john47

Well done, I have just been banded and hope I do as well as you. Welcome to the boards :thumbup:

I would like to know as well.The leaflet I got from the hospital yesterday after getting my band says: Tough red meats Soft white bread String Vegetables Prawns Boiled rice Pineapples eggs Why eggs? I would have thought that a nice soft boiled egg would have been no problem.

Good luck with the surgery, and thanks for the youtube link. Just viewing now

Got banded yesterday, and have just had my first post op meal. 2 tablespoons of white fish liquidised, along with 2 tablespoons of boiled potato liquidised. I feel like I have just finished a banquet at a chinese restaurant. Even though I took it easy, I feel like I have eaten way too much. I have no fill yet, and my doctor told me today before I left the hospital that the restriction I may feel will be caused by the swelling, and once this goes down I will feel no restriction at all until I get a fill in 6 weeks. There is so much to learn with this banding lark. I hope the restriction I feel after I recieve my fills will be the same as I am feeling today. The hardest part of eating the "meal" was having to remember not to gulp it all down in one go. I believe that slow eating is going to be the hardest thing to change as far as I am concerned. Thanks for listening, and thanks for all the great posts that have taught me so much.

Thanks, yes, I have gone straight on to mushies. Just a couple of tablespoons of Protein, carbs and veg liquidised 3 times a day for the first 2 weeks. Then soft food like fish, mash potato etc for 2 weeks then normal food. I think the principle is the same as the liquids only diet. Thats to say you dont wont your new stomach to have to do any work for the first couple of weeks and be left to heal. I imagine what I am eating at the moment just goes straight through the band like a liquid without the stomach having to work. It is funny how each doctor has different rules, however, its best to stick with your own doctors advice because if things go wrong he/she will want to know why you didn't listen to advice. Good luck with your surgery in October.

Thanks for all the kind words and advice guys. I have to say, if I never read these boards before my surgery, a lot of what I experienced would have been a big shock. The advice and support you get here is a really big help.

No, sorry, nothing like that at all? Just a injection for putting me out, and then I woke with the normal 5 laparoscopic scars on my stomach.

I selected the band because I am a big meal eater, and the restriction will help me to stop this. I do not have a sweet tooth and never eat crisps, ice cream or other Snacks that would easily get passed the band. If on the other hand you snack all the time and might cheat on the band, you may be best choosing the other alternative.

Hey man, dont be too hard on yourself, I got banded yesterday and they have let me start on mushies today. I asked the doctor about this and what I have read about the need for liquids only, and he said not worry, that the band will be fine. He said that the way the put the band in nowdays is to stich a bit of the stomach over the band to stop slippages So yes its best to follow what your own doctor says, but dont be too hard on yourself if you slip a bit.

Stop it, Stop it, I got banded yesterday and all this laughing is making my sides hurt :sad:

Hi everyone, I got banded yesterday, very sore atm, but know I have made the right decision. Great to know that there is somewhere we can all come to and join other people who know what we are all going through.

I dont understand why each doctor is so different, I have my surgery on Tuesday and then I go straight on to mushies the day after. Also I have been on a low carb diet for the last 2 weeks without the liquid only diet. Can you phone the doctor, and explain how bad you are and whether you can move on to the next stage? Hang in there, you have done so well.

OK, some from a guy. Never again will I have to look at peoples faces hoping I don't sit next to them when I get on a plane. Never again will I have to sit down like a lady when I go for a pee. Never again will I be grateful to buy a shirt "just because it fits" and not because I like it. Never again will I be ashamed to go swimming with my young daughter. But most importantly......... Never again will I ever let myself get in this condition again.

Yes it is strange,I am due for surgery on the 15th and I am on a low carb diet for the two weeks before, and mushies straight after:confused:

We like to holiday around Europe a lot, and I usually get away on Business to the Far East once or twice a year. I normally declare a pre-existing heart condition and pay a premium for my travel insurance. What is the situation with a band? Do you have to declare it as a pre-existing “condition” in case of any emergency while away that is related to the band, and that would require a claim on the insurance?

Just found out today that I am getting banded on the 15th Sept, less than two weeks away. A cancellation came in while I was at the hospital. I have to start my diet tomorrow. I am scared stiff but at least I will only have two weeks of being like this and not worrying about it for months. Now the big question is: What shall I stuff my face with tonight for one big last meal ? :w00t:

I was worried because my doctors have put me on a low Carb diet prior to surgery, and I was worried this would not be as good as liquids to shrink my liver. The doctor told me yesterday that I will be ok. Same with post op diet, straight on to mushys from day 1. Its strange how it changes from doctor to doctor.

I settled on a big steak, loads of beers and a big fat creamy cake :biggrin: Now for my new life ! Thanks for the tip about planning my food when I get home for the hospital, I will have to make sure I am well prepered.

If its any consolation, so am I. I am due for my surgery sometime in Sept/oct and fluctuate between wanting it today, and not wanting it at all. However, I realise that if I don't go through with it I will be miserable for the rest of my life.

Hi Carlene, Sure a vet will have no problem fitting your band, indeed, anyone who is good with their hands will do it, like the local blacksmith or motor mechanic etc A friend of mine just got his fitted by the local plummer. He got a great deal, he paid for his band fitting and got free air conditioning thrown in as well. So go and ask your local tradesmen, and see who can offer you the best deal.

I am worried about my pre op diet. I have been fighting the National Health Service in the UK for 2 years trying to get them to band me. They have now agreed to this, but have "outsourced" the procedure to a private group of hospitals. This is all fine, because they have an excellent reputation; however, they have supplied me with a diet sheet for my 2 week pre op diet. This details daily menus that I have to follow to shrink my liver. This seems to differ a lot from the liquid diet most people seem to have to follow. For instance, a typical day’s menu is as follows: Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled Lunch: 2 small slices of bread with 2 thin pieces of ham Evening meal: 4- 6 oz chicken with 2 servings of vegetables. Will this diet shrink my liver enough for surgery? I would hate to have fought this battle over the years to then get to the operating table and the procedure be cancelled because my liver is too large and in the way.

I am overweight because I eat big meals and drink too much beer. I can drink 8-10 bottles of buds a night. I am due to have surgery and a band fitted sometime in Sept/Oct. Now I am sure this will stop the big meal eating but I worry I will just carry on the beer drinking as before. I am going to try being strong and stop drinking completely, but if I give in to temptation, I hope it makes me feels sick otherwise the band will not work for me.

It sure does, thanks for the support and advice

Hi RHepting- I hope the Cardioversion works for you next time, it seems to work for me for a couple of years at a time, but then my heart seems to go crazy for no apparent reason. It’s happened 4 times over the last 15 years, I have had Cardioversion twice, and medication got it normal again the other two times. The family are concerned because WLS has had a bad press in the UK, with scare stories about deaths, and operations going wrong etc. However, my recent visit to the pre op team has gone a long way to remove their fears. The team couldn’t have been more helpful and because they had all had the same procedure, it felt good to talk to them and be able to ask questions. This journey is going to be a long one, but reading these boards shows we will have support and friends to support us along the way, and that in itself is a big bonus.

Hi Rhepting, We have a lot in common; this is also my first post, I am a 47 y/o male from the UK. And weigh 305lbs. I have suffered from AF periodically over the last 15 years. Most recently was 6 months ago when I had Cardioversion to shock it back into normal rhythm. Luckily enough my local health authority recently agreed funding for my weight loss surgery and referred me to a private hospital for the procedure. I recently had my first appointment with them and am now just waiting for my surgery date. I have to admit, although I am desperate for the surgery, I am also feeling nervous. My wife does not want me to have the procedure and neither do my parents. However, the weight is making me feel so low at the moment that I know there is no alternative. The people at the hospital were fantastic, and had all undergone surgery themselves. They were so welcoming and friendly that it has gone a long way to ease my fears. Now I just want it done as soon as possible and look forward to my new life. John