POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

How much protein should I get each day? My surgeon wants me to get all my protein from what I am eating. I find that VERY difficult to do. Anyone willing to say how many grams their Dr. recommends and good ways to get it? I'm a year out, lost 60 but have stalled BIG TIME!!!

Hi everyone, I was banded on 8/13/09. I had very little gas pain after surgery. However, I woke up this morning and the gas was horrible. It hurts so bad sometimes it takes my breath away. I’m taking gas x and walking a ton. Any more advise?

I got banded on Aug 13th. Doing pretty well. Having trouble with digesting the protein shakes. They cause me to have gas, and a distended abdomen. I drink broths, V-8, sugar free popsicles. Miso soup has been good too. Today protein shake was Worldwide from Trader Joe's. It did better than Genisoy or Muscle Milk. It is tough to get in 60 grams of protein each day. I can't wait for the soft diet to start because I think I will feel so much better with those types of protein.

Hi. I'm six days out and havie been doing well. Today while out on a short outing, I got very nauseous. Not sure why? Anyone else had this happen.

I would like to purchase a few Lap Band books to read this winter. I have read a few posts that mention a few books, but I can't seem to remember them. Please tell me the titles (and authors if you know) of the ones you like. Cook books are welcome, too as long as they are specifically for Lap Banders. Thanks everyone!

1 yr ago 2day I had one of the most life changing operations. I had my band placed. This yr hasn't been the easiest I've seen. But it has been very rewarding. I have lost 80 something pounds. Sure I haven't lost as much as most people have, but I am very proud and excited about what I have lost. I have learned how to eat, what to eat, and what not to eat. I have learned to take my time while eating and have learned what can and will happen if I don't. Last month I had to go in and have all the Fluid removed from my band. The last fill I had, well, we got it way to tight and I wouldn't call my doctor to have some removed. The pain of heartburn and the frustrat…

Cause I ate something and my chest hurt really bad and I felt like I had to vomit but a few burps came up and it went away was that a Pb? What is slimming like I asked before but I forgot

Okay I read over and over and am wondering if anyone has there port in the middle top of their stomach and not the top? Mine is in the middle and is so visible without wait lose. I wonder how bad it will look after I lose weight?

I can generally lie on my back for a bit, but spend most of my time laying on my right side, opposite the port/incision. (I had a single incision surgery and it's just to the left of middle.) How soon before you all felt comfortable enough to lay on port side? Just banded on the 14th. Thanks!

My name is Leah. I was banded August 12th. My last bm was a day before surgery. I was so miserable after surgery that I was told to try the benefiber powder. I put the benefiber in my applejuice/water mix and now I am paying for it. I'm also very gurgly. I'm on the full liquid stage of the diet, and wondering if this will go away or if I need to call the doctor tomorrow? I have an occasional stomach growl, but not really hungry. I'm trying to get my Protein in and everything but not really hungry. Anyone else have this problem? Need advice please! Thanks, Leah

I had my first fill, 3 ccs in the Realize band. In the five hours since, I've been incredibly gassy and burpy. I haven't eaten anything, just had water. Also feel like I need to go #2 but can't. Normal?

Hello! I got banded 7 days ago and I am down from 292 to 272 - 20 pounds in 7 days. I am following a simple food plan right now... typically protien shake blended with Fiber Bran Cereal in the morning, bean Soup for lunch and egg salad with light mayo for dinner...and Water or decaf tea all day. So I am not starving myself, but definitely a drastic reduction from the pre-surgery days. Is a kind of drop (20 lbs in one week after surgery) unheard of?

:frown:So today I had a whole small Wendy's Frosty and a package of Twix! I am still on full liquids so not sure why in the world I did it but, alas, I did. After eating all that you would think I would be sick, nauseated or feeling the full pressure but I'm not! Anyone know why?!? I have never felt nauseous or sick since having the surgery. Is that normal as well? I had surgery 07/30/09.

I am curious how well you guys are doing. How much weight lost? What you are eating? have you had a fill yet? or any other information . This is my first time writing on this site but I have been viewing for about 3 weeks now . You guys have helped me through some tough times after surgery.

Hi all!! just wondering whats everyone eating? I have kinda stalled in my weight loss.. I can eat about anything I want and that is not a good thing! So wondering what everyone is eating? Anyone have any healthy ideas I can pick up at the store! This weight needs to come off and I need your support!

Just curious to see what instructions doctors are giving out regarding incisions, since we all know every doc is different. Mine said not to put anything on them and just wash with antibacterial soap and water.

My surgery is on Thursday!!! I'm excited and just want to make sure I have everything I need i.e. protein shakes,liquid ibuprofen, jello etc. Any suggestions. Anything you wish you had but didn't? Thank you!!

Is is just me or does getting a fill hurt?!?!? EEeesshh. I never thought I had such a low pain threshold before. Either that or I'm just so nervous when I go I tense up and it hurts. Anyway... 3cc's filled now down 25 lbs since WLS and hoping I feel some restriction now with this fill.

Hey y'all! I just had my lapband this past thursday (today is sat) and I have a question as to how often I should be eating. How often should I be getting hungry?.... I just feel hungry like 2 hours after I eat my broth. (clear liquid diet stage still) I'm also making an awful lot of noise lol I know some gurgles are normal, but will I always do this?? I'm doing really well with the recovery. I have 150 pounds to lose and I lost 12 during the liquid diet before my surgery... so 138 to go! Any help or advice you can give would be great!:biggrin:

I had my second fill on August 4th - I have felt minimal restriction. The past few days I have felt an increase in restriction - is that normal to feel restriction 2 weeks after the fill?

I was hoping my dr performed the SILS procedure, he didn't. I was "prepped" for my laproscopic operation by a weight mgmt center. I was told I would have 4-5 holes. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I have one incision slightly left of my sternum area and one "hole" to the right of it, about 3 inches away and a second "hole" above my belly button. 1 incision and 2 holes....not a SILS but better than what I thought. So, how many "holes" &/or incisions do you have?

Hey there everyone thankyou for your well wishes. everything went well... no major probs that i know of. I know i woke up from the general in catastrophic pain. i had a belly full of gas that travelled to my sholder or put pressure on my sholder. *shrugs* was also putting major pressure on my diafram. I was poking into my chest and the recovery team were trying to stop me. after 5 hours in recovery and 4to 5 shots of morphine i sat up and the pain went away or moved should i say.....sort of. maybe i was just total rattled from the drugs. im now 4 days out and still have that gas pain but on a smaller scale. no drain either. (thank god) Fluids are hard to get i…

First of all, I lost the site. Now I bookmarked it and will be able to get back easily. Secondly, I had a difficult recovery and very tired/lazy...LOL. Stitches didn't 'dissolve' like they said they would. 2 got infected. Finally got them out yesterday and got a penicillin shot.. I'm still on full liquids until Sunday. Now I have a funky achiness in my new tummy area...I think it's from the probiotics-was having a HECK of a time with the bathroom situation. Haven't lost any more weight (actually put 3 pounds back on-but probably water/hydration). I'm only 2 1/2 weeks out, so I'm not worried about weightloss. I finally walked 30 mins last night - for a while …

I am 10 days post op and have been having this pain on my left side, it's low like at the belly button level. I have an appointment at the doc tomorrow, but I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this type of pain? I am hoping everything is okay.

Hi all i just got banded on 8/10/09 and wanted to know when can you have sex after the band? Sorry but i need to know. Also im just asking just to know social drinks happen when?? and am i the only one that is still on liquids for 10 more days then the pureed stage for 10 days. which means i won't eat solid food for almost 20 days is that right?? i got my surgery at nyu,hospital and they seem to really love this liquid diet. I am having a hard time drinking the two shakes a day. I am not hungry at all but mostly because i am afraid to drink anything. All this talk about band opening and stuff has me scared. its bad but today i had a meltdown and had to cry. I'm just looki…

I was banded on 7/20 and today for lunch im having Vegetable Soup. Anyone banded around the same time as me? what are you eating?

So I was just wondering, out of curiosity, if your incisions left any visible scarring and if it had faded any. I was in the store yesterday and saw scar cream and wondered if it was worth using or not. I'm not personally all that concerned with the scarring aspect, as I just allowed myself to have a band placed in my stomach through my bellybutton (:biggrin:!) but I just wondered if anyone has had success with hiding the scar.

Everything looks good, down 42lbs!

I am almost two week out from surgery (still on full liquids until Tuesday). Every time I eat (I mean drink) about 10 minutes later, my mouth turns sour. Anyone else have this problem? Not sure if it's my body (hormones) or if it's a side effect of the anesthesia. Any thoughts?

Hey everybody! I haven't posted anything for a long time. So, I am eight weeks post op. I have lost 31 pounds. People around me are starting to ask if I have lost weight (that's a nice question to get!) But, I am having some issues. I am really having a hard time eating and keeping things down. I am finding that nothing at all sounds appetizing and when I do try to eat, I can only eat a few bites. I am worried about the low amount of calories. I nearly fainted twice at work last week. I am drinking a protein shake / drink in the mornings and sometimes at night. Am I getting enough calories etc? I seriously can't believe I am asking that question! I'm struggli…

i am 7 days out post op and my doctor said i can eat anything as long as it was pureed like mushy consisticy, however i am always hungry and everytime i eat i dont get that full feeling, could something be wrong with my band?, tonight i had chicken salad on 1 piece of toast, and it was fine, i could have eaten more but i stopped, its getting a little scary if by band is :broken: already, i didnt have a fill at surgery because my doctors said it went on tight and i shouldnt need a fill for awhile, thanks

Dear Bandsters, Let me begin by asking you to forgive me for being uncouth, but I am 4 weeks post-op and continue to have severe, PAINFUL, gas. I have healed well and have no problems eating as scheduled on my doctor's plan. However, since day one I have had severe gas problems, especially in the lower abdomen. It wouldn't be so bad but I just can't get rid of it...gas-X, walking, beano, you name it. I am so bloated by night all I do is sit on the commode trying to expel some of the gallons that seems to be trapped. Has anyone else experience this for 4 weeks and does it get better? I appreciate any help you can give me.

:frown:I had an awful experience last night! I was banded on 6/30 and have had 2 fills so far. Anyway, went out to eat with my family last night, I have been out to eat probably 5 times so far and never had a bad experience. I had a small salad I was eating and then my dinner came and I ate just a few bites and wanted to burp which was a pb instead but I swallowed it back down because I was at a table and then when I thought I was going to PB again I threw up mostly slime about 3 times in to my napkin and on my clothes at the place! I probably won't go out to eat any time soon. What causes the slime? I didn't eat that much so I am not sure what happened? Any ideas?…

3 1/2 weeks out from surgery and I can eat like I used to. I don't chew slow, I drink with meals and I know I eat too much. I am not doing it on purpose, it is old habits coming back...I am not scheduled for a first fill for two more weeks and my weight loss has stopped. I am so afraid of gaining it back. Also, my incisions are healed but my port is sore. Is that normal?:cool:

Hey guys, Ive just started my puree stage, and since then I have been having alot of reflux. I am only having about half a cup of food and will stop when im full, so im really worried that this could be bad??? does anyone have any suggestions???

I just ate my first pureed meal. I took salmon and chopped it up and fine and chewed and chewed .Oh I am having such stomach pain. Could anyone give me some advise?

I was banded back in Feb. 09. I have only lost 25lbs. Discouraged, the month of July, I over ate. I mean, I really over ate...like stuffed myself to the point of being uncomfortable for days. I got back in control the beginning of August, but ever since I have had a lot of indigestion (sour stomach) and I don't feel much restriction at all. I am wondering if I may have made my band slip??? I am planning on calling my doctor tomorrow, but am very worried. If a band does slip, what do they do to fix it?

I had a h hernia repaired and since then I've had esophageal spasms. My doc gave me a medicine, but it does no good. I'd love to hear from you all to know if this is unusual or frequently the case.

I'm not sure what is soo bad about carbonation in pop and beer. I've heard a couple stories. Can someone tell me why exactly we're not supossed to have pop (or soda) or beer or other alcohol?

Hi everyone, I was banded on 6/29, just the band, no fill. I have just started taking weight off this week . I lose between 1/2 to 1 pound a day. I am posting this because I know some people get upset when the weight does not start to come off immediately. After your body has been through trauma it needs time to heal. At this time it holds on to all of the calories it can so weight loss is slowed. It's a self preservation response. I teach science so in my head I knew what was going on but I still doubted if I would ever see the scale move. I have been on so many diets that did not work that I believe it was a natural response. I eat pretty much whatever I want just …

to walk a mile in the morning and walk a mile in the afternoon on the treadmil? two weeks post op just so you know and i was thinking of walking twice a day every other day and i cant think of anything to have for breakfast, cream of wheat hurt my stomach today so i dont want that, eggs eh, i dont know what else to have for mushie stage, yogurt doesnt really fill me up, and i really dont know what to have for lunch either, i had an omlet today and it made me full but i dont want that everyday, any suggestions for breakfast and lunch? thanks

Hi, just wondering what you eat that will keep you full for hours? For me, 1 oz. of chicken fills me for hours where I can eat eggs without much restriction at all, regardless of how they are cooked. So, I am just curious what works for everyone else. Thanks!

Just checking to see what is typical of what you would eat in a day. Assuming you are at restriction. I have done searches but am having trouble finding what people eat and what size portions they eat. Thanks, Greg

For some reason it seems like I am tighter in the morning. I can hardly eat anyting for breakfast and for lunch and dinner I can eat alright without everything getting stuck. Is anyone else expericing this problem and is it normal?

I had my first fill 2 weeks ago and i feel like i"m still eating more than i"m supposed to. I don't feel the weight coming off has this happened to anyone? I'm going for a 2nd fill in a week do you think it will be right then? worried...:thumbup:

i feel like im going to fail at this, i feel like im never going to get to my goal, and i do know im only 2 weeks post op but shouldn't i have lost a pound or two at least? i feel like ill never exercise enough (im walking and that all im doing so far, i dunno what else i could do that isnt too much *sigh*) i wish i had a lapband buddy to walk and exercise with everyday, my mom was supposed to get the surgery but they told her shes no longer a canidate for the surgery since shes now under the BMI by one her BMI is 34, shes supposed to go walking with me but hasnt and my grandma and dad has ugh but i really wish i had a friend that was going through this, it would make thi…

ok ok this is going to sound a bit silly but i was wondering if there was anyone out there who has been sleeved for awhile that would be willing to put a pic of there dinner plate up so us youngsters can actually *see* how much you are actually eating. It would have to have a hand or someting like that under/near the plate to get a correct size. I would really love to see how much the vets of this site are actually eating. (just to get an idea. at least then we have something to go by, like a starting point. vets eat "this much" soooo i can start with half of it (just for example i guess, like a bouncing point) cheers & thanks.:001_smile:

Just had VSG on August 10; down 17 pounds. I am happy with my decision but can't wait to get off the liquid diet. It seems so limiting with choices. I feel a little weak but am so happy.:001_tongue:

There is no certain scent/food, no certain time but sometimes (more often than not) a scent (only scents from food) will make me feel sick-like I am going to vomit. Yesterday for example I opened a can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew and I literally almost vomited from the smell of it. I asked my 14 year old if it smelled bad to her(I thought maybe it was expired) and she said no. That is not the first time that a scent has affected me that way. Am I the only one that experiences this?

What time were you due into the hospital and what time were you leaving? Also, does that include a barium swallow before leaving? I am due in at 6am for a 7am surgery. My barium swallow will be done a few days later at my local radiologist.