling old. LOL I feel better about myself, have better self esteem, am more confident in everything. My job, my relationships, my image... and it shows. At 50, I expected to have a bit of a skin issue, but I have to say it's not as bad as I thought it would be. that's one reason I went with the LapBand instead of RNY. The slower the loss, the better the skin fares.

Jodi is correct. PBing may also be accompanied by an accumulation of slime or mucus. If I've eaten to quickly or got something stuck in my stoma, I start producing a lot of saliva. If you PB up the offending tid bit of undigested food from your pouch, it will often times be tangled up in a wad of slime. It's not sour tasting like vomit. It's a horrid thing, but seems to happen more often when you're more restricted. I didn't have a PB or slime for a year after surgery. The tighter I got, the more often it happens. But don't be frightened by it. It's the body's way of easing it out or through the stoma. Just discontinue eating and let the stomach rest. Vomiting is where the food has dropped from your pouch, through the stoma to the actual stomach. when it comes back up it's partially digested and mixed with stomach acid so it tastes terrible. There is quite a bit of force needed to get stomach contents through the stoma so it could be a little painful. It's not good for the band. So try to avoid it as much as possible. If you get a flu or virus, see about getting some anti vomiting medication as quickly as possible.

I'm fifty right now and was banded two years ago. I'm healthier, more fit, happier, sexier and more energetic than I was at 35!!! My doctor has been very pleased and happy with my progress. (so is my husband!) I had a couple set backs (surgeries) so my weight loss was a little slow, but with older skin issues, I'm glad of that. I'm two years out and still losing. YES it's possible.

I used to LOVE beer. Can't drink it anymore now due to the carbonation and I do miss it on a hot summer day. But I drink mostly white wine now and try to limit it to two. I also enjoy vodka and unsweetened cranberry juice. Rum and pineapple is nice too in the summer.

I'm two years out from surgery next month. Age 50. I had my first bout of hair loss 5 - 6 monts out from surgery. It fell out for about 3 or 4 months but came back. I had a little halo of tiny hairs, but never did get the same fullness I had originally. I am now going through round two. My hair started falling out again about 5 months ago, and has fallen out steadily since then. clumps in the shower.... I am taking biotin, have been for over a year. I take vitamins, and I use some kind of Chi shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment to encourage new hair growth. NONE of this is working. I had blood work done and I'm not deficient in anything. Doc said to maybe add more zinc to my diet, but other than that didn't seem concerned. My hairdresser is appalled. She told me at my last hair cut that if I keep up at the same rate, I'll be bald by next summer. I'm completely paniked!!! 3/4 of my normally thick hair is gone. I just have thin wisps of hair. Can't even put it back in a clip anymore. It just falls out. I'm having it all cut off tomorrow. It's looking BAD. I'm scared to death and don't know what to do. I've tried EVERYTHING.

I'm pain free now. No longer need my meds so it's not an issue any longer. but I was also told NO NSAIDS. If I do have pain I'm only allowed tylenol. It causes your stomach to bleed, and your stomach is already sensitive due to the band. Not a good mix. After you lose some weight I promise you'll be more comfortable. I couldn't go up stairs, had trouble getting up off the couch, couldn't dance or raise my arms over my head. I even had trouble tying my shoes. I do aerobics now, and up and down the stairs several times a day. No pain. It's HEAVEN and one of the reasons I had the LapBand in the first place.

Kashi makes a high protein cereal as well. It's pretty tasty and it keeps my appetite in check all morning. I like the Quaker weight control oatmeal. It's nice to have something instant when you're in a hurry. In the winter I also like cream of wheat. It's high in iron, which all women need, and if you add a scoop of protein powder to it, it's perfect. comfort food for me.....

the Kashi brand of ceral makes a high protein variety that is actually quite good. It is whole grain and the protein in it helps curb the appetite until lunch time. It's a very healthy choice if you like cereal, and quite filling. In the winter I also eat oatmeal and cream of wheat. I add unflavored protein powder and it lasts me well into the afternoon. Use skim milk to watch your fat, and you're good to go!!! I try to limit cereal to twice a week. On other days I eat yogurt, cottage cheese and soft scrambled eggs.

Tried the Bariatric Advantage brand or Vita Band.... They are superior and designed specifically for us... but they taste like sh%#&. I literally gag. They have several flavors and I got the watermelon. They are so chalky I can't imagine any of them tasting good. So then I tried the Centrum chewables. Okay.... At least I didn't gag. But I have to say, I like the Flintstones the best. They are inexpensive, so it doesn't matter if I have to take two. I also take biotin, and Caltrate petites with D. they are smaller and don't bother me going through the band. they dissolve quickly too. I no longer need my BP meds, but doc has me on Maxide as a precaution, so I have to supplement with potassium as well to prevent leg cramps. Biotin has NOT helped with my hair loss. I'm quite upset about that. Been taking it for well over a year with no new hair growth. Doc said to try a zinc supplement as well. going to get that this weekend. I've got my fingers crossed.

I haven't had a full beer in about two years now. I still miss it. Especially in the summer. I can handle a sip or two but that's about it. More than that and I'm in PAIN. I drink white wine, but you're right. It gets old. When I do have a cocktail I have a couple of favorites. I like vokda and cranberry juice. BUT I don't buy the Ocean Spray "cocktail". It's loaded with sugar. I get the 100% juice from the health food store. No sugar added. It's tart and refreshing. I also make my mojitos home made. Fresh mint, lime, club soda or water, white rum, splash of triple sec and an artificial sweetner (splenda). AWESOME!!!

Parrothead above is correct. Even my surgeon told me to wait to have surgery for one year after reaching goal. Your skin can shrink back to some degree, albeit slowly. Mine seems to be doing okay. I'm aging a little faster than I would like, but at age 50 I can't expect miracles. Give your skin a little time. Toning with exercise will help too. My only "problem" area are my arms. I have horrible flaps. Other than that, I'm doing okay. I'm just under 2 years out. Had a few set backs and am not to goal yet, but I'm still working at it. Not giving up.