food problem

eli28 · December 12, 2004

I need help. I had my lap band on 12-1-04 and 3 days after surgery I was starving. I stayed up all night hungry, not able to sleep from hunger. I was drinking liquids as instructed by my dr. , but it was not helping. I called dr. office to ask if I can eat something and nurse never returned my call. I ate solid foods already and now I am afraid that I have done damage to my self. I had no problem eating solid foods, no thorowing up or anything. On 12-10-04 I went for check up and nurse just looked at my scar and said you are fine you can go home. I told her i have not been able to do liquid diet and am afraid of complications and all she asked is did you throw up and I said no , and she said I am fine and I can go home. Today is 12 days after my surgery and I can normally eat solids. I cannot eat as much as I used to , I feel full much sooner but I can eat solid food with no problem.

Has anyone experienced this? Have I damaged my stomach by eating solids right away? Please help....

hagerteresa · December 12, 2004

It is normal for us to be hungry during the liquid stage and many are hungry till their first fill. Rather than going straight to solids you should have just tried going to some kind of thick Protein Shake or mushy food. This time is really meant for healing. I don't know what the chances are of causing damage from not following the initial instructions are. If the nurse didn't seemed too concerned about it your probably fine but you are going to have to follow some of the other bandster rules for you to be successful. The most important include no drinking after meals for an hour, making sure you do get enough Water in, making solid Protein the biggest part of your diet, etc. You probably WON'T have any restriction until your first fill from what you describe. I know for myself I was starving thru liquids but things improved as I moved to mushys and eventually solids. I did feel restriction and had to be careful chewing and eating slow enough. I remember I had tried a drink of yummy cream Soup just before the end of my week of liquids and I was sliming and felt that golf ball feeling for hours. Anyway I would just make sure your first fill is done with flouro so they can make sure everything is in the correct places still. Best of luck, Teresa

Rebeccalee · December 12, 2004

Putting solid food in your pouch can put pressure on the tissues that are trying to heal. I believe scar tissues forms with the band to help hold it in place. If this does not heal properly, there is theoretically a chance that your band could slip later from not being secured well. Some doctors allow eating much sooner than others, so it might be just fine for you to eat at this point. It's not an exact science.

Have you tried going no carb for a while? It takes a few days to get passed the hunger, but most people then have little hunger at that point. I don't know if that works for everyone.

Hope your recovery continues to go well and your first fill helps with the hunger.

leatha_g · December 12, 2004

People often fall off the wagon. The trick to success with your band is that you are determined enough to get back on the wagon. So you messed up one day. OK. Next day starts back 'doing the right thing'. If you totally shuck your doctors orders, you may surely pay for that in lack of weight loss or band complications. If you are really serious about wanting to lose weight, you will have to make the changes necessary to allow the band to work for you. This includes a 6 week healing phase to allow you stomach NOT to grind and churn to digest harder foods. A gradual return to solids including hard Proteins, not soft foods that allow more calories to slide by your band, exercise at least 30 minutes 3/5 days a week and Water, Water, water.

Please be kind to yourself and your band. The stomach 'growlies' are inevitable, but don't necessarily mean you are starving. Pretty soon, they subside and you can get your mind on other things, like riding a bike or shopping for hours because you've lost enough that you can walk for hours. Getting your head in the right place is tough, we can all agree with that, but it will come, if you meet it halfway! Good luck to you!

HarleyNana · December 13, 2004

Thankfully, my doctor told me anything I could suck through a straw I could have. It's amazing what will fit through a straw and NO, I'm not using a straw. Only 3 days after surgery, which was Dec 6, I had a real pity me day and night. I even went to bed @ 8:00 I was so miserable. If I'd had to stay on Clear Liquids, I'd probably be unglued by now. TG, I have never had slime or golf ball, but I DO know after a few licks or sips (I use a spoon for everything) I've had enough. It's amazing how long you can drag out eating a smidgen of Soup or thin sausage gravy, with the sausage removed. I don't do milk in any form other than cheese, obv no cheese here.

I have found s/f popsicles to be my bands friend too, when I get that urge I need something now, I reach for a popsicle, it's crunchy, sweet, and it fills that void and gets me past that rough time. I would suggest all new bandsters find something that will be their diversion from the no no stuff.

It seems every doctor has different rules and guidelines, we're all in charge of our own bands, and it's up to us to repect ourselves and our band.

blacknamaste · January 11, 2005

Maybe a stupid question but when u drink liquids, does it go straight to the kidneys or go through the stomach first. Im confused. Does yoghurt go through the stomach.?

DeLarla · January 11, 2005

Nana, I keep laughing every time you talk about eating through a straw... now please tell me, exactly what are you sipping through that thing?

I agree that you shouldn't have eaten solids at that point. At least stick to thick liquids, like runny cream Soups with no chunks, or even watered down mashed taters, which are much more satisfying than Clear Liquids.< /p>

I wouldn't be so patient with that nurse, either. Contact your band surgeon and tell him exactly what and how you've been eating, and let him make the call. Good luck to you, liquid stage isn't always easy.

New Hope · January 12, 2005

Blackna, everything goes through the stomach first. The solid waste goes through the large and small colon, and out through the colon (when you poo-poo). The liquid waste goes through the kidneys and out through...well that depends on if you're a hen or a rooster.