LisaD1111

I'm about 3 weeks post-surgery. I noticed today that the area around my port incision (the largest one) is bright red. It's also tender to the touch. I haven't had this before. It's not on my waistline, so there's no chaffing or anything. Other incisions still look normal. Has anyone else experienced this?

That's about the same as my schedule before I went back to work. Surgrey on Friday, back to work on Tuesday. I think you'll be up to the presentation, but you should plan to go easy before and after the presentation. Also, be aware of your medication. When I was at work I skipped the good stuff (liquid Vicodin) and took liquid Tylenol. Good luck!

I'm a few days into the pureed/mushy food stage. My doctor has me in this stage for 2 weeks. His definition is anything I could eat if I didn't have teeth. Unfortunately, I don't like a lot of his suggestions -- oatmeal, grits, Cream of Wheat, pureed chicken or tuna salad, baby food, etc. So far the only thing I like is pureed egg salad and a few cream Soups that probably aren't the best choice. Oh, he also says no potatoes (my favorite). Any suggestions? I'm hoping there's something out there that I haven't thought of yet :cursing:

I just finished the book "Naturally Thin" by Bethenny Frankel and wanted to recommend it to anyone with a lap-band. Yes, it has the same info we've all heard a million times (small portions, stop before you're full, etc.). However, it's still a good read and primer for starting the lap-band lifestyle. One of the principles in the book has really opened my eyes -- the principle of diminishing returns. It means recognizing when a food no longer has the same appeal as the first bite. In the past, I'd finish the dish and get it over with. Now that we have limited space, I'm not wasting my 1/4 to 1/2 cup on mediocre food! It also talks about the myth we tell ourselves about not wasting food. Think about all the money we've spent dealing with the after affects cleaning our plate! The book also has some good recipes. Ok, commercial over :thumbup:

Just curious -- did you have a pre-op liquid diet? My doctor had me do a low-carb liquid diet for 2 weeks before surgery and it really helped me transition into the post-surgery diet. One trick I've been doing is doubling up on Protein in the same amount of Water (or milk if you like that yucky stuff :thumbup:. It gives you more protein (which is more filling than broths and such) and usually more flavor. I do the unjury chocolate with a packet of Splenda. It tastes so much better because it tastes more chocolatey. I just started the mushy phase, which according to my doctor is the stage that includes yogurt, cottage cheese, cream soups and such. Isn't it odd how every doctor seems to have their own plan? Good luck!

Yes, I should mention that I'm only 2 weeks post-op and have not had a fill yet!

I told my doctor that I didn't want to give up my 1-2 Diet Cokes a day because it's my only source of caffeine. He said it could be painful the first couple days because of the carbonation, but left it up to me. I avoided it for 3 days and actually didn't miss it as much as I thought. I think the liquid Vicodin helped me avoid caffeine headaches :thumbup: There is essentially nothing wrong with diet carbonated drinks, they just want to make sure you're getting enough water. I have no problem getting my 64 ounces since the only other thing I drink is my (now) one Diet Coke in the morning.

I got the band a week ago and I've recently come down with a cold and persistant cough. Thankfully there are plenty of liquid medicines, so that's not a problem. I'm mostly worried by the cough and constant nose-blowing and whether this is causing trauma to any area of the band. I know we're talking about different pipes, but there is some general aching in the area when I cough. The problem is that I don't know if this is because it's causing trauma or I'm still experiencing post-surgery pain. I'll give my doctor a call on Monday, but thought I'd come here first to see if any of y'all had advice or similar experience!

My doctor considers cream soups and Cream of Wheat second stage/soft foods, which I can't have until 2 weeks after surgery. You didn't mention protein shakes, so perhaps adding 2 or 3 of those to your diet will help. I am just as surprised as anyone that 2-3 protein shakes and a cup of broth have been filling me up for the last 3 weeks (2 weeks pre-op, 1 week post-op). Oh, you could also add some sugar-free popsicles if you have a sweet tooth. They aren't particularly filling, but satisfy the need to have dessert or something sweet after dinner or later in the evening.

Good to know, thanks. Maybe the above average pain is because the surgeon repaired a hernia in my diaphragm during the band surgery.

I like the unjury chocolate powder. I always use Water though because I don't like milk. One thing I've learned is that if you add an extra half of a scoop it makes it more chocolatey. Obviously, it also increases the Protein, so that's good. Some other advice I've heard, but haven't tried is that if you do use Unjury and like to add things, use vanilla as the base rather than the unflavored. Oh, I also like the Unjury because it doesn't have much of an aftertaste. For the on-the-go shakes, I prefer the Atkins Chocolate and Vanilla shakes. If you can't find it, the Pure Protein and EAS Low-Carb are also ok, but all the pre-made seem to have more of an aftertaste.

I've heard that scrambled eggs aren't really considered mushy or pureed foods because there are issues with eggs and their rubberiness. Instant mashed potatoes might be the safest option (pending Dr. approval) because you can make them more runny. I had my surgery on May 22 (a week ago) and I'm not sure I could do mushy foods yet. I guess we're all different!

I got my lap-band done yesterday and stay at the hospital overnight. This was my first surgery ever and I was totally not prepared for the pain. My body aches, especially joints. Is this normal for lap-band or any surgery? I know I'm supposed to walk a little throughout the day, so I've been doing that. I live by myself though, so I don't want to push it too much in case something happens! So, is this full-body pain normal or am I just a big baby? :wink2:

Also, it kinda sucks that I worked so hard during pre-op liquid stage and lost 16 pounds, then I get home and I've gained 10 back! What's up with that? I'm still just doing clear liquids.

So, I know this is probably a silly question, but my lap band surgery (May 22!) will be my first time at a hospital. Do I bring pajamas or do you sleep in gown? I assume loose clothing is most comfortable after surgery and when I leave. Are pajamas appropriate to walk around in when you leave? Unfortunately, that's all I have with an elastic waist. Also, if you're staying overnight, do you have to use a catheter or can you get up and go to the bathroom? I know these are silly questions, but I just don't want to worry about the small details when I'm there :grouphug:

Ha! I didn't even think about workout clothes! Thanks for your help!

I waited until work got a little slower and just tried to cram as many appointments into a day as possible. The place where I'm getting the surgery does everything but blood work, xray/barium swallow, and cardiac stress test. I never went there for just one appointment. Sometimes it was worth putting off one thing if I could schedule at a later time and do 2-3 appointments (say sleep doc, nutritionist and psych test) on the same day. Bascially, the time from my very first consulation to surgery date (May 22) has only been 2 months. My insurance company is covering most of this. I imagine that it probably can be quicker if one was paying cash.

Hi there, I was sitting here on my first day of the pre-op diet and found this forum. I'm so glad to see that people are actively talking and sharing their experiences! I'm a pretty picky eater, so preparing for the pre-op has been hard. Basically, I don't like milk or the consistency of milk, so it was hard to choke down that first shake. I had a white wine and herb-flavored chicken broth for lunch and it was not good. I had 1/2 a cup. Who would have thought I'd stop after a 2.5 calorie lunch? :tt2: Anyway, I just ordered some unjury and hope to have a better experience with plain chicken broth tonight. Any tips or suggestions from those with similar food tastes/pickiness is greatly appreciated! Lisa