susidivah

What everyone else said No seriously, most I know who've had the LapBand done can only tolerate thin crust pizza after surgery.... I am the same. pizza was one of my "trigger" foods and I went around and around in my head pre and post op about whether or not to even start eating it again when I could. Well, I find now 5 months out I don't really crave it much and when I do partake its only a slice or two (my pizza only has cheese and veggies on it). Better than the whole freakin pizza before surgery!

When you are further out of surgery, you will want to "experiement" a lil as to what you will want to eat, and what your pouch can tolerate.... particularly when it comes to breads and starches. LIke others have suggested go slow and take small bites and include it in your daily calorie count.

Good luck in your journey and new eating discoveries!

Ah Chevy, I remember the day (and it really wasn't that long ago lol) moving on to mushies Betcha never thought you'd be so excited to use a food processor Believe me it can become your best friend during this stage...

As for ideas, most of what everyone already said I had... I was (and still am to a degree) a HUGE pizza fan, so I experimented with diff cheeses, both soft and shredded, low sodium pizza sauce, and lil bit of oregano, garlic and red pepper, all pureed/mushed in the fp... yummo!

I also loved chili with a lil ff sour cream and cheese blended in the fp...

Have fun with it and be sure to try out seasonings and spices with your "creations" (watching sodium if you have HTN like me)...

Good luck!

My bariatric team recommends no more than 30g of carbs a meal... on average right now at almost 4 months out I usually average 20-30g carbs a meal. Sometimes a little more if I'm planning a long workout that night.

I am at 6 1/2 cc and so far bread is starting to get stuck other then that i still can eat everything. i am talking about food that gets stuck not diet foods

Sgt, I just had my 3rd fill today bringing me to 6.5cc... prior to this fill the only things that really gave me trouble if I ate them too fast or too big bites were breads and oatmeal. And I don't really eat either of those much then or from here on out. I decided to cut out rice and Pasta prior to banding too partly cuz I'm scared to eat them Seriously, nothing else is a problem for me, but there are things I already was not eating that I've heard people have trouble with- e.g. red meat.

Thanks guys I think you are right... sigh... will write down the PIN next time since my memory seems to be going with the pounds Altho I had bad memory before getting banded... hmmmmm...

I need to change my ticker I've actually lost but can't remember my PIN! I thought there was a way we could bypass entering the PIN to gain access to our ticker? If anyone knows please post and thanks much in advance!

I'm getting over cold/flu/stupid virus right now too and the first I've had with a cough since before surgery in Nov. My abdominal area (including where the port AND the band are) were pretty sore yesterday but that was my worst day of it all. It feels better today and I agree with what mandy's dr said if we don't use those muscles a lot and are hacking up a storm we would be sore in those areas. I think I was also "anticipating" the coughing somehow hurting the band so I was clenching my abs anyway (if that makes sense)! But give your doc a call if you are concerned, and hope you get to feeling better

I have always been very particular about my cat's diet and I think it has more to do with volunteering at an animal shelter and seeing how some of those cats and dogs come in. Yeah some come in very underweight but others are very LARGE and come to find out they already have health problems. Melody was a stray brought in underweight and they got her to normal weight and I've been able to keep her there for 3 years. She gets treats a couple times a week but I try to exercise her too for she's an indoor cat.

Although I do think she wonders sometimes why I'm not sitting at the puter eating allllll those good things I used to and telling her she can't have

Hi Mullet and welcome I want to wish you all the best with your surgery and journey. I am 3 months post op as of tomorrow and have no regrets. There are ups and downs along the way but I hope you find more of the ups as I have! I personally thought the pre op liquid diet was the hardest... but I stuck to it and the surgery went fine and I lost the first 15 lbs to boot (in my stats)...

OT, I am in an online gaming league and our Head Admin is from NZ. I also have another friend who lives in NZ whom I met at a get together a couple years ago (from a Christian website). Hope to get over there someday!

Again, good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions on the boards! Good group of folks here!

God bless, Susan

Celebrate chewable Multi Vitamins (2 daily)... they are actually indicated for gastric bypass and sleeve patients and have higher levels of many of the vits and minerals suggested for LB patients. I also take 2 Tums daily for Calcium and to help with any heartburn or acid reflux. My first round of blood work post surgery a few weeks ago came back really good as far as levels of the B vits, calcium, and magnesium so I'm sticking with this for now.

Happy birthday Rebecca!!! And congrats, you are such an inspiration!!! Oh, and to be 29 again...

I am with Trish on the Goodwill and other resale shops... I work in social services and we have contact community agencies that run resale shops. So I hope to get to a couple soon to look for some clothes.

I am also like Hummingbird in that I had been a clothes hoarder over the years and have been going thru my own stuff and found some things I can wear. Walmart has been good to me about pants too... I've gotten a couple pairs there for like 15 bucks a piece.

I hear you Topazz ... and some coworkers (who know I had the surgery) have encouraged me to start wearing clothes that fit for I continue to wear some elastic pants that hang all over as well as waaaaay to big tunics and t shirts!!! The money fairy is just not with me though....

Every doc is different, and depending on how you are feeling- i.e. how much you can eat before being satisfied as well as how long you can go before feeling hungry again- may determine when the doc will give the next fill. Mine leaves it up to the patient, but pretty much the nut told me most patients go 4 weeks between their first 3-4 fills then every 3-4 months depending on where they are at with good restriction and their weight loss. I just had my 2nd fill this week and it was 5 wks between. I was at 3.3cc and they ended up putting in over 2ccs. So I am at 5.5ccs but not sure if I have a 10cc or 12cc band. I do feel a difference right now in the "satisfaction" and "fullness" factor again.

Yes definitely... am still in and out of "bandster hell" as I only had my second fill this past week but I have already changed so much of my eating habits with the help of the band! I can't wait to see what it can do when I get to good restriction!

My mother had RNY in the early 80's when it was fairly new, and she too lost a lot of weight. But, the trade off was some lifelong health issues and Vitamin deficiencies. Since my journey started she has said if the lapband was available back then she would have chosen that over bypass.

For the first month or so after my surgery coffee did not taste right to me. But now I'm back to drinking 1-2 cups a day in the morning and sometimes a cup of Decaf at night (I have a Keurig). But I did used to LOVE dark, extra bold coffee, and black Now my stomach can't take it and I had to switch to a light to medium blend, usually putting a lil skim milk in it. Also I seem to like flavored coffee better now too. Have always been a coffee snob, but interesting to see how my taste has changed since the LapBand.

Hi Amber,

I can relate to your woes, even tho I'm only to have my 2nd fill tomorrow and only at 3.3ccs in 10cc band. But Honk is right as I've heard several others who've been banded a while on here say about gaging your hunger vs. the fullness. I also heard that it takes many people a few fills to get good restriction. My bariatric coordinator/nutritionist told me on a few occasions I probably will be wanting to get fills once a month for about the first 3-4 fills before I start to really feel anything. But she also said everyone's different. I do notice too more tightness in the morning.... have a much harder time at night with my food intake (which was my problem pre band oy)

Anyway, hang in (with me) Amber! We keep the will power and the exercise going for now!

Best of luck to you in your journey!

Susan

i really think what you're feeling is absolutely normal! he has guided you to a healthy and happy new life!

when i met my surgeon i thought he was cute, funny, sincere, supportive, etc.

then i got to thinking.... ewwwww he saw me NAKED looking my WORST lol

no harm in crushin'

you know Kalipso this almost did it for me both with my cute general surgeon (the one who first told me I had cancer) and my cute bariatric surgeon... funny the nakedness, no makeup, major bedhead look didn't bother me when I was in the moment...

There are pros and cons to my thinking when it comes to crushing on my surgeons... I also work in the medical field... mental health

After watching "Hungry Girl" do a whole show on Pasta Swaps, I finally went and bought Spaghetti Squash.

I steamed it in microwave for 10 minutes after cutting it in half. I used Amy's Organic creamy Tomato Soup about 3/4 can, and 4 Light LC cheese wedges and 2 tbsp of FF sour cream and made a creamy Tomato sauce. I added RF parm on top. I pulled the "spaghetti" from the skin and mixed in my sauce.

I have to say it was good! It makes a lot too. I could throw chicken on top or Turkey meatballs and have a really nice meal.

Low carb, Low fat and filling. This was sort of a combination of HG ideas and it was very good. I like the Soup as a base as it is sweet and I prefer that.

Glad you liked it Tracy!!! I haven't had it in a while but have made it similar to how you did. Love HG too!!!

Way to go!!!! Yeah I'm a lil jealous too but cuz I have no cashola right now to give VS a whirl! I was excited a couple weeks ago I found out I went from a 44C bra to a 40C!

And spoilt, I relate to the returning things... I've had to return pants recently that I didn't get to try on at the store that I thought would fit but they were way too big!!!

Enjoy your purchases!

I too used to keep these but I don't anymore. I don't like the flavor now that my taste buds have changed. What I decided to do right before surgery is invest in a food Saver System. So, I make fresh low fat Protein rich recipes and then portion them out in 3 ounce portions. Then I put them in the food saver bags, suck the air out and put them in the freezer. So, volia, my own "Lean Cusines". Which I enjoy the taste of and know exactly what ingredients went into the bag!

Tanqueray I'm kind of doing something like this with chicken, fish, or soy Protein product and a veggie... I am not a fan of a lot of the sauces with the frozen dinners, that and the sodium is not good for me (HTN) and I am not eating rice nor Pasta since after surgery. I freeze a few at a time in containers but I think the food saver bags would be better...

Melissa- I enjoy the skinny chix too (minus the sauce)

I think the biggest advice/tip I could give people is to really take your time with your meals... at least 30 minutes if not more if you can... eat slowly (and with small bites like Heather said).

I'd always heard that the time between your brain realizing your stomach is satisfied or full is like 20 minutes... I say "heard" cuz I never practiced that! I was a very fast eater, always in a hurry... but man it is TRUE! When I started slowing down my meals I really got satisfied on less food, even tho I'm not yet at my sweet spot and could probably eat a lot more!

The other thing is really to eat the Protein first cuz it fills you up

And get your fluids (preferably water) in between meals instead of Snacks... so many benefits and then you probably won't feel like snacking...

Good luck!

CheckYes- I like Quorn products as well Morningstar Farms products are my other stand by...

And I too think we should ask for a sub forum for veggies!

Acadia I'd like to get back to cooking with tofu (it's been years!)... am not a great cook but used to use in stir fry and casseroles on occasion.

Has anyone ever had tempeh or seitan? I hear they are good sources of Protein as well.

Hi Acadia!

I am a former lacto-ovo vegetarian (for 5-6 years) in the late 1990's-early 2000's. I have not eaten red meat since I was in college 20 years ago. Now I mostly eat fish and some poultry, dairy and soy products for my Protein. One of the dietitians strongly suggested not to go back to a vegetarian/vegan diet post WLS. However somewhere down the line I'd like to cut back even more on my animal intake. I'd love to see some of your resources.... add me as a friend if you wish And congrats on your surgery!!!

Susan

Congratulations!!! And yes, GO BEARS!!!

Topazz I had my first fill on the 5th, 3.3ccs, and it basically seems to be doing nothing right now I would def ask your doc to put more in next time. I'm going in again the 1st or 2nd wk in Feb and am hoping he'll give me a decent fill for the second. Guess I'm just a lil impatient to get some more restriction!

Glad to hear peeps are doing well with everything! I'll tell you, revving up my exercise routine has helped me tremendously the past couple of weeks! I think we will all be able to tell how much more we can do as time goes along...

Keep up the great work, ladies and gents!