SueFromMichigan

Welcome Mereme-9. I'm sure you will find the forum useful. Regarding salads, I love them also, and eat them frequently without problem, as long as I chew well. Just wish there was more nutritional value to iceberg lettuce, because that seems to be the basis of so many of them, especially when eating out.

Hi, I continue to take a baby aspirin daily. My LB doc has no problem with it. I do take the coated 81mg aspirin (the cheap ones from Dollar General). I expect they reach the stomach before beginning to dissolve. Were you taking a whole 325 mg aspirin or the 81mg baby aspirin size?

Congratulations to you, Don, on finally getting started on your Lap-band journey. Sounds like you are really doing well. Pati, you are doing great, too. I lost quite a bit prior to my first fill. The surgery was the impetus for me to really watch what I was eating and control it. I think using one of the sites like MyDailyPlate or FitDay helps a lot.

Justmeuknow - Facebook is a social networking website. You go to www.facebook.com and set up your own facebook page. It is useful for posting pictures for others to see and, if you can get enough of your friends and relatives on it, you can kinda keep up with what is going on in their lives. You can find old friends, etc. In my case, all of my six children or their spouses have Facebook pages, and 7 out of 8 grandchildren do, too. So when they say something about their status, it shows up on my "Home" page. If you want to try it, once you get your page set up you can look for Susan Crane in the Northern IN network. Phyllser is also on there - we are now Facebook friends. Doddie63 - thanks for asking about the fill. I did get a fill up to 8cc, but it was too much. I don't really want to be in pain after eating a couple egg beaters. So I went back and he took 1/2 cc out. I had not really stopped losing, just was feeling unsatisfied after eating 1-2 cups of food. We'll see how this works..... so far, so good. Just had 2 bowls (about 1.75 cups) of turkey chili and was satisfied.

JoannMarie & others looking for Wii............. WalMart has the Wii console on their website for $249.24 + shipping. (You cannot ship to store for free.) They also allow you to check to see if any local stores have them (at the same price, of course). I looked late last night and was going to order one, but checked and found that a store about 7 miles from me had them. I called the store this AM and they had one left, so I went over and got it. They also had the WiiFit for $89.74, which I thought was a good price, so I got it also. :Dancing_biggrin: Now to figure out how to hook the durn thing up! Hey, kids!!!!

We eat venison a lot. It is lower in fat content, even after the processor adds suet to the ground venison to help hold it together. I like my venison cooked in a crock pot. It is a relatively dry meat, and this keeps it moist. In fact, except for the ground meat, that's the only way I will eat it. Any recipe suitable for beef in a crock pot will be even better with venison, and healthier, too. One of the easiest recipes, suitable for deer steak, chops or tenderloin, is to just put it in the crockpot with half a packet of onion Soup mix and Water to cover. Let it cook for 7-8 hours on low. If you like pot roast, you can add potatoes, onions, and carrots, but if you do they should be put in at the same time and below the meat. If you don't have a crock pot - get one! They are a lapbander's best friend because they keep the meat moist and thus easier to eat. Ground venison makes good burgers, meatloaf, chili, sloppy Joes, etc.

JoannMarie, regarding the Wii and WiiFit, it's the same around here. Both Circuit City and Best Buy had them in their ads this week for $250, but limited quantities. And that means those teenagers are going to be waiting outside the store.....I'm too old for that! Hopefully as Black Friday draws near the prices will continue to come down. I have checked eBay regularily, but found no bargains yet. Maggiehpp, congratulations on getting your surgery out of the way. It will get better, and quickly. Meanwhile, not eating = losing pounds. And if you're like me, my appetite was gone there for a while, too. I see you're in Lansing. My daughter lives there in the Colonial Village area. She works at MSU. She could also benefit from Lap Band, but I haven't convinced her yet. Trying to lead by example.

Welcome Roxie, I'm sure you will find this site a great source of support and ideas as you proceed to a slimmer, better you! Anyone know where I can get a Wii and a WiiFit cheap???

I just read through the entire "Where are all the Michigan people at?" thread and only found a couple of people from my part of the state. (They were both from Kazoo.) Surely some others from Benton Harbor/St. Joe/Niles/Sturgis/Dowagiac/Allegan or the Sunset Coast are here. I had my surgery May 16th in Detroit - necessary to go there because Medicare requires a Center of Excellence. But I found a great doctor in Niles for follow-up and fills, so I haven't had to go back to Detroit. He is Dr. Michael Schuhknecht - you can read about him here: Niles Michigan - The Niles Star He also does the surgery in Niles & St. Joe, but was happy to take me on for just fills & f/u. Would be interested in comparing notes with other Bandsters from this area.

For other Facebookers who want to post a link to their page - just go to your Facebook page (not home), copy the page url at the top using highlight then control-c, then return to LapBandTalk, write your message and when you are ready for the link, hit control-v.

Hi Phyl, Are you back down south yet? I am eagerly looking forward to our return to Texas after Christmas. No, I don't play Parking Wars, but it sound interesting. I play Mob Wars, Elven Blood, and Wordplay. All of my kids (or their spouses) are on Facebook, as well as 7 of 8 grandchildren, so its a way to find out what they're up to. Send me a friend request! My Facebook link is Susan Crane | Facebook Any other lapbanders are also welcome to do so. Just Put "Lap Band" in the message section of the friend request so I know who you are. Freezer coleslaw is basically a sweet & sour slaw. You can find a recipe by googling it or there is one on The Daily Plate that seems to use Splenda. I plan to buy a cabbage & try it this week.

Hi Guys, Haven't been on for a while - got too involved with Facebook. Just read the last few pages to catch up. So glad to hear that Don has a surgery date and the rest of you are making progress. Five months post-op, I have now lost 50 lbs (a milestone). I don't know how much the band has to do with it, but my counting and controlling calories seems to help. I can still eat a large quantity of healthy food at a time. I just must be careful to chew and not eat too fast. And, especially, choose the right foods. We were at a football get-together (Go ND!) yesterday with a carry in. There were several good salads there, a mixed veggie salad (made by a diabetic lady), freezer coleslaw, and kidney bean salad. I ate at least a cup of each, plus a couple chicken wings sans skin. I never did get a full feeling, but then, I never do. I plan to see my doctor next week. I am at 6 cc in an AP large band. Perhaps I need a fill. I want to feel full sooner. Do you think that would help? I will admit it is nice to be able to go to events and eat something. And to be able to go out for dinner with others and not call attention to myself.

Jachut, Here in the US we call it Apple Crisp or Apple Brown Betty. Very good, especially with Cool Whip or Ice Cream on top.

I, too, feel bad for those of you who have such a long wait and all those requirements. I probably set a record for getting my band quickly. We didn't get home from Texas till April 4th. Thus I didn't make my first inquiry about lap band till mid April. I went thru Beliteweight, and got everything done in one month. My surgery was 5/16. My Medicare insurance is through Humana Gold Choice. It was an option offered to us when we signed up for Medicare part D, but it's really a complete insurance plan (Advantage plan?). They just take our Medicare premiums, nothing additional, and the insurance is better than straight Medicare, especially for preventative care. I had been on Medifast at one time, but that was over 10 years ago. My primary doc wrote a nice letter about my need to lose weight and inability to do so. She also sent info about the stress echocardiogram I had about 9 months before. I had a psych consult locally and that was it. Humana has a special Bariatrics division, they approved the surgery in 2 days after they got the letters. I still had to go to a Center of Excellence and stay overnight, which they said was the Medicare requirement. I went to Detroit, about 200 miles away. This was arranged promptly by Beliteweight . As for Medicare paying less, I'm not so sure that is true. Beliteweight offered the surgery for self-pay people in Detroit for $11,000, including accomodations one night before & one night after. My Humana Gold Choice Medicare paid the hospital over $23,500, plus the anesthesia and some lab and pathology I needed at 100%. I never received a separate bill or EOB from the physician - I think his fee was included. As the surgery was inpatient, my only expense has been $625. Needless to say, I am very satisfied with both the speed and cost. I don't know if I'd have had the resolve to persevere if I had to wait so long. I admire all of you for doing so, but I wish things could be speeded up for you all, also.

Jazzey, Guess that is the very reason most of us got the band - no success loosing weight before. Do you have to lose that final few pounds before you can have the surgery? Max'sMom, This is a very active support group, but most of the action is in the "New 60+ thread". Feel free to join us there.

Don, I completely agree with JoannMarie. When I first inquired about lap band surgery over a year ago I was told the nearby hospital (Memorial in South Bend, IN - 15 miles away) was in the process of getting Medicare approval as a Center of Excellence. Well, when they still didn't have it this spring, I decided I couldn't wait. I made arrangements to have the surgery in Detroit (about 200 miles away) and took the train there and back for the surgery. I was only there a few days and won't be going back. I was lucky to find a great doctor (Dr. Schuhknecht in Niles, MI) at another nearby hospital (even closer) who understood that I needed to go to a Center of Excellence, and thus couldn't have the surgery done by him at his non-COE facility. But he was willing to do my fills and followup care. You are very patient, much more so than I. But it could be a long while yet. Memorial still doesn't have the COE designation, and now they admit they don't expect to get it anytime soon. Apparently Medicare requires that there be at least two physicians at the hospital who do bariatric surgery in order for the hospital to be a COE. And they have only one and really only have need for one. This is probably true of most hospitals in medium size towns. I have not regretted my decision at all. I think it likely that I would still be waiting a year from now if I hadn't gone to a larger city.

Hi Doddie, Yes, my doctor is one who thinks people should eat 5-6 small meals a day, so I try to eat something every 3-4 hours - not always "hard" Protein, though. For instance I had a couple of microwave scrambled eggs with onion for lunch. Do you think "hard" is important? Do things like eggs slip down too fast? I always get my 80-100 gms of protein a day in. I never seem to get hungry during the day, only in the evening after a supper of meat or fish + veggies. I wish I could eat more then (at supper) and I am still hungry several hours later, when it is time for my next small meal. But then, this not being hungry during the day and eating mostly at night is a long-standing habit with me, too. I worked nights for many years because that's the way my biological clock seems to be set. I still tend to be up from 9-10 AM till 12-1 AM or later.

Carlene, you certainly have my sympathy with the sugar/substitute situation. I don't know what I would do without artificial sweeteners. In some ways, I'm sure it must be helpful that your DH must also watch his sugar intake. Do you respond to all of the artificial sweeteners with the symptoms you describe? What about the diet products that already contain them?

Thanks, JoAnn, I am already keeping track of all I eat - I use myplate.com. I also have a good scale (originally purchased for weighing packages) with which I weigh portions of things like meat and veggies. I limit myself to 900-1200 Cal. daily, which is why I think I am losing weight. But I am often hungry (especially in the evening), even after eating a meal of 1.5 - 2 cups of food. I know the band is just supposed to be a tool, but I don't feel I am getting much if any help from it. Thus I think another fill might be beneficial. I agree I need to get rid of *some* of this food in the house. I just have to make myself do it. I have resolved to donate to the next food drive that comes along. In the meantime, my DH is eating it while I concentrate on eating the healthier alternatives. Thank goodness there are some items, such as milk and cottage cheese, where healthier does not equate to more expensive.

Carlene, I know where you're coming from. Being 67, I was raised by parents who went through the depression. Then we had six children and little income. So frugality is a way of life for me. I got my band just 2 months ago and I can't stand to just throw away the food we had in the house (and freezer). Especially when many of the low-fat, low sugar items now in the stores are so much more expensive than their regular counterparts. I break down and splurge on a few each week, gradually trying to use things up and replace them with healthier alternatives, but it is a slow process. By the same token, I find I have trouble not finishing my food. I can't just push it away and discard it. I have had some success saving it for later and making the leftovers my snack a few hours later. My DH is not dieting and still wants some sweets in the house. But I am able to keep my hands off of them as long as I drink plenty of our half-strength Crystal Light type beverage. It seems to satisfy my sweet tooth. Like you, I don't feel restricted at all. And I'm not sure I recognize being full - at least I never get uncomfortable. I never did really eat because I was hungry - I ate because the food tasted good. So now I have to just stop eating after having what should be an adequate amount. I was in to my doctor last week, expecting a fill. He had previously put 5 cc in my band. This time he pulled out what was there and said there was only 4 cc and he put 5 back in. So he said I should feel a difference and to call him in a week if I didn't. Well, I feel no change, so I will be calling.

Hi Phyl, In answer to your question above, my surgery was on May 16. My first fill (5 cc in a 14 cc band) was on June 16. I now have an appointment with my follow-up doc for July 15 and, after talking to him, he does plan to do a fill. This happens to be my birthday, so my DH and I will be going out to lunch before the appt. :-)

We're still here - just recovering from the long weekend. We always have a long campout/family reunion over the 4th. All of my six children and 7 of 8 grandchildren were there, plus numerous siblings, nieces, nephews, and their families. This was my first real experience eating with others since my surgery. I didn't keep to my regular routine very well and the scale shows it. Meals were irregular to say the least. I had real problems trying to eat six small meals a day like my doctor prefers, as everyone else wanted to eat only two or three. And I wanted to be able to eat a larger amount at those times, with them. Especially on the 5th, when we had our pig roast/carry-in. I was able to handle going out for breakfast, having bacon and eggs and 3/4 of a piece of toast on Sunday. But then, I don't feel restricted at all - I have only had one fill. And I still have never felt uncomfortable after eating anything. So I'm kind of glad to be back home where I can watch, control, and record what I eat more easily.

In our household we always make Crystal Light half-strength. (One little tub per gallon of water.) That said, I have had good success mixing Unjury Strawberry Sorbet with several different flavors of CL - Peach tea, Sunrise Orange, Strawberry Kiwi, etc. We also like to use the Wal-Mart brand of drink mixes and I like to mix the Unjury with the cherry flavor.

The dip and/or the chicken salad is delicious on crackers. I find I just crave the crunch and the salt sometimes. But, being on a budget, I find it much more economical to use the reduced fat wheat crackers from either Aldi's or Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart's Great Value brand allows 15 crackers per serving for 130 Cal, 20 g carb, 2 gm protein. The Aldi's brand (Fit & Active) allows 18 crackers for the same amounts of calories, protein and carbs. Fat calories are slightly lower at 35. Both have 3 g sugars. Best of all, they taste great and cost just $1 - $1.10!

My doctor is a strong believer in 6 small meals a day. He says that is the way humans are meant to eat. So I tend to have trouble eating often enough and little enough. Probably because pre-band, though I knew better, I tended to skip breakfast and lunch (because I wasn't hungry and was busy) and eat a lot at supper, then snack in the evening. Now I try to remember to eat something every three hours. But I still tend to be hungrier at night. I have had just one fill so far, so I'm still able to eat a lot at one time. Hopefully this will change as I get more fills. I usually use yogurt or a protein bar as a midafternoon snack, then cheese and/or whole wheat crackers or refried beans + cheese and salsa in the evening.