MamaJava

I seem to be having a bit of trouble with soft foods. I suffered from IBS with diarrhea before surgery. It was really, really bad. I was under the impression that lap band surgery would help alleviate the IBS symptoms and possibly make it disappear forever. This was one of the main reasons (besides my other health issues) I made the decision to have lap band surgery in the first place. The problem: soft foods are going through me immediately. I understand that I don't have a pouch yet, so foods are being processed and running through me the same as before surgery. But why are things worse than before surgery? I won't have my first fill until Feb. 18th, at which time I will venture back to soft foods to see if things change at all. Foods are acting like little rockets and they are flying through the tunnel faster than you can say boo. I hope the visual isn't too frightening. I eat a small chicken caesar salad, and the moment I stand up to go rinse my bowl...HERE IT COMES! I'm hauling tushy to the bathroom and having explosive episodes. (Sorry! I know this is all TMI) It has also happened with *almost* all of the other soft foods I've eaten this entire week. omelet, a buckwheat pancake, chicken noodle Soup, saltine crackers, chicken nuggets, a baked potato, taco salad, a hamburger patty w/ mustard but no bun, a grilled chicken breast...almost everything I've tried. This has been going on for well over a week now. At first I thought my body was just readjusting to normal foods again, but one would think it wouldn't happen after a couple days at the most. Agreed? So...I'm done being miserable and I'm done with running to the bathroom before things get messy and I'm especially done with the sore booty area. I guess I'm posting this incredibly long thread to see if anybody else has had issues like this, and if you can tell me why foods are flying through me like a bale of hay in a Kansas tornado? :regular_smile:

I really think some more details are necessary here. Why did you gain back 60? Seems to me you're failing yourself. How can your actions be blamed on the band and on your surgeons? What is the point of wanting to rip out your own band? I guess I can't see how that would make things better. You're having issues with food now and gaining some weight back, so how would removing the tool that can help you fix that going to help you at all? Also, you said you're back on the wagon, so perhaps you're modifying some of the things that made you sway from the program...and if so, then that's great! You should have known everything before your surgery. If your facility was only supporting you for a limited amount of time, then you should have shopped for another facility. I hope everything works out for you. I know how tough it is when it feels like the whole world is against you and that nothing is working out...but in the end...we all have the power within ourselves to change things.

Bumping to top so this thread doesn't get lost...hoping to hear other experiences, perhaps.

I'm going to definitely re-join Weight Watchers again in a couple weeks when I have the money, and after my first fill. Their CORE plan is fantastic for band patients! No measuring (so you can limit your meals to 4-6 oz. for your band), no calorie counting, no points to keep track of like their other program (which you'd have to readjust anyway because of your band)...and all the CORE foods are very band-friendly (lean meats, veggies, fruits, oatmeal, etc.). I did fantastic on CORE a couple years ago and gained it all back when I quit (I was single mom and poor at the time and couldn't afford the $12 per week). I cannot WAIT to get back to it! I'm also joining CURVES on March 3rd. I love WW...it is an amazing program...and my leader is totally accepting of the fact that I had the band. She's educated in it and she knows this journey will be just as challenging for me as it is for people without the band. She's excited to see my progress! :regular_smile:

I was given one. It states a bunch of stuff about how I've had a surgery that significantly reduces the size of my stomach, and then at the end it says "We request that you kindly allow this patron to order a smaller portion or to make a selection from your children's OR senior's menu. Thank you for your cooperation. ~Barix Clinics" I may use it for senior menus, but probably not for children's menus. I'd prefer to not order from the regular menu once I get restriction. I HATE HATE HATE leftovers, so the card is more of a benefit for me than for other people. I read about people saying they'd rather order regular items off the menu...but that's just too much food since I won't eat the remainders later. I'm hoping when I do begin using it (not quite on regular foods just yet), it will be honored. I would hate to be forced to pay for food that I cannot eat in the first place. :regular_smile:

I wish I could say I'm doing as well as the rest of you...but I'm not. I'm upset & frustrated and beginning to realize my greatest fear: This band is NOT going to work for me! I just know it. I had the feeling before i ever got banded that i would be the ONE person who gets the band and FAILS MISERABLY. That's me. I only lost 13 lbs. post-op. I was banded on 01/04. I'm following the rules, sticking to each and every order...and I'm GAINING WEIGHT. I work out, I get in all my fluids...I'M SO INCREDIBLY UPSET. Now I've gained 4 pounds so I've only really lost 9. My Nutritionist said she did NOT want to see me gain weight before my first fill...which I won't have until 2/18. At this rate, everything will be packed back on before that day and I'll be frowned at. How is it possible for me to be gaining weight?!?! Pre-surgery I would take in an average of 3,500 calories per day, and now I'm down around 1,200. WTF?!?! How can I not lose weight like this? This is killing me. Absolutely killing me. What is wrong with me? Why is my body STILL betraying me? I sob every day about this. My dumb luck. Something is completely wrong with me.

First, I gotta tell you...you will NEVER feel your band through your abdomen. The band is around your stomach. Can you feel your stomach through your abdomen? Umm...no. I don't think anybody can, and therefore nobody will ever feel a band through their abdomen. The port, however, MAY be felt by some people. I haven't even lost very much weight but after my swelling went down, I noticed I could feel it when I pushed on my port incision site with my hands. It's not gross, it's not icky, it's not a big deal at all. I was also sent home with liquid Lortab but I only used it 2 times...and those 2 times were just because I was afraid I would be in pain if it wore off...I didn't take it because I actually felt pain. The stuff tasted so horrible that it wasn't worth it to me so I stopped taking it and threw it away. I never really needed it in the first place. My stomach was uncomfortable, but not painful. I was sleeping on my side right away and hopping in and out of bed with ease. It was around day 3 that I realized getting out of bed was a little bit more of a chore, but still not painful by any means. Just sore.

1. Did you have a nutritionist? Yes, and I will have her for the rest of my life if needed. This was required by my insurance AND by my surgical facility before they would perform lap band on anybody. Did you receive a written diet or program? Yes. Very detailed. 2. What was your pre-op diet? No diet pre-op since I was very healthy and doc does not see significant results with the "shrinking of the liver" diets. 24 hours before surgery I was on clear liquids & I had to take 2 Dulcolax pills. Then nothing to drink after midnight. That was it. 3. What days were you on Clear Liquids? I was required to stay overnight per my insurance. I was only on clear liquids while in the hospital. All lap band patients are sent home and placed immediately on full liquids at my facility. 4. How long were you on Full Liquids? One week Did you incorporate any whole foods in this stage, for example, by blending? No because I don't think that's the point of the full liquid stage. I stuck only to actual full liquids per my instructions. 5. When were you on the Puree Diet? We did 2 weeks on purees 6. When were you on the Soft food Diet? 2 weeks of soft foods 7. In the soft food diet, were you told which foods to avoid or be careful of? Yes 8. Did you deviate from your diet? What was your experience, if so? Only slightly, and only with my surgeon's approval. He bumped me up to soft foods a few days early. He says they are working to change the healing diet to a shorter period of time for lap band patients. He said he and many other surgeons in the world simply put lap band patients on the same healing diet as Gastric Bypass patients because it's just easier to educate everybody the same way. He said a healing diet for 6 weeks is not really necessary unless there are complications. I had no problems whatsoever from moving a bit early to soft foods. I have absolutely no complications at all, and no problems with any food items yet. Of course, I've not had a fill yet! LOL

Well, I eat 80 g of Protein per day usually (I'm only required 59 g.), I mostly get that in food and I've cut back on shakes because they were just loading me up with calories. I hate salt, so I avoid sodium like the plague, my BMI was very high pre-op...it was 47.5...so the theory that people have that higher BMI's lose more weight post-op is blown out the window. LOL I haven't drank any soda since surgery cuz my surgeon told me not to. I walk 50 minutes per day, 6 days per week. I went from chowing on fast food 2 meals per day pre-op to NO fast food post-op except for 3 meals, and those were spread apart over the course of 2 weeks. I used to drink a ton of soda and quit cold turkey. LOL - sorry, I'm not trying to rebuttal or be argumentative...but maybe you all can see my frustration? It's okay. I called my Nutritionist and I expressed my concern. She acted like I was flipping out over nothing and I said "Well, I wouldn't be flipping out over nothing if YOU weren't the one who told me you didn't want to see me gain ANY weight before my first fill." She apologized, but she didn't mean for that to be taken so literally. Huh?? Whatever. She was not joking when she said it, so how much more literal can a comment be? So...I've calmed down. She said even if I gained back all 13 (heaven forbid), then I'd still be okay. I'm still upset that my body is acting like an a$$ and not dropping any weight based on my healthy new lifestyle, but I guess I'll just believe everybody when they say it will just begin to happen eventually. Thanks, guys. :confused:

There are a lot, actually. Oprah did a whole show on it yesterday. Most of those teens had it done younger than you. Check the age specific boards here...you will find plenty.

We don't have a "mushy" stage, but I had no problems whatsoever transitioning to purees and then to soft foods. It takes a LOT to damage sutures, and it doesn't sound like you've done anything that would cause that to happen. In fact, I know my band is not sutured to my stomach at all. I have the Realize band, though. Perhaps you are having pain from constipation and gas, which can both cause severe abdominal pain and chest pain. Speak with your doc. They will probably want to do an X-ray.

My surgeon has switched and uses only Realize bands now. He says so far, there are no cons...only pros. He's a teaching surgeon for the Realize band all over the country.

I still haven't had my first fill yet, but I am easily able to guzzle liquids like before my surgery. I'm not sure if that will change or not.

I hate plain Water...especially in the winter. Summer, I don't have as many problems drinking plain water. Right now, though, there was NO way I'd get all my Fluid in if I had to drink only plain water. Bleh! I also don't know how people choke down that nasty Crystal Light stuff. It has the worst aftertaste I've ever tasted. I hate every flavor I've ever tried. Somebody else mentioned the grape flavor singles that Wal-mart makes. Holy moly, I LOVE those things, too! I bought them 1 week pre-op but didn't have the guts to try one (was afraid they would taste like Crystal Light)...then I had one my first day home from surgery and I've been addicted ever since! Other ones I actually like (and I am PICKY) are the Special K Protein water single packets. I like the strawberry-kiwi flavor and the tropical blend. I also like all the sugar-free Koolaid single packets as well. They don't taste sugar-free to me.

Hey Jim! Missed ya! Glad to see you're back in action.

I haven't had a reason to wear tights or pantyhose yet, but I do wear jeans everyday. I began wearing them 5 days post-op with no problems. Until then, I simply wore loose, soft pants with loose waistbands (sweat pants and such). I also wore a nightgown to bed instead of pajama pants.

Ummm...how are you failing if you've lost 119 pounds in a year??

If something is on your food list, then you can have it. If it's not on your food list, then you cannot have it. Everybody's personal instructions from their own doctors are different. If Cream of Wheat is on your list, then you can eat it.

I still have no idea what it means when you all speak of the "mushy" stage. Is that the same as my puree stage, or the same as my soft food stage? At any rate, I was given the okay for pancakes for my soft food stage and they went down just fine! :wink2: They were amazingly yummy (just 1 big one and I was full) and then I tried a buckwheat one a couple days ago and that was even healthier and yummier! Give it a try. Make sure it's total mush before you swallow. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite. It was heaven...but don't do this without talking to your own personal physician first.

I have a 6 month old baby and he was 5 months old & 16 pounds at the time of my surgery. I was told definitely do NOT lift him by bending over for the first 48 hours. I could lift him during that time if someone brought him to me without me having to strain my abdominal muscles. I had help for those first 48 hours. After that, I was cleared to lift him as needed, as long as it didn't hurt me. I was fine with him after about 72 hours...I just made sure if I was alone, that I was very careful. If someone was with me, I always had them do lifting for me so I wasn't doing any more than I absolutely had to.

I understand...I'm not worried that I'm not dropping weight like crazy. I know this is not the time for that. I'm worried about the gaining! Not only gaining 4 pounds, but adding 3 inches (1 in neck, 1 in hips, 1 in waist). If I had done this well in Weight Watchers, I would not be gaining. Anytime I kicked butt like this, the scale showed my success. I just don't understand the reasoning for gaining when my entire relationship with food has changed for the better...and so dramatically! I should not be gaining. There is absolutely no reason for it. Maybe a 1/4 pound or a 1/2 pound here and there...but not 2 pounds last week and then another 2 pounds this week.

Thanks for the support, everybody! The thing is, I'm not upset at all that I've lost "only" 13 pounds. I know that's great! I'm upset because I should not be gaining. From everything I've learned, I should be steadily losing weight (I'm not worried about speed, here)..not gaining. I don't expect miracles...I only expect to be rewarded for what I'm doing...not punished. I'll keep moving forward, but I'm calling the facility tomorrow to see if I can talk to somebody. I know we are all different and I don't expect to be dropping big numbers right now. I just expect to be seeing changes and I'm not. I've also ADDED 3 inches. Hello?!? 1 in my neck, 1 in my waist and 1 in my hips. I still don't get it. I don't even get NSV's right now to be happy about. I'll just keep moving forward like I said before. I'm not a quitter, but I am easily discouraged and I get disappointed in my body very, very easily.

I wish I could say I'm doing as well as the rest of you...but I'm not. I'm upset & frustrated and beginning to realize my greatest fear: This band is NOT going to work for me! I just know it. I had the feeling before i ever got banded that i would be the ONE person who gets the band and FAILS MISERABLY. That's me. I only lost 13 lbs. post-op. I was banded on 01/04. I'm following the rules, sticking to each and every order...and I'm GAINING WEIGHT. I work out, I get in all my fluids...I'M SO INCREDIBLY UPSET. Now I've gained 4 pounds so I've only really lost 9. My Nutritionist said she did NOT want to see me gain weight before my first fill...which I won't have until 2/18. At this rate, everything will be packed back on before that day and I'll be frowned at. How is it possible for me to be gaining weight?!?! Pre-surgery I would take in an average of 3,500 calories per day, and now I'm down around 1,200. WTF?!?! How can I not lose weight like this? This is killing me. Absolutely killing me. What is wrong with me? Why is my body STILL betraying me? I sob every day about this. My dumb luck. Something is completely wrong with me.

I gotta say, Lindypie...where on earth did you get banded?? Your doc kinda sounds like a quack. 3-5 baby spoonfuls is definitely not enough food for you. Before a fill, you still need 1/2 - 1 cup of food per meal! Also, making you wait 3 more months for a fill is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I would find another doc...NOW.

My insurance also made me stay overnight. I was SO glad I did! I had really bad chest pains from the gas forced in there during surgery. I was getting really scared so they took me down for an X-ray and said my stomach was the size of a football it was so huge. It hurt. BAD. I also don't handle anesthesia very well at all. I am disoriented for a long time afterwards. It helped to have people take care of me. My hubby and the nurses would pound on my back for me (like burping a baby but harder) and that's finally what helped ease the chest pressure. Other than the bed being horribly uncomfortable, it was a positive experience overall. I felt safe there, since I tend to worry about what might go wrong after getting sent home. I was double and triple checked before I was sent on my way the next day.