I'm here to help...

Ok. Maybe I had to have a bad day. Major pain in my left shoulder for the first time. Couldn't sleep on my side. Little nauseated, but otherwise OK. I think I am over the worst and I know tomorrow will be better.

__________________
Kat W

Thread Starter

Yep Kat gas is worse that the stupid surgery - it kept in the the hospital an extra night cuz it hurt so bad when the doc came to release me - Gas X strips and walking and sleeping on your side will take a little time - since I am in my golden years I don't remember exactly how long it took me but I think it was only a couple of days - you have to do is slowly,

Hope today is a better day for you - walk and gas strips some even said heating pads - but since I live in the desert and was banded in july a heating pad was the last thing on my mind

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success

Janet,

My doctor gave me a list of what food I can eat and when I can eat certain things but he didn't say anything about a specific number of protein grams (two protein shakes a day) or carbs or calories, etc. During the first four weeks of liquid, mushie and soft food is there a certain amount of protein I should get each day? Or any day for that matter?

I read a lot in this forum that if you are tired you probably need more protein, etc. Is this something I need to monitor a little more?

__________________
Jill
On the road to success!

Hi, It is very kind of you to offer your support...I am just starting out and am full of questions. My BMI is 35, but as I am reading that is ok with additional medical issues. I have terrible reflux, a low active thyroid, and suffer from depression...I am being medicated for the above mentioned. I had some success with WW, but was rewarded with fallen arches...after 14 months of visiting non surgical routes I had surgery this last Feburary. It is still very painful for me to do anything that involves being on my feet...I am a teacher in the fall and winter and wait tables in the summer..two weeks ago I had an MRI because my back pain was intolerable with out pain meds....I have budging discs...when it rains it pours. I have set up an appointment with my PCP to discuss LAP-BAND® surgery with him and because of my back have an appt with a nero surgeon in two weeks. Do you have any advice?? You have been on the site for some time..do you see people with my unique issues??? Thank you in advance for your help. Kimberly

Thread Starter

Jill - My doc say minimum 60 grms of protein daily - I can say in the beginning I always got it cuz of the protein shakes and adding protein powders to food - but now there are some days I am a little shy of that number - I would add unjury unflavored protien powders to me cooled coffee - but once you get to soft regular food it really isn't that hard to get the 60 grm of pt - 1 oz of meat = 7 grms protein - Little 3 oz can tuna has 18 pt grm - 4 oz of meat 28 grms - weight control oatmeal 6 - dannon lite & fit yogurt 5 grms pt - sf healthy choice fudgecicle 3grm so there is 60 - You just gotta start reading labels - alot of foods have protein in it... Hecl I love the Southbeach Protein bars as a meal replacment (210 Calories) but they are big and have 19 grms pt - some times I will only eat half for a snack (105 calories - 9.5 grm pt)

Also for you newly banded - please keep some fat in your diets (healthy fats) my hair dresser says this is the reason for hair loss - (I had a gf who didn't have surgery but just did medifast and she lost tons of hair) so this is why I agree it's the fat in our diets - I have cut my alot (I use to eat really high fat) but now healthy only - but I haven't lost any hair (thankfully cuz I have fine hair to begin with)


Kimberly
There are alot of pple here who can't exercise due to their phyiscal problems which are the result of being over weight.. Here are some links

http://www.chairdancing.com/

http://www.livewellagewell.info/study/2007/12-ChairExercisesUGA113006.pdf

http://www.howtodothings.com/health-and-fitness/a3243-how-to-do-chair-exercises.html


(looks like you are going to have to cut/paste these links)

Most docs will tell you that if you get the weight off - alot of your problems will lessen.

I use WW type eating plan with my band, I am lucky I don't have any phyiscal limitation (well one knee gives me a little discomfort sometimes)

The band is only a tool and isn't the magic cure to our food issue (which are mental not phyiscial ihmo) but it is a great tool to help make a hard job easier...

Good luck on your journey

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success

Hi Janet (and all the others). Sounds like "Lost" ~ "the OTHERS"
As each day passes I get stronger and happier! I am so glad I learned about the Band! And so thankful for LBT!
When something bothers me, or I have a question there are so many here to help!
I am doing very well! I am adding solid food, very slowly and can feel the band doing it's work! Last night I fixed a little peice of talipia and I was eating too fast and it got stuck! I was so happy! :biggrin2: I know that sounds crazy, but I knew then that my band was going to work! I had to put my fork down and sit for a while to let it pass.
I am getting used to eating and chewing and that is GREAT! On the liquids I was getting hungry very quickly! Now if I eat a little something I can last for hours! I am adding the food very slowly, so far just fish and very finely cut up meat!
Thanks for the help and support!

__________________
Cathychatts
Your day goes the way the corners of your mouth turn!
Surgery: 6/6/2008 Dr. Kramer, Realize Band
Fills7/2/08 3cc 7/18/08 1.5cc 8/24/08 1cc 10/31/08 .5cc 12/5/08 1cc 1/233/08 .6 4/10/09 2cc unfill TOTAL 5cc

Thread Starter

I LOVE "LOST"

Yep your band is working

Here is something interesting that I just got on my email - can't vouch for it - but maybe of interest to some of you - Since I am on real food 99.9% of the time it doesn't really concern me - but for you who are still on liquids it you might want to research it in depth to find out if it's true - but it has the bariatric stamp on it - so I would tend to think it's true

Important New Protein Quality Guidelines from Surgeons

If you have been reading our updates, you know we have regularly advised that:

- whey protein ISOLATE is better than whey protein concentrate
- collagen-based products such as the test tube products get very low
protein quality scores. Profect and New-Whey are calculated
to have a PDCAAS of 5 or 6 out of a possible 100 (1).

Historically, we have perhaps been the only ones saying this.

Now the bariatric surgeons, dietitians, and nurses have just issued
Protein Quality Guidelines, and everything they recommend is
consistent with what we have said.

While many many products do not meet the guidelines, you should know
that for every single new guideline, UNJURY matches it 100%, fully,
completely, exactly, and it always has.

While the full set of guidelines should become available on the web soon,
here are some of the key messages from the guidelines (2).

1. It’s not enough to know how much protein you are getting (how many grams).
You also have to look at the amino acid profile to know about the
QUALITY of the protein. (Some proteins have almost zero value.)

2. The PDCAAS scoring is the superior way to rate protein quality
(it looks at the levels of each indispensable amino acid).

3. Doctors, nurses and dietitians are advised to use Caution
when recommending any type of collagen-based protein
supplement (for example, the “test tube” products).
So you too should use Caution when using products with
hydrolyzed collagen.

4. Whey protein ISOLATE is better than whey protein concentrate.
(Concentrate has more lactose, and gives you less protein.)

5. Recommended daily grams of (high quality) protein:
70 grams per day during weight loss and low calorie diets.

The society issuing the guidelines is the
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS),
and almost certainly your surgeon, dietitian and nurse are members.
The guidelines were announced Monday June 16, 2008 at the ASMBS annual meeting.


You can be sure that most of the products,
those which don’t fully meet the guidelines,
will try to make it sound like they do, or will try to
say that the guidelines are not important.

But here are 2 easy rules to remember:

1: “Caution on Collagen”
(e.g. about 94% of the protein in the test tubes is collagen)

2: Whey Protein ISOLATE is better than Whey Protein Concentrate

Here are three key messages from the guidelines:

A. “The PDCAAS score indicates the overall quality of a protein.”

B. “The PDCAAS score indicates the body’s ability to use that product
for protein synthesis.” (Protein synthesis is necessary for making every cell
in your body.)

C. You can lose lean body mass (for example muscle and organs
including the heart) even if you get the right number of grams of protein,
if the protein doesn’t have each and every
Indispensable Amino Acid IN THE RIGHT AMOUNT.

In other words, even if you used 3 of the “test tubes” every day,
you can still lose muscle and organ tissue because the test tubes
have a deficiency in indispensable amino acids. (1)

We hope this is helpful. If you have any questions, please do ask us.
This is too important to your health.

Healthy regards

Martha and Jerome
UNJURY (R) Protein
~ Medical Quality Protein (TM)
1 800 517 5111
www.UNJURY.com
------------------------------------------------------------------

1. We calculated the PDCAAS (amino acid scores) of Profect and New-Whey
based on assays of samples we sent to Covance, Inc, a leading independent
laboratory, in 2007. To our knowledge, they have never disagreed
with our calculation of their PDCAAS scores.

2. Preprint. L. Aills et al. Bariatric Nutrition:
Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient.
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases
July/August Volume 4, Number 4S, 2008
(Official Journal of the Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery)

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success

Thread Starter

Here's some of my opinions (a post to a lady asking about the band and how come pple lose slow or not at all) about the band and the work involved - though you guys might want a little more insight about how I feel and what you need to do to win this war ..

Welcome - LBT is a great site for info & support. I am going to give you my tough band love explanation (love being the operative word)

Reasons some don't lose or lose very slowly and this is my personal opinion

#1 THE BAND IS ONLY A TOOL!!! It in itself is not going to cause you to lose weight... You have to realize this going in - and that little part of your mind that say ya this is the answer it's the magic cure - that's the devil talking to you - cuz it's not the magic cure answer to our obesity.
The band requires alot of work on your part.

#2 There are pple who say I didn't do this to go on another diet - they continue to eat the same food that they did prior to banding - which usually is high fat foods and foods loaded with refined carbs (oh btw I am not an atkins advocate) and foods that have sugar. With the band once you get proper restriction (which can take awhile for some) it will limit the amount of food you eat at one sitting - but you can eat around the band ie candy cookies milkshake alcohol gravy all slip right thru the band (these soft foods are slider food) plus we still absorb all our calories (not like bypass patients who don't). These pple are going to lose some weight just do to the fact that they can't eat large quantities - but they are not going to lose a significant amount in my opinion.

#3 Some pple have a slow metabolism (for reals - they have been medically tested not just another fat chick excuse) or another medical reason

#4 To actually loose 100% or very close to your excess weight you are the one who has to make major changes in the way you look at food - You have to make healthy food choices (low fat - limited sugar and limited carbs) and you have to add exercise into your life.

The band is only a tool to help with your portion control it doesn't make your food choices or it doesn't do the exercise. Losing weight is all about calories in vs calories burn - plan and simple as that.

When you read the stories of pple who have been successful with the band - most will tell you that they counted calories - weighed and measured their foods (as fat chick we don't know what 4 oz looks like - to use a serving of ice cream is either 1 pint or a whole half gallon not 1/2 of a cup) and they also keep some kind of food diary/log and they exercise their butts off. They changed their food choices - there are alot here who do atkins or no refined carbs - I still have my starches (but limited to dinner only) I follow a basic WW type eating plan and IMHO I think it's the healthiest..

I am 11 months out and I am still learning how to control my head hunger issues ... I can be physically full from my dinner and still want to eat

Our head hunger issues are our real problems - As fat chicks the minute we thought we were hungry we would eat - then eat again - we would eat past full - All of us have diff issues with food some more complicated and some as simple as boredom. We use food to soothe us when we are upset, angry or sad - we use food to comfort us - we use food to celebrate and as reward for something or cuz someone told us we shouldn't - we use our fat as a barrier against the world. All these things are the mental issue that must be dealt with if we want to lose the weight and keep it off for good (neither the band nor any WLS is guarantee that we keep they weight off forever) To this (keep the weight off forever) you must make this your lifetime life style change in eating and exercise

Diets don't work cuz the minute you go off them and go back to eating normal you gain all your weight back - eating normal for us is what got us fat in the 1st place.

Now Exercise - as fat chick we don't want to exercise cuz it's too damn hard - it takes too much energy. Well you must exercise - our bodies were made to exercise. You just make the commitment to yourself - you start slow and steady and each week increase it a tad - I could barely walk 1 mile 11 months ago on the treadmill doing a 25 minute mile on a zero incline - but every couple of weeks I would increase the speed and inclines - I now do 3 miles in 50 minutes on vary of inclines from 3 to 7-
I work out with weights 2 x a weeks (muscle burns more calories)

Ok I wrote a fricking book here - but I just want you to know that even with the band it's work - it's still hard -- it takes will power to make good food choices and discipline to go to the gym or workout where ever you choose but with the band (once you have proper restriction) as a tool it does make the job of losing weight easier. As you said not easy but a little easier..

IMHO I that that I have done 75% of the work (making good food choices and exercising) and the band has done 25% of the work by providing portion control and making me feel fuller physically on 1 cup of food.

I take credit for my weight loss - ya the band helped - but it's just a piece of plastic - it doesn't have a brain to make the choices and changes that I have made in the last 11 months.

Good luck on your journey - I love my band and I love me for doing the work - I am strong - I have control (well 99.9% of the time) I am a new woman and I am loving the way I feel - 10 yrs younger the quality of my life has improved 150% - it's the best decision I have ever made..

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success

Hi Janet, I am end of day 3 and still have alot of pressure in the middle of my chest. I am assuming it is gas. Also i have alot of gas and diahrea right now. In reading around, I find that I cannot get in the protein or water right now. Of course only 3 days. Maybe I get too anxious. I try to get in as much as I can but it is still hard. Im going over to the 50's thread to see whats happening. Talk with you all later.

Beckyo

Thread Starter

Becky I had the runs for like 2 week after surgery - I finally took some imodiam (sp) You are still healing - don't worrry too much - just take it slow and try to get your fluids and protein in - when do you go back to the doc??

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success

Hi Janet, I go back to doc ten days from last Wed. Today is Sunday, day 4 and I am feeling much much better. I am tired tonight and it has been hard getting all in. So far today I had half cup of unjury chocolate mixed half water and half skim milk, then late I had half cup of strawberry unjury same way. Went grocery shopping and came home and had half of yogurt. then later on had 4/5 spoonfuls of brocolli cheese soup. Felt overly full afterwards but am better now. I think alot of gas is gone and I am a little more comfortable.Was done about one and half pounds this morning.

Talk with you later
Beckyo

Hi Indiogirl55
I had the band implanted om May 07. I have had three fills and the last one caused quite a bit of slimming, but thins appeared to have settled down. To date I hover at a 30 lb lost and need to jump start my program. I have difficulty with proteins (meat, fish) and veggies and gravitate towards softer foods with higher caloric intake. My doctor suggested loosening the band so that I could eat the right foods. But I admit I am afraid as my "thinking" has not change, that could be a disaster. I would appreciate working with you to assist in getting my "tool" to be all that it can be...please let me know if you are available and ow to proceed.

__________________


God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Thread Starter

Becky you are doing good on the food only suggestion make your unjury with 100% skim milk (more protein) and add it to your soups instead of water - that's what I did to boost the protein.. - I don't think I was eating much for the first few day... Hows the other issue - the tmi issue has that gotten any better


Hi Serenity

I'm here for you but warning some tough band love coming your way (Love is the operative word)

I am with your doctor - if your band is too tight to let you eat regular food then you are abusing it and with that abuse you could be injuring yourself.

Also and not to be mean here but what are you accomplishing keeping your band so tight - you are eating around it anyway.

The only person you are kidding is yourself - as I keep saying this battle with our obesity is mental - You just gotta get your mind in the game and quit playing games with yourself.

I know all about those games - I have been there done that and even convinced myself I wasn't playing head games with myself That I didn't mind being fat - that I was happy the way I was - I enjoyed my food - couch and tv.

Well that frickin couch food and tv were killing me - fatter and fatter - tired all the time - etc - you know the drill.

You have started the journey to get healthy by being banded - but that little devil on your shoulder is telling you that your band isn't working - so just eat around it - it's ok you still are eating smaller portions its' ok eat that baked potato loaded with butter and sour cream - cuz that's all you are eating... Wrong !!!! Do you know how much food I have thrown away - You know those new cute snake packs of cookies - ya 1 bag 100 calories but when you keep going back for one more bag - those 100 calories adds up.. So in the trash - If I can't control it - it goes in the trash - that's is empowering - throwing the crap away -

You are a food addict - the addiction is worst than drugs or alcohol as we have to eat food to live - we can't totally abstain .. You have the prayer - now put it into effect in your life.

To nite make a grocery list with healthy food choices (no sider foods) clean out the pantry of all the junk foods.
Plan healthy meals for the week bf lunch dinner and 2 healthy snacks - get a little note book or go online and keep a food diary (dailyplate.com)

Call the doc's office tomorrow - get a slight unfill so that you can eat hard proteins -

Do you do any exercise - if so what - starting tomorrow at least get in a 30 minute walk (you can break it down to 3 10 minute walks if need be) minimum 5 days of the week. If you can go to the gym even better - walk on the treadmill and then we will have you hitting the weight machines.

You will weight yourself in the morning and then you will put the scale away til next Monday morning

You will eat healthy for the next week - you will log your calories (keep them between 900-1200) you will exercise just for this week you will make this commitment to yourself You will drink your water or crystal lite (64 oz a day) for the next week.

Next Monday if you have followed the plan - you will get your 1st 7 day chip for living a healthy lifestyle..

OK so now what to do when that old devil food is calling you.
Don't buy the junk = have only healthy low calorie foods to eat (sf healthy choice fudgecicles - sf puddings - air popcorn) Look for a distraction - get on the computer come to LBT - it's open 24/7 - p.m. or email me - I will usually respond that day or the next (depending on the time 3 a.m i will be asleep and getting back to you when i am awake)
If I am gone for a weekend - you have the other ladies here who will help you. -"you all can say - Oh Janet would say to do this or that" Or Oh we know Janet is going to kick our butts if we eat that candy bar and go over out calorie budget We are a team - We are accountable to ourselves 1st and the team secondly. We are all fat chicks battling the little devil on our shoulders telling us it's just to hard to do this - (Yes I still consider myself a fat chick - cuz in my head I will be forever - I Know that I can NEVER NEVER go back to being a couch potato and a foodie or it will come all back on even with the band) Ok other distractions - go clean the bath room - clean out your drawers - your closet - go wash your face and give yourself a facial.

If you want to talk privately you can always p.m. or email me by going to my profile - but there really isn't anything you can say that the others here haven't already experienced (we all have done things that are embarrassing - closet eating bingeing etc)

Give me one week - you can do that - small goals is what we are after and all those small goals add up to BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS

BTW - I will be gone next weekend Friday - Sunday - I have been asked to participate on a lap-band® patient advisory panel and I don't have a laptop nor do I have Internet on my cell phone - I don't text - my age is showing - I am not one who has to be connected 24/7 -OMW my 13 yr GD carries her cell phone to the bathroom with her - my GS who's 17 is on the computer - house phone talking and texting on his cell.. Information overload for me

You can do this = just one week at a time ok - I am here for you - and yes some days it will be hard - but you are worth the work - you can do this - you have a brain and soul you have more control than you give yourself credit for.. You can and will do this... I have faith in you..
Hugs
Janet

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success

Hi Janet, You are a wealth of information and I appreciate you taking th time to answer all our questions. Your last post was just wonderful. I am 43 and know there is no "magic" cure for obesity. I was approved for a GB 5 years ago but did not want major surgery and decided to diet and loose it myself...i lost 43lbs....I gained all that back plus 8lbs. I know I have the commitment I just need a little extra help. What is "jury" and "sliming"? Can you still drink coffee? Do you need to eliminate caffeine? What do Docs recommend for the liquid proteins that you need to drink for the first two weeks? I am also reading that things get "stuck"....I can see why people are nervous about starting whole foods...I have my PCP appt today to see if he will write a referral..Thanks again. Kimberly

__________________

Info Seminar: 7-17-08
Pre Op: 2-6-09
Surgery: 2-11-09
6 month diet:

Thread Starter

Kimberly
Helping helps me too The band does give you that extra little help that you need as long as you have the commitment

Unjury is a protein powder to make shakes (choc vanilla strawberry) to make shakes with they have unflavored that you can add to food (soups) to increase the protein content (but you gotta let the food cool to 130 or it will curdle) You gotta get samples of diff stuff cuz we all have diff taste - some like the matrix and I can't stand it - when I went to my nutritionist visit they gave me samples - my doc office sells stuff too - I like the Jay Robb Vanilla egg white protein powder the best - add some lite OJ and you have an orange Julius - you can google jay robb and order it from his website..

I didn't have to give up caffeine (but again every doc is diff) I have one or 2 cups of coffee in the morning and ice tea during the summer

Slimming is what happens when you get stuck or ate too much - your body produces extra saliva to get the food thru your pouch - it will bubble up and you will have to spit the stuff out - I don't always bp (productive burp - a little like throw up without the stomach acid) when I slime but usually do - last nite thought I was still hungry ate green beans and then slimed and bp'd - I wasn't really hungry and already full.

Sliming & bping usually happen when you don't chew well enough or eat too fast or too much - I will want one more bite - I will be chewing it and know that if I sallow - it's going to be that one bite too many and I will bp so I will spit it out.

I wasn't scared to start on whole foods - I wanted to know what sliming and bping were all about - and once it happened I knew and now know how to avoid it- Well most of the time - I still feed my head hunger issues like last night and the green beans - but it was green beans not another large serving of mashed potatoes loaded with butter or some other high fat high carb food - Green Beans - so somethings do change

__________________
IndioGirl55 Lucky #7
Banded 7/17/07 - Lost 112 lbs
Eat Healthy+Exercise+Band=Success