judych

banded on the 22nd 03. and im on about 1000 per day.

im nearly a month post op and sometimes my port twinges when i roll over in bed. apart from that i have no problems. up until 2 days ago i had general soreness right across the bottom of my ribcage but thats gone now.

thats great news. what sort of pre op diet are you goign on?

yes, it certainly is. im so glad that the pain isnt with me all the time now. I have noticed though... by the time lunchtime was due the pain did start as a dull ache so its possible its going to be a very sensitive alarm clock. lol. ive had a half cup of veges and very finely cut up chicken and feel really good now. NO pain at all. I did notice today when i was swallowing the chicken that it actually took about ten to fifteen seconds longer for it to go through the esophagus.. very interesting.

hi all. Well, since i had my appointment with my nutritionalist on tuesday and got more advice on eating.. ive had a major improvement. Firstly, id had nearly continuous pain in my left shouldblade... worse at mealtimes, sometimes inbetween meals. i really wasnt sure what was causing it. But, im now day two out from talking it through with my nutritionalist, she gave me some guidelines for the timing of my mouthfuls, how to detect what was going on in my esophagus, and she said i could start some meat.. pureed. also, thicker veges, still pureed but more substantial. Ive been following her guidelines.. at least 20 chews ( this is for the pureed meat and the veges which are still very soft ).... learning to recognise the feeling of the food passing down my esophagus, waiting for that to finish, taking another mouthful. (IM TIMING THAT) With the meat,(chicken) even though it was pureed, it still had texture, so i was chewing each mouthful about 50 times. waiting perhap[s for 30 seconds for that to pass through before taking another mouthful. AS a result of being aware now of the length of time it takes for my body to push each mouthful down into the pouch... ( and learnt to recognise what i was feeling as it passed through) im now without pain in my left shoulderblade. So, it seems like it was a combination of wind, inadequate timing for each mouthful and perhaps not enough bulk in my meals. Im so happy this morning. i feel a lot better. i havent felt this good in a week or two. Its been well worth me seeing the nutritionalist. My diet for the next two weeks ( im post nearly a month from surgery now) is as follows.... Breakfast. 1/2 cup baked Beans... mashed. morning tea... Protein drink with yoghurt. lunch... thick Soup.. 1/2 cup. afternoon tea (snack) Protein Drink. Tea... mashed veges and protein... 1/2 cup. i havent worked it out exactly what calories in on. Im supposed to be having 1000 a day. I just thought i would share this with you. Perhaps the pain in the shoulderblade can be alleviated for others here by doing what ive done. Like its been said here before... CHEW... CHEW... CHEW..

congratulations... its over now, and , yes, your new life begins... Get as much rest as you can. Dont expect too much from yourself.. your body needs to recover from the surgery and you will need some time to readjust to your new life.im sure you will do really well. keep reading and posting... we want to hear how it is with you.

no.. it didnt sound snobby at all. Dont make the mistake of just letting him go. The older they get the more entrenched they are. my husband was bought up with really bad table manners as well. How long does it take you to eat your meal now you are having solids again? Its taking me about forty minutes minimum at the moment.

i know what you mean. ive tried not to be picky with it all... after all, its me that has the lapband not my family, but it sure does show up the bad eating habits that we all develop. boy... does it what !! i dont think my hubbie even chews five times each mouthful he is in such a hurry. no wonder he has such indigestion. This has been areal eye opener for me. i agree with you. its family time and it should be a leisurely time of relaxing together. Especially with the evening meal... usually there isnt anything else going on at that point. nothing that cant wait anyway. Keep persisting with your son. Have you said anything to your hubbie about it? My hubbie just gets up from the table and starts running Water in the sink to wash up as if EVERYONE has finished. grrrr... im goign to have to deal with him over this one. I almost feel like i should be eating my meal before my family even sit down. its not a nice thought. i dont want to be isolated .

have you mixed greek yoghurt with them?? i only use plenty of yoghurt and its nice. i dont use milk.

rosehip oil is very good as well.

so you had some fill in your band when it was inserted ?? i had none.. they are starting from zero. i dont like feeling hungry after a couple of hours. it tends to make me totally preoccupied with food. im hoping that the first fill will help me a lot.Are you living far from your drs rooms? im nearly two hours travel each way.

yep Rocky. i can identify with that was well. one of thing so satisfying about the jubes was that i could chew. lol. that and the intense flavour. i miss having cans of fresh coke and other cordials, i do have them now but wait until they are pretty flat. its not the same as sculling down an ice cold drink though. lol.

im glad that you are having your second fill. I think my first fill with be about 3 ccs. not real sure though. i have a 10 cc's band, and think the dr just spreads the fills over 12 months. i cant wait to have mine. im really hungry as well. Plus im getting cross over how quickly my family wolf down their food... its gross. i used to be like that., my goodness me.

i had a huge bruise that covered a lot of area when it was implanted. i havent had a fill yet. got one coming up on the 9th May. 20 days to go .

HI everyone. im coming up a month post op now. I had my first appointment with the nutritionalist the day before yesterday which was very interesting. she explained a lot to me. i bought a cook book as well which is really good. ive been extremely tired the last 48 hours. its as if everything has caught up with me. Anyway, the nutritionalist has put me on to thicker pureed foods, including meat, which has made a difference to how hungry i feel. she said i was over due for it. I have a couple of questions . One... does anyone feel general soreness right across their abdo up really high, just under the ribcage?? from right to left?? im not sure what that is but sometimes its really noticeable. Also, i have pain off an on up in my shoulder when i eat... sometimes when im not eating. It can get bad. When i mentioned it to the nutritionalist she said it shouldnt be gas this far out. She thinks it could be indigestion.. im not sure . Ive read stories here about people have these issues for quite a while after surgery. Also, she explained really well how the eosophagus works, in two separate perastaltic motions, to push a mouthful of food down into the pouch. This explained really well to me why the 20 second chewing time, more for more solid food, plus waiting at least 20 seconds for the food to be pushed down into the pouch. any quicker than that and the food just backs up in the eosophagas. I also have cut back on my serves. i have a much smaller bowl now.. a smaller spoon. I had chicken last night pureed with some potato and spinach, with a little gravy and it was really nice. I was satisfied after having my tea. Yesterday was ******* for me. So tired, couldnt have a lay day, had to keep going .(my grand daughter was here for internet schooling plus I was busy helping my mum unpack her clothes in the local retirement home ( she has just had her second major surgery in 8 months on her hip)... and i put two soft jellies into my mouth before i even realized what i was doing. i was appalled. I think it was because i felt so off. Anyway, i slept 12 hours. i needed it. Its early thursday morning now and im about to go for a walk. I do feel abit better today. Ive slowed down a lot with weight loss. in 2 weeks ive lost 2 lbs. i didnt mind that. We had easter in that, plus i havent been exercising yet. im hoping to get up to 2 lbs a week some weeks. i have a fill coming up 9th may. I guess i want to know.... who else has the soreness where i described?? and who else has the discomfort..gas?? in their shoulder when eating?? anyone ??

... another comment from me.someone was asking what the book was that i bought? recipes etc etc for lapbanders?? well, here is a site where im sure you can find the book to buy. have a look if you are interested in what it has to say. i havent checked it out yet myself. I think that some of you are already using this one. www.bandbuddies.com.au or just .com judy

thanks Lisa...no worries. im glad that you did share with me/us. there is always that to consider, no matter what age we are, and what weve had done.i will remember what youve had to say.... and i think i will keep a diary of the pain, see if it estabishes a pattern. if im concerned then i can show the diary to the dr.

Rocky900.... yep.. i hear you. i had some more soft jubes today... a strong craving for sugar. thats it. no more for me. moving on now. im not normally a sugar person. My body is really trying it on at the moment... and my mind needs a good kick as well. lol.i can imagine the hunger pains walking past like that and the wonderful aromas. im like that with meat thats baking. Especially chicken.. dear oh dear. lol. my saliva buds are working over time even now and ive just had lunch. lol.

amen... what a wonderful support... i dont think we would get this anywhere else. thanks to everyone for being committed to sharing. it means a heck of a lot.

cakegirl... i will try this myself. thanks a lot.

im tired all the time as well, but im not fit. Plus im 66. post surgery has taken its toll on me. Ive been watching out for the pain today. Im getting it when im hungry and if Ive over eaten or eaten too quickly. At the moment im inclined to think its very sensitive and its alerting me to hunger as well as other eating problems. Ive just had lunch... baked Beans, a little mashed potato and some home cooked tomato with herbs. i had a half cup. i even timed myself between mouthfuls, using my watch. Now, im over lunch and waiting to see if the pain comes back on. So far its o.k. Its very sensitive though. thanks for this info Lisa.. all input appreciated. If im concerned once i start on proper meals i will mention it to my referring dr. She will know what to do to test it.

im about the same time out as you from surgery and feeling the same way. i feel disappointed with my self as well. thinking about it today i realize that our minds have to come in line with our stomach... lifetime habits are hard to give up... but with some perseverance they will go. How often are you having your meals? could you increase your ''solid'' pureed foods to perhaps slightly smaller meals but more often, say, at least four times a day? this is just off the top of my head right now. im hungry after a meal , like you. are you on meats yet?/ could you increase the amount of meat you are having? have some chick peas in with your veges as well?/ these are the same issues im grappling with right now. i have a book on handling post surgery and it does suggest to help alleviate hunger pains that we can have up to four even five smaller serves of solids a day. What do you all think?? is this viable?

im not sure what it is either... could it be indigestion?? is that possible?? but im only eating small amounts. I did feel better last night restricting my meal more... perhaps it was like indigestion? only, i get traces of it when i drink as well.. its like its there in the background just waiting to flare up?

Yep.. im nearly a month out now and ive had a bad day. the emotional and mental changes are significant. i guess we just have to accept that we will have some ups and downs with it all. i know exactly how you feel. Last night i was sorry id ever had the banding done. i feel differently this morning though. i was tired yesterday and just wanted to pig out again, simply because it was a bad day. i slept that off and this morning have had a good look at that aspect of my life. Im glad its behind me.

hi... thanks scorpiolady for the encouragement. i cant always talk to my hubbie the way i can here, he doesnt understand. Yes, i tend to forget about the surgery. i have to be kinder to my body i think. i forget im 66.i did post about my visit with the nutritionalist. the book i bought was...""knife, Fork and Band "".. by Sally johnston. its got over 100 recipes and other info to help specifically on the lapband journey, and its a beautifully bound book. The recipes, from what ive seen are very down to earth.. just the way i like it. Also, the recipes are great for all the family, i hate having to do two separate meals at the moment.. or at least prepare them differently. i dont know about you but im getting increasing cross with the huge plate fulls that the family are woofing through before i even get down to start my little bowl. Does anyone else have this?? Ive only had coffee so far this morning... its just after 9am.. and i have a touch of pain back in my shoulder again. its not indigestion, unless i had too much coffee?? what do you think??