RestlessMonkey

well I have 2 large incisions so I will just have to ask my doc where my port is, and why they are both so big!

Hi all! I just got my band 8/29. Anything I can tell you, any info I can give to help calm your fears a little? I've been through it twice...8/11 and again 8/29. I'll help if I can!

I absolutely cannot stand mayonnaise and the thought gives me nausea! LOL but low fat gravies, etc will work too I'd guess.

Snowbird, I totally disagree with you. I said I want to be able to eat anything. I did NOT say "In unlimited quantities". well, duh that's what I did preop. I want to be able to eat anything in greatly reduced quantities, and i'm sure that I will be able to. There's nothing wrong with eating 2 oz of steak instead of 10, or a few bites of a baked potato instead of one the size of my head. If you "need" to feel there are certain things you may not touch in order to be successful, then I am honestly glad you feel that restriction. However, I don't feel I need that nor will I do well with that. I will be able to thrive and lose and be healthy if things are as my surgeon and his staff described; I will eat less, be full with less, stay full longer, and must never snack. Groovy. I can do that. I think we each need to find our own right way to use this tool we have. I'm sure I'll learn and change along the way, but I don't intend to live on baked fish the rest of my days, either. And on my birthday I plan to have a bite or two of birthday cake.

I WISH I felt full! My surgical wounds are a little sore but otherwise I feel normal. I'm so glad I get to go to the surgeon on weds; maybe they'll let me have something more substantial than water, broth, and sugar free jello! If not, though, I can make it. :thumbup:

LOL at themis...tortilla strips...sigh I'm not going to "loosely" interpret my doc's directions because I messed up on my preop diet. That made a straight line believe out of me. It's not worth it when in a few days or so I'll be able to have more. I am doing fine with broth and water and really am going to buy some sf jello. They also said we could have SF popsicles so I may buy a box of those too....although what I want isn't SWEET stuff, it's food! But I can make it. My appt is weds and I'll see then if I can expand a bit into something with more sustenance (besides those sweet EAS shakes)

I'm still really new (banded 8/29) but no regrets or anything here. I truly think I am going to LOVE my band!

This is a tool and we each have to use it the way we see fit. I will have to just play it by ear but I know the more I deny myself, the more I want food. (learned that over years of dieting and months of therapy) .... that's just me. But if I set myself up to "ONLY" eat ff, lf, ns, baked fish etc I can tell you now I'll go nuts! I'll have to find the happy balance and I'm sure I'll be able to! :smile:

good luck! we are supposed to take vitamins forever, but no antibiotic for a week. Glad you are feeling good; it gets better every day!

Then it will just depend on how fast you can get everything done....and how ready you are for the surgery! AND how booked your surgeon is! They should be able to give you a time frame at your seminar; they did at mine! good luck!

Week 1 we don't get anything but broth, jello and water. That's it. no protein shakes no nothing else. So no bean soup for this chickie (I learned my lesson during my preop fiasco) but once I hit mushie land refried beans and some melted cheese are my 1st meal!

Depends on if you use insurance or self pay and how booked your surgeon is. I went to my seminar 7/10, had my initial consultation 7/18, had my psych, nutrition and follow up 7/25, preop 8/7 and 1st band attempt 8/11. My insurance fortunately approved in 48 hours. My liver was too fatty for the 1st try but he placed my band 8/29. Some have to wait 6 months or more

OH and even white bread? I read to mix it with other textures and it won't ball up as badly. Honestly I'm not much of a sandwich eater anyway but it's nice to know I can have one if I want it. It will be ok!

The NP at my doc's office said that most of my doc's patients, once they are a year or more postop (and therefore have healed and LEARNED how to eat) and eat anything. I think except for carbonation (which can give you bad gas) I will be able to eat anything. She said some have problems with stringy red meat and that's fine with me; I don't eat stringy red meat anyway. So I'm not worried about it. OH and they said if you have a problem with something, give it a month or so and try again. I know I'll be one of those who can eat anything, just in smaller amounts. They told me a good attitude is over half the fight!

Thank you both! No wonder I've been so starved I could've chewed off my chair arm! Going to the grocer's NOW! :smile:

Our surgeon told us not to take any fiber without checking with him first......So sassymama if you try that you might want to ask your doc if it's ok. But it really will get better. And I was told this first part it is way more important to heal properly than to lose, so don't sweat the scale. It will come off.

NO! and I'm hungry! My surgeon is very conservative I guess. 1st week we get ONLY water, broth, and jello (sugar free). That's IT. 2nd week we get to add in protein shakes. (eee haw) Week 3 is mushies like pudding, yogurt, refried beans...then week 5 we start solids (soft solids). I think during the mushie phase I can grind stuff up to babyfood consistency and eat it.... I'll know more for sure after my 1st post op appt weds. That is going to be a day of getting info for me! I know we're supposed to just have liquids to let our stomachs and bands heal, but I want to be more clear on what I can have when.

I'm not sure...my husband says he thinks my biggest one is the one the doc used to get the band "inside". The nurse in recovery told me my port was smack in the middle of my abdomen (odd spot; I'll confirm with my surgeon LOL) and it isn't as long or wide as the one on my left side (the one my DH thinks is the port of entry for the band). I'm just trying to remember to stretch and breathe deeply to help keep me from getting adhesions...things will heal better that way.

You won't feel full until you get fills. Right now your band is in place but has no "fills" or restriction in it. This is the hard part; you just have to hang tough. Don't overeat as your band is still healing! It will get easier; this is the rough part.

My port is in the middle of my abdomen but if I hit it (like leaning up against the kitchen counter) it hurts like the dickens. And I am still tight when I breathe deeply. I was banded early AM 8/29 so I'm not far behind you. I'd say yes it's normal. Try to not pinch it and let it heal, if possible (I know it's hard! we move our torsos!)

Let me be a horrible warning. My doc put me on a sever 3-week preop diet. I did not follow his instructions; but I did lose 15 pounds. I didn't realize he had me doing it to shrink my liver which, because I did not follow his guidelines, was too fatty the first time he tried to place the band. So I came to in recovery on 8/11 with no band. Back on the diet (his way this time) for another 18 days and finally, 32 pounds down, my band was placed on 8/29. NOW I'm on liquids for another 2 weeks. I'm not going to lie and say it's a breeze, but I learned my lesson. I just try to distract myself when I get too hungry because I learned the hard way I need to do what my surgeon says! Hang in there. It will get easier!

Why are you struggling? You can still eat anything (no restriction yet) so it can't be that....

I agree the Kraft 2% American Slices and grated cheeses are good and tasty and they melt like "real" cheese. I also like Oscar Mayer low fat hot dogs. I think we just have to be thoughtful about our choices....but not obsessive.

I think you'll probably need to check with your surgeon about this. Since they use different techniques and different materials to close your wounds (for example...some use glue, some staples, some sutures etc) it will be up to him/her to give you some guidance. What worked for someone on this board might not be right for you.

I'm thinking most likely people 5 years out are busy living their lives and no longer need the help of a support "board". There are medical reports on people 5-years out; you'll have to go to the library to access them but the literature is there.