mezazea

If you feel any pain, stop eating until it passes. The esophagus sometimes seizes up on the first couple of bites, so go very slowly. Also, any burping or hiccuping is a sign to stop eating as well. I usually take one or two bites and then wait, often as long as 5 minutes, before continuing to eat.

Ah, yes the seaweed pb! I remember it well, along with all of the other foods that just didn't go down well. For example, even one bite of a poptart is not a good idea! Pickles that aren't well-chewed, spicy chorizo ( I think it was the skin that did it) and surprisingly, strawberries!? Kathe 25/07/03 298/211/150ish

You all may want to consider your iron intake as well. I recently had blood work done and was found to be somewhat anaemic. I am taking a dose of Floradix twice a day now. It is a vegetable based iron supplement and doesn't taste half bad. I also take a Centrum Forte (seniors) chewable vitamin, 2 Viactic chewable calcium. I haven't had any hair loss at all.

I found that a heating pad or hot water bottle helped ease the pain somewhat. I only had maybe 3-4 days of pain- I would take a little walk every 1/2 hour or so and do long slow stretches up, then down. Hot showers too, once you are able. Good luck!

Food get can get stuck at the opening between your upper pouch and the rest of your stomach. In very nasty cases, it gets stuck in the constricted part. So chew, chew, and then chew some more and only swallow a bit at a time. The idea is for the food to remain in the upper pouch for a longer time and gradually move down to the rest of your stomach. I find myself doing the squirrel thing. I take a bite, chew a lot, keep some in my cheek and swallow a little. It also gives me a chance to make sure that it will go down ok if it is a new food. If the piece is really too big, the esophagus will spasm before it even gets to the pouch. That leads to a really quick pb.

My port is anchored just under the sternum in the middle of my chest. So far it's only interfered with one bra (which was getting a little big anyway!

I have found that a full body pillow really helps me get comfortable on both my side and front. I have been using it since my surgery and probably always will now.

We all fight certain battles while adjusting to life with the band. As the others have said, tackle one habit at a time and don't go on to the next challenge until you have conquered the first. It is too overwhelming to try to chew more, eat less, drink more, move more, eat slower etc. all at once. Yes! Go for the water first. Start with one litre, sorry, quart a day and build up. Buy fancy bottled water if that will help - and just sip sip sip all day long. Keep bottles ready to go in the fridge and every time you leave the house, throw a bottle in your bag or car. I was banded late July and have had one fill to 1.5cc and I am still working out what I can and cannot eat (had a nasty experience with a peach the other day...) Learning how to use the tool (band) takes time. Don't worry - you will succeed!

Try mixing food in your bites. I mean, take a bit of salad with the meat, chew to a pulp, then swallow. Mixing foods seems to help things go down and stay there.

My port is just under my sternum and the doc didn't numb it at all. It's really no worse than a blood test or flu shot. Actually, now that I think about it, flu shots hurt more...

I just had my first fill last Monday and really, it was one little prick and that's it. The hardest part was being able to tell when it was filled enough. I would drink 3 gulps, my doc would fill a lttle and then I would drink 3 more gulps and he wanted me to tell him the difference. I think I eventually hit it right, at 1.5cc, as I can only eat a small amount, but water still goes down fine. Good luck!

Just out of curiousity, where are your ports placed? Mine is tethered just under my breast bone. I was under the impression that this was now the standard as there is less chance for slippage, flipping etc.

By the time you read this you will already be on the other side! Congratulations!

From my understanding, the nearest doctor for you would be here in B.C. There are a number of people in the B.C. banded group who are from Alberta. Dr. Leung is the only surgeon doing banding west of Ontario so far. You may want to check in the bordering states...good luck

When I told my kids ( 10 and 12 yrs. old) I was going to have this surgery, my main concerns were a)not freaking them out and b)not giving my daughter the idea that I am doing this for cosmetic reasons I explained that for whatever reason, I don't have the shutoff valve on my hunger. I may eat very healthy food but am unable to control quantity and that's what this surgery would help me do. They were very understanding and loved that I was doing this so I could be their mum, healthier and around for a lot longer!

Don't get stuck on the scale number. I hadn't lost anything for almost a week and decided to check my measurements as it had been a full month since surgery. I have lost 12 inches! My new goal is to stop weighing myself so often. I am going to try to limit it to once every other week. I was banded 2 days after you and I am still mostly eating yoghurt and Soup. My dr. wants us to stay on liquids for 40 days! Good luck to you. Kathe 25/07/03 298/276/150ish

Actually, my Dr. is Dr. Leung. I am in B.C. and he is the only surgeon doing the lapband west of Toronto!

Drinking with meals washes the food through. Not only will you get hungry again sooner, but your body doesn't have as long to absorb the nutrients from the food. You can take tiny sips if you absolutely must, but it is better to break yourself of the habit. Make sure you are well-hydrated before you eat and don't drink until at least 45 minutes after your meal.

So far so good - I am still on liquids, with a few well chewed crackers thrown in. My doctor, the only one in Western Canada doing lapband surgery, is very strict and expects his patients to stay on Clear Liquids for 40 days! I am following a modified version of that - I have all of the clear liquids I want, a yoghurt a day and crackers (saltines). The first few days were easy - everything hurt so hunger wasn't an issue. But now...I never realized how many commercials, billboards and magazine ads were food related! I have slipped a little here and there and even had a PB with melba toast. Actually, I was freaked but happy - it meant that there really is a band in there! I am particularly craving Protein, but I don't want to sabotage my weight loss. Most of the Protein drinks seem very high in calories. Kathe

I also have a very strict surgeon who would like all of his patients to stay on clear liquids for 40 days. Well, that is too much, especially when most other plans are 2 weeks liquids with protein shakes etc. so I am following a modified plan somewhere in between the two. I have a yoghurt for breakfast, skim milk latte mid morning, for lunch and dinner, soup of almost any kind as long as everything in it is really well cooked and mushy. I drink a cup of soy milk a day, 1/2 cup whey protein drink, 1/2 c.jello, 1/2 c. nonfat pudding and all the water, tea and crystal light I want during the day. I am at 24 days and have lost 20 pounds and feel good enough to go to work, keep up with my kids and so far no hair loss. I believe that I know my body well enough to know when too little is really too little.

Remember that the 1/2 cup is after it is chewed, so to speak. So, a cup of salad and 1/2 a chicken breast isn't outrageous.

Your postop pain is normal - surprisingly, most of the pain is from the gas that is used to inflate your cavity during surgery and it tends to be felt in the left shoulder area most. Gentle back massage helps too. The more you move around the quicker it will dissipate. Many people find it better to sleep in a Lazyboy or propped up with lots of pillows for the first few days. I used a body pillow and was able to get comfortable for a while, though turning or moving was an effort. In a week, it will be so much better! hang in there!

I have been banded for 2 1/2 weeks. I was fearful before surgery - more when thinking about my kids if anything were to happen to me. But everyone at the hospital was encouraging, calming and kind. The ativan calmed me enough before the full anaesthesia. I was operated on at 8 a.m. and got up for my first few steps at 4 p.m. I had no nausea at all. As for the pain, I only took the pain medication that first night. I had a pillow for the car ride home - to hold against the incisions. The first 4 days were difficult for rolling over and getting up. Just move slowly. I have a body pillow and highly recommend it to everyone. I could almost sleep on my right side with it. I made sure to get up and walk around every hour for the first few days - the more you move, the faster the gas goes. One week to the day, I went camping with my family. And while I couldn't help set up or take down:) I went in the lake and totally enjoyed being out in a beautiful place.

Yes, it's true! Dr. Leung says clear liquids for 40 days! Of course, we all know that he is not a nutritionist! I am trying to eat sort of in the middle of what he says and what is in the Australian guide from Foodtalk. That's why I have yogurt and nonfat pudding and skim milk. I am planning on adding in thicker soups at the end of week 3. I have tried bean soup, thinned and it went down fine. Unfortunately, there is no Walmart where I live, and even if there was, the products would be different in Canada. But the next time I am in the States (probably next week) I will check out your suggestions. Thanks :D

Hi all. I have just joined after reading quite a few posts. I was banded in B.C. a little over 2 weeks ago.