ElfiePoo

One scoop of EAS chocolate powder is 130 calories, 23 gm protein, 3 gm carbs and 2.5 gm fat. The vanilla is 120 calories and I think the rest of the nutritional info is the same. A 5 lb bag was $28 versus the $48 I paid for the Isopure and that was only because I bought it with my GNC gold card during week one of the month along with a 10% sale they were having. Normally, it's $70 for 3-1/2 lbs! .

Very nice tactic! You might also try those little 100 calorie individual serving popcorn bags. I started buying those and discovered they were perfect for one...although with restriction, they're probably perfect for both me and my husband. .

That doesn't surprise me. My doc said that the band itself will cause some restriction, even after the swelling goes down. For some people, that's enough. It causes them to slow down their eating and feel full long enough that they no longer overeat. It may depend on what food issues the person is dealing with. My doc and I already discussed future fills. I told him as long as I'm not hungry *and* not overeating, I'd rather not have fills and just learn self-control. Some might say, "well then why get the band?" My response is that it's sort of a head game with me. Prior to the band, I had difficulty finding the motivation to not overeat. It just felt too darned good (well until the carb overload kicked in). Now, my motivation is that I didn't just go through all of this and implant a foreign object in my body just to overeat. We'll see how well the head games work if/when I get to the point where I desire/am able to overeat. .

I kept chanting to myself all morning, "These smells are not natural. They're synthetic flavoring enhancement chemicals." It kind of helps put things in perspective. A bit like that add on tv where the person walks into a fast food place and orders "one muffin top and a side of belly fat". I'm trying to look at food in the same way. .

'First' magazine has a great article this month about how we are trained to overeat by both the food and advertising industries, as well as great suggestions for how to change these bad habits. One is to not dwell on whatever it is that triggers us. Learn to refocus our thoughts to something more constructive...instead of whining about how good it smells, how much we want it and basically obsessing about it. I went grocery shopping with my mom today and discovered that grocery shopping is going to be my husband's new job at least for the next several months (fortunately, he likes to grocery shop and sticks to the list). We no sooner walked in the door of the store than the smells from the deli and hot food center hit us in the face. Now, I'm four days post op and I haven't been hungry or craving at all, but those smells hit me and my mouth began to salivate regardless. Interestingly, when my son, a budding chef, cooks dinner for him and his father, the smells don't bother me a bit. .

About a week before my surgery, I started wondering if I was doing the right thing. Two days before surgery I had an epiphany. My 'concern' was because I wasn't sure I wanted to give up the ability to 'chow down' on my favorite foods should I get the urge...e.g. at Thanksgiving. At that moment I realized how sick my relationship with food was. We don't have to 'miss' food. We just have to eat less of it. Awhile back someone said they weren't sure if they wanted to get the surgery because what if they wanted, six months down the line, 'to eat a bearclaw'. My response was, "you still can...just not all of it and not all the time". .

I bought some Muscle Milk Lite (chocolate) a few days ago and I have to say I don't like it at all. It tastes more mocha than chocolate and as much as I like a good cup of coffee, I don't like mocha drinks. Low carb Slim Fast tastes better than the Isopure dutch chocolate powder (in water) but I'll take the downgrade in taste (it's acceptable) for half the calories and 2x more Protein and drink the Isopure. .

Depends on the job and the person. I have a history of bouncing back from surgeries in a rather rapid manner. My surgery was 11/3 and I went back to work on 11/4. I worked about 3 hours or so, went home and took a nap and put in another hour and a half. The next day I didn't just stay at my desk, I also went back and worked in the warehouse, but within my 5# lift limit. Definitely overdid it. Today, I paid closer attention. I'd say if you're in pretty good shape and you have a desk job, you should be ok by Monday but take the time to stand and walk around for 5 minutes every hour. I found that I tended to lean forward while working on the computer and was a bit more sore in the stomach when I went to gently stretch straight. .

And if we had learned how to eat real food without overdoing it, we wouldn't need the band. There's nothing wrong with protein shakes instead of 'food' as long as the person in question is not hungry. I lost 70 pounds eating a low carb diet and doing protein shakes for breakfast and lunch...and have kept it off for 6 years. I'll probably continue to do protein shakes at least for breakfast and play lunch by ear. If 'hungry', I'll eat solid food. If not, I'll drink a protein shake to get the needed nutrition. I always eat dinner. I don't look to the lap band to help me make good choices. I did that prior to the lap band. It's a tool to help me control the 'amount' that I eat when I sit down to dinner. Every person is unique and needs to find what works for them. .

Ahh...I see...another case of "use common sense and listen to your body". :thumbup:

I guess I'm curious as to why it matters whether you eat or drink your protein. I generally drink a Protein Drink for Breakfast because I'm not a breakfast person but need to put something in me because I'm diabetic. Many days I'm too busy to stop and eat so I just drink another protein drink...possibly two if I get hungry through the afternoon. All told that's 75gm of protein. Then I eat a regular dinner. My doc didn't see a problem with me continuing to drink Protein drinks instead of meals but said if I start dropping weight faster than I want...or when I get to maintenance and don't want to lose anymore...I may have to bulk them up with something (milk, banana, etc.) to add calories.

Isopure shakes or even the Isopure drinks (come in fruity flavors) are considered 'clear' even though the dutch chocolate looks like chocolate Water. It has to do with how the powder dissolves. I'm on clear liquids for 3 days (also had mine done on Nov. 3rd) and then I start full liquids until day 11. I've been drinking the Isopure dutch chocolate shakes twice a day and then homemade chicken broth twice a day. The remainder of my fluids are water.

My seminar and first doc visit was on 9/29. My preadmission workup and nutrition counseling was on 10/15. I had my psych eval somewhere in between the two. My surgery was 11/3. I'm told this is unusually fast though. .

Unless there is some type of complication (hernia repair maybe?), I think this is usually an outpatient procedure. I was admitted at 5:45 a.m. and discharged at 2 p.m. .

Hi Rachel, First, remember that you're doing this for yourself and don't concern yourself about what others think or feel. If people continue to offer negativisms, I would very politely thank them for their concerns but let them know that they haven't walked in your shoes, nor done the research that you've done and so are really not qualified to offer 'advice'. I just had my lap band put in on 11/3. My doctor did not require any pre-op diet except for Clear liquids 24 hours prior to surgery. However, for two weeks prior to surgery, I drank Isopure chocolate shakes 2-3 for Breakfast and lunch and then ate a regular dinner. I have to admit that I was hitting some of my favorite places (Taco Bell, the Greek restaurant, etc.) for a 'last meal' but was careful not to overdo it. In fact, I shared my meals with my mom or husband most of the time. I haven't had anything but clear liquids since around 10 p.m. Sunday and I have to say that I still have not been hungry. Once or twice my stomach grumbled a bit but I just threw in another Protein shake and all was better. I did tell people. I refuse to hide what I've done as if it is something to be embarrassed about. Yes, I've had one or two people who've been negative and said I'm 'taking the easy way out' (yeah right), but for the most part I've had total support...even from those who don't understand the struggles I've had with food. My mother-in-law, who is french, has been talking on the phone with family and friends in France and my mom has been talking to friends in New Zealand and the complete support and well wishes from everyone are just phenomenal.

I've had only a couple surgeries in my life (appendix and c-section) but found with both that I healed faster and felt better if I didn't lay around in bed. By mid-day yesterday my muscles were kind of tight in my neck and stomach but I didn't even bother with the pain meds they gave me. I just took some liquid tylenol and was good to go. I worked 3 hours yesterday morning, went home and took a 2 hour nap and then went back and worked for another two hours (I own my own business) before heading home and taking it easy for the rest of the evening. I just puttered around the kitchen making some chicken Soup for the family (and stealing some of the broth off the top for my own dinner). This morning, I don't even feel like I've had surgery...except for when I cough or laugh and then it's just minimal discomfort. No hunger or cravings and I haven't had a fill but I've noticed I do have to drink slowly or I feel like it's backing up. I'd guess from the internal swelling around the band. I am soooo glad I had this surgery. Just having the band is a motivator in itself. Hang in there. The days will fly by and it will be January before you know it! .

Glad to hear all went well! Same with mine. They kicked me out of postop after 30 minutes and took me to a room because I was doing so well. Slept for another two hours there. I kept them ahead of schedule the rest of the time. Walked an hour earlier than they had planned. Ate an hour earlier than planned and managed to get discharged 2 hours sooner than planned. Once the general anesthetic wore off, I was feeling fine. No pain at all. No difficulty coughing...didn't even have to hold a pillow to my stomach. They said they didn't put pain meds in my IV because when they asked me in post op how bad the pain was on a scale of 1 to 5, I said, "Zero?" My headache finally went away sometime last night and I woke up with sore muscles this morning but still no need of pain medicine. I'm taking it easy, but I did come back to work this morning where I'm moving around 'slowly' so I don't over exert and keeping to the under 5# lifting limit...but I absolutely feel so much better now that I'm moving around this morning. I can feel the gas pains trying to take hold, but the moving is helping with them. Amazingly, I haven't had anything solid to eat since late Sunday and I'm not hungry at all...which is a good thing since I'm on broth, tea and crystal light through Friday. :drool: .

Hey there Lap Band Buddy! I have to be at the hospital at 5:45 a.m. which means getting up at 4 a.m. No sleep for me tonight. I'm too excited...particularly since I've managed to drop 14 pounds in the last 3 weeks. I don't feel so hot right now since today was my all liquid day. No hunger, but I've been fighting a headache all day and have been forced into being fairly active since I'm trying to clear up a bunch of stuff so I can relax for a few days without stressing at all the stuff I need to be doing at work. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! .

Jenesy, I lost 70 pounds on Atkins and kept it off. The first week is the hardest. The second week gets better. After the second week, you start forgetting to eat because the cravings and hunger are gone and you should have tremendous energy. Hang in there. .

I went to my nutrition class today in anticipation of my surgery on 11/3. They said that the Isopure protein drinks did not count as clear liquid even though they are 'clear' because they contain protein. Apparently for 3 days after surgery, there's to be no protein. The nutritionist didn't know why (have to say I wasn't too impressed with her). Does anyone here know why protein is banned? .

Has anyone else had these last minute "do I really want to do this" thoughts? My surgery is a week from this coming Tuesday and up until yesterday, I was 100% sure I wanted to do this. I'm not saying I don't want to now, but I think I've been having 'control' issues. Yes, I do admit to being somewhat of a control freak which is probably why I own my own business. At any rate, for the past day I've been having thoughts that I'm 'losing control' in that once I get this surgery, I no longer have control. The band does. I know...I know. I still have 'some' control, but ultimately, it is the band that controls. Someone tell me that this is normal down to the wire thinking. .

ROFLMAO...great response. As for the post 50 tough skin...once you pass 50, you realize that all the things you worried about when you were younger just don't matter. Wish I had half the self-confidence at 25 that I have at 53. .

Hi Christine, Yep...14 years worth of thought and research and once I made the decision, I pushed forward. That's why I'm wondering why, now that everything is a go, I'm feeling so ambivalent. My husband says it's because I don't like change. I'm happy in my 'rut'...until someone kicks me out of it and then I look back and wonder why I didn't jump out on my own long before. :closedeyes: .

My clinic was very specific that I had to have someone with me or there would be no surgery. In fact, they aren't even allowed to leave the clinic. Probably in case something happens during the surgery. .