RestlessMonkey

Personally I'd want an unfill anyway, but that's just me. First off there are no "bad" foods...there's food that is nutrient dense, and some that isn't; but IMHO food is food. We make bad CHOICES sometimes! My surgeon (bless the man) feels that in order to have long term success, we should be able to eat essentially anything. While he stresses protein, variety is the spice of life, and variety keeps us from becoming mind-numbingly bored to death. Only you will know if an unfill for you can be a good thing or a bad thing.

If you're in doubt, call your doctor. What's "normal" for one person isn't necessarily normal for another! Just to be safe, give him a call, if it hurts you that much!

That's up to your surgeon and how quickly you recover. Best to ask him what's average for his patients.

Surely we are all different! :thumbdown: I guess from my personal experience, being obese used to be considered a character flaw and many people have guilt or other issues, especially those of us who gain enough that we need surgery to help correct it. HOWEVER! I don't like lumping people together...so I do apologize that I read into your post instead of reading your post! There are people who read your posts who are different from both of us, too (I know you know this LOL) and just want to make sure to reiterate that we are all in control. I almost didn't get the band because I don't like the word "NEVER' as in you can NEVER have bread again...so because I have that facet, and I know other people share it, I think I beat a dead horse (and am still beating it, aren't I LOL) about how truly flexible the band is. So I'll leave the horse alone now! Enjoy your last meals!

Ok but don't enjoy it on my behalf! My point is I can (and sometimes do) HAVE these foods, without guilt. I had popcorn the other night while watching a movie. Mostly we CAN have what we want. This isn't an enforced diet so much as a true new lifestyle.

Remember too that YOU are in control of the band. IF you find yourself too restricted, you may have it loosened or "unfilled" a little. Sometimes only .2 of a cc can make the difference between being able to eat, say, breads or not. Like heartfire who says she can't eat ciabatta bread but doesn't really miss it...you'll decide what are absolute must haves and what are can do withouts for you! :thumbdown:

Maybe you sleep with your mouth open? Have you been checked for diabetes? Too you may be getting too much Water...although the amounts (I assume ounces?) you are drinking aren't that high. If you're worried, ask your doc. It is probably nothing but better safe than sorry! :thumbdown: UNLESS...you are just one or two days post op. They give us something to "dry us up" and it takes a while to get back to normal.

that shoulder pain is most likely (not a doctor) referred pain from your diaphragm. Just about EVERYONE has it to some degree....it's the nature of the band surgery and how our "innards" are configured. Your vomiting probably didn't help it but it didn't hurt it either. WALK WALK WALK. Having my husband massage my neck and shoulder muscle helped me immensely because it relaxed the cramp. Some use a heating pad (I hate them) but only use it on your shoulder, not your incisions. And take your pain meds as needed. It will pass.

Donnainva is correct. Your safest bet is to wait and see what YOUR surgeon requires of YOU. They are individualized by surgeon and then by patient. I had to do a 3 week diet, many of my surgeon's patients do much less. So wait and see what is required of you before you waste money on things you won't need or be able to use!

I know losing weight can only help your COPD, but I don't know about the surgery. I suppose that will depend on many factors like your surgeon and his skill, your anesthesiologist, how advanced your COPD is, etc. Good luck; I hope it all works out for you the way you want it to! There are older bandsters (I'm 54) and I think there is a specific forum; you can check under the forums tab is you'd like to find them!

Welcome and I hope you have your date soon. Your fears are normal and are normally unfounded! Hope you find your experience as great as I have found mine to be!

I really don't understand our politics etc here in the US and so can't even begin to pretend to understand what you have going on in Canada! :thumbdown: I just know that not all surgeons are greedy money grubbing people...any more than all fat people are stupid, or so on! (if that makes sense) In other words, aftercare is something we all need to line up if we're going to get surgery one place and live in another. It is a problem, apparently, everywhere. Surgeons often don't like to treat you if you were someone else's patient. At any rate, I don't speak for all surgeons either I don't even know one really! Just hope you find the care you need, as I hope I do when I move in a few years!

I have to chime in on the "can eat anything" side. In smaller but satisfying amounts. I am not hungry, and am satisfied with WAY less than before. I have spaghetti, I had part of a hot dog last night. (it was low fat and on a high fiber bun but that was my choice...it was a hot dog, anyway!) I CAN drink carbonated beverages but it is too much a pain to do so. Sip burp burp burp sip burp burp burp. :thumbdown: That may or may not improve, but I was geared to give up my occasional beer and even more occasional coke for weight loss and health, so I'm not feeling deprived about it.

NSAIDS can be hard on the stomach....that's a well-known fact. That's one reason some aspirin are coated, and we're told to take aspirin and ibuprofen with food, adequate Water, etc. Because of the nature of the pouch (slow empty into the lower stomach) NSAIDS (aleve is one too) can sit in the upper pouch too long and cause erosion. It won't erode THE BAND...that is plastic and durable. It will erode your stomach tissue. Ask your surgeon. Take in a bottle of the aspirin you are using and show him. Mine has told me that if I am careful to time when I take the drug and to make sure I flush with water, it is ok. But I don't take it daily, either (take aleve occasionally for plantar fasciitis) You certainly don't want to take it on an empty stomach or with just "broth" because even though things "flow on through" until you are restricted, you can get irritation of your "lower" stomach. Unless you are taking it because a cardiologist or other doc prescribed, you can wait to see your surgeon and ask. If it is a priority, call him Monday and ask! :thumbdown:

Not sure but I think it's as likely that surgeons don't want to take on someone else's work. If something goes wrong who are you going to sue, the doc in Mexico or the one who is seeing you now? I don't like being responsible for something someone else did, so I can kind of see their point! (Not a doc either and don't mean to be hateful, just don't think they are all motivated totally by money. money is great, but it takes more than greed to make a good surgeon) I was banded in San Antonio TX and plan to move in a couple years and know that I will have trouble finding a new doctor...I may be flying back here when I need help! I hope you find the support you need; I'll be in the same boat eventually. Aftercare is as important as the band placement.

Your safest bet is to ask your surgeon.

You aren't even 4 weeks post op, are you? Per MY surgeon, i'd still have been on mushies at that time. If you are sure you followed your surgeon's post op diet, I'd make sure I called monday to tell him you vomited and what you ate; it takes a while for the band to heal and "settle into" place around your stomach. As to why it took so long for you to PB, I am sorry I don't know.

It IS silly. Odds are you'll be able to eat anything. I have pretty good restriction and I had a hot dog with bun (a high Fiber no sugar bun, but a bun) for supper. Some people are so tight they can't eat things, some people chew too fast or take bites too large. There are some people who just have some things that are hard to eat (I don't mean everyone who has a black list food is wolfing it down or too tight) but many many people can choose just about anything. I have good restriction but am not quite in the green zone (can eat about 1 1/2 cups of food...get hungry a little soon) but I haven't found anything I can't eat. Not to hijack your thread, either...but except for carbonation (which I can have, but it hurts and isn't worth it) nothing's off limits to me. Many other posters may choose not to eat certain foods, but that doesn't mean they can't, should the desire arise. Once you're healed and past "bandster hell" (that period when the doc lets you reintroduce food) ... you may be able to eat anything too. So don't be blue! :thumbup:

what did your doctor say it was?

Not only will you need fluids but this early in the game, you may dislodge your band. I hope you are ok!

I'm sorry I can't help you....my surgeon puts his patients on nothing but clear liquids post op for the first week....mostly just water actually. Can you try that for, say, 12 hours or so? Does water hurt or is it only the protein and applesauce?

If you are under the care of a cardiologist, surely your surgeon can coordinate with him/her for any information. Further you are not the heaviest person ever treated. Trust me, they aren't going to embarass or torture you! IF necessary there is a stress test that uses injectible drugs to cause your HR, Pulse etc to accellerate without you moving. If fear of a stress test is stopping you from proceeding, don't let it. It's a non-issue.

It can take a week or two for it all to come off. Just make sure you follow your surgeon's directions post op, stay hydrated, walk, etc. Your body was traumatized; give it a chance.

I finally have some restriction and am enjoying actually NEEDING all the rules I've been trying to follow...like chew well, no liquids with meals, etc :cursing: Very happy! I fortunately don't have trouble taking pills, though, so no liquid drugs for me! (especially since I can't drink beer now! LOL) How are you? Doing great, it sounds like!

Have you tried the Citrical Petites? You take 2 three times a day which is a pain, but they are small (like m and m sized) and will "go down" for most everyone. I got them at drugstore.com but they are probably available at local drugstores.