9 days post op. To avoid a bad decision I made an even worse decision. Long time LAP-BANDERS a little advice?

[HJ Harley 6]

This was not the happiest of Halloweens.... someone smashed my back windshield in with a 2x4 (Random act of vandalism), some guy tried to buy my friend's car with gold, (It wasnt even listed on Craigslist!) and too many other little things in between to mention. Just bad bad bad. On top of all of that I hadn't eaten. Just drank some Water throughout the day. Which seems useless now because urinate only once or twice a day now. We walk in at 9pm exhausted from a day from hell and Trick or Treating with the kids. We have nothing for me to eat because I usually just grab something from the grocery store every few days bc I dont know what I'll want or can handle yet. I was moved up to mushy and purees.

We had some pulled chicken in the fridge. I figured just a few bites of that was a way better choice than the bags of endless easy to melt in your mouth chocolate sitting in my kitchen.

I take the pulled chicken and stick in the blender and give it a few shreds just to make sure.

I take a few bites and Im full. Problem is Ive been full for a whole lot longer than I have been in the last 9 days and I know it hasnt passed through the band. I can feel when food passes....This is just sitting there. It doesnt hurt, Im not nauseous, but I do have that same pain Ive had since day one in the bottom right side of my stomach. It hurts when I move, cough, breathe, you get the point. But it could still be gas nearly 10 days after the surgery, they say.

Any suggestions? Do I sleep standing up? Do I call my doctor? If the food is just sitting there will it eventually pass through? Ugh. This is a horrible feeling!!

Thanks in advance.

[terrydumont46 1,954]

you had dry chicken. you will find that leftovers aren't usually tolerated well. in your situation I would have added some broth to that chicken and than blended. my suggestion is to drink some Water. you sound like you are getting dehydrated. you should be drinking 2 quarts at minimum a day. and never go without eating. at your stage Soup, Protein drinks, mushed up Protein of any kind. I use a emulsefer. and with every fill you will need to go through the liquid and mushy stages over and over again and you need to figure out how to eat. i'm guessing that your band is not filled right now. so mushy food should be able to slip right through. eggs, pureed vegetables, cottage cheese,yogurt, or whatever you like you just need to put some broth in it and blend it until it is soft. but for now drink some liquids and see if that helps. your pouch will digest just like your big stomach since it is just your stomach pulled up to be a pouch. I wish you luck. but please see to your diet.

[Jack 855]

Most necessary to hydrate properly! Also the 'dry chicken' can be a BIG problem.....usually it will pass eventually.

Re: drinking while 'potentially stuck': Be careful, you can make yourself more miserable.

Sip. Sip. Sip. Wait in between to see whether that last Sip went down.

My early postOp return to solids days, did require adaptation and awareness of my eating behavior.

Congratulations on avoiding the lure of chocolate. Which phase of your dietary eating plan are you supposed to be on?

Tip: NEVER in this early stage, try to do 'dry chicken' even if it's whizzed into paste. And probably a mere tiny spoon of it is more than enough to seem like a giant egg laying in your pouch.

Learning to eat hard Protein take time, and your healing phase must be modified to allow a host of changes in your physiology to evolve.

[gowalking 10,790]

Great advice! Hang in there Harley...this is a learning experience and it will take time to really know how to work with your band.

[lisa1959 0]

I am three weeks post op (almost 4) and I was doing great. Today, however, I think I may have eaten some melon without chewing properly. It feels like its stuck but I'm not having trouble drinking. Should I contact my surgeon? No nausea.