DeniseG

I agree with donali, after having a fill especially a really good one, you will find that more than likely you will have problems with some foods. I felt the same way before my first. I said, wow, this isn't bad, I can eat anything!! said it after fill 1 and almost 2 and then whamo fill 3 and I have to be careful about everything I eat. As far as passing the time, get all the things done that need to be done before surgery that involve physical labor because it will probably take you 6+weeks before you feel somewhat like your self again. Also, stock up on liquid pain reliever, plenty of gatorade, popsicles, Water, and chicken broth.........you'll never have too much of it during the first month, and you may not feel like shopping for awhile. Make lists for your husband/wife/kids of things that you expect them to do while you are recovering to help out.

Let me know what your doctor says Alexandra, I too wonder about this. They have a new nurse doing some of the fills and I thought she may have been tightening people too much or something. I have seasonal allergies, but, haven't noticed tightness do to that myself. Some days I feel tighter for no reason at all, maybe it is pollen who knows

Alexandra I am with you on soup. For new bandsters when you can move on to soup..........the Campbell's soup of the hands are great!!! some flavors.........icky poo but, for the most part are really good, and for me are the right size. The chicken noodle is more like pellets then noodles. Clam chowder is a little advanced. After 9 months when I have a day with food not going down, and am starving!!! I like those chunky Soups in the microwave can. They fill you up but, go down pretty well, and it's the only way I an eat potatoes and they go down. What I have to do though is take a spoonful of the broth, then the meat, then two spoons of broth then meat etc. (basically too spoons of broth to meat and veggies) I, like Alexandra try to limit the soup after you can eat regular food and save it only for the days that I can't get things down, because it is almost like not being banded eating soup. I tend to not have to chew my food as much with soup. The food that suprises me that I can eat with the band and it's almost like not being banded (don't have to chew or eat as slowly as most food) is salad. I never have a problem with lettuce at all. (Iceberg type--Romaine if it is soggy sometimes can be difficult) Lettuce goes right down, I use my lowfat salad dressing and can put almost anything on it. Nuts go down easy for me too!!! Except for Almonds---major heartburn with almonds!!! KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE FOODS I EAT IN MONTH 9 NEW BANDSTERS SHOULD NOT EAT THESE FOODS UNTIL IT IS OKAY BY THEIR DOCTOR TO EAT SOLID FOODS.

Hey birdee, my doctor is Dr. Ponce (pron. Dr. Pon say) out of Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga

I agree with donali, I am suprised you are eating grits one week out?? If anything, slim fast type drinks, but, grits kind of worries me. PBing may be your bodies way of saying I am not ready for solid food yet. Believe me, enjoy the Protein drinks, pudding and the things you won't get to eat once you are on solids and really trying to lose weight. Another thing too, if I don't allow enough time for food and drinks to go through my pouch, I wake up with massive heartburn. You may not experience this until at least your first adjustment or may not experience at all, but, I thought I would give you a heads up

I wanted to mention that after 9 months I can't eat eggs of any kind or cottage cheese. My husband on the other hand has no problem with either one. So, it may be that your band is sensitive to those items anyway. The doctor always suggests what the average bandster can eat after week 1,2,3 but, everybody is different. For example as far as soft foods the only thing I know would go down for me "cracker barrel" cheddar cheese, oatmeal (real liquidy-brown sugar and cinnamon---I know it is not the healthiest thing but, in the first month you are in recovery mode--for some reason I couldn't eat regular oatmeal or any other flavor except brown sugar and cinnamon) I couldn't eat grits though, or mashed potatoes which is something the doctor had on the list that would go down. But, I could eat sweet potatoes------if they had brown sugar (don't know what brown sugar does for me but, if I put brown sugar on anything it would go down during the first month lol) I agree with Donali though, if you are PBing go back to Clear Liquids for a couple days to let your band rest Hope I helped Denise

I just wanted to give a suggestion to those who are thinking about getting banded, but are unsure if it is right for you. Of course, this is only my opinion. It is not scientific!!!!! Do you eat alot of food? Do you eat alot of sugar, but, not much food? or both? Sugar and bad foods go down for the most part fairly easily with the lapband without restriction In fact, I feel fairly no restriction when it comes to junk food, so I have to avoid it at all costs. Healthy foods sometimes go down very slow with the band which can be good, to keep you from eating too much, but, your head thinks your still hungry sometimes, you have to be careful in not eating bad food to feed the hunger pains. If you don't have a problem with eating sugary foods you should have great success with the band. I mention this because it is one of the most commonly asked question to me when people are thinking about getting the band, and I thought it might be helpful to you too

I agree bb..........it is best to stick to the rules in this area. I order a water, if I go out to eat, just cause I get bugged by the waiter "are you sure you don't want anything to drink?........." but, it just sits there. I don't crave liquids with meals unless, I am eating something really spicy

Thanks, I live about 30 miles north of Chatt in Cleveland now. I lived in Chatt for many years I wish I still did oh well. Yes, the aquarium is really nice. I would avoid (unless you like crowds) coming down the week of June 13th because that is Riverbend which is right there at the Aquarium. (multitude of bands most of them way past their peak ha ha)

I am not familiar with that town.........I love flintstones too lol

la madam, you ought to try centrum chewables. They taste similar to flinstones, but, are geared to adults.

hey newlapper, I am in Tennessee too!! which part, and if in Chattanooga, who did your surgery??

Jean, I so know what you mean. I have been having a love/hate relationship with mine lately. I guess I have been depressed about my work lately and I can't drown myself in food. I have gained some weight lately too for no reason which has been a little depressing too That is interesting what you said about not being able to eat hot food and cold drinks. Since I had my 3rd adjustment I can only eat food when it is cold or at least luke warm. I didn't know why I could eat certain foods certain times and not others, and then realized I could only eat them when they were not hot. (This tends to be a problem when you go out to eat---I was having to order salad all the time) My husband has the opposite problem (He has been banded too) Again, I appreciate your honesty in your post

I guess I should have put "In my opinion" only, or "From my experience only" I am not recommending the bypass, obviously I had the band. Everyone should make their own choices as to if they want to have surgery and what type of surgery they want to have. Some will do better with the bypass some better with the band. Some shouldn't get either

I can't remember the protein grams in it but, Glucerna tastes great!!! in my opinion, plus it is made for diabetics so, it has less sugar and carbs then most

thanks kelly. People who don't have the lap band ask me that all the time, and that is the best description I know. When they ask me what it feels like when it gets stuck.........I say. "you know when you swallow a pill and it gets stuck?" "It feel like that except it is longer and more intense. Looks like you had your surgery, Kelly, the day before me. Congrats on your weightloss so far

I see that it is your 3rd fill. I had the same problems with my 3rd too. I didn't get an unfill, my insurance company gets a little finiky about paying for that and it is out of town. I basically had to be on all liquids for about 4 weeks. Now I can eat just about anything again (2 months later). I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but, it will relax eventually. I am just telling you how my experience went

I gag sometimes when I brush the top back teeth, and brush my tonge, but, not to the point where I throw up or anything. I don't know how severe your gag reflex is, but, it would have to be extremely severe for you band to slip. I would talk to your dentist about your situation and see if he/she recommends another way to brush or floss that might help

I have the same body type. Very big flabby legs. I have never felt comfortable in shorts, even when I was thinner. (I think it goes back to a boy when I was 14 that I had a crush on that called me fat legs oh well ha ha). I have been trying to ride a bike. I feel like I can work the muscles in them, and I don't think I have ever seen a big legged bicycler. I also have a big booty, I have always liked Land's end Jeans they have always fit me well. Plus, they seem to run big, so I can always fit into a smaller size which is nice.

I agree with Alexandra. It depends on what you eat. I do tend to find I lose the most weight right after a fill, and then it tapers off. It also depends on how restricted your fill is. With my 2nd, I didn't lose anything. My third, I lost the most.

Geezer sue, I appreciate the info you had. I know for me personally I can't eat bread. On rare occasion I can have french bread, but, I find bread to be more of a struggle than it's worth. Had my surgery in August and haven't had a soft drink since and I was addicted big time. Don't miss it now, of course drinking 8 glasses of Water is an all day event for me now. Remember, this is a life changing surgery........take some time to really think it over. I have to admit I miss potatoes-especially french fries, but, know I can't get them down so, why bother. Some can drink sodas if they are extremely flat. Also, I have never experienced nausea. When I get something stuck, if I can't spit it up I get an extreme stomach cramp, so, I try to spit it out immediately. It's not like the throw up you get with the flu..........it is more like baby spit up. Or what a momma bird regurgatates to her babies.

Of course I am not a doctor, but, I believe it to be because you only had surgery just a short time ago. 6 weeks is usually the earliest to return to normal activity. I know sometimes, you feel like you feel back to normal, and sometimes, it's hard to take it easy, but, if you feel pain it is your body's way of saying....Hey buckeroo........I just had surgery ha ha After 8 months I still feel uncomfortable doing stomach crunches, or laying on my stomach. If I have to throw up sometimes I will feel stomach pain if I throw-up intensely. (I guess that makes sense) Other than that, I don't have any abdominal pain. So, that's why I feel it is because your surgery was not that long ago, is the reason you feel pain Denise

the port pain Constant pain will probably last about a week or two. I had my band done 8 months ago and still have some pain if I lay the wrong way but, otherwise I can't feel it

Jackie, I think that is a good idea. I can't tell you what to eat of course, and everyone is different. I was on clear liquids for about a week or so, then went to soup of the hand by the end of week two I believe. Soft scrambled eggs by week 3 and grits. Solids didn't come in until week 4-6. It was a huge adjustment. But, after surgery the band area is very swollen, and if not careful slippage can occur at this time if correct diet is not followed. The boards give you a guide as to what you should eat but, your body and doctor will instruct you as to your best interest. My nurse who administers my adjustments is also a lapband patient (out 2 years) and my husband too, (same day as me surgery) and we all have different experiences even though we have the same doctor Denise

I heard the strangest reason why my band still felt so restricted today. The nurse said one reason may be Spring. The pollen causes some people to fill more restricted then others. Has anyone heard this?? I thought it was strange. I have felt extremely restricted since my 3rd fill over a month ago, I could finally eat meat after 4 weeks. I know I know I should have gotten some taken out, but, I wanted to stick it out and lose some unlost weight. I have had my period for 3 weeks now,(I have PCOS, so before band I would go 6 months without one) and I had always heard that that causes you to feel more restricted, Has anyone's doctor told them a bizarre reason for tightness of the lapband??