BabyGotBack

I was wondering if anyone could add to my list??? Here is what I came up with so far. a robe, slippers heating pad (I guess the warmth helps with the dreaded gas pains, as well as a hot bath), gax x (I am currently taking a poll of what meds are best for gas pains) chapstick your own prescription pain meds if you have any comfortable pull up drawstring pants or sweasts type sports bras that won't dig into your port or incision area comfy shoes for walking a warm and cooler outfit in case the weather is very different than home makeup, brush, face lotion all your paperwork they need the original copy of cell phone numbers of the person who is arragning your pick up (probably Rene) change your cell phone to international calling plan (3.99 a month with Cingular)..... Thanks!!!

Cool Susan! We should keep in touch to compare stories and advice, etc.!!! I am really excited! Audree

I have read a lot that people suffer from different degrees of gas pain, some moderate to extreme. I was just wondering what you have found to be the most helpful to get the gas out or help deal with the pain until the body absorbs it or get's it out on its own time. I have read hot bath, gas x, and rolaids so far. Thanks,Audree:clap2:

I was reading on another board that there doctor told them if food got stuck , they should take sips of hot water or drink soda. What do you guys think about that. I actually, if I had never read these boards,would think it was good advice. It said the reason for the soda would be so the carbonation could dislodge the food. I seems to make sense. But,then someone on the board says a nurse told them to drink water to dislodge and it caused such a bad slip they had to have an emergency removal that saved their life! What do you guys think?Audree

Susan: We really think alike. I also want to follow some type of organized eating plan. I think I will do the 6 week body makeover or the Makers Diet. They are both really healthy. I will probably take a few of the eating plans I have done and rotate them. I was thinking of also taking an appetite suppresant to ease the huner pangs when they come. I want to do everything in my power to not pb or gets so hungry that I eat too fast or something. I see some people are really against it, but some take them also. I think I may do it until I get the right restriction and maybe only during that week before my period and during times I may go to a BBQ or something to take the edge off. I took something called quick slim 30 and it worked very well. All natural and it is in a little capsule that comes apart and is powder inside. 2 more days till our pre op!!!! I have not heard of your doctor before. I wonder if he is close to my doctor. I am going to be staying at the Lucerna hotel during my stay. That is where the doctor puts up his patients. Where are you staying? Audree

I'd like to know too! Audree

Thanks!!! Now I dont' feel so alone! :clap2: I was just telling my mom that I don't even feel it in me anymore to try "another" diet. If it weren't for the band, I think i'd give up. I don't have it in me to crash diet again. My mom was asking me wasn't it always easy for me to lose, but that is not the problem. I did lose many times over and over, just to gain it back over and over. i just can't keep it off. The best time was when I went all the way to 140 and squeezed my butt into a size 5 somehow. Those pants only fit me for 1 week and I started ballooning right back up. It was so fast, i didn't even get to enjoy it. Before the band, I was thinking about doing something like LA weight loss, but KNEW I'd gain it back the second I lost it. I have never been able to do the maintenance section of any diet. Audree

Hi Karen! I had a question about something I read in the article. I am going to copy the section below: Stuck in your stomach If you have not followed your eating plan rules, you may get a piece of food stuck in your stoma which can be quite uncomfortable. The first advice is not to panic about it, as most times it will eventually dislodge again on its own accord. To help move the food item on, try taking tiny sips of a hot drink over a period of an hour. Some people recommend that this is the one occasion that coke is good to drink as the bubbles encourage your stomach to distend and dislodge the blockage. If 24hrs has gone by and you still have something stuck and nothing else is going down (or its coming straight back up) you need to attend your hospital for a temporary de-fill of your band to ease the problem. What does anyone think of the advice? It sounds like it would be a good thing to do, but I haven't heard anyone else on this board say anything about sipping Hot drinks or drinking soda during a time when food is stuck. Do they mean during a time you fell like PBing? I did notice it is a British board. Would British and American/Mexican doctors differ so much in advice? Thanks, I am just really curious if anyone has used this advice or if they just let the food come out on its own. Audree

I actually did go get a full physical with blood work, the whole 9. I don't have any medical problems. I actually never fasted for long periods of time on just shakes. I did something called the Daniel Fast, which still allows food, but I think I just ate too too much of what was allowed. I was fasting with shakes for breakfast and lunch, but my dinner was just in way to large of quantities. I did Atkins, but then again, my portions were enormous. The only time recently I lost weight, was doing something called the 6 Week Body Makeover (which I may do again on the band since it falls into all the banding rules and I do better on a plan of some sort) and replacing all 3 meals with shakes. My main problem is my portions are just way to big, too many calories in one sitting. I can out eat my husband and he is a very muscular and tall guy who can eat a lot. He does not and has never had a weight problem. He eats when hungry and stops when he is full, what a novel idea!!!:faint: He is really happy for me that I am getting banded. That look in his eyes, when I get a hold of a new diet, where I will lose weight this time, is pain for me. Before I got banded i was all excited about starting the eat healthy 80% of the time and allow myself to eat whatever 20% of the time (but no matter how healthy, if I have a big serving and go back for thirds....)he just looked so sad. I asked him what was wrong and he said that he felt bad for me, we had had the same "new diet" talk so many times before..... I feel like I will be finally set free of this "hell". Has anyone seen Groundhog's Day? That is how I feel on a diet. Get up and live the same yo yo diet, recycled diets, fad diets, etc. Audree

Thanks for that awesome article. I think I am going to print it out and read it everyday. I told my husband that I figured out why I have to come here so much everyday. I am reprogramming my brain to learn a totally new way of living. For example, I told him what would be the first thing he'd do if I started choking? He said give me some water to drink. Well, I told him after the band, that would be the worse thing to do. Once pre op starts, I will again begin my journal on what I eat, how I feel, etc. Audree

Man, I didn't eat that much yesterday, but I sure made up for it today grazing on leftovers allllllll dayyyyyy!!!!! I had lots of small servings which was a lot more than I ususally eat. I have really fallen of the wagon. I am not drinking my Water like usual, I am not exercising!!!!! What am I waiting for? I am such a all or nothing person. I can't do anything half way and since I can't do pre op..... On the upside then when I get my lapband, I will be "hopefully" in my "all" mode. Four more days till my pre op diet begins on Dec. 29th. Just think next Thursday I will be driving to Mexico and I will be banded next Friday!!! OOOHHHHH it made me nervous. I can't believe this is really happening!!! It just doesn't feel real yet. Audree

Hi Susan!! Where are you getting your band put in? I am having mine done in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz. I know I definitely gained some weight and feel like a stuffed tomato! When do you start your pre op? I am supposed to start seven days befoe the date, so I start Dec. 29. I am supposed to drink a protein shake for breakfast and a Lean Cuisine for lunch and dinner. I would love to keep in contact with you. I think it's neet to have someone who is near your stats and getting banded the same time. That way we can compare how we are feeling,etc. Talk to you soon!!! Audree:o

I just wanted to borrow this information that I found on another thread. I thought it would be helpeful for us "slower losers" with lower bmi's. Some could use this as a new way of doing things or to blast past our plateuas. I really like finding good advice and posting it here so we can have new ideas. Does anyoone else have anything they'd like to share? Any new tips, etc? Sometimes something someone says gives us those "aha" moments, new ways of doing things. I plan on doing this and maybe sometime we can have a group challenge! Audree ‘How to Lose 22lbs or 10kgs in 28 Days Without Starving or Training Like an Olympic Athlete!' By Stephen Smith BSc If you seriously want to lose 22lbs or 10 kilograms in 28 days then you must perform all of the principles exactly as recommended. Unlike the recommendations in my book, ‘Look good, feel great!', where you can pick the principles you want to use and ignore the rest and where you can even modify the principles to suit your lifestyle, these principles must be followed exactly as they are outlined. If you want extraordinary results, then you must be willing to put in an extraordinary effort! I realise that some people may be thinking, ‘But it is impossible to lose 10 kilograms of fat in a month!' I agree- it is! However, the truth is, it is impossible to only lose fat on any type of weight-loss program. You will always lose a combination of fat, Water, stored carbohydrate and some muscle. Furthermore, most people who want to lose 10 kilograms in the first place are generally retaining excess Fluid anyway, so a system that helps get rid of the excess fluid is certainly going to accelerate their results. Perform 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise morning and night. Yes, you read that correctly, morning and night- 2 sessions a day… every day! No excuses. We're all busy, we all feel tired some mornings, but if you're serious about getting amazing results, then you must be willing to do everything necessary. When we talk about aerobic exercise, we're talking about exercise! Not walking around the shops, doing the gardening or doing housework. It must be exercise, which means your breathing rate increases, your face goes red, you sweat, you get tired- simple! Some examples of aerobic exercise include: walking (pounding the pavement at a brisk pace- not dawdling), cycling (stationary bike is ideal), swimming, rowing, stepper, cross-trainer, aerobic classes, boxing, etc. Use ‘thermogenics'. There are several very effective thermogenic supplementson the market that can accelerate your progress towards your goal. Those containing caffeine, green tea extracts and an extract from a plant called coleus forskohlii are the most effective. They will boost your metabolismand promote the release of fat from the fat stores. ‘Scorch' by MAN Sports is a good example. It contains a combination of 7 powerful herbal ingredients specifically designed to boost your metabolism, burn body fat and increase your energy. Unfortunately though, thermogenics are not ‘magic pills'. You can't expect to take a couple of thermogenic capsules and then go home and eat pizza and drink alcohol and expect to get results. Thermogenics only work when their use is combined with a good nutrition and exercise program. Take 1-2 capsules twice a day; once prior to your morning exercise session and once with your lunch. Don't take them later than 4:00pm in the afternoon because they may keep you awake at night. Before using thermogenics, see your doctor first and obtain their approval. Do not eat anything for 30 minutes after the completion of any exercise. As a result of using the thermogenics combined with the exercise, your metabolism will remain elevated for some time after the exercise session is finished. This means your body will burn fuel at a faster rate than normal. Any exercise causes the body to use carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) as a fuel source. This means that after the exercise is completed the carbohydrate stores in the body are low and the body will be forced to use fat as its fuel. If a meal is eaten immediately after the completion of the exercise session, the blood glucose level will rise, inducing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. One of the effects of insulin is to stop fat burning in the body. Therefore, wait 30 minutes (but no longer because cortisol will rise) before having your next meal. Perform a weight training workout 2-4 times a week. Lifting weights is the most under-estimated way to lose fat fast! Now, before you start saying, ‘But I don't want to get big muscles!' or ‘I don't want to look like a man!', consider the following. The main purpose of lifting weights when your primary goal is to lose body fat is to preserve the muscle massyou already have. You see, muscle is the ‘engine' within which the fat, or ‘fuel' is burnt and maintaining or even increasing your muscle mass slightly will help ensure your body fat is burnt off efficiently. If you don't lift weights, your body will quite happily lose both fat and muscle as you drop the kilos. Lifting weights forces your body to maintain your muscle mass, therefore keeping your metabolism elevated and turning your body into 24-hour-a-day fat-burning machine! Incidentally, it only takes two 30 minute sessions a week to obtain the muscle preserving benefits of lifting weights. Have 5-6 small meals a day. One of the most common strategies people use to lose weight is to skip meals. Whilst reducing food intake is certainly an effective way to lose weight, having fewer meals is not the way to go. Many overweight people say, ‘I don't know why I'm overweight, I only eat once or twice a day!' Unfortunately, this is exactly why they are overweight. Having a mild calorie restriction is effective because if you consume less calories than you burn each day you will lose weight- simple! However, skipping meals forces the body to invoke its ‘Starvation Mechanism' because it thinks it is entering a famine. As a result, the body slows the metabolism to preserve energy. It also increases cortisol output and cortisol is the most powerful catabolic hormone in the body, which means it goes around the body breaking down lean tissue, particularly muscle. A loss of muscle slows the metabolism even further. Skipping meals also results in an increase in appetite, which forces you to eat larger amounts of food when you do eat. In addition to all these factors, the body also increases the activity of fat-storing enzymes, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), so when you do eat the food gets stored as fat. All of this results from simply skipping meals! By having a small meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day, your metabolism stays elevated and your body will happily burn fat all day long. Unfortunately though, most people are conditioned to having large meals and they automatically assume they will put on weight if they have 5 or 6 meals a day. The fact is, the ideal portion sizes for most people are actually quite small and in order to lose weight fast it is essential that you never feel full from a meal but you do feel satisfied. Also, most people find it difficult to have a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day because they are so busy with work and/ or family commitments. Here are some suggestions to ensure you get your 5 or 6 meals a day. • Plan and prepare your meals the night before • Use Meal Replacements (Protein shakes or bars) • Select foods that are quick and easy to prepare and consume Ensure each meal contains protein. Protein is a component of all cells and makes up over half the dry weight of the human body. Furthermore, the human body is a dynamic structure, which means it is constantly building up and breaking down tissue. Just imagine a bath full of water. At one end of the bath the plug is pulled out and at the other end the tap is turned on full. The water level in the bath doesn't change but there are ‘new' water molecules entering the bath and ‘old' water molecules leaving the bath all the time. The human body is exactly the same. If the body breaks down more tissue than it builds up, then it is said to be in a catabolic state. This results in the metabolism slowing down due to the loss of muscle tissue. Having a portion of high-quality protein every few hours throughout the day provides the body with a constant supply of amino acids- the building blocks of the body. This prevents the catabolic state, promotes an anabolic state (tissue building) and therefore keeps the metabolism ‘fired-up'. If only carbohydrate or fat is consumed for a meal, for example a piece of fruit (carbohydrate) for the mid-morning meal, then the body will still enter a catabolic state because it doesn't have the building blocks (amino acids) to re-build body tissues. Protein, as its name suggests, is of primary importance. Reduce your intake of high-density carbohydrates. Most high-density carbohydrates like bread, Pasta, rice and cereals cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. This invokes the release of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn stores the glucose. The body stores glucose in the muscles and liver as glycogen and once these sites are full, the remaining glucose gets stored as body fat. Not only this, but insulin also stops the body from mobilising and utilising fat for fuel (burning fat). So if you want to maximise fat loss, you need to keep insulin to a minimum and the best way to do this is by reducing your intake of starchy carbohydrates without cutting them out altogether. Cutting them out totally is a philosophy of many low-carb diets on the market. However, these are very hard to sustain long-term and may lead to nutrient deficiencies. Each day, have a small amount (1-2 serves) of high density carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, cereals); a moderate amount (2-3 serves) of medium density carbohydrates (starchy vegetables and fruits); and a large amount (5-6 serves) of low density carbohydrates (fibrous vegetables). [For a complete list of carbohydrates, see pages 136-138 of the book, ‘ Look good, feel great! ] Do not have a Treat Day. Since you are expecting an extraordinary result, it is essential that you put in an extraordinary effort. Accordingly, for the next 28 days you must follow the plan exactly as it is outlined without deviating. This means you can't allow yourself to indulge in any ‘forbidden foods'. This also means avoiding alcohol for the entire 28-day period. I know this may be hard for some people but let's face it, it is only for 28 days! By committing to the plan and disciplining yourself to see it through, you are ensuring that the results will follow. Plus, the disciplines you create to help you achieve your physical goal will have a ‘carry-over benefit' to other areas of your life as well. I wish you the greatest success in achieving outstanding results! * Before using any nutritional supplement, speak with your health care professional. <!-- / message -->

Thanks Decked Out! That is very reasuring to me. I have a problem with them finding my veins where ever I go for some reason. I hate having people digging into my arms. They sometimes do a butterfly needle on the back of my hands. I am so excited about doing this! I can't wait to see "me" emerge. What a difference just every 10 pounds lost makes. My face totally changes and so does my outlook. When I am heavy I don't really want to go out and go anywhere. When I have been thin, I just want to go out even if it is to walk around. Thanks for all the support everyone is giving me. You all have made all the difference to me, to have the courage to take this journey. Thank you for being willing to share your stories with me. Have a beautiful and blessed day, Audree :clap2:

Janice: The way she re wrote her recipes was that there are no pastas, I think no rice dishes and just over all healthier and lower in fat. As a bandster, she said that the servings she would have to eat were so small, so she had to make sure that she got her Protein first, veggies, fruit and a lil' carbs. Her recipes are mostly all balanced meals, not just protien. If there is a recipe that calls for meat, she just has the bandster blend theres so the meat will go down easier. What I liked about her book is that she emphasizes that you don't have to cook one meal for yourself and then another one for your family. Some people can tolerate more than others. Some people say they can eat anything as long as they really chew it, and others can not have steak, Pasta, rice, bread. We won't really know till we get there ourselves since it seems to really vary from person to person. I hope this helps!!!!! Audree:o

Wow, 32 pounds in 5 months!!!!! That is amazing!!! Our stats sounds about the same, just a few pounds difference. I have never been able to lose like that even with fasting. I can not wait to begin. You also were banded by Dr. Ortiz? How was your experience? I am being banded by him too. I bought his book and it is very good. Audree

Merry Christmas everybody!!!! How did you all do? I had a light Breakfast of eggs, tasted a little here and there while cooking and had one serving of dinner. I had a couple Cookies and passed up on the pie. Today, I had some left overs for brunch, mashed potatoes, Beans and corn, so not so bad. Four more days till my pre op diet. I am even feeling burned out on food. Isn't that funny? 2 more weeks till my banding!!!!! WOOOHOOO Audree

I know that there is a Dr. C somewhere here that people ask medical questions. Where is the thread so we can ask there? Audree

Isn't it funny how we feel the need to check in! Is it my new obsession!!!:girl_hug: I just can't keep from coming here. At last, a healthy habit! Now, I just have to add the gym back!!! I actually am not over stuffing myself every time, but I am also not making the best choices. I did scare myself the other day though. I ate till it hurt and I haven't done that for many years. Wow, your pre op is only three days prior? Mine is one week, a protein shake for breakfast and a lean cuisine for lunch and dinner. I am looking forward to my food tonight. My pre op starts on Dec. 29, so in 5 days!!! I can't wait!!! Audree

The good thing is, it will come off!!! And, it won't sneak back up on us!!! Audree

You know, I just bought a book called "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery" by Patt Levine. She was actually a chef and would write for Gourmet magazine. She is also a banster and re wrote all of her favorite recipes to be banster friendly. She says that they are all healthy foods you can make for your family that you and they will love, except she recommends to blend our portions. A lot of them we can just eat as is. It is really a very intersting book. She also talks about her experience with her banding and advice her nutrionist gives. I also got it on amazon.com for like $11!!! Can't beat that!!!!!:clap2: Audree

If I remember correctly, I had to cut and paste the ticker from the ticker factory and paste it on my signiture, where the User Cp is. I think I did the first or second selection, maybe the first one??? Hope that helps!Audree

Wow, 1-2 pounds lost a week sounds like a dream. I have done the most strict diets, fasts, extreme workouts with trainers burning a ton of calories and wouldn't lose 1-2 pounds in a month!!!!:faint: 1-2 pounds would be perfect and then I wouldn't have to worry so much about the skin sagging. I want to do this thing right from the get go. That is why I am picking all those experienced bandsters brains!!!!:girl_hug: Audree

Can I ask you what advice the nurse gave you so I make sure to not do it? What would your best advice be for us new people who are not banded yet and those who are banded, to not pb. Thanks!!! Audree

Diane: Thanks for the encouragment. I am actually only 2 hours from my Dr. in Mexico and my friend, who lives near me and had her surgery with the same doctor, we will be going up together to get our fillls together and turn around and come home. So, did your band slip because they overfilled you? Was it done under fluro? Dr. Ortiz only does it under fluro. I can't wait to start losing and that I will never gain the weight back. I think I will also work on getting a credit card that will always be on standby in case I'd ever slip. From what I read, the pbing is what causes the slips. Is that what you have found to? Audree