MamaJava

You do not need to see your doctor every time you begin a new phase in your post-op healing diet. If the instructions say to begin mushies @ 4 weeks, then by all means, begin them at 4 weeks.

My doc says to drink liquids for the remainder of that day of the fill, and then solids the next day is fine to start again. I would think 48 hours probably isn't meaning literally down to the 48th hour...I would think a regular breakfast the 3rd day after would be fine.

Hmm...not sure what you're gonna do then. If you don't wanna take anything to class, then you'll have to either eat before class or after. I guess I'm not sure what the dilemma is. You can eat both times or pick one or the other. It doesn't seem that difficult to me.

Also, there are plenty of beverages offered on airplanes. You don't always have to worry about Protein shakes being available 24 hours a day.

We share the same FANTASTIC doctor! Isn't he the best? Actually, I mean that in many ways...he really *is* the best. He's one of the top teaching surgeons of the band in this entire country. I'm still on purees but beginning soft foods today as it was okay by the nutritionist as long as I stick to very soft foods for the next week. That's great, because my hubby is taking me out for my birthday dinner tonight (my b-day is next week).

Hey...lets stay in touch! I have my first fill exactly 6 weeks post-op...that will be February 18th. I'm getting excited! I need it so bad (hungry, hungry, hungry) and I'm really hoping I get some restriction right off the bat. I'm gonna tell Schram to be as absolutely agressive with my fill as he can be.

Take it easy and I'm so glad you are doing so well! They really take good care of ya over there at Forest, don't they? :redface:

I'm also in school and tons of fellow students including myself bring Snacks and eat during class. Take some pudding, yogurt or Jell-o with you and eat during class. Or you can make a smoothie and drink it during the class.

I've gone every single day since my surgery. I had my first bowel movement the morning after surgery. It does hurt, though, because it is harder than normal. I just began taking Colace yesterday, which is okay by my instructions. I'm hoping that will make things a bit easier in that department.

I do want to warn you that when I was pregnant I had once gone 5 days without having a bowel movement. It was during the time I was on Zofran for nausea related to hyperemesis (severe morning sickness). HOLY CRAP that was the worst 12 hours of my life trying to get that thing out of me!!! I would not wish that on anybody. I will spare you the details, but the size and texture of that b.m. was shocking to my physician and my husband both. If my body would have gone just 12-24 more hours without getting it out on my own, I would have become severely impacted and the hospital would have had to take matters into their hands to help me pass it. It was the most horrific nightmare I've ever been through. Honestly, it was worse than the births of my children.

So...just to avoid what I went through...you might wanna take something strong, and call your doc.

My doc said to leave them alone and they would eventually come off on their own, and that would be best. 4 of mine over my small incisions all fell off on their own around days 7 & 8. The 3 strips that covered my port incision acted like they would never come off! Doc said to go ahead and remove them to avoid harboring bacteria. That was on day 18 post-op! I was like you...I didn't think those suckers were ever going to come off, but my skin was getting irritated and it was best to remove them myself at that point.

Awww! Bless your heart...

This place can really freak somebody out. I totally understand why you'd wanna take off and not come back until later. Stuff that my doc has never even mentioned is in these boards and it can make you go "What?!?!"

Do what works best for you. If this place gives you anxiety (I can relate!) then it's probably a good plan to just walk into your surgery with a positive outlook than to be worrying about all the stories and bodily functions that are mentioned around here. I've also called my doc on a couple of occasions over stories that I've read on here and he just kinda says "the internet can be a good tool, but it can also be a great big pain in the a$$ with a whole lotta false info." So, I've cut back on believing everything that I read will happen to me. In fact, I haven't had even 1/8 of the issues I've read about...of course I'm also new to all of this and my time may be coming! LOL I can't focus on that, though. I gotta focus on THIS moment, and MY issues, and not everybody else's stuff...

Hope to hear how you're doing when you return! Stay in touch. :frown:

LOL! It's funny you posted this cuz I almost posted something similar to this before. I thought I damaged myself or my port once when I bent over to tie my shoes ( I was sitting down) and the waistband of my jeans jammed into my port sight incision. I thought I had done some serious damage because it hurt pretty bad when I did it. You might wanna mention it to your doc, just to be on the safe side. I'm sure it's just the muscle that is still healing under there and probably didn't do any damage to your port. On many of the new bands (like mine, the REALIZE band by Johnson & Johnson) the port is anchored differently now, so ports can't flip. I don't know what kind of band you have, but I'm sure you just irritated that healing muscle again. Again, ask your doc if you are really concerned. :frown:

Well Krista...apparently you didn't want the truth. You wanted someone to caudle you and say yes, yes you will be fine eat like crazy. My band is and will be fine for me. You are newer and better fine for you. Your clinic is a clinic just like mine is. You however seem to be offended by what I have said and for you, you cannot take advice from someone who knows. This will be my last word on the topic. I hope you the best by the look of your ticker you are just starting and you have a long way to go. You will learn during your walk. I remember when my ticker looked the same.....it has not for a VERY long time. As for the 4 months of not eating...miss communicated...I would have died. I ate very regimented, I exercised very hard and I lost alot of weight. I was committed to never overeating again in my life. You did not pick out that I admitted to having faltered and had harder times aswell....I did not intend to attack anyone...I was simply and honestly telling the truth. Sorry it was hard for you to accept. Good luck in your journey. I will never post to you again. POPT

PS Just so you know...I investigated a little about the bands that they are using now in Canada and the US....yeah same thing! Very old or not...its the same technology! Good luck

Again, you are typing to me as though I'm the one who began the thread and wrote the original post. I really don't understand what on earth you mean when you say that I can't accept some truth? Huh?? I believe you may be a bit confused. These posts aren't information that I wanted...they are answers to a question posted by somebody else. I believed you were not paying attention to the orginal posters question and you were harping on stuff that didn't make sense to the thread. Plus, you directed everything toward me like I had majorly offended you when I had never directed a word toward you in the first place. Sorry you misunderstood and that your sensitivity is getting in the way of a productive banter between bandsters. I am always open and welcome to the truth...but your experience is YOUR experience and you should not post as though your experience is the truth (that's like trying to say what you post is FACT, and that's definitely not right)...it is simply, honestly and ONLY your opinion and should be treated as such. I totally respect your opinion. I'm sorry to hear that you can't accept or respect mine. Best of luck to you in your weight loss journey.

to the OP (mindy)...if ya wanna send me a message, feel free. All docs and bands are different (Yes, most new ones ARE different...the new ones are wider and cover larger stomach area for a reason...it was researched and perfected over time and they are meant to offer longer restriction times, longer feelings of fullness, less instances of slips and lowers the amounts of PB's). I really think the 3 eggs and couple bites of tuna salad was probably okay. Over time, and after you begin getting fills and you actually HAVE a pouch, that type of behavior might not be the best option. right now, I can totally see where you are coming from and that amount of food probably hasn't done any damage. If you are super-concerned, speak with your surgeon. Don't be afraid of getting your rear spanked by him for what you ate because it wasn't as bad as you think it was. I think open lines of communication with our personal doctors are definitely the key to success for each one of us. While these boards can offer a lot of differentiating views and experiences, they cannot give you concrete answers because none of us actually performed your operation. Relax! Breathe! You're gonna tackle this journey in your own way along with the rest of us. :frown:

Yep! Stands for "Dear Husband" or "Darling Husband"

I am on the mushy stage and I just started. I ate 3 scrambled eggs and a few small bites of tuna w/ mayo. Im not worried about the calories from the mayo or anything, but I wonder if I ate too much. I felt just perfect when I stopped (not too full) but I am worried about wether that amount could stretch my pouch. It was the first time since surgery that I actually felt satisfied. Any thoughts?

No...I read here that the OP wanted to know only about quantity and stretching her pouch, which is stated exactly in her original post. She said she didn't care about calories.

Yikes...well let me tell you....I was not at all indicating that she would stretch her pouch, if you had read the entire post I had indicated that I had experienced gain at one point in the last 4 years simply due to choice. We have "satisfied" our appetites for the last years and in my simple opinion....and that is all it is...an opinion, we need to teach ourselves quality not quantity. I didn't have a fill for 4 months and did not eat simply due to the desire to loose the weight. I am not saying anyone is wrong or right. I am not say that there will be stretched pouches, remained obesity, complications or a party in your monkeys cage next week at 6, I am only saying GOOD CHOICES....thats all. We aren't going on if you don't want an honest opinion then that should be stated in the post titling....LIE TO ME PLEASE! I am not going to....I have faught this fight and it is not an easy one! 4 years....let me know when you have been banded 4 years....one of the first 1000 in this province...I have the inside scoop....again.....JUST MY 2 cents.....POPT

You also have a very old band. Things may be quite different for you as well. If you weren't one of the folks in "shock" that the OP ate 3 eggs, then my post shouldn't bother you, should it? I think 3 eggs is a fine choice during the healing phase...I was trying to offer the OP a differentiating view than the ones where everybody was belittling her for having 3 eggs. Next time, you might not wanna get so offended. Sure, I'll let you know how I'm doing in 4 years on a band that is completely different than yours. How would that help to prove your point? Doesn't matter how long you've been banded or how experienced you are...from what I've learned, all bandsters are different and no 2 bandings are alike. After all, bands are much improved now. You have an old band style if you were banded 4 years ago. See what I'm saying? Sure, we can all offer advice and tell tales of our own personal experiences, but to jump down my throat like you are holier-than-thou just because you (as you put it) "have the inside scoop", well, that's not very productive, nor is it very mature. I could sit here and say that I know it all just because I was banded by the best Band Surgeon in the country (and quite possibly according to his stats and teaching status, the top Band Surgeon in the world), but I won't do that because I'm here to offer a point of view...not to play a game. Also, do you think it was really wise or healthy of you to not eat for a whole 4 months (as you stated in your post) just because you wanted to lose weight? Didn't you say this was all about GOOD CHOICES? We've all learned that sort of behavior is very destructive and not a good choice at all. I also believe the OP never said she didn't want an honest opinion. And I'm not the OP...so I'm not sure how that portion of your post even applies to anything.

Since I'm assuming the OP has not had a fill yet, then how on earth is 3 eggs and a couple bites of tuna going to stretch her pouch? Some of you are acting like she's insane, and you're so freaked out about the amount of food she can consume.

I haven't had a fill yet either. I'm still on the mushy stage. While maybe some of you had restriction at that time, many of us don't. My stomach is still usually growling after 2 scrambled eggs.< /span>

I have a hard time believing that one "slip up" (if you can even call this a slip up for the OP since it seems like a fine amount of food for the mushy stage) will stretch a pouch. It took us a long time to stretch our stomachs as we became obese. So if you are worried about that one meal, then cut back on the next one. Don't live in fear of stretching a pouch...especially when you haven't even had a fill yet. My doc said there's really no pouch there until you get filled...and as long as you are eating the right foods for healing, then you aren't doing any permanent damage...the healing foods slip through very easily.

WendyRae, darling! Remember me? We were banded on the same day.

I'm right there with you. We are 2 weeks out. I've only lost 12-13 (depending on what my scale decides to say that day) and it just won't budge. I have learned through these boards that the weight loss should not be the main issue right now. We have to heal first and life really begins after we begin receiving fills.

I'm not allowed my first fill until February 18...which is 6 weeks post-op. I can't wait! I'm hungry and I'm frustrated and it's really, really tough. Luckily I can start soft foods this coming Friday cuz at this point I'm sick of purees. I worry because today I was so hungry that I know I had 2 cups of purees, which is too much I guess. I finally felt satisfied, and that scares me. People on these boards say we aren't supposed to be eating more than 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food...but that's so tough with no restriction.

Hang in there. If you need to talk more, you know how to get ahold of me again. Do you have your first fill scheduled yet? We can go through that together, too.

I don't think it's helpful to think of the post op diet as a "joke". Surgeons disagree on how long it should last and how quickly it should progress, but the research on slips shows that any diet that prevents the stomach from doing the kind of maneuvers that it does when it is "grinding" real food for about 4 weeks helps to allow the stomach to heal adequately. The band is seated into a groove by then, the sutures heal completely, and then the stomach is ready to do some actual work of grinding with decreased risk of slips later. Most slips seem to happen more than a year out of surgery, not soon post op. So you can't really tell early on if your post op diet is helping or not. Yes, there is a lot of difference among the surgeons. Some surgeons don't believe the research about diet being related to slips, hence their willingness to progress to real food quickly post op, but most seem to and do some variation of this diet to optimize the stomach's healing.

That is my understanding of the rationale behind the post op diet that we all refer to as "bandster hell". It's not hell, but it is hard to stick to. You will do your body the best service by sticking to it and giving yourself the best chance at healing.

I wasn't trying to be helpful when I called it a joke. We all view things differently, and yes I do think 3 weeks of liquids is pretty extreme when some docs don't feel it is necessary at all. Is it hell? Eh. Not really hell. There is much worse that could be going on in our lives. It sucks pretty bad, and it's tough, but again I'm the type of gal who's just too afraid to venture away from what my doc tells me to do. Hopefully the OP will fall back into that mentality and get back on track and stick to the rules.

Best of luck to ya, OP. It's only a brief moment in time when you look at the grand scope of life. You'll survive it, as most band patients do.

I voted middle. Mine is 1/2 way between my ribcage & belly button, but slightly off center of the midline...to my right, but still definitely middle.

I have a really hard time believing that any real damage would be done. I mean if you look at the drastic difference in post-surgical "healing" diets, they are all so drastically different. I read all the time where folks are told to begin soft foods 1 week post-op. There are others who are on Clear Liquids for 2 weeks post-op. Others are on full liquids for 2 weeks post-op (like me) then move to puree for 2 weeks, then soft foods for 1 week. If some patients are allowed to begin soft & regular foods only 1 or 2 weeks out, then why are they not destroying their bands? If the healing diets are different for everybody, then whose bands are gonna be destroyed? Whose docs are right? Whose docs are wrong? Obviously those who are allowed to begin soft foods only 1 week post-op are fine and they haven't destroyed anything...so I'm not so sure these super-long "healing" diets are really even necessary. In fact, I think they are a joke.

HOWEVER...with that being said...I'm too afraid to break my docs rules. I don't think the healing diet I'm on is really necessary...not when I hear of other lap patients eating normally 2 weeks out and having no ill effects from it whatsoever. But, I'm not a doctor and just because I think this diet is a big joke, doesn't mean I'm gonna go against it either. I'm not sure why it varies so much from doctor to doctor, but it does. I guess just stick with what you've been told and don't push it. I highly doubt you'd do any damage, but that's just my medical background. I'm not your doctor.

It depends on what band you have, and the max capacity of cc's that it holds.

For example, I have the Realize Johnson & Johnson band and it is a 9 cc maximum band. For that band, my doctors first fills are usually between 1 to 2.5 cc's. My friend has the same band as me. She just had her first fill on the day of my surgery and she got 2.5 cc's for her first fill on a 9 cc band.

You need to know what your band cc size is, and then the rest depends on your personal doctor. Nobody here is really gonna be able to tell you.

The rules from my doctor are no carbonation for 6 months after surgery. After that, if you can handle it, then the occasional carbonated beverage isn't gonna hurt unless you personally are unable to tolerate it. They said the reason we are supposed to avoid caffeine is because it makes you hungry. That's it.

I was a Coca-cola girl also. I won't touch it while my stomach is still healing. However, if I ever eat a slice of pizza again in my life, or even tacos, I gotta have a Coke with them. So maybe I'll share one with somebody and sip slowly to see if I can tolerate it. I've never been one to guzzle sodas all day long so it's not too big of a deal to me.

Thanks everybody for your advice! My facility made it very, VERY clear that we are only going to be successful by eating 6 small meals per day. They definitely see the most weight loss with that method...it keeps the metabolism up. That is also what most diet centers recommend also...so I'm not worried about that part of what I'm doing.

I'll just wait and see what happens. My Protein shake is low in calories, so that's not an issue. I guess I've just seen most band patient's weight come off immediately during this "eating for healing" phase, so that's why I'm upset. If it's this hard right now I can't imagine it getting any easier. I'll just wait for my fill and I hope I'm one of the people who gets a successful first fill.

I wouldn't eat between meals if it weren't for the fact that the facility told me lap patients should be eating 6 small meals per day. I guess maybe that's where I'm going wrong?

So I've been reading these boards and how most lap band patients (well, at least the ones who are losing weight) are eating between 800-1,000 calories per day. I've been tracking my daily menus and today I've had it up to my eyeballs in confusion. I've had Breakfast, mid-morn snack, lunch, afternoon snack so far. I've not even had dinner yet. I'm already at 1,075 calories and 85 g. of protein! I know the Protein is good since my goal is 59 g. per day...but how in the heck do some of you low-cal eaters make it through each day on such low calories? I'm eating very little food and I'm making really, really good choices (my Nutritionist agreed)...so why am I not losing weight and why am I so hungry that whenever people stand and talk to me they morph into a giant turkey drumstick??? I am really, really hungry. How are you all eating so very few calories? What are your menus like?

Is it because I've not been filled yet? How would having a fill at this point make me suddenly begin to lose weight? I'm eating exactly how the center told me to eat...so it's not gonna change much when I get my band filled...except by that point I'll be on soft & regular foods and my calories might rise. That will make this even harder...right?

Here's today's menu (remember I haven't had dinner yet)

BREAKFAST:

1 cup Weight Control Quaker oatmeal, banana bread flavor - made with Water

SNACK:

1 cup 1% milk

30g. Pro Complex chocolate Protein powder

LUNCH:

1 cup white bean Soup (homemade) with ham (pureed, no other added fats)

1 Dannon Light & Fit yogurt smoothie - strawberry (7 oz.)

SNACK:

1 medium banana, pureed

***TOTALS: 1,076 calories / 85 g. protein

So how is it that with 40 minutes of workout per day added into the mix am I not losing any weight? I lost 13 pounds immediately after surgery and I'm stuck. I'm not cheating. I'm not eating foods that I shouldn't. I'm really into this, and I'm getting horribly frustrated. I stick to about 1 cup of food per meal and that does fill me up, but then I'm hungry (drooling) 1 hour later. I am getting about 72 oz of fluids each day so I'm okay in that department as well. Right now I'm freaking out and afraid to eat anything the rest of the day cuz I'm already over 1,000 calories. Why isn't my body burning anything like it should be? Going from 4,000 calories (or more) per day as an obese woman down to 1,000-1,300 calories per day with exercise I should be losing steadily and constantly. What else can I eat today without totally ruining my calories and going too high?

I'm very, very angry at my body right now. Any words of advice for someone who thinks she may have made the biggest mistake of her life in getting this band?

joyaddison: go ahead and send me a message and we'll talk further! Glad to see you're going to the "best of the best" as far as band docs go! Seriously...he really is.

Nevermind my last post...I see that the first list on page #1 still has my name on it...just the last few posts didn't. It's all good now!