newbie questions

[missmavin 0]

Hello All

I have a few questions

1. how long did it take before you returned to eating normal food

2. are there some foods you still can not eat???

3. did you really give up diet pop???

4. how long did it take you to learn to chew your food???

5. is vomitting a part of your new life??

6. how long after surgery did you return to work??

sorry for all the questions

I just about to decide yes to teh procedure

I just have these few questions

THANKS

Tammy

[coltonwade 27]

Hello All

I have a few questions

1. how long did it take before you returned to eating normal food My post op diet per docs orders was about 6 weeks before eating solid foods !

2. are there some foods you still can not eat??? when I have good restriction i can not eat bread, rice or Pasta

3. did you really give up diet pop??? Not just diet pop ANYTHING carbonated. this is a HUGE issue for me. It can stretch out your pouch and cause you issues later on . I gave it up way before surgery . Personally I think this is one of THE Biggest rules to follow . Look at it this way , whats better drinking sodas or living a long healthy life ? Ya dont need the sodas anyway they are bad for you . So giving them up to get banded is WELL worth it !

4. how long did it take you to learn to chew your food? ?? This is something that I still struggle with . it takes LOTS Of practice , the only thing i can tell you is , when you think you have chewed enough chew MORE !

5. is vomitting a part of your new life?? NO Absolutely NOT and it does not HAVE to be either. The times I have been stuck have ALWAYS been my fault !

6. how long after surgery did you return to work?? I dont work but I was good after about a week

sorry for all the questions

I just about to decide yes to teh procedure

I just have these few questions

THANKS

Tammy

No problem with the questions. that's what we are here for .

feel free to PM me if you have any other questions

Mindy

[coltonwade 27]

OOps sorry my answers showed up in red in your questions above

mindy

[Jodi_620 37]

I haven't been banded yet so I can't answer all of your questions but I just wanted to "chime in" on the diet soda thing. I was a Diet Pepsi addict. That was my biggest worry...I just couldn't imagine living without it. I didn't go anywhere without a Diet Pepsi bottle/can in my hand and drank about 6-8+ per day. I started my liquid pre-op diet a week ago today and I haven't touched a Diet Pepsi since last Thursday. :thumbup:The dietician recommended that I wean myself off slowly but I wanted to make all my changes once the pre-op diet kicked in so I quit cold turkey. I did have a pretty bad headache for the first two days, Advil helped with that though. I replaced it with Water and Crystal Light (those little "on the go" packets are great), and you know what?...I really do not miss it like I thought I would. The hardest part is getting the caffeine out of your system.

[auntlucy 22]

Well, this is my second time to reply to this thread...the first time my response was deleted when I hit spell check. : ( Oh well, here I go again:

1. how long did it take before you returned to eating normal food -- My doctor had me on liquids for 2 weeks. After that, he had me on shredded and mushie food. Basically I had to food process my approved foods to the consistency of cole slaw for 2 weeks. He had me do that to learn what the consistency should be to help know how much to chew.

2. are there some foods you still can not eat??? -- I only eat what my doctor told me to eat, so I'm not really sure if there are some things that I can't handle. I'm primarily eating Protein (chicken/fish), vegetables, certain fruit, yogurt, etc.

3. did you really give up diet pop??? -- Yep! The hardest for me was giving up sparkling Water. I still crave one, but I've done well with it. Like the other poster, I drink a lot of crystal lite now. There are a lot of flavors, and you can keep it with you and use it in bottled Water or at restaurants.

4. how long did it take you to learn to chew your food??? -- probably a week...that wasn't difficult for me. Of course, I've only had one fill and it may be harder as my band is more and more restricted.

5. is vomitting a part of your new life?? -- I have not vomited even once since my surgery.

6. how long after surgery did you return to work?? -- One week (it seemed a little fast for me...it was hard going back to work, but fortunately I have the most understanding boss in the world and she would make sure I left early or worked half days my first week back.

Good luck in your decision. I hope my answers have helped. I just encourage you to really think about why you want the surgery. It is not a magic fix. You still have to make the right choices. You just need to view the band as a tool to help you through your journey. I wish you all the best!

[kbinaz 0]

Hello All

I have a few questions

1. how long did it take before you returned to eating normal food

2. are there some foods you still can not eat???

3. did you really give up diet pop???

4. how long did it take you to learn to chew your food? ??

5. is vomitting a part of your new life??

6. how long after surgery did you return to work??

sorry for all the questions

I just about to decide yes to teh procedure

I just have these few questions

THANKS

Tammy

1. I was allowed normal food after my first fill. I was allowed soft Proteins from Day 4 post-op until my first fill.

2. I have trouble with oranges, bananas, white bread and cakes.

3.Yes, I really gave up all pop, and after 7 months it doesn't even bother me. In fact I tried some the other day and it was awful.

4. You learn to chew the right way very quickly because if you don't it hurts.

5. Vomiting is not part of my new life. I occasionally PB, but it is nothing like vomiting. It is not acidic - just basically chewed up food and saliva. Vomiting should not be a part of any bandster's life, if it is they need an unfill.

6.I don't work outside the home so this didn't apply. I would have felt like going back to work after about ten days.

[byebyerolls 0]

I Started Practicing My New Method Of Chewing With Jello If You Can Believe It. No Matter If I Felt It In My Mouth I Would Chew 20 Times And Swallow. I Never Realized Before How Little I Chewed Until I Started This. Im Surprised I Never Choked Pre Banding Because I Barely Chewed My Food!!!!

Stay Focused It Can Be Difficult But You Will Do It!

[linesj 0]

I can agree with the other answers-6 weeks to regular food, but working up to it in stages. I, also, loved Coke and Pepsi, and not diet for me! I gave it up about 2 months before surgery, and didn't miss it as much as I thought. I went back to my moderately active job after one week and had no problems at all, much to my surprise. I expected to be wiped out at the end of the day and was not. In fact, if anything I have more energy now then before. As for chewing, I took advice I read on this forum and use smaller containers and smaller spoons. I have always chewed a lot, so my adjustment is to take smaller bites. I can't speak for what I can't eat yet, since I'm still on mushies, and I hope to GOD that vomiting is not part of my life now! As a general rule I have a stomach of Iron, so being sick has never meant throwing up. I plan on being VERY careful and hope PBing doesn't become normal either. Good luck, don't be afraid of changes in your diet. I was, but decided if I wanted big changes in my body I had to be willing to make big changes in my diet. I never would have been able to do it when I was younger, but I can now. I used to say if I became diabetic that I'd just eat sugar and die because I could never give it up. Well, I have, and don't miss it. I know that I just had to be ready. Only you can judge if you are willing to make the changes necessary. 10 years ago, even 5, I could not have made this commitment. I felt ready, and I had a good bariatric center team who ran me through all kinds of interviews, testing, and information appointments to make sure I understood what I was getting myself into. Good luck to you on whatever decision you make, but if you are contemplating the band, you are probably ready for it. 2 years ago I saw a picture of it and thought it looked like some sort of torture device. 6 months ago it suddenly sounded like a good idea.

[missmavin 0]

Hello everyone

I am so thank ful for your responses

I feel like i am among friends

Monday morning I am calling to make my first consultation

I am so excited to start my journey to healthier me

My first preop pledge is to give up up carbonated beverages

and to have 30 minutes of exercise each and everyday no excuses

I really feel like you all will help keep my on the right path

I can not thank you enough

[mstrina27 0]

Hello All

I have a few questions

1. how long did it take before you returned to eating normal food

2. are there some foods you still can not eat???

3. did you really give up diet pop???

4. how long did it take you to learn to chew your food? ??

5. is vomitting a part of your new life??

6. how long after surgery did you return to work??

sorry for all the questions

I just about to decide yes to teh procedure

I just have these few questions

THANKS

Tammy

1. it will take about 4-weeks or so but after the first 2 u can eat soft foods.

2. cant answer that one yet..

3. I actually started learning how to chew before i got banded so it wouldnt be that hard for me so things wouldnt get stuck...

4. Nope i have not thrown up at all..

5. I returned after 3-days.. but I would advise anyone to take off at least a week

[eisermanr7 0]

I was just curious, what is "PBing"?

[Jodi_620 37]

I was just curious, what is "PBing"?

This one stumped me when I first came here too. It stands for productive burping. It happens if you do not chew your food enough or if you eat too fast; you burp your food back up.