Did I make the right choice?

[BigDavid 0]

I was banded on May 3rd one week ago today. I did not have any of the problems that some of you have gone thru, other then some abdominal pain I bounced right back. My question is or where i'm a little confused is that I thought that my pouch was only going to be between 4 and 6oz and that I was also going to feel full after I ate. Well that really has not happened and if I had not watched and counted my calories instead of not losing pound one ( I was the exact same weight one week later as I was when I weighed in for surgery) I would have gained weight. Now I know that the band is a slower process then by-pass surgery, But I'm a 455 lbs man so I really though that I would have lost some weight in the first week. I'm just a little worried that maybe I should have done the by-pass surgery instead. Insurance did'nt cover any part of the surgery I paid for the whole thing in cash, and at 47 I just don't want to have made that kind of a financial mistake. maybe I'm reading to much into this first week thing.Anyhow if anybody has some uplifting advise I sure could use it.

BigDavid

Houston,Tx

Dr. Spivak

[Dianechef 3]

David - You will get lots of good advice here. I always have!!

YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!! The first 6 weeks are really for healing. If you happen to lose weight it's a bonus. You won't have any restriction at all until you get a fill. Once that fill happens, your whole band world will change. Promise!!

Are you on liquids right now? I didn't read that in your statement. What are you eating? Maybe that will help us if we knew a little more.

[leatha_g 4]

David,

First of all welcome to the banded bunch! Secondly I would advise you to read, read and read some more as there are many many posts regarding the first weeks of banded 'healing' and confusion over the ability to eat. It is not uncommon at all to have folks ask this immediately following surgery, which leads me to wonder if they were not prepared adequately or failed to see that information in their own pre-op research. Thirdly, I would ask are you already eating solids? Normally, the first few weeks are restricted to liquids, then mushy foods and onto softer solids. This time period usually consists of anywhere from 2-4 weeks post-op. Did your Dr give you a post-op diet to follow?

You are correct in thinking the pouch is smaller, but until your band is restricted by getting a 'fill', you may or may not feel any restriction. As healing occurs, you may be able to eat as if you were not even banded, so you are doing very well to try to manage your intake alone.

I would re-read any post-op instructions from my Dr. (and I know Dr Spivak is probably very good at giving detailed instructions). There may be a diet page in your initial literature outlining your post op diet phases. Please don't over-do it too quickly as your band needs time to heal in place in order to anchor it in to prevent slippage. Do a search here on this website to find other posts pertaining to this initial post-op disillusionment. Do not fret, once your healing time is over and you get restriction, you follow the eating behaviors, drink your Water and exercise, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!!! Good luck and congrats on your surgery!

Please see just a few of the past few months posts regarding this issue.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18306&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18255&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=17885&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16910&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=17072&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16981&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16922&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16541&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16529&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15373&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14384&highlight=losing+post+op

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=12987&highlight=losing+post+op

[Alexandra 55]

Hi David, congratulations and welcome to LBT!!

What you're feeling is very common immediately post-surgery. You're probably still on a liquid diet, for one thing, and for another you don't have any Fluid in your band and so are feeling no restriction.

This is NORMAL. After your 6-week healing period your doctor will adjust your band by adding saline, and this will start to create the restriction you hear everyone talking about. Some people lose weight on the liquid diet, some don't, but that's unpredictable and NOT what banding is all about. It's about eating less in the LONG TERM, and the band can't really start helping you with that until after you've had at least one adjustment and feel restriction.

Don't worry, you're going to lose weight with the band. It's pretty hard not to. It just doesn't happen overnight.

Stick around, you'll get all your questions answered. Welcome to bandland!!

[StrawartS 2]

Dr. Spivak has, in my opinion, the best and most realistic post-op diet. I've posted it below for everyone. David, somebody should have told you before, but it will probably take you several fills (took me 4) until you start losing ANY weight. Don't get me started on the scam that is the LapBand. I feel your frustration, but give it a chance, and you'll see results after you start getting fills.

POST-OP DIET INSTRUCTIONS

The post-op diet is divided into 3 stages to allow a gradual adjustment.

STAGE 1: liquid diet for 24-48 hours

STAGE 2: Soft diet for 4 weeks

STAGE 3: Regular diet of 3 meals per day

STAGE 1 (FIRST FEW DAYS POST-OP)

Liquids from the list below. Remember small amounts (4-6 ounces) at a time.

• GO SLOW
  
• WHEN YOU FEEL FULL STOP
  
• NO CARBONATED drinks

LIQUID DIET

coffee, tea, diluted fruit juice

broth

Blenderized Soup

Skim milk or Lactaid milk

Jell-O, Popsicle’s

Yogurt

Sugar Fee pudding

Cottage cheese

Applesauce, oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat

V-8 low sodium

Protein drinks, carnation instant Breakfast, pure pro powder (no slim fast)

STAGE 2 (SOFT DIET FOR 4 WEEKS)

Soft foods from the list below can now be added.

You may drink Fluid anytime before you eat. However, no liquids with or after meals (wait 30 mins for the pouch to empty before drinking).

CHEW WELL! The food must be almost liquified before swallowing.

SOFT DIET

Soft fruit (banana, melon)

Cooked vegetables and fish

eggs

Anything with the consistency of baby food

STAGE 3 (after the 4 weeks, REGULAR DIET OF 3 MEALS PER DAY)

Gradually add regular foods and remember:

• Eat only at set meal times
  
• NO LIQUIDS with meals or for 30 mins afterwards
  
• Avoid cheap calories
  • • Fats
      
    • High caloric liquid
      
    • Sweets, ice cream, junk food, Cookies, chips.

Liquids, junk food and sweets do not relieve hunger. Only solid food, which fills the pouch and empties slowly will relieve hunger.

SUMMARY:

Follow three stages of diet plan to allow gradual adjustment.

Eat only at set meal times

Go slow

Chew well

[sheryl 3]

It does work! You have to give it time...

And the pouch does hold that little. The problem is that the food that you are eating (or drinking) is not staying there and is moving right into your lower stomach. Once you get filled and get restricted, the food will hang around in the pouch, making you full.

Think of it like a funnel. Right now, the bottom part of the funnel is wide open and food just pours on through. Make that opening smaller, then the food sits in the funnel and will trinkle through slowly.

Make sure you are sticking to program. Keep track of what you eat and drink at www.fitday.com .... Many people do not lose weight at all until they start with regular food, but you shouldn't be there yet because your stomach needs time to heal..

Hang in there!!!! We were all in the same boat!

[HeatherGurl 0]

Hi David~

I understand what you are going thru. Before I had my sweet fill... I could eat a whole plate of Hamburger Helper... or a big juicy hamburger.

What exactly are you eating? If you want to lose weight during this period, stay away from sugar and bad carbs... Please tell me you are still on mushies!

I hope you haven't tried a steak yet. If you have any more questions feel free to PM me, we have the same Dr.

[BigDavid 0]

First off thanks to all for the great feeddback. I should have been a little more discriptive on what I was eating. Like I said in my first posting I was at home 3 hours after my surgery and calling the dr. office to find out when I was able to eat because I was allready hungry. Yes I was on liquids for the first 48 to 72 hours ( carnation instant Breakfast, sugar free Jello, sugar free puddings Ect.) Then I switched to soft foods and let me give a small briefing on how anal I can be! First off the day before surgery I went out and bought all kinds of containers 4oz, 6oz Ect. plus any and all the foods that I was allowed. Once I started the soft part of the diet I got rid of the the high caloric liquids instant breakfast 220 Calories choc. pudding 80 calories 4oz and so on. Today I went out and bought a Digital scale that weighs solids as well as liquids so I can really stay on top of things. I also want to say that Dr Spivak did really explain everything in great detail which included a film as well as the 45 minute seminar. Were he explained the difference between the two types of surgery (Lap-Band or Gastric By-Pass ) again in great detail. I was just a little unsure of which one to choose, the lap-band was always my first choice but the other one hung in there on the side lines. That is until y'all gave me the boost that I needed. Thanks to everyone it really helped me alot.

BigDavid

still 455lbs

Houston,Texas.

Dr Spivak

May 3, 2006

[PhotoNut 7]

Hello David. *smiles* Welcome to the world of Lap Bands! You have found a wonderful place to hang out, meet friends, and to get loads of fantastic support and information - as you have already seen.

As everyone has told you, the secret to the band is in the filling. Once you get some restriction and get on to eating some hard Proteins, you'll feel a lot more relaxed about how this ride is going to go for you. I hope we hear a lot more of your story as you travel along with us on this fantastic journey!

[Steve1234 0]

hello everyone.... I really like this thread because the amount and qualities of advices to a certain single problem is just fantastic... and some of the tips regarding to loosing the weight are just awesome and fantastic one... I am really looking forward to that and hope to get more updated from such valuable responses from the members.. Thanks

[KristinaAshley 5]

I'm interested in knowing how Big David is doing.