Compiling A List...Please Contribute!

[salome000 0]

Hi all...I'm due for my band on October 1st, 2008 and would like to ask a quick favor of all of you. Would you be kind enough to throw at least one (more would be great!) piece of advice out that you wished you had when you were newly banded. I've never heard about 'sliming' or meat tenderizer or pineapple juice or hot things to 'open up'...all these things are foreign to me.

I'd like to compile a list and print it out as well as post it on other sites.

Tricks of the trade? How to prevent getting things stuck (and what tends to get stuck) and things you wished you'd done differently? The REAL reason behind this is I'm deathly afraid of the symptoms and problems I've read about and will go to any lengths to avoid them. You guys are terrific and much appreciated!

[Shamrockgirl60 1]

Well it's been 6 weeks and I would have liked to know that the first week wasn't all that smooth. After being really miserable for 4 days, I started feeling good. Now I feel terrific. It's worth a few days of pain. Also the gas thing... Get GasX melt on the tongue strips in extra strength they were a lifesaver.

[salome000 0]

You're the greatest! GasX strips on person at all times...check!

[Fanny Adams 7]

I really liked fresh ginger tea. It works as a stomach soother, to cut the sliming, and it helps with gas too. Just grate up about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of fresh ginger, put it in a cup of boiling Water with a teaspoon of honey and let it steep for a few minutes, then drink like a tea. Refreshing and delicious!

[She Smiles 2]

Hmmm I wish some one experienced had of told me (and I'd have listened!!!) to take it slow and easy with the fills while I was still losing weight, I lost almost a lot of weight pretty quickly with not much fill. I ended up slipping my band 18 months out and have put on weight while I gradually refill it with massive trepidation (I'm fearful of another slip!).

So yeah, take it easy and spend time talking with your Dr about how you are feeling along the way, after all they are the expert! Some people I have seen have lost a heap of weight with no fill ever in their band....

[salome000 0]

Check on the ginger tea...I'm also interested in whether going on a liquid diet (slim fast?) a week before surgery will help with gas, pain, etc.

As for the band slipping after a fill..never heard of that. Are you saying to avoid fills?

[88KEYZ 0]

liquid diet - presurgery - prepares you for the upcoming life-change, but does not change the outcome of the gassey build up you have from surgery. That is from the gas used to blow your stomach up so they can do the surgery itself. Walking is to be done 15 minutes every hour to pass the gas out fo the body and rid of that pain.

Cut / chop all medications - remember no capsules in med form.

Stock the fridge full of Jello, broths, anything liquid that you can grab quickly without much effort, once you start pureeing your food, keep that stocked, this will enable you to avoid confusion on "what can I have" while you get used to all the changes.

If you are flying somewhere for the surgery, get a doctors medical slip to carry Protein Water in bottles on the plane and security will clear you. They will allow small lunch coolers as well with that medical slip, and you can keep Jello with you plus drinks.

[ShrinkyDink 0]

After surgery I had a hard time swallowing cold liquids, warm was much much easier to get down.

I also became best friends with my heating pad in those first few days, it helps with the shoulder pain, the incisional pain, the gassy tummy pain, everything really.

Buy some South Beach Living Tide Me Over or K2O Protein Water drink mixes. They are allowed on your clear liquid stage and they give you a little bit of protein and Fiber along with your water.

[rhondalou117 1]

I wish my doc had told me that not all shoulder pain was going to be from gas. The gas only lasts a couple of days. My left shoulder hurt from time to time and doc said it was from irritation at the port, and it would get better. And it has.

Also I would have liked to know they stand you up for the surgery to allow gravity to do what it does best.

If you have and foot or ankle problems expect a little soreness.

[krtork 0]

I really loved having warm broth - it settled my stomach and went down easy in the first few weeks.

Make sure you are sipping constantly, it is easy to get dehydrated in the beginning.

You will make mistakes along the way - that is how you learn to live with your band, everybody is different. Just don't be afraid to try new things and see what works best for you!

[agreatknead 1]

Hi Salome,

Wow, I never knew about that standing thing, do you think everyone does it? My post surgery experience was so different than what you mainly read about on this site. I walked, and walked and walked at the surgery center (I had my surgery in Mexico) and I flew home the next day. I could have gone dancing when I got home. I think I took 2 pain pills the whole time. I had no gas pain and no shoulder pain and went back to work the 2nd day home. Just want you to know everyone's experience is different. I had surgery in April and 3 fills since I came home. I have had a couple of sliming incidences, mostly from eating too fast. chewable Papaya has worked the best for me. Carry some with you and if you are going out to eat and want to appear somewhat normal with your friends or family pop 3 or 4 papaya a few minutes before the meal. It is a natural digestive enzyme. If you do get stuck DON'T drink anything. It just pushes it down and it gets more stuck (believe me you will want to drink) Walk, walk, walk, jump up and down, hold your arms over your head and think about how beautiful your are getting to be! That all helps if you are feeling stuck but really it is rare and if it happens too often you are not following the bandster rules or you are too tight and need an unfill. I am done, I thought I was only going to write a sentence or 2. Anyway, blessing on your journey, it will be a great one.

Sally

[JUKU 1]

Hi all...I'm due for my band on October 1st, 2008 and would like to ask a quick favor of all of you. Would you be kind enough to throw at least one (more would be great!) piece of advice out that you wished you had when you were newly banded. I've never heard about 'sliming' or meat tenderizer or pineapple juice or hot things to 'open up'...all these things are foreign to me.

I'd like to compile a list and print it out as well as post it on other sites.

Tricks of the trade? How to prevent getting things stuck (and what tends to get stuck) and things you wished you'd done differently? The REAL reason behind this is I'm deathly afraid of the symptoms and problems I've read about and will go to any lengths to avoid them. You guys are terrific and much appreciated!

I get banded 2 weeks from today on the 30th. These are great suggestions. I appreciate them, keep them coming!

[salome000 0]

Wow...ya'll are so amazing!

I'm not as nervous as I was before finding this site.

Tell me about the meat tenderizer...does it help when things are stuck? Do things get stuck because you don't chew well enough or just the wrong foods?

I can add one thing to my own thread which I hope will help those like me who haven't yet had their procedure but are well on their way. I was hit with 2k in hospital bills in advance, even though I'd met my insurance deductible. I was pretty angry, having had several back surgeries and a hysterectomy and never once being told to pay what they THOUGHT the charges were going to be. Fortunately, my husband works for LabCorp and went toe to toe with the administrators, finally getting 250 down and 87 a month for 18 months. Don't be afraid to ask...they aren't doing you any favors. Obesity is a health risk...we aren't talking a Tummy Tuck here...and you're entitled to fair treatment when it comes to out of pocket.

The cool thing is that we were told by UH that we were allowed to take the pre approval letter and get a copy of our med records and find another doctor if we couldn't come to an agreement regarding payments. Fortunately, it hasn't come to that.

That being said, I'm excited and looking forward to the procedure and by all means, keep the comments coming!

[MADE IT 2 MY GOAL..OH YEAH 0]

Hi all...I'm due for my band on October 1st, 2008 and would like to ask a quick favor of all of you. Would you be kind enough to throw at least one (more would be great!) piece of advice out that you wished you had when you were newly banded. I've never heard about 'sliming' or meat tenderizer or pineapple juice or hot things to 'open up'...all these things are foreign to me.

I'd like to compile a list and print it out as well as post it on other sites.

Tricks of the trade? How to prevent getting things stuck (and what tends to get stuck) and things you wished you'd done differently? The REAL reason behind this is I'm deathly afraid of the symptoms and problems I've read about and will go to any lengths to avoid them. You guys are terrific and much appreciated!

My one piece of advice is this....LISTEN TO EVERYTHING YOUR DOCTOR TELLS YOU. You may not like what some of the restrictions are at first, but there is a reason behind them. They know best, that's why you are the patient and they get paid thousands of dollars and the right to be called a Doctor. They don't expect you to be perfect and neither should you. Just do you best, keep your head up high and know that you are doing this for the right reasons and you will be fine.

[drstan1 0]

chew chew and chew again cut food into very small pieces if it doesnt melt in your mouth expect some reflux will force you to eat slowly no conversation during dinner