July Butterflies Master Thread

[boos02 0]

Hi everyone - It's so good to check in everyday. It seems like we've whittled down to a small core group with a few people popping in and out. I'm also relieved that you are all feeling the same way - I can eat more than I thought I would be able to. I'm also trying to keep it under 1,000.

A suggestion that was made last night at my local support group was to cook up a bunch of veggies and put them in individual containers. Then when I get hungry I can reach for one - it will take the edge off because of the Fiber. I'm still on mushies for about one more week so I'm going to give this a try.

Kathy

[joiful 0]

You can go to Walmart and with the kool-aid there is some packets that you mix that has Protein in it. I think it has Splenda in it and the protein is about 4 grams. That helps too with hunger, a nice cool drink too really help. They are really good too.

[NewMama29 0]

Orea, thank you for the chili recipe! I feel like I have been eating nothing but chicken for the last two weeks and I need a change! :eek: I will be trying that one tomorrow!

I am a little frustrated that I have not lost anything over the last 5 days. I was hoping with this fill, I would see results or feel more restriction.:w00t: I started back in the gym today, 25 mins on the treadmill! I really hope I see some changes soon! When I get frustrated, I just want all of the food I can't have! My doctor said I should be loosing about 3 lbs a week as long as I am eating right (and exercising:redface:).

Thank you for listening, it is nice to know I am not alone in this. I really appreciate everyone's encouraging words!

[PennyLane 0]

Hi, all sorry for the extended break.

I went in for my first post-op visit today and all looks great. I have port pain (started 2 weeks to the day after surgery) probably from overdoing it on stretching or something.

I started soft foods and am really enjoying it. I have to watch it on the creamy Condiments (mayo, sour cream, dressing) but they make for a great mixture with ground chicken and ground turkey.

Besides the obvious tuna salad or egg salad, my favorite as been a bit of an indulgence because I was craving a little spice. I got ground chicken and cooked it in a pan, bought some Buffalo sauce and some reduced fat ranch dressing, mixed them together and voila! Buffalo wing taste without the fried part and nice and soft. I was very careful to measure the dressing and keep it at or under the suggested serving size.

Funny thing is that pre-band I could have taken or left Buffalo wings but I just really wanted that flavor for some reason.

Tonight was my weekly "meeting" at my local pub (just a group of friends who hang out on Wednesday evenings)...had fish n chips without chips and no breading. Fish wasn't so great tasting but it's Protein I suppose. Oh, and only iced tea for me--I have been told that a Guinness now and again is fine but I don't want to have anything to do with alcohol or beer specifically for a good long while.

Finally, I found out on Friday that my landlords won't be renewing my lease this year (after three years) because of a long story involving a mean neighbor whose rent happens to be double mine (guess who won that battle for the landlord's heart?). So I've got to move (well, find a new place to live first) which won't be fun, but hey what's life without a few curve balls?

That's about it for me!

[BeverlyDiane 0]

Orea... I made your turkey chili with a few additions and it was wonderful. I blended mine into a mushie and put a thin layer of mashed potatoes on top...yummm...I haven't tasted anything so good in a long time.

My family does not like ground turkey and refusing to eat whatever I make with it. So, I fooled them by calling it Southwestern Chili and had them eat it with corn chips.:w00t: They raved over it! My DSIL said it was the best chili he had ever eaten.:eek: Thank you so much for the recipe. At this stage, we are so tired of the "liquid" diet, we appreciate all the help we can get to spice up our intake!

[PDXBandster 0]

Hey everyone! Wow- I've finally experienced my first disappointment with the doc's office. I called today to schedule my frist fill (they never scheduled it). The only thing I ever received was a GI swallow set for August 20.

So I called in to schedule my fill adn she said they were booked until October!!! Are you kidding me?!?!

But then I told her that I had surgery mid-July and I shouldnt have to wait until October for my first filL! then she said they would TRY to schedule my fill right after my gi swallow. (same day) so i guess we'll see where that goes...

I've had such a great experience so far with my doc's office, I'm just surprised by this. What about people getting banded this month? Will they have to wait until December? It just seems really unrealistic to me. :thumbup:

Anyway- sorry to vent. I have seen posts like this before but always saud to myself "this wont be me!" well...guess im wrong!

[joiful 0]

I was banded on July 4th. I started calling a doctor's office at the end of June and I can't still get in. My fill is not until Oct. 20 at that office! So I have found another doctor and I can't get in this week or next week. She said also if they have a cancellation she would call, have not heard and it is Thurday. I call the other office every week but still can't get in, they are the best in Kansas City or that is what I have heard. So I am right in the same boat as you. Have a band but can't get filled!

[boos02 0]

That's a long time to wait. I was told to schedule my next fill appt when I had the first fill. That way, it would be easier to cancel then try to schedule two months out. My doc only does fills twice a month.

On another note, I went for the post-op appt today. When the nutritionist looked at my food logs she said I should not be eating more than 1 cup of food at a sitting. She said eating more may stretch the pouch. She said it was better to eat more smaller meals at this point. I'm still on mushies for another 10 days. I thought we were just restricting calories not the amount of food at a sitting. Learned something new!

Kathy

[ShondaN 0]

Hey Orea. How did your appt go??

[kimaly 57]

joyful, sorry to hear your fill is so far away, there's not anyone else that might be able to help you? maybe you could ask your doc to call you if they have a cancilation(sp) anyway good luck to you and i hope something opens up, this is hard enough without delays.

[joiful 0]

I am doing very well though. I am not overeating at all. Have had no sweets in 6 weeks! That alone is a huge success. As long as I keep eating good choices most of the time and staying away from sweets than I am a success. Told my husband last night that I was used to not eating the sweets at night. I think having surgery and not being able to right away broke that habit. So I will be patient and I will get in. thanks for caring.

[orea15 0]

Hey Orea. How did your appt go??

My appointment went great, I met the nurse practitioner and like him. We had a good conversation about things like, how do I tell when it's time to cut back on my BP meds. I'm cleared for purees. I just made hummus! :-) Life is good.

Oh, I forgot to say that according to their records, I lost 20 pounds between this appointment and the last. This isn't quite true, as I weighed in really heavy last time due to Water retention, eating a good lunch, and drinking plenty of fluids. I calculate it as closer to 15 actual pounds. Either way, it's good, and I'm down another pound today! :-)

Edited August 7, 2008 by orea15

[thatDEgirl 1]

Hi all!

I was supposed to have my second post op appt yesterday but luckily they caught me before I headed out (my doc is an hour away) and rescheduled me since my surgeon had an emergency. The nurse did clear me to take off my steri-strips and move to phase 4, soft foods. It is wonderful. Grocery shopping was so much easier today since I can eat mostly the same things as my family. I am still having trouble getting in enough calories and Protein but I am trying.

[lovegrapes 0]

Does anyone else have staples? My surgery was a little more invovled so some of my stab site incisions are really big so I got staples (19 in all), and I have 8 stab sites instead of 5. They are KILLING me. I've had them before and yeah they sucked, but they are all over my abdomen this time. They actually stick out of my clothes. They are so itchy and stingy and pulling. I don't get them out til next Wednesday. I can't wait!

I'm also having problems with loss of appetite. I have no desire eat anything at all. I really have to force myself to eat anything or drink any Protein supplemets. I can feel that I pretty much have no restriction and could probably eat just about anything, but I really have no deisire to. Anyone else experiencing this?

[PennyLane 0]

Quick question, guys (because I've gotten myself all worried that my post op diet isn't conservative enough)...

What was/is your post op diet progression like?

Mine was 2 weeks full liquids (anything that can go up a straw plus yogurt), then 2 weeks soft foods (anything that can be mashed with a fork, and normally wouldn't require much chewing except now chew chew chew, this includes things like tuna, eggs and ground chicken/turkey) and then a slow progression onto solid foods.

No mushy stage and now I'm all worried that this could lead to complications down the road, but even more worried that this means I don't trust my doctor, which then means I don't trust my own decisions which all in all means that I could see this whole thing (the band in general) as a wrong decision/mistake.

Sorry, I have warned everyone I'm neurotic as hell right?