RestlessMonkey

You'll probably have a bigger response to this question if you post it as it's own thread under the "surgeons and hospitals" forum. Click on HOME. Scroll down through the forums until you find "Surgeons and Hospitals" and click on that. Then in the upper left area will be a "button" that says "NEW THREAD" Click on that and post your question. Also lower down is a forum on how to research surgeons in Mexico.

I had almost no pain. A little soreness, that's it. No trapped gas to speak of (love my Doc for that; I think he must have removed it, which they all can, but not all do) I've had dental procedures that hurt more.

Each post op diet is different. I was told not to have caffeine; but I asked WHY! (I've learned to do this! LOL) and was advised by the nutritionist "because it makes some people hungry". Well, it doesn't make me hungry, so about 3 months out I started having my 1 cup of coffee in the AM and my sugarless iced tea throughout the day (although I get 64 oz of Water too) It doesn't really dehydrate you after all, they've found, and it is actually good for you in moderation. If you're told NO, maybe ask why, and see if the reasoning applies to you? As to being an appetite stimulant, be aware that for some it is actually an appetite suppressant (and it was an ingredient in OTC weight loss products for YEARS).

Panda check with your doc, just to make sure it's ok to drink so soon after banding. One big thing, of course, is if anyone overindulges and vomits .... REALLY not good for the band and REALLY REALLY not good just 2 months post op!

There's no physiological reason for you to feel the effects sooner...yes, if you are bypass because of the malabsorption issues, but not with lap band. So if you do, it's in your head, and that's not a bad thing...that means a quicker buzz on less calories! I don't really like liquor without a mixer (too many empty calories for this woman) but in fact tonight at almost 1 year out I did drink 2 MGD Ultra (64 cal each) beer. I poured them to get rid of carbonation and took it slow but I just don't enjoy them like I did. I guess I could drink bloody marys or something...then at least I'd be getting tomato juice. I would say check with your doc to find out when s/he feels it's ok for you to drink. I wish I liked wine, but it just makes my rosacea flare up. !!

YAY! You sound great; glad you're done! :thumbdown:

Everyone IS different. I went into this assuming I would be able to eat anything, but in smaller portions. My doc agreed, said that was his goal, and said a good positive outlook was very important. I don't mean to imply that those who can't eat bread have a bad attitude, ok? LOL Just that my doc encouraged me to be positive. AND...I CAN eat anything. I have always been able to since I healed. I've had pizza, Pasta, bread, popcorn, salad. I have good restriction (3 oz of steak keeps me full 6 hours) and can STILL eat anything...the other day I had a bean burrito for lunch. WITH the flour tortilla. I have half a ham sandwich sometimes...And I don't even have any dressing on it (hate mayo and mustard). I have eaten fried chicken, and fried okra (THAT is a fibrous veggie!) So...while there may be something you can't eat, maybe not. Keep the faith.

Some surgeons are great "cutters" but have lousy bedside manners....I am lucky with my Dr. Cavazos. He ran the seminar (and lord that man was patient, answering every question, some more than once! ) and I've seen him for every office visit, plus before and after my surgery. Shop around; find someone you're comfy with.

Preop tests...take a good book to read, and an MP3 player! :thumbdown: Otherwise, good luck; it's exciting! :biggrin:

Just wanted to say welcome! I just told everyone; it wasn't an issue for me. But then I weighed 405; those who loved me and cared knew I needed to do something.

ROFLMAO! Since she put it in "" quotes and since the rest of her post was pretty nice....but I did make that connection and it made me laugh! :thumbdown: I've been called many things but never a tool...yet! :biggrin: There's always time, though! :crying:

LOL it's ok. I think I knew what you meant! Besides if I'm going to dish out "tough love" I have to be able to take it too, don't I? Anyway thanks again for saying such nice things to me! :thumbdown:

You made me laugh! I am sorry I ever seemed mean! :thumbdown: I think sometimes it's hard to get across in this format. And, honestly, I can be mean, but usually only after someone is mean to me first! :biggrin: I am a tough love type I guess. But I want everyone who posts here to succeed! My dad used to call me "border collie" because that breed of dog is good at making everyone move along. I THINK he was being nice; you never really knew with my dad! :crying:

rcruz, thanks. and luluc I'm not shocked you have crazed friends LOL :thumbdown: Maybe being older I got a lot of that "character" junk from docs etc. It's only recently they realize obesity is a disease and not some failing within (like they used to think schizophreniza was caused by "cold" mothers. snort!) ANYWAY...it's something I always try to speak out against, even when it's usually light-hearted (like this post) .... kind of like positive self-talk for everyone! :biggrin:

frauhowe, your post was really interesting to me. I realized something. At 53 (last year) my primary told me "Jeff, it's all about to go to hell for you. You've been "borderline" on lots of things for a while now, but unless you do something drastic, in 3 months you're going to be on diabetes and cholesterol medication. You are going downhill and as you age there is not a damn thing I can do about it, unless you lose some weight." Rather than depress me, it helped me decide that I wanted the lap band even if I paid for it out of pocket. That was the final straw for me. In 5-6 years, at 60, if I am thinner and still not a diabetic and still without heart trouble, then I will gladly have a revision surgery if I need it. I will probably be healthy enough to weather it, since I am losing with my band. I would never have initially had the courage to do a sleeve or bypass. Now, I am not so afraid. But for some of us, we have to have training wheels. I got the band thinking it was for life. I realize now that if it isn't, I can handle it. But what I couldn't handle was any more time at 405. For people who aren't on that ledge, as I was, the decision can be hard. I was always the "healthy" fat person, and it does catch up with you.

Personally I think it's just food, not murder, not pedophilia, not stealing. I don't think of food as being a sin. I think that all ties in with the "fat people are lazy and dumb and have character flaws" mentality. it's just food. I'm past having to feel guilty if I eat a cookie. Because I have the lap band and my "relationship" with food is different. I don't count or weigh or fret. I'm just eating normally and I'm fine. My thin friends don't say "OH I SINNED yesterday". Don't mean to be pompous, but I think that for many of us, food is too darned important. This just adds to it. It's fuel. It's not a moral dilemma. Ok off my soap box and on to my first 16 oz of water today.

Good luck! You'll do FABULOUS!

Yes the pouch CAN stretch; it's part of your stomach and that is very very "stretchy". As Cleo'smom said, you need to go to your doc. You won't know what your status is until you get checked. If it IS stretched and you haven't let it go on too long, sometimes an unfill and rest period will get things back to normal. But the longer you wait, if it is stretched, the less chance of "repair". Call your doc, get back with the program. Yes it's a tool, but it must be maintained to work.

Remember too that they state over and over that AVERAGE LOSS is 1-2 pounds a week. It isn't bypass. 10 pounds in 3.5 weeks puts you 3 pounds ahead of the curve. The NP at my doc's office said many of their patients don't get restriction until 6 months out...but he fills conservatively.

Right back atcha!

I know you won't cheat! I mostly added that for others who might read it! Hang in there; you're doing so great! I will say, I didn't have any popcorn until I was like 6 months post op...I wanted LOTS of time to heal first!

I'm really REALLY lucky. I guess it's luck. My doc is conservative with fills, but says his goal is for his patients to be able to eat ANYTHING and he feels (have no idea if this is just him, or backed up with scientific data) that slow fills allow a person and the body time to adjust. And I have 7 ccs in my 14 cc band. 2-3 ounces of the right Protein keep me full for HOURS, or a little more of things that are softer like baked fish etc. And there is honestly not one single thing that I have found that I can't eat if I want it. I think it is just wonderful. I choose the healthiest stuff, or the stuff that will keep me fullest the longest, most of the time, but it's nice to know I can have popcorn, or white bread, or a fiberous veggie (had some fried okra the other day) without issues. I LOVE it! I followed his post op diet to the letter, too. (I mean I'm the fool who cheated preop and didn't get the band; I may be stubborn but I learned to follow his "guidelines" LOL) Maybe that helped; I have no issues, feel great, and can eat little bits of anything. yay!

Are you getting adequate water in (at least 64 ounces?) if you aren't that MAY be why. either way, call your doc tomorrow if you don't feel better.

I don't like pickles so can't help you there but can't imagine why you couldn't. And I can eat popcorn fine. BUT don't cheat on your diet; let yourself heal. It's really important!

If you scroll through the forums you'll find topics that address lap band complications and removal.