I may start a contorversy...but here goes

[momlambert 77]

I believe this post explains it all. Paints a pretty good picture don't you think? :bolt:

Donna

Yeah, I definitely think!

[susannah 2]

Hi, I have Equal in my cups of tea and it has not caused me any problems at all. I have been losing weight just fine. I wouldn't search aspartame on google to be honest. There are so many internet urban myths about it to be honest.

I have Multiple Sclerosis and the internet spreads a falsehood that it is caused by consuming aspartame. They do not know yet what causes MS.

Anyway to each their own I guess.

Susannah

[sheilamj1fan 2]

I love Splenda!

[kyethra 0]

I have this agave sweetner that is low glycemic index. I forget if it has a certain name. Its made from agave cactus. Since my favorite beverage is also made from the agave cactus I figured it would be worth a try. Its not bad.

[Janine 0]

Hi Guys,

I am so, so, sorry that this thread went this negative direction.

Just for the record I am NOT a rebel rouser, and I am in fact following my dietitian and surgeons directions to a T. I was just kinda interested in the sugar free "versus" regular sugar post surgery diet ways and what people are doing.

I give the people credit that can stomache(no pun intended:)) sugar free foods. My DH is diabetic so he has no choice so I am actually around it.

I have just crossed over to mushies and am so afraid to leave liquids.

Peace out everyone, toodles.

[HarleyNana 10]

Janine, my first mushy was French Onion Soup with a side of mashed potatoes with garlic, thought I'd gone to heaven. Just take it slow. Did your doctor leave any fill in your band during surgery.

[Janine 0]

Hey Harlynana,

What did you do with that hunk of cheese on the Soup?

Can we have Gooey/melted cheese?

I really don't know if he did a fill but I am shaped like an apple, and my chest is very tight when I eat.

[lianna 3]

I love the Stevia. I have been using it in my coffee and tea since I found out I was diabetic, and it works for me. As for prepared foods, I usually just eat the regular (not sugar free) stuff. My DH doesnt like the sugar free puddings or ice cream, and I dont eat enough of it (or very often) to make much difference. But real sugar isnt really the "devil" either, a teaspoon only has about 15 calories.....if I am out of Stevia I use a tsp of real sugar in my coffee and dont worry much about it.

[faithmd 14]

Hi Janine! Don't take any of this personally, I think all of this talk about following MD orders is focused at jubjub. I agree that artificial sweeteners are not (as a general rule) very good for you. I avoid them as much as possible, too.

I am from near Ann Arbor and had my first consult today. Can't wait to get a date! (At Hurley with Dr. James Wagner).

I will also be following MD orders about my diet to the best of my ability. It is merely a few weeks out of my life, it will not kill me, and there is certainly enough date and research about slippage and complications if I don't follow them. My surgeon's practice has had only one slip in the 16 months the practice has been doing the band, and it was due to non-compliance. I'm going to comply...

I already told the dietician that other than the pre-op mandatory diet kit that has artificial sweeteners in it, I will not be using any. She was just fine with it.

I need to get some of the agave sweetener. I like the Stevia, but it's kind of bitter.

[Kat817 19]

When at home, I have a choice, and use different things---silly I know!!! In my iced tea, I like sweet & low---in my Cereal, I like sugar, and I do some of my baking with Splenda!!!

If I go to my inlaws, it is Splenda in everything. My folks house the same. If I am drinking tea at my best friends, it is pre sweetened with sugar. My favorite Mexican restaurant, has sugar or Equal, so I just grab whatever!!!

I believe too much of anything is probably not good for you. I drink mostly water---plain filtered, through the door of my fridge water! But try to live by the "all things in moderation" plan!!!

As for the eating so early following the band. I was given an explanation of why NOT to do it, that made perfectly good sense to me. I followed my Dr.'s recommendations for Clear Liquids, then for full liquids, and even the mushies almost---I jumped the gun by a couple of days with the change from mushies, and had a few bites of enchiladas---which were almost mushie!!! The reasons not to eat were good ones, and were for my own good, my overall health and the health of my band. I have seen Dr.'s who I thought had super strict eating restrictions, and I would have felt the need to ask "why?"---but in this case, he explained the why---and I listened. He explained many, many things. Mine was not an in and out, wham, bam, thank you Ma'am. I felt fully informed, and ready to care for both myself and my band before I left the hospital.

I hope jubjub that you do fine, because sadly if you don't---it is the stats on the band that go into the dumpster---because YOU couldn't follow the recommended dietary restrictions. Then when future bandsters look into it, you cause them undo worries. We get lots of newbies or researchers coming to this site, asking if there are lots of complications, they deserve to know stats on banding---but when one fails from user abuse, it still is a failure.

Kat

[JeninCO 0]

I think the original post was about sugar free vs sugar and the like and got off track with many being alarmed with one poster bragging that she wasn't following her post op instructions at all, eating mushy foods when she should still be on the straw diet. Personally, after having been cut open and something inserted into my body, I would do as my surgeon says. A piece of plastic near the heart is nothing to f*** with.

As for sweeteners, I love stevia. It's natural, no calories and no chemicals!

[spldgrl 0]

wow, this thread went crazy for awhile. I';ve been banded for almost 2 years. I too like jubjub did not follow the exact post surgery liquid diet. due to complications with MY body, I was puking blood caused by too much stomach acid and no solid foods to settle it down. Idid not go crazy, mashed potatoes really liquidy, leading up to pinto Beans from taco bell mushed up. it saved me. I hav enot had erosion, slippage, no complications and to date have lost well over 100 lbs and 12 clothing sizes. I think the biggest isuue here need to be what we know about our bodies. Yes, your doc know about the band but every person every body with the band is different. Some docs of patients on this site have no pre-surgery diet, mine did, some have 4 weeks post, mine 2 weeks, then adjusted due to the puking blood. every doc is different and they were all "trained" by inamed so whos to say. my doc said at fills 24hrs. liquid, new doc (original moved out of state) said no liquid just be careful, and the later is the most experienced of the two. so.... lets not get so judmental of others, one day, jubjub may be in the 100lb loss club and you wont be who knows??? what I do know is the jumping her crap, is wrong and whoever said she wasnt a good canidate or doing the right things with her band and her body, shame on you , carma is what it is, one day you might regret your bitterness towards her. just my two cents worth, ok not even 2 cents but my opinion.

good luck to everyone on this site in the weightloss journey! If we knew it all, we wouldnt need surgery in the first place.

[JeninCO 0]

How soon did you start on the mushy food?

[JeninCO 0]

I'm just wondering, and don't mean to sound all weird and judgmental, but I'm going on a trip two weeks after my surgery, and plan to follow my plan, but I'm wondering if I slip up will I be at risk?

[Jachut 487]

I havent read all the in between posts but I agree with you entirely Janine. I dont like artificially sweetened products, I'm wary of what artificial sweeteners may do to you Healthwise, and I dont like the taste.

But wait, there's more, lol.

I dont like low fat products either (apart from skim milk and mayonnaise). I like full fat cheese and yogurt. Way I see it, if you eat appropriately and in moderation from all food groups, in proper amounts, the fat isnt a problem.

AND here's the really contraversial thing. I dont believe in low carb. I think its unhealthy and a great way to give yourself bowel cancer and heart disease years down the track. I respect people's choices but I dont think there's any miracle about it, cut out a food group and you lose weight. All that scientific mumbo jumbo about insulin levels etc, I dont believe that. I think wholegrain low GI carbs are just fine. When people say they're addicted to carbs because they crave them, well of course you will crave them if you dont eat them because you're body needs them. They provide ready energy. People that suffer *severe* carb and caffeine cravings often have an underlying disorder like hypothyroidism.

But I agree, sugar is no good for anyone. Processed white refined carbs are crap foods that we shouldnt eat.

I also think the Protein first thing is garbage, we need food from ALL the food groups. It may be the best way to get full but its not the best way to nourish yourself. Protein is not the only nutrient we need.

Lol, wow, I feel brave saying all that.

Each to their own though. Why would I want to argue and be disrespectful of the way other's choose to lose weight? My way works for me, and that's all I'm really concerned about. I'm not saying I'm 100% right either, its just my personal feelings.

I would never not follow my surgeon's directions, but I only had to do 24 hours of Clear liquids, others have to do 2 weeks. So who's right? There's no consensus on it. But I do agree that if you cant follow the post op instructions, you're going to struggle long term.