RestlessMonkey

Davidkle....I think Paracetamol and acetaminophen are the same thing and if so yes, widely available in the USA as "Tylenol" including a liquid form.

Hey I've been going to a behavioral therapist for 11 months now to master that! You are the master! :girl_hug:

Just folllow your diet from here on out and hope it didn't! It will just depend on how much your internal sutures had already healed. you'll probably be ok if you just follow your doc's time line from here on out.

And if you want to know if you are near capacity I suggest ASKING your doctor what size band you have, how much it will hold, and how much you have in it. It is an artificial device inside YOUR body. You have a right and almost an obligation to know about it!

I wouldn't lecture you at all. I just want to tell you that my surgeon always told me it might take 4-5 fills (or more) to get adequate restriction. That's common whether you have a 10cc band or a 14 cc band. It's a process. You've had the band under 3 months and have probably been on "regular" foods only half that time...so 6 weeks of fills? You need to give it a chance.

While I don't feel comfortable trying to "sell you" on the band, I don't mind answering any specific questions you have, if I'm able. I can recommend a couple of books (I bought my copies from amazon but they are probably available from a local bookseller) if you want.

IndioGirl55 that is a great tip about using a slightly flat diet soda as a way to calm head hunger! I hope I don't have it much but probably will. What a wonderful tip. I'm going to write it in my lap band book the surgeon gave me for on down the road. Thanks so much. I always learn something useful from you!

Ashmarie...yes you read correctly. I didn't know I had a fatty liver so you are already ahead of the curve. Just do EXACTLY what your surgeon tells you to do and you should be fine! (and you'll have a healthier liver, too!)

Do you have to load and unload too? Do you drive a big rig? I'd think AT LEAST a week because you have to be clear headed.... no anesthesia, no pain meds beyond tylenol still on board. I know when you are down you aren't earning money...but 10 days and you would probably be good to go. Getting into and out of the cab might be a little painful before then....

Oh and bras? I MUST wear one I'm miserable without...but I took once that was pretty stretched out around the band area so it wouldn't bind me. Take something that is comfy for you.

Good luck! It's very exciting! Be sure to wear or take some comfortable "easy on" shoes so you can walk in the hospital. Wear comfy loose clothes TO the hospital so you can wear them home (take extra panties!) Take your ID for the hospital but no cell phones etc. And no makeup, jewelry, or hair products. No deodorant. Take some lip balm for post op because they give you something to dry up secretions and aside from making your mouth TERRIBLY dry it will probably cause chapped lips. And remember to breathe deep and walk walk walk! I had no issues at all with anesthesia or trapped gas and actually the shoulder and neck pain is referred pain from your diaphragm...it subsides quickly. Have some adults liquid tylenol on hand at home for when the doc's prescription is more than you need! You will do great! I have a cold now and honestly am worse off than I was post op!

sassymama you have had such a roller coaster ride lap band experience you should write a tell all! :girl_hug:

Thank you so much! and good luck. You are right, getting through these pre and post op diets is about 99% mental! You just have to make up your mind to do it, and then don't waiver. It isn't fun, but it has to be done! :girl_hug:

Ruby124...no, I didn't follow the preop diet perfectly the first time. In my defense, I didn't realize I had a fatty liver and needed to shrink it by following a VERY specific diet. Since I am a diet QUEEN (I could probably teach many diets LOL) I did mostlly what my doc said, but also my own thing. I lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks and he was pleased! (me too) but my liver was still too thick. (see I'm not kidding when I say I believe in "question authority"...LOL ) Once I realized precisely WHY he wanted me to do HIS diet, I cried in recovery for about 1 minute then got determined. From the day after my 1st surgery I did exactly what he said and 2 1/2 weeks later and ANOTHER 17 pounds down I was successfully "banded". LOL So Like a good friend of mine says, if i can't be a good example let me be a horrible warning LOL

Honestly I plan to just order whatever I want, have them box up half before they serve me, and then eat probably half of what they serve and take the rest home for another meal or two. Most children's menus do not have healthy options (as you discovered) and I don't want to bother trying to explain. Right now I don't have any restriction anyway, so I COULD"ve eaten from the grown up bar! LOL Restaurants are funny about buffets, anyway. If your husband just ordered a menu item, they couldn't have said anything. But the buffet, they were probably afraid you were trying to cheat them. Sorry you had such a bad experience. I'd just avoid buffets in the future! LOL

MAburt it's funny I'm the exact opposite (but then i didn't know I had a fatty liver until the first op) When he didn't place the band I cried honestly in recovery for less than 1 minute then got super determined. After that you'd have had to shoot me to get me to eat something other than those things the doc ordered for me! LOL Anyway my doc said I was the first time (in well over 1000 patients) that he was unable to move the liver out of the way. It happens, but its rare. I will hope your husband's surgery is successful the first time!

Sassymama I have the AP Lap band size large and I think it holds 14cc's. SO it's no wonder i have absolutely NO restriction yet. I know the first fill probably won't do too much to me, but at least it will mean I'm finally on the road! I don't want my doc to be TOO aggressive with the fills; it can cause bad side effects. So I'll be happy for a gradual tightening!

excarolinagirl...I think you're on to something. Anesthesia is a trip.

MABUrt has your husband been on a "shrink the liver" diet?

That just made me laugh. The thought of a MANATEE (Yes I know you aren't really. At least I THINK i know that) going bad....yikes! LOL

Once you are restricted your stomach doesn't hold much. But before then i don't think it's that important. I have no restriction whatsover but have read that's common with my style band. I'm looking forward to 10/9 and my first fill!

If you feel better then I'm glad you're ok now! :girl_hug:

Each surgeon has his/her own spin so don't take mine as gospel...but what I had to do was 2-3 of a specific brand of protein shake daily, 3 ounces lean fish chicken or turkey for dinner and 1 cup green veggie for dinner. no butter no frying no condiments no nothing. AND 64 ounces (at least) of WATER. PERIOD. No tea no coffee no diet soda no sugar free lemonade nothing. It was harsh but I dropped weight like there was no tomorrow and after 5 1/2 weeks and 32 pounds, it finally did the trick!

Winona....once you have healed and have restriction, you will still be able to eat out. Just make healthy choices, and have the waiter box up half your meal before he brings it. Then just eat part of what he brings. I've been told to not drink 15 minutes before, then during, then 15 minutes after a meal. You can order Water and just not drink it! AND as to what you can or can't eat? EVERYONE is individual in this. I was told that most of my surgeons patients can, by 1 year out, eat anything. That if you try something (again, small bites, chew well) and it disagrees with you, wait a month or two and try it again. For dining out, pick things you know you won't have an issue with. And as to shame? This is my epiphany. I felt the band was "cheating"...that I "should" be able to just diet and exercise and lose and MAINTAIN that loss on my own. Then I realized one morning....if I needed a pacemaker for my heart, I would NOT say "No that's cheating. Most other people I know don't need a pacemaker. Why should I need one? That's shameful". NO I'd say "QUick give me that sucker! save my life" WELL....I think of the band as a portion pacemaker for my stomach. There's no shame in that. I'm saving my life. The shame is in not acting. Just my take on it. Maybe it will help you.

So the "NO CARBONATION EVER" caveat should really be "MAYBE NEVER" Sounds like once we heal and our bodies adapt and so on, an occasional carbonated beverage is do-able. I had reconciled to NEVER any beer or so on. It's nice to know I'll just have to wait and see, but maybe! :girl_hug: