Sugarbear

I am only 10 days post-op. But I can tell you why I decided to do this. I, like many others can diet for shot periods of time. I have tried everyone imaginable. Lost weight only to gain it back and then some. I needed a long-term tool to help me lose and then keep it off. I do not plan on doing this and then "cheat" the band or myself. At my age time is running out to better my health which is my main goal on top of feeling and looking better. I have a little grandson I would like to see grow up and be more active with. I have gone to the support meeting in my area and talked to many success stories. Sure, there are some that aren't, but most of those chose to ignore the rules of the band. I want to succeed and believe I will. I think it is by far the least invasive and safest weightloss surgery available. I studied, researched, ask a ton of questions, ect. for over a year before I did this. I think you will find that the good outweighs the bad if you do your homework. Of course the decision has to be yours. Good luck.

My doctor let me have cream soups as long as you strain any bits and or lumps out. Tomato soup is lumpless. You may thin it down with water or skim milk. I made potato soup and used a mixer to get it creamy, used milk, salt , pepper, tad of butter. I drink it from a cup. Can't have yogurt til next week, too heavy I guess. Doesn't want any weight on the new pouch while it is healing. They put about 3 atitches from band to pouch to secure it in place while healing. I am not a doctor so I am not sure how that is done. Just know all of this liquid stage is to protect the pouch right now. We have two weeks liquids. This is a long term thing so you want to take care for this short time that is required. I am wanting some real food too. I have 4 more days on liquids, then go to pureed and puddings, hot cereals applesauce ect. next soft or mushy like canned veggies, fruits tuna or chicken salad, ect. then...intro slowly to solids. That is what my doctor recomends. Yours may be different. Good luck and be careful so you will heal nicely. I know it is hard but we have to do this right. keep us posted.

My doctoe says first thing in the morning to drink something hot to relax you band. Might work for you if you want to try it.

trying to figure out how to get the ticker from there to here? not up on that kind of stuff I guess. I can create the ticker just don't know how to get it here?

LisaG. Did you ever notice any fullness whil on liquids? When did you actually feel the band at work> I guess I mean which stage of food after surgery. I think the liquids must go right through or at least they don't hover in there long. Tell me your opinion. I am worried I might be over doing the liquids. I have a cup of sf hot chocolate in the a.m. sometimes a can of tomato juice or V8 late a.m. Soup for lunch, soup for supper(8 or 10 oz mug) Seldom anything after supper except water with my meds. I don't think I am losing much either now. Any advice? Opinion?

Yea Tammy. I was glad to hear from you. Glad you are doing well. What is your post diet like? I am always curious, everyones is so different. Me two weeks of thin liquid only to start. Five days left of it. Woohoo!

Magnolia, I had some of that and it was pretty good, different but good. My dr. team said to thin it down good. I thinned mine with milk. Figured I needed the protein. I made some potato soup today (no lumps, bits or pieces) Made it thin but it was YUMMY!! Hope I didn't eat too much. I think the liquids must pass on through. I made quite a bit and put it in the fridge for later. I have been thinning down any cream soups.

Hi Vlynnfogg. I am still on the liquid post-op diet. Just made me some potato soup, thin. It is yummy. I guess liquids don't hang up so I never feel like I am over doing it. Hope I am not. Did you feel that way at this point? I will be glad when I can have food so I can feel the band working. It is still awhile before I start solids. next week is purees,pudding yogurt and even soft scrambled egg. I guess I will be able to tell more then?

Gret1964, did they not give you any anti-nausea medication???? Phenergan. I also wore a patch behind my ear for three days. I usually get sick when I get put to sleep. They did not want me vomiting and gave me meds to prevent it. Thank God. They will probably have to check your band under fluro to make sure it is place. Bless your heart. I hope you are feeling better.

CONGRATULATIONS BLONDYLOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How is the hubby? I know you must be ecstatic!! You can always get banded later. I guess your family is soooooooooooo happy for you guys. Take care and now you have all the more reason to take care of your weight and eat healthy!!! Don't leave us, keep us up to date on the pregnancy experience. We will still be here to support you in every way. GO BLONDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laralynn, what is on your post-op diet? I have to do liquids for two weeks, then pureed, then soft,then solid. Our surgery was close. Mine was the 7th.

Hi Gailannr. We were banded on the same day. How are you doing now? I am doing good. I have lost 18 lbs. in all, from pre-op til now. I am still on liquids, are you? I will be until next Wed. Then pureed and creamy foods for a week, then soft, then intro back to solids. I don't have any problem with the liquids, soups ect. I am anxious to get to real food so I can actually feel the band work. It isn't designed to hold liquid so I can't tell anything at this point. Can you? Good luck.

I don't know if they told you but WALK, I don't know if they told you or not but WALK, WALK, WALK.......Move about as much as possible and frequently. It will help disapate the air they blew you up with. That seems to be the best thing to get rid of the gas. When you are down at night, a heating pad feels good too. Hope it is better soon. I have a long driveway and I made many trips up and down it even at night the first few days. Really helped.

Good luck Tammy! Allllll that waiting and now it is probably over!!!!!!!!! Let us know how you are as soon as possible. Remember WALK, WALK, WALK... It will help dissapate the air.

Hi Paula S. and the rest of the "gang." I am 8 days post op. I think the surgery may have altered my brain somewhat.........I went for my post op check-up this morning, it isn't until next Thurs.!!!!!!! I was pretty embarrassed, to say the least. Anyway I ask if I could at least go back and weigh, I have lost 18 pounds. I guess that is good. I don't really know. But I do know it is all I could do. That is my calculations. I guess I will see how it goes next week. I was hoping for 20. Oh well. I hated to make the trip for nothing so I went to Kohls, haven't been in there since it opened. Browsed around and realized I was so hungary. So I took my chances and went to McCalisters to see what kind of non-chunky soup they might have, and they had tomato bisque. Yeaaaaaaa! I had a cup and it was yummy. I meant to take a tomato Soup at Hand but forgot it. It all worked out. Those are pretty handy when you are traveling away from home. Later. Hope everyone is hanging in there on there diets!!!!!

tmiller, how are you? I guess you are pre-op dieting? Hang in there. I am BANDED!!

Hello all. The last time I posted I had not been banded. Wellll...I am one week post-op today. I am feeling good, sore but good. I am on liquids for another week. That is okay, anything is better than post-op. I can have thinned down cream soup, sf hot chocolate, any low or sf drinks except carbonated. I go for check up tomorrow. I will try to remember to come back here and post. I usually post in the Texas forum at Texarkana Bandsters. Dr. Keilin and Dr. Heiker do all the banding there., or the March bander thread. Good luck to you all. I am new but will gladly answer any questions.

lo2us, many times you can appeal to your insurances medical review board. You can get your pcp to write them a letter of "medical necessity." I have used the same doctor for years but even if you haven't, you can usually tell him about your struggle with your weight and for how long. Tell him all the diets, diet drugs and or aid you have tried. Also if you have high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, bad knees , back, ect. Any trouble with shortness of breath when you are mobile, can't do much exercises due to your size and weight, performing simple things like you use to but can't now, like help dressing ect. Those are some things and I am sure there are more I just can't think of. I had my pcp and my doc that treated me for knees and back both send a letter, along with my own two cents worth. It is just a thought to help you financially. You can borrow the money as many do and pay it back just like a car payment, but this is a better investment. If you abide by the rules of the band you will have something to show for this investment when the car will be long gone. Good luck to you. You can also go to the support meeting and talk with post-banders and ask questions ect. if you would like. Go to noscales.com for the schedule for the meeting. Hope this helps.

Hello Blondelocks. Didn't know you didn't have any children. So that would be a blessing if that is what you want. Good luck and Gods blessing however it all turns out. I guess I need to check out GNC. I feel sure I am not getting enough protein at this point. I am one week post-op. I can't believe one week ago at this time I was going to recovery!! Now I am on the road to recovery and starting my life towards being a healthier person. Good luck with everything. Keep us posted.

lo2us. Had 2 c-sections, and a Hysterectomy. Mine were the vertical cut. Had large babies. Lapband is easier. I can't say it is the easiest surgery I have ever had but it is by far NOT the hardest. Start out doing a bunch of walking, on and off throughout the day and evening following the same the days to follow it will be so much easier. Blondelocks! A pregnancy test!???????? OMGosh!! Go get one of those EPT. I would be frantic to know. How is the Sfast going? I am 6 days post-op and I can't complain. I have been thinning my soup down and enjoying it. I have sugarfree hot chocolate about mid-morning. Start out with coffee. Then soup for lunch and soup for supper. Maybe another hot chocolate late evening if I feel kinda hungary. I went to the support group meeting last night. Ms. Betty, Amy, and the surgery nurse (I think) all talked. They are posting hints on their noscales.com site too. They were supposed to have a guest speaker but she got sick and had to cancel. I go for my post-op check-uo Thurs. I will weigh in then. Let you know how that turns out.

Hello all. I am now 6 days post-op. Everything is better! I am enjoying my soups. I can have cream soups as long as they are thinned down. I am using milk to to do that with so I can get a little extra protein. I had sf hot chocolate this morning. Sooooo gooood. My doc doesn't want to put any weight on the new stomach above the band (pouch) until it is healed. So thin liquids for two weeks, then pureed, then mushy, then solids gradually. I want to heal properly so I am toughing it out. Nothing could be as bad as the pre-op. All that Sfast. UGH! I went to my first support meeting last night and enjoyed it. So many have had good success, very encourageing. I go for my post op check-up Thurs. That will tell the tell how I have done weight wise. Will let you know how that goes.

lo2us, I think it is pretty common to have the tube. It is to help you breathe. Many obese have some form of apnea or so they say. BUT RELAX, it is put in after you are asleep and taken out before you awaken. Some say it gives them a sore throat for a couple of days but mine did not. I was hoarse for a couple of days but not one bit of soreness. My anethesist was very kind and through to explain it all to me. I wished I remembered his name, he was so sweet and conforting. Vlynnfogg, glad to see you back. One to two pounds a week is still good. They tell us it will slow down. I am 6 days post-op and things are getting better every day. Yesterday I felt very swollen, more than the day before. Go figure? Anyway I am still doing the liquids, one more week to go. It might not be great, but it is so much better than the pre-op I wouldn't dare complain!! I have been thinning my soups down and enjoying every one. I went to my first support meeting last night. I enjoyed it. Many people are having good success. That is encourageing. Don't be so hard on yourself, some people are just busier than others. You just happen to be one of those. Maybe now that the days will be lengthier you might be able to work in a exercise routine. I have to gear myself up for that too. Take care. Hi Blondylocks, How are you doing with the pre-op?

welllllll, I am 6 days post op. Went to my first support group meeting last night. They reconfirmed about the amount the pouch holds...1/4 cup of solid food. Of course the more put in it will stretch (dialate) it. The reason for all liquid after surgery is so NOT to put pressure on your new small stomach above the band. They overlay the tissue over the band and put a few stitches. The tissue will then adhere to the band. Much safer when it is adhered or absorbed to the band to keep from slippage. It is VERY fragile to start with. Your chances for slippage can still happen anytime the band is challenged but is much better when it is allowed a few weeks to heal properly. That is why firstliquids, then pureed, then soft foods or mushies, THEN, slow transition to solid foods. This isn't what every doctor has you do but it is the plan that my doc does. Also have read the same plan from the band manufacturers. Think it is pretty safe. Hard to follow but safe. I choose safe. That plan is over in 4 weeks with intro to solids on the fifth. I am in the process right now. Whew! On week four it says no more than 1/2 cup food at a time, so i think that is the max. Of course you should follow your docs orders, I am.

I was just banded last week and my book says the pouch only holds about a fourth cup of food at one time. (solid food). other reading says 1/4 to 1/2 cup. That is only 2 to 4 oz. ????????????? How can you get that much meat and veggies in there at one time without dialating the pouch? I'm new at this. thanks

Hi Tracy, wondered where you went? Glad you are back, I think we all missed you. I am like some of the rest of you, seemed like it would be such a long time before banding, then...All of a sudden there was a dozen things to do before surgery and I ran out of time! Now I sit here 4 days AFTER banding. I guess those things can wait now. I don't want to do any lifting and mess something up. 10 more days until I can eat something. Although soup is certainly better than Sfast. I am sure I need to be drinking some more of those for the nutrition but haven't been able to yet. Each day gets a little better. Especially if I do a lot of walking. I go back for my post op visit Thurs. I am new at this but will be glad to answer any questions anyone might have.