Byass77

I was wondering if anyone out there does martial arts or contact sports and if fo how did your port handle it? My doctor says that it should be okay after six to eight weeks post-op. I practiced martial arts for several years and stopped training a couple years ago when my son was born. I want to get back into training and was thinking about playing rugby. I hope this does not sound too crazy!

So, chicken is one of my favorite foods. Of course I'm not frying it, but I do love to smoke chickens. I am having a hard time with smoked or baked chicken after chewing then chewing some more it starts to get stuck. I'm really struggling because I do not want to have to give it up, but I am going to have my fourth adjustment next week and if I am having a hard time getting it down now, what's going to happen when I am a little tighter other than getting stuck stuck...does any one have any advice?

It is extremely depressing. I havent had any trouble with deli meat or hamburger. I'm going to try eating the chicken with salad or mashed taters to see if that helps.

I am beginning to notice that when it comes to lap band it is mainly up to your doctor and what they believe is the best process for their patients to get the best results. So, some do things one way and others the other way.

I think it is Dr's preference. I cannot have anything solid at least 4 hours prior to fill no liquids 1 hour prior to fill. After the fill it is 2 days liquids. I had my third fill yesterday and they tightened me up pretty good so I have to do 2 days liquids and 1 day mushies prior to going back to solid food..

Hey there. My Dr. has his patients not eat any solids four hours prior to the fill and stop liquids 1 hour prior to fill. I guess it keeps things nice and clear when filling.

Here it is six weeks after being banded and I had my first fill yesterday. It wasnt painful at all, but I am bruised at the port site. I recieved 4CC in an Lapband AP large that holds 14CC. I wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions as to what to stay away from at least for the moment while adjusting to the new restriction. I am on liquid until tomorrow then back to eating normal. Thanks

Yeah, I understand the sparring thing. I was looking into starting in Brazilian Jujitsu because it is an intense work out and there really is not any striking. It is all grappling. I would be more concerned if I went back to Taekwondo, but I already have a 2nd degree blackbelt so I was thinking of trying something new or maybe even trying Hapkido which is like TKD with gravy IDK. As for Rugby yes there is tons of tackling. My doctor said wait 6-8 weeks, but I was wondering if even after that time period is up if anyone has gone through with it and been ok. Thanks for the response. It kind of put my nerves more at ease thinking about going back into martial arts. I just did not want to do something to make me have to go back into surgery.:scared2:

I can completely sympathize with you. I was banded on the 15th of April and almost a month later I still suffer from gas especially after meals. Yesterday I was on my couch with a heating pad. I heard that the heating pad helps loosen things up. For some reason Gas-x does not seem to work for me.

First, I am very sorry to hear that you do not have the support you need. I was banded on the 15th of April and one of the things I had to do prior to my banding was attend a seminar. That was one of the things that was spoken about was having that support through this process. My father and my in-laws know I have had the surgery. My mother does not know. I believe this is why places like lapbandtalk and lapband support groups exsist so not only people that have the support system, but people that need a support system can have the support they need to make it through this process. I agree with Rilversea if they won't support you I bet you have people that will. Just trust them to know. I was kind of hush hush about what I was having surgery for and just let people know that I was going to be out for a week. I did finally tell a couple people and I guess the word got out. Come to find out there are people rooting for me here to do well and to get the weight off. I guess what I am trying to say is sometimes your biggest cheerleaders are not the ones you live with and spend time with. I wish you the best of luck. James from Bremerton WA

CONGRATS!!! I was banded on the same day you were. I was lucky enough to have my insurance cover it. My surgeon allowed yogurt from the day after surgery. I guess it is just based on who you see.

Today is exactly one week from the day I was banded. So I started the "mushies" It is pretty interesting. I guess I wonder what people out there are eating during these next couple weeks. The full sensation is a really different feeling. It's kind of like having indegestion, but not quite.The one thing I have been amazed with is the fact that I have not felt hungry at all even though I know I am intaking less calories than I did on the Medifast diet I was put on prior to surgery. This might sound weird, but does anyone else have gas problems? It is probably the most annoying part since surgery. I have to get up and walk around to get things moving. All in all after going through my insurance and following their instructions and actually getting the surgery, I am excited to see what's to come!

That's very similar to what I had to do. I have a case manager at insurance company and I had to send in bi weekly weigh ins. The first and the final weigh in had to be verified by a Nurse, Dietician, Nutritionist, etc. I had to lose 5% of my initial verified body weight in six months. Then I had to do a psych eval. Then approved. I have to keep in contact with my case manager for the next two years even if I move out of state.

Katy, I have all the confidence in the world you can make it. I'm not sure what you had to do to get to this point, but I know what I had to do to get insurance approval and there is no way I would mess this opportunity up.

I went back to work today actually. I probably could have gone back to work yesterday or the day before. I took the extra days because one I had the time that I could take off and two my surgeon had to do a little manipulation with my liver to get the band installed and that was a little uncomfortable for a while especially when I would walk around. My surgeon suggests 5 to 7 days off. He told me that some of his post op patients go back in as little as three days (not me, I was still way too uncomfortable to go to work then) and he even had one go back the next day (CRAZINESS!! All I wanted to do was sip my fluids and sleep..I had to get up and walk around a bit, but I mostly relaxed.. GOOD LUCK!!!

Hurray!!!..Congrats to you as well. Ya know the walking is what I have been doing. Gas-X has not been helping me much, but maybe the dissolvable strips are not strong enough. Six weeks full fluids is a lot different than what I have to do. I had one week full and clear liquids, two weeks of mushies, then starting at week 4 I can start to introduce some things back into my diet. I am also having some pain at my port site. I wonder if that is why you have to wait a month before you can have your first fill. I think it would be pretty uncomfortable right now to have some one poking me with a needle there.