Hello! I am wondering what is it like to work full time with the band? Considering that you have to be very careful about how, when, what you eat...has PBing, or any other type of *minor complications with the band have gotten in your way of working? As a teacher I am really wondering about this...:cry

Hi, I am a teacher, too!

Your particular teaching situation may be different, but for me, I can have drinks at my desk, so water was not a problem. Also, since I eat smaller portions at a time, I eat more often, so a Zone Perfect bar (that's my fave, but you might like something else) is easy to eat between classes, or whenever you have a chance about mid-morning. Some fruit, string cheese, a protein drink, or something like that is good about mid-afternoon. You will have to plan ahead, or you will eat something "stupid" that's lying around in the teacher's lounge...isn't there always something in there, just waiting on you to break down and eat it?

I have never had a real PB, so if you are careful about how you eat and chew very well...and don't get too tight of a fill, this should not be a problem.

If you have any questions beyone what I've tried to answer, don't hesitate to ask!

Cindy

Thank you for the advice! I can have drinks at my desk too, and even a snack if the kids are working on something. I teach 8th graders and always need to have an eagle eye on them no matter what!

Oh dear...those teacher's lounge Snacks...they truly have not helped me out at all! Worst of all, we have a "snack table" that is located in the office were my desk is!!! And of coarse it is always loaded with chocolate, krispy kreme, and other devilish delights...:evil:

i am not a teacher, i have a desk job. but one thing i find, is i can't rush myself. i have to take my time a chew chew chew. if not, problems can occur. i hold onto the sheets for too long in the mornings and don't end up eating my breakfast until i get to work. which could be a problem if i am trying to get my 30 chews in and the telephone rings! but, when i have my lunch, i leave my desk and go somewhere where i can concentrate on nothing but eating and it be a relaxed environment. same thing with dinner. i am kind of nervous because on saturday my friends are throwing me a bridal shower. i am nervous about eating there because it takes me a good 45 minutes to eat 3 ozs of food now because i do chew forever. i don't want to rush myself and then pb right there at the bridal shower!!!

Do the doctors suggest that you chew everything 30 times before swallowing? If you dont mind me asking, do you use baby utensils, as I have heard suggested...?

can't say that my doctors recommended it. they recommended at least 15 times. but, i had a pb on the first day of mushies and since then, the lesson i took from that was chew until you just can't chew anymore!! since i have adopted that principle, i have not pb. sometimes i don't make it to 30 chews, but sometimes i make it to 50. i eat on a salad plate or a saucer. it looked to depriving for me to eat 3 ozs of food on a huge dinner plate. it almost looked like, why bother?? but on the salad plate, 3 ozs looks like alot. i ate with a baby spoon the other day, and to be honest, i liked it. i knew my bite size was correct (something i sometimes wonder about). the bigger the bite, the more you are going to need to chew and the more (in my opinion) likely you are to swallow something before it has been chewed enough if you are not careful.

christa,

Congradulations on your upcoming wedding. I would just say at the bridal shower that you are too excited to eat. Go around and talk to everyone or otherwise keep yourself busy. Tell the hostess to put a plate away for you or whatever. Then you can eat later when it is easier for you and your not nervous. I know when I'm nervous I tend to hold everything tense and that's when trouble can occur.

Thank you for all of your suggestions and advice! I am also curious about how the pre-op diet goes while at work as well. I know that every pre-op diet differs amongst doctors, but it seems that for most it is strictly liquids for at least 10 tens. How did that work out for all of you? :tea: