Elisabethsew

Shrimp with cocktail sauce; low cal onion dip (mix 16 oz yogurt with a packet of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix) and serve with celery and carrot sticks for those wanting healthy and chips for others; cheese and crackers. All are no cook and easy appetizers. Main courses for all those people should be cassarole type. Boil a pound of macaroni and mix it with a jar of tomato sauce. Brown up a pound of chop meat. Put half the macaroni in a large pan (get the toss away aluminum ones), layer the macaroni with 16 oz ricotta cheese, sprinkle sauce over it, layer on the chop meat and top that with sauce, layer on 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese and add sauce on top of that. Put the other half of the macaroni on top and top with 8 oz mozzarella cheese. It's 2 jars of sauce, one pound of chop meat, one pound of mozzarella cheese, 16 oz ricotta cheese and one pound of macaroni... tastes like lasagna and it gets raves.

I am also a health care professional and you can report this MD to the State Department of Health, the licensing board of your state, the hospitals where the MD has admitting authorization and the center for disease control (CDC). You could also write a letter to this MD (anonymous if you prefer) stating the facts and what action you plan to take if he continues to reuse needles. Mention the State Dept. of Health, the licensing board and the CDC and I bet he ceases all illegal and unprofessional/unethical practices STAT.

Dr. Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD, wrote Curing the Incurable: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins and is a board certified cardiologist. For cancer patients, he advises 6,000 to 9,000 mg of Vitamin C a day. Also, there is a prescribed drug call marinol that is a derived from marijuana that helps many patients.

Hair is dead cells so there's really nothing that bring "life" to what is already dead. Flaxseed oil is healthy and of course you can take it post banding. You should also take a multi-vitamin and a B-Complex. You'll likley have to schedule an appt. with a dietician pre-op so take that opportunity to ask him/her questions. Also, if you can bring a copy of your bloodwork results to the appt., it will greatly assist in planning your meals post-op.

Since you have no fill in your band, you CAN almost the same as you did before the surgery. However, that doesn't mean you SHOULD. Call your MD's office tomorrow in the AM and tell them that you need to be see for a fill ASAP. If they say no, tell them you are at your wit's end and are contemplating taking diet pills so you NEED an appt. Since you can't undo what is already done, get back on the healthy eating trend and set a goal to lose that 6 pounds. Once you begin to feel restriction, things will look better. Hang in there.

In January, I suffered PE's to both lungs and it's not something I would ever want to go through again. PE's affect more women than men and predisposing factors include obesity, smoking, an unknown hypercoagulability (tendency to clot faster/more than normal), birth control pills and any other hormonal device that contains estrogen, prolonged dehydration, immobility, etc. I had my surgery after the PE's and had to come off the coumadin (blood thinner) to do so. Thankfully, all went well. The chances of PE's being a problem for a quick surgery like lapband are quite low and others have discussed precautions that are taken. You'll do great.

Shop around for another MD to do your fills. I have an 11 cc band with 6.6 cc's in it and I'm just minimally restricted with an appt. schedule in 2 weeks for a fill. YOU are NOT a failure, that nurse is and she should not be dispensing incorrect advice or information. Request to see the MD.

Congratulations on getting though the day... now it's over and you survived. Since I worked this holiday, I had the perfect excuse NOT to indulge in any feasts.

LOL, precious! That L-tryptophan in turkey is a natural sleeping remedy! Happy Thanksgiving.

WOW, you've really had a terrible time and yes, you should write a book. What is the fill capacity of your band? I have an 11 cc capacity and am at 6.6 cc's without good restriction and will be going for another fill in 3 weeks. I have not heard of anyone else having the awful problems you endured and hope your tests allow you to keep the band AND get more fills.

Most surgeons have a list of names. Did you ask the office worker if this was available?

My surgeon chooses the medifast shakes. I buy the chocolate ones and they taste quite good... 90 - 100 calories. He specifically advises NOT to use any of the Slimfast shakes.

I take 9 pills in the AM, one in the afternoon and 4 at night. I take a bite of a pretzel stick and chew it up and, right before I swallow, I put the pill in and down it goes. Large ones I do solo and smaller ones I do 3 at a time. I've never had a problem.

I am going to disagree with the prepared meals suggestions that Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem offer. Those foods are expensive, have a lot of salt, and really would not appeal much to a girl of 12-13. I think she would see that route as a punishment. I think you will find that you're daughter will do much better if she understands what's making her fat. Start by taking your daughter shopping with you and let her do comparison shopping. For example, show how many calories are in one cup of a sugar cereal as compared to something like one cup of Special K or Corn Flakes or Cheerios. Take your daughter to a registered dietician (very different than a nutritionist) to determine her daily nutritional needs (calories, protein, carbs, fats) and to learn what constitutes NORMAL portion sizes. Sample meal plans could be made up by your daughter and the dietician so that your daughter would be assured of eating foods that she enjoys. Spend time teaching your daughter to prepare meals with you. "Oven Fry" foods with a spray of Pam instead of pan frying or deep frying in a lot of oil. Get her to make fresh fruit salad. Take recipes she likes and modify them to make them more healthy but still good tasting such as making a pizza with some diced chicken on it and half the amount of cheese. Weight watchers has teen groups. Call the nearest center in your area and see if you can your daughter can sit in on a meeting for free. They usually allow this. Don't make these changes just for your daughter. Eating healthy should not be just for your daughter or she will see it as a punishment. Toss out all of the crap and get in 100 calorie snack packs, healthy cereals, tasty soups (toss the creamed stuff). Experiment with different veggies and salads. Walden's makes a fat free, sugar free, cal free, carb free line of dressings that taste like they are full of fat. They are in the refrigerator section by the lettuce. Toss some lettuce in a bowl, mix in a can of tuna, a diced apple, a small palm full of raisins and a few tablespoons of diced walnuts. The more you involve your daughter in the purchasing and preparing of healthy foods, the greater the chance that she'll adopt it as a lifestyle. You'll also be doing good for every member of the household. Finally, take your daughter to see an endocrinologist to make sure there are no hormonal issue contributing to her weight gain. Since your daughter hoards food in her room and seems to eat at night, why not take up a hobby with her? Once the homework is done, why not go to the gym, take a ceramics class, learn beading, sewing, etc.? I was a fat child who became a fat teen and adult. You are obviously a very caring and loving mother. Give some of the interventions offered in this thread a try and PLEASE come back often and update us or ask for more help.

Exercise is wonderful but some of us are limited in what we can do related to health issues. I need a total knee replacement but I do get out and walk. It was extremely painful at first but, as the pounds are reduced, it becomes easier. I add a little more distance every week and also do upper body work-outs.

The dietician at my surgeon's office recommends NOT taking in the same amount of calories a day. Try doing 800 calories one day, 1200 the next, and 1000 the third. Also, make sure you're varying the protein... fish seems to work better than beef.

Apple Cider Beats Eggnog Six fluid ounces of eggnog without alcohol has 258 calories and 14 grams of fat (more than a Snickers bar), while the same amount of apple cider has only 90 calories and no fat. It's a no-brainer! If you can't forgo the eggnog, consider a reduced-fat version. Veggies and Hummus Top Chips and Dip Veggies and hummus are lower in fat and calories than your typical chip-and-dip (or cheese-and-cracker). Plus, they're full of fiber, which helps stave off hunger and keeps you satisfied. Shrimp Cocktail Is a Winner Whenever you have to choose between deep-fried anything and simple, cold fish, the latter is almost always healthier. Three ounces of shrimp have just 90 calories, but if they're fried, the same amount packs more than 200 calories. Turkey Breast Is Your Best Bet In addition to being an excellent source of protein, turkey offers the least amount of fat per serving, among all other meats, if you pass on the skin. Four ounces of turkey breast sans skin is just 152 calories and almost no fat compared to 236 calories and 12 grams of fat in a skin-on drumstick. Cranberries Make a Good Sauce Spoon cranberry sauce over turkey and stuffing instead of meat-based gravy. Cranberries are packed with vitamin C and also provide a fair amount of dietary fiber, so you can protect yourself from an impending cold and fill up at the same time. Baked Sweet Potatoes Are a Smart Side Baked sweet potatoes are lower in calories and fat than buttery mashed potatoes or candied yams. Plus, they're rich sources of antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene. And if you eat the skin, you'll reap some fiber benefits, too. Just slice them in half, brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and bake. Green Beans Minus the Casserole Enjoy green beans steamed with garlic, or for a lower-fat version of the traditional casserole (you know, the one full of butter, cream, cheese and fried onion strings), use fat-free cream of mushroom soup and go light on the butter. All the yum and none of the guilt. Champagne Is Choice At just 100 calories, a glass of Champagne will do much less damage than a hot toddy, which weighs in at 200 calories -- and that's before the whipped cream. Just keep in mind that after one or two glasses of Champagne, you may be more likely to say yes to that pecan pie. Pass Up the Pecan Pie for Pumpkin A slice of pecan pie has about 400 calories and pumpkin pie has about half that. You can cut the calories in your pumpkin pie even more by using an egg substitute, low-fat evaporated milk and a sugar alternative like Splenda.

Glucophage is usually only prescribed if someone has an elevated hemoglobin A1C (>6.0 or 6.5) as is diagnosed as Insulin resistant. I have never heard of it being prescribed for weight loss without an elevated Heme. A1C.

I choose what holiday means the most to me and that's Christmas. I'm working for Thanksgiving and will avoid all the feast foods that the staff bring into the hospital to celebrate but I will join in on the laughs and the celebration. For Christmas, I have small portions of whatever I desire and that includes some dessert tasting. Surprisingly, a sliver of cheesecake really does satisfy me as much as the huge chunk I used to have.

1. A 12 oz cup of coffee with fat free half and half. 2. A 60 calorie fat-free, sugar-free, 4 oz Jello chocolate pudding that I keep in the freezer. It tastes like ice-cream and also takes awhile to eat when it's frozen. 3. Keeping my hands busy doing my counted cross-stitch embroidary. In a few days I can finish a Christmas ornament to give to someone special. 4. Calling a friend and catching up on what's new. It takes the focus off the craving... if it really is a craving. Most of the time cravings pass in less than 30 minutes. 5. Getting up and doing something. I've noticed that the busier I am, the less I focus on food. 6. Some other low calorie "fixes" that I enjoy include; a 50 calorie cup-a-soup, an individual portion of Cereal (3/4 to 1 cup for 100 cal) that I don't add milk to... just enjoy it as a snack (raisin bran, crispix, special K, etc). Sprinkle some cinnamon on it.

I have BCBS in N.Y. and they require evidence of a 6 month medically supervised diet, normal thyroid function tests, a BMI of 40 or > or a BMI of 35 with one or two co-morbidities.

My decision not to tell anyone about my surgery is a personal one. I don't want to answer to anyone but myself. Since I have lost over 200 pounds via diet and exercise in the past (and regained 125), I decided it would be in my best interest not to go public with the surgery. Others feels just the opposite and enjoy sharing their surgery... to each his/her own.

Carbonated beverages are on the "no" list from my surgeon so I haven't had any. Maybe you could check with yours and get a definite answer.

Aside from not needing to worry about blood clots, I agree with all the tips you were given on this thread. Having lived through pulmonary emboli is both lungs, it's VERY important that you get up and walk every 45 min to one hour. My pulmonologist also advises that ALL people who fly longer than one hour take two baby aspirin just prior to boarding the plane as a prophylactic measure to prevent blood clots. My band surgeon has no problem with this.

I did not suggest you will never lose weight, just that losing weight now is not a priority. You stated you are depressed, suicidal, have panic attacks, and can't keep solid proteins down as they cause you to vomit which leads to inflammation of the esophagus. Perhaps once the mental health professionals have you on the appropriate medications for your depression and panic attacks, you'll begin to feel less despair and better able to deal with the problems associated with the band. I truly hope you get the help you need. While I am sure your long history of complications with the band has contributed to your present state of mind, your postings suggest the mental/emotional issues were present to some degree prior to banding as well. Good luck at the psychiatrist.