S@ssen@ch

OH God, just what we need......another celebrity gaining weight after a WLS then grasping for other answers. No offense, but if she does consider and go with a lap band I sincerely hope she does not advertise it like she did the other. I think they made kind of a mockery of it, being webcast and everything. I know that it really helped the RNY boost it's numbers and all, but at what cost? Were the individuals doing it because they really knew what they were getting into or were they doing it because Carnie Wilson did it and was successful (at least temporarily)?

The closest thing to trouble I've had with bread is that when I eat very soft white bread, it goes down VERY slowly. It goes down, but very slow. Generally, I try to stick with whole grains and I do eat subway, but I get the honey oat bread. I can't really eat the whole 6" sub, but I eat what satisfies me and am happy with that.

From this Moment-Shania Twain Can't Help Falling in Love-Elvis Endless Love-Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie I Will Always Love You-Whitney Houston I Finally Found Someone-Barbara Streisand & Bryan Adams Because You Loved Me-Celine Dion Unchained Melody-The Righteous Brothers The Dance-Garth Brooks Party Songs: Gosh, too many to choose from. I always liked to put a little disco like Saturday Night Fever. After a couple drinks people really start to let loose and the disco keeps them moving. Some of the 80's dance numbers will be popular, too. And what about those great line dances like the Cha Cha slide or the Macarena. They're always a lot of fun. The party goers will sing, they'll dance. It'll be a night to remember.

:laugh:laugh:laugh:lol::laugh:laugh:laugh You had me hook, line and sinker until the end.........very funny.

I use a smaller plate than the rest of my family, sometimes it's a salad plate and sometimes it's more of a saucer. I serve myself what I believe to be adequate bandster portions. I used to measure it, but I found that lately I've been doing pretty good and even short change myself sometimes. I eat slowly until I'm satisfied beginning with the Protein portion of my meal. Sometimes there's still food on my plate. I'm a reformed "clean your plate" syndrome sufferer. If, for some reason I'm still hungry I'll have a few more bites but that's rare. Eating slowly not only helps you tolerate your food, it helps you recognize the feeling of being satisfied.

I was told, anything smaller than a pencil eraser should be fine. BUT, I take no chances. The only pill I take whole is about the size of a birth control pill. The multi Vitamin I take is chewable. Any time I need something for pain, if it comes in pill form I break it up because I just can't stand it pulverized into powder and I HATE the liquid forms. I have some liquid tylenol with codeine and plain tylenol, but unless I'm desperate I don't take it. YUCK! :yuck: As for liquid advil (ibuprofen), I'd talk to my doctor about that. Any NSAID (non-steroidal anti inflammatory) like ibuprofen or naproxyn (aleve) is not highly recommended for bandsters. Because they affect the lining of the stomach and the stomach acids, putting patients at risk for stomach ulcers that effect is amplified in bandsters due to our pouch/band anatomy. I was told it didn't necessarily have anything to do with the medication sitting in the pouch, but it was the chemistry of the drug and how it affected the stomach lining. My doc made me stop taking mine before surgery and I haven't taken any since. When I took vicoden after a minor surgery, I just broke it into three smaller pieces and swallowed it. Sometimes, I put it in pudding or yogurt to help it go down better. Most medications either come in liquid form or can be crushed. The only ones that cannot be crushed are the ones that are enteric coated or sustained release. These should be clearly marked "do not crush" on the labels. When in doubt, ask the pharmacist at your local pharmacy. Capsules work the same, they can be opened and the powder taken unless the insides are sustained release. Some bandsters take capsules whole after the gel-like shell has been softened in Water.

Phyllis, this sounds aweful. I agree with Alex. Maybe you should try the complete unfill first. A symptom of being a little too tight is the exact reflux that you're describing. Proximal is a term to describe positioning. It means close to the center. Your doctor should have used it in conjunction with your body part such as your proximal stomach, your proximal duodenum, proximal colon, proximal tibia, you get the picture. If it's your proximal stomach, that means that food is staying in the top portion (the portion nearest the central you) of the stomach, which is more than likely your pouch. That would also mean that there's also a good possibility that you're a little too tight if food is staying there so long. It could also be a symptom of the Barrett's. My vague understanding of it is that the esophagus doesn't move things down the path the way it should. Either way, I'd definately try the unfill first and see if your suffering doesn't improve. Although I'm sure you're probably already doing this: make sure you're not eating for at least 3 hours prior to going to bed. Drink a glass of water before going to bed (to flush anything that may be in the pouch, out). Try raising the head of your bed by putting blocks under the feet, not just by sleeping on pillows (this causes you to bend at the waist and may even create more reflux). Although this is not proven, try drinking 4 oz of aloe vera juice at night (it's been known to have healing properties and some bandsters swear by it). Best wishes for feeling better

I had a hip replacement at the age of 30 and have been having trouble with impact exercises ever since. I've always found the recumbant bicycle helpful. You're gonna laugh, but I used to do Richard Simmons exercise tapes. They're very low impact and can even be done while sitting. He's very enthusiastic and he certainly made me feel better on my darkest days. Right now, I'm doing an eliptical. It's low impact for knees and hips. It's a bitch to get started because first, your thighs feel like they're on fire then they turn to some heavy jelly-like substance. After a few sessions, you can eventually work up to more minutes but those first few are killers. I also do an exercise ball where I sit on it and do pelvic/trunk exercises as well as modified crunches. Theraband is also great. Any pilates or yoga instructional dvd or book should be quite helpful for low impact and strengthening routines. And it doesn't matter that you can't twist yourself into the pretzel that the instructor can. Do what you CAN do and eventually you'll be doing more and more.

I have my favorites at just about every place, but I stick to a rule: NO BREADED, DEEP FRIED anything. Basically, that's just a big greasy sponge of fat and calories. Taco Bell: tacos (1 or 2), pintos and cheese, nachos, a burrito- stay away from things with sour cream and lots of cheese or greasy stuff Wendy's: chili, baked potato, their salads (even though I can't eat the whole thing), a kids or Jr. hamburger with half the bun removed McDonald's: Breakfast burrito, fruit n yogurt parfait, hamburger with half the bun removed, the occasional small french fry, LOVE that new asian salad, They have a grilled chicken sandwich but I don't get it-there's other choices I like better (like that salad) Burger King: I generally don't like BK, but if I HAVE to because that's the only choice for some reason, I've gotten the Jr. whopper and taken half the bun off. Arby's: Jr. roast beef with half the bun removed, baked potato Subway: I can eat about 1/2 of a 6" sub and I prefer it to the wraps KFC: tender roast wrap, but I ask for little or no mayo then I usually pick the stuff out of the wrap because I start to get full (it's big). This is the ONLY place I break my breaded, deep fried rule and I do it rarely because I LOVE those popcorn chicken things. YUMMY Panera Bread: usually a Soup or a salad, sometimes half a sandwich with either half a salad or a cup of soup (they have a "you pick 2 combo") I don't have a Sonic that's too close to me, but when I have gone I get a diet slush. Yummy Whenever I've had to eat fast food, for whatever reason, I try to stick to my rules and make the best choices I can. I'm lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, I don't have any foods that I absolutely cannot eat. So, I have had to learn to make healthier choices if I want to succeed. I try to stay away from too much bread, not because I can't eat it but because it fills me up and I can't eat the Protein that I need. It's these things that drive my choices and help me in my weight loss journey.

After you've lost some weight, your body needs to take some time to re-adjust itself. It kind of re-distributes the fluids where they belong. If you're working out, muscles replace fat (hopefully). You tone, you shape. I noticed that after I lost a bit of weight, oh say 20-30 lbs or more then slowed down significantly or stopped I noticed that at first I had some loose skin. After a few weeks, that loose skin wasn't so loose any more. I guess that's the best example I can give.

Unjury is a whey based protein supplement in powder form. From my personal experience and in comparison to other whey based protein powders, Unjury has little or no flavor (when you use the unflavored) and has no odor. Others have a sweet, almost offensive smell and flavor to me. The others remind me of powdered milk, but worse. Which, to my understanding, powdered milk is actually made with some of these whey based powders. You can get Unjury at http://www.unjury.com/ It comes in Unflavored, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry sorbet. You can get sample packets, individual packets and multi-use containers. IMHO, Unjury is the best although I haven't tried the iso proteins and have heard they're good too.

BORED? What the heck is that? Working full time, 2 children, 2 dogs who act and require attention just like children, a husband, a house, a camper.......who can get bored? I have to take time out to do LBT to "wind down" and relax. It's my "me time". I also like to read. I get up each morning at 5 am and I try to exercise at least 3 times a week before I get ready for work. I don't get home from work until at least 6 pm, then it's dinner and the clean up. Do the bills, fold the laundry. On the weekends it's marathon cleaning, or camping and that's even more work. Man, what I'd give to say I was bored.

Wow, I never really thought about that. But, you know? This darn plateau that I've been stuck on for what seems like forever is exactly where I was about 15 years ago. I stayed there until I had my first child. Connection? Maybe. Definately worth asking others about.

I'm so sorry you didn't get the job, but on the bright side..........I have to agree with the others. Maybe this happened for a reason. Keep your chin up and keep pluggin' away at it. From my own personal experience, it took me nearly 5 years to get the job of my dreams. Three of those were spent trudging away in an environment I swore I would never return to, just so that I could have the opportunity to open that golden door again. Good Luck, I know you'll find that perfect position.

First, WOW I'm impressed with the at the 15 min. I got my eliptical and it took me 2 months to work up to 7 minutes. :faint: I don't have the tingling in my toes, yet when I use the eliptical. But, it sounds like maybe a mild circulatory problem. It's kind of the same thing that happens if you'd sit on your leg for a while or sit indian-style for too long. I've had tingling in my toes if I tie my shoes a little too tight and walk on the treadmill too long or ride my bike a little too long. It's all in the positioning and how the blood gets to where it's supposed to go. If the circulation is poor, you may get some tingling. That's not to say this won't get better. Just make sure your shoes are fitting well and not tied too tight. The other thing this could be is a neurological thing. If it's related to the nerves, it's harder to treat. But try the shoes, first.

Drifter, I eat red meat. I eat it any way I like other than breaded and deep fried-just a personal preference. I eat slow, roasted-roast beef. I just had grilled sirloin steak this weekend-although I don't like and am a little afraid if there is the slightest bit of grissle, so I avoided that like the plague. I suppose the more tender the steak, the better. I eat hamburger. I haven't had any trouble with ANY meat I've tried. That includes chicken or turkey which some bandsters also have trouble with. Sometimes meat goes down a little slowly, but I haven't PB'd or gotten stuck with it. I just chew it really well, and those meats that seem to be a little dry I make sure I have gravy or sauce to help lube it up. This banding journey is VERY individualized. You'll have to just try it and, I guess, pray that it goes all right for you. There's no guarantee that you'll be able to eat red meat but there's no definate answer that it will be off limits either. Right now, I have 2.8cc in a 4cc band. In case you're wondering.

what a shitty experience. I certainly hope you're on a smoother road now and on the path to recovery. GEEZ. And what's the frickin' deal with your employer? There's no excuse to bounce a paycheck. As if you didn't have enough crap to deal with. Best wishes

Here, here Donna. I was wondering if someone would pick up on that as I was reading through the responses. I mean really, who was gonna admit that they're the one who doesn't carry their fair share? Of course we're all star pupils, prize employees and hard workers with work ethics to be enviable by all employers. lol

Theoretically, the true definition of a "full liquid" diet means liquids that you cannot see through that you can get through a straw. However, pudding and yogurt are considered a full liquid in the same kind of manner that a popcicle is considered a clear liquid. If left at room temperature long enough, these things will be thin enough to get through a straw. But, because both have dairy products in them you probably don't want to do that for safety reasons. If your body is really needing and craving something to eat, you're probably not getting enough. I would recommend a food log/diary so you can say with all confidance how many grams of Protein you're getting as well as how many calories you're consuming. It's a good habit to get into and very helpful to get you on a good path to make those healthy food choices later on. Good things to eat on a full liquid diet: Any creamed soup-you can also add protein supplements yogurt that does not have fruit chunks (lemon, key lime, boston cream pie, vanilla)-again, you can add Protein powder pudding custard (my favorite choice between that and pudding, and has more protein) smoothies Protein shakes or milk shakes fudgecicles ice cream milk anything that was allowed on the clear liquid diet (broth, popcicles, tea, crystal light, jello) Remember, the first several weeks are about healing so focus on that not weight loss. That will come on it's own.

Hey, even though I understand the physiology of this response I could use one of those blinking lights, too. The closest thing I have to it would be a runny nose.

Jennie, I can't comment about how long to wait, but I CAN tell you what happened to me. After I'd lost about 60 or 70 lbs, I noticed kind of loose skin (especially between my legs-sorry if TMI) It was really kind of scary and hideous looking. I knew I still had about 50 or so pounds to go, at least so I didn't even consider PS. What happened was that I kind of plateaued and you know what? The skin and my overall body shape kind of evened out during that plateau (that I'm still on, by the way). I lost 2 pant sizes during the plateau and the loose, hideous skin is so much better. Give it time, make sure it's what you want and REALLY need. I agree with the person who recommended waiting a year. That would give your body time to adjust to it's losses.

O.K., here goes......... The basic concept of no drinking with meals is because we flush the food we have eaten out of our little pouch. Basically, we make it into a slurry and it passes easily as through a funnel and doesn't move as slowly as we want it to move. It sounds like you've got that concept down. Some doctors vary on their recommendation regarding time pre and post meal drinking. According to Inamed, the makers of the US, FDA approved band recommend no drinking 30 min before and for 1-2 hours after. Now, for satiety (the feeling of fullness). When we eat, our stomach expands and near the top of our stomach (fortunately where our pouch is), there is a neuroreceptor (a sensor, if you will) that triggers when our stomach is stimulated and is getting full. Unfortunately, it takes approximately 20 minutes for that sensor to tell our brains that we are actually full. That's one of the reasons we are supposed to eat slowly and take about 30 minutes to eat. Not only because our band just doesn't like us to wolf our food down, it helps us to recognize satiety. Unbanded individuals should be eating slowly, too. By KEEPING THAT FOOD in the pouch for as long as we can, that little neuroreceptor is still stimulated. So we still feel full. After our food has passed through the band/pouch area, whether it be by natural causes or by us washing it down with Water it should take a period of time again before we actually feel the need to feed. Remember, it took us 20 minutes to recognize that we were full. I was unable to find any scientific data telling me how long this takes, but in my personal experience as well as listening/reading about others I feel this varies from person to person. I don't get really hungry for at least another hour or 2-and this is that 1 or 2 hours after I've eaten. Others can be hungry immediately. It's at this stage where your water intake also comes into play. By drinking water, you can stimulate that neuroreceptor somewhat and you won't be feeling as though you're really REALLY hungry. Hope I was able to help, in common sense terms.

Welcome Dr. C! :welcome::welcomeB: So glad to see you on LBT, I always appreciated your help and comments on OH. We could use more docs who spend the time and effort to contribute. Thank you, thank you for your consideration. :cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:

Dr. C is right about the patch, but I'm worried for you. If you only take a bite or so of food and then feel so nauseated, how much nutrition are you getting? That could be contributing to your symptoms like a vicious circle. Lack of adequate Fluid and nutrition could actually make you MORE nauseated, dizzy and weak. Call your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling, what (and how much) foods you're able to eat and how many fluids you are able to get in.

When I had to take vicoden after my gall bladder surgery, the pills were so big I was afraid to take them whole and I certainly didn't want to crush them.........YUCK :yuck: So, what I did was break them into about 3 pieces. I just kept thinking that as long as they were as small or smaller than the size of a pencil eraser I would be O.K. A couple of times I even put the pieces in yogurt and swallowed them down (or applesauce or pudding). That seemed to help them go down more smoothly. *If the pill is actually STUCK, warm liquids should help dissolve the pill. That is, if you can get liquids down and the pill hasn't occluded the opening. Fortunately, this too shall pass even though it may be very painful in the process. If it got STUCK, remember to treat your stoma kindly afterwards because it can get irritated. You might want to do soft foods or even liquids for a day.