aubrie

Nuts are healthy and have protein. I found some of those almond salad toppers. They come in different flavors. A few of those on my salad gives me the crunch that I crave. They are dry roasted so they are not greasy or anything. Does anyone know if dry Wasabi peas are high in calorie? I had some at a friend's house and flipped over them. It's a dehydrated veggie, but I don't know about the wasabi coating. They didn't appear to be greasy or high in fat. Opinions?

I pretty much doubted this phenomenon myself until I experienced it myself. It could have been a coincidence, but after reading about it, and then feeling it, I have to say I think it's real in some cases. Now, I do know that there are high pressure bands (the ones that tend to leak saline) and the low pressure bands. I happen to have a low pressure band. Maybe that has something to do with it? I don't know. I do know that when my surgeons patients report things to him, if it's unusual, he is in contact with the band manufactureres and reports these types of things. Maybe they just need more data to make a claim of this sort. who knows....

I can relate to the carbs. After swimming and water aerobics, I am ravenous.... what do I crave? CARBS!! I've been hitting the crackers and cheese and the chips. Sugar hasn't been a problem yet, but I figure it's coming. I'm not sure what to do. I get home from exercising after work around 7:30. THEN I start dinner. We usually eat around 8:30. I simply can't hang on that long. Water doesn't help. It just makes me nauseous at that point. That's when I grab the chips and crackers. It seems to fend off overeating my dinner, but I'd rather overdo it on the healthy stuff than the chips, right? I haven't gained anything, but have stayed static at the same weight for over 3 weeks now. This is right after a fill. I thought I would have lost a few pounds by now. SO FRUSTRATING!!!

You too!!! And Happy Birthday!!

the "traveling" bandster. How to negotiate flying, hotels, dining out, what to pack, emergencies, etc. I just returned from a trip to DC. It was an experience.

Yes, I was able to get water down. I had tucked a couple of slim fast in my suitcase when I left, and that is what I was able to handle when I landed. Just go slow with solid food for a day or two. I'm headed for Las Vegas next month. (I actually WON and all expenses paid trip for two!!!! WOO HOO!!) Now I know what to expect.

Congrats!!! I to have gone from 24 to 18 and now my 18s are getting a little baggy.

I read on the board about the band tightening after a flight. I have to say, it's true. I flew from Corpus Christi to Washington DC last week. The little short flight to Houston at 19,000 ft. didn't do anything, but on the long flight to DC at 30,000+ ft. I could literally feel it tightening up. :huh2:It was a little uncomfortable and I couldn't eat a thing. I rarely get stuck and have never PB'd, but I got stuck several times the 3 days followiing the flight. :confused_smile:It was the oddest sensation. :wink: I can't even really describe it, but I could definately feel it. I guess since the band is under pressure, the change in pressure outside my body affects the pressure inside. Just thought I would verify that.

I flew to Washington DC last week. I actually fit comfortably in an airplane seat and also had about 5 inches of seat belt still available. Last time I flew I sucked in my breath, squeezed my eyes and prayed I didn't need an extension. I couldn't even breathe. Not this time! It was wonderful and made for a much more enjoyable trip. I walked and walked and walked around DC and never even got winded. I even lost half a pound!

I can't wait until my mostly adult children move out to enjoy organization once again.

My Mom says...."So how much longer until it pops out?" GOD know what she was thinking. What am I the Thanksgiving turkey????? My husband hands me a soda. I told him, "Baby, remember, I can't have soda anymore." So he goes and gets me a beer!!! go figure. the concept of carbonation totally escaped him. I can't eat bread and he asked if I wanted to go to a sandwhich shop for lunch. sometimes I think this is a bigger adjustment for him than it is for me!!

Well, my surgeon agreed with my family doc, so I guess I go fill my new prescription. this really scares me. I just don't want to derail my efforts...thank you all so much for your support!

Tuna comes in little individual size servings now...some with mayo, some not. Bumble Bee makes tuna with flavors like lemon pepper (my favorite) basil and sun dried tomato and oriental in individual size servings. Perfect! Hard boiled eggs. Individual size or snack size cups of cottage cheese, V8 juice in small cans, chicken salad and crackers, no sugar added cups of applesauce, pineapple tid bits in juice in small cups, bananas, deli meats. Left overs.

Healthy choice and Lean Quisine!!!

Guacamole salad, refried beans, fish, crab cakes, sweet potato, soup, custard. Be creative. A couple places....when I told them I just had surgery and needed it pureed, they were happy to oblige.

Not one single bit. I rarely drank soda, and EEEeeeewwwww.. Diet soda? Yuck it tastes horrible. Don't miss soda one tiny little bit..... Now, beer? Watching slushy ice slide down the side of an ice cold beer bottle is sheer torture for me.

The magic word here is "STUDENT". She is obviously a student. A professional nurse would not have acted in such a manner. She's got a lot to learn in bedside manner. Sweetie, don't cry. It's your life, your body and your conscience. It's not up to her to make your decisions. Yes, she may be concerned, but she is NOT a doctor. Take the rude behavior as misguided concern and IGNORE it. She may be thinking you're having bypass surgery. Maybe she's not even educated on lapband. Many people are clueless about it. I was shocked at the level of ignorance. That includes folks in the medical professions. Stick to your guns and keep yourself informed and positive. Good luck.

I do water aerobics three times a week. I can't beleive how much it has helped me. I'm stronger, toned, and have lost 40 pounds! No sore muscles and no sweat. perfect.

I wouldn't do a liquid diet if you didn't have to either. I didn't have a pre-op diet at all, except for liquids two days prior to surgery. I asked my doctor about this and he said he felt that it was more important to have his patients in top health and strength for healing. If he went into surgery with a person who was weakened by a liquids only diet for two weeks, they took much longer to heal in that weakened state after surgery. He only did that if medically NECESSARY, and it was only in rare cases. I asked about the "fatty liver" issues and he stated that in most cases he could work around that. It made it more difficult on him as a surgeon, but made it easier on the patient, and he was more concerned for his patients welfare than the extra effort it put on him. It made sense to me so I didn't argue with him.

I had begun to psych myself out to accept the inevitable surgery on my mud flap arms. I asked my band surgeon about it and have even poked into how much I will have to save to have it done. (My arms bother me WAY more than my tummy) I was almost to total acceptance when I saw a girl at the grocery store with a long scar down the back of her arm. I thought to myself. GOD that scar looks bad. I wonder if she had plastics for weight loss..... I thought, no, it's a really bad scar. It must be an accident. I wait to see if she has it on the other arm. (the scar was the width of my thumb and the length of her upper arm!!) Well, low and behold the other arm had an identical scar. HORROR!!! She did have plastic surgery. I freaked out. I would rather have mud flaps than have scars like that. So now I'm backing away from having it done and am totally gun shy. The timing was just so coincidental.

Four months out and two fills and haven't PB or vomit yet. THANK GOD. I would hate that!

Stephanie, I have an email in to my surgeon to see what he thinks. I do indeed have a few of those symptoms, but I had them when I was getting normal readings on my thyroid tests. What's so different now? At one time I actually needed more thyroxin than I currently take, but I wasn't able to take any higher of a dose because it was affecting my heart. It was flopping around in my chest like a fish, so they lowered the dose. If it's high now, it's puzzling, because I'm not having those same heart problems,. Thanks for responding. I just don't know what to think.

Wheetsin, I always respect your opinions. thanks for the reply. I'm still on liquids (for 24 hours) and am having no trouble with cream soup so i guess I'm not to tight. I just thought with such a big band I would get bigger fills. The last week I was able to pack it away like a truck driver, so I thought I would be pretty loose. I was eating a small steak, half a baked potato AND veggies. I didn't gain, but I didn't lose either. Guess my doctor is more conservative....

My best friend did it about 14 months ago. Her husband was so impressed with her success and so unhappy with himself, he's going to do it in May. They have two elementary school age children who are both overweight. It's getting miserable for them, so they want to be good role models for their kids while they are still impressionable. Both of them watching their weight will also help the kids make better food choices as a result. For them, it's a family affair. I'm so proud of them for doing this and thinking of the future for their kids. I'm reading so many articles these days about childhood obesity and diabetes. they are even discovering that little children can have high cholesterol!! My hat is off to them to prevent their children from suffering weight related diseases. THAT is true love.

Yeah. My port hurts sometimes when I do ab exercises. I can also feel my band sometimes. I get twinges on and off up under my left ribs. sometimes it just aches. Nothing horrible, just nagging and uncomfortable. It started out just being when I ate a good solid meal. Now it flares up whenever it feels like it. It's wierd. I asked my surgeon about it yesterday, and he said the fleeting, mild twinges were normal and mostly a mystery. He would be concerned if they were regular, long lasting and frequent. I'm 3 1/2 months out, so I guess I could still feasibly be healing. I just don't know.