coltonwade

Julie, I can not eat eggs either , i cant eat them no matter how they are cooked, they get stuck every time. I can not eat in the am until around 12 or 1 im always too tight. So usually around 7 or 8 in the am I drink a Bolthouse Farms Protein Drink. They are the ONLY kind of drink i use. I get migraines from any kind of artificial sweetners ect . So im very sensitive to most of the prtoien drinks. These are all natural . They have 20 grams of protein per bottle ( The small bottles are actually 2 servings ) I usually drink half of one in the am . They will tide me over until lunch time EASY ! And they are SO GOOD. Bolthouse Farms "Juices" The last 3 drinks on the page are the only ones that have protein in them . I dont like the vanilla chi it tastes like egg nog but the other 2 are AWESOME. Also before i found out about these I only drank Boost . Those worked rather well but not as well as these. You can get the bolthouse at Walgreens, walmart and I can get them at my local grocery store in the Produce section . These are good also for if your out running around and you dont want to do fast food ( as i never want to do anymore ) so i run into walgreens and crab one of these for lunch . HTH Mindy

Totally agree with this too. I have to do 6 days of liquids after every fill . Im suppose to do 3 days clears and 3 days liquids but do to my migraines my doc allows me to do all 6 liquids so I LIVE on Bolthouse farms shakes. My doc is fine w/ that. So my fridge is always stocked with them . They do have a place dont get me wrong. Even Post op they have a place . Mindy

I think SOME Protein shakes are not empty calories, Just my opinion . Slim fast and Atkins shakes CAN be empty calories. I think there are some of those drinks that can be better than others. If that makes sense ? If the calories out weight the protein benifits those IMO are empty ? Does that make sense ? LOL Mindy

Because solid Proteins are what will keep you full longer. That is why you are told to layer your foods, proteins first, then veggies, then if you have room carbs . I am allowed 3 meals and up to 3 Snacks a day . But even with the snacks I am told to make sure their is Protein in them . If your eating a snack because your hungry and you eat a cup of pudding, pudding has almost no protein in it , therefore your going to be hungry very soon again . BUT if you eat say a slice of ham and a slice of cheese , something with prtoein that snack is going to hold you over until your next MEAL . Prtoein shakes to me are "Filler" calories. I dont see the point of drinking them JUST to get in the right amount of protein or calories for the day . You should be doing that with actual food. ANd to me , just my opinion what is the difference between this and the slim fast diet ? Long term the slim fast diet does not WORK ! Maybe im not explaining this correctly . ? What it boils down to is wait and see what YOUR DOC has to say . My doc is ok with me drinking ONE Protein shake a day but he wants me to eat the rest of my calories and my protein . HTH Mindy

FYI, I use pine apple juice on occasion but it sometimes makes things worse. Someone suggested Papaya Enzymes to me ( They are a chewable supplement) and I find those work better for me . If your really stuck the liquids are going to make things worse . The papaya helps more it seems if im pretty stuck . So you might want to have both on hand. I keep the Enzymes in my purse with me at all times. I agree with everyone else about reading the boards with Caution as well Love MIndy

Way to go Daddy that is AWESOME . TexGirly im sorry for your loss. Pick back up when you feel like it . We are here for ya Mindy

Well i would ask your doc . My doc does not want us to drink more than 1 Protein shake a day IF that . But in general I would say yes it would mean drinking things that have no nutrional value. But you could say the same thing about " not drinking calories or protein " if you drank 2 out of your 3 meals a day ? does that make sense ? Mindy

Lauren its not to late. We are all on the first week /going into week 2. Im still on week 1 technically since I have not done my third work out . I should have done it Friday but my whole freaking house is sick so i have had to take care of them . So im doing it in the AM . So feel free to join in . Mindy

It was not until my last fill that I got tight in the am and stayed that way until around noon . That's why i drink my Bolthouse in the am . I tried the protein bullets but those too gave me a migraine. HATE MY head sometimes LOL I was mad too because they did not taste too bad either. Mindy

I went to 4 seminars before i decided on Dr Rincon . 3 were in Austin and then I Called and emailed Dr Rincon , what drove me to him initally was his price, then i started talking to others who were banded by him . Them when i called he personally took 30 mintues to speak to me on the phone . Docs just dont normally do that. That said a lot to me. After I started looking into him more and more info lead me to him . No matter what do your research. Mindy

Awww good to know GNC Has it . Thanks Mindy

Right , I am the same way . I dont track Protein anymore. I just meant , i know people who drink like 4 shakes a day to get in calories. I guess I meant Dont drink more than you eat . Does that make sense ? Not that you do that ,but be careful to not get into that habit because I Think espically if you track calories it can be easy to say " oh ill just drink 2 shakes and i met my calories for the day . Mindy

Just found this one their site too . this might be helpful LOL Sweetleaf Stevia - HealthyShopping.com Mindy

I Buy mine in the little packets in bulk at my local HEB Grocery Store you can get it at Walmart too I THINK ? or Stevia - Naturally Sweet - recipes, Cooking Tips, Articles, and leading Stevia Products HTH Mindy

I agree with Racetrack. Meet with several docs and see which one you connect with and can relate with . Also docs have different pre op diets, post op diets and post fill diets. you might find that one docs diet is one you can not follow and another is one that you can . Post fill "diets" are something to look into . My doc has a pretty conservative post fill diet . Its something i was not sure if i could follow before surgery , Its a breeze now for me . And part of the reason I have lost the amount of weight I have. So its something to look into as well as the pre op and post op diets. All the docs have different versions. HTH Mindy

Just an FYI watch out with using them just to "Boost" Your calories. That most of the time is what docs discourage. Most docs would rather you eat your Protein and calories than drink them . If you get into the habit early of drinking your calories you can fall into the habit of drinking the wrong things. I know people who drink 2 milk shakes a day to boost the calorie intake. I personally do not track calories. I did at first because I my nutrionist realized I was not eating ENOUGH . SO i tracked for a few weeks to make sure i was eating enough . But I dont do that anymore. Mindy

Getting the right amount is a little difficult because it does not take much with Stevia. There is a conversion chart on the bottle ( i use the larger bottle of powder and the powder packets) but i find that not very accurate, it is some what accurate. So it takes a little getting use to . Mindy

I have gone through something similiar . My doc has a pretty "conservative" post fill routine. I have to do 3 days Clear Liquids, 3 days liquids 3 days mushies and 3 days semi solids after each fill. My first fill was fine . Second fill after i got on mushies i could not keep things down . But it was hit or miss. So i tried to stick it out . Then called my doc. He said go on liquids for 5 days to let my stomach heal from PBing so much . Did that then slowly moved to mushies again , PBing again . Long story short i ended up with a slight unfill. half a cc was taken out. (see my sig line) Got my third fill again after about 5 days I was having problems this time with liquids . I was having problems swallwing liquids like normal . I could not even take in enough to get down my meds. This time i did not wait as long i went in for an unfill. he took out half a cc again . My doc told me that I can not tolerate larger ( 1cc or more fills ) and from now on we are going to have to go slowly . he said its nothing " Out of the orginary , it happens to some people. I actually still loose the same amount of weight (Im down almost 60 lbs since July ) so im not worried about it . Anyway what I personally have learned that when im not comfortable or when i THINK Its not comfy its time for an unfill. So if u THINK YOu need an unfill you probably need one. When in doubt call your doc. You might want to discuss going a bit smaller on the fills until you know if you can tolerate them . Feel free to PM if you like. Mindy

My suggestion for the gym if you can , do not come home first. If you can go straight from work to the gym that is the best bet. It leaves less chances for you to not go back to the gym . I am a stay at home mom so it is really hard for me to get out so what i do is after I drop my kids off I will get out of the car and go straight for my walk before I get back into the house. Im going to join the YMCA soon , so after i drop the kids off at school i'll go staright to the Y after that. I have a treadmill , exersice ball and weights at home but there are too many other " reasons" to not use them . this is what works for me at least HTH mindy

I use Stevia quite a bit . Other "sweetners" give me migraines . Someone told me about Stevia a while ago and I started using it . I use it to make lemonade with Real Lemon Juice . Its Great. It does take a little getting use to the right amounts , I like mine a little sweeter than normal . But I do like it .

I Drink one in the am because i am not a breakfast person and I am normally tight in the am . My doc does not want us to drink our calories either. But like i said i only drink one in the am . It holds me over until Lunch . If your doc says not to consume them I would not do it . If you find later after your fills that your very tight in the am and can not eat solids in the am I would address it then with him if you can drink one , Personally I would rather NOT have to drink one but its better than not "eating" breakfast. HTH Mindy

I had to spend $75 on a bra the other day , ya know how hard it is to find a 40 B bra ? I went down a cup size. I was a 42 C . My butt is also going flat. Im bummed about that. I use to have a nice round behind ( when I was thin ) I guess my butt is going to be flat now ? Non of my rings fit either. I have lost almost 60 lbs and i have gone from a size 22/24 to a 14/16 So im loosing inches im quite happy about that. But i totally get your frustration , OH And something i did NOT expect , my arms are now very flabby from excess skin. So i feel ya Mindy

Eww gonna add in The Ghetto by Elvis . Have you heard the version of Elvis and Lisa Marie ? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWg2vLEyRZc]YouTube - Lisa Marie & Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto[/ame] The video is a little "odd" But the song is awesome Mindy

I try to add some kind of Protein to what ever I eat that way its not " wasted" for lack of a better word. that way if i eat something I make sure it will keep me full and satisfied for a while. I usually add the Bush's Chili to my potaotes and it is really good . That's just me being compulsive though LOL HTH enjoy your potaote Mindy

I was banded by Dr Rincon . Feel free to PM Me with any questions you might have . He's an awesome doc Mindy