vegwannabe

Have you tried any of the soy protein powders? No whey and completely vegan. You can add it to almost anything...juice, pudding, sauces, hot cereal...even baked goods. Most have over 20gms of protein per serving. Soy is not ideal as a sole source of protein, but as part of an overall higher-protein regime it's great.

You should be taking in as much Protein as possible each day, particularly when you are healing from surgery. Your body needs protein to repair. Your protein requirements depend on your body size. Go online to www.thedailyplate.com or some other similar site to figure what your body needs. If you are on Clear liquids, try Kellogg's protein Water, it comes in ready-to-drink bottles or as a powdered drink mix-5 gm protein, 5 gm Fiber and 30 cal per serving. You will find it in most larger supermarkets, even Walmart has it. If you are not limited to clear liquids, there are loads of high Protein shakes out there. Use the search tool to find some brands others have tried and like or dislike. I've heard good things about sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast, Isopure, Revival Soy, and

You might also try a new drink mix by Kellogg's All Bran that has 10gm of fiber per serving. You'll find it right alongside the fiber supplements. It's just like Crystal Lite.

hair loss is a "hairy" issue. It seems no one can say for sure who will experience it, what prevents it, and how long it'll last. I found this article that explains the connection betwee Biotin and hair loss. Biotin binds to Protein so if you're taking biotin supplements, take them on an empty stomach. Hair Loss: Biotin is food for Your Hair

I recently found a drink mix put out by Kellogg's All Bran that has 10gm of fiber and 20cal. per serving. I found it right alongside the other fiber supplements in my local drugstore and supermarket. It comes in iced tea and pink lemonade. Both are quite tasty - just like Crystal Lite. You get 8 servings per box for a little under $4.00. It's quite flavorful, so you can easily stretch the powdered mix to get 12 - 16 servings per box to economize. I have been drinking it for a couple weeks. I really like it! I'm pretty sure its the same type of fiber as Benefiber. There's no clumping or grittiness. You do need to shake it good, but it mixes even better than Crystal Lite. I've noticed a small difference in my BM frequency. (Always a good thing.) And, no cramping like psyllium can produce. It's good stuff.

I can't wait to wear... ... pants that DON'T have an elastic waistband. ... a bra that has only 2 hooks in the back. ... a bathing suit. ... a sleeveless shirt. ... linen (no stretch there.) ... a skirt or dress. ... OMG, I could go on forever. I'll stop now.

Anyone who wants to have the surgery should be allowed to "attempt" to have the surgery. As someone earlier stated, not all insurance carriers, or even surgeons, for that matter, will perform the surgery on someone who doesn't need it. (Maybe I'm just naive.) There are too many variables to answer the question with any accuracy. At first glance, who are we to say what other people can and cannot do with their lives and bodies. Live and let live. What does "average" mean, anyway? I hope it's not what we should be striving for. I sure as heck don't want to be "average". I want to be freakin' OUTSTANDING!

Regarding hair loss....have you seen this? Hair Loss: Biotin is food for Your Hair The article gives a good explanation about the connection between biotin deficiency and hair loss. You might also be interested to know that biotin binds easily with Protein, so if you have been taking your biotin supplement with or near the time you have a meal or any protein supplement, you may not have been getting biotin's full benefits. You might consider talking with a dietician about your nutritional intake and, I don't know if there is such a thing, but getting tested to see if you are biotin deficient. Hang in there. Good luck!

jjsmiles, thanks for the encouragement. I know this is going to be a struggle for me. Thankfully, the bariatric team in my area mandates an entire "program" before WLS, including attendance at 5 behavior modification sessions and at at least 1 support group meeting, a dietician consult and meeting with a number of other professionals for evaluation and testing. I'm really trying to see all of these "obstacles" as learning experiences and resources that will help to get me to goal. I've go a lot of work ahead of me. I didn't get to be overweight by following the "rules." I have some horrible habits that will take vigorous effort and lots of muscle to overcome. I am hoping that I can just set my mind to losing the weight the same way I quit smoking over 6 years ago....I just did it. I decided I was no longer a smoker and I stopped smoking. I'd say "it was simple", but quitting smoking was one of the best things I ever did for myself and it was brutal. It takes effort, even today, to remain a "non-smoker." I can't say I lack self-esteem. I think I'm pretty great. I lack confidence. Succeeding at this - something that I've been attempting my entire (and I mean entire) life - will be the ulitmate confidence booster. I will be invincible! I'll have to change my name to "superveg"! :thumbup:

I am compelled to say that I really appreciate this thread. Thank you all for sharing your experience with those of us who haven't been banded yet and others who need a bit of guidance. Reading all your posts has been soooo helpful and has really helped to ease some of my anxiety over this whole experience. Intellectually, I've accepted that being banded will change my entire relationship with food. Emotionally, I've been a bit of wreck over it. Food has helped me through some of the best and worst times of my life. I expect the change will be difficult and I will mourn the loss of my old fat friend. Hearing from successful bandsters is as useful a tool as the band itself. There is nothing like the real-life experience of veteran bandsters to give (or not give) credibilty to all the tips, rules and guidelines that are thrown at us. You may underestimate the power of your keystrokes, but I will not. Thank you! I am going to paste all your ideas to a list that I might just have laminated and put it up on my refrigerator door.

I've got Harvard Pilgrim but no band yet. So far I've found HP to be very easy. When I phoned HP last month to see if WLS was covered, I was told that it is covered as long as it is deemed "medically necessary" by my PCP and with a referral from my PCP. My PCP is on board with my getting banded, so I feel pretty confident that everything will be covered. Have you found out how fills are covered yet?

I asked the same question of my surgery coordinator. She works it out as you should give yourself 100lbs for 5 feet of height, 5lbs for each additional inch of height (reduce 10% for small frame, add 10% for a large frame) So if you are 5'8" and have a large frame (i.e. broad shoulders) your ideal weight should be 154lbs. Make sense?

I wish I had your problems. Keep up the good work!!

I just reread the job description...I didn't realize that the snail kite is a bird, duh! I love birds! I am always on the lookout for species I've never seen before. The only raptors I've seen are bald eagles, red-tailed hawks and I think turkey vultures. The most "exotic" bird I've seen up here in the great cold north (New Hampshire) is flock of bohemian wax-wing. They were marvelous! What's the snail kite like? If you do get the job, you have to promise that you will report back on what it's like and how the birds are doing. Go get 'em!

Not bad but a little wishy washy. Drop the "I believe" for "I will" and replace with "I do" or "I am". Swap "I recieved a BS" for "I earned...". Not "IF" you are hired "when" you are hired. You've got to make it sound like YOU are the only qualified person for the job and hiring you is a no-brainer, a done-deal, without sounding arrogant. Lastly, you might mention why you want the job, other than that you are qualified and it serves academic purposes. Say something that expresses your interest in the organization and its goals, mission, etc. Pull some information from their website or other sources that shows you have gone beyond reading the job description in deciding this is the perfect job for you and you are the perfect candidate. Good luck. :redface:

There is a great book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" by Phillis Balch that has a section on UTIs. It recommends taking colloidal silver, garlic - 2 capsules 3x daily and Vitamin C plus bioflavonoids - 4000mg to 5000mg daily in divided doses of 1000mg each. It also lists a bunch of other supplements, but those are the top 3. I've had UTIs and have resorted to antibiotics on occasion. I'm a bit surprised that your doctors are prescribing taking antibiotics for an extended period of time. Doesn't that kill off all the good bacteria in the body and increase the likelihood of getting a yeast infection? If you are getting frequent UTIs, maybe increasing your body's natural defenses is a strategy worth considering. There's a section in the book about improving your immune system too. From "HealthAtoZ.com Alternative treatment Alternative treatment for cystitis may emphasize eliminating all sugar from the diet and drinking lots of Water. Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice not only adds Fluid, but also is thought to help prevent cystitis by making it more difficult for bacteria to cling to the bladder wall. A variety of herbal therapies also are recommended. Generally, the recommended herbs are antimicrobials, such as garlic (Allium sativum), goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), and bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and/or demulcents that soothe and coat the urinary tract, including corn silk and marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis). Homeopathic medicine also can be effective in treating cystitis. Choosing the correct remedy based on the individual's symptoms is always key to the success of this type of treatment. Acupuncture and Chinese traditional herbal medicine can also be helpful in treating acute and chronic cases of cystitis. Hope this helps.

I'm not a milk drinker, just soy for occasional bowl of cereal, but I do recall seeing a brand of milk that markets its 1% tasting like 2% and 2% tasting like whole....you get the idea. It might be called something like "smart...." and be in a greenish carton container. I have no idea if it is available everywhere. You'll need to check the dairy case of your local supermarket. Good luck!

Maybe the cheese is high in sodium and it makes you retain Water. Maybe you have a slight allergy/intolerance to the cheese and it makes you retain water. Maybe it is just a coincidence. Low fat cheese is yucky anyways.

The bite the size of a pencil eraser is what I read in the patient's manual given to me by my bariatric coordinator.

Huh? That just doesn't sound right. What good is the insurance if the "lifetime limit" is only $7,500?!? Clarify whether they are saying... 1. They will pay $7,500 towards the cost of the Lap Band procedure, or 2. If your annual deductible is $7,500, or 3. If your annual maximum "out of pocket" is $7,500, or 4. Over your lifetime of coverage under the policy, you can only get sick $7,500 worth. That's wacked!

I am not in the medical field or taken any of the coding courses but I would imagine that having strong computer application skills would be quite attractive to employers in any type of office environment. I work in an office and am amazed, daily, at the lack of simple computer skills that people exhibit these days. Medical coding is a fairly specific job skill, which you would be trained to do, if needed, by the medical facility that hires you. I do have a friend who works in the front office for a group of cardiac surgeons. She coordinates the surgeries, among other things, and has been working in doctors' offices for a dozen years or so. It's thankless work. Doctors are arrogant (some). Patients are miserable because they don't feel well, and the pay is lousy, at best. The best advice I can give you is...build your general skills (i.e. computer applications, typing, organizational skills and ability to multi-task), then talk to the people in the front office at your PCP. Tell them you are considering changing jobs. Ask them what level of education they have and how they got their jobs. Most of all....ask them if they enjoy their work and why. You can also check out CareerPlanner.com for descriptions of different jobs. Have fun! Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Jobs and Job Outlook

This may sound silly, but I was also wondering what happens when we reach goal too! I haven't really given it that much thought, because I'm just starting the WLS process. I was picturing myself getting thinner and thinner and really enjoying the image! Now that I have a picture in my brain of a Mack truck and a golf cart parked side-by-side, my fun is spoiled! Dang-it!

You know you're a bandster when...water (protein enriched) is a meal!

Tmkey, really limit your carbs. The fewer carbs you consume the more your liver shrinks. I don't know the exact mechanism but it has something to do with carbohydrates being converted to glycogen, which is done by your liver. So the more carbohydrates, the larger/fattier your liver...? You could probably find a more astute description by googleing "fatty liver" or search the forums for more info. If you haven't already, your dietician should be able to tell you the best diet for shrinking your liver. Good luck!!!

Meri, no I'm not losing my hair. I haven't had the surgery yet. I was a bit thrown when I read all the complaints about hair-loss a few months post-op. I've just been reading all these forums and posts about people describing their "hair coming out in gobs", that I want to see if I can "head" (pun intended) off the process. When I read the article, whose link I posted, I was really surprised to read that Protein affects Biotin absorbtion. I'm going to start taking a high-dose (1-5 mg) good-quality supplement. Who can't use stronger nails, thicker hair and smoother skin?? Plus, as tmkey mentioned, Biotin is Water soluable, so what your body doesn't use, you pee out. I'm just hoping its not one of those B Vitamins that turns you urine a bright yellow. On another thread someone mentioned biotin in shampoos and conditioners....I might try those as well. Yes you can get Biotin OTC. You can also order online from places like Drugstore.com and vitacost.com . I do want to mention that some supplements are made with Calcium carbonate which can be constipating. Not sure if the amount in each dose will do anything or not. Doesn't hurt to see if it is available combined with calcium citrate instead. Just wanted to share the information I found.