Carlene

My doctor says absolutely DO NOT eat/drink meat tenderizer. He advises room temp pineapple juice.

I drink 16 ounces of skim milk every day and I have lost 98 pounds in 19 months. Non-fat milk is a good source of Protein, as well as calcium, and only 80 calories per cup.

There is a woman in my surgeon's support group who has lost over 100 pounds in a year and has NEVER had a fill. Some people get great restriction just from placement of the band. I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. You are doing great!

Dawn... I'm so happy to see someone on here shorter than I am, even if it is only by 1/2 inch. In high school, I weighed less than 100 pounds. In fact, I have weighed that since - even after 4 kids. It was all the years of up and down weight (and I mean rapid, huge ups and downs) that finally got to me. I just couldn't face another year of dieting, only to see my weight begin to climb back up as soon as I stopped counting every mouthful. I weigh less than 130 now (just barely). If I don't lose any more, that's okay. At my age, and with no hope of PS in sight anytime soon, I'm just happy I can cross my legs and tie my shoes.

And another one...

Here's a funny for everyone...

I was the queen of carbs and haven't had a piece of bread in almost 19 months (or Pasta, or pizza). You won't eat it, either. It turns into a big, painful ball in the middle of your chest, once you achieve good restriction. I have lost 98 pounds and I'm an old lady (56 when I was banded). You will do great. Here's what I look like now...

I was banded in late November, so I wore sweats.

My husband and I were banded 2 weeks apart. He hasn't lost as much as I have, although the doctor warned me that men lose faster than women. I think it's because I have been an A/B patient and he has been a C- patient....LOL

I guess desperate people do desperate things. I'm not convinced that any of those things would increase your weight by more than a couple of pounds, and if that's all you need to qualify, it might be easier/more ethical to just eat a box of Krispy Kremes every day for a week.

Glad to Katt. Here is the recipe. chicken Tortilla Soup<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> You will need…<o:p></o:p> One chicken, either whole or cut into pieces (not skinless)<o:p></o:p> Chicken broth – about 4 cans<o:p></o:p> Carrots – 1 1/2 cup, peeled and chopped fine<o:p></o:p> Large Onion – peeled and chopped fine<o:p></o:p> One can tomato sauce or one can Rotel (if you like a little spice)<o:p></o:p> <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Monterrey</st1:place></st1:City> Jack cheese (grated) – about 2 cups<o:p></o:p> Ripe avocado – one for each 3 people<o:p></o:p> Flour tortillas – buttered and toasted till crisp<o:p></o:p> Cilantro (fresh or dried)<o:p></o:p> Salt and Pepper<o:p></o:p> Ground Cumin<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> In a large pan, cover the chicken with Water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook (covered) until chicken is very tender. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Strain broth and return to sauce pan. <o:p></o:p> (Note: you can make a lower fat version by refrigerating the broth overnight and then skimming off the fat)<o:p></o:p> Remove skin and bones from chicken. Chop the chicken into small pieces (or run it thru the food processor)<o:p></o:p> Add the additional chicken broth.<o:p></o:p> Add the chicken, carrots, onions, and tomato sauce. Add Cilantro, Cumin, Salt, and Pepper to taste. <o:p></o:p> Cook over low heat until vegetables are very tender. <o:p></o:p> Place a generous portion of grated cheese in the bottom of each serving bowl. Pour hot soup over the top, then add sliced avocado and strips of toasted tortilla.<o:p></o:p>

You guys are giving me a complex. I feel like a Pygmy. I'm 4' 11 1/2 ". My doctor uses 5' to calculate my BMI because that's as low as his chart goes. It says I should weigh under 120. I'm about 129 right now. I wear size 2 and 4 petite and am beginning to have trouble finding age appropriate clothes that fit me. By the way, I think sizes have drastically changed in the last 20 years. When I weighed 120 years ago, I wore a size 10.

I do Slim Fast for breakfast - the powder, mixed with skim milk.

I'm with Kathy...I love Soup. And I make wonderful soup, if I do say so myself. My specialties are potato cheese, broccoli cheese, chicken tortilla, cream of chicken, gumbo (chicken,sausage, seafood, or all 3), and homemade chili. I try to stay away from the "cream of" Soups and when I do have them, I limit myself to one small bowl. I also make them with skim milk and/or fat free half and half.

I think you are absolutely right. You won't feel any restriction until you've had at least one fill, and soft/liquid foods do go right thru the band. Feeling "full" is pretty subjective. I have had a hard one with that too, and I'm almost 19 months post-op. I eat one or two bites too many at least once a week. It's as if my sensation meter for being full is out of step with what my pouch will hold. And my pouch is very touchy about over-filling it. A couple of bites too many and I will be revisiting them.

I have taken it since my surgery. It did not seem to have any effect on the band.

There is always plenty of room. They give us a big old room to ourselves, with lots of tables and chairs. It's at 6:30 and breaks up between 8:30 and 9:00.

WOW! I hope things get better from here on out. I'm guessing they couldn't get much worse. I hope everyone reads your post very carefully and takes it to heart. Reflux=aspiration=pneumonia=ICU....not every time, certainly, but reflux definitely can lead to serious stuff.

Tomorrow night, June 15th. <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=frmb><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right width="1%">Location:</TD><TD> Mercado Juarez Mexican Restaurant, 2222 Miller Rd.., Arlington, TX </TD></TR><TR class=frmb><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right width="1%">Street:</TD><TD> 2222 Miller Rd. </TD></TR><TR class=frmb><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right width="1%">City/State/Zip:</TD><TD> Arlington, TX </TD></TR><TR class=frmb><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right width="1%">Phone:</TD><TD> 817-649-3324 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

I live in North Richland Hills. There is a support dinner Thursday night in Arlington at Mercado Juarez. PM me for the address/directions if you are interested. It starts at 6:30 and everyone is welcome - pre-band, post-band, children, spouses, or those who are just bandcurious.

My PCP was/is very supportive of my decision. He would have been okay with RNY, too. He views WLS as less dangerous than a lifetime of morbid obesity. And I might add that he is delighted with my success. He thinks I should "quit" right now and not try and lose any more weight. I told him that I'm good with what I've lost so far, but 10 more pounds would make me even happier.

Oops...have to disagree with this one. My husband was in the (passenger) airline industry for 35+ years. They test randomly and regularly for drugs/alcohol. As a crew chief, my husband would get the list and give the guys the word - you gotta go pee in a cup. MANY times he heard, "I can't pass the test. I'm gonna go home and I'll be back in two days". I don't know about you, but I wish they tested pilots and airline mechanics every day for drugs/alcohol.

You are experiencing reflux. Please see your band doctor ASAP, or a gastrointerologist. Reflux can damage your band (most slips are preceeded by reflux) and can even lead to aspiration pneumonia, lung abscesses, etc. This is not something to be taken lightly.

1. Ban public smoking - everywhere. You can still smoke in the privacy of your own home/automobile. 2. Convicted drug dealers have to serve their time in rehab facilities, helping/cleaning up after people who want to kick their habit. 3. Impose a strict, no appeal five year limit on drug patents. 4. Require congress members to pay into Social Security, instead of riding the retirement milk wagon they have now.