food after banding

I don't know about frozen yogurt. My list does say frozen sorbet, popsickles, yogurt, broth, jello. But of course I am sick of totally. I have not ate much of anything. Last night felt a little crazy and sucked on a sucker. Woo crazzzzzy. It really kind of tasted nasty but felt the urge to keep my mouth busy. Now that is crazy. But it is definately an addiction and my go all the way attitude has me a little nuts (no smoking, coke or food). Well have a good day and good luck. It is hard but I am sure that "thin will be better than anything will taste". Terri

Teri
Hi! I am being banded on 3-2-04 and I am weaning myself off of Diet Pepsi. I know your pain and I know after 3-2-04 there will be no more emergencies where I have a glass. It is a very addictive habit. I even beleive it tastes great. I try to make myself envision a healthier me every time I crave a glass. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Good luck
Christine

I feel your pain. The agony of the unknown is horrible. Almost worse than the reality. I have been a big time Diet Coke junkie (and I mean junkie) for a long time maybe 20 years! Yikes that makes me so old. I loved it! Probably some what like an alcoholic. Well I drank it like normall right up unil 48 hours before surgery. I suffered for at least a week with horrible headaches ( I think it was caffeine) but I don't really know. Could have been stress, no nicotine too. I am pretty proud of myself. However I have had some pretty bad moments. Where I just want to eat, drink coke and smoke and I feel crazy. I feel as if I have taken it one day and some times one hour at a time. I feel as if I am living on air. And since I quit smoking and had surgery I have had this horrible cough. I don't know if it is chest cold or all the toxins from the nicotine coming out. Well any how I would wean my self off of the pepsi now and deal with the headaches now if you can. But I doubt I could have until they said you have surgery you can never have it agian. That is probably the only reason I gave it up. But I am feeling better about it all. So far I have stayed away from people eating, drinking coke or smoking. I don't think I am quite ready to deal with it in my face. I am in hiding. Good Luck!

Wow, Teri, that is a lot to kick all at once! You know, if you really like the taste of Diet Coke there's no reason you can't drink it flat. I have not at all kicked my caffeine habit (coffee is my poison) and see no reason to try.

But CONGRATULATIONS on quitting smoking!! That is the most amazing thing you can do for yourself up to and including banding. You will be amazed at how your sense of smell will come back and within a month or so your lung capacity will improve. It's a whole new world out there without nicotine. And think of the money you'll save!!

If banding has done nothing else for you--and I'm sure it will, indeed--making you quit smoking is an enormous gift right there. Welcome to the smoke-free world! :D

It sounds like you are talking from experience. I was just sitting here talking to my mom about it and I was a little teary eyed. All of this is really tough at one time. But my reasoning for all of it is I want to live! and I would like some quality in my life. Feeling good, bike riding, water skiing, etc. All of those things I really used to love that some how faded away with layers of fat. I am a bit emotional and have been working in my job quite hard. I had 4 people call me who wanted market analyisis's done. I did them all and they were quite difficult and time consuming. ( I work very hard for all my customers) and every one cancelled on me. I spent a good part of last week and worked over the weekend to have really good stuff for these people and everyone cancelled. It is so tough. I don't think people realize how much work goes into one of those. And unfortunatly seems it was all a waste of time. Oh well that has always happened in this job but everything seems to be bothering me more these days. Alexandra do you think I should be doing protein shakes? At this point. I kind of feel like my body is in stavation mode and hanging on to the fat. Any idea? Thanks for your input and encouragement.

The post-surgical stage can be an emotional one, Teri, so don't be hard on yourself for being sensitive. Be as good to yourself as you can; you've been through something and are still healing.

Sure, you might want to add protein shakes to your intake at this point, or at least some milk. I sometimes use a protein powder that blends pretty well with milk if I just shake it up--it's very simple and not bad tasting at all. And once you have some real protein in your tummy you'll definitely start to feel better.

And yes, I am the voice of experience with regard to quitting smoking! I quit in 1987 after at least ten years of an almost pack-a-day habit. And I had been raised in a smoking household before that. It wasn't until I moved to the suburbs (well, outer Brooklyn) and quit smoking that I realized there are other smells in the world! :D

I know what each of you mean about quitting smoking. As I sit here now, I'm dying to have one. I haven't quit ... yet, but it's a real struggle. I was about a pack-a-day, and I'm down to 5-7. My "QUIT" day is February 19th. I'm not sure I'll make it. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

I couple of months ago, one of my friends had an RNY. We have the same surgeon (who refuses to operate on a smoker), and I asked her how she managed to get surgery. She said she lied. I was dumbfounded (I know, I know, I'm a naive sucker)! In fact, IN THE HOSPITAL, she asked me to help her out of bed and roll her down to an unused exit so that she COULD SMOKE!!! I decided then and there that that would NOT be me!

Another deciding factor: I found out last week that my daughter has a mild case of exema (sp?). I know that that is a pre-courser to asthma, and it's not fair to her that I give her all my bad stuff.

Sooo ... I vowed to stop smoking in the house for new year's (I've been moderately successful thus far, but WILL NOT DO IT EVER AGAIN!!!). Another trick is leaving my cigs in the car, parking at the other end of the parking lot. This is REALLY helpful because if I want a smoke, I have to walk about a 1/4 mile to get one, and it makes it really inconvenient. This has limited me to 1-2 cigs a day during working hours. Also, no more than 1 per commute to/from work; no more than 1 in the morning. I know this still seems like a lot, but it has helped tremendously.

Realtort: Don't feel bad ... I've ALSO given up caffine for the last 10 days too! LOL ... that's not as bad as the cigarettes, but just yesterday, I accidently (subconsiously on purpose) grabed the "regular" carafe instead of decaf. You know what? My chest started pounding, I got a bitter aftertaste, and my head started spinning. So I guess my body really doesn't need the coffee anyway, huh?

Finally, I noticed that a way to curb the cigs, aside from gum (which is AWESOME), is to drink a BIG glass of water. For some reason, not only do I get my water in, it also curbs my nicotine need.

The worst part? I come from a smoking family. My mother and father both smoke, and me and my daughter visit them 3-5 times a week. In fact, my mother orders my cigs for me by the carton. For the last 2-3 orders, I've asked her not to get me any. But she does it anyway (feeling "sorry" for me). Of course I give in and happily smoke them. (She says that she doesn't want me smoking HERS if I can't quit) But this time, I put my foot down. NO MORE!!

AND .... I'm in the induction stages of Atkins. (I'm a carb-aholic)

All of this is pre-band, mind you. My moods have been TERRIBLE, I'm depressed, tired, can't concentrate on a complete sentence, and unmotivated. But I know it will get better. So, I'm with you ... I know what it's like to give up all your pleasures at once. You're not alone.

BUT .... I LOST 2 MORE POUNDS THIS WEEK!!!

Staci
Pre-Band
267/241/???

It is so hard. I can not even begin to imagine not smoking (the marlboro, diet coke, food & carb loving) and being in the same house as a smoker. Even for a short visit. I think I am a minimum of 3-4 weeks away from being around a smoker. Even that might be too soon. I talked with a friend of mine today and we were supposed to meet up to sell some of her property and I asked her if she wouldn't smoke around me. I am in too fragile of a state of mind and body. I have only made it this far with the coke and food because of the surgery. And I guess I have some will power some where because I could smoke but just like the weight I feel it is life or death and miraculously I am choosing life. Watch me kick it this week. That would suck. But I turn 39 mar 3 and by my 40th birthday I want a tummy tuck & new boobs. And a lift or suck here or there if I need one. But I want to lose all the weight I can and get a new lift on life at 40. So big 1 year goal here. I share all of your evil vices and I have made it so far with out any of them since Jan 31. Hang in there.

But I have not asked any one. I don't understand everyones weight things at the bottom of the emails. Obviously you get it since you have one in your post. How does that work? I am in denial that I let me self get as large as I have and struggle with the idea that I am this large person. So until I am maybe feeling a bit better I don't want to put it out there for all to see. I feel a little selfish being everyone is so out there and supportive on this website/post thing. What ever it is. It is great for mental support. But can you explain it to me since I for some reason dont get it. My guess is. First number is your heaviest/ second your current wieght and / third your goal? but I am not sure. Terri

You're EXACTLY right, Teri! That's just what those numbers mean.

You're not going to believe this, but I'm a fellow Pieces too! I'll be 33 on March 5th. I knew I liked you for some reason! LOL

Oh yeah ... about being around others that smoke: I smoke ultra ultra light menthols (many have told me that I might as well have a mint and suck air instead of my cigarettes), NOT that that makes it ANY better than smoking "full-bodied" cigs, mind you. Anyway, my mother smokes heavier cigarettes, and my father smokes the marlboro red boxes (cowboy killers). I can't stand the smell of either, so it ends up making me NOT want to smoke. Good thing I guess. One of my first fiancees (I've had 3, but never married ... long stories) once told me that I can't stand anyone's smoke but my own.

Who'd a thunk it would help me quit? LOL Well, off to go fill my coffee mug with that brown, watered-down decaf stuff!

This may or may not be good news. I was banded Aug 7,03, and I too was a Diet Pepsi addict. I would have a can at around 7:30 a.m. Yes I said a.m. and by 10 p.m. I would normally had gone through 8 or 10 cans! So I mourned the loss of Pepsi more than food. BUT something amazing happened. For the first few months I just thought I couldn't have carbonated drinks because my doc said so. And I followed instructions.

The other day I took a sip from my boy friends cup and it didn't taste good anymore. I guess I lost my taste for Pepsi! Of course he asked if it felt good after 6 months and to be honest, it was ok but nothing that I crave.

We all know that these carbonated drinks are not the healthiest thing around and I am glad to have lost my addiction to it. This is a Good Thing!

Mary