Newly Banded!...a few questions & advice needed, please help!

[Butterfly512 115]

I had my surgery on the 21st, but don't have my follow up appointment until next Tuesday.

In the meantime, I wanted to ask others about a few things..

Is the drinking liquids very slow in sips really necessary? And at a rate of 3oz per hour?

Because although I do sip..I have been drinking more than that sometimes in a short time frame & haven't had any problems.

Also, is applesauce, yogurt & sugar free pudding ok during the 2 week liquid stage?

I wasn't advised that it was, but on some official lapband websites it says they are fine on the liquid part of first 2 weeks.

And, liquids...should I just drink them constantly? I have a Protein shake with skim milk for each meal..but other diet/sugar free liquids an be an all day thing?

I don't seem to get too full from drinking so I wanted to ask..

And should I get full from having enough liquids?

I haven't had the hunger feeling much until today. Now I definitely feel hungry after awhile more & more.

Overall I haven't had any problems post op, no gas after the 2nd day..pain was gone for the most part after 3rd day & I am only worried about the transition to regular food and what I will be able and not able to eat.

I also am having a hard time with keeping my mind off food :-( I always ate when I was bored so I try to keep busy..but food being all around me still makes me want some! My family is having a big bbq this weekend, tons of food ..and I will sit there with a Protein shake :-/

Thanks :-)

[TheProfessor 378]

Welcome to the other side!

Small sips is recommended as a precaution against overloading your healing esophagus. I was delighted when I went from the sip...sip...sip... stage to full on Water glugging (one of my favourite things!). If you can drink more with no discomfort, I suspect there would be no trouble, however take it easy. I'm 5 months banded and am able to chug Water like I used to.

Watch out for very cold or ice cold water/milk/fluids - these can cause your esophagus to reject the liquid (and up it comes!)

The "Liquids" phase is going to be a little different for everyone depending on what your WLS doc has advised. Liquids for me was two phases - Clear Liquids (broth, water, watery milk) and then full fluids (shakes, Boost, cream soups), but for you, it could be different. Yes, as the days go on between you and your surgery, you may notice yourself getting hungry. I was instructed to "eat" (drink broth, have a Protein shake, have a Jello, have a sugar-free pudding) whenever I was hungry.

For most of us, it's a normal part of the healing process to have the hunger begin to return, but as you graduate from liquids to mushies, then soft food, then regular food, the Proteins and fibres should take care of things nicely.

One thing I recommend is NOT RUSHING through any part of the graduated meal process (getting back to solids). Your stoma/stitches etc. need the time to rest and heal. You will also likely enjoy weight loss during this time, which is really awesome and sa-weet!

Yup - Have water on hand constantly, day and night. Staying hydrated is really, really important in this early phase. :-)

AND YES of course you are thinking about food - you have barely had any for a long time! Old habits (like eating when bored - I did this, too!) took a long time to form, and so they will take a while to break. I was banded on December 18th - 7 days before Christmas. So like you and your family BBQ, there I was sitting at a table LADEN with gorgeous yummy foods - prime rib, devilled eggs, green Beans and almonds, roast potatoes... and there I was. With my pathetic Protein Shake.< /p>

I got my family in on the ridiculousness of it all, and we laughed about my situation.

Keep your head in the game and remind yourself why you did this in the first place. Keep your eye on the prize!

A serious (and friendly!) warning to you - whatever you do don't rush into eating solid food. The BBQ may tempt you like crazy, but if you eat solid food (especially ribs or meats) at this early stage, you risk having a stuck episode.

Take good care and keep us posted. Every day it gets easier!

[Butterfly512 115]

Thank you so much for that awesome response and answering all my questions

:-)

[pink dahlia 2,513]

I was banded 2 weeks before Christmas 2011, and yes I sat there with my broth and Protein Shake while my very supportive family ate dinner. But I honestly didn't mind as I knew I was on my way to better health. Since I followed my Dr.s rules as much as I could I started loosing weight immediately. I wasn't able to see my family again until Mothers Day, so imagine their shock when I showed up 30 lbs lighter than I had been at Christmas !!! Just listen to your Dr., and pretty soon you'll be so glad you did this ! Good luck !!

[KateP 359]

@@TheProfessor has said it all for me!!!!