Phoenix

That's what I was thinking! What a great moment for you both.

Hi there, I have the three Cs. Two children, a 35 mile commute and career that includes phone calls that start at 7am. It's coffee and Muscle Milk Light 5 days a week for breakfast. Or -- I'll add a scoop of powdered Muscle Milk to Activa yogurt and spoon it down. It used to be a protein bar, but thanks to Medifast, I have an intolerance for soy protein and I can't find whey protein bars that taste good. I'm all ears for those of you who have found a good whey protein bar though!

Unrestricted, everything has gone down just fine, but smaller quantities...I guess that's the upside of 3 weeks of liquids I'm interested to see what happens after the first fill. Congratulations on your graduation ;-)

Welcome back!

Me, too!

Thanks for posting that!

Wow, I think she's related to my Aunt Lois! Aunt Lois isn't much for doing her own homework, but she'll spout urban legends and old wives tales from breakfast till bedtime. Hippocratic oath mean anything to your friend? If you were a European tourist with a pacemaker, would you be turned away? Sheesh. An infection is treated like an infection, whether it comes from a cut on your foot or a bladder infection or a lap band port. If the port were to need replacement, however, that's another ball of wax.

Ten pounds in two weeks? Wow, congratulations! That's fabulous!

Welcome! Hope your experience is as perfect as possible!

Our bodies don't have that much "play" in them. Those of us with two X chromosomes know we can do 4 or 5 pounds every month of bloat, it comes and it goes. Add to that 8 pounds of weight loss and you're looking at 12 pounds of play. Our skin doesn't shrink that fast. It simply can't. There will be weeks your scale doesn't move, but your body still shrinks. It's still busy catching up. If the 40s are on sale, go right ahead and buy them. They'll fit, but give your body a little more shrink time.

Scheduled 2nd fill for 8/26

You're normal. You're going to worry every day for a month that you've completely screwed up. You're going to Google "lap band slip" and realize that you don't have those symptoms. Your band and your pouch haven't stretched, but you'll freak out a little every day worrying that you did until one day -- on solids -- you have a kind of new version of "oh, this must be sort of what restriction feels like, maybe" You haven't eaten a whole pizza and washed it down with a pitcher of beer ;-0 like you've seen college boys do. When you're on solids, before your first fill, you'll have one piece of pizza, no beer and think, "wow, that's it, I can't eat two." (I've only been on solids since the 7th, I felt exactly the same way)

It's hard to say, it might depend on the size of your band. The one wrapped around my stomach is only 10 cm long -- about 4 inches. And that's on the outside of my stomach, with my actual stomach walls filling that in. So that means that the opening from my new stomach pouch onto the lower one is only the size of a quarter at best. Then, while that heals, you're on liquids for three weeks. I can't say about everyone else, but my stomach simply doesn't hold as much as it did a month ago. It seems to hold about 6 ounces and I stay full a while, but after about 3 hours I'm hungry again. I'm hoping in two weeks after my first fill I stay full longer.

ISOpure clear liquid beverages apple juice sugar free popsicles Chicken Broth (Swanson's lower sodium from Costco -- no MSG) I'm feeling like a smarty pants at the moment so I'll add (with tongue in cheek) Rum Vodka Tequila Gin Scotch Wine (one of those days)

Snork! Love it! Must post photos!

Looks like an aborable gray tabby to me!

$*%)@# Jim, We've met! We were banded the same day. 45 pounds????!? You're amazing. Congratulations! (Me and my little 7 are going to go pout in the corner now)

Costco members get special financing rates through Capital One. Worth checking into. 17% is highway robbery. Unreal....

WOW! That's amazing. And inspiring. Where did you go for surgery?

Are you a Costco member?

Hi there! I was banded on the 16th of June. There was a 17 year old banded the same day, you're definitely not alone. It's a big decision, but deciding to take control over your body and to be healthy is a gimmee. Welcome!

I can't think of many guys who would mind being surrounded by dozens of supportive, welcoming gals. Congratulations on your pre banding success! In Dr O's office the morning I was banded, there were 6 of us, only 1 was a guy. He probably didn't find Dr O as hot as we did, but he got the same great care. Yep, guys use more oxygen, have less insulation and make 6 million sperm cells every day -- each with their own glucose food supply. The weight drops off faster. It just isn't fair. Welcome!

I blended up the mushrooms in Progresso's light Cream of Mushroom. The liquid days are difficult.

Thank heaven! Playing catch up with water sounds like the best and easiest catch up you can do!

It seems like a lot, but I'm aiming for 90 g of protein a day. The Isopure unflavored is recommended highly and I'm considering it, too. MamaMichelle, isn't that what you use? Kim2B, I recommend the Muscle Milk Light ready to drink shakes at Costco. 160 calories, 20 g of protein. I know we're not supposed to drink our meals, but with kids, daycare and work, who has time? I think they're brilliant.