Smiley

A chocolate cake mix and a diet coke (or anything diet) makes a very moist and delicious chocolate cake. I have also used a spice cake mix with cream cheese frosting. This was done pre-band, and I am embarrassed to tell you how many meals this cake replaced. If you want to make a white or yellow cake, just use diet sprite. While the cake still may not be super healthy, it is better than adding the egg and oil and makes less of a mess. I heard one person that tried it with cupcakes and the first batch turned out great, but the wait time for the second batch let the carbonation leave the mixture and they didn't rise so well. So, if you want to try it with cupcakes, make sure you are able to bake the entire mixture at the same time.

There will still be plenty of choices you will need to make "on your own" after the surgery and it will take strength, determination and will power to make the right ones. The good news is that you will make the right choices and will have much success. I am glad you have told your husband and that he is pretty much okay with it. I was going to suggest that since Mother's Day is coming up you tell him that this is the only thing you want for Mother's Day so that by Mother's Day next year you can be one hot mama! Guys seem to understand "hot" terminology.

No, our pouch is not lower than our chest. My band is located in the area between my breasts and behind my sternum. When I do a barium swallow I can always see the hooks for my bra in the same area as my band. It was lovely the time I used a safety pin to keep my top closed and my girls covered on a fill day. When doing the barium swallow my fill doctor commented that it probably wasn't a good idea to swallow a safety pin - smart aleck!

Congralations - that is awesome! I think you are the first person I have heard of that was able to compare themself with the weight of a dog. I tell people that I have lost a 9 year old child. Considering I am in the childcare business I sometimes have to explain myself on that comment.

Congratulations on 100 pounds in a year, what is certainly something to be proud of! I am not sure that throwing up every day should be considered a sign of having reached your sweet spot. It is obvious that you have reached it, but maybe you are a little bit over it. A slight unfill of just .1cc could alleviate the throwing up issue and still allow you to continue to lose weight. I would suggest keeping your appointment on Thursday and discussing it with your doctor. The last thing you want it be depriving your body of the things it truely needs to function and keep you healthy.

Granted, I hate them because I swear I can't breathe when I wear one, but have you tried minimizer bra? That might help the dress close a little bit in the back. Would it be possible to go ahead and order an 18 just in case and then wait until a week or two before the wedding to decide which size you will need? Can the 16 be let out in the bust?

Unless I am on liquids I choose not to do protein shakes because of the extra calories. A sixteen ounce glass of milk between 5:30 and 6:30 am and then a cup of yogurt w/ half a cup of cereal in it around 8:30 or 9 has become my morning routine. When I added protein to the milk I still needed something around 8:30 or 9, so I decided to cut out the extra 110 calories provided by the protein mix. As for the rice, I have not had any for a while, so I cannot speak from personal experience since achieving restriction. I do have a friend with the band who went out for Chinese one night and did perfectly fine with the rice. However, when he ate some of the leftovers the next night the rice came back to haunt him. I was at his house a few days after the incident and when asked where I wanted to go eat dinner I suggested Chinese, even though I knew of his recent issue with the rice. As expected I got one of those looks that could kill and was quickly informed that was not an option. I think tolerance rice, breads and other iffy foods are simply and individual experience, as I can still eat bread of any kind when and if I chose to.

I am doing a TT and Arm Lift on Apr. 30. My girls are still their normal 42DD. One of the doctors asked if I wanted anything done with them, but I told him they had been hanging in that spot since I was in first grade and I was happy to let them hang around a little longer. He turned a couple of shades of red and then dropped the subject. The good news is that a lot of plastic surgeons do consultations free of charge. I would suggest doing some internet research on plastic surgeons in your area and then scheduling a few consultations with surgeons who do not charge for the consult. You will probably want to consult with more than one prior to your surgery anyway, so why not start the process now. This will allow you plenty of time to make a decision and also find out what each surgeons requirements are. I did 3 consultations, one of which said I needed a LBL and the other two said a TT. I chose the LBL surgeon, but talked to him and decided to have him do the TT instead. The LBL would have given me the best overall results, but because of price and the fact that I wasn't concerned about some of the things that the LBL would have fixed, the TT was my choice. In the end I got the TT and Arm Lift for $3,000 less than the LBL would have been by itself.

I have been cleaning out my closets and drawers for a few weeks now in preparation for a garage sale. Yesterday I removed the rest of the clothes I cannot wear and put them in the garage sale box. I came across my high school graduation (18 yrs. ago) and college graduation dresses (14 yrs. ago). Both of them were size 24's. I have already gotten rid of the dress I wore when I got my master's degree (11 yrs. ago, even though it seems like it was 2 yrs. ago), but if I remember correctly it was a 22. It is strange to realize that I am now in a size 14 and sometimes a 12. After I have my tummy tuck in 11 days I am thinking I will end up wearing 10's or 12's. I recognize that graduation day for my doctorate is still two years away, but just thinking about walking across that stage and accepting my diploma in a size 10 or 12 is almost unfathomable. Guess it is a good thing I have two years to get used to the idea. The down side is that the robe I will be wearing will not be fitted at all and will be floor length. Oh well, those who know me will know what the new me looks like, and yes, I am already contemplating the type of dress I will be wearing. For those who have mentioned in other posts that they don't really see a change in themselves I am kind of the same way. I know I have lost weight and can see it in my clothes and such, but because my rolls and bulges are all still there, just smaller, it is sometimes hard to recognize the difference. I am thinking that after the TT I will finally be able to see the changes 100% for myself as the rolls and bulges will be (better be) gone. The one thing I do notice now is that I feel as if I stand taller and with more confidence, of course part of this may be my "hooker boots" with 3" heels. I never would have attempted wearing these had I not lost the weight for fear of doing the triple klutz. Prior to my weight loss, my dad was correct in that my middle name should have been Grace, but not now because I have been known to run and jump in those boots. I guess I have posted this information to once again remind everyone to not place so much focus on the scale, but rather on those little life changes that you notice as you go along.

I was banded here in the states and was definitely told no carbonated beverages for the first six months. I followed that rule to a tee, even after I discovered a lurking caffeine free diet coke in the back of my fridge. I did finally pop it open in late September of last year which was 7 months post-op and spent the next 4 hours drinking it. I had no problem drinking it and probably had one or two a month from October thru January, but I always took it slow to allow time for the carbonation to escape. I had my diet coke on Super Bowl Sunday. I was at a Super Bowl party at the home of one of my friends who has a band. He has never been able to drink carbonation since being banded and was shocked that I could. However, that was the last time I made that attempt as it did not seem to go down very well and made me want to burp a lot, in the end I did not even finish it. Just thinking about carbonation now makes my chest feel funny. So, my remaining 11 caffeine free diet cokes will be used to make cakes whenever I take one somewhere. I have not read the post you all have been referring to, but I am wondering if the banded individual simply is not following the rules? One of the problems I recognize on a regular basis is that we are all still human and have the ability to make our own choices. The unfortunate part is that we don't always chose well.

Hmmm, I will see if I can find samples somewhere. I am tired of buying things and then not liking them, protein bars are the worst at $1.xx each. I know I don't look like I have ever not liked something and spit it out of my mouth, but trust me, I have. Thanks!

My friends and I eat out almost every Sunday and some weeks I eat out with co-workers. I enjoy spending time with the people I am eating with and typically order a regular entree. I do this so that I have both meat and vegetables in front of me as I would be perfectly content eating only meat for the rest of my life, but that is not a wise decision. A regular entree that used to be 1.5 or 2 meals for me now turns in to 3 or 4 meals. Even a kid's meal last weekend served as 2 full meals and with a little addition would have made a third, but I gave it to my dad instead. When my nephews are around I can usually convince one of them to split an entree with me and we still end up with leftovers. As long as you are following the rules to a tee you will succeed. If for some reason you discover otherwise, you can address that issue when/if you get there, but don't focus on it right now. Look at your ticker, you are already successful. Every 6 pounds you have lost has taken your BMI down by 1.

I have a pilates DVD that I need to get out again and utilize. I bought it from an infomercial on tv and am hoping I have gained enough muscle to endure the workout. The one I use when I don't make it to the Y is from Weight Watchers, it has three levels and I either do the moderate or high level. If you aren't sure what you want to do, you might check some out from your local library. They typically have a large selection and this will give you a chance to try different options before you invest money in some. Another place I have seen a bunch of videos for sale are second hand stores. Mind you many of these have women on the front wearing tights and leotards, but as long as you can get past the clothing and hairstyles, you should find some productive calorie burning activities inside.

Welcome to the world of restriction. What you are feeling in regards to being full sooner and having the food go thru the band slower is what everyone with a band hopes to experience. I am like you in that I can eat anything I so chose, including pizza. I had my first piece of pizza that was not thin crust a couple of weeks ago and did just fine with it, I just had to remember to chew it super duper well. Before I ate it I sought out a friend at the same event who also has a band and he said as long as he chews well he doesn't have a problem either. I am not suggesting that we eat pizza on a regular basis, but rare occasions are okay. My fill doctor says it is okay to challenge yourself with foods on occasion. In regards to the pills, it is time to make a change. If they can be cut up, invest in a pill splitter and start cutting. If they cannot be cut up, you need to seek other options. I too have problems with pills. Mine started with the most bitter antibiotic ever. Luckily I could cut it up and hide it in pudding so as to avoid the bitter taste. I am supposed to be taking a multi-vitamin but am scared to based on my level of restriction. So, I am going to purchase chewable gummie vitamins tomorrow. I have already tried Flinstones and they just aren't as good as they were when I was a kid. Something else to be aware of, some of us have experienced our bands getting tighter a few days after a fill. Just be aware this could happen. After I have a fill I am supposed to have clear liquids only for 24 hours, full liquids for 24 hours, mushy foods for 24 hours, and then I can go back to regular foods. You might want to give this a shot to allow your stomach time to adjust to the new band size. Let us know how your weight loss goes based on this fill.

According to my fill doctor, you definitely should not eat more than a cup of food at a time. Your stomach used to be the size of a football, but your new pouch is about the size of an egg. While it is okay for the pouch to expand some in the normal course of eating, consuming more than a cup of food at a time when you are truly restricted could be detrimental if you dilate your esophogus or overstretch your pouch.

Hmmm, I thought the chocolate was calling my name, Andrea, when I walk by. Maybe I have been mistaken and it is actually calling your name, Angela. Heck, if my mom gets confused and calls me Angela after she has been talking to my aunt I guess it is possible that the chocolate has been getting you and I mixed up as well. Thanks for clearing this up for me and I will be sure to keep walking tomorrow when I hear my name being called because I am sure it is just the chocolate getting us confused.

http://www.malleysurgical.com/testimonial/teresas-story.html Check out this web-site for a series of testimonials from a woman who got pregnant just a few months after she was banded. She has had the baby and everything was fine. They are supposed to be posting another blog about that soon.

I have discovered when this happens that it is best to go ahead and position myself in front of a trash can or toilet and get ready to lose it. I used to fight it, but the pain just isn't worth it. Once I am in position the thought of what is going to happen next is usually enough to make it happen. When I get the flu I do abosolutely everything in my power not to get sick, but this is different than the flu and I will wave the white flag of surrender in record time.

Your reasons for wanting to get the band sound just like mine. I was banded at the age of 35, after watching my dad, aunt and grandma all go thru bypass surgery. My aunt and grandma are diabetic and my dad is pre-diabetic. My aunt has lost numerous toes and one leg to diabetes. I am 100% my father's child and had no intention of going down the same road he and his side of the family are on, so I decided to have the surgery not only for the improvement it would provide, but also for it's ability to ward off future health problems. According to a little birdie known as my mother, my dad has asked two of his doctor's about having the surgery now that he has seen the success I have had. His insurance does cover some of it, so I am keeping my fingers crossed, but not holding my breath that he will seek out a surgeon. As for the cost of the surgery, most of the people on this forum had their surgery with Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. His price for the surgery is somewhere around $8,500. This still sounds like a lot, but it is half of the price in the US. Some people have financed the surgery and make monthly payments toward the loan. You might check into this option since paying for the surgery in full prior to it doesn't sound like a viable option at the moment. Utilizing a loan would also speed up when you would be able to have the surgery as opposed to having to wait while saving for it. Just to give you an idea, I financed $10,000 of my surgery and my monthly payments are $212.xx for six years, although I will have it paid off sooner than that. I say you should definitely check into having the surgery. One thing I have figured out is that if I want something bad enough, I will find a way to make it work.

From what I have been told there are two types of incisions that can be done for a thigh lift, depending on what you need done. For one kind the incision is in the groin area and will really not be visible, but it does have the most healing issues because of hygiene. For the other kind, the incision is similar to that of an arm lift in that it goes down the inner part of your thigh and will be more visible. Luckily, my doctor thinks I can get by with the incision in the groin area if the TT does not deliver enough results on the inner thigh for me to be satisfied. He pulled things really tight during my consultation, to the point that my skin literally broke, so as to emulate the results of the TT and I could definitely see some difference in my thighs. However, I don't think it will give me enough results to be satisfied forever, but it will have to be enough until I get these other surgeries paid off. For someone who absolutely hates to be in debt for any reason other than a house, I sure have found some ways to put myself there lately.

Saaaweeet! I am scheduled for an arm lift and TT on April 30th and absolutely cannot wait. In case I'm not the only one counting, that is 3 weeks from tomorrow. I am hoping to lose about 15 pounds, but man oh man if I could lose in somewhere in the 20 lb. range I would be jumping for joy, after I heal of course. Thanks for the post!

Yep, carrots were the very first thing that kicked my butt. I was at church at the time and can definitely say that my prayer life increased significantly for those 10 - 15 minutes that it took for the carrots to finally decide to give in to gravity and go down. On occasion I will have 5 or 6 baby ones, but I dip them in ranch dressing as a safety net. The ranch is probably not a valid safety net, but I like it and will stick with it since I only do it once or twice a month. Enjoy your liquids and then enjoy going back to regular foods in a day or so.

Not sure that an unfill/fill are needed when you fly, but I must admit that when I flew from KC to OKC and back last weekend I felt tighter. None of this feeling manifested itself in what I could or could not eat, but both times I was in the air my chest just kind of hurt. Maybe it was a mental issue I was having, but it definitely made me wonder.

Maybe trying to sleep in your bed is not the best option for you at the moment. Have you tried sleeping in a recliner? By sleeping in the recliner you are not tempted to turn onto your side or stomach. Just make sure someone is around to help you get the thing set back up if it reclines too far back. This happened to me my first night home and I was afraid my parents would find me playing like a dying cockroach when they arrived at my house later that afternoon. Luckily I was able to wiggle to the front edge of the recliner and then use my arms to push myself up.

My port is just to the upper left of my belly button, which I think is different than those banded in Mexico. Anyway, I had this horrible feeling of pain around my port area last fall. It ended up being excessive scar tissue. The good part is that the scar tissue has now shrunk and the pain is gone - thank goodness!