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gdf18

LAP-BAND Patients
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Everything posted by gdf18

  1. gdf18

    Weigh in... how much have u lost?

    I've suffered with edema which has worsened with age, but find that the best cures are: 1. High Protein diet - which doctors suggest after the band anyway 2. Drink over 8 glasses of Water a day- not sodium filled liquids- just H2O, tea, decaf etc. The more you drink, the more you will help the adema subside. And in hot weather, add a glass or two more.
  2. gdf18

    Metamucil, anyone?

    Thanks Terri. Actually, they're website has psyllium as an ingredient but they've mastered it somehow. I'd been on metamucil for a couple of years for regularity, not really for constipation. I'm going to try this. I like this type of fiber because it also helps with heart, etc. Again, thanks. I'm going to order and try it.
  3. So, my last question was about sex and now it's metamucil.....I have to laugh at myself! I have been using Benefiber, and I think it's what is giving me the awful gas pains because I've skipped it for 48 hours and no gas. However, I need Fiber so I'm curious if anyone has figured out a way to take Metamucil while banded. The possible clumping is of course the issue. Gosh, I wish they'd make a chewable! Anyone?
  4. gdf18

    Metamucil, anyone?

    So, even though it has pysllium in it, it doesn't clump up and you don't have to worry about it clogging the stoma, etc? You can drink it slowly as we're supposed to do?
  5. gdf18

    Calling all April Bandsters!!!!

    Hi Leslie (and everyone!) I'm going great. Scale moved today- down 41- need to change my siggie. Now, what can I complain about....hmmmm.....need to be able to have sex without port pain.......hmmm.....nope, that's about it right now- LOL. Actually going well. Gave away a bunch of too big clothes!! That's really good for one's head. How is everyone else today?
  6. gdf18

    Calling all April Bandsters!!!!

    Turler- I can only do liquids in the AM too. The nurse over at the surgeons said it's very very common for morning to be more difficult than the rest of the day. You know they hate it when you don't eat a GOOD breakfast, but I've never really like breakfast and you know what, they say "listen to your body" about everything else, why not about this?
  7. gdf18

    Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

    I love the ww stories. But I HATE the thing about banding as "cheating". Sounds like jealousy to me. How dare someone think that going through what we've all gone through in surgery and recovery think it's cheating? There are people in WW who want to lose 10, 20, 30 pounds. They have no right to judge. I think anywhere like that should have a seminar so they can understand that the band is another tool for those who are very obese- to save their lives. Didn't anyone ever tell them that aside from the instructors, WW makes its money because people come back again and again and again because 95% of dieters put the weight back on? SORRY FOR THE RANT! Just kills me though. I love the idea of using ww for weigh-ins, structure, etc. I do. We're still part of the weight watching community. But I'd sure as heck be angry if I heard the cheaters thing. ERRRGH!
  8. You WILL. It seems hard to imagind now, but many people aren't even hungry during the 3 weeks. It think doing the 3 weeks liquid after is MUCH easier than before. At least your stomach is swollen and cooperates with having less. You'll see- in the hospital you'll find it hard to get anything down. You'll schedule the fill at the first post-op appointment. They figure 5 weeks after surgery, give or take a day or so. My surgery was April 30, and my fill was June 4. Do you have your post-op visit scheduled? One of the good things about this is that you do the three weeks liquid, then a week on soft/mushy foods and then you can eat all foods week 5 (which I really couldn't- I just expanded my soft foods- I was a slow healer). The good news is that week 5 you'll probably have a fill, so you won't do what some do....gain weight back because you're not restricted at all and can eat most foods. Don't forget...when you get a fill you do 48 hours of liquids and then a day or so of mushies again. It slows you down. I've been adding foods very very slowly. I ate pulverized chicken salad as a soft food, but don't eat much white meat chicken- it's very dry. I eat dark meat. HAH- I get down a thigh- that's about it- no skin even. I use baked potatoes and sweet potatoes a lot. String beans. Peas. And now I'll have soup, but not too much. I love potatoes and now I can have them no problem- of course, I rarely eat more than a 1/2 cup at a time. I ordered french fires the other day and ate 3. I eat a lot of salmon, some tuna, sole and flounder and I've had eggs once (don't eat scrambled eggs as a soft food at the beginning- too rubbery- tried fried if you want eggs). I stick with high protein foods for the moment. I haven't had steak yet. Normally, I would have been very frustrated to eat only this, but right now, I'm trying to get as much weight off as quickly as I can because it's gonna slow down to a crawl. My BIL eats anything and he's lost 120- but he's a HE and they lose faster. My BIL sold me on the band because I'd be able to eat anything, but I don't want that much yet. Khalili doesn't want too much sticky starch at the beginning. You have the list- no pancakes, pasta etc for 6 months. I'm itching to try sushi again- it hurt to eat when I tried it before the fill.

  9. I'm reading these and all I can say is when I was a young as you all are, I had the knees to be on top. Now my knees are shot to hell and top is difficult. Also, my port (8 weeks old) is painful when having sex, so it isn't always a quick road back to the good stuff. I'm not sure that being on top would help in the "long" position. Just waiting to heal more.
  10. I haven't read the other answers but I think you need to start liking your body with or without surgery. There's nothing that can't be corrected if breasts fall, but what's most important is your reason to have the surgery. Good health is number one. Then how you feel about yourself. Last, how others see you.
  11. gdf18

    Ladies with large chests...

    I'm an f/g and shrinking more around than cup size but I am sure that will go down as well. I NEVER wear underwires anymore. Haven't in years. Tired of the hardness and the metal breaking through. You can get just as good fit and lift and as good or softer shape without the wire. I thought it wasn't true, but I really like them better. I don't think you should wait until babies to fix your breasts. First, you never know exactly when you'll have those babies, and two, don't wait for your life- you can always redo them if needed and you may not need it.
  12. That's exactly what I thought....poodle and schnauzer. I didn't see this until today and in the meantime, I sent you a note. Better to email me direct I think. Try GDF1818@gmail.com. In the other note I said I'd stop by on the 26th late afternoon to see how you're doing unless you tell me not to do so. Don't have nightmares. Don't get scared. But also remember this is for you and only you and you hold your health and destiny in your hands. It's not perfect and believe me, there's work you'll need to do. But even with one or two complaints, I wouldn't go back to before. I'm down 40 and counting. Gwenn

  13. gdf18

    Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

    I had my first really bad day, yesterday. I was home all day, and I guess in a "mood" because I ate around my band all day. And that's all it takes. Just ate around it. I didn't start getting really bad until late afternoon. Maybe if you added it all up, I had 1500-1700 calories instead of the 800-1000 I normally have. But I had soy ice cream, and cheese and crackers, etc. Just ate slowly and spaced it out. Guess I still have work to do. Of course I should have just kept drinking hot liquids, or taken a nap, or popped an Ativan. Instead I gave myself permission to eat. I was down another half pound yesterday- just to see, I got on the scale today and was up a pound. That's go alway in a day or two, but it's the old questions of WHY. I did find out that you sure can eat around the band.
  14. gdf18

    Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

    what does Wii Fit cost? And is it high impact or can those with injuries, etc use it? I have seen a few on Ebay also.
  15. gdf18

    SEX after banding

    Okay Brandy.....how high is the side of your bed? I think mine is lower- but I made my husband read your answer and we figure we'll give it a go. Even if I have to add pillows. I tried again today and the pain was worse than the first time. It was like a bad gas stitch and it radiated out and down my sides (especially left side where the most incisions are). We couldn't even finish. I was a little sore for a hour or so after. I was upset and crying of course. I don't know why I was feeling guilty but I was. So, I called the surgeon and spoke to my favorite of the nurses. She told me that this is very common- she hears it all the time. Even though the surgeon gives his blessing- he really just means the port etc are safely in place and you can't hurt anything. It DOESN"T mean your tissues are all healed and there can still even be a little swelling. 8 weeks doesn't mean it'll be 8 for everyone. She said it could be another month or two to be really okay. If it's more than that....there's an issue to be addressed. She said not to forget that a lot of tissue were cut that's not a small thing. She made me feel much better. I'm going to take a week or so off and let it calm down a bit. Then I'm going to try sex in the AM with no food in my stomach. Maybe that will help. And I'll try the suggestions here and a few ideas of my own. I really feel bad for my husband. He's 60 and I'm 56 and we're still rocking several times a week, and I really do feel bad about this. But at least I know that one way or another it will resolve. She also said something else I'll pass along. She told me to start doing some "core" exercises because it will help healing and it will build muscle around the port and thus protect it. I'm going to get some exercises but even now, in the meantime, I'm going to just hold me stomach in and stand straight and do reps of it. That's core building for sure.
  16. Hi All, I asked this question in the 50+ group and only had one response.....so I'll try it here. My surgeon okayed sex last week- and I made sure to ask- plain old ordinary on top of me sex. So, my very happy husband and I went for it. We were both nervous...I expect it's like that with any abdominal surgery. I found that I could feel a little pressure when he was on top of my stomach (I'm not getting on top- at least not for the moment). And as he moved, I thought I felt everything moving right along. It was not painful, but I was "aware" of the port, etc. I'm fine so I know I didn't do anything hurtful, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience.
  17. gdf18

    Metamucil, anyone?

    Thanks. It's not just the fiber for bowels for me....it's something to do with keeping my system working in coordination stomach and intestines. It's the only issue I have iwth the band and it was on the "con" list when I was deciding. Basically my only con. I'll try a teaspoon- I think you said use a lot of water with it, right? I'm best the AM, it's when I can get more water down easily. Many thanks.
  18. gdf18

    SEX after banding

    Thank you all. you all made me feel much better. And Leslie2Lose, you gave me a real good laugh. I had a brief moment of thinking of all the positions that could make your shoulder port hurt and I cracked up. You don't even want to know what I could conjure up! LOL. Thanks again, everyone.
  19. gdf18

    Metamucil, anyone?

    Thanks for answering. Did a teaspoon really do much good? I was taking 10 capsules every day, 5 morning and 5 at night. Did you ever hear anything about the wafers being any easier?
  20. gdf18

    Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

    ChristyC- The good news is that you're obviously not too swollen internally from the surgery or from the new band around your stomach. Bad news you know. You know what...you'll have a fill in a few weeks and that will help, so look at this as the last time you'll be having to do this on your own! My brotherinlaw lost about 30 on the 3 weeks of liquid prior to his banding, then gained it all back until his fills hit the "sweet spot". He claimed his doctor said that all that matters the first few weeks was healing. Well, that's well and good, but you can heal and not gain the weight back. Drink hot fluids- they fill you up, use fiber supplement- that will help fill you up, and find a diet hot chocolate for the really tough moments. Good luck
  21. gdf18

    Can't get the balance right!

    I know most people don't have this problem. That's why I posted. To see what I could find out. One thing I do know is that the rumbling in your stomach when you're hungry.....that's gas. It's air filling up and bouncing around the empty space.
  22. Hi- I'm was banded the end of April, and I'm dealing with the problem of terrible gas pains that come and go all day. Sometimes it's just a little, but then it really hurts. It's depressing me as I would like to feel well. Losing the weight is great, but feeling well is important too!!!!!!!!!! I use anti-gas meds, I spread out my eating. But when I spread out the eating it makes it more difficult to get the Water in. So I get a bit dehydrated. I'm not eating "gassy" foods (I wouldn't dare right now), use lactaid, and don't eat fruit. Keeping my stomach lightly full helps, but not all the time. Is this something anyone else has had? Who wants pains and loud grumbling all the time? Thanks-Gwenn
  23. gdf18

    Increase in Depression with weight loss

    There's a very real reason for the increased depression. In fact, 2 reasons. One is similar to post-partum depression. Your life is changing, maybe even in ways you cannot forsee. And there are expectations that may or may not be met. You may not be focusing on these consciously, but they lurk beneath. The realization that nothing may change except that you're thinner, is hard to handle. And for some, this change is huge- marriages made better or ending, outside support, love, job....everything. Second reason is that you, like me and many,many,many of us, are letting go of the one thing that loved us best -food. Instant comfort and gratification gone. The place we go to "fill" ourselves when no one else fill us, gone. Good and gone, but you may actually be MOURNING the loss of the food as companion, friend and support. This is why support groups are vital and why sites like this exist. To help you through. I think there is a specific area for this- you'd need to look at the list of groups. Also, if you have the $ or the coverage.....get some professional counselling. Also plenty of exercise. That raises the endorphins and helps dispel depression. I'm in therapy for this and it does help. My husband tells me I'm yelling at him more, shorter with people, and overreacting in general. I actual can see it, but don't seem to want to stop the behavior. I know what's driving it. And I'll work it through. The great news is that you're noticing. Now, start working it. Good luck.
  24. gdf18

    Weigh in... how much have u lost?

    bama belle- here's the difference on these 12 pounds......this time, they're not coming back!!!!
  25. when you start asking for separate check when going out with friends cause you're ordering a $5 appetiser for your meal and they're ordering $20 steaks.

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