vow

I'd suggest avoiding as much artificially sweetened stuff as possible, it just doesn't do your body any good to think it's getting sugar(y) foods/drinks. Cream of mushroom/tomato/brocoli/chicken/potato are all good (I was instructed to strain out the chunkier soups like the brocoli) Even non-fruit yogurt is allowable at this point. Non-fat or skim milk is also good. You can have V-8 juice now which was like a meal for me during my full liquid week. Drinking a low carb type of Protein drink is important at least 2 a day, if you're doing a powdered whey protein, mixing it with skim milk is great (I mix mine all in the magic bullet that thing is a life saver) My nut also allowed for really runny mashed potatoes (I had to add milk to get them to a soupier texture and they were like ambrosia) Good luck on Full liquids Week!

Grats on the surgery, and glad you're feeling well post-op. I think you're going to find those wonderful gas pains soon enough (not trying to be a party-pooper lol) Good luck on the new chapter of your life

congrats on the band scott. I was banded 3/19/10. I felt sore but the pain meds they gave me worked to keep me able to move during the first few days, the soreness goes away pretty quickly. walking is really a big key to moving the gas out of your body. The reason you're more sore than some is due to them fixing your hernia. It takes a little more time for you to feel "normal" post-surgery. As far as being thirsty more than your surgeon suggests you drink, I think you'll find if you phone him, that having a sugar-free freeze pop or ice chips to keep you from feeling so thirsty between allowable liquid amounts will be acceptable. Good luck :cool:

The band is empty for all of us post op for about 6 weeks (depending on your surgeon but that's generally the timeline) Your body needs to heal and your stomach needs to adapt to the band before they start adding saline to it.

That's so cool! I am looking forward to discovering things I have been avoiding are actually something I can physically do again.

3 weeks post-op as of today. 32 pounds gone!

I chose the lap-band over gastric bypass for several reasons. The Lap-band is less invasive than gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass is physically altering your stomach forever. Gastric bypass surgery does cause you to lose more rapidly, increasing the chance of hanging loose skin... yeah I'd love to have all my weight melt off in a few months, but the idea of looking like the saggy-baggy elephant afterwards... not so appealing. You CAN eat sugar with gastric bypass, I work with 2 people that have had it done in the past 6 months. Talk to some other folks with gastric, like several posters I've seen that lost all that weight, then started gaining and went in for a lap-band.

I was on a break at work and went outside to get some fresh air, periodically junior high school kids come through our engineering building for a tour...I was coming back in just as they were organizing getting the 40 or 50 kids loaded on the 3 available elevators to go up to the auditorium for a presentation. I got stuck with about 12 teenaged girls in the same elevator as me, and on the panel is a placard stating that the weight limit is 3500 pounds (or 21 people). This rude little b*tch behind me stage-whispers "I bet she makes up half of that limit all on her own" Now, from what I've seen through this thread, there is a lot of folks who "just take it" mortified, embarrassed, and silent. I'm not that good a person, I turned around and told her, "I may be fat, but I make over 100k a year thanks to my education, remember that when I super-size at your drive-thru window." I have seen so many people comment about airplane seatbelt extensions, and no one has mentioned how bad those friggen seats hurt your sides when you have to basically crisco your body down to squeeze into them. I dread flying because of how uncomfortable the seats are. My last time on an airplane was to fly to San Diego, CA on March 19th 2010. Reason for flight: lap-band surgery! 3 weeks post-op, looking forward to never having to stand up for myself to people who think it's ok to be rude to the "fat girl" PS: Also looking forward to being able to see my who-ha again... I've missed it, hope it's the same as I remember it looking!

Congratulations on your band! I spent the first three nights in a reclined but not lying down position to sleep, it hurt/pulled the incision on my side too much to twist and move to get in and out of bed, so I avoided it... The gas, lol you are going to be a walking fart machine for few days... thankfully the bloated full feeling eases as the swelling goes down. The sore throat from the breathing tube only lasts a day or two, I found sucking on ice chips and swallowing the super cold drops of Water helped with that a bunch! Congrats again!

Wow that's a rapid transition to solids. I have to say that as much as I miss "real" food.... I am pretty thankful my post-op was a long road back to solid food. I was banded March 19th and am almost through my first week of mushies, but have also lost 31 pounds in the almost 3 weeks since my surgery. It's so interesting how doctors follow such different plans for post-operative eating.

I know for about 10 days after surgery it was a very wise decision to NOT be walking behind me, especially not with open flame nearby. The gas gets better, drastically, as you move it out of your system (walking seemed to be the big key to that) I didn't pass much gas from the other end, but the ability to burp for sure felt as though it'd been surgically removed during my band install.

My surgeon didn't give me a goal weight, however the psychiatrist that evaluated me pre-surgery was NOT ok with my stated goal weight of 125. She told me that was definitely too thin, and that 137 was a better goal to work towards, given my frame and bone structure. I smiled and nodded but you know, 125 is still the number in my mind. Just dont tell my quack that.

I have my lap-band card in my wallet, however I have not yet pulled it out for the child or senior menu discounts (only 2 and a half weeks post-op) I was given my card directly after surgery with a sticker containing the serial number and reference number of my band on it. As for the metal portion on our ports, I can tell you that I have 2 steel plates and 16 screws holding my right foot onto the end of my leg, and I rarely set off metal detectors with THAT much metal in it. Once in awhile I get a touchy scanner and they just pat that ankle down when they catch it with the wand. I am going to say that there's not enough metal in the port to make even the most sensitive metal detecting scanners go off. As for the full body x-ray the port is inside the body, as is the band, they're not checking you for medical implants, and I doubt it would ever be an issue flying.

I am the same as far as feeling absolutely no hunger, I am 2 weeks post op and have felt like that since I woke up. I am taking in between 400-500 calories a day (mostly the Protein drinks) and feel no weakness or side effects from not taking in enough calories, guess my body's got plenty to convert into energy if it needs to (like my butt). I asked my doctor about the calorie intake and he said it would get higher naturally as I swap from liquid to mushy etc, and he's not concerned that I am starving my body at all at this point. I would guess that once you move off liquids and back onto a mushy or solids diet your calorie intake will climb to normal as well.

I'm 11 days post surgery and I still have gas related pain in my abdomen, the more you walk the better that moves through you, or so I've found... just make sure there's no one walking BEHIND you For me mushy foods on my dietician's list included all clear liquid/full liquid items, skinless baked/mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, Peanut Butter in moderation, refried Beans, baked beans if run through a blender, tuna, chicken salad (w/o celery) etc... basically anything that can be mashed to mush heh.

I went to Mexico for my surgery, actually. Locally for my fills I will be seeing Dr. Mando in Kenner, my first fill is scheduled for April 30th, but at this point I feel restriction and have no appetite. Am enjoying it while it lasts! I am sure that your gain is temporary and you'll continue doing great!

Hey, am also from New Orleans, I was banded March 19th, and while I am not yet on "mushies" (still on full liquids) I was told by both the surgeon and dietician that there is a real chance I may gain a few pounds here and there as I move into mushies, and again as I move into solids. I think it's quite normal, your body is probably going crazy at something more substancial than Fluid entering the body. Once it goes out of it's "hording" mode, I believe that will subside. I am not an expert obviously but was warnded about that being common as you transition between foods.

I was self pay (no insurance through work) and even if I did have insurance would probably have opted to self-pay since I did not want to wait out 7 months of diet before being allowed to schedule my surgery. I chose to go with Medical Tourism to Mexico; Hospital Angeles in Tijuana with Dr. Lopez Corvala. He's an incredibly experienced surgeon who practiced in the US, has performed over 8000 bariatric procedures. My final cost, including 3 days in Hospital Angeles, limo service from the San Diego Airport to the hospital (and return), surgeon fees, and free fills for the first year either at Hospital Angeles, or in a US sister medical facilty, psych eval, dietician class..etc was $5995. They are efficient, the hospital was amazingly clean, the staff is friendly and attentive to the point that it puts US hospitals to shame. Anyone that cannot afford the 10-15k pricetag I would encourage to explore this option. It was quite frankly the best medical experience I have had in my nearly 39 years. If I ever have any other surgery that is considered elective I will be returning to Hospital Angeles without hesitation.

I had my surgery on March 19th without any problems and have felt really good other than some tenderness at my incisions... however, I have also not felt hungry at all. I am 10 days post surgery and on full liquids, including cream based Soups. I have been eating at Breakfast lunch and dinner because it was time to eat, not due to any feelings of being hungry. I realize that for a few days post surgery it's normal to not feel hungry due to swelling in the stomach and esophogus, but after 10 days you would think some of that would return. Yesterday I decided to not eat till I actually felt hungry. At 8pm I gave up on that "test" and had some tomato Soup. I am drinking 2 Protein Shakes a day, as well as taking chewable muli-vitamins, I haven't felt full or hungry and am wondering if anyone else has had this type of reaction to surgery? I keep reading about band hell where people are feeling super hungry and I've had nothing even close to that. I have lost 26 pounds since the day of surgery and I am getting concerned. Thanks Veronica

I was banded March 19th 2010. I was up walking the halls of the hospital within a few hours of waking up. My diet was 1 week of Clear liquids, today is my first day of full liquids... who knew Tomato Soup could taste so good?! I have a week of full liquid diet before I start adding any mushies. I've lost 20 pounds in the first week of being banded, obviously due to the clear liquid diet, but I've yet to feel hunger at all. Thinking I may still be having some swelling.

I was banded on March 19th 2010 by Dr. Lopez Corvala, at Hospital Angeles, Tijuana Mexico. I arrived at 11am, and was taken immediately in for a chest x-ray and blood work. I was then taken to my room, and met and spoke with each member of the surgical team individually, they all spoke excellent English. I met with the psychiatrist last, and immediately after her departure, the nurse returned to have me put on the fashion-foward gown, and the horrible socks to prevent leg-clotting. I had my IV line put in and was downstairs awaiting my surgery. I went into surgery at 1pm, was back in the recovery room by 2pm, and back in my hospital room by 2:45. I was up walking before 4pm day of surgery. They kept me overnight, it was part of the package, so I didn't get to see my band location till the next morning when I drank the most disgusting pink chalk ever. Everything looked good and I was discharged by 10am. I am 5 days post-surgery, have lost 13 pounds already (yeah I know -- liquid diet doesn't last forever but I'll take it!) I feel great, I strained one of my incisions lifting my carry-on wheeled suitcase into the overhead bin for flight and it's bled a bit but overall feel fantastic. I have had quite a lot of gas pressure but no hunger or internal pain.