January 2010 bandsters...

[LapBandBobbi 8]

I had my surgery yesterday. Everything went well. I slept a lot after I got to my room. The ride home took about 2 hours and I think the movement of the car caused a little pain, so I took some pain meds and went to sleep for 4 hours when I got home. Things are looking up. I'm looking forward to my new life.

[Avril67 0]

Just wondering if anyone else is feeling that they are able to eat normal food less than 2 weeks out of surgery.

This is really bothering me. I am not eating anywhere near the amount of food I was eating before I had the banding, but ... Im eating and I am so worried I am doing the wrong thing. I have access to a dietitian by email so I will be sending an email today to find out what she has to say about it.

I liked that the band (for the first 10days at least) made it that I had no inclination to even try solid food but now that the pain has gone, its a different story. I don't really feel hungry but I feel like I could eat 'something' and that is a dangerous place to be for me.

I still have a considerable amount of pain around the port sight but all other pain is gone. Even the build up of pressure in the top part of my stomach after eating or drinking is gone... this was the stuff that kept me in check.

I feel VERY lucky that I didn't experience ANY nausea... I really feel for those who do/did! What an awful experience for you.

I am so keen for this to work!!! But it has to give me a consequence for eating or my stupid head will just eat whatever...

We have done the right thing, I am certain of it... it's a learning curve isn't it... I just pray that I am a good pupil!

Thank you for all being here!

[ranch417 0]

candy, I can't believe you went home from the hospital like that, you could have been dehydrated I know I was in no shape to go home I actually stayed two days. That really helped because I couldn't even drink anything without it coming back up. They pumped major liquids into me which help get rid of drugs and keep you hydrated. I did get up and walk alot though. But the gas did not start coming out until yesterday. But again everday is getting better, although i do feel pain in my stomach and major tightness. also I have lost 8 lbs already! Im feeling better about it everyday. Claudia

[candyglg 0]

Ranch417- Yeah, it was bad. I can't understand it. I should not have been released. But I was. Oh well.... I'm in a better place today. I feel pretty good. Still a little sore. 2 of my incision sites seem to have gotten a little infected. The one under my breast has cleared up with ointment and a bandaide but then the site right below it started in. I think I'm getting it cleared up- I caught it on time- its not as tender today. lol- its always something! As of this past monday when I went to the dr I had lost 7 lbs. I don't have a scale. I didn't want one in my house. Now I wish I had one. hahaha. I suppose thats a good sign- looking forward to losing the weight instead of being afraid I gained more! Avril- yes I feel like I can eat regular food. With the smell of fried chicken, burritos, and fried onions in this house from everyone else, sometimes I feel like I'm starving to death! and I get even hungrier with those Heavenly scents! So..... I went to Hanovers and bought 3 boxes of organic cream Soups. I bought split pea, tomatoe and broccoli. They have other flavors too. That helps ALOT! I have EAS AdvantEDGE carb control Protein Shakes. They're not bad. I prefer the vanilla and carmel cafe but they also have strawberry, chocolate and rich chocolate. We are allowed to drink these. The ready to drink ones are 17 grams of Protein 0-1 carbs and 110 calories. Between the Soup, shakes and 4c individual powdered drinks mixes to get enough Water into me it. I am so far making it work. The shakes and 4c singles can be gotten at Walmart. I don't know about the soups.-----We will succeed!!!----God Bless Us All!----Candy

[lolly1123 0]

I hear ya sister. It was a crazy thing to go through, but we made it and now it going to get nothing but better. Where did you get banded?

[DB1119 0]

DH & I were banded 1/27. Today is our 3rd day post op. We are both doing much better. I posted our surgery story on the post op. board. We both have some gas & not much appetite. We are on Full Liquids until Sat. then on to mushies. DH lost 13lbs & I lost 9. We are both looking forward to our new lives. Take care to all of you & PM me if you have questions.

[ranch417 0]

I think I did a little too much today. maybe lifted something too heavy.... Does anyone else fell like they have a major hernia? I wanted to get some compression garments before the surgery but I didn't get any, so I am improvising with some too tight swimwear..LOL.. but it really helps. I have been off pain meds from day one because they also made me nauseous. Maybe that's why there is more pain how long does your stomache hurt?

[candyglg 0]

I was banded in Suffern, NY, About an hour south of where I live on Jan 18th. Yes, I'm thinking what a crazy thing to have done and thinking I wish I didn't do it... I'm thinking I should have tried ..... but then I slap myself back to reality and remember this WAS my last resort. Nothing else was working and that next thing I tried still would not have stopped me from eating what I wanted... just this once..., yet again. I still have pressure too and belch like a 15 year old boy in compition with my friends, but it too is subsiding. Claudia-I don't think you should be lifting things or pushing and pulling. You just had surgery! My dr said not to lift anything heavier than 30 lbs. You can make yourself have to go back into surgery. Please be careful!!!! DB - my Dr told me to stay on fluids because we were still healing. He was hesitant about me even taking the cream Soups. He wants me to stay on clear fluids with Protein Shakes. That is different than what I was told originally by the nutritionist, please check with your Dr first before you take your mushies. If its still ok -lucky you and I hope it works. ---God Bless Us All---Candy---

[Avril67 0]

Ranch417,

I'm 10 days out from surgery and still feel very sore around the port sight... like a badly pulled muscle or hernia. It's worse when I bend down and still hurts when I cough, but not much... do take it easy, you've been stabbed in the stomach through muscle tissue that will take some time to heal.

Take Care

Av

Ps haven't heard back from the nutritionist yet but I am definitely on to normal food now, just very small amounts of it. Nothing has disagreed with me yet and I am hoping that the answer I get from the 'nut' will be a positive one and not one that says "STOP! You've mucked it up!"

Fingers crossed....

pps we don't have Walmart in Australia and I've never heard of the products you mentioned but there's lots of similar stuff. :biggrin:

[candyglg 0]

Avril- what kind of normal food? Like chicken and fish and good stuff like that?

[Avril67 0]

Candyglg,

Yep chicken, fish, made spaghetti bolognaise last night and had about a cup of it and there was no problem at all... had porridge for Breakfast, 2 chicken wings for dinner the other night... I am trying my best to keep it healthy and I am hoping I can keep it going like that. BUt it feels like I'm doing the wrong thing given that I'm only 10 days past surgery.

[Avril67 0]

For those who are interested (and if no-one is, please tell me or I'll post and post and post on here) ...

I got a reply from my nutritionist about the food I am eating. She states that some people heal faster than others and it seems if I am able to eat normal food without discomfort then that is okay, just DON'T eat fibrous fruits and veg and meats. meat needs to be minced and taken with a gravy or at least very moist. The reason for this is that the fibrous nature can irritate an already sensitive area around the band that needs time to heal.

She said I am showing all the signs of needing an inflation except they will not do one until the 6 week mark as there is so much healing that needs to happen. So, in the mean time, she instructs that I eat up to a cup of food every 3 hours, keeping it nutritional and as soft as possible and only eating if I feel hungry. Do not eat in between each 3 hours and take the nutrichew supplement rather than another one I was taking as it's better rounded with all the needed good stuff I might be missing out on.

I am feeling a bit better about it all now. At least I know I'm not damaging myself.

I guess it's a lesson about listening to what your body is telling you and moving through the stages of this banding business at a pace that feels comfortable!

Viva la bandsters!!

Cheers

Av

[candyglg 0]

Av- Thats exciting that you can eat normal foods. I wish my dr had given me those instructions. My "nut" said I could be on mushies now but my dr said he'd prefer I wait to give more healing time. I have been wanting a burrito! And they're not even my favorite. hahaha, maybe spagetti and meatballs. I'm going to call my "nut" in the am and see what she says. Thanks for the imput, its greatly appreciated and always interesting to find out how each dr and patient is so different. ---God Bless Us All----- candy

[KathyinAZ 0]

I can't believe you guys could eat so soon! My Md is conservative saying there's lots of swelling and healing to be done. I had to be on full liquids for 3 weeks and soft foods like flaky fish, mashed potatoes, finely ground beef for 1 week. I was banded 1/5 and will just start on regular food this week. I'm following the diet because I've heard of too many problems with the band slipping and don't want to go through this surgery again to have it fixed. Good luck to all of us January bandsters!

[ranch417 0]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! My diet plan is in four phases. Phase one first four days Clear Liquids, then add on skim milk and Protein Shakes whch lasts until first check-up. Phase two (one week) is the baby food and all the phases use Protein shakes, also scrambled eggs, yogurt, etc. Phase three (one week) soft bland foods like fish chcken ground turkey. Phase four is is regular consistency foods. Its reassuring to hear someone else say after the operation, I shouldn't have done this, because that was my feelings too. But with each passing day, feeling a little bit better and knowing that this is really the way everyone should eat(portion control which I never could commit to) and aren't forced to, I am feeling more positive this was the right thing to do!