True confessions from a newbie..HELP!

[idababy 0]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Michelle. Here is the issues that I hoping you guys can help with. I was banded 7/09/09. Only 11 days ago. I am still supposed to be on pureed food, but I just totally skipped that I have had some unforseen circumstances though. so, here is my story. After I was banded (about 2 days later), my kids (ages 16 & 12), left with some friends of ours to go to Key West. We are from NC. My oldest daughter went to get SCUBA certified. So, while they were gone my DH and I went to Myrtle Beach for 2 days. :wub:While there, we went out to eat and I did ok. I stuck with eating Soups and I even had a small amount of broiled flounder. I have had no problems eating. Then while in Key West, one of the friends (the wife) fell and shattered her leg and had to have emergency surgery. I knew that the husband of the friend was going to need help taking care of the kids and his wife, so off my hubby and I go to Key West. We drove straight thru. Once here, only 10 days post op now, I went snorkeling (that was fun), and it was some good exercise.:Dancing_wub:

The problem is my eating. I am not sure what to do. After all, I am in Key West, away from home and kind of in vacation. Last night I ate some Pasta, and some mashed potatoes and a peice of very tender pork loin. The food here is awesome, but I only ate a small amount of each item. Today I had an egg and 2 bites of hash browns for Breakfast. And for luch I went to Subway and had them make me a steak sub without the bread in a salad bowl. I have eaten small amounts, but I am worried because I am ABLE to eat this stuff already. Is it ok, or am I screwing myself for later. Also, I have not been able to get in any of the Protein supplements since I have been here, but I am eating protein, so is that OK?

I am so confused about this band thing.....Please help!!! Any advice is appreciated, and don't worry I am beating myself up for not being compliant. I actually cried last night, because I just don't know if this is normal. And if it is, then why am I not having trouble eating foods like everyone else. Why am I able to eat like this??????:smile:

PS: My daughter is now officially a SCUBA Diver!:Dancing_wub:

[deanne 0]

I would not worry too much. I pretty much did the same thing, just in wayyyy smaller amounts. I have still lost 27 pounds in 6 weeks. I am comfy with that. I exercise more now though. Just don't go for the fries!!

You would know if you were over doing it.

Good Luck!

[idababy 0]

Tried fries already lol Could only eat 2 and I was miserable!!!! Oh well, its a learning process.

[Sue Magoo 71]

Michelle:

From what I've heard you really shouldn't be eating solids yet because you are still healing. I heard that if you don't let your healing occur the right way that you have a much higher chance of slippage or erosion later. I'm sure you don't want that. Please try to eat the pureed foods so that you won't wonder later if you do have a problem whether you made this happen or not.

Take care.

Sue

[BethFromVA 5]

Whether you're on vacation or not, the rules are in place for a reason. They don't tell you to do liquids because you can't eat food, they tell you to do liquids to keep your stomach from overchurning which can cause your band, which is not yet healed, to slip.

I assure you, it only gets harder from here. I sincerely recommend you follow doctor's orders to a tee for your own good. This goes to the other poster who says it's okay because s/he did it too.

Don't turn this into "if Susie jumped off a bridge, would you do it to" scenario. Two people doing the wrong thing does not make it less wrong.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I think you need to call your doc and get some direction. A MAJOR cause of slips is eating "ahead" of your post op diet. You may feel fine but your band, that is sewn into place and needs to heal there, may not be. You know your stomach churns to aid in digestion...(you don't feel it but it does it). Well...that churning action can loosen/rip your stitches, cause the band to move, set you up for a slip down the road (and then you'll post "Why me?")

Not to be harsh, just up front with this. You may or may not be fine. Call your surgeon, find out what he says, not what we say.

[lfrank40 0]

Wow, this really helped me because I also was Banded on 7/09/2009 and went on vaction to Orlando FL with the Family and I fell off the wagon by drinking non-sugar free drinks like Icee's because it was sooo hot I was dehydrated and Water alone was not satisfying me,

thanks for the eye opener on although you can eat

you shoud not due to the healing process I needed that

because I was feeling like "o.k I feel fine so maybe I can eat firmer foods now" but thanks you guys(ladies) I will

follow my listed diet from here on.

Thanks!

[SummerAgain 0]

Maybe you can go to a local grocery store and get some Soup by the hands, apple sauce and yogurts to get you through? I mean, we all have to be able to adjust to new situations and settings without compromising our bands, right?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

The post op diet is hard when you are just living "normal" life. To try to do it on vacation must be hellacious! But it really is important....not like in the past if you "cheated" on a diet like weight watchers or Atkins. Hang in there; do what you're supposed to; and next vacation you'll be healed, able to eat, and thinner! :smile:

[ThePoolGirl 1]

The posts from those of you who have "cheated" make me sad. First, there's only cheating when you're dieting. The band isn't a diet. It's a way of life. I'm curious why people come to this forum. For me, it's a great source of information and inspiration. I daily read through several different posts, not just those for pre-op, which I am. I am not finding posts suggesting eating real food, including beef, nine days after surgery. Instead, I find posters who give mushies suggestions, suggest Protein drinks, and offer support.

I'm curious about those who don't plan to follow the doctor's instructions. Do you think those are mere suggestions? It seems that maybe you weren't well prepared for having surgery, following the healing process and then the things you must do for the rest of your life. I wish you well, truly. I hope you don't have band slippage or erosion or other problems from your choices. Possibly, you're one of the lucky ones with insurance that will pay for correction surgery if, heaven forbid, it becomes necessary. Some of us don't have that luxury. I worry that I will suffer some problem down the road and because I will be self-pay, I will have to pay for those additional things. But my concern isn't that I will cause band slippage, etc. I have tried to learn all the ins and outs of life with the band and other gastric procedures. But, should something happen that is not my fault (slippage, erosion, rejection, tube leakage) I'll still have to find a way to pay for that after care. Someone suggested an "Oh Crap Fund" and I think I'll start saving my pennies just in case. I wouldn't have even thought about this being a problem had I not read threads on this site.

I have no problem paying for my LapBand surgery - that's not my issue. I just can't imagine reaching the point in life where you decide to have this surgery and change your life and you're willing to toss it away for some fries and flounder. That makes me sad.

Good luck to you all. I hope to read your later posts that you are doing well and are successful in all your endeavors. Please stay healthy!

Respectfully,

The Pool Girl

Edited July 21, 2009 by ThePoolGirl

[ThePoolGirl 1]

Regarding my previous post - I really don't mean to sound nasty. I'm just concerned that there are many people having life-changing surgeries and maybe their doctors/nutritionists, etc. did not leave them fully prepared. We all know that our health care system can be a bit lacking at times.

I do wish you all much success and happiness. You wouldn't have ended up on this forum if you weren't wanting to make positive changes. Good luck!

ThePoolGirl

Edited July 21, 2009 by ThePoolGirl

[BethFromVA 5]

I just can't imagine reaching the point in life where you decide to have this surgery and change your life and you're willing to toss it away for some fries and flounder. That makes me sad.

Pretty much sums it up.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I can only speak for myself, of course. For me, I had done SO MANY diets, and either, it seemed, I was ON ONE or "cheating" or "should be on one" that cheating on a diet ALMOST became a way of life. Because, eventually, no matter how strong, how sure, how dedicated or committed I was, something happened and I cheated.

I am sure most of us have done this, or something like it, or we'd be at goal, most of us, and not need the band.

So, given yet another "diet" by my surgical team, and then reading on here of posters who "cheated" and were fine (or so they thought)...I figured, "why not me?" I did my OWN post op diet, lost 15 pounds, didn't get the band. That was a wake up call, a steep learning curve. I began to ask my doc WHY...and not in an obnoxious way, but because I wanted to know. WHY stick to the preop diet, WHY stick to the post op diet...WHY avoid caffeine, WHY avoid carbonation. Because once I know why I can, as an adult, make an informed decision.

My doc, in the seminar, said don't cheat on your post op diet. I had a patient eat a tuna sandwich and was back in immediately with a slip. I thought that meant immediately post op, I didn't know it meant FOLLOW THE POST OP DIET TO A T. I learned that though, after my own foolishness during the preop phase.

I think many cheat not because they want to hurt themselves, but because they don't KNOW why it's important not to, and because like so many of us, "cheating on a diet" is almost built in to our lives. Diets are HARD. We forget the preop and postop phase is finite, we don't know why it's important, we read of others (many many others) who CHEAT and are FINE and we think "why not me"?

It's not a consious (or unconscious) desire to hurt ourselves or derail the process; we just don't know how important it is. I think once most people realize WHY they are doing it (preop to shrink the liver, post op to allow the band to heal into place without a slip, and the stomach CHURNS to digest even if you don't feel it so stick to your diet as ordered) then they will comply.

Just my take on it. It's why I cheated, and why I subsequently QUIT cheating and became a big old rule follower for my surgeon. I paid a high price, though. I didn't get the band the first time. Maybe people will learn without having to go through what I did, or a slip, or some such. So we do help, support, and EDUCATE on this board.

[BethFromVA 5]

Regarding my previous post - I really don't mean to sound nasty. I'm just concerned that there are many people have life-changing surgeries and maybe their doctors/nutritionists, etc. did not leave them fully prepared. We all know that our health care system can be a bit lacking at times.

I do wish you all much success and happiness. You wouldn't have ended up on this forum if you weren't wanting to make positive changes. Good luck!

ThePoolGirl

Sometimes it's the doctor not giving good advice for aftercaer, but more often it's the bandster themselves who make horrible choices which can really hurt them.

Don't even get me started on the person who had a double-double burger just a few days after surgery! :smile:

I just look at it this way myself: We have gotten to the point where surgery is the last straw. I mean, how many people use surgery as a first option? No, we typically consider surgery after years of dieting and exercise.

So... we take this path, hoping upon hope that this will be the "trick," and then not to even follow the rules to help keep us from potentially losing our bands or causing our bodies harm...? WHY?

I feel if anybody can't commit themselves fully for a few weeks of liquids and mushies, then maybe they're just not ready to do this.

[BethFromVA 5]

Excellence and perfection as always, Restless. :smile: