tombourn

Roger et al.. I didn't know for sure the first few days whether I had restriction or not. Then on Thursday night (6 days after fill) I ate 1/2 peanut butter sandwich on a heal piece of white bread. OH BOY..hold on for the ride... I'm just glad I didn't have my service weapon on me....the PB ing wasn't bad, the pain, however, of that being stuck..made me sweat ... a drenching sweat that I'm sure rivaled child birth. At that point, I did what is suggested and did liquids for a day and will not be testing it in the near future. I ate chicken alfredo the night before and the pasta wasn't a problem, but the peanut butter and white bread are now sworn enemies!!! Back down at my lowest weight and ready to Rock and Roll Tom

Tell your hubby to read my lips:) No worries in Mexico...Ethnocentristic thinking is Americans biggest downfall. I thought Japan taught us not to think we were the best at very thing.... American surgeons could learn a thing or two from Dr Martinez and Dr Ortiz Tom

Roger, Just got back last night. I received 4.6, on liquids for now. So I'll let you know in a few days if I have any restriction. I do have to burp ( regular) when I drink liquid too fast... same as after the surgery Tom

Phil, I must have past ya in the hallway. I had my surgery on September 7th. I ditto everything you said. Little if any restriction the first 3-4 days of liquid, then nothing as I progressed to solids. I can eat everything. I have not drank carbonated soda, but I bet I could, no problem. Thr only time a feel any different, is when I finish eating a so-so meal, the bottom of my stomach feels tender. So I am probably full (bottom of stomach) since the top pouch has taken off some of the volume. Easy way to put it is I can eat a full plate, but I can't eat a second or third plate as before. I have gained most of my post-op weight back, but I am sure most of that weight was water weight anyway. I'' m still down over 20 pounds with a fill scheduled next Saturday Tom

And Kev.. Forget those disposable thongs....I did not even try to put those on...

Do the MATH 20 Business days in a month X 6 Bands a day. Over 100 bands since "the chicken lady" looks like 1 % or even less. Way to go Dr. Ortiz!!! By the way....the majority of slips are down the road...long term... Especially now with the PFT and VG band Tom

Not Karen... ,but HI Just FYI , I group of us are going the morning of the 21st...If I could I'd switch it to the 14th as I need my first fill NOW, but I can't Sorry to butt in ...but just thought the more the merrier on the trolley Tom

Kevin I use Diet and Exercise Assistant. You can download a free demo at www.keyoe.com Its for Desktop ad PDA. It let's you imput BMR, Exercise, Food Intake ( pretty good dbase) your Weight and Goals, then tells you how many calories fewer a day you need to eat based on the date you want to succeed at your goal, current weight and activity level Tom

Beauno, Band slippage with the pars flaccida technique and the VG band is around 1% so I wouldn't sweat it. Tom

Beuno, According to the Diet /Fitness softwarwe I have, a person that weighs 238, and is mostly sedentary (i.e sitting most of the day) burns 2800 calories a day...so you are negative 1500 a day for exactly a 3 pund a week loss... But again that is based on averages and everyone IS different For protien you need to figure out you lean body mass Total weight x %body fat = weight of fat in pounds Once you know the weight of your body fat, you can subtract that from your total weight to get your lean body weight: Total weight - fat weight = lean body weight Approximate will do...I'm sure Then determine what type of lifestyle you lead. The following guidelines should help: 1. Sedentary lifestyle -- no physical activity -- .5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. 2. Moderately Active -- 20 to 30 minutes of exercise two to three times per week -- .6 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. 3. Active -- physical activity in excess of 30 minutes three to five times per week -- .7 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.

Lori, Any news on the specific exercises mentioned above? Sorry to keep bothering you, but I have Absolutely NO RESTRICTION, I can, but don't, eat as much as before the band. I would be ready for a fill, but I bought the plane ticket based on the 6 week recovery instead on the two week recovery I had. I will be riding 50 miles on my bike this week, running 3 times and swimming three times....but really would like to do some weights..I go back to work next week so I don't have to sit around the house thinking about food like I have for the past 4 weeks... I am still down 14 pounds from surgery and want to be at least 23 pounds down ( 3 pounds a week) on Oct 21st Fill One Day

Beauno, You are one week behind me in this journey. I too lost weight the week after surgery, but then the weight loss has become somewhat stagnate. 14 poundsd since surgery, 2 pounds in last 10 days...I can eat anything and everything.. if it was not for my 30-40 miles of bike riding and swimming, I would probably be gaining the weight back.. I have the VG band, so I suppose that I have nothing but a straight beeline into my lower stomach. I was at first afraid that my eating i.e. a full bowl of cereal or steak would effect my stomach ( upper pouch).. but no... nothing.. On the other hand, a lady that I had surgery with still couldn't eat anything but a little soup and yogart. She had a smaller band and I'm sure at least some restriction even after the swelling went down. I thinkthere is an impression out there that everyone experiences the same symptoms after surgery.. I think some can tolerate solid foods faster than three weeks.... the same with exercise...CAVEAT...I DID NOT SAY THEY SHOULD EAT SOLIDS BEFORE DAY 23 OR EXERCISE BEFORE THREE WEEKS... THATS UP TO YOUR NUTRITIONIST AND DOCTOR. One size does not fit all, and to error on the conservative side is what I expect from my medical team. Dr. Ortiz answered my exercise question on a Sunday evening... thats service.. Tom

Trizzy and Tina, I have changed my scheduled fill. My apointment is at 1200 noon. I can therefore wait around for you guys. It will still be cheaper to take the trolley/ taxi unless we get one more...then it may make sense to pay the $120.00 Let me know whata think Tom

Trizzy... I have an rmail in to Rene to back up my appointment to 1130-or later from 1000am. I haven't heard back from him.. If nothing by end of this week, I'll write him again Tom

Lori, If you would, would you try and get a clarification of Exercise Guidlines for us from "the top". I understand that the standard rule is 3 weeks aftter sugery to begin exercising. And then there is the 3 MONTH wait for "abdominal" exercises. Well, very few, if any, excerises do not involve core strength muscles. Leg lifts use lower abs, Lunges use stabilizing ab muscles, push-up definately use ab muscles to hold the body straight, bench press uses abdominal muscle, actually all weight lifting , except in rare cases where you can isolate your movement to extremities only, involve ab muscles. Below is a list , could you get ballpark times from surgery for starting them? Walking -Immediately Biking - Running - Swimming - Push-ups - Leg lifts - Weight lifting - Crunches - Sit-ups - Thanks Tom

Lori, Great advise. The problem is coming off the post-op diet your idea of alot of food is skewed. I ate a bowl of tortilla soup at a restaurant with my wife and sister-in-law ( and a few 4-5 chips) and I thought I had ate too much and damaged my pouch, then I realized, I wasn't feeling stuffed like I had before when I ate at that restaurant. I had mostly liquid and I chewed the hell out of the chips and chicken pieces, so I doubt I did any damage...Didn't feel any pain, didn't "normal" burp or belch..so it was just my perception and paranoia kicking in. I went back to liqid today, not because of any pain or problen , just feeling guilty about eating good food yesterday Tom

The good boy has lost 27 pounds ( 12 post-op ), the bad boy has eaten what would be described as mushie foods more so than liquid. Does or did anyone else not have one iota of a restriction or could they too eat/ drink without becoming full. At leasty I can exercise now, to help keep my mind off food.. Tom

I do not disagree with that answer Dr. Miranda gave, but then does the saliva fill us up ( make us feel full) or does the food being in the small pouch make us feel full ... Paid a lot for the surgery, if saliva was the key to weight loss. We want food to stay in the small pouch, but we chew to goo so it will not get stuck.. There is a dichotomy here. Who really knows??? Tom

From Wikepedia Machines to make frozen beverages were invented by a Dairy Queen franchise owner Omar Knedlik in the late 1950s. The machine mixes a syrup that is carbonated, flavored, sweetened, in a partially frozen and pressurized rolling tumbler, resulting in tiny specks of ice suspended in sugar and bubbles of gas (the same result can be achieved by partially freezing a bottle of soda; if approximately half the bottle is frozen, the frozen portion will have the consistency of a Slurpee). By constantly mixing the mixture in a Slurpee machine, the water is unable to separate from the sugar and carbonation and thus only tiny pieces of ice can form. Machines in this category are referred to by the industry as Frozen Carbonated Beverage (FCB) devices, and 7-11 currently sources their equipment from supplier FBD and previously from suppliers IMI Cornelius and the Taylor Company.

If you go shopping in Mexico stop by the supermarket and find Kellogg's All Bran Banana Yogart. It is a fiber additive that tastes like banana yogart. Mix 8 oz skim milk, 1 packet of All Bran, 1 Scoop protien, 2 packets splenda ( 1/3 banana optional) It was the best protien shake I have ever tasted...add ice to make it a Banana Protien Milkshake It's 300 calories...but well worth it and it is suppose to be a meal replacement afterall!! Right!! Tom P.S. It was found in the big supermarket on the north end of the big shopping mall... walking distance from the Lucerne

You can do 7 pounds by 29th in your sllep.. have faith... Adkins makes a protien shake.. I'm sure it is low in carbs...Relax take the stress off....I stress it too...but lost the last 6 in the last three days... Tom

Hi Tina!! Yeah, I am up and about, even though I have the luxury of having the next 16 days off. I hope I am still bloated...haven't lost but 1 pound in three days of broth and popcicles. I finally gave in and had some liquid yogart last night...it really helped.... Scheduled my first fill for October 21st... so now I am just waiting for week three so I can exercise.... I am on here all the time.. so write often Tom

Trizzy I can wait around no problem.. just got to call Rene and see if he can back my appointment up. I'll get back to ya. I was planning on treating myself to a "legitimate" massage after the fill either in Mexico or San Diego so I might part ways on the trip back...but that may change who knows... Tom

Dixie... Not that you asked me, but I just got banded on Thursday, I could have went to work today, but the liquid diet doesn't give you much energy . Also, the flight from San Diego to Denver took some out of me, but again if you rest when you can you should be able to do it albiet tired Tom

Actually she told me one beer at the ballpark 6 months from now would be possible. On tap and after it had set for awhile Tom