Marebeth1

Okay so NOW you will have me stick to the other Protein shakes because I hate the taste of coffee of any kind!!!! LOLOL If all diets had a coffee taste I would have never gain the weight in the first place....HA HA

JinTX I can definitely sympathize cause I had excruciating pain too and I never thought it would be that bad. I didn't have the gas pains but every time I got up I belched really long ones! Hopefully if they can give you Prevacid that dissolves on your tongue it will reduce the gas on the stomach. Also the stomach hurts because of the gas they used to pump up the stomach for laproscopic surgery. They can't get all the gas out and it has to work itself out.....keep walking and that helps to work it out of your system. Prayers for you to get better!!

You sound like a real trooper!!! That's great that you got to go home too!

Out of Breath - Doctors usually like to see a person loose 10% body weight before surgery. Also, the pre-surgery diet gets the body ready for the lap band, reduces the size of the liver when is very important during surgery because most of us have an enlarged liver. The more you do to prepare, the more you are ready for post surgery. Victoria - What is the name brand of the Protein cans? Not sure if it the same ones but the dietitian told us not to use the protein shots because it is crummy protein. Not sure if they are the same as what you use. I would be interested in knowing and looking it up. I think the sugar free pudding is a great idea. Since I'm still in Stage 1 - protein drinks only I haven't started adding puddings yet.

Thanks for the info on the Magic Bullet - I wondered about them! I do have a regular blender and a juicer. Is the Magic Bullet better?

Hi Everyone, I just got banded last week on Sept 13th. Had two surgeries in one - repair of a hernia. Had a tough time last week. First got approved 4 years ago, lost weight, yo-yo'd up and down. On the day of surgery I weighed 49 lbs lighter than 4 years ago but sill have a lot to lose. I just trying to figure out the navigation of LapBandTalk.com. I'm strongly committed to the plan and not cheating....I know that is where the successful weight loss will be. I live in the Sacramento, CA area and am a photographer and do web design. Love my husband and family - proud grandma of a beautiful 3 yr old girl. Broke my back 3 yrs ago and hope losing the weight will help the back issues and avoid a spinal fusion. I love this website - hope to get to meet a lot of people here! HUGS!!!

Didn't they give you a Protein range? Calorie limits? Fluids goal? Did they tell you to buy high Protein drink mixes because there are some that are lower and higher in carbs. I have a 16oz Protein Drink each morning - tastes like chocolate milk (using FatFree Milk) - I use 2 scoops totaling 48g Protein so I know I get it in early. Then I do a Protein drink in the afternoon to evening - trying 16 oz with 2 scoops of Nector Fuzzy Navel with 24g Protein. The rest is water, jello, frozen Popsicles. No hunger pains since my surgery 9 days ago. The main reason to get the proteins of 60-80 grams per day is so you will burn fat and not loose hair. You can put unflavored protein in a soup but put it in cold and slowly heat it up. Maybe the unflavored could be good alternative for you?

I get my staples out on Wednesday and then start on pureed foods for 2 weeks. LOL, I don't like refried Beans, so I will ever crave them, they give me gas and I could imagine how that would make me feel right now. I'm wanting some clam chowder (strain the clams out) or baked potato Soup. This is the stage I will HATE cause I hate pureed foods but I'll get thru it. <a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wBG7vI7/"> <img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wBG7vI7/weight.png"></a>

See you on the other side - of lap band world!!!

My stay after surgery I kept getting ice and sips of water....I never got heartburn but already had a lot of pain. I wished I was online because I had my iphone with me at the hospital. They usually give a pain med in your IV, first night I had a push button for pain. Sometimes they have to change meds that will work better for you. I'm glad they got your pain under control, that is a main key to your recovery. I took the ice and water for two days and my doc said when I get home start the Protein drinks.

Give your input on Protein Drinks and Mixes. What you found out for you, where to buy, prices, taste.... Before surgery I bought Atkins ready made drinks - 12 pack at Sam's Club for $15 vanilla, chocolate - 15g Protein, 150 calories, 11oz - loved the Vanilla Bought EAS ready made at Walmart - similar and a little thinner than Atkins. Also bought Isopure bottles of Grape, strawberry and Apple Melon - only didn't like the Strawberry I bought several for post op from www.supplementwarehouse.com - they were ok on the shipping but didn't have the unflavored in stock and held the whole shipment. I got the package 1 day before surgery!! I will reordered from them but not the unflavored. Atkins - Boxed ready mix drinks - Vanilla & Chocolate at Sam's Club 15g Protein per box, 160 calories - Great for a quick fix especially for first week post op. Bought the Strawberry but haven't tried it yet Syntrax Nector - Fuzzy Navel - $28.25 for 2 lb tub - 24g per scoop, 90 calories - This tastes like orange peach - I like to add 2 scoops to 16oz Water Syntrax nectar Chocolate Truffle - $28.25 for 2lb tub - 24g per scoop, 100 calories - Mixed in water tastes watery but I started mix with 16oz Fat Free Milk with 2 scoops and it is delicious! Syntrax Nector Unflavored Medical - $14.36 for 1 lb tub - 10g per scoop, 40 calories - add in chicken brother, mix first in cold Soup and warm up slowly!!! Designer whey Blue Blueberry - $9.29 for 10oz tub - 6g per scoop, 40 calories, 1 net Carb - This is absolutely delicious but I didn't realize this was so low in Protein - so I added unflavored 2 scoops and it added 20g Protein to the 6 for a total of 26g. Isopure - Apple Melon $40.56 for 3lb tub - 32g per scoop, 110 Calories - Bought at The Vitamin Shoppe close to me. Tried 1st time today - not as good as the ready made bottle drinks but will experiment to find a better taste. I am not adding any extra stuff to my drinks - (no peanut butter) Just trying to follow a strict guideline for maximum weight loss. For me I plan to do the Chocolate Truffle with Milk every morning for a "Breakfast" then a flavored drink the afternoon. Hope this helps someone!!

Many start Stage 1 with Protein drinks ready for post surgery. Some good, some bad, some cheap, some pricey. Let's share info on Protein Drinks to help us all. When you post about a Protein Drink and/or mix........Please include - 1) Brand Name and flavor 2) Size tub and price 3) Where you bought and if available online, please include the website. 4) Nutrition Info - amount of Protein grams per scoop, Calories, net Carbs 5) How you used the mix to make your drink/shake Thank you!

Did you have surgery and go home the same day? My surgery wasn't until 4 pm and I got to my hospital room at 8pm last Tuesday, went home on Thursday at 4pm. I was so dizzy and nauseated with Zofran in my IV and a patch behind my ear. I knew I had to walk so I could go home, but every time I was sea sick. Every time I moved I screamed in pain....even last night when I turned in bed I woke my hubby up screaming in pain. The meds will make you dizzy for sure because you don't have any food in your stomach. Maybe you can ask your doctor for the patch for nausea to put behind your ear? Then if you are still sick, take the Zofran - mine is dissolved on my tongue. Hope this helps! But you are a real trooper to be up and moving like that. Marebeth

You're welcomed! I'll be honest, I had so many thoughts of backing out of the surgery up until the last day. I don't know why but I think it is a bad habit I have had of relying on myself to do it own my own. So it was a first step for me to break this bad habit!! I wanted a PARADIGM shift in my lift....If I keep doing what I'm doing I'll keep getting what I got. NO MORE!!! I say congrats to you for daring to have a better healthier life for yourself and your son.

Thanks for the encouragement! During surgery they found I had a haital hernia and repaired it or else the lap band would have slipped. Doctor said it was like 2 surgeries in one. My whole insides were in extreme pain and I was in the hospital 3 days. My blood counts were low, very nauseated and dizzy plus they couldn't control my pain so they kept me. I got nauseated every time I walked but I kept walking. My pace in walking felt like my 88 year old father in law and I can't go as fast as before the surgery. Working at it. I've also tried to not take the pain meds because they are constipating. Took more Miralax tonight so we will see tomorrow...LOL I am so glad I know other bandsters from September and we can all follow the phases of our weight loss.

I got the band on Sept 13 and I've had NO HUNGER either. I keep drinking my protein shakes and I seem to keep sipping and sipping even when I don't want to. I am trying to get to my protein counts by the afternoon so I can slow down a little at night. I had headaches last week after surgery but they have gone now. I haven't read anyone talking about the Ketone strips....but I have tested and I am in Ketosis which means I am burning fat.

I want to encourage you to "JUST DO IT". This is about you, putting YOU first and you won't regret it. I was approved for lap band 4 years ago, didn't do it cause I had lost 40 lbs thinking I was doing pretty good. Then almost 3 years ago I broke my back and went through a horrendous rehab after wearing a full body brace for 5 months and a hospital bed for a year. I had already started YO YO dieting again and started gaining weight back....yes, all that hard work down the tubes. So last year I went back again for lap band surgery, got approved in 3 weeks, again. but the timing was wrong. I've been traveling back and forth from CA to Texas on court hearings (high stress) and couldn't figure out a good time for me to stay home for a month to get it. My diet was again going YO YO.....I did this for me......it forces me to change my lifestyle habits on eating. I am committed to doing this, following the rules and exercising. It has been a wake up call for my husband, who is obese as well and he's on a diet with me. He's lost 30 lbs on his own and FINALLY I had to go thru surgery to get his support cause I didn't have it before. You will be so proud of yourself, I am proud of myself, because there is only GREAT things in store for all of us. Does pass this awesome window of opportunity by and dare to open yourself up to a wonderful new life forever!! And if your boyfriend left, so be it.....he doesn't know what a blessing in you that is about to happen. A better guy will come your way and he will be a person that will support you in your journey. Marebeth

That's awesome Eric, congrats!! I have a 2 week post op next week. I've been weighing at home and looks like 7 lbs down, but I have a ton of swelling still. What's your daily diet? Maybe I'm doing something wrong but I'm on low cal, low carb, high protein. I can't wait to have that awesome feeling next week at my appointment.

Hi everyone, My name is Marebeth and I had lap band surgery last week on Sept 13th. They kept me in the hospital for 2 nights because my blood counts dropped, pain, dizziness and nausea not controlled. Found out that when they did surgery they found I had a hiatal hernia at my esophagus that they repaired because it would have cause the lap band to slip or erode. So I had two surgeries in one. Guess that was good. The pain was horrendous for me. After being home for two days it lightened up some. So it's been a week since surgery and I have not had a bowel movement. I took Miralax last night but to no avail. Talk to the doctor's office today and they told me to drink more liquids. They want me to take the pain meds if I am in pain but the meds does cause constipation. Can anyone give me some advice on this? I'm having a tough time getting all the protein drinks and water down every day - so today I started early. Problem is that I am exhausted and sleeping about 3-4 hours a day from the pain and surgery (I have Fibromyalgia as well) and of course I can't sleep and sip at the same time:) I would be interested in what I can do right now to get me thru the first few weeks. I'm also interested in a support group in Sacramento or Roseville, California. Thanks Mare

Hi TerriDoodle I am looking for a Body Bugg. I have some q's... How old is your bodybugg? Sounds like it is in excellent condition too....correct? Is the v2 the latest version? i broke my back 2 1/2 months ago and I am blessed that I am walking and not paralyzed...per the doctors. I have been wearing a full body brace to keep me from having spine surgery. In mid February they will start to wean me out of the brace and I will start to have physical therapy because I have lost all my back muscles and they are completely lazy. In a few months I will be working up more on the PT and will be working to lose a lot of weight. The doctors say I must lose the weight now and keep it off for the rest of my life - mainly because of my back to keep me from having worse back pain. Please email me about your bodybugg @ megromer@g-wiz (dot) net Thanks!! Mary