Come join us. We are bandsters without a local support group, and we're going to meet, say hi, and chat about possibly starting our own group.

We are meeting this Wednesday December 13 at 6:30 PM at Humble City Cafe near the SE corner of the intersection of 1960 and 59, on Main Street.

Let me know if you're coming and I'll make a reservation in the name of Bandsters.

Isopure has a clear Protein drink, in different flavors. They have it at GNC, and there may be less expensive places to get it as well. I haven't tried it, being a fan of chocolate, but I've read about it a lot on this site. Might be worth buying a single bottle at GNC to see if you like it and then checking eBay or Walmart.....

Powder is fine for the pre-op, but some doctors don't want the Protein Drink to be powdered post-op.

I've also heard about little liquid shots of protein that you add to Water. Go to the food section of this site and search the protein drink thread. You may have to search isopure or start a thread to ask about Protein drinks with no milk.

Thanks Betsey, Actually I like chocolate too and could probably do the chocolate 2 or 3 times a week if it's not too sweet but more like chocolate milk. So I guess that was a lie when I said I don't like milk. I do like chocolate milk. I will pick up some of the Isopure at GNC and try it. I'm not far enough along yet to know the exact requirements of my Dr. for post op diet other than knowing a liquid diet for 4 weeks 1oz. or 1/8 cup each of three different items over a 30 to 45 minute period (my mind can't even grasp 1/8 cup) I know it's true because everyone tells me it is but right now that wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket to what I'm used to eating so I can't imagine that some days that will be enough. Anyway he's also requiring 3 cups of lactose-free Protein supplement daily (2-3 hours per cup) and of course 64oz. of Water a day. So I guess I need to ask him about the protein supplements post op and can I use the powder before I invest $30.00 for it.

This is way down the road for me but I'm curious, I've read that some people go to a different Dr. for their fill , different than the Dr. that did their surgery. Just wondering why they would do this.

Also read where some people can't eat chicken, or can't eat beef anymore and a lot of people can't eat bread or Pasta or rice. Is this just an individual thing that happens or is there a reason some people can't and some people can?

I guess I've picked your brain enough for this time but I'll be backkkkkkkk!

Thanks in advance.

I was just over at GNC this morning. The Isopure is 40g whey Protein and no carbs. I guess all you'd be missing is some of the vitamons they put in the shakes, but you'll be on a daily chewable Vitamin anyway.... The flavors were way out there....blue raspberry, etc. I think I might try one sometime. The Isopure will probably suffice for the protein he wants you to have.....

The EAS carb control is a pretty thin chocolate shake.....Be use to get carb control....

I know. The portions seem unbelievable, don't they? Oddly, after you get the band AND get the correct fill amount, you'll find that you get full after a small amount of food. I found that my eyes and my head didn't believe it at first, so I kept thinking it just shouldn't be. Then you find yourself ordering an appetizer and you're full. Or always taking a doggie bag home....or just nibbling off someone else's plate and you're finished. It's pretty amazing. It's kind of an art and a science, though. Your band gives you some prtion control, bu toyu also learn over time to listen for those first signs of fullness so you hear it whisper before it has to shout. You really do spend time learning to live with your band, and it takes on a life of its own as it becomes your new best friend.

Foods we can't eat... It really is individualized. Many of us can't eat carbs because things that can turn glue-y just plug up that little hole and then we PB and slime. But crunchy style carbs seem to go down better and don't form a dough ball. But I read that some people eat sandwiches regularly. I can't eat stringy things like frozen spinach. I used to love chicken, but beef does better for me. Shrimp is iffy but crab and lobster work. Go figure. And it depends whether you have good restriction or are waiting for a fill.... And whether you chew things well enough that just about everything will go through. It's really all about handling whatever food you eat in a way that will allow it to go through an opening the size of a pencil.

While you want food to go through, you want it to eventually be "difficult" (solid) food rather than liquid food/soups/ice cream ,etc. You want to chew chew chew, and fill the little pouch so you feel full and don't want to eat. Liquid foods just go on through, giving you mucho calories and no sense of fullness. So you'll eventually settle into some version of eating Proteins first at your meals, and veges second, and then whatever you have room for...equaling somewhere between a 1/2 cup total of food, and 1.5 cups, depending on the day. Hard to believe, isn't it?

Nothing much to add to what Betsy has said. Everyone is individual in what works and what doesn't. Also, safe food for one month might not be safe another month. The variable here is the fill, your tollerance for the fill, how much fill, etc. Then once you get that figured out comes the length of time you have the band, spicy versus bland food, acid reflux may come back after a year's absence, etc. There are some general things like follow YOUR doctor's instructions, your doctor will be your aftercare so pick your doctor wisely, don't go with what other's say as your doctor's program is what you are following. You will get to know your band better than your doctor and will understand what you can and can't do. I for the most part could eat in the morning, noon, and night. I now can't eat in the morning and I've had my band just over a year. Things change and we must change with it, but portion control remains one of the biggest issues. You can take in far more calories than you realize when you go for soft or liquid foods. They don't keep you full so you go for something else. Hard to learn and understand.

Continued good luck with your pending tests. Hopefully you will be joining us in bandland soon.

Good morning ladies, Just wanted to stop in to say I hope you're having a great day. This sounds strange I'm sure but I'm looking forward to Dr.s appointments (3) and blood test in the next two weeks. Maybe I will finally get going in the right direction. Betsy, my mother had lupus from 26 years old until she passed. It can be a devastating disease, but I'm sure that I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. My friends daughter was just diagnosed with it (28 years old with 5 children) and is rather stunned and not knowing what to do next. My advice was to find a specialist quickly because many family Dr.s don't know a whole lot about lupus. Anyway, I hope to meet ya'll soon.

Dee

Yep. A rheumatologist is a must! And a Lupus support group. There's also a great book at Barnes and Nobles called, I think, The First Year with Lupus. It was so helpful to me.

I sure wish Lana would get unpacked in her new house and rejoin us here! I want to hear how Weight Watchers is going!

Funny. I stopped in Hasta La Pasta for lunch yesterday. I remember the old days of paying $10 for lunch.

They brought water, rolls, and dipping oil, and I ordered a side salad. Nibbled a bit of roll, at 2/3 of the side salad, and received a bill for $1.23.....

I tipped more than that....

Dick and I stopped for a hamburger yesterday. 13 hours of PBing has told me never to do that again!!!! I was just trying the meat, but that was a no go. This one has scared me enough to get an unfill. I'll wait until Monday to go to surgicenter instead of emergency room. I almost went last night, but after 13 hrs I stopped. I have tried a few sips of water and 1/3 of protein drink. Its taken me all day to get that far.

Not going for any fills after this. This will have to do for me. Hopefully, they can take out only .2 or .3 and get me flowing again.

Good grief, Barbara. that's amazing how sensitive your system is! Can you eat after hot liquids still, or are you pretty much out of commission? Sorry to hear about your extended PBing.

No hot liquids don't always help. I've finally gotten a protein drink down and some soup. I'll take it easy as I have a full day tomorrow before I can leave work to have an unfill. I'm just not going to deal with this anymore even if I do open up. This happens way too often and takes such a toll on me.

I wonder if there is any research about this. Surely it happens to others. Could part of it be that Omnipack is a bit more unforgiving? I dunno. Seems like someone should know. Have you asked that lap Dr. that posts on this site if he has any answers? I think it's Dr. C?

Gosh Barbara, that sounds awful. All because you tried to eat a little bit of a hamburger pattie. That's kinda scarey to me. Are their many things you can't eat or is this all because of a recent fill?

Hey Kitty... Look under Barbara's signature at the number of fills and unfills she's gotten. She's really sensitive to them!

I had noticed the fills and unfills Barbara has had but I didn't know if that was normal or not. Geesh, I have so much to learn.:phanvan

Just returned from getting a .3 unfill. My band looked good they said and the position was spot on. I don't know why I react like this. It must be something else in my esphogus. Anyway, I'm back to where I was when I was in Vegas except I'm a .1 less. They took out .2 and I still felt a little funny. It was probably nerves and swolen esphogas, but I had them take out another .1. I just couldn't go through anymore.

Last night I had one teaspoon of a shake and started PBing again. I don't know if it was too cold or too hot or not just right, but that is all I could take.

I really think I have something else. I noticed I can't take an kind of spicy foods. I really don't try, but even my safe queso started giving me problems a couple of weeks ago.

I guess I'll let all of this settle down and then go in for some kind of test. I'm through with fills though. No more for me. I'll just have to resort to counting calories and watching what I eat. I'll try to be more dilegent in portion control.

And no I'm not normal in any way. Especially when it comes to fills/unfills! I think there is probably something else going on with me that aggravates the band.

Oh well, the drama is over I hope. I can get back to my life and to this program.