Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

Wow Special K- The Protein Drink sounds like a freakin' sundae! mmmmm.. I am going to try that! Great idea!I am having such an issue choking these down.. I am drinking a Low Carb Slim Fast right now.. 20g protein.. They are ok with ice cubes, but if I don't get it down fast enough it starts to seperate.. iiccckkkkkkk! lol..

Fenton- as for this Isopure you swear by.. I have the zero carb, 20oz bottles with 40g protein.. I think they taste alright at first, but when I swallow it tastes like @$$ lol.. UGHHHH.. How do you choke these bad boys down?! Do you not get that same taste after you swallow?? It literally makesme start to gag.. I've even tried "chasing" each sip with a bit of a SF popsicle.. No such luck.. As I said above, I am currently sipping on a Low Carb Slim fast .. It has 20g Protein, and isn't horribly bad, but there is noooo way I'll get down 4 of them each day!

OK, OK, OK,.... Sorry to complain.. lol.. Happy Easter to everyone! I am happy to report that I am feeling good today, and getting back to my "normal" self! AMEN for that;) Still some minor port pain, but otherwise feeling good (and sick of this house!)..

I am working on getting a spiral ham, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole to fit into this clear liquid stage..lol.. It can be done! Maybe I'll invent a ham, potato, green bean casserole Isopure.. Hmm.. Think it's marketable??

Thanks Fenton. I did have to start a new ticker. Oh well, it gave me a chance to turn it into a Shamrock.

Happy Easter, Shamrocks.....

do you suppose that it's Freudian that I typed that "Happy Eater" the first time??

Going to be a bit of a challenge today....I'm not cooking the "full on" Easter dinner that I usually do, but still making ham, sweet potatoes, salad.....my MIL pretty much counts on us for dinners, so I feel obligated to do it!

Just one of many challenges to come down the pike!

The good news is that the magically appearing +2 pounds from surgery disappeared and took two more with them! Down a total of 12 so far!

Thanks Fenton for your response.

Brothers (if any brothers there be) and sisters! AH HAVE SINNED!!!!

I had a pretty decent fall from grace yesterday. One of the things about living in a city like New York, is that, whatever your vice, all you have to do is pick up the phone and it'll come to you. Someone slipped a menu from a local barbecue restaurant (you Southerners stop smirking! There IS decent barbecue to be had in NYC!) (although, admittedly, not from this particular place) under my door yesterday, and I broke down and ordered from them.

I had a half order of ribs, a bite of corn bread, a couple of tablespoons of mashed potato and some grilled corn with butter and cotija cheese. I felt only a small amount of the requisite guilt afterwards - when all was said and done, it wasn't HUGELY caloric, and it was high in Protein. But it was also high in carbs, and more volume than what I'm supposed to be taking in on my mushies stage.

I don't think I did myself any harm, either to the band or to the weight loss arc (my intake for the day was still less than 2000 calories, and, at 435 pounds, I have a little room to play with), but I did learn my lesson.

For one thing, I was full - really full, for the rest of the afternoon, all of the evening, overnight and into the morning. I don't have restriction yet - well, maybe I do a little - but it was a lesson that I don't want to eat as much as I can, nor as much as I used to.

The second thing follows on from that: I was hoping to go for a while without a band fill, but if I'm going to be pulling stunts like yesterday's, I'm kidding myself. My MD does the first fill at four weeks; I was going to delay to see how I felt, but when the office opens tomorrow, I'm going to give them a call and set up an appointment for a fill. For clearly, I am still weak as baby veal...

Edited March 23, 200818 yr by Fenton

((((FENTON))))

It's a learning curve.....mark this one on your curve!

It's what happens from here FORWARD that matters.......there are going to be those times for all of us, I'm sure!

There are some "UP" sides to it....I'm sure you ate less than you usually would have......you learned something about yourself.....

What EVIL BA$TARD slipped that under your door?

We should hunt them down and make them PAY!!

I don't believe in punishing others for my mistakes! Temptation will always be there, and my resisting or succumbing is about me and the lessons I've learned and the insight I have into my eating.

But eating the tasty rib meat, I was reminded of Paul McKenna talking about how overweight people tend to go "unconscious" when they eat. I wolfed it down, not stopping to savour its ribby goodness, or the gloopy sweet sauce. It was about eating to scratch an itch, not eating for pleasure or even for nutrition.

I shall watch Paul McKenna again tonight (SUndays, 9pm, The Learning Channel), and take in his messages of conscious eating to satiety.

I don't believe in punishing others for my mistakes! Temptation will always be there, and my resisting or succumbing is about me and the lessons I've learned and the insight I have into my eating.

But eating the tasty rib meat, I was reminded of Paul McKenna talking about how overweight people tend to go "unconscious" when they eat. I wolfed it down, not stopping to savour its ribby goodness, or the gloopy sweet sauce. It was about eating to scratch an itch, not eating for pleasure or even for nutrition.

I shall watch Paul McKenna again tonight (SUndays, 9pm, The Learning Channel), and take in his messages of conscious eating to satiety.

I take it as a true blessing that this show is airing at the same time as my lapband journey begins. It's yet another wonderful resource and reminder. I've heard it mentioned several times at this board how his "rules" are just like the rules banders live by. It's exactly what I thought when I saw the show when it first aired.

Anyway, Fenton, you learned something - maybe several somethings - from your little slip and that's what matters here. As long as we learn from these challenges and slips, we're still making progress.

I went to church this morning. I think it was too much. By the time I got home I was exhausted. I was dizzy and worn out. I came home and went to bed for about 3 hours. Not feeling too bad now but I am still really weak I think its cuz im not getting enough nutrition. Im eating less than 500 calories a day. This gas pain in my shoulder is still bothering me too.

I hate any kind of Protein drinks ill be so glad when i can eat my Protein. I wish i could just guzzle them like i did pre op i could have them down in 10 seconds now they take hours. yuck

Scrappy Friend- I totally hear you! I am having such an issue with the drinks!! My nutritionist said I need to be having 80g a day?! ugghh..

I weighed in this morning.. 234lbs- down 8lbs since surgery day- last wednesday.. I looked up what my protein goal should be online and I found that they suggest between 50-60g.. I am just taking in what I can right now.. I guess some is better than none! Good luck to you and keep on sipping!

:)Kerri

Thought I would post a quick reply. Still doing good. Banded 3/18. Still on liquids so cheating on the mushies hasn't been a problem yet. I have just stayed on thinned, strained liquids, no more than 4 oz of soup, otherwise just water, crystal lite, propel or sf jello or sf popsicles all dr. approved. So far, so good. Happy Easter all.

Ms.: Dizzyness is a sign of dehydration, or can be. Be sure you are sipping water, especially when you are walking around. Target was probably a bit much, I know I tried to much too soon. Try short distances. Yes, 30 minutes a day is suggested but my dr said not all at once. He said you have to work up to it. I just started taking a few walks a few feet, then increased them. If I wanted to go some where I made sure I could sit and rest as needed. My dr said after two weeks I should be up to about 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the pm. If I am doing great I can even add 20 min mid afternoon but don't overdo and don't get dehydrated. Now is the time to heal Ms. Take it easy and give the Praises to God. GBY. Cindy

I went to church this morning. I think it was too much. By the time I got home I was exhausted. I was dizzy and worn out. I came home and went to bed for about 3 hours. Not feeling too bad now but I am still really weak I think its cuz im not getting enough nutrition. Im eating less than 500 calories a day. This gas pain in my shoulder is still bothering me too.

I hate any kind of Protein drinks ill be so glad when i can eat my Protein. I wish i could just guzzle them like i did pre op i could have them down in 10 seconds now they take hours. yuck

Hi Scrappy - I find that if the protein drinks are really cold, thus using ice cubes to be crushed in the blender in lieu of some of the Water, that its more like a chocolate shake. 2nd the chocolate shake brand I got from GNC is called Wheybolic Extreme 60 (chocolate) and a 3 scoop shake made with 12 oz of water is 60 grams of protein. So if you can choke (hee hee) down one shake, you're keeping your protein up. Best wishes to get stronger each day.

Harley, What a beautiful picture of the mare and foal. You are blessed to live in a place where you can see miracles like that when walking around your neighborhood.

Christine

Harley, What a beautiful picture of the mare and foal. You are blessed to live in a place where you can see miracles like that when walking around your neighborhood.

Christine

It's funny, because we do live in the city (well, by Utah standards anyway)......but there is pasture in back of our house and they have "grandfathered" the owner because the pasture was there before the zoning changed......He has three horses and a bunch of ducks back there.....I love listening to them.....except when they tease my dogs....then it's annoying!