Toddy

Definitely measure your food and eat slowly. I find that if I'm eating something warm, I'll eat so slowly that it becomes cool and then is not very good anymore so I quit eating.

Does your doctor not have you focusing on protein?? Protein should always be first, and then if you have room add the veggies and fruit.

I would be looking for another doctor. There is a reason it is called an ADJUSTABLE gastric band!! Without being adjusted to your individual green zone is a waste of time, effort, and money! Your doctor sounds like a quack!

I would definitely insist on a barium swallow. I had a couple of really bad episodes where I threw up and just thought I irritated my band and had unfills. My doctor didn't think it had slipped because I was only eight months post-op and had only thrown up twice. We did a barium swallow and it showed quite a large slip, to the point he had to reoperate. He said I was the earliest slip they had ever had in their practice and the majority of slips they had had were from chronic vomiting, not just vomiting twice. He was definitely stumped by my case but he's replaced my band and added plication, so hopefully the bad stuff is behind me!

Doesn't sound quite normal to me, but I've read on here where others say they can feel food move through the stoma. Try taking even smaller bites and chewing better. If you're having heartburn, it could be a sign that you may be too tight.

Low fat string cheese is one of my go-to snacks. It's a good source of protein and it fills me up and keeps my satisfied for quite a while.

Charles Morton, Dr. Spaw's partner. I've been extremely pleased with him and couldn't imagine going to anyone else. I'm sure Dr. Spaw is fine and I did see him one time when Dr. Morton was out of town... but I just feel like Morton is the best.

As long as it's just a small amount, use Band-aids. If you're soaking a Band-aid you should call your doctor. My first lapband surgery I went back to work at one week and felt HORRIBLE, and no one knew I'd had surgery. It was rough, but I made it through and got better from there. This time around (just band my band restitched and plication) so far the recovery has been much easier! Just had surgery on Thursday the 15th and actually went shopping today. All I can say is it does get better. Watch your incisions for pus or a bad smell, or if you're running any fever. You definitely want to contact your doctor if you're showing any signs of infection!!

As Carolina said, focus on protein first and just tiny bites of whatever else you want. You really have to learn to savor the very small amounts of the "good stuff" so you'll be satisfied.

Give your body a little time to recover. We should be active immediately post-op, but two days post-op I consider active walking around the house or maybe down the block... not really shopping. If I lay down or sit too long, it's really hard to get back up because I get stiff and all sore all over again. Don't overdo it because it will increase your overall recovery time. And the sore throat is from the tube they insert during surgery. That should go away pretty quickly.

Couldn't live without my scale! I weigh in the morning and at night. I need it for my accountability!!

There is no reason you should be a party pooper. You can eat, just make wise choices and very small portions and bites. Chances are no one will even notice and if they do say something, be honest and tell them you're trying yo lose weight!

I am newly banded and plicated today after having a band slip last month!! Feeling very blessed since it was unknown going into surgery whether I would wake up with a band at all!!!! I actually feel amazingly good considering! Hope to be released from the hospital tomorrow!! Big shout out to my amazing surgeon!

Are you taking little, bitty, tiny bites and CHEW, CHEW, CHEWING??? It took me a couple of weeks after each fill to learn how to re-eat. Can you keep liquids down? If you can't keep liquids down, then, yes, you have to see a doctor immediately.

No. Plication is still "experimental" in the U.S. so only certain doctors have approval to perform. it. My doctor is one of them, but I opted not to have it. That has been my single regret in this journey. But now, I have a band slip, so I get a second chance. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will be banded and plicated on thursday!!

My doctor thinks carbs are the devil... I've done Atkins, too, and was not successful. I prefer a balanced diet counting protein, calories, fat, and carbs. When I do have carbs, I try to make sure they're whole wheat, high fiber type carbs. So, yes, I did tweak my doctor's diet and have been pretty successful.

chips, fries, mashed potatoes, as well as many other high fat foods, are all "sliders" and very easy to eat with the band. If you cannot resist them, the band will do you absolutely no good -- you may even gain weight, because while other foods (high in protein) that are better for you to eat and will keep you fuller, longer, are harder to go down than sliders. If the band prevented you from eating all the bad, high in fat and starchy foods, we'd all be on Easy Street!

Simply, in one word... yes, it's too drastic! My bmi when I started this journey was in the upper 30's, and I felt like "one of the smaller ones". The only reason I went for it was my hard to control high blood pressure and my serious back issues. I would have never opted for this lifestyle if my only issue were cosmetic and my bmi was in the low 30's! LAP BAND IS NOT AN EASY "FIX"!!!!!

Yep, sounds like time to get a fill! Make an appt with your doctor!

I spent Day 5 post-op in the ER absolutely positive something was wrong! I'd had gallbladder surgery a couple of years before and didn't feel anything like the weakness and shakiness I have from lb surgery!! Anyway, after a bunch of tests, they said I was fine and I went home. Felt better on Day 6. Day 7 was my first day back to work and I thought I was going to literally pass out more than a couple of times! Day 8 I was fine and haven't looked back since!! All that to say, what you're going through, awful as it is, is perfectly normal. You WILL get better -- sooner, rather than later. Just hang tough!

Better to know the bad stuff going in, and it's up to you whether you want to deal with it. Some are lucky, like Honk, but most of us have a few problems here and there. Only you can weigh if it's worth the potential problems... for me it was. When I read about people's various problems before I was banded, the overwhelming majority said problems or not, they'd do it again. That was what convinced me... I've had a lot of problems myself... In fact, I'm having revision surgery a week from today. Even with all that, I'd do it again.

I realize that a lot of people have emotional issues with food, and maybe that is the problem. However, I feel that sometimes people (myself included here) just like food -- not the good for you, nutritious food -- but the bad for you, but tastes so good food. I can't have it in the house. If it's not here, I don't eat it, easy peasy! And the kids and the hubby don't need it either, so don't let them pull the "why do we have to suffer too" if you don't have junk food in the house. Just my two cents

The only steak I'll eat since being banded is filet mignon and I won't cook it any more done than medium. Then I still have to take little tiny baby bites and chew, chew, chew.

The gas pain was the only thing I needed pain meds for... My incisions didn't hurt nearly as bad. I did find that a heating pad helped somewhat.

I was just banded January 31, 2012. I've had two incidents of vomiting (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH REGURGITATION) which were followed by horrible pain and emergency unfills. Just found out today that I have a slipped band. My surgeon has done over 3000 bands and I'm only the 41st he's had slip. He said the vast majority of slips are caused by vomiting. I don't think he really believed me when I told him I had only vomited twice. Looking for the silver lining: I really regretted not having plication when I was banded, and when he schedules the surgery to repair the slip, he's going to attempt to do plication at the same time. I just can't believe I have to go through another surgery. But, would I do it all over again??? I can still say yes.