SandyM

Very good attitude. You will do well. Just keep reading and you will find tons of information here.

You will fall in love, what a great Bandiversary!

Like Bandista, the Protein shakes just didn't appeal to me at first. I don't think I had one til nearly 2 weeks postop.

I do agree about the swelling, just not the liquids in liquids out. I always thought this too, but I go so constipated in my liquid phase I thought I would die. Stay hydrated, at this point that is the most important thing.

Well Said Jean.

Congrats

You are doing great

Wondering the same thing

If it has a line across it, it is considered "scored" and you are permitted to break it in that line. If it has a coating, it is meant to dissolve slower and usually past the stomach. Liquids are best in the 1st phase due to swelling. I was lucky and was able to not take any of it. Good warning though if you take narcotics, mind your bowels...don't add constipation to your problem list.

My 1st was 3 months post op. I don't get a fill with each visit. Only if my surgeon and I feel I need it. Yes, I have turned some down.

Lol, I think the advice on potty training was just a bonus to the advice from most on removing the temptations from yourself. I potty trained 4 and wish I had thought of some of these myself. Good thing is, it eventually just happens.

My surgeon considers a great weight loss, 5 lbs in a month. 3 lbs and we consider a fill and that is also based on how I answer certain questions he/she asks. I've had 3.5 lb losses where they say, practice more this or that as well. Following the losses I had with WW, it was hard to wrap my head and heart around 1 lb a week being a good loss. But now, I'm being told that Ww is embracing that concept as well. I have lowered my calories to 800-850 a day and am losing good. I'm not hungry thanks to my band, I get my 60 of protein, I limit my carbs to 60-70 net and make sure I get 60 oz water per day. This really does work, but not necessarily the same for everyone as we all have our bands adjusted to fit our needs. You are early into this , so be patient. It's a JOURNEY, not a TRIP.

Your in ions will start looking good and maybe even look healed on the outside while they are still healing on the inside. It'll take at least a week before the will feel ok so to speak. Just watch them for redness, hard pockets and drainage

I usually have a small hiccup or 2 when I first start eating. I haven't noticed that it's changed and don't give it much thought. I try not to get worked up about reflux too much which is hard for me because I had such severe reflux before surgery and such a bad hiatel hernia that my actual initial surgery visit was for hiatel hernia repair not lap band. Lapband was a bonus. What a good one .

100% conclusive for what? I see they seem to be warning you of signs and symptoms of infection????

Bandista, if it helps, my surgeon says 60 net carbs , which means I can subtract the fibers from my carb count

Yes, the soreness will go away gradually as will the bruising and eventually the scarring. Start practicing really hart on putting your spoon down between bites and taking small bites so you will be ready when you get real food

I haven't tried steak, but I do eat whole grain bread and flat bread. I had a pancake once and did ok, but was very careful. I have had most of my stuck episodes on chicken and fish and will tell you they were all my fault. My dr gave guidelines not rules. The only rules they gave were eat slow, chew well, don't eat and drink together and don't use a straw. I've since discussed with them the eating and drinking together and been told that if it works for me, to not worry about it. I'm under the opinion that most of these are to get us in harmony with our bands until we can do what works for us. And, we all keep our band adjusted to fit our needs, some tighter, some looser, so we will all have things that work for us and things that don't.

I truly believe the reason you see very few long time happy bandsters is that once they've lost their weight and learned to live harmoniously with their band , they eventually lose the need for support groups and forums and drift away. I know I've been on various forums for other things and eventually "life happens" and I have drifted away as well. Right now I need the support. We are all here for various reasons, some to get support, some actually feel an obligation to give back, some want to beat their chest and get patted on the back, some want to share their bad experiences because they had bad results and truly feel bad things against it. What ever reason brings us, we've learned to live harmoniously. I'm happy there are still long time vets out there that come and let us know that it's not an eventual failure. My band may not last forever though I hope it will, but I wasn't going to last forever on the downhill slide I was on. I was on the path of self destruction and my body was falling apart, so I guess you could say I had it Geri-rigged to give me more usefulness. I'm one happy bandster with 19 lbs to go to goal.

Maybe put someone else in charge of the rewards so you aren't tempted.

Hmmmm! Sounds totally wired to me

Hmmmm! Sounds totally wired to me