Kathy473

I had mine done on 11-03-05 and Dr. Spivak put 1.5cc in mine and I can tell the difference. If I start to eat a little too much I can REALLY tell. Ouch! It was my first fill so we'll see what happens in a few weeks if I need another or not.

My doctor told me to go on a very low-carb diet to help shrink the liver and it worked. I lost 4 pounds!

Easy as pie! Just a little stick. But my doctor is so sweet and funny. Dr. Spivak is the best!

Wish me luck you guys! I am leaving in about 10 minutes to get my 1st fill and I am terrified! I know I shouldn't be scared but it is the not knowing what is going to happen is what is killing me! My stomach is in knots! C'est la vie!

Vonnie.....you can also go to the FAQ's and Reference section at the main forum page and it has a list of abbreviations. That was really helpful.

A PB is a productive burp. I had to look it up too. Once I found out what it was...I didn't want one!

Sorry you had to go through that. I have not had a PB or vomited as of yet. **Knock on wood** But I did have a small hamburger (not cheese) with all the fixings and small fries and let me tell ya...after I ate it...I felt the little pain in my chest area and I knew I was full and I belched REALLY big! And that was it..Thank GOD! I am so scared that I am going to vomit or PB that everything is dipped in something. I had the Jack Daniel's Salmon at TGI Friday's and dipped the salmon in the sauce they give you and it was so awesome! The only thing drives me nuts is the waiting 30 minutes to drink. But it is worth it!

Hey guys! I did this last night and thought that I would share with everyone. One of the first things the nurses told me at the surgi-center when I had my surgery was to put this card in my wallet that said I had the Lap-Band. This way, in case of an emergency the ER staff or EMS would not put a gastric tube in if I needed one. Well, I thought about it and decided that what if I didn't have my wallet with me? How would they know I had it. It isn't a guarantee that my husband would be with me to tell them. So...I went online and did a search for custom medical I.D. bracelets and found some really nice ones. Not the ones that your grandma would wear but ones that were stylish and hip. I was able to put my name, Gastric Band, date I had the surgery, doc's name and office phonenumber. And the engraving was free. So, I thought that I would pass along this information if anyone is interested. It just really put my mind at ease knowing that I ordered a bracelet that I would wear because it was nice and stylish AND informative! www.americanmedical-id.com

Hey Lisa! I know it totally sucks to see all those sodas! I am the one who buys for my office and I have Cokes, Diet Cokes, A & W Rootbeer, 7UP and Brisk Ised Tea...But! I found that Propel Fitness Water is a great getaway from the sodas! And they taste great! Plus have vitamins. So, I buy those for me! Maybe you should try some of those and maybe even talk to the person who handles the buying for your office and see if maybe they would consider buying something a little more healthier for the office as a whole. The cases of Propel are about $10 each...and that is not a bad price at all! Heck! Even a few cases of juices would benefit them as well. And as far as the broth that you have to drink...have you tried the Soup at Hand? The Cream of Potato is great!! And so is the Creamy Chicken Cup of Soup packets! Yum! And as far as drinking sodas myself...I have done well staying away from them but I will take a swig every now and then of my hubby's just for the taste of it. If I want something sweet to drink, I will drink some OJ or tea...or drink a glass of skim milk just to drink it instead of water just to take a break from it. Take care!

Don't worry about. I did the same thing last week and then with Halloween coming up it makes it even worse. I caved too but then you have to give yourself a swift kick in the ass and get it together. It's ok. PMS is a bitch!

I have the same problem with water. The only thing I know is that when you drink water with a straw it does go faster but then you have to deal with the air you suck in with it! I will go to Sonic and get a Route 44 cup of ice and munch on that during the day, that could be one way for you. You can make your own homemade popsicles with sugar-free Kool-Aid. I also drink hot tea during the day with Splenda and I count that as a water. I have been told that iced tea with Splenda can count as a water. So if you drink the tea, count it as a water but still get the regular water in. Also, try making your own lemonade with fresh lemons and Splenda...yum! The lemon is good for you too! Hope this helps!

1. Bread-very little 2. Pasta-no 3. Pop-Only if it sits with ice a little bit--breaks down the bubbles--makes flat 4. Tortillas-very little 5. Salad-small ones 6. Steak-very little, has to be tender 7. Roast-haven't had yet 8. Cereal-yep! 1/2 the sugar Fruity Pebbles!!! they get real mushy and have Splenda! 9. Hamburger-yes. but not the whole thing 10. Pizza-one slice 11. Apples-haven't had yet...just the juice 12. Chips-Funyuns or Cheetos...but only twice since banded in Sept.'05 13. Cheese-yes, melted and chunk cheese 14. Shrimp-not yet 15. Pop corn-not yet.....too scared 16. Pretzels-not yet....too scared My big downfall is candy...and now that it is Halloween...I am having fits! I did break down and buy some candy corn and pumpkins and have a few a day but I would love to get my hands on a Wonka Mix-ups bag!!!! Bottle Caps! My favorites!!!! But, the will to lose the weight has to be more than the craving for the candy...so I am having a bit of a time getting my head out this sugar fog! I did go to the Texas Renaissance Festival this past weekend and I paid for that one! I was able to have a WHOLE turkey leg and a sausage on a stick...it didn't come back up but I was in the bathroom all sunday! So, now I know better...oh well!

Great thread! 1. To be healthy for my kids and hubby. 2. To be able to go to the amusement park and not worry about the size of the seat and whether or not I will fit in it! 3. To not get all the medical problems that run in my family! 4. To get on the back of my hubby's motorcycle and my belly not hit his back! 5. To not shop at Lane Bryant anymore! 6. To feel better about the way I look. The list could go on and on and on!

Sorry that you are feeling so bad. I hope you get to feeling better soon. Much luck and the best to you. Take care.

Haven't a clue! Could they be bookmarkers?

You will do fine! I had mine on a wednesday and out being social on saturday! Stay calm and everything will be fine. Best to you.

Isn't that a great feeling! Keep up the good work! Many cat-calls await you!! Woohoo!

If you want to add a little variety to your bananas (I got tired of bananas too) add a little fat free whipped cream to it and it makes it seem like you are having a little sundae and you can even add a little chocolate or strawberry syrup (Nestle Quik) and it makes it better! I still eat the applesauce but you can also try some of the flavored sauce to add a little variety to that too! And one of the best things that I found that goes down easy is watermelon. I would eat that in the beginning too. Hope this helps!

Everyone's stories are just freaking me out! Sorry, but that is the only way to explain it! I didn't have any problems with my incisions except for one had a little piece of stitch sticking out and my doctor snipped it off. I still feel soreness around them and the port area itself but I expect that. Reading how some of you had staples instead of just stitches and Stery-strips just made me wince with the thought of it. I had the staples with my 1st c-section and the the Stery-strips with my 2nd and I so preffered the strips to staples. I am so sorry for those of you who had a hard time with your incisions, my heart just goes out to you all. Best of luck in your healing.

I love Lane Bryant and I have the charge account to prove it! But I cannot wait until I can shop somewhere else. I did go there a few day ago and got into a 16 skirt! A change from the usual 18-20! There is also a website that sells plus-size clothing that is for a younger age if anyone is interested for now (I know we want to get away from the words "plus size". That is the agenda for us right!?) www.alight.com or www.torrid.com Both of these websites are great for younger women and I haven't had any disappointing purchases from them at all! The clothes are great. Hope this helps the younger girls.

Well, pizza is a hard thing to deal with...I ordered pizza the other day for my kids and I picked off the cheese and that wasn't that bad. I noticed how much milk that you drink in a day, have you tried eating cottage cheese instead of maybe a glass of milk? I know some people do not like but it could be a break from the milk just to have a change and still get some protein in, or maybe even a piece of cheese. The weight that you loss is great...keep up the good work!

If you have a rocking chair or a computer chair that leans back...rock, rock, rock and take Gas-X...that is the only thing that helped me....Hope this helps!

The only diet I follow is really what was on the sheet that my doctor gave to me. The liquid diet for the 1st 48 hours and then after that for this 1st month I only eat: Breakfast: 1-2 eggs scrambled 1 package of grits omelette (no meat) 1 package of oatmeal (any of the above) Lunch: Soup at Hand 1 can of tuna or one of the flavored packages w/mayo, salt, pepper small salad or any fish Dinner: Any baked fish or salmon steamed veggies Snacks: Jell-o w/fat free whipped topping fat free pudding cottage cheese applesauce popiscles/fudgsicles (sugar free) fat free frozen strawberry yogurt w/whipped cream This is just a example but check with your doctor...He told me for the 1st month to stay away from beef, veal, pork, chicken and to try salads 2 weeks after. No bread, pasta, rice, corn...even though it is a starch I stillhave mashed potatos since they are soft. I also found that Viactiv makes a multi-vitamin now and that is alot better than drinking Centrum! It's like having a chocolate! Plenty of water and hot tea has helped me....and NO sodas! juices are great but you might want to dilute them in the beginning. Hope this helps! Good luck on your band!

well I am glad to know that there is someone like me!! I love pastries and anything sweet and being from south Texas and growing up with Tex-Mex and having the little Mexican grandma making tortillas and beans and all that good stuff it is realy hard. I actually went to a Mexican restaurant last weekend and had an enchilada and refried beans! I was able to eat the whole enchilada and half the beans and it was wonderful! Since I haven't had a fill and my doctor does not want me to for awhile it is good to know that what I am doing is actually working without one or even the thought that I need one soon. Not to say that I will never need one...I am sure I will, but it's nice knowing that I have more control in my choices and I know what is better to eat and what isn't. I know that everyone with the band is different but so far I am very happy with my decision. Especially since I went shopping the other day for an outfit for a wedding today and I got into a 16 instead of the normal 20!! This has made such a big difference. Congrats on your weightloss and keep up the good work!

I know it may sound weird to me but how can you only get a tablespoon of grits down and that is it? Since I have had my band I have always been able to eat alot more than most people that are on this website and lose the weight, especially being newly banded...even in the beginning. When I read that some people can only get down a couple of tablespoons of a certain mushy food and I can put down almost a cup I just can't believe it. And I know that most have had a fill and their band is tighter but it seems to me that maybe what they are trying to put down is too thick? I don't know. I just know that I guess I have been fortunate to have not had a PB or even vomiting everything that I put down. Like this morning, I made a 3 egg omelette with chese and thin sliced turkey breast and I only ate half of it and saved the rest for later. I knew when I was full and I stopped and waited for 30 minutes and had some hot tea. That is the hardest part is waiting to drink but I do drink before I eat. And for lunch I will probably have just a Soup at Hand and nothing else. I don't know maybe it is just me and my make-up but it just throws me...anyone else wonder this too?