batkitty

hi all, I'm still on clear fluids so recipes are really a way off for me, but pre my operation I was an avid cook, I love cooking and having friends over for big dinners and BBQ's. I love international foods such as Italian, Greek, Thai, most Asian actually. And I am interested to see how we can still be exciting with our cooking and inventive, but also be accomodating with our bands. So I thought I would start the ball rolling and see if anyone else has some ideas. I suppose the big hitter for me is BBQ's and dinner for friends. Looking forward to your posts!

hi all, well the dust has finally settled on my band and fill. had a VERY successful fill two weeks ago and have a good amount of restriction, I know I need more ... BUT .. I won't do it at the moment because each meal is a lesson in chewing ... It sticks everytime, I am so hungry ... so the first mouthful goes down without chewing, gets stuck and then no more meal. Is anyone else having problems chewing and food getting stuck?

Skinny2B, where are you moving to in Aus?

Well guys it's been the ride of my life since being banded 28th March! I started IVF the following week and was monitoring intake. First fill was a non-event and ended up having to be done by X-Ray, only got .5 fill which wasn't enough, by the time I got back in to see my surgeon to tell him that that .5 wasn't enough he realised the port had unhooked itself! so I would have needed to go back under the knife, only problem was .... we had a positive pregnancy result! so Ultrasound was my only option for a fill. But I would wait until the next scan to make sure, and as bad luck would have it the pregnancy wasn't looking good. So I waited for the next scan, and again not looking good so I put of the ultrasound for fill again. Sad to say that we lost the pregnancy and I'm now booked in for the readjustment next Friday for a repair to the port and hopefully a bloody good fill. The it's round two for IVF! Basically at this moment in time I can eat pretty much anything I want to, just not as much, but I feel very little restriction which bothers me NO END! So fingers crossed girls, fill and adjustment are successful, I lose a bit more weight, get back into exercise and IVF round 2 is a winner! hopefully we are back on track!

Peek your on for coffee, end of FY over and School Holidays done with I'm all yours, back on track now I think, feeling some restriction ... have booked in for a bit more of a fill in a week or so and we start round two of IVF in 2 weeks. it's all good here

good luck Sim, keep us posted with your recovery ... this site is invaluable for that time.

Nat congratulations!!!! I know the feeling, I turned the treadmill up ... and instead of trying to walk REALLY FAST .... I started lifting my feet off, it's the Cliff Young shuffle but I'M RUNNING! In fact when I went in to speak to my surgeon pre-op, he asked my why I wanted to lose weight, I said to him that if he had asked me 10 years ago I would have said skinny, look good, clothes etc etc ... but now? I want to RUN, I know I can do it, I even see myself running, I can feel it, I just need to get rid of some weight so I don't reak or strain anything .. would love to do a half marathon or a fun run one day.

Hi Nat, thanks a million! I'm pumped for my Port fix, and can't wait to get back on track. I've kinda felt like an outsider, the band is in there but without restriction I felt for a while that I couldn't contribute to the site, like a bit of a faker! but faker no longer woohoo

Toast is the only way, for me it has to be really well toasted (basically no moisture left in the bread to make it doughy) but as for the Cheese, I tried toasted cheese, I double toasted the bread to make sure it was extra crunchy then I got a glob of stringy stretchy cheese stuck for at least 15 mins ... maybe I did something wrong, but my reccomendation for toast topping is well toasted good quality bread , ripe avocado, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice! always use good quality bread, multigrain or sourdough, mainstream brands or bakery franchise brands I have found are too doughy. Who would have throught we could spend an entire diaitribe on BREAD!!!!:biggrin:

Hi Mel, I go to the Avenue and I can vouch for at least one other surgeon who doesn't use a local, but to be honest, even though I have had issues with my port, I have never felt pain from the needle, only what they ended up hitting on the other side. (back of the port because it flipped) Welcome to Melbourne btw... if you want to grab a coffee don't hesitate to send a message :biggrin:

I agree 100%, there are some absolute morons out there ... and to be honest some of them are as slim as they think they are! But I can't agree more, we can lose weight, but these poor sods are stuck with their moronic thoughts and narrow minds.

Nat, I have noticed that same .... I used to be able to consume water REALLY quickly, now if I do gulp is 'bubbles' down ... like if you pour something too quickly into a tight hole and it bubbles up as it drains through. Also I know I have mentioned this on other posts but oh the burping! if I drink anything quikly (ish) burp burp burp burp!!!

hey girl, hang in there. how close to your incision is your port, mine is miles away (well it wouldn't help that it seems to be floating around by itself!) Do you feel you can eat what you want?

You know you are losing weight when .... 1. You can finally zip up last years winter coat. 2. You can fit into those jeans you bought on sale in some dream like state that "one day I might lose weight". Well now I am ....

I just bought a TREADMILL!!! I am sooooooooooo excited, I've spent so much money over the years on gyms and not turned up. At least now I can just come home and hop on, I work really long hours so top or tailing my day with an hours gym work takes me to at least 13-14 hour days. at least now I can come home and do it when I want, morning in my PJ's or at night before dinner.

hey guys ... thanks to all of you who replyed to my post. I do feel alot better. Especially knowing that others have had similar situations not feeling restriction. thanks again

ok I am absolutely terrified ... I hope someone is logging on late and can calm me down! I missed out on my first fill because of infection, I'm due tomorrow via x-ray. And to be honest I have been able to eat more food than I have for the past few weeks (most of it soft food) although I did struggle with some mince last week, it was really difficult to swallow (some Water helped), but I'm wondering if it 'pushed the band down) Because, last night I was having some Dhal for dinner and my boyfriend asked "has your band slipped?" he had noticed that I was able to eat more than I had over the past few weeks. I hadn't thought about it, but jesus what if it has, what if I missed out last week on my first fill and now the thing has slipped because I struggled getting some cooked mince down. Has anyone else had the feeling that they were able to eat 'kinda normally' or have I just blown the whole thing! don't want to sound too desparate ... but HELP!

Hey all, I was thinking of organising a 'night out' in June, July (if we all have enough notice the majority should be able to attend) Anyone interested in meeting in town? maybe Casino or Docklands, maybe Chinatown (maybe not too much rice!) look we can work out the location, just wondering if anyone is up for it. happy to be the go between on dates and scheduling. maybe some from the north can car pool? hope to hear from you all cryss1@bigpond.com

no he couldn't explain why it was on it's side. I did ask if it would stay that way, he said it might move once I lose weight, really no help at all. I'm calling the surgeon tomorrow. still hungry, only feeling a slight bit of tension in the band, for the first fill I expected it to feel significantly tighter. and burping burping burping! so strange others can't burp and I'm like a machine ... any thoughts fellow bandsters?:wink2:

hey guys, thanks to those who replied and Peek thanks for the SMS!!! If anyone else had has fills via x-ray they will know what I'm talking about, well they found the port, GREAT! problem ... it's on it's side .. so not flat, so we are heading in at an ANGLE. Pain-ish but thank god for local anesthetic ..... ok well I'm trying to eat mushie ... because I now only have 2.5mls in the tube .. and I know many others have much more. I'll see how I go for a few days and then reassess with Surgeon. thanks again ...

oh my god ... I feel like I am getting BIGGER, like I am creating gas .... the op went well, was in a little pain at the hospital, then sent me home with some instructions and Panadine ... I woke up this morning feeling like Veruca Salt in Charlie and the chocolate Factory, remember the sence when she bloats up like a big inflatable blueberry? anyone feeling/felt the same and if so ... any throughts or suggestions? batkitty (insert ticker here)

hahaha my partner is dutch, and years ago I bought a pumpkin, he says "what do you think you are going to do with that", I'm like "I'm making soup" and he says "we only use those to feed pigs, I'm not eating that"

I know the feeling, I missed out on my first fill from infection, have my official first fill monday via x-ray, stay calm and positive you will get through it :smile2: And well look forward to Soup, Chilli and oatmeal in the states. Although I do know that alot of hotels Ihave stayed at in the past have been VERY accomodating in cooking me something special (this was diet time all pre band) good luck

Danna, you are a legend! thanks for the tips! Although I broke today and at some solids! chewed and chewed but YUMMY! I am starving at the moment, I mean realtively no change to pre banding appetite! Monday (x-ray fill) can't come quick enough guys, I'm actually scared I'll stretch or move my band if I eat too much. :smile2:

Jet don't be scared, take it day by day and don't try and compare yourself to others. I have had a few set backs the month since my op, but unlike many other things that happen in my life I am being patient. Taking each day as it comes. Have my first fill on monday via x-ray! and rather than go off reading how everyones elses first fill went and then worrying that I'm different, I'm taking it slow. stay well :smile2: