tanqueray

I too use cocktail forks and baby spoons. I buy them at the thrift store so I've never paid more than a dollar for each. I keep a "kit" in my purse which (in a bag) has a cocktail fork, baby spoon, small paring knife, and a small plate. (the plate is in case I get something in styrofoam which is difficult when cutting up small bites)

Wow everyone. I am sitting hear all teary eyed. HOW I NEEDED THIS THREAD!! Like Purrplelover, I recently gained 37 pounds back. I originally lost 120. I was a size 14 but now need 16 jeans. (at my thinnest but most unhealthy, I could wear some 12's but really I was a 14) I had some troubles earlier this year with being too tight and didn't eat or drink for 10 days. The surgeon had to take over 2 cc's out of my band and wa-la I gained 20 pounds. I haven't been on this site for over 8 months which in reflection is BAD, very bad for me. I need this support. I have failed myself and my conviction to my weight loss journey. But I am getting back on track and this thread has helped tremendously. I also admit to needing a fix on my anti-depressent (I have struggled with depression since I was 12) but I am reluctant because as someone mentioned earlier, my PCP is a nasty old fart that constantly criticizes my weight. (even at my lowest he thought I needed to lose much more) So because I am depressed, I am self medicating through booze and food. Bad combination I know. I have a friend that recommended her doctor (very weight friendly) and I will call today to get an appointment. I started working out again and am tracking my food via Lose It. So, I am on my way again. But emotionally I am a wreck. That's why this thread really impacted me. I'm not alone. I'm not a failure. I'm not isolate--I have help at my fingertips. Many thanks folks.

Saw this on Yahoo and I have to say, it's true for me. I can drink WAAAYYY more than before my surgery and I tend to find myself drinking daily, instead of socially. Need to change that asap, which I will. "Weight-Loss Surgery Increases Risk of Alcohol Addiction" Andrew Kahn was only a social drinker before his weight-loss surgery. He never imagined he would develop problems with alcohol because he had bariatric surgery. But he did. The 61-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who had his gastric bypass surgery in 2003, eventually developed alcoholism and was treated at a rehabilitation facility for his addiction. "I never had any guidance or education about that," said Kahn. "If I was given the choice between being obese and becoming an alcoholic, I would have thought about [my decision] more." The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric surgery estimates that approximately 72 million people are obese in the United States and 200,000 people have bariatric surgery each year. Kahn's alcohol addiction may not be a unique result of gastric bypass surgery. New research suggests that having Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, where the size of the stomach is reduced and the intestine is shortened, thus limiting how much a person can eat, can increase the risk of alcohol-use disorders. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, adds to mounting evidence of a link between have the popular gastric bypass surgery and the symptoms of alcohol-use disorders. Before the surgery, the nearly 2000 study participants completed a survey developed by the World Health Organization that is used to identify symptoms of alcohol abuse. The patients then completed the survey one and two years after their weight-loss surgery. The study found 7 percent of patients who had gastric bypass reported symptoms of alcohol use disorders prior to surgery. The second year after surgery, 10.7 percent of patients were reporting symptoms. The findings were published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "There have been previous studies that show there is a change in alcohol sensitivity in gastric bypass," Wendy King, a research assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and the study's lead author. King's study is the first to show that with this increased sensitivity there is also an increased risk of alcohol use disorders (AUD), the term used to describe alcohol abuse and dependence. Dr. Mitchell Roslin, a bariatric surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the link between gastric bypass surgery and increased alcohol use has been attributed before to the shifting addiction theory and that this is false. The shifting addiction theory is that if a person has an impulsive drive to eat and the ability to eat large amounts of food is taken away, then he will shift his addiction to another addictive substance, like drugs or alcohol. "A gastric bypass patient has a small pouch [for a stomach] so alcohol goes straight into the intestine and is absorbed rapidly," said Roslin. "When it is absorbed rapidly, there is a high peak and rapid fall." The higher absorption rate makes alcohol more addictive, he added. Indeed, before his surgery, Kahn would have two drinks, then feel sleepy and go to bed. After the surgery, he said he felt the alcohol would go through his system faster, which allowed him to drink more. "It wears off so quickly so you can keep going and going," said Kahn. Gastric bypass is the most commonly performed bariatric surgery in the United States and represents 70 percent of all surgeries performed during the study. Laparoscopic gastric banding, where an adjustable band in placed around a patient's stomach and limits how much food the stomach can hold, did not have an associated risk with increases in alcohol problems. King said this is to be expected as gastric banding does not change the anatomy and thus the metabolism of alcohol like gastric bypass does. The study also found that the increase in alcohol-use disorders was not seen until the second post-operative year as opposed to the first year after surgery. "This emphasizes that continuing education about alcohol use is needed until the second year after surgery. With follow up [patients] need to hear about consumption and what is appropriate," said King. Dr. Leslie Heinberg, the Director of Behavioral Services for the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, thinks these increases are causes for caution more so than concern. Patients should be educated before their surgery about the changes that will occur in how they will absorb and metabolize alcohol. "Given that the increased rates of alcohol use disorders post-operatively are equivalent to what is seen in the general population, it shouldn't be a reason to avoid a life-saving procedure," said Heinberg. "Rather, it points to the importance of education, informed consent and continued monitoring." King said her study highlights one of the risks of the surgery but it is important for patients to take in context all of benefits and risks and work with doctors to determine what is the best option for them. "Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment we have for obesity. It would be shame if people walked away thinking gastric bypass was a bad procedure based on this [study]," said King. Andrew Kahn said that he did not have the opportunity to know that alcohol addiction may occur after his surgery and he wants other patients to be informed about these risks. He initially lost over 70 pounds after his surgery, but in the six months he was heavily drinking, he gained 35 of those pounds back and became depressed. He eventually attended a detoxification program and has been sober since 2010. Kahn said he would not have had an alcohol problem if he did not have gastric bypass. Still, he wouldn't have traded in the surgery if given a second chance. "Gastric bypass saved my life," he said. http://news.yahoo.com/weight-loss-surgery-increases-risk-alcohol-addiction-003820087--abc-news-health.html

You name a Protein bar, I have tried it. I've ordered them on line, gone into GNC, gone to every "protein bar" section of all local grocery stores and have yet to find a Protein Bar I really enjoy. Yes, I acknowledge every one's taste are different but I hate wasting money and calories on something I don't enjoy. Alas, I finally found two kinds of bars I truly enjoy and look forward to eating! NuGo slim--bars that have 15-17 grams of protein and are covered in REAL dark chocolate. (not the fake stuff). 2 grams of sugar, 9 grams of Fiber and gluten free. 190 calories and 6-7 grams of fat. (depends on what flavor) I get them at Whole Foods but NuGo has a web site too. The other one that I find truly yummy is Vega Sport. I'm eating the Chocolate Coconut right now and it is delicious! 240 calories, 8 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein. Just passing this along. If you ever need a protein bar reviewer, I'm your go to girl. As I've said, I've had them all.

I know! Isn't it awful that people come on these listservs to troll and try to sell crap? Crazy

In the NuGo Carbs are 21 g. In Vega Carbs are 30g I know some folks do watch carbs, I don't. I tried watching carbs early in my lap band process (it's been almost 3 years for me) and I found I don't want to be on a low carb diet. I stick with my high Protein diet and keep my fats low (I try for 32 grams of fat a day) and that's it. BUT I have a bar almost every day, so I am delighted I found some good ones!

WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Even after they shed their excess pounds, formerly obese women still have to contend with "anti-fat prejudice," according to a new study. Researchers asked young women and men to read about women who had either lost 70 pounds of excess weight or had stayed the same weight (weight-stable), and who were either currently obese or currently thin. The participants were then asked about some of the women's attributes, including their attractiveness. "We were surprised to find that currently thin women were viewed differently depending on their weight history," study leader Janet Latner, of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said in a news release from the University of Manchester, in England. "Those who had been obese in the past were perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin, despite having identical height and weight." The participants also showed greater bias against obese people after they had read about women who had lost weight, compared to after reading about weight-stable women -- regardless of whether the weight-stable women were thin or obese. The findings, published May 29 in the journal Obesity, suggest that the stigma of obesity is so powerful that it can continue even after an obese person has lost weight. The researchers said they were particularly troubled by the finding that participants' negative attitudes towards obese people increased when they were falsely told that body weight is easily controlled. "The message we often hear from society is that weight is highly controllable, but the best science in the obesity field at the moment suggests that one's physiology and genetics, as well as the food environment, are the really big players in one's weight status and weight loss," study co-author Kerry O'Brien, from the University of Manchester School of Psychological Sciences and Monash University in Melbourne, in Australia, noted in the news release. "Weight status actually appears rather uncontrollable, regardless of one's willpower, knowledge and dedication. Yet many people who are perceived as 'fat' are struggling in vain to lose weight in order to escape this painful social stigma. We need to rethink our approaches to, and views of, weight and obesity," O'Brien noted. More information The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases offers advice about choosing a safe and effective weight-loss program. Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

You are so right Master! Fat stigma is so acceptable on our society. Cause people look at fat folks and automatically think they are undiciplined and unable to control themselves. So, they feel superior to them and then feel they can denegrate heavy people. Ugh.

Almost 3 years since banding and I stuggle with hunger every month. This is truly one of the worst parts!!! HATE IT!! I think I am one of the few who can't wait for menopause.

Absolutely the band has worked for me. I was morbidly obese and headed toward a heart attack. Banded for 2 1/2 years. (it will be 3 years on Sept. 3rd) I wanted to lose 123 pounds and did that. Gain and lose 10 pounds at any time, but the number was NOT my main goal. I wanted to be a size 14. That's it. I wanted to shop in the "normal" womens department of a store. NOT the "plus" department. I met that goal. I am wearing a 14, sometimes 12. Most tops are large (I don't like them clingy) but I can wear a medium too. The other main reason was my health and blood pressue. My Daddy had his first heart attack at age 50 and died at 54. (I was 19) I did NOT want that for my kids. So, here I am losing a bunch of weight and I still have high blood pressue. BUT I know it is NOT caused by weight, it is genetic. I am on a very low dose blood pressure medicine and am good with that. I eat right and exercise so it's not "unhealthy" living with my BP. How happy am I? Truthfully it depends on the day. I have good days and bad days still but all in all, this was the best decision for me and my lifestyle. I can play and keep up with my kids and I love to shop for clothes. Like someone else said, I should have done this sooner! The hardest part is truly the emotional aspect of my love and addiction of food. Unfortunately, that does not seem to ever stop. It's how you approach things. I think I eat SO much but when measured, it's like 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food. Portions in restaurants now look obsene to me and I can't remember being able to eat it all. (but I did and them some) As Mis73 said, you HAVE TO BE WILLING TO WORK FOR THIS. That's the great misunderstanding..people think the band will do all the work for you. Good luck and stay positive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, there is special barium for weight loss patients. Found that out too at the hospital. And I am SO glad I was at a hospitatl that understood lap band surgery and had a bariatric surgeon on staff. (I was on vacation and not near my own surgeon)

I just had two CAT scans last month. Ask your surgeon but I had to get totally UNFILLED for the CAT Scan. I was at two seperate hospitals (both Bariatric Centers of Excellence) and both told me the same thing. No CAT scan with fluid in your band.

Didn't use him but I did go to Temple. Love my doctor--Ian Soriano. He practices out of Temple and Jeanes.

I went months. It's the hormonal inbalance. I was even on the pill and continued spotting and or bleeding. Months I tell you. Two years out and it still happens if I loose a lot of weight or gain some. Argh.

Nope. I think about food ALL the time. Almost 2 years since surgery and the obsession has not gone away. That truly sucks

I had surgery over a holiday so both my kids were home. At the time, they were 2 and 4. My son (the youngest) was still in diapers so before surgery I taught him how to climb up on the changing table so I would not have to lift him. My daughter was old enough to understand I could not lift her. I was discharged from hospital on a Friday and by Saturday morning, I was up and making them breakfast and taking care of them. I wasn't sore per say (except right around my stomach) but mostly I was tired! Two weeks prior to surgery you are on a liquid diet then day before, clear liquids. Day of surgery I had nothing and nothing the following day either except water. So, mostly I was exhausted not sore. My kids were very understanding and would play "nurse" to mom--which they really enjoyed. So, I think it depends on your kids but also it is important to tell them what is happening. I didn't go into great detail but the kids certainly knew things were different around the house prior to surgery. I went back to work within a week and I travel for work and didn't have any issues.

I take Pepcid nightly. Really helps. But I got acid reflux right now because I am too tight. Getting loosed up in a couple of weeks.

Doctor told me no coffee. What I heard was like Charlie Brown's teacher talking to him: "blah, blah, blah, blah". I had coffee the morning after surgery and have had it every day since. My thoughts are I gave up EVERYTHING else but I won't give up my morning coffee. I have two cups of black coffee a day and have never had a problem.

I did a search on the internet and found that vodka, gin, and scotch have about 60 calories/ounce. So, if I decide to have a drink, I purchase sugar free drink mixes--Target and Walmart both have sugar free lime margarita mix and target has a sugar free cosmo mix. (powdered) Also, one of my favorite drinks is Tanqueray and Diet Lemonade. Butt any flavored vodka with club soda is good for me too!

JinTx you and I are so similar...both got scared at a doctors appt. and both decided to take control of our lives. Getting surgery is a drastic step for a drastic situation. I say this in all my posts--there is NO cure for obesity. But surgery is an option for symptom management and it was the best decision I made. I mentioned it to my husband one day then dropped the subject, Brought it up again a few weeks later to let me process what I said. He was hesistant but supported me because it was what I wanted and NEEDED. Without it, both of us knew I couldn't lose the amount of weight I needed on my own. He was scared for me because any surgery comes iwth risks, but he was there for me every step of the way and was my support during the difficult post-op stage. (difficult because you are only drinking clear liquids, then full liquids, then purees. Makes people cranky when you are that hungry!) This is a decision that can save your life and I congratulate you on making it.

Congratulations! So happy for you. Buy yourself something nice (may sparkley) to celebrate!

My surgeon uses both and asked if I had a preference. I didn't and told him to use what he felt was best for my anatomy. I have a 14cc Realize Band. Happy so far....

Mine is Georgie. Named after our previous president. . Don't really want to explain because I don't want to offend anyone but it's not meant to be a compliment

I hear ya girlfriend. I am UNCONTROABLE when I get my period. For just a couple of days but my eating is off the hook. Like someone said above, it's only for a couple of days. Both my surgeon and GYN had no help or advice except "tough it out". So I do

I feel your pain. I went through the same thing and my husband told me the same thing. You know what?? He was right. (and it pains me to say that ) Once you get into a routine and get results, and that may be just to feel better not the scale numbers, you may stop having this anxiety. But if it doesn't, you may want to speak to your surgeon or seek out a professional therapist that can assist you with the adjustment you made to your body. (which I did and it helped!)