jena

If you have to take meds, only a sip of water. Just enough to get the pills down. Since your surgery is so late in the afternoon, ask Dr. Miranda or one of the other Dr's. what is the latest you can drink water or broth. Don't tempt fate! Jena

Get yourself some FIBER! Have you been getting 25-30 grams a day of fiber? Take supplements if you haven't. Even if you are having regular BM's, you need to get that fiber in. It will make a difference in your weight loss. Good luck!! Jena

Paula, I'm so glad you poured your heart out to us. You are always such a huge support to everyone on the board, now it's our turn to support you through this. I'm a little over 3 weeks out from my banding. Initially I lost about 8 pounds really fast and after that, nothing. I've been going up and down the same 3 pounds ever since. I'm hanging in there though. I'm seeing a therapist to help me get through the food issues and I'll share with you what we did for this week. With her help, I made a list of things to do this week (regarding food.) The thing she guided me through is to make the goals attainable to make sure I don't sabotage myself be setting impossible goals. So here are some of my goals: eat slowly, chew my food well, put fork down between bites, stop eating during the meal to check on my hunger level, plan meals - don't eat impulsivly - when I cook, fix my plate then put the leftovers away before I eat my meal.. Finally, an affirmation, "I deserve to enjoy my food. I deserve to eat enough to be comfortable, not to eat so much that I feel uncomfortable." Maybe you can set some goals for yourself like eating slowly and chewing well. Even if you eat a Big Mac, eat it slowly and chew it well. =D> Jena Hugs to you my friend. > >

I know just what you are talking about with the coated tongue! I was constantly brushing my teeth and tongue. It's from ketosis more than likely. I only just started eating real food on Thursday, but I did have a little real food a couple of days before the official date. I had a lean cuisine and some potato soup with the potatoes in it. Hopefully we didn't hurt anything, but I don't think we did. At least that's what I'm telling myself! Jena

Here's what I got in the case from Costco... (and they're plastic bottles dang-nabbit) Fuze Slenderize Tropical Punch with L-Carnitine, Super Citrimax, Chromium and Vitamin C 18.5 ounces, 5 calories per serving, 2 servings per bottle. (10 calories for the whole thing!!) Fuze Slenderize, Strawberry Melon with L-Carnitine, Super Citrimax, Chromium and Vitamin C 18.5 ounces, 10 calories per serving, 2 servings per bottle. (20 calories for the whole thing!!) Fuze Slenderize Blueberry Raspberry with L-Carnitine, Super Citrimax, Chromium and Vitamin C 18.5 ounces, 10 calories per serving, 2 servings per bottle. (20 calories for the whole thing!!) I love them all and they are good for you too! Jena

I want to participate as well!

OMG! This sounds like me Bobbi! At first I have these horrible pains, then the rapid, hard burps, then these gassy farts (sorry) that I've never done anything like in my life start happening. After going through al of that, the gas pains stop. Jena

Hi Alana, Where do you live? I live in the Atlanta area and couldn't make up my mind if I should go to Roswell or back to the OCC. I really wanted to go back to the OCC for my first fill just to make sure everything was okay. On the other hand, Roswell is about 45 minutes away. I wanted to have floro for my first fill and at the Roswell fills location they have floro (they don't in Moultrie) but it costs an additional $200! That would make it $565 (or close to that) for my first fill there. I found cheap tickets to San Diego on AirTran for $293 (including junk fees and taxes) and so I called Claudia at the OCC and she gave me a package price for transportation, 1 night at the Lucern and the fill with floro and that plus the plane tickets totaled up to just a little more than getting the fill done here!! I jumped on it. The only drawback is that the date is August 6th. I think we were banded about the same time, May 8, so it's going to be a lot further out than 6 weeks, but I've had pretty good restriction so far so I think it will be fine. Since I'm leaving on Aug. 5 (Tuesday) at 8:30pm, I won't miss work that day. I only work about 15 minutes from the airport, so that's cool. I'll be getting my fill in the morning and flying back to Atlanta at 2:30. Good luck in whatever you decide to do! Jena

OMG that is so funny!! What a great idea this is. I'm going to definitely use them for patio lamps!

Thanks Nicole! You've done great too! I love the Lean Cuisines that are under 200 calories! I sometimes use them as a snack if I'm really hungry. Most of them are 300 calories or less aren't they? There are a few that are over 300, but I don't think I've seen any that are 400 calories. Jena

I love almost any of the chicken/turkey ones. Here's the ones I like: Turkey, dressing and cinnamon apples Turkey, dressing and green beans. (less than 200 calories) Roasted garlic chicken with creamed spinach all of the pizza's. BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni, 4 cheese, Garlic Chicken, thick crust, thin crust and french bread. Glazed chicken and rice Baked chicken with dressing and gravy with whipped potatoes meatloaf and mashed potatoes Roast beef with broccoli with cheddar cheese sauce Cheese ravioli lasagna Four Cheese Cannelloni Macaroni and beef Santa Fe-Style Rice & Beans Penne Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce I like all of the Pannini and flatbread sandwiches The ones I DON'T like are any of the alfredo's. They are very bland tasting to me. I wait until Kroger has them on sale for 5 for $11 and then I stock up on them. I probably buy 20 to 25 at that price. That's about $1.00 less each than when they aren't on sale. I have a friend who is a picky eater and she's tried a couple of them and liked them. She gets hers at Wal-Mart, but I don't know how much they are there. Jena

I've done both. I would say go for the Lean Cuisines. Atkins works, but it teaches you nothing about portion control. You will HAVE to control your portions when you are banded. The band won't give you a whole lot of choice. I had to lose 17 pounds pre op and I did a shake for breakfast and Lean Cuisines for lunch and dinner. The Lean Cuisines are very healthy, believe it or not, and taste great. I lost the 17 pounds plus 9 more pounds! It also prepared me for life after the band. I'm 3 weeks post op and just now able to eat real food. I've stocked up on Lean Cuisines to carry on the diet. Good luck with whatever you choose! Jena

They can be caused by stress and poor nutrition. You were just banded, so that could account for the stress. You are also eating differently and that could add to it as well. Chill out!! Jena

I LOVE THESE!! I bought a few when they were on sale at Kroger for $1.00 each. Last weekend I was shopping at Costco and was happy to see they had them there. They were something like $13 and change for a case of 15. Cheaper than Kroger! You're right, the bottles have a good "hand feel." I love them! Jena

FOOD! THANK YOU JESUS!!! How's everyone else doing? Excited about eating real food?? I want a 3 week update on everyone! Mom12, I changed my mind about getting my first fill here in Atlanta. I do have to wait until Aug. 6 though, to get the cheap seats on AirTran. I think I can make it that far. Maybe you will be ready for your second fill then and we could meet up. I'm flying in late Tuesday night (the 5th), staying at the Lucerna and having my fill the next morning first thing. I'm flying out at 2:30 that afternoon. Believe it or not, the whole thing including airfare will cost me just a few dollars more than doing it here!! Since I'm flying out at 8:30PM EST, I will only have to miss one day of work. Hopefully the next two months will go by without a problem and I can lose a little weight before I get my first fill. When is everyone else scheduling their fill? Take care everyone! > Jena

FAN-TASTIC!!! =D> =D> You look 10 years younger! I just hope I'm as successful as you. Jena

The thing about the pool there is that both restaurants look directly out to the pool. It's like you're on display! I didn't want to spoil anyones appetite, so I refrained from going to the pool. hahaha It was also much cooler than I expected. Jena

I just made a post saying that I could feel soup going through my band. I was eating really hot soup and I felt it sit in the upper part of my stomach for about 3-4 seconds then go through the band into the bottom of my stomach. I'm almost 3 weeks post op. I don't notice this with cold things. Try sipping some cream soup that is really hot and see if you don't feel it. Jena

Thanks evette! I'm planning to eat Lean Cuisines a lot. I'm going to try really, really hard not to go hog wild when I can eat real food!

Well, I thought I noticed it last week when I had some spicy soup, but I've never paid that much attention. I've never felt cold things like this. I'll have to pay more attention in the future. I'm thinking of putting off my first fill until I really need it, but who knows what will happen once I can eat real food! Jena

I was eating hot soup today and actually felt it moving through my band! (three more days to real food! Yeah!) So tell me if you've felt this too. I took a sip of hot soup. I felt it sit above the band, then 3-4 seconds later, go through the band into my lower stomach!! I kept trying it and counting the seconds it stayed above the band. hahah I just thought it is so cool! Now I actually know the band is there! Jena

I did exactly the same thing as the others! I has 17 pounds to lose before banding. I started the diet Dr. Miranda gave me the day after I scheduled my surgery even though I had 7 weeks before my surgery. The diet she gave me is 1 protein shake in the morning, Lean Cuisine for lunch and dinner. SF Jello, salad with salad spritzers, and Minestrone soup only if I needed it. I lost 26 pounds as of the day I was weighed in. It's hard to do the first couple of days but if you hang in there and don't cheat, the rest will be a breeze. Good luck! Jena

You didn't mention if you are hungry for more food. Are you? Try and get your calories up to 1200. From what I understand, that's the magic number. See how that works. Hang in there. You will lose if you keep it up. The band doesn't make you lose weight, it makes you eat less which you are doing. Have you lost any inches? When I'm not losing is when I seem to lose the most inches. Oh! And one more thing. Put the scales away for a few days! I hope this helps. You WILL lose! > Jena

Hi Mom12 and everyone! I came home about 8 pounds thinner and since then I've been going up and down 4 pounds! I'm like you, I figure I'm having a hard time eating more than 1000 a day. I'm having a hard time even eating 3 meals! If I was able to get a fill now, I wouldn't. I can't wait till Friday to try real food and see how I do. I won a bet with my boss, he went for Archeletta and I went for Cook, and he owes me dinner on Friday night. I'm having my favorite salad with grilled chicken! I plan on having a lean cuisine for lunch. As far as my fill, I think I'm just going to go here to the clinic in Roswell. I've heard really good things about them and they have floro. With the cost of airfare going up, it's just not economical now. How are y'all doing with the band? I can comfortably eat (drink) about 1/2 cup of soup at a time and I'm not hungry for hours. If I eat more than that, I get those horrible gas pains about an hour after eating. My port area is still sore, but not as badly as it was at first. All of the cuts are pretty much healed except for the largest one. I am going to put Mederma on the small ones because they are a little raised. Hugs to all!! Jena

What a wonderful family you have! The pictures from the wedding are beautiful. I love the dress you were wearing! The dogs decked out for Christmas were just too cute!!! Thanks for sharing! Jena