ElfiePoo

Oh sure...these things always look like fun. Then someone (like me) trips over their feet because they're a step behind and a day late and falls on their ass. (says the woman who couldn't even keep up with Richard Simmons) :frown: .

I think the thing we have to keep in mind is that most people view getting this band as 'taking the easy way out' because they are under the impression that the band does all the work. Given that impression, they probably don't 'get it' why we don't start losing the weight from the day of surgery. Heck, even some of the people on this forum who had the surgery don't 'get it' that the band is just a piece of plastic. Until you get fills and restriction, that's all it will be. I was Im'ing with one of my aunts this morning and she asked how much I'd lost so far. I told her that since my seminar (6 weeks before my 11/3 surgery) I've lost 45 pounds. She's been on WW (for the 4th time in 10 years) and said, "I've only lost 35 pounds in the same time, but I did it the hard way". I just laughed and told her that if that misconception made her feel good about her weight loss 'suffering' then more power to her. I don't let the ignorant or malicious get to me. .

What she said. .

If you add Protein shakes in between meals, it will boost your calories. I get around 1200-1400 a day depending. For example, my calories will be closer to 1400 today because I'm having lasagna *and* homemade blue cheese dressing. I don't count fat at all to be honest, nor do I worry about it. As far as I'm concerned, carbs are *my* enemy. .

For those who asked. My activity level would be considered 'light' (one step above sedentary). I move, but nothing strenous...although I just finished an hour of shoveling 10" deep *heavy* snow which might qualify as strenuous. What do I eat? Breakfast is usually a double scoop of EAS whey powder in 1 cup 2% milk. I find that boost of Protein actually keeps me more satisfied all day than starting with solid food. A good thing too, because I'm too tight in the morning to eat. Mid-morning a ready-made EAS Protein Drink. lunch is usually 3 oz of protein, 1/4 cup vegie, 1/4 cup carbs (rice, potatoes, a few melba rounds). Mid-afternoon a ready-made EAS protein drink. dinner same as lunch. Mid-evening a ready-made EAS protein drink. My meals are *usually* distinctly protein, vegie, carb because everything else seems to be a slider food for me. Casseroles made with pastas, rice or Beans laugh at the band...at least for me they do. I start with my protein, but I find it too boring to eat all my protein, then my vegies, then my carbs. Since I know I get my daily protein requirements in just through the mid-meal shakes, I don't have to worry about eating all of my protein. I'll usually eat about half my protein, then half my vegies and then half my carbs. Then go back to the protein and repeat. Last night I ate 2 oz of chicken, 2 Tbs of brussel sprouts and 2 Tbs of rice. As I went to finish that last ounce of chicken, I realized I just didn't want to eat anything else. I dumped the rest of it and was perfectly satisfied the rest of the night. I truly believe the extra protein the mid-meal shakes are the reason I'm continuing to lose as I have been. Anyway, hope this helps. Today's menu: Lunch: 3 oz tuna (mixed with 1-1/2 tsp mayo, onion, dill), a couple slices of tomato, a bit of lettuce) Dinner: Lasagna (1/2-3/4 cup), 1/4 cup of salad with blue cheese dressing Yesterday's menu: Lunch: 1/2 grilled cheese sandwich (1 sl 'thin/diet' bread with 2 oz jarlsberg cheese), 3/4 cup tomato Soup made with milk Dinner: 2 oz chicken w/2 Tbs mushroom gravy (made with Cream of mushroom soup), 2 Tbs brussel sprouts, 2 Tbs rice .

This can't be said enough. I am so saddened when I read about people who have been banded for 6 months or more and who only have a minimal amount in their band and are struggling with hunger. The only way our caregivers can provide *good* care is if we communicate with them. .

I only weigh myself on Mondays but wasn't expecting much of a loss (if anything) at all this morning because I dropped quite a bit last week, but surprise...lost another 4 lbs! I've had real restriction now for 3 weeks and in that time I've lost something on the order of 18-20 pounds! I've forgotten exactly where I was at but I know it was somewhere between 232-235. Definitely do not underestimate the value of pushing your doctor for your fills and getting you to restriction so the band can do its job! I'm so geeked, I think I'll go out and shovel snow! .

Amy, Sorry you had to go through all of that, but glad the issue is resolved! .

I have *never* had a problem with constipation before this surgery. Now it's an ongoing problem. I'm going to guess it's because prior to being banded, I was drinking close to a gallon of Water a day. Now, I struggle to remember to drink my 64 oz. Also, my diet has changed considerably...particularly since getting restriction. I'm eating less fruits and vegies (in terms of volume) so less roughage. In the last 3+ months I've had to take a laxative 5 or 6 times because I hadn't had a BM in 4-5 days and was in pain. I finally went to the store yesterday and bought some Benefiber packets. I'll see if that helps resolve the issue. .

Nope. Stopped the day after the seminar and haven't had one since. I'm not going to go there either because I know that one sip will have me off and running again. .

Whillow, I eat about 3/4-1 cup of food at each meal. I always start with the Protein and try to get in at least 2 ounces. Then I make sure I eat at least 1/4 cup of vegies. If I still have room, I'll eat 1/4 cup of carbs...no more. I don't worry about whether or not I'm getting enough protein because I drink 3 low carb, low cal Protein shakes each day (one mid-morning, one mid-afternoon and one mid-evening). They give me all my protein grams. I keep the carbs low mainly because I'm a diabetic and I find it easier to control my insulin requirements (which are becoming minimal as time goes on) without the complication of the carbs. Plus, carbs make me crave more carbs unless I keep them to a very minimum. If I eat carbs for lunch (say in the form of a few crackers or half a grilled cheese sandwich), I won't eat them for dinner and vice versa. I never eat carbs for Breakfast. Ok...I do but they are a couple grams here and there. I probably don't eat more than 35-40 carbs per day.

I was a diet pop addict (yep, originally from Ohio and now in Michigan :frown:) before my surgery. I gave it up right after the seminar when we were told it was on the 'no-no' list. I have since asked why and the response was that some people have a problem with the carbonation (creating serious gas pains in the stomach and difficulty burping it out) but more importantly, the sweetness and sodium in the pop triggers cravings and 'head' hunger. They said it was a myth that drinking soda will stretch the pouch and/or hurt the band. Another reason to avoid pop, though, is that the chemicals used to create the carbonation interfere with our bodies ability to absorb Calcium. It is recommended that women avoid carbonation as one of the ways to prevent osteoporosis. As I said, I was a diet pop addict...and I haven't had even one since the seminar and, truth be told, I haven't missed it. I have no doubt, though, that if I drink even one, I'll be back on that merry-go-round of craving the carbonation. Best avoided in my case. .

It absolutely makes no sense to me why some doctors make their patients wait 3 months for a fill...unless they are ignorant of how the band works. Until you get restriction, which you won't get until you get your fills, that band is just a lump of plastic. I had my first fill at 4 weeks post op and then a fill every 2 weeks. At *less* than 3 months I had restriction and I've been losing weight steadily since then. I can't even imagine the waste of time in not getting fills for 3 months. .

...and another day of jonesing to bake cookies. Guess it's the homeless shelter's lucky day again. I'm going to bake my little heart out and then ship the trays of cookies off with my husband, since the college is closed and he also has the day off. That is if I can pull myself away from my dining room table which sits in front of a big picture window overlooking my own personal winter wonderland. The snow is still coming down in big fat flakes and we already have several inches on the ground. Days like this make me truly appreciate living in the country. <big happy smile> .

I am sooo jealous! You can eat corn tortillas and rolls??! Everytime I think, "well maybe today will be different" and do a stupid and try even the tiniest bite, I'm in the bathroom sliming it up. :frown: About all I can manage is the 'diet' bread (you know, sliced half as thick as a regular slice of bread) and it has to be toasted well...or those really dry, thin melba toast rounds. .

I have the Realize band. Just happened to be what my doctor was using this month. He's also used the Lap Band. I've been happy with mine. .

I used to suffer from sinus and upper respiratory problems *constantly*, as did my youngest son. Then, about 15 years ago, I discovered that eucalyptus essential oil kills airborn bacteria. So I bought one of those little potpourri crocks...looks like a crockpot but only holds about 1 cup of Water. I put half a cup of water in it and about 10 drops of eucalyptus oil and the water warms up just enough to give off the aroma but not enough to burn off the oil quickly. I also put some straight oil into a mister bottle (you can get them in the hair care aisle at the supermarket) and when I change the bedsheets, I mist the mattress pad and the pillows. I do this in the morning so by night it just smells fresh. The purpose is to kill dust mites (yep it does that too) but the bonus is that the smell will go through the whole house and kill airborne bacteria. I'll put about 1 Tbs in the rinse water when I wash the sheets to do the same thing (kill dust mites). I can't remember the last time anyone in our home had a sinus or respiratory problem. Oh, and my son and I are both asthmatics and don't have a problem with the aroma from the oil. Since you already have a sinus infection, you might try putting a few drops of the oil in a bowl of warm water (warm enough to give off steam (but don't boil the water!), put a towel over your head and the bowl and breathe in the vapors through your nose...assuming you can. Most places charge an arm and a leg for this stuff, but you can get a 16 oz bottle at Rainbowmeadow.com for about $14. Last time I priced this at a health food store, they wanted $8 for a little 1/2 oz bottle.

Oni, Sometimes there's a delayed reaction with the swelling after a fill. Sometimes we just irritate it with something we've eaten. If you're having a hard time getting things down, assuming you can drink your Water with no problem, then I'd go back to Protein shakes and 'soft' foods (yoghurt, etc.) for a couple days and let it calm down. Then when you go back to eating, take small bites, chew well and eat slowly. Pay attention to the foods that give you trouble. Since my last fill I can't eat chicken anymore unless I cut it up in teeny little pieces (much like you'd do for a toddler) and then chew each one to mush. I've also learned that the chicken has to have something on it to moisten it or it doesn't matter how small or how well I chew. It will get stuck. It's such a hassle that I pretty much avoid chicken these days. .

I was never told not to eat before being filled and most of my fills were in the afternoon. I casually mentioned on one of them that I'd forgotten to eat lunch and almost stopped on the way there and the girl just as casually mentioned, "Oh, it's actually preferred that you don't eat." After a little more discussion, she clarified that it was because if you show up right after eating, you could be holding food in your pouch and when they do the fill, you may seem to be 'too' tight when, in fact, you aren't. So I stuck to Protein shakes before my fills. .

I was the same. Never took any pain meds after surgery and right back to work the day after (should've waited at least one more day though). No gas pains. Occasional soreness for a bit if I overdid it, but otherwise, nada.

Whillow, I don't think it's weird at all. I love to browse through cooking magazines or books and have subscriptions online to food & Wine, Fine Cooking and Cooks Illustrated. Reading the recipes is almost as good as eating them. :redface: I hate the cold so I rarely get out in the winter. Once spring comes, my garden will keep me busy. In the meantime, when I'm not working, I play computer games, get involved in various forums, etc. What I don't do is watch a lot of tv. All the food ads just make me crave the food. I also keep a glass of crystal lite near me at all times. I find that it keeps my taste buds occupied. .

I've been trying to eat something solid for lunch instead of my usual Protein shakes but have a pretty busy schedule and am terrible about planning ahead. Lately my lunch has either been a bit of tuna salad (tuna, just enough lite mayo to moisten it, minced onion, dill) with a few garlic melba toast rounds or a cup of tomato Soup with 1/2 grilled cheese sandwich. I've also had a couple ounces of cheese, again with some garlic melba rounds and some tiny dill pickles. .

I've never been a fan of hummus, but my husband was experimenting and decided to add smoked paprika to one of his batches. It was actually quite yummy! .

I don't think it's a scam. I do think it's an unenlightened surgeon. Unfortunately, some doctors are still in the dark ages when they removed pesky things like the gallbladder without a thought. When they did my ultrasound, they discovered a pearl sized gallstone. However, since I've never had any signs or symptoms of gallbladder problems, my surgeon said it would be foolish to remove the gallbladder. He said it's not uncommon to find gallstones and there's no reason to remove the gallbladder if there are no problems. Remember when removing the tonsils was something all children had done routinely? Now they rarely take them out because they know better. Personally, if you aren't having problems with your gallbladder, I would tell them that you decline their 'elective' surgery and will take your chances. Will you have to have your gallbladder removed down the line? Who knows...but to remove a body part 'just in case' seems a bit extreme. But then that's just me.

Basically, when mine brought up possible bad experiences, my response was "life never goes the way people expect it will, but we deal with it and move on." When she started probing for 'trauma', I pretty much told her that people have been dealing with these issues for thousands of years and it's only in recent decades that we've made a big deal out of them and using them as an excuse to behave as victims. That I don't dwell about the things that have gone wrong with my life. I deal with them and move on. Life is too short to waste time on negativity. My eval lasted for 30 minutes and she said she wished all of her patients had that outlook. I am a clinical psychologist and knew that 'most' will take a tiny incident from your life and blow it out of proportion. The trick is to keep them from even starting down that path. Oh, and she didn't know I was a psychologist so that had no bearing. .