Banded_Kris

My weight started to slow down when I hit the mushy phase and picked back up once I got my first fill. For the mushy phase I drank alot of smoothies and ate a lot of chicken and tuna salad. Also I would eat refried beans mixed with cheese and light sour cream. I ate lasagna but chewed it really well before swallowing. Mixing fruit with your protein shakes is also a good idea. That way you get all of your protein in. Good luck.

I only had mild sleep apnea and I was approved. Though my BMI was over 40. Good luck!!

I have found that I can eat a tortilla if I put something on it, like cheese or salsa or something. Otherwise it gets stuck. I do not eat bread. I may have a tiny bite of a roll at a resturant but I can't eat the whole thing. I have found that I can eat one small piece of a thin crust pizza but if I over do it, it will get stuck. As far as the celery, I make chicken salad with it all the time. But cute into small pieces.

Good luck to you guys. I was banded on May 31st, 2011. I have to agree, the band was the best decision I ever made. I started my journey at 294 and I am down 60lbs in 3 1/2 months. I feel amazing and can't wait to meet my goal. I know that I am not the typical senario but I want you to know that the Lap band really truely works if you follow the rules. I also believe in having a blog of some sort. I recomment watching youtube videos. They are truely inspiring and really helped me through my journey thus far. Good luck to you both!!

I had never had any surgery or anything either. I was nervous about that too. But it was quick and easy. It's like I never even went to sleep. The anesthesia Dr. came into preop and gave me meds through my IV to relax me. I don't even remember going to the OR. I just remember waking up in the recovery area. It wasn't bad at all.

I also had to be on 2 weeks pre-op liquids followed by 2 weeks post op liquids. My Dr. had me drink the bariatric advantage shakes before surgery and then after I could drink which ever shakes I wanted. I found that the EAS brand shakes are not bad. You can get those from walmart or target. Both the premixed and the powder taste ok. I could also have clear liquids during my 4 week liquid diet. Stuff like sugar free jello, popsickes, broth. It was definately hard but you'll get use to it. It's all worth it in the end. Gool Luck to you guys!!

Some of the things I ate to change it up were different Soups, refried Beans mixed with ground beef cheese and light sour cream, chili, blended lasagna and spagetti, egg omelets. I hope this is helpful! Good luck!!

Donna, I am having he same problem. I was banded on May 31st and that has been my only problem since. The constipation that is. I have found Benefiber mix-ins for your water. It is a flavorless powder that you mix in any liquid. I mix it in my water with a crystal light mix-in and drink one a day. I find that it does help. Good luck!

I am 3 weeks post op as well and am on pureed food too. I've done pretty well I guess. I've been eating a lot of soups. Like broccoli cheese and potato. I have also been eating mashed potatos and baked potatos. To get in my protein I've been eating chili, refried beans with ground beef and cheese with a touch of light sour cream. Also Smoothie King has a smoothie called the Gladiator and it has 45g of protein in a small. It tastes really good and is only like 300 calories. I'm also eating alot of eggs and oatmeal. Trying to change it up so I don't get bored. Hope this is helpful! Good luck.

Sounds like alot of us had a similar experience. I had my surgery on May 31st and I had an unexpected hernia repair as well. The first week I was really sore. Had to keep taking my pain meds around the clock and that made it tolerable for me to get up and move around. I found that the more I did get up and move the better I felt. I too couldn't sleep for a few days. I found that sleeping on my back with pillows all around me really helped. I also held a pillow over my stomach for support. That was very helpful. It was real hard to get up and down out of bed and in chairs for about 3-5 days. The port area was very sore. I just had my 2 week follow up appointment this week and told them that my port area is still very tender. My dr. said that was normal because they had to sew the port into the muscle. Also because I had a hernia, he had to sew some mesh in there and he said that will cause it to be very sore as well. It's now 15 days post op and I feel like a human again. I do still notice the soreness from time to time but mostly it's because I over do it from time to time. Lifting and bending and such. As far as eating. I too couldn't eat very much for a few days. I lived on sugar free popsicles and Jello. And crystal light is a lot easier to get down than Water. I just had to eat and drink real slow. I also could drink my Protein shakes but it would take like 30 minutes to get 1/2 a cup down. Now I'm on softs and doing great. Good luck to you. It does get better I promise.

Dr. David Kim in Colleyville TX did mine. I did not know I had a hernia until surgery but when I came out he said I did and that he fixed it. He's AWESOME. He's done thousands of lapbands and gastric surgeries. He had even done famous people like Dallas Cowboy Nate Newton. I even know they work wity you on finances. Good luck to you!!

Ok guys I need some help with the pureed soft diet. I went to the store and got things like apple sauce, tuna salad, eggs,mashed potatos, beans etc. But my question is did any of you puree anything that seems crazy to puree? I have heard people say they pureed things like spagetti. Is that possible? I just want some suggestions of yummy things I can puree. I don't want to get bored with this because I don't want to fail!!!! I did okay with the liquids but that was easy. There isn't any thinking to it. You can only eat liquids. Pureed food takes more of an imagination.

Ok so I had my two week follow up today. Things are good. I've lost a total of 27lbs. Yeah!!!! I'm still a little sore where my port is but they said it's because I had a hernia repair there so it will be sore for a little longer. Bad news is that I was supose to go back to work tomorrow but they are not going to release me for 2-4 more weeks. Weight restriction. I can't lift more than 10lbs for up to 6 weeks and I'm a L&D nurse so there is no way I can go back to work and not expect to pull or lift on someone. I feel really bad for my work. I hate leaving them short staffed but I guess I better be safe than sorry. I'm just kind of bored to be honest. I'm not use to sitting at home and doing nothing. I also get to start my soft and pureed diet today. I ate some broccoli cheese soup for lunch and had some chicken salad for dinner. I tolerated it just fine. I definately need some creative ideas for food to eat. Anyone have any ideas.

I am exactly 2 weeks post-op. When I woke up in the recovery room I wasn't hurting at all and I didn't hurt that much at all that first day. However when I woke up the next day I was in alot of pain. I wouldn't say excrusiating pain, just really bad soreness. I had a hard time getting up and down out of bed or chairs. I found that walking around for about 5-10 minutes every hour really loosened me up and helped alot. Day 3 I started feeling better. For about the next week I was a little sore but able to move around just fine. Overall I don't think it was that bad!

i got to use skim milk in my protein shakes up until the night before my surgery. It does taste much better. I also bought some EAS brand whey protein, and it tastes pretty good. EAS brand is sold at Target. I'm not sure where else. Good luck!

Ya, sounds like you need an adjustment. You'd hate to have your band slip out of place from vomitting so much. Sorry! Doesn't sound fun. :-(

EAS makes some good protein shakes too. You can find them at Target and I know that QT gas station keeps them stocked in all flavors. And they taste great.

I am also 7 days post op and I can't eat things like that for another week. I was told 2 weeks post op liquids and then 2 weeks of pureed foods. No solids for 4 weeks after surgery. My doctor gave me a whole packet of do's and don't after surgery. Good luck.

I just voted for you. How awesome is that that Dr. Kim is doing that. He did my surgery exactly one week ago today. He's the best bariatric surgeon in the DFW area. I also live in Keller. Small world. Maybe we will run into each other at the office. Good luck to you. Keep me posted!!!

Okay today was two days post-op and I'm finally feeling okay. Sorry I'm just getting a post up but the last two days have been rought to say the least. I came home from the hospital feeling pretty decent on Tuesday. I came home and went straight to sleep because I had to be at the hospital at 430 am. I was exhausted but feeling pretty good. When I woke up I was even feeling a little bit hungry so I decided to try to eat a bit of jello. That was definately a mistake. I immediately starting getting sick, and because I didn't have anything in my stomach I was dry heaving like crazy. After about three hours of vomitting everything I tried to drink I decided to just take some pain meds and go to bed. That first night was miserable. No matter how I layed, sitting or laying I was in a lot of pain and uncomfortable. I had decided to stay at my parents house so I would have a little help and I have to say that was the best thing I could have done. I was hurting so bad on post-op day 1 that I had to get my mom to help me out of bed. I was affraid to eat anything either because of what had happend the day before but knew that I had to. I was able to keep down a little water, chicken broth and one protein shake that day. Even though I was hurting I knew I had to get up and walk so about every 3 hrs I got up and walked for 10 minutes straight. I found that if I stayed still too long I would get more stiff and be in even more pain. This day I stayed ontop of all my pain meds too. I took it as often as I could to keep it in my system. I went to bed and I have to say I actually got a decent amount of sleep and woke up feeling a lot better. I think walking and the meds were the key. Today was the post -op day 2 and I had a pretty good day. I am still really sore but overall I can move around alot better. I was also able to get down 3 protein shakes and some clear liquids. Lets hope it just gets easier from here.

Wow lean cuisines? That's nice. I wonder why some Dr.s allow their patients to eat food and others do not?

Okay so I just finished my 1st week of Pre-op liquids. The first few days were really rough. I had migraines almost everyday and I felt like my stomach was going to eat itself. I don't know about your pre-op diets but I have to be on a protein shake and clear liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op. That means 4 protein shakes a day and water, unsweet tea, sugar free jello and sugar free popsickles. I had an emotional melt down on day 3. I felt so bad. I was sitting at home and my boyfriend came home with Panda Express. I immediately went to the bedroom and started loosing it. He came in and appoligized and I felt aweful. I mean it's not like he shouldn't be able to eat you know. The last 2 days have been pretty good. No headaches or aching hunger. I'm only 4 days away from surgery today and I am sooooo EXCITED!!!