donna12

I was so severely constipated after my surgery that I ended up drinking about 1/4 cup of Magnesium Citrate to make me go. Yes I had the nausea, vomiting, cramping, it was awful. My dr suggested this. Good luck

I'm 7 mos post op too and 52 lbs down. I was 6 mos out and had to have my gallbladder removed. About the same as lap band surgery, not quite as long as recovery, however I had complications during my surgery that were unexpected so it made my recovery longer but all in all I feel better now. Good luck on your scan.

Renee hope you are doing well and resting. Mountainnurse, I had 2cc's of Fluid removed before surgery so no I didn't feel tight afterwards.

thanks

This is what my nutritionist emailed me this morning regarding me asking her about a food scale whether I should weigh my food or not, this is her response: As far as weighing your food - you can do that if you wish to but I find that it can be a bit more combersome and can lead to cheating on a more regular basis. If you want to buy a scale and use it for foods like meats and grains that is perfectly okay but let it be a tool for you to learn what a proper portion size looks like rather than a crutch that you use when you are at home and then when you are out feel like you have no idea how much food to eat. Also, the 3-4 onces of protein at each meal is not 100% accurate for a LapBand patient. I will be in the office tomorrow and will email you the daily recommendations - you actuall only need 2-4 ounces of meat/poultry/fish per day. Other sources of protein such as cottage cheese, yogurt, beans, etc. are considered to be in other food groups and there is a daily recommendation for them. What I'm confused about is she said I should only have 2 to 4 ounces of meat/poultry/fish PER DAY, I thought protein was a staple for every meal, maybe not in that order as in meats but I do try to eat a little fish or chicken for lunch and dinner, am I wrong? This girl is new to her job and never has worked with lap band patients before so please someone help me sort this confusion out.

so for example what is your portion size? I was given one, one hr session with my nutritionist before surgery and no paperwork after. My surgeon says one cup of food or eat on small plates which I do eat on small plates.

thanks everyone. Well, that was my entire email to her, guess I should have included what I said to her. I wanted to know should I be weighing my food because I'm not sure how much protein I'm getting at each meal, I'm just guessing, with the exception of cottage cheese, I'm mainly talking meats. I am going by the portion size of the palm of my hand and my hands are small. For instance if me and my mom go out to eat at the Cracker Barrel I will get the kids menu grilled chicken tenders and there are three small ones and I can eat all of those but not all the veggie that I get. The chicken tenders are like 1 1/2" long or 2" long and sometimes one in there may be 3" long but for the most part they are small. anyhoo, thank you all for your input.

Thanks Detchatt, I guess I was just reading it like only eating 2-4 oz a day, lol. And yes I get protein in other ways like yogurt (greek), cottage cheese, beans etc. like she suggested.

I'm very sorry for your experience. I do think support groups and a support system is very important, at least it is in my journey. Maybe you could research and find a different support meeting to go to? As far as food choices, go back to the basics and beginning, remember why you wanted the surgery in the first place and why you did it. Start from the beginning, small portions, 1 cup of food at each meal with Protein being your main course so that you feel fuller longer. I'm by no means an expert, I'm just beginning my journey but have learned so much on here and have made many friends. I hope things get better for you, we are here for you.

I cannot eat bread for this reason, I get stuck. When I get stuck, not so much lately but when it does happen, it doesn't come flying out, I usually hurt and salivate with slime then it will come back up. In times past this can take a few mins or hrs. I can remember early on I got stuck on broccoli and was stuck for 5 hrs, thought I was going to die! Also, you mentioned noodles, my surgeon told me no rice, pasta, or bread.

I currently do not weigh my food but need to start. I'm almost 7 mos post op and need to start tracking. I just guess at ounces of meat etc. If you own a food scales what brand do you recommend and where? thx

I would like to know too for dessert purposes like puddings and such or treats on occassion.

I have a few Coldwater Creek sweaters from last winter, size 3X 24/26 for sale plus shipping. Would like $15/ea plus shipping. One is a nice color soft purple with a decorative pin at the waist that I've taken a close-up of. One is a color called Casis, its a cross of burgandy and rust, you can go to Coldwater Creek's website and look at their sweaters in that color for a better picture, this one the sleeves come to elbow and I always paired it with an off white ribbed turtleneck, looked really cute. The third is a duster sweater and the color is like an army green, looks nice with brown or off white. Comes from a smoke free home. Thanks Donna

I still lack 1cc remaining to be added back in to my band that was taken out for my gallbladder surgery a month ago but prior to that when he took 2cc's out total, I actually felt like I was too tight, I was always getting stuck on food. Will I ever get to a green zone and how do you know and what does it feel like when you get there? I go in on the 24th for another fill, hoping for maybe .5cc, need it as my appetite is well, I'm hungry all of the time, well not all of the time, I stay full about 3 to 4 hrs but that sometimes results me eating 4 meals in a days time and I'm only supposed to have 3. I can't make it balance out. I get hungry at night. And question-I know we are suppose to eat a cup of food, litterally cut up our food and fill a 8 oz cup? I'm still learning 6 and half months out don't get me wrong, its almost like I'm eating more than a cup. No I'm not measuring, just guessing. I guess I need to buy a scale off of Amazon to weigh my food as I don't know how much protein I'm supposed to have, no one has told me and my nuturitionist well, don't go there. I need some serious help and suggestions I guess.

have you seen those 3 x 3 frozen cold packs that you can put in your lunchbox? I keep them in my freezer. Anyway, maybe some chicken salad with low fat mayo or tuna salad with low fat mayo and low fat crackers, string cheese for snack. Just a thought.

Walmart here I come!!!!

I've been kind of left out here to pasture, I asked the dr how many grams of protein and he told me to eat my normal food but only a cup at a time and eat protein first, no set amount as in grams, weird, I know. As far as my nutritionist, well, she is fairly new to his practice and has never worked with bariatric patients before and says one thing and he says another so there again, I'm on my own here. For instance if I go to Cracker Barrel I will order off of the kids menu and get grilled chicken tenders (3) they are small and one veggie, I usually can eat all the chicken but not all the veggie. I live in a small town of 45,000 and not much to choose from as restaurants but when me and my mom go out we share a meal. Take for example O'Charley's, we share Cedar Plank Tilapia grilled, she will get a baked potato and I will eat about 2 bites of that and she will get a salad and I will eat about 3 bites of that and half of the fish or on some occassions we order salmon grilled and share that. At home I will cook a chicken breast, baked with lemon pepper and eat that with a spoon of veggies but will fill up on chicken first. Maybe I'm doing this all wrong???

I've never seen that combo, where did you find it? I would like that.

this is my schedule: I eat Breakfast at 10 to 10:30, lunch around 2:30ish and dinner around 6:30 to 7:00 and by 11:00 pm I'm hungry again, my stomach is growling to the point I can't fall asleep. I do not go to bed till 1:00 am most times because of severe insomnia which I take meds for thus the reason for sleeping late. Dang, I just came from a Bed Bath and Beyond today and I could have ran in there to purchase a food scale. This store is 30 mins away from me, not sure if I'll make it back there this week, if not I'll order one off Amazon. Thanks everyone for your input, its greatly appreciated. CG I do eat my small meals 3x a day and always have since being banded even when he took 2cc's out last month for my gallbladder surgery I still ate the same amount and managed to lose 5 lbs but over Christmas I overindulged on party mix and pumpkin pie, not much but enough to gain a pound a half but thankfully today I weighed and have lost 3 lbs. CG you are lucky you have no fill and can still feel satiated, yes it is mind over matter but sheesh I get hungry girl! Whereas before surgery I would eat just to be eating, isn't that awful? Again, thank you all for your suggestions. Donna

I was back to normal after about a week but my surgery wasn't normal. My gallbladder was very diseased once he got in there and had also attached itsself to my liver and he had to cut it away and I lost a lot of blood therefore what was supposed to have been outpatient ended up being a night spent in the hospital and a drainage tube in my abdomen till the next day. I felt really good after about a week and half. Never had the gas pains. Iwas experiencing nausea/vomiting some and pain in my back and I also showed gallstones. Hope all goes well. Good luck.

I'm so discouraged and disappointed in myself right now I could just cry. Yes I indulged on a handful of chex party mix here and there and bites of pumpkin pie here and there, with that said, its all gone by now of course thank God. I'm not due for another fill till January 24th and I'm still not back up to when I was before my gallbladder surgery in the cc's department and I can surely tell it, I'm hungry, I have cravings, which has nothing to do with the band but sheesh, its like I can't stay full. I eat protein first. I've gained, well I'm balancing back and forth a pound and a pound and half and as I'm typing my stomach is growling. I feel defeated tonight! I want to graze but I won't, don't want to gain anymore. What am I gona do between now and the 24th about my appetite?

thank you both. I surpassed the hunger pains of last night and finally went to bed. I do have a meal plan for today. I lost 1/2 lb overnight, of course I weigh in the mornings. I am not proud of myself for indulging on these foods and gaining the 1 1/2 lbs over the Holiday's, lesson learned and will be more focussed on the long term goal. I am not able to workout due to an injury right now, ugh so I can't work off those calories. Again, thank you both. Donna

You've been on my mind today. As I stated in my private message, I've been there. Hope today is better. Stay positive girl. This to shall pass. And before you know it, surgery day will be here, and then one month out and then 6 months out and bam, you will look back and say I did it, and look at all the weight you will have lost and will feel better. You are worth it!

I couldn't have said it any better than any of the above. You can do this!

Amen Kerri!