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Good luck on Monday. I hope you get restriction on your first fill :huh2:. I have learned that using smaller silverware and cutting anything I eat up into tiny pieces helps me a lot. I also chew chew chew. I have to really think about it though. Hopefully soon this will just come as second nature. I have tried to not drink while I eat, but it is just not possible for me. I dont drink much at all, but I have to have a little water! I used to drink two and three glasses of tea with a meal. Now I have MAYBE 1/4 a glass of water with my meal. I just cant go without, maybe with a fill that will be easier for me!?!?!

It amazes me to see how every Doctor has different preop and postop care. I have read that some people did not have preop diets, and my doctor insisted on a 7 day preop diet. I have enjoyed my post op diet much more :huh2:. I was on clear liquids two days and then soups the rest of my first week, then started mushies after that for two weeks. So I have been eating mushies for a week now. I am to start eating regular foods at week four. I eat anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food each meal, and then have one to two snacks a day. Maybe that is why I am not feeling hunger, because I load myself with protein. I guess like Doctors, everyone has a different reaction to the band. What vitamins do you take? I am taking a Flinstone chewable, B-Complex, and then 5,000 mg of Biotin to help prevent hair loss. That is another reason why I am loading up on the protein, to help prevent hair loss. My favorite mushie protein by far is fat free refried beans, I eat half a cup of those and feel very full. I have GOT to get on the exercise band wagon. I am torn between buying a treadmill or getting a subscription to a gym. I am not a big fan of working out in front of people, but have friends that go to the gym, they are all pretty small though. I just know I need to do SOMETHING!! Right now, I still have some stitches left so I have a bit of time to get on the exercise band wagon, but I only have days!

I have not felt any hunger since surgery, but I am only two weeks post-op. I am sure the feeling will come back, but I sure hope it doesn't :ohmy:. I can only assume that is because my stomach is still swollen or healing, take your pick. I think you all have great insight. Right now I am doing the five small meals as you all have suggested, but not to satisfy hunger rather to get in my protein! Though I plan to continue the five small meals, because it seems the healthiest way to go. I love reading posts from you veterans! You all are such INSPIRATION to a newby like me!! Happy Holidays to all of you!

FVS ignore my question about the band, I read the beginning of post and saw you are week three. Did you start to feel hunger starting week three?

Well FVS, I sure hope not. How long have you had your band? When did you start to feel your hunger again? I am a newby so I am trying to prepare myself, for what you say seems to be the inevitable. I am hoping it stays gone for ever, but am preparing myself that it will come back like you said.

Love that, going to start quoting you mem620....lapband limbo :shades_smile:!!! I am two week postop today, so I am still a few weeks away from a fill. I can eat more than I thought I would be able to eat, but it is still way less than I used to eat. I have not felt hunger since surgery, do yall? I do feel growling and gurgling, but not hunger. I hope that feeling never returns! I was ALWAYS hungry before the band.

I had surgery 12/3/2008 so I am two weeks postop today. My port sight is still tender, but getting better each day. My surgeon places his ports on the left side a few inches above the belly button, thank goodness. I am large breasted and would hate my port right under my bra! I can feel my port directly below my port scar. I cannot feel it until I push in a little bit though. I have dissolvable stitches, so I can still feel some of those towards the corners of my incisions.

I have a question about fills. What is the procedure for that day? Can you eat before? Can you drink before? Is it like surgery, nothing after midnight the night before? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Good luck in the morning! I was banded December 3rd and I would do it again in a heart beat! The best thing I had during recovery was chapstick and a sippy cup! I drink a lot of liquids in a day and drink pretty fast. I actually tried to drink post op without the cup and took too big of drinks, which resulted in pain and burping. I then switched to the sippy cup...was great! I had one that looked like a small travel coffee cup. I got it at Walmart in the baby section, Playtex brand. I used that about a week to help me learn to take small sips. I use a big girl cup now :confused_smile:, and take small drinks like I am supposed to. I was very nervous before surgery, but all turned out great! Your life is about to change, enjoy it!!

For me personally it was A LOT cheaper to go to Mexico. Banding in Mexico cost me $6,500. Average number of fills is 2-5 for a person, but lets even double that...and say 10 fills. Ten fills would be $2,500 for me. So that would be total cost of $9,000. As far as loss of wages, I work in Higher Ed so loss of wages is not an issue. So that is still A LOT less than 16k, almost half the price even with fills. I am not saying Mexico is the answer by any means!!! Though it definitely was the best choice for me.

I was banded in Juarez, Mexico. I live in Texas and had a hard time finding a fill doctor before I left for surgery. I did much research and finally found a doctor in Dallas, that is about 5 hours away from me that will do the fills for $250. I found some other doctors in Texas that would do Mexico fills, but they had start up fee of $1000! I can go back to Mexico for fills, but there has been a lot of crime in Juarez lately so I have decided to drive to Dallas for fills. Texas is so big we have to drive for a while to get anywhere anyway, so what is five hours :tongue2:!!

I really liked jello day one and two after surgery! Was really good to me for some reason. I drank gatorade too, out of a sippy cup. The sippy cup helped me not drink to fast. When I did not use the cup I took too big of drinks and had a pain and then burped and then all was well. I used the cup for about a week, there is a Playtex sippy cup that looks like a small on the go coffee mug (got it at Wal-Mart) Now I am used to taking small sips.

Hello ladies! I can't wait to just buy something that is NOT out of the plus size section!!! I want to go into ANY store and be able to buy something if I want besides shoes and accessories! I want cute bras and panties that match that I don't have to go in hock to buy :tongue2:. As of now Victoria Secret secret does not even carry bras in my size!!

Hello, and good luck with your upcoming surgery! I am 1 1/2 weeks post op. I had to do a 7 day preop diet, mostly liquid with some Protein sources. I actually really hated the preop diet, but just thought about it like this....less I have lose after surgery :tongue2:. Since preop diet I have lost 20lbs :thumbup:. Super happy with those results! I have not worried too much about what I have been eating because I am still in the healing process. My doctor just put me on a two day post op all clear liquids diet, and then pretty much creamy and mushies diet after that. I can eat a lot more than I thought I could, but it is still not even a fourth of what I would eat before! Good luck....best decision I have ever made!!!

I hear you on the carbonated drinks! I am a 1 1/2 weeks post op and have been eyeing a coke from time to time. For me so far, there are plenty of other options that are very tasty :tongue2:. So this really has not been an issue yet...have thought about it though!!!! I just keep reminding myself that this is all a life style change!

My doctor put me on a 7 day preop diet to shrink my liver. They do this so your liver is not so in the way during surgery. Mine was a mostly liquid diet....was very difficult to do. I have heard some doctors just ask that you lose 5-7 lbs before surgery. I am a week and a half post surgery and I am 20 lbs down since my preop diet. So all was worth it. I just looked at the preop diet as a way to lose more weight, just meant less I had to lose after surgery :tongue2:.

I have three small incisions under my bra line, but my port sight is much lower...closer to my belly button on the left side. So I guess it depends on where your surgeon likes to put the port. I would ask him to put it lower. I tried the sports bra, but that lasted about 10 minutes. I hated the large one boob feeling. So I wore a soft cup bra home, was a much better option for me than the sports bra!

I am nine days post op, an everything is going great! 17 lbs gone since pre op diet......wooohooo! I have a question about fills. When is the last time you can eat before your fill? Is there a certain, prefill diet? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!!

I am a December Bander, was banded 12/3. All is going great. Still sore in my port area, but the other spots are healing well. Holiday Hotties huh, cute name!!!

I am newly banded 12/3. I ate at PF Changs and got egg drop soup. Went down great and was SOOOOO tasty!!!!