MamaMichelle

I drank the water at the Lucerna, I brought bullion cubes and used tap water in my soup and never had any problems. The hotel does provide bottled water in the room free so if you are that concerned you can use that!

Well it's 2:45 am in Vegas right now. Tonight my husband and I had a babysitter so we went out to a movie and afterwards we went to a bar to have a drink. I had maybe 1/2 a glass of wine at 10:30pm and then on the way home we stopped at Raising Cain's Chicken Fingers and I got a kids meal but only ate about 3/4ths of ONE chicken finger with some of their signature sauce... this was about 12:30am. So I get home, watch big brother and get online to check the forum at about 2:00am, while I am sitting here I start feeling nauseous... I am thinking since all I had was the chicken finger since dinner at 7:00 maybe I needed to eat more. But I kind of ignored it and kept reading/posting then about 2:20 I let out this huge burp and instantly felt really sick, I ran to the sink and threw up 3 times. It was all liquid chicken and sauce, yes I am a great chewer, lol. Because there was not a single chunk and since it was 2hrs after eating, and there was no pain I don't think it was a PB from something being stuck. It was just so weird.. Once I threw up I drank some Maalox and feel better, there's no pain but I am still burping. My nose is running now and I feel a little nauseous still but I guess I will go to bed.. Anyone have any idea what could have caused this? Maybe since I haven't had wine in almost 8 weeks my tolerance is that low? Or maybe there was an air bubble or something? I have yet to have a PB experience so maybe that's what it was, but most of the classic symptoms were absent! I'm stumped! P.S. My very supportive husband was holding my hair back while I got sick and then told me I needed to go lie down... I told him "Just let me go post about this on the board and then I will get in bed..." He just rolled his eyes, lol

Jacklyn posted a great topic about food detox yesterday, a lot of what she said rings true to what you're feeling too: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=5489

No diarrhea for me either, I put 2tsp of Beneiful Fiber in each of my shakes so I think that helped to bind things up!! It's totally tasteless, you can add it to soup, shakes, yogurt or even water, I am still using it today to meet my daily fiber requirement/goals. You can get it at walmart, costco or the OCC e-store! I

Well thank you, I have happy memories from that day but still won't look at the pictures... How sad is it that we women do this to ourselves? Why do we beat ourselves up about the way we look?? I'm just hoping it will stop when I get close to my goal!!

Mindy- You should come down on the 17th/18th of this month, there are 5 or 6 of us all getting fills the morning of the 18th but we are going to go out for a girls night out before! Hanna (WAgal) is the group coordinator for this fill trip, she can give you all the details!

This post explains how to add a picture to a post!! PM me if you have any questions!

Just go to the edit signature page and type in whatever text you want either above or below the info you put in for the ticker!!

I copied the pictures into a blank photo shop document (or you could use any picture editing program) put the two views side by side and added the text... You could just paste them into here using the button and type text above or below it!!

Mac- I totally feel your pain about the wedding pics, I was looking at mine too and I'm like yucko-bucko!! That's me and my dad, not my husband lol. Looking back at least I felt really beautiful that day!! I think once we reach our goal weights we should have a double renewal of vows and take pics then... ha ha ha

It could be one of 2 problems: 1. what type of file is it? The following file types are allowed: gif,jpeg,jpg,swf,png so if your are trying to upload mcphoto.bmp it won't allow it 2. The avatar must be no bigger than 64 pixels by 64 pixels in size. But they also must be no larger than 20 KB. Again if you are using a huge file that is very saturated it won't allow you to do it. I will send you a PM with my email address and you can email me the picture and I will make it compatible and mail it back to you!

So glad you are doing better, I remember when I was reading and researching on this board a few members (both with successes and struggles) stuck out to me and you were one of them. I know there are so many posts from soon to be banded and recently banded members but at some point there is a drop off- I'm sure there were people posting every day when you were getting banded that you never see around anymore. But advice from you and Clynn and Snowbird and Pammie and many others is so motivating to me, and I'm sure others as well! As far as the idea of returning to the pre-op diet to get yourself kick started I think that is a great idea a friend from the boards who was banded the same day (2/28) is doing that to prevent weight gain during as we wait for our first fill date!! I personally have been doing a shake for breakfast and for lunch to keep my protein levels high since I am not usually starving at that time of the day anyway! I posted this in a few fills thread but to me it is such great common sense advice about working with the band that I put it on my fridge to help motivate and refocus myself: Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. Fruit juice is just sugar water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what's easy c. Cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. Chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. Meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine/Alcohol (4) Some fruits and vegetables such as; oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (5) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. e. If your pain is severe (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) This was written by Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M. Keep up the good work and don't be a stranger!!!

Best of Luck, you will do GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!! Before you know it your surgery will be done and you will be walking around the OCC asking if you can get back on line and post a post-op hello to all of us, lol!

To add/change your AVATAR (the little pic that shows up to the left of all your posts) click here: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?act=UserCP&CODE=24 To add/change your PROFILE PIC (the larger pic in your profile that people see if the click on your name or Avatar) click here: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?act=...&CODE=photo While I am posting might as well mention that: To edit your PROFILE INFORMATION (date of birth, city/location, etc so that it shows up under your Avatar) click here: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?act=UserCP&CODE=01

I'm know you will be fine, KimmieD was done by only Dr. Martinez and she is doing very well! I'm sure you can contact her to ease any fears!! Best of luck!

If it were earlier in your pre-op phase I would say the shaking would be coming from your body detoxing off of caffeine but since more than a few bandsters have reported being shaky and or gassy while on the slimfast shakes, I would suggest buying another brand (the Adkins and EAS seem to be the favorites around here) and see how you feel on those!! I know you've only got a few days to go (hooray!) but you can drink protein shakes starting a few days after surgery as well! If worse comes to worse email Dr. Miranda she can let you know what you are able to allow back into your diet (maybe a few crackers or something) before surgery.

Make sure she has some gorgeous skinny legs like you do!!

Fills are such a personal thing for everyone.. For some people they may need only 2 fills in their lifetime others may need 3 or 4 fills every year till they get to their goal weight!! I have yet to have my first fill (only 2 weeks to go) but from everything I've read and everyone I've talked to there is no universal magic number. The first condition to consider is the size of your band, more specifically how many cc's of saline can it hold? The 2 main types are the smaller 4cc band and the larger 10cc (also called VG band). So let's say you get a 2cc fill well that is 50% of the capacity of the smaller band but only 20% of the capacity of the VG band. That doesn't ALWAYS mean that you will need more fills with the VG band, there are some people who are really restricted with 2cc's out of a 10cc band and others that can eat anything they want with 7cc's in a 10cc band. Here's a great article about how to tell if you are perfectly filled: Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of soft calorie syndrome b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories 7 calories per gram (1) Its also a stomach irritant c. Fruit juice is just sugar water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You cant just eat what's easy c. Cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. Chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But dont avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. Meat or fish (1) 3 ounces the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you dont need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who dont 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If youre not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You wont be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes its a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as good and bad e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you cant get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine/Alcohol (4) Some fruits and vegetables such as; oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (5) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. e. If your pain is severe (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) This was written by Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M.

Thank you I glanced down at them the other day an noticed the tops of them are getting very toned, of course like all women when I lift them up I have the dreaded bat-wing jiggle going on...lol Knowing me that's the LAST place I'll lose any fat...

It sounds like you tried to copy the picture what you need to do is copy the text that was in the first box labeled BBCode (found below the displayed picture of your ticker) The text in the box should start like this: but it will be a lot longer... I don't use a mac so I don't know the commands on how to copy and paste, maybe someone else can fill in that info! But it's the words (BBCode = Bulletin Board code) that you need to copy!

Lol, I think I remember reading a post by Gina (gigirn) where she jokingly told Dr. O she wanted him to sign a pair of the panties for her and HE DID IT!! How funny is that?

Thanks Darlene, You are a sweetheart, are you doing any better with the liquid post-op diet??

While drinking a glass of water an hour BEFORE a meal is a good way to help make you feel full, drinking WITH a meal is a BIG NO NO after being banded. Again the band is designed to restrict solids and you will be chewing these solids into very tiny pieces, if you were to take a big gulp of water it would flush out all of the food that is sitting above the band (where it's supposed to be) into the large (normal sized) part of the stomach meaning you will lose the feeling of fullness a lot sooner since you've flushed down most of the food. In the rare instance where a large piece of food becomes "stuck" in the band, you would think that the logical thing to do is to drink water to flush it out but that is VERY WRONG... If you have a clog in your pipes the water can not move past it and it's the same thing with your band, the water will only sit on top of the "stuck food" (the clog) and the only way to move the clog is for your body to PB (aka productive burp) to try to bring the food back up so you can spit it out. Well if the food is going to be coming back up so is all that water making it a much more painful (not to mention messier) experience!! Once you've finished your meal you can then resume drinking fluids 30-min to an hour AFTER eating!

Glad you found it useful!! Here's a link that explains how to post a ticker: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=5317 Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!!

Hey Judy, It's been about a month since you posted about your struggles, how are things going for you now?? Hopefully you were able to kick out the cookies and get your head back in the bandster mindset! Let us know!!