I have been banded only 3 weeks now. Was doing great with a 15 pound loss but have gained two pounds by just breathing LOL

Before this band, Diet Dr. Pepper and spaghetti were my life.

I don't seem to miss the Diet drink but how can a life be led without Pasta.....Any substitute recommended? By the way, why can't we have Diet Dr. Pepper?

Thanks for any food recommendations that will help with these cravings...

Carbonation is not good for the band. Some say it can lead to the pouch stretching. I know what you mean about the pasta. Some Bandsters say they can tolerate it. Wait until your on a regular diet and then see what happens. Moderation will be the key as to how many times a month you have it. Especially since your main goal right now is to lose weight. Hope to join you in band land 4/24

Roberta

I finally made the switch from regular Dr. Pepper to Diet several years ago, then changed to Caffeine free as well a couple of years later. Since I started getting VERY serious about this surgery, I have one every week or so is all. I now drink either water, or caffeine free, iced tea with Splenda. It took awhile to not miss it, but now that my date is so close I am glad I made the change ahead of time, because each day it seems I think about something else I might "miss". This food addiction of mine is horrible!!! Good luck to you on Monday!

Kat

I don't have much trouble eating pasta, although as always, you need to chew chew chew!

Yea know the soda thing is the hardest for me too! I'm scheduled for surgery on 5-1-06 & am a C2-a-holic!! LOL (C2 is the Coke that has 1/2 the sugar & calories of regular Coke but isn't Diet Coke--which I can't stand). My doctor requires a 3 week pre-op. I had 1 C2 last week and 1 C2 so far this week. It is a HUGE struggle for me, but like Ceparano said, its not good for the band. By surgery date, I'll be off soda for good! I will say that I don't feel nearly as bloated since I've almost stopped carbonated beverages. I used to drink between 8-10 Cokes (C2) a DAY!!! I'm sick!!!!! LOL

Carbonation is really uncomfortable. My husband brought home some flavored water thinking he was being sweet. It was corbonated! I let it go flat but it still had a tiny bit of carbonation in it, I took one baby sip and instant discomfort and gas. I had to chew a gas-x fast. I do not recommend it. I was a major diet coke drinker. Almost a 12 pack a day! Quit at midnight the night beofre the surgery. Amazingly I don't miss it really at all, and with the pain meds I didn't even have a headache with withdrawl As for pasta, my plan is to never try it. It is a trigger food for me, so best to just tell myself it won't go down. Good luck, this is a hard journey for all of us

As for Pasta, my plan is to never try it. It is a trigger food for me, so best to just tell myself it won't go down.

This is exactly what I do too! I will not try breads or pastas.

Preband, I have used spaghetti squash in place of spaghetti noodles. I bake the two halves in the oven and then scrape the meat of the baked squash out with a fork. It comes out like spaghetti. It's really not bad. Just be careful to check the calories on the spaghetti sauce. There are a lot of sugars in those sauces and it would be easy to eat a lot of it.

Photo nut, I was just going to suggest spagetti squash. My kids love it. I haven't had any promblem with spagetti though, and I usually buy wheat pasta...just a little better nutrionally wise.