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For dry lips I have to say I drink 72 oz, by the time I leave work, I buy tow Fiji 1qt Water bottle and I make sure I finish them before I leave work, I take the empty bottle home and refill ready for the next day. For constipation I use what I use to give my daughters when they were babies. 1 cup of Apple juice every morning. It took care of that issue! Good luck Sandee

Hi Kurby: The gas pain is from the air they put in your belly to be able to get to your stomach to place the lapband. If you have a lot of pain try a heating pad that should work.

Hi racgirl: I can't do the powder protein so I do protein shots, they can range from 26g of protein to 50g. I drink the fruit punch it seems to be the easiest for me to swallow! Good luck and congrats on the weight loss that is phenomenal~~ sandee

Hi! I think everyone is different, I was given 5.4cc in a 10cc band, and I was told the same thing! What I did was to eat things that were liquid to mushy. Two days after the fill I ate regular food, great restriction but it lasted all of 3 days~ So just go with what your body is telling you but definitely try to stick what the doc told you as close as possible~ Good luck! Sandee

Hi Jewel: Ok let me clarify something for you, you are healing you will gain weight and that is ok for 6 weeks don't even think about why you have not lost weight instead concentrate on healing! Now for the stuck yeah that is going to happen just make sure that you are taking your time eating, even if it is mushy! Once you get your first fill you then can get pissy if you don't loose...lolol jkjk. You are right this is not an instant fix, but that is good because you now have a permantent fix for this issue we all have in common. Good luck! Sandee

Hi Keeping the Faith: Congratulations on your new life, while the pretzels were not the brightest idea what's done is done! For nausea I took apple juice it worked wonders. Do soups, broths anything that can go down smoothly. As for your weightloss it will fluctuate so don't get on the scale or anything please just heal. When in doubt call the doc! Good luck Sandee

I agree with Leigha and I would like to add: 1. surgery was not as bad as I thought 2. that pre op I would gain some weight 3. I should have pampered myself more during pre op 4. Take what everyone says in the chat room and in these post with a grain of salt. 5. Everyone here will understand what you are going through 6. That the band was not going to work immediately instead it will take time but it will be worth it 7. Like in any place you will have your negative nelly's and debbie downers, don't let it get to me 8 That I will go through good moments and bad moments but it will be worth it 10. That everyone has their way of loosing weight and just because one person does not eat something does not mean it will have the same positive effect on me. 11. While I may not feel the band, but it is in there! 12. regardless of how the band is working I am definitely eating less than what I was eating before the band 13. The way I looked at myself before the band is the way I will still look at myself till I have a good chunk of weight gone. These were just of the top of my head! Sandee

You can make healthy choices with the food that is available stick to the fruit, and veggie tray for meats go for the chicken or lean turkey. You are the one that wants to make the changes! Ok there is nothing good about McDonalds, no matter what you choose! It is very difficult to get into a routine but you have to do it, buy some yogurt or boil some eggs for Breakfast, lunch deli meat like chicken and turkey with some green veggies and then dinner rotissery chicken again with some green veggies. Will you be crabby yes because you are detoxifying your body! So your fiancee will have to deal with it. Next you seem to be committed to do right so you will have to make some sacrifice, will you slide back and have something you shouldn't yes of course your human, just dust yourself off and get back on! You have to do this, you want to do this so you must do this. Come in here ask questions and vent that is what we are here for! We have also been where you are so we understand looking at that fountain chocolate and cake and crab cakes and well I better stop :biggrin:. Anyway just concentrate on the end result! Good luck! Sandee

Lucky you, I did not notice that the free shipping meant ground so I wont get it till today or tomorrow. But all good things happen to those who wait :biggrin: Have fun workout the buggs then you can walk me through ......lololol jkjk

Yes or 24fitness.com they have it on sale for 175 free shipping. Your welcome!

Hi Congratulations you are doing awesome, you have a pretty good regime going, I would just change up your exercise a little more, once your muscles know what exercise you are doing they become complacesant. Reducing your calories would not be a bad idea either. If you can look into the bodybugg, this thing will help you break the plateau issues. Good Luck and keep on working hard you are doing awesome! Sandee

Hey you are not a failure!!! You are doing fine, I did the all protein meals because I could not drink those godforsaken protein shakes! I stuck to the meats and green vegggies. You will be fine, I lost 12 lbs just doing the high protein and veggies and the night before surgery I went and had calamari and pizza.. so there I am not the perfect example :confused: Ads for your co worker I would have said you want to know go google~! When you get your surgery you will be fine, the liquid stage is hard once your anastesia and pain meds wear off. Just pamper yourself and do nothing but walking! You need the 6 weeks to heal! So if you gain weight that is ok, just concentrate on making sure that your band heals inside and that your stitches outside heal as well!~ Good Luck Sandee

Hi and Congratulations on your new life: The norm for this is 6 weeks reason being is your body needs to heal. If you do anything else beside walking you risk the following: opening incision site :confused: pulling off the cord that goes from the port to the band:cursing: flipping your port:cursing: cause internal damage to the band:cursing: tear the pouch in which the band is stitched to:cursing: These are risk that no one should take. So for the next 5 weeks concentrate on healing:closedeyes:, if you want to walk more that is fine but anything else I would call your Doctor and get his approval. Remember you will gain some weight and that is ok you really don't start learning the effects of the fills till after your first fill, so relax and heal! Sandee

Congrats on your band first of all, however while I know that you are pumped up about doing exercise you are still in post op mode. If you want to do arm curls and stuff you need to check with your physician. Here is the main reason they want you to take it easy, any form of exercise that you do with your legs core or arms has an affect on your port, which could flip. or the cord that is attached from the port to the band which can become detached. Keep up the walking but remember you are healing and in this process you will gain some weight and that is expected this is the time you need to pamper yourself take your time, soon enough you will be able to do core, legs and arms. But as always double check with your Doctor~

Karen you look great!!! Congrats!

Ok here is a question or two: What is the best that can happen? What is the worst that can happen?? Guess what either way you will loose some weight and get in shape! GO FOR IT!!!! Isn't why you got the band even more reason to do a weight challenge??? Good luck and keep me posted! Sandee

Hey Sues: Congratulations the reason your are gaining is because you are healing, this is normal, you will loose also! Relax as long as your healing don't weigh yourself just concentrate on getting better! Once you have had your fills you will notice some loss, but since you went from liquids to Protein your body is seeing that! Do not get upset or depressed this is a tool that is helping you so relax and enjoy the next couple of weeks till your first fill, then start looking at how your body is responding to your in take! Take Care Sandee

Jen: OMG you have done great! I understand that you are stuck but maybe changing your exercise routine will help get out of that unstuck. I am just beginning but I find if I have a Protein shot it fills me up for about 3 hours I am also eating lots of healthy veggies. I have taken up swimming and that tones everything. Good luck and keep in touch! Sandee

While I am sure you have seen some bad experience, the certainly outweigh the good ones. Research shows that the bypass patients gain all their weight back in 18 months...(look at Carney Wilson) and as for the sleeve there is not enough information to say that it works or it doesn't. One of my friends had the band and while in surgery her stomach tore and it put her in the ICU you think that is worth the risk?? NOT. As for your mom sorry she had some many complications but when you choose to do surgery regardless of what it is in a different country you run the risk of major complications because of their lack of technological advances!. While having a loved one suffer is hard, and your opinion is biased and I get it. But people need to look at the research and find good doctors that makes all the difference in the world. I will pray for your mother that her recuperation is a good one and quick one~ S

Just Banded: That is called gas~ Yes I know what you need to do is grab an heating pad and apply it. This too shall pass~ Congrats and good luck! S

Hi Rhea: Try a heating pad that seems to work really well, just concentrate on healing! Don't get down on yourself if you gain a bit of weight back it is very normal!~ Congrats on your new way of life!~ S

Sakura: Hi I use bio oil as well and my scars are starting to deminish. There is also Kole Kope (I think that is how it is spelled) Good luck! S

Hi x96: Congrats on your new way of life. Is it going to be easy NO, will you have challenges, YES. But the only way you are going to learn is by making some choices which at the time will be fine then the scale will tell you different. Right now number one priority is healing, you may want to try the Whey protein shots, the are 2.4 ounces and taste good. You had an ice cream during the liquid stage, guess what so did I and it tasted good! Just because you had that does not mean you should feel guilty, what you should do is prepare yourself for when it can happen again, and believe me it will. Chalk it up to experience and go on, healing is the most important thing you will do and you will gain weight and that is ok so go on and enjoy your band. This band is a tool, you can eat of everything but in moderation once you have your fills, you will be able to have better control. Don't let anyone chastice you because you made the wrong choice you did what you could with what you had available. Could it have been better yes, but guess what sometime life unexpected stresses happen. Go on and have a great band life Good Luck! S:biggrin: Good luck Sandee

I don't like the Protein Drinks period because it has milk and I am just not a fan of milk. I found these protein shots in fruit punch, not that bad and I can do it! Try them they are worth it! Sandee

Hi Busy: Congratulations on your new life, you have come to the right place. I would love to be your buddy, I had mine done in April and just had my first fill. Also go into the chatroom you meet great people and they are great moral support as well. Good Luck! Sandee