2008 Junies and Friends

well I had a crappy day eating. I will post it here so those considering my surgery can see the good with the bad

breaky

a cup of tea.. I was going to have something to eat after a shower but forgot

morning tea

half a nescafe cappaccino, no sugar

later with half an hour between each I had 2 butternut crunch bickies

Lunch

An Aldi cheese stringers stick... I have become addicted to these bloody things

arvo tea

3 jelly babies

Dinner

tea cup saucer of thai beef salad.. ate most of it but got bored with it and ate 1 square of chocolate cos the block was in there when I put the left overs in the fridge.

So ladies as you can see sleeve...band or not you can still choose and get down crappy food. Much better choices would have been to ditch the bickies and jelly babies for a more vitamin packed and nutritional type of tucker.

And as you can see it is still easy to pop things in the gob hungry or not.. tis what I does

The day aint over and I can feel a teaspoon of peanut butter coming on later!

I usually get mine by the second week but I noted that there is a 7 day to 21 day delivery on it.

I have never had any issues with them before and have always used the 2.99 delivery... maybe send them an email.

The last order I made was about 3 months ago and I remember it came a lot quicker than expected but the one prior took a bit over 2 weeks.

Is it possible its sitting at the post office

Zippy just as a matter of interest, how long does it take from ordering to receiving your package from Vitacost? The reason I ask is I ordered some stuff about 3 weeks ago and have received nothing yet. I know the invoice said it should be received by middle of October (the date was actually exactly one month from the date of order).

I paid the same shipping as you. I'm assuming if I'm not home when it's delivered I will pick up at Post Office.

Sorry Debs I was with my dad all day so havent been near the computer.

Ok the protein powders are the easiest way to get your protein up. They say after the sleeve to get your protein up around 60g a day for premium fat burning

In the begining when your sleeve is a baby its hard to get the grams up because you eat so little ( Im talking like a tablespoon at a sitting) and its soft foods so a slab of steak or chicken is out...hence the high protein low carb drinks...or you can mix them into greek yogurt(jalna greek yogurt is good...dont use low fat...it tastes like kha kha).

These two powders taste fine in water but I use the almond milk cos its the lowest in everything but gives the shake a thicker and more creamy taste. I have mixed them with half 2 percent milk and half water though.

I find now, after the sleeve I tend to have shakes to get my calories and protein up. Because I would rather have a cup of tea or a glass of water than actually eat something these are an easy fix for me.

Some days the effort of chewing ( and you dont have to chew like a bandit either) is not worth the effort cos I am just not that hungry and cant be arsed... I have even spit something out halfway through cos I cant be bothered.

I tend to have them for morning tea and arvo tea but sometimes will have them for breakfast. 2 shakes gives you close to 60 grams of protein.

Linda I used to use the ones you are talking about but they have more carbs in them than these ones do. I just ordered a banana isoflex this morning. It cost me $38 plus $2.99 postage from the states (vitacost) if I bought it here it would cost me $69 plus postage.

ha haaa loosinit is right I did research the Bajeebus out of the powders too.

Thanks Linda for that info...i might mention it to my doc when she rings later today to tell me my blood results. Hope you sis is ok now.

Thanks Losingit. Your gallbladder pain sounds horrendous, and mine is definitely not like that. Just a knawing cramping pain high in the abdo. If it was gallbladder would be kind of good as he might say 'we'll have to take it out next week' and just take the band with it. lol Some docs give you shits don't they...you get fobbed off with the easiest thing they can attribute it too without really looking for a cause. I've had that happen with other things and it gives you the mcshits. Actually my sis took a call from my gp's receptionist this morning saying they want to discuss recent bloods i just had taken...thyroid and vit D. I'm guessing my thyroid is out of whack again...probably low in vit D again too. Maybe its that. Will keep you posted though.

That's good to know re the protein powders. Are they taken as a way to get extra protein into you, like with a meal, or are they taken instead of a meal? Sorry to sound dumb but i don't know anything about them except that body builders take them to grow muscle. I've always avoided things like that because i have broad shoulders anyway and was worried i'd look like a tank. LOL

My neighbour had horrible stomach pains with hers. She ended up getting a taxi from maroochydore to nambour hospital it was that bad. They were on holidays. She still left it though and it became a much bigger drama a couple of years down the track.

When my sister lived in the middle east, every time they went out to dinner she got what she thought was food poisoning. It was her gall bladder and it played up because she had eaten richer food than usual. Ended up getting it out in cyprus when on holidays.

Debs I can only say what I have done, and it's usually mixed with low-fat cow's milk, although I have occasionally used water. Depending on the product, sometimes it can just taste like flavoured water if you mix with water, or it could be very palatable. There are heaps of protein powders out there. You can trust that what Zippy has listed will be the lowest in fat and carbs that you can get, and the highest in protein. I know what a stickler she is for research and finding the best possible thing to suit her circumstances.

In regard to the gall bladder, it could well be so. I had my gall bladder out 2 years ago (same surgeon that did my band). The symptoms I had were more like a heart attack - extremely strong chest pain, and if I remember correctly a feeling of nausea when the pain was really bad. Never had any abdominal pain though. A couple of GPs told me it would be reflux because I had a band, no effort to find any other explanation. Well the reflux meds did nothing, so I knew they were wrong. It was actually a colleague who suggested gall bladder, which I then put to the surgeon's offsider (his doctor wife who I used to see for fills). I was sent off for an ultrasound and the rest is history.

Hope you get it sorted out soon. In fact they could probably take out your gallbladder when they remove the band. I'm not a surgeon, but once you're under, and it's roughly in the same area, why not?

Thanks Zip, never thought of gall bladder...don't know anything about gall bladders and i've never had a problem with it before. I'll have to look it up and see what it says, maybe i have other symptoms of gall. I tell you what i do have which is unusual for me...a puffy tongue with a scalloped edge..like you see my teeth indents in the sides of it. Sounds gross i know! LOL Maybe by body is just having a bit of a throw-down at the moment. If it is gall i hope it doesn't effect future surgery. Maybe i'm really nutrient deficient or something.

Thanks for posting those pics zip. Do a lot of people who get sleeves use those protein powders? I've never used them before, i always thought they 'bulked' you up like a muscle man. lol Could you have them with skim milk, or low fat cows milk? Do you have them as a snack or as a meal replacment? Sorry for sounding like a dumbass.

Yes it does sound like gall bladder. I never thought of that. Have you looked at the lean dessert protein powders Trish? How do these compare? Mine is out of code i have had it that long. it won't stop me using it though. Tis only powder after all.

Debs is it possible its your gall... it can have a pain that spreads across under that lower rib cage and decend down into the bowel area.

Perhaps you are suffering from "grumbling gall bladder"

the first is called " divine chocolate" which is a caramel choc flavour and the second is peanut butter and choc. I get the first off ebay but you can buy a small tub at healthfood stores and the second I get from vita cost off the net cos its a 3rd of the price I can get it here even with postage.



It gives a choc protein drink a creamy nutty taste, I get it in the long life section at coles but you have to make sure you get the unsweetened or the carbs and cals rise significantly.

Thanks Zips.

Deb that sounds awful and I don't have a clue what it is. If it was gastro you would know all about it.

Tara I am going to start dukan on Monday. I have never been able to do just fluids and I would be a misery gutz. I have lots of fresh eggs and I bought smoked chicken and smoked salmon. If I can stick to it for a few days and get back on track. Not worth trying now as my daughter is coming up tonight for the weekend. I have some lean dessert protein powder in the pantry. I never thought to mix that in yoghurt.

I'm definitely going to need the sleeve i think. I went out for tea tonight with my family and i ordered my usual chicken schnitzel (don't know why but it seems to go down with the crumbs on it) because its pretty safe. I can only usually eat about a half of it though because the chest pain always gets me.
I had 2ml out yesterday and i can already notice such a difference. I ate all my chicken schnitzel AND some chips (which i can't usually get down). I was waiting for the 'restriction' to kick in now that i'm in the no pain green zone but it never did...i ate as much as i would have if i didn't have a band at all. It really does seem to be feast or famine.
It just goes to show how much i do need this help...without a band i would pile the weight back on and if i keep the band i have to run it really tight just to maintain the losses i've made (not a healthy option.)
Other than using strict willpower for the next 40 years i think the sleeve is my only option.
debs

Thanks girls. I just rang kylie and she said it doesn't sound band related as i would be in a lot of pain but she will mention it to Nigel tomorrow anyway. She said see how it goes as i'm going to be seeing him next friday anyway.

She said it sounds like gastro or something, which it kind of feels like, but i don't have any of the toilet problems etc... or feel generally unwell like you do with a bug. I just have this cramping and sick feeling in my gut, right around where the band would sit. Who knows, maybe it is a bug....she did say that bugs don't usually hang around for a week and half though, they're more of a 24-48 hour thing.

I've lived with it a week so i'm sure i can live with it another week. And you never know, it might go as mysteriously as it appeared. Its just such a blurgghhhh feeling. I hope Nigel doesn't think i'm making shit up just to get rid of the band! That just occured to me! Yikes.

I'm sure it'll be fine.... would be good if it had to come out though ;) I'm just sayin.... lol

Debs,

That doesn't sound at all good. (OMG how good would it be if ya band slipped just now and HAD to be removed!) Having said that your symptoms don't sound at all like when my first band slipped. I was chucking up dry blood and all sorts of crap.

You don't reckon you have become Gluten or Lactose intolerant by any chance do ya ??? Like, not that I know anything about anything but that's what it sounds like to me.

Linda Pinda ....... (and any other prospective takers)
Are ya gunna do the pouch test ??
My eating habits and food choices are just disgusting so I'd be in on a little pouch test / cleanse/ detox thing if anyone else is gunna do it ?

Zipedy,

What's ya Protein stuffo called ?? I'm still using Optispew (Well, haha WHEN I drink it!) so I like the sound of yours.


Tara

Deb ring the surgery and explain all that to kylie it doesnt sound too good.

That's good he's done a few band to sleeves...i was worried he'd think i was just a whinger and a failure and was looking for an easier way. (It has to be easier than the band, the band is friggin hard work!)

Sounds like he does a good sleeve size too and i'm glad he doesn't do the swallow thing...i've read on the sleeve site that's pretty gross.

Can i ask a question... has anyone had a band slip and if so what does it feel like? I feel so crook at the moment...this is this new feeling i was mentioning in an earlier post. I've had it for about a week but forgot to mention it to Nigel when i saw him. Ok, so this feeling is like this.... i have this cramping and nausea in my gut, a bit painful and just makes me feel really sicky. I started to get it about a week ago after i ate a meal...maybe 20 mins later and it lasted a while and then went but would come back after each meal. I thought maybe a gut bug so didn't think much of it.

Now its a week or week and a half later and i still have it. Initially it was just nausea but now its like a cramping feeling (like when you've eaten something bad) and bad nausea and it comes on after eating...maybe half an hour and stays pretty much until i eat again. When i eat it seems to lessen the feeling a bit but when i've finished its back full force...cramping and sickness. I don't feel like i want to puke and i can still get food and fluid down but if it was a gut bug i thought it would be gone by now...a week and half later....but its still here and seems worse. I have my dinner at night and an hour or later and i'm laying in bed clutching my stomach for hours. I wake up and feel fine, have something to eat and it starts all over again....pain, cramping and nausea...the kind that makes you catch your breath sometimes. I've tried eating different foods and i can pin it down to anything in particular. Anyone got any ideas or experienced anything similiar?

Thanks lovely jubblies

debsx

Oh and Deb... nige doesnt do a leak test... he checks it all while your under but he says that making you drink that yucky blue fluid will put pressure on your new tummy and is more of a risk than not having it so luckily we dont have to do that stuff.

Honestly after the first day you dont feel bad at all... just full after a teaspoon of food so its hard to get the liquids down that they bring and give you a little plastic medicine cup to drink with.

Yes deb he has quite a few that have gone from band to sleeve. I think there were a couple on the sleeve site a few years ago and I was talking on their recently to another of his patients who was recently sleeved in the last month after him taking out her band.

He doesnt do an extra small sleeve either (not that there is that much in it, I think its a millemeter). The smallest is a 32 then it goes to a 34 which he does. He does the 34 cos he said there is less issues with leaks and reflux and I can vouch for that cos I have no reflux and take no meds for it

He did put me on the nexium 2 weeks prior to the op to get it to kick in before hand so ask him if you can do the same when it comes to your sleeve.. you will stay on them for around 6 months then stop.

Linda I buy a tub of protein shake from ebay (its cheaper than from the healthfood store) and I have it there for when I feel like one. You can stir it into greek yogurt too and it tastes like a maccas thick shake.

The package shakes are too high in cals and carbs for me so I use this tub one which has 1 carb and 100 cals and 30 something grams of protein. I mix it with unsweetened almond milk I get from coles.. again low carb, high protein and fibre.

Thanks for all that great info Zip...it explained so much to me. I agree that the problems with the sleeve seem like almost nothing next to the issues with the band. I have a funny feeling my band has done something sneaky...i don't know if its slipped (don't know what a slip is supposed to feel like) but for the last week whenever i eat something, or drink i feel really nauseated afterward...just sick in the guts. I've never had nausea issues with the band. I've had a lot of other things you'd relate to, like tightness, vometing, reflux etc...but not nausea so this is different. Has anyone else had nausea after food and know what it was about?

I reckon i will put on weight with this 2ml out...even in a week. Like last night, i had a big chicken roll and i couldn't have done that before...probably would have ended up having nothing and then choking down noodles and chocolate when the band vanishes in a puff of smoke at 11pm. I'm glad he's cautious (my doc) he forces you to slow down and think about things more, which is what i need sometimes as i get over excited. lol

And he did say yesterday that i have had trouble right from the start finding that 'green zone'. I remember coming out after surgery and healing really fast...felt like i was ready to be able to eat within about three days (I didn't of course but i felt that hunger.) And i remember i kept going back in the first few months (every six weeks i think) and them saying 'is it hard to eat that' 'is it hard to eat this' 'can you feel fullness after this much' and it was always no no no...i felt like i didn't even have a band...and i didn't get that sense of having a 'brake' on food until it had 7ml in it....but he said that was too tight, so now its 5ml and i know i'm back to using just willpower again. So i will see how i go. I'll try and eat healthy....but given my yoyo track record....jebus! lol

Do you know if he's had any other banded patients who he's had to sleeve?

Let us know how the pouch test goes Linda.

debs

Do you buy pre packaged shakes?

http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html

I use this one and follow the plan on site... no need to order the book. People on the VSG site use this too to get back to post surgery eating levels.

If you cant get through 5 days try to do a minimum of 3 days to get your eating portions down to a smaller intake. It makes it so you can feel your pouch and eating signals better

What is the best site for it zips?

Yes I have thought of it. Will look into it. Maybe that is what I need. You should see the size of a roast meal I can now eat.

Hey linda have you considered doing the 5 day pouch test prior to starting dukan.

It will get you back on track and shrink your pouch and kick start you into the diet

I always found it a great starter.