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I haven't been told no caffeine. I'm a tea drinker , which still has caffeine in it, and i drink as much of the stuff as I ever did. Its one vice I'm not likely to give up and the NUT said tea was fine.

Just wondering if this comp is open to everyone or only those resident in the USA?

I see what you mean. Thought I'd pay the forum a visit and you're right, it seems sleevers do have problems too, its not quite the plain sailing that you would think when you read some of the posts on this board! But yes that also doesn't mean that the sleeve isn't a good option.It just proves once again that you need to research the WLS you choose, find the one you think is right for you and be well informed about potential problems etc beforehand. As they say forewarned is forearmed.

WASA Well said. Its good for someone with experience to come in and stand up for Agnes as the whole thing was getting ridiculous. THANKS.

Thanks for the idea's so far. Most of the commercial types are flavoured - peach, lemon etc and this is what I am really after. LOL. I am sure I can manage PLAIN iced(cold tea)!

Just wondering if someone can please give me a recipe for iced tea - low cal of course. I love the stuff and it has to be cheaper and probably better for you to make your own rather than buy it. TIA

Has anyone thought that Agnes does not HAVE to go to Mexico but is going there because that is where it is affordable for someone who is selfpay? Who say's that no US surgeon's will do the surgery? They probably will but at a much higher prices. There appears to be a similar situation in the UK. I have noticed that a lot of Brits that have or are getting the band are going abroad to get it done. The majority seem to get it done in Belgium. Yes I am sure that ideally she would prefer to have the op closer to home but everyone has to make decisions based on lots of different factors one of which has to be the cost.It may turn out that in the long run it costs more. I do believe though from having read other threads that there are some fill centres in the US that will take patients that have had there surgery elsewhere.Maybe this is an option that she can look at.

Thats awful - hope you get it all sorted out soon. Can I ask which band you have - is it the new AP or the older one? Just wondering as supposedly the new AP was designed in such a way as to minimize the risk of erosion.

Yes this surgery is safe for someone who "only has 50lbs to lose" Here in Australia you do not need to be morbidly obese to have the surgery you only need to be obese.That is a BMI of 30 or over. Yes medicare won't pay for it but most private insurances will. Surely it is better to be proactive and have the surgery earlier rather than later. For all those that have posted that when its only 50lb to lose it can be done with diet and exercise I have to ask did you? Presumably the answer is no, that you continued to gain weight. If you had had the opportunity when you only had 50lb to lose wouldn't you have taken it? 50lb is not easy to lose. It can be done when you are younger but the older you get the harder it gets. Also it is not so much the losing it that is the problem it is keeping it off. Diets do not work - that is a well known fact and that is why the weight loss industry is such big business. agnes I wish you all the best and if you want to Pm me then feel free. You may also want to look at some of Jachut's posts, she also had a low BMI and has done brilliantly. I find her to be truly inspirational.

I can understand that someone can be hungry and want to advance quicker than the recommended diet. I understand that we have no restriction at this point and that it is hard. What I can't understand is going through this process - preop diet, surgery etc etc and then do things so soon afterwards that could mean the whole thing has been a waste of time and money. I was hungry in the first weeks after surgery too but I would not have considered even trying to eat chips. If I was going to cheat then it would have been with something healthy and nutritious. It has been said many times that the band is only a tool and that unless we work it it is useless.We need to remember this. It is not a magic fix and we really need to be committed. Please get back onto your recommended diet for the sake of your health and to prevent possible future problems. You are lucky that your mum had this done at the same time. Having her there to support you should make the process easier. Remember it gets easier as you go along. Wishing you all the best.

I didn't get told to use one.

I would have thought that was pretty obvious. Nothing works for everyone. Just wondering why the OP felt the need to post this statement?

I'm also wondering this. Trying to follow the recommended quantities in my plan but still a little unsure. I also think that although i am eating a lot slower than normal its probably not as slow as it should be.

I agree with restless. I think you should wait longer. Although a cocktail is liquid so there should be no trouble getting it down I don't think it is appropriate at this stage of recovery.It is also full of empty calories which is something I am sure you don't really want. I drink wine on a fairly regular basis and thought it would be difficult to go without. I haven't had any alcohol since I started my preop diet 5 weeks ago and its actually been easier than I thought. I haven't missed it at all. Its up to you what you decide but I am sure you will feel better if you stick to your Dr's plan.

Interesting stats - they don't add up to 100%. Makes you wonder if they did maths!

I had a BMI of almost 32. Made the decision to get the band and had the op on 2 June. At this point I am on mushies.lost 4kg prior to op and have lost another 3.5kg since.Am due to go for initial checkup and first fill on 29 June.

I've noticed that sensation a couple of times as well. I normally put it down to maybe being a little bit dehydrated although it might be due to something else. i can normally still drink with no problems but it does feel as though something is there. Let us know what the outcome is.

Well I'm in Aus and I'm old, 46 (well by some people's definition) and I didn't have one so I really think that it must be down to surgeon/hospital preference.

Fine thank! I don't even feel like I've had an op. No pain or other problems. I get a slight pulling on my port if I turn too quickly but that's nothing. Am back at work and I managed to demonstrate CPR with no problems which was one of my concerns(I'm a First Aid trainer). Started mushies yesterday. I'm a bit worried about PBing so I probably ate less than I am allowed but wanted to to be careful. I ate a lot slower than I normally do but still not sure if its as slow as I'm supposed to be eating. I've only lost 3kg(6.6lb) since the op but I'm really happy with that. Hope everyone else is doing fine too.

I kept my underwear on during surgery and also had the very sexy anti clot socks!

At this point in our journey this is probably true. But have you ever been able to go for so long without eating before? I certainly haven't and the fact that I've done it without cheating or being extremely hungry is a "miracle" in itself. I started mushies today. Didn't manage much Breakfast but had some tuna and mashed avo for lunch which was great. dinner will be mashed spuds, mince and whatever other vegies I can find and mash. Yum I can't wait.

As far as I know I didn't have one. Put it this way i had my own knickers on when I went into surgery and still had them on when I woke up ! I have had catheters before and they have all been taken out when I was awake a couple of hours after surgery. I also had no problem getting up after surgery to use the bathroom.

Homemade veggies soups - well blended. they hit the spot and feel far more like food than protein shakes do.

i was banded 2 june. i was also nauseous at first but found it got better after i managed to get some soup down. So for me i think it must have been hunger even though i didn't feel hungry.

I am still in the liquid phase and I am getting stacks of veggies in. I have homemade veggie Soup at least twice a day. My recommended plan at this point is :- 2 x Protein meals per day - custard,shakes,yogurt etc 2 x fruit - fruit juice 2 x vegies - Soups preferably with added lentils,pulses etc Is it not possible for you to incorporate things like mashed carrot, mashed pumpkin, mashed cauliflower, broccoli etc into your mushy diet? My recommended plan for when I get to mushies is lunch and dinner = 40grams protein + 1/2 cup mashed potato,pasta or legumes + 1/2 cup mashed vegies +1/4 cup puree fruit. I suppose a lot of it is to do with different continents. The Dr's recommendations over here in Australia seem to be vastly different to in the US. In Aus the focus seems to be on balance whereas in the US it semms to be on protein first.