LisaB411

For the first time in my life I am exercising regularly and am excited about it. I'm doing well with cardio -- walking mostly -- but I want to work on my abs, legs, and arms. Does anyone have a good DVD to recommend?

I can eat toast or a toasted English muffin if I go slowly, but I've been afraid to try a bagel because everyone I have talked to with a band has trouble with them. Now I am craving a bagel. Can anyon eat them without a problem? Obviously I'm not going to scarf down a whole one, but a few bites would be wonderful.

Well, I can't see your liver from here, but you are probably fine.

I was able to cut out my insulin completely for the first 3 weeks after surgery. When I started eating again, my blood sugars began to increase. After nearly 3 months, I am taking about 1/3 of the insulin I took before the band. I ended up cutting out one med (Glucophage XR) just because I couldn't get the big pill down, and you aren't supposed to cut it up. I still take one pill. My endocrinologist says when you can get off meds depends on how much weight you lose. Usually people see a difference in blood sugars after losing 10% of their body weight and 20% and make a huge difference.

Ask your doctor what he recommends. Mine says not to eat for 4 hours prior to the fill or drink 2 hours prior.

I like Sprite Zero. It has less of a fake artificial sweetener taste to me than other diet sodas. I used to drink a lot of diet soda before the band. My doctor says it's OK to have it with the band, so I have one once in awhile. I don't crave it like I used to though, but when I do crave it, it's Sprite Zero I want now, instead of Diet Coke.

If you get something stuck that doesn't go down or come up in more than a couple of hours, you have to have all the fluid taken out of your band. The stuck food with then pass and you have the fluid put back in.

If food is getting stuck, she has some restriction.

It's normal to crave food when you are on a liquid diet -- you start to feel like you will never be able to eat again. But realistically, you probably will be able to have a grilled cheese sandwich again. (I had half of one this weekend). Yes, some people have trouble with bread and/or cheese, but many don't -- especially with toasted bread and melted cheese. In reality, there are few foods you will probably have to give up forever in any quantity. I would never tell someone to cheat on a pre-op diet, because it's important, but honestly one grilled cheese sandwich isn't going to hurt you. The big danger in cheating once though is that it kind of opens the door to more cheating.

Relax, if you didn't have problems getting the food down, you are probably fine. It takes more than 1/2 a sandwich to stretch your pouch. Just go back to the diet you are supposed to be on.

I was able to eat just about anything at 5 weeks post-op. What are your doctor's guidelines?

I lived on cottage cheese, oatmeal, baked potatoes smashed up w/ a little sour cream, refried beans, and Stouffer's spinach souffle.

Listen to your Doctor!!!! You are still healing from surgery and you don't want to risk putting stress on your stitches.

I was banded on Apr. 11 and have had one fill so far. I need another, as I don't have much restriction. At this point I can eat pretty much anything, just in smaller quantities than before the band. I haven't tried steak or burgers or doughy bread like bagels though. I can eat toasted bread, english muffins, and pizza except for the crust at the end. My doctor says soda is OK if you want it, and I have a diet coke once in awhile. I used to drink it all day, but I just don't want it now. I eat salads a lot.

I don't have any problems with popcorn. I eat the little "snack size" bags often.

I've lost about 35 pounds so far with my lapband (band date Apr. 11, 2008). I take 4 different blood pressure meds, and before the band my BP was still borderline high. Now it is consistently running around 120/70. I asked my doctor when we could start cutting back on the meds and was told to give it some time. If you were on BP meds and got off of them, how long/how many pounds lost did it take? Did you get off the meds one at a time? What was your Dr.'s criteria for discontinuing the meds? Thanks.

There is a theory that artificial sweeteners can mess with your metabolism if used in large quantities. It's going to be hard to avoid both sugar and sweeteners though. Honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you find that you are hungry after eating something w/ "Fake sugar" cut back on foods with them.

Surely there are teenagers on post who would be more than willing to help you out for a few bucks.

Honestly, I would have not have lapband surgery to lose 50 pounds, unless I had comorbidities and had exhausted all other options. I am very happy with my band, but I have diabetes and high blood pressure and need to lose more than 100 pounds. If you are this scared and unsure, give it some more time.

I can eat bread, pasta, spaghetti, and lasagna. I just don't eat a lot of any of those things. I can eat hot dogs and hamburgers without the buns easily, but have a little bit of trouble with buns and the meat together. If I go slow, take very small bites and chew well, I don't usually have problems with anything.

That sounds like a weird recommendation unless you actually have diabetes. Byetta will lower your blood sugar and can help you lose weight. It can also make you very nauseous. I took it for awhile for diabetes, but couldn't tolerate it. I would get a second opinion. If you are morbidly obese and a good candidate for lapband, I personally think it's a healthier option that injecting Byetta twice a day for the rest of your life.

My doctor said most people don't have a problem with popcorn. I haven't tried it yet, but I've been craving it lately.

Vomiting isn't good at this point and can make your band slip. Call your Dr. and get some anti-nausea meds. Sip thin liquids (no jello) like broth, water, gatorade until the nausea goes away.

Today's my one month anniversary! I've lost 33 pounds. I've also been able to cut my insulin back to about 1/3 of what I had been taking and am off of one of my diabetes meds. I bought new pants that are 2 sizes smaller than my pre-op pants and shirts that are 1 size smaller. I'm really excited!

"Soft foods" for me was basically anything that didn't require chewing. I ate applesauce, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes mashed up w/ a little sour cream, refried beans, tuna and chicken salad blended up in a mini food processor w/ lite mayo, lentil soup blended in the food processor, BBQ chicken (the kind that comes in the tubs) blended in the food processor, Stouffers spinach souffle, oatmeal, poached eggs mashed up.