geranium

Hi all, Has anyone experienced carbohydrate craving along with jet lag? I recently flew back from Vancouver Island to Saudi Arabia. There is an eleven hour time difference. I am at day 14 of jetlag and thankfully, more or less over it. The older I get, the longer it takes. This time, I fell into a carbohydrate eating focus and it has been hard to shake. All I wanted to eat was pasta, crouton-like bread chips, tomato soup and the like. Needless to say, I don't even want to get on the scale at the moment. While watching Oprah the other day, Dr. Oz mentioned that the brain needs serotonin, the feel good hormone, and when we eat carbs, it causes insulin to be produced (more of it) which then links to the serotonin levels of the brain. It is like the effect of anti-depressant medications with the action of serotonin uptake. This is what I THINK he said. In any case, I realize that I have to be more vigilent when I am physically vulnerable.

Hi, Where did you find the instructions for the ticker? thanks,

I have learned a couple things. 1. Order from the appetizer menu. It's usually enough. 2. Take along a leak proof container for the left over food. Most restaurants don't provide something leakproof, and as I travel a lot, this works for me.

Thanks AthinnerDenise, I've had a few of those, mostly when I swallowed too quickly and it feels like the food is sitting over top of a big bubble. Last time it happened in the airport restaurant and I had to turn aside to get it out - explosive actually. Luckily I had some napkins. Fortunately there was hardly anyone there. I have the esophagus problem too, so I thought it was the esophageal problem happening. Anyway, I have taken to carrying an airline sick bag in my purse just in case I can't make it to a bathroom. The esophageal problem is the result of a condition called intermittent achalasia, something I'd had many years before getting banded. While I did also have a sliding hiatus hernia repaired at the same time as banding, I forgot to mention to the doctor about the achalasia. When we did fluoroscopy prior to a band adjustment, we could see that I had mega esophagus -so I have to be very careful, because if I eat too much, it just sits there and the pouch gets bigger. I will probably have to get it repaired at some point but for the moment it just adds to the complexity of having the band. To clarify, intermittent achalasia is when the lower esophageal sphincter only opens intermittently into the stomach. So even water won't go through sometimes, which makes it really hard to gage eating. It opens "intermittently" so food sometimes has to sit in the esophagus above the stomach. Food sitting there causes the lower esophagus to form a pouch. If you sleep lying flat, the food will back up and that is when it gets dangerous. Anyhow, I go for another fluoroscopic exam with barium prior to a likely band adjustment today.

What is PB?

Hi everyone, It sounds as if you are talking about sliding hiatus hernias. I had a small one (diagnosed years ago) but when I had my band done in Feb 08, had requested that the surgeon repair it. He did and informed me later that it had been very large. He did everything through the laparoscopic surgery or keyhole method.

What is sliming? I am living in the Middle East and have learned the hard way that MODERATION is the wisest. I ate one falafel very slowly. I ate a second, not paying attention and suffered the consequences - stuck, painful, heaving.

Campbell's tomato soup with cheese - yum. There are two ways to add calcium to any soup, and especially if you want cream soups. Simply blend soft tofu into the soup. It is not only full of calcium but it also provides lots of protein and no fat. When making soup stock from bones, add acid such as lemon or vinegar -several tablespoons. It helps leach lots of calcium out of the bones into the broth.

I will have my band surgery on Feb 10, 08, all being well. I need to loose 80 pounds to reach my goal of 135. I don't have any pre-op diet requirements, and that concerns me somewhat. Nevertheless, I am spending the weekend prior to the surgery away exploring Medain Saleh, in Saudi Arabia, where I live for the time being. At the moment, I don't know how much time to take off work.

I will have my band surgery on Feb 10, 08, all being well. I need to loose 80 pounds to reach my goal of 135. I don't have any pre-op diet requirements, and that concerns me somewhat. Nevertheless, I am spending the weekend prior to the surgery away exploring Medain Saleh, in Saudi Arabia, where I live for the time being. At the moment, I don't know how much time to take off work.