RestlessMonkey

I eat everything well done. I figured that meant with broth, salsa, low fat gravy or some such. Not raw.

This is a good question. I was told that I "could" eat anything I wanted, just less, post op. (most likely, of course). I am going to have to see. Dieting wears on my soul; that's why I've never been 100% successful at it. Sure I've lost, but then gotten tired of the regimen and gained it back. So I plan to "eat healthy" and so on but am not going to obsess about it. Life will go on. If I lose more slowly, so be it. If I wanted to count calories and chase down the latest LF or SF or FF product, I would've just stuck with weight watchers, which has a great program. My dream is to break the hold food has on me...to put away the scale, weigh only at my doc's, eat less, and slowly shrink down to a more normal size. Fretting over every bite sounds like more of the same old thing I always did.

Can the VBG be reversed? If I were you I'd consider that. Once you heal from that, you can see where you are and what you want to do.

I think you are very smart to ask yourself those questions. I will say I personally went through about 10 months of behavioral counseling and therapy before I decided, with my therapist's blessing, to get the band. I figured out why I overeat, and she taught me some good tools that should help me help the band. Just one thing you should remember....you will be full. You will not be truly hungry. You will, especially once you've lost, most likely be able to eat all the foods you love, but will be satisfied with way less of them. However, you are right; if you use food as an emotional crutch or cover, you will either "eat around the band" and gain weight (and what a thing to do after surgery and so on!) or you will need therapy to teach you new ways of coping. There are emotional people who don't overeat; you can learn new ways. It will just take some work on your part. My therapist really helped me.

What are you scared about?

Wow glad I didn't have gas for 10 days. I don't really have any and my surgery was friday.

I don't know what you started out at but I weighed 405 and gastric bypass was never ever an option for me. Actually, there are GBS patients who come back to get the band because although they start out with malabsorption and restriction, eventually their pouch stretches and they just have malabsorption. That' s how so many gain it back. The band can always be tightened as we lose and it loosens. Furthermore, although USA figures aren't as good, studies in Australia show that 3 years out, people with the band lose as much as those with bypass....it just takes us longer because the loss is slower (and healthier) over time. GBS patients are more prone to ulcers and GI issues as well. My surgeon covered both surgeries and does both. Take time to educate yourself on both procedures. Fortunately neither my surgeon nor my internest tried to steer me to one or the other.

you know they fill you with gas during the surgery so things are kind of spread out....makes it safer for you and easier on the surgeon. It will dissipate over the next few days. The more you walk, the better you'll feel!

Honestly I think if you'll read the FAQ section here etc...right now is a time for you to be healing. The band never promised fast WL...1-2 pounds a week is what we'll probably get. And right now it is more important that you heal and your body (and you) get used to the new status quo. Don't rush the weight loss. It will come in time! Some don't really start losing until they get fills. You have to leave that diet mentality behind...you'll lose fine once you're healed and so on.

Thanks! That comes from 5 and 1/2 weeks of the preop shrink your liver diet! :thumbdown: (It's been a long time since I've had food. No wonder I'm hungry)

THANK YOU! It's just one more thing I don't have to worry about now. AND I'm trying to drink calmly to train myself anyway!!! :thumbdown:

WOW if you are bumping it seems to me like it needs to be moved! Poor thing!

I'm so sorry; I don't know much about VBG, except to be glad I never had it. Have you found any VBG sites, boards, or online support groups? Can you go to a different surgeon or specialist? Sounds to me like you're only living a half life and it sounds pretty miserable. I wish I could help you!

I'm having the same problem and I just was banded on Friday. I can't chug (well, I haven't tried) but I can drink full swallows and several at a time. I honestly don't think we're hurting anything. It never occurred to me to ask if we COULD drink more, because the way it was presented to me we would be unable to drink more. And I haven't had nausea or any issues of that type at all. I burped a little in the hospital after the first glass of ice Water they gave me (and they didn't tell me to sip it either) .... but since then I've felt fine. I've taken my meds fine..tyelnol fine...?? AND I'm hungry. I know the band is there and I'm not eating food or mushies but am not experiencing any issues. I think we just don't swell as much as some might, so we don't have that early restriction. At least, I hope that's it. I go to my surgeon on Weds and will find out more then.

And K C Masterpiece makes good bbq sauces, too! That atkins stuff was kind of vile, if I remember correctly....

THANK YOU! It went fine! I was in by 730 and out by 9...it took forever to go home, however, because I had to wait on X-ray to have a swallow test (I was all for taking the test, just wanted it to happen faster!) and I was home by 2pm. I'm a little more sore than the first time, but I'm sure that's due to 1. having the BAND! LOL and 2. having my surgical sites re-opened before they'd totally healed. I'm doing good though; no nausea at all ever, able to keep water down, hungry (which I think is a good sign of healing) but hanging in like I'm supposed to. I am so happy this has happened! I know it will change my life for the better. Thanks for asking about me!

Lucky you Sue we aren't supposed to have caffeine. I am sure I will, but that's down the road. I miss it though!

Did the seminar you went to not allay your fears? Honestly, the horror stories are in the minority. As my surgeon and the nurse practitioner told me, odds are very high that I will be able to eat whatever I want, just in smaller portions. I had my surgery on Friday and am doing great. I'm on the liquid post op diet and hungry but I know it will pass and I'm on my way to a lifestyle that I anticipate will be free of diets and worrying about the scale. There are quite a few long term bandsters here who have achieved that nirvana.... but you have to do what is right for you. The process was kind of fast for me, too (from my primary doc on 7/3 saying I needed the band to my 1st attempt on 8/11) but I'd thought about it and turned it over for years. I bought 2 books and read them (about banding) , mulled it over, and went for it. You do need to be ready to commit to chewing well, and there is a learning curve for this new style of eating. But I'm thinking a year from now I'll be a much smaller old pro at this. My alternative? A year from now I would've been on diabetic meds and feeling pretty low. For me, it's a no brainer. You will find what's right for you, just give it some thought.

Darn I posted a nice answer and my computer ate it or something. Your doc is pretty tough if s/he requires 4 whole weeks on liquids; I know we need to be on liquids for a while to heal. That's usually (average) 2 weeks and they call it "bandster hell"...but for some it's less, and some it's more. I'd say to call your doc and plead your case. It's safest to do it that way. Because I know I had my band Friday and I COULD eat a nice juicy steak right now but it would probably rip my band free of where it was sutured, so I'm sticking with water and broth.

Hang in there! Your surgeon has you doing it for a reason; probably to shrink your liver. I didn't follow my surgeon's preop diet perfectly and my liver was too large! So I didn't get my band on 8/11 as I hoped. It is AWFUL to wake up in recovery and not have the band like you thought. No food is worth that feeling. I did what he told me and the surgery was successful on 8/29 so you can bet I now will follow his directions. So I know it's rough, but I know you can do it!

If you can get it to babyfood consistency, I think you can have it.

Have a GREAT trip! :thumbdown:

You don't have any restriction yet except for the little bit the band itself may give you and if you are chewing welll etc then yes I would say you are 100% normal! There are a VERY few people who get restriction from just the band and don't need fills at the start but they are in the minority. You've healed and the band is there but open....so you can still eat! You may experiece that through several fills. AND ideally you'll always be able to eat whatever you want but will get full more quickly, with less. Enjoy your trip and hopefully your fill, once you get home, will give you that sense of fullness with less food!

It will itch as it heals. Just keep an eye on it and if it gets really red and warm, or if you have a fever, call your doc immediately. A little swelling and especially the itching is just normal healing!

Hi ladies and welcome! I had my band placed 8/29 and faced issues similar to yours...my weight is very high and I have a good deal to lose but more invasive by pass just wasn't for me. I know I have to change my life, but I needed to anyway. I frankly was pretty miserable at 5'5" and 405 pounds. If I have to chew my food 20 times and eat less, that's a fair price to pay for health! That's my thinking anyway. My doc's office reminds me that most patients can eat any all and everything they ever did, just less, if they give it time and let themselves heal and adapt. I know I'll probably never have soft drinks or beer again, but found I could give them up for a life that is more active and healthy. It's a tough decision, but for me the alternative was more scary!