littlefroggy

I went to GNC today and got some Isopure (the green one and the orange one- peach mango.) I sipped the peach mango and it was not good but it was also room temp. I heard people saying they mix in crystal light. Do you just pour in the crystal light and mix it with the Isopure, or do you Water the Isopure down w/ crystal light and water and have half a serving? I start working again tomorrow and want to have the easiest way to get my Protein as possible. If I can figure a way to DRINK this, I think it will be so much simpler than mixing shakes at work. Thanks!! Also, this is strange and totally off topic... I took a nap today and weighed myself and I lost 5 lbs! I had not lost weight when I woke up this morning. Weird, huh?

You can buy sugar free/fat free but only in a box. You can mix it with milk.

Right now I am on liquid Proteins only. The shake I am drinking is 100 calories per serving, 20 grams of Protein, 5 carbs. I drink it 3x a day. I was told not to take in any other drinks with calories. This is only 300 calories a DAY!!! Starting next week I need the energy to teach first grade (lots of activity!!!) This last week (surgery was on Monday) I was very lethargic and slept a lot. I have not lost any weight. I am really worried that on 300 calories I will not have the energy to last the day at work. I feel ok generally, but think I should be getting at least 800 calories a day. The doctor said I should be getting 800-1000 calories a day on the band, but right now with only the shakes, I am not getting anywhere near that. I have lactose intolerance and dairy allergies so it was hard to find a shake I could drink. This has been the only one that makes me feel ok. I want to add Odwalla Superfood, Soy Protein or their other drinks to my diet. They have about 150 calories. I think if I drank 3 of these a day instead of (or with) Water or crystal light I would feel a lot better. Any thoughts????

My doctor said wait THREE MONTHS... I imagine alcohol will be painful on the pouch. I wouldn't do it!

I'm 31 and I would say it's so-so. I was banded on Monday 8/18 and feel pretty good but have a lot of soreness in my port area and my lower belly incision. I never felt any shoulder pain. However, today I took a walk around my neighborhood and was in a TON of pain around my port! My shirt also sort of rubbed against it though. I have to go back to work on Monday and am a bit worried. I'm glad it's been so easy for you! I was so bloated, today was the first day I noticed the scale went down at all. I am still weighing more than I did before surgery!

I was told 60-80 grams per day. I have a very hard time getting it all in! The drinks I like are 20 grams, but I can only drink half at a time, so I am drinking shakes 6 times a day! It's difficult but you have to do it!

I think I took too big of sips and sucked in air. Later tonight I was burping like crazy! I sipped water very slowly the rest of the night and seemed much better!

I have had nausea all day. Since my afternoon shake anyway. I wonder if I did something wrong? It was thicker than I thought it should be so I added more soy milk to it. The doctor was supposed to have someone on call, but when i call the office the phones aren't forwarded! Any good quick cures for nausea? I don't feel like puking-- just have a heavy, yuck feeling in my stomach. Thanks!

I don't think my doc recommended a clear liquid diet after surgery. I went on one before surgery and was already drinking Protein drinks in the hospital. I am just having as many shakes as I can have in a day and getting as much protein as possible. I am still a bit hungry but it's ok! I am dealing with it!

I'm sure this has been posted already a ton of times... but, I am seriously in trouble when it comes to shakes. I can't have whey so I am stuck with soy Protein. I need 60 grams per day. I found a really healthy shake but it tastes like chalk. I tried an egg-white based shake but it is so frothy I am afraid I will get gas. So now I'm drinking the lactose free slim fast, because that's what I could find. It has tons of carbs. My doc said double the protein to carbs. I'm drinking this one, as I need SOMETHING but know it won't be any good long term. I am hungry and don't know what to do. I already drove to the GNC closest to my house and they had nothing that seemed right for me. The best they had was EAS Protein Shakes. HELP!!

I was in my clothes for all of 30 minutes before they had me change into a gown. I wore a t-shirt and yoga pants, with converse shoes (no socks.) I brought a hat with me to wear the next day, but didn't end up wearing it as I took a shower at the hospital! It was in case my hair was a disaster after sleeping so much. I wasn't trying to look good, just comfortable. You will hardly wear your clothes and then when you are released you will just be glad to be going home! I did bring PJ's to the hospital and am SO glad that I did. I was so glad to get out of the gown and into my own clothes. Don't wear something you LOVE. I had on an orange t-shirt and after my shower my stitches bled a bit, right onto my shirt. I wish I had know that would happen.

I am on day 3 since the surgery. I am feeling great (up and about) and overall the pain is really diminished. I gained weight at the hospital (despite only taking in about 4 oz of Protein shake for the day and 1/2 I was there.) I know it was Water weight from the IV. but now I am home and actually am hungry! I had 2 shakes today and about 29 grams of protein in one (including the soy milk) and 20 grams in another shake (including the soy milk.) I know I need a bit more protein for one dya, but I also don't think I should be hungry. Do I just make another shake, or do I just suffer with some mild hunger? I am drinking water and crystal light. I have only had about 40 oz so far, but I need 24 oz more. It's 8 p.m. here. Would you make another shake or just hold out for tomorrow?

I used Dr. Ross McMahon at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. I like that he is very cautious and does extra stitches and really looks out for safety. I stayed overnight, and a lot of the places don't do that. His dietician and nurses are really nice and helpful.

All my friends are thin, and I am the fat one. I am excited to be able to share clothes, or just go shopping in the same store. I have not been thin ever, but weighed about 135 in HS. I was still bigger (since I am 5'4") but was in the normal range more or less. I did not like guys shouting at me and hitting on me, which happened back then. I don't know how I will deal with that as I get thin. I am only a little afraid, I am more excited, but know I will also need some counseling to get over the issues I do have about weight.

I have to be on liquids for 3 weeks. I am already sick of the shakes and it's only day 3! I am also getting hungry. I think part of it will be finding a shake I like and can drink without being annoyed at the bad taste. I am going to GNC as soon as I can drive again!

I had the first surgery of the day, scheduled for 7:40 am. I had to be there at 5:30. I was with my mom and best friend (who is a film maker) and she decided to do a little doc about me, so she had the camera out in pre-op waiting area. She interviewed my mom who was giggling like a mad woman and totally a crack up. I think we were the loudest people there, laughing and just having a good time. My mom is pretty much a nut case and a ham, so she was being pretty funny for the camera! Once the nurse came in to prep me and it was time to have the anesthesiologist come, my friend left, but it was great having her there for the short time she was (until about 6:45.) They started giving me drugs and prepping me for the big surgery. My doctor and his nurse came to visit. My mom and I had a nice little talk for a bit, just about how exciting my future would be and all that. They wheeled me into the operating room, which was so much smaller than I expected. After that, I remember NOTHING. I woke up in the recovery room feeling really cruddy. I think I was cold and tired. I kept asking "am I breathing?" because for some reason I felt like I wasn't. They took me to my room and I slept for awhile, and my mom was there. I had been given some oxycoton for the pain but an hour later it was still not kicking in. I was nearly crying I was in so much pain. They gave me another drug (I think called tramadol or tramaden?) that also had some anti-inflammatory effects. After that I felt SO much better. I was getting the pain meds every 4 hours. They also put these things on my feel that would expand every few minutes to keep my circulation going in my legs. I was hooked up at the legs. My right side had the BP machine hooked to it, and the pulse monitor on my finger. My IV was on the left. I felt very trapped. As soon as I was ready, (maybe a few hours) I got up and peed. After that, I felt comfortable to get up and walk around a lot more. I walked to the nurses station and then around the corridor a number of times. I ordered some chicken broth from the cafeteria and some crystal light. I was drinking Boost, which is the only Protein drink available at the hospital. It was good though. I only drank about half of it the whole day (4 oz maybe) and maybe 4 oz of Water. I was not hungry or thirsty at all. I also was losing my voice, from the tubes they probably stuck down me during the surgery. The first day I had three friends visit, which was great. I got a beautiful lavender plant! I was tired off and on but in good spirits. I had this amazing Australian nurse who was so cheerful and cute! She was with me during the day and was so encouraging! In the night I had a different nurse who was also nice, but I was way GROUCHIER at night! Poor nurse! In the morning I had yet another nurse, she was also nice. I did have some problems though. My BP was low the whole time as was my temperature. My breathing wasn't great and it turns out I do have sleep apnea. I took a test at the doctor's office that didn't come up as sleep apnea, because I only answered yes to the snoring question. I never had a sleep study. My oxygen was going to 89% when I slept and the machine would beep and wake me up. They increased the oxygen while I slept so I would get enough. I also got this little puffing machine to breathe into and brought it home. I started getting a little yuck in my lungs and was coughing a lot. I still have that but otherwise feel so much better. If your doctor has you do the lap band as an out patient, I totally recommend you find a doctor who does an overnight. I couldn't imagine going home in the state I was in the same day as the surgery!!

I was banded on the 18th too. I have the most pain when getting in and out of bed or in and out of a chair. I am feeling SO much better today though! I think most of my pain is around my port. My scars are NASTY though!

I can tell you, judging from my one day out, you WON'T want to do any lifting right away. I can hardly bend over or lift anything. My doc said 6 weeks.

I actually gained 7 lbs while in the hospital overnight!!! I am hoping it's just Water weight do to the IV. Did this happen to anyone else?

I made it through the pre-op diet and am doing clear liquids today! Surgery is tomorrow. I am so excited about the surgery and my future that the clear liquid thing is totally doable!

Update: I am so much better today! I am feeling very excited and hopeful! I have bought a new scale today (one the the things I didn't do yesterday in my frenzy) and look forward to an evening with friends to ease my mind... thanks for your responses, everyone!

I am SO stressed out! I am trying to get everything I need done in order. I was so busy today I FORGOT to go to a party that I helped plan! Hello???? What's wrong with me? I kept running around from store to store looking for the right kind of Protein drink. (I never found something I think I will like) I went looking for a scale and got a bunch of things done for work. I never found a scale I liked either. Overall it's crazy around here. Anyone else have chaos right before surgery? I was trying to get everything done last week so I could just relax, but it's not happening! I'm not sure what to do tomorrow... I still have things to do (buy a scale, rent DVD's to watch while recovering, get crystal light, clean, do laundry (since I won't be able to lift after tomorrow for awhile) and on, and on... I am pretty much freaking out now. I am also a teacher and start school in two weeks and have to be completely prepared to do that. I am 90% done, but there is ALWAYS more you could do! :mad2:

When I first visited the doctor, they said "don't gain weight" but didn't give me the diet until my next visit. I was stressing a bit... as "don't gain weight" isn't much of a diet!! I started by cutting caffeine and any drinks with calories and switched to crystal light and flavored Water. I just tried to limit myself a bit more and be a bit more conscientious. I also started a light workout. (sit ups, leg lifts, arms, squats and walking.) I went to the doctor and amazingly was down about 5 lbs just from that (over about 4 weeks though, so it wasn't anything huge.) During that time I also ate at all my favorite places and had all my favorite foods! I wanted to get everything in before the surgery!

I'm a little sad that "eating" is over now for 7 weeks... (3 weeks liquid + 3 weeks soft foods.) I am doing a high Protein, low carb diet prescribed by the dr. I am not missing regular foods yet. I'm eating a lot of salads with grilled chicken. I've lost 7 lbs though, so I'm feeling ok. Before this started, it was my birthday and I went to my THREE favorite restaurants. My favorite Thai, Vietnamese and Indian places. I had leftovers every day! I went to sushi a few days before too! I really wish I had pizza though, because I LOVE pizza and miss it. I will be able to have a little bit of it in 7 weeks if I want it anymore. I always imagined I would go for one last "feast" before the surgery, but don't feel like it right now, which surprises me!

Thanks... I'm relieved! I am super excited and only now starting to get a litle nervous!