2muchfun

Most docs don't do a fluoroscopy before surgery but sounds like your next doc should look at your anatomy a little closer. A fluoroscopy might give them a better understanding of what they could expect? I feel for ya! tmf

What do you consider enough? Our bodies can get by just fine on 800-1000 day.

I prefer to call this "Eating healthy" and not a diet. The word diet brings back memories of being hungry all the time. Deprivation is not a way of life for me. I get hungry every 3-5 hours now. And I eat normal foods. I stay away from processed carbs, refined sugar and high fat foods. That keeps my caloric intake around 1400/day.

Not for me, my doc asks I only have liquids 3-4 hours before a fill. Try a soup to get you by?

I assume you're on the 6 month insurance mandated nutrition program? Sometimes I wonder if these type of obstacles are just a way to wean out prospective surgeries in an attempt to avoid paying for one? If we WLS patients could be successful dieting we wouldn't need WLS right? I don't recall ever hearing of anyone who was denied because they weren't successful with the 6 month nutrition program? It could be possible that should you be successful they may deny coverage because you've shown that you are capable of losing without surgery? IMO, I would do the best you can but don't knock yourself out by starving yourself for the next 5 months. If your nut is intelligent she will just advise you to make intelligent choices for foods you consume? tmf

I know for me I needed 3 fills before I felt the band was working it's magic. You're in Bandster hell now and until you get enough fills to allow you to feel a little restriction this will be just like a diet. Once your band is adjusted properly you may have some stuck episodes but you should be looking for satiety. You could be eating less but it's hard till your band is adjusted. Keep eating healthy foods so you don't gain but go back for fills till your band is giving you enough restriction to feel satisfied longer. Weight Watchers may be good for you at this point but once your band is adjusted you shouldn't need to rely on WW. Once you feel some restriction your appetite may change and so will the foods your band tolerates. You're right on track so far imo. tmf

The "Green Zone" is when your band is adjusted(filled) properly and you feel satisfied with less food for 4 hours or more. Less food can be 1/2 cup, 1 cup, 300-400 calories or insert your own caloric meal target here.

For me, I'd say no. I used to have that small heartburn feeling and eating made it go away. I was just hungry. I had another fill about 2 months ago and it took a month or so before it seemed to kick in. Now, I'm tight in the morning. That means, I have to be careful what I eat. I have to eat very small bites, eat very slowly(slower than dinner) and chew chew chew. Some people drink hot fluids to loosen up the stoma but nothing really works for me so I just try to follow the rules. If I don't, food can get stuck for 15-30 minutes and I end up tossing out what's remaining of my bfast. Feeling tight means that some foods or liquids have a difficult time traveling through the pouch and stoma. tmf

Go to youtube.com and search for lapband fills. There are many videos covering this subject.

I watched this video today and found it to be inspirational and enlightening. Beware, it's 16 mins long but it's a good watch.

Read fight4light's post 10 posts up.

You can cause the sutures that hold the band to your stomach to tear lose and the band can slip. Most docs won't allow solids for at least 2 weeks and many not for 4 weeks.

Why do you think your pouch is stretched? What symptoms are you experiencing?

I liked Lipton noodle Soup broth. I'd filter out most of the noodles and sip the broth. I also sipped broth from some Campbell's and Progresso Soups. I like Mexican flavors so I sipped on the tortilla veggie or chicken broths. I also like egg drop soup. In the Asian food isle at King Soopers(Krogers) is an egg drop soup packet that is delicious. I added some sriracha and a dash of soy sauce to the mix. Protein drinks made up most of the remaining meals. I was only on liquids for 4 days so I didn't suffer too long. tmf

Two months the fist time and now two months again. Head hunger is still there though. I have to physically ask myself if I'm hungry or do I want a quick food fix because I enjoy the flavor? Head hunger does diminish during the green zone, but it does not go away entirely for me. My doctor explained to me that our pouches adapt and strengthen as we force it to work harder to push food through the stoma. Therefore, your esophagus and pouch become better machines and it can appear that our band has loosened. tmf

Your post-op diet is similar to most and not unusual at all. You may not feel the band doing it's job till you get several fills and that may take a few months. Good idea to speak to your dietician, they're great resources for finding the foods that give you satiety and nutrition.

I doubt you hurt anything and I don't understand why refried Beans are OK and mashed potatoes aren't either? As far as consuming potatoes and mac and cheese, both may be OK right now but once you heal they aren't a good food choice. Neither has a lot of nutrients and if you fill up on Protein foods you may not want them anyway? It's also possible that your doctor is trying to steer you towards more protein rich foods over processed foods or potatoes. There are so many more protein choices in two weeks vs. now. tmf

Vacations usually come with the high sodium servings of everything. This can cause the lining in your stomach to swell just a little and of course, there's the TOM if you're a gal? But, sodium and processed carbs can make you swell up. How about rings on your fingers? Any swelling? If swelling's not the reason, you might have something stuck in your stoma that is block food and fluids? I almost swallowed a cherry pit yesterday. Whew, that could be one really bad stuck episode. Good luck!

The pain you describe is not normal. Don't ever think it will be this way or you may damage your pouch or esophagus. The pain in your neck sounds like you're pouch is full and food is backing up into your esophagus. Over a period of time this can stretch out the pouch and esophagus and cause a revision. Stop thinking "full". Start thinking, "am I hungry"? The am I hungry or am I just craving will be your biggest test for many days. It took me 4 months to understand this concept. There are stop signals you might want to look for? A runny nose, hiccups, heavy sighs are all signals that you don't need to keep eating. 2 pieces of deep fried fish is not recommended btw. 2 pieces of baked, grilled or poached fish is fine. Start thinking healthy food? It's not that you can't eat fast foods, at this point in your recovery it's not advisable. If you want to lose weight or at least stay even till you get some fills, you may want to eat more of the baked/grilled fish/chicken/beef and eat more vegetables? Until you start to feel some restriction from your band, this is just another diet. tmf

What does misadventure mean? Seems like there's much more to this story than just vomiting and a lack of communication?

Until you get your band adjusted properly, this is just a diet so don't knock yourself out. It may take some time? It took me 4 months to get a little restriction but I made healthy food choices most of the time. Try to eat healthy but don't deprive yourself if you're feeling hungry. I probably ate 2 cups of food at mealtime but I tried to eat fish, chicken, veggies and salads. I just ate more than the 1/2 cup recommended. tmf

Many obese people abuse caffeine with caffeine filled soda pop. Breaking the soda pop habit can be incredibly difficult. I think many docs throw this rule into their guidelines as a way to guide their patients towards healthier eating habits and not fall back to old habits. My doc and nut both allow caffeine in small amounts. I'm allowed a cup of coffee every day as long as I avoid the extra sugar and cream many add to it. tmf

Many of us have gone through similar spells during our journey and most are able to change the tide and some don't. Family situations certainly play into what foods we allow in the house but for me it starts with grocery shopping and what I allow in my house. I've got grandkids coming in today for 10 days. There will be chips and pizza around I'm sure so it will be up to my own willpower to avoid those foods. I'll keep healthy food in the house and make every effort to eat healthy but I'm sure I'll slip up now and then. Don't beat yourself up, just keep moving towards the healthy foods and it will come. tmf

It's called a "fill". They "fill" your band with saline. Where did you have surgery? Swedish or one of the surg centers? There's a good support group at Swedish every month. Skyridge has monthly support groups too. Sounds like you didn't get enough info before the surgery? Here are 4 videos. Please watch them but follow your doctors orders. These are very educational and I wish I would have watched them before or right at surgery. I'd still have surgery but I wouldn't have been so naive the first 4 months. Part 1 part 2 Part 3 Part 4