Where do I begin, left in the dark!

[Bengal Fan 0]

Let me start by saying I was banded on the 25th of July so that makes me about 10 days out....I delivered my second son on June 3 and weighed 295...the day of my surgery, I weight 255 so I had a great head start...

my experience with the dietician was not a good one and I felt like I left with more questions then answers...I was really not prepared on what to actually expect, eat, or how much of anything I could eat...I followed a post-op sheet of paper with some general guidelines..

1-3 clear liquid

3-5 full liquid (cream Soups, skim milk, Protein Shakes, stuff like that)

then move into some mushy stuff, such as mashed potatoes, soft meats like

tuna in the can, etc....

I was not told what I would feel after the surgery, what kind of pains to look for, where the port would be, if the band would have any "fill" in it at all...I had NO IDEA how bad the "residual gas" would hurt!!...I was told no lifting heavy objects but could resume regular activity...over all, I feel pretty good, apparently I was not drinking enough Protein shakes but I was following the sheet of paper and it just listed it as an option, not a necessity...anyway, I am assuming I ate just a "little" too much tuna salad

and I got clammy for an instant, sick to my stomach and felt the pressure of the residual gas...I felt like I was going to die for a moment:confused2: I went

to the restroom and started to gag and went to throw up and nothing wanted to come up and it felt "weird" when the small amount of Fluid came back up but I was worried that my band would slip from throwing up so hard...I did feel 100% better within an hour but man I felt bad!!

I'm new here and I'm just looking for a "rundown" of feelings and pains

you have all felt and when they occured post op and some good guidelines of what I can eat at this point and and idea of how much I should start with...(10 days out)...when do you get "fills" and how did you know you needed them...I know, it's pathetic, I should have been informed about all this but never was....

at this point I have been eating per day: a light-n-fit yogurt, 1 can of tuna made into tuna salad, small helping of egg beaters with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and possibly 1/2 can of Soup, 1 Protein shake...I take my Multivitamin and 1000 of Calcium too....too much? too little?

any advice would be great, keep in mind, I sort of rushed to get this

done before my maternity leave was over so I would not miss any more work so maybe they felt rushed??:thumbup:

[judeloren 0]

well i'll just go over my experience... i tend to think my dr was very cautious...

i was only alowed Clear liquids for the first week, weeks 2 and 3 were heavier liquids like Protein shakes and milk. the 3 and 4 th week were mushy stuff like potatoes.

I followed this closely.. except like a day or two before the mushy stuff i took a couple of bites.. I couldn't help it i was starving. I didn't have any problems.

as far as fills my dr just said come in every 4 to 6 weeks as needed and i was doing it regularly because i still have virtually no restriction.

I did have an over fill at one point and it sounds like what you discribed happend to you but i'm back up to that fill amount and still nothing... really

[mini_me 3]

do a little research on this forum, and all of your questions will be answered.

you probably do not have a fill. i was on liquids for two weeks, then mushies for a couple of days, then released to solids as long as i promised to chew chew chew! listen to your band with each bite you take. as time goes by, you will feel all the little clues that the band gives you.

i get the clammy feeling when i fail to properly chew. i don't really PB, but when i swallow without chewing well, as my body pushes the food through, i get the cold, sweaty, clammy feeling...the one that i imagine you get right before you DIE!! be super careful pushing the limits of your band this soon (i understand you probably did not do this on purpose, just be extra careful)...your band needs time to settle in its place and heal with some scar tissue. throwing up or PBing moves your stomach around, risking undoing the work that your body has done to try to anchor the band in place.

i have no advice on the nutrition aspect. i gave up on that a long time ago. i eat what i want, chew well, and stop when my band says i am full. no exceptions. never over eat, and never eat when not hungry. after 2 years, i have lost 63 of the 80 pounds that i plan to lose.

gas pains are real for many, and last from days to weeks for some.

you should likely have a pretty sore area where the port is...mine was stitched into my stomach wall, there was no doubt where it was located. plus, i had those wonderful HELLO pains for months after surgery.

everyone has their own experience with the band. everyone has their own method of living with the band. this is the guidance i can offer. it is not right for everyone, but it is right for me. you will have to do the research and find what is right for you.

best of luck to you! and congrats on the new baby!

[Bengal Fan 0]

Sorry for my ignorance but what is PBing?

[mnn2501 0]

PB = Productive Burps (bringing something back up) -- usually happens when you forget to chew really well or you try eating too much.

[judeloren 0]

yeah i want to know that too... what is BPing and sliming?? lol

i did have a fill when i started. my dr didn't realize it until i went in for my first fill. she said it comes with a little liquid not much and them managed to pull out 5 cc's she was so shocked she left the needle sticking out of me for like 10 min while they got another dr to come in and look it over. he said it was normal. but that was quite an interesting experience.

[Bengal Fan 0]

Thank you....I'm kind of worried that I messed the band up from the

throw up episode...and your right I did not do it on purpose, I didn't think

a small can of tuna would be too much...I actually don't know how much

is too much but I guess I have an idea now...*giggle

Has anyone else thrown up this early in the game? Should I be worried

and call the surgeon's office? I don't feel bad or anything out of the

ordinary....how would you know if the band slipped or if something

was wrong?

[boredryu 0]

I got really drunk one night and dry heaved in the bathroom. No real problems after that. The band is sturdier than we think, I would still pay the surgeon a visit (it's just a copay right?) if it's really bothering you.

I was on the same diet you were post op and came out okay. I waited almost 10 weeks before I got my first fill. I know I love to eat and drink Water by the mouth full so I wanted to be sure I adjusted. I'm on my second fill (4.5 in an 11) and can feel a little restriction.

The one thing that is bothering me is I have so much GAS. I've never been this gassy in my life! Belching and the other end

[mini_me 3]

I cannot eat two bites of tuna. it is not the amount, it is the texture. i just can't do tuna at all. many people can do it fine. the band is different for everyone.

i have NEVER heard of a band coming with some/any liquid in it. i have been reading here since january/february 2006 and i have never read that! that seems a little dangerous! add the fill to the normal swelling and you risk a very dangerous situation!

i would not think that a single PB (throwing up) episode would damage your band. repeated episodes can be very risky. i would still mention it to the surgeon. he/she is always best for answering questions on this matter.

best of luck to you.