faithmd

So are we talking about doing a second Vegas trip in 2008? The general LBT board is looking at a gathering in Vegas the first weekend of February.

:welcomeB: Take some time, read around here, you will find many answers to your questions in addition to the answers to get to your thread(s). Just a side note, you do not have to post the same thread three times. Pick the best place that this would go and post it there.

.......... Huh?

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! I MUCH prefer just using Advanced Search and then clicking on the pull-down menu under the keyword input box on the left and selecting "Thread Titles Only." I find that if there is something I want to know, I do much better looking at a thread that is titled for the topic I'm interested in.

I agree 100% with what Jacqui said. My right one is about a cup bigger than the left one. I'm a 44DD. I do think you are obsessing, but I understand 100% why, and that's perfectly okay! It could be that one had a little more manipulation than the other so the swelling is greater on one side and it may go down, BUT, I also remember you said you wanted a full DD and you didn't get it. So based on that alone, I'd probably complain.

The burping is very normal. Many people have it I've heard. I think it depends on many factors, position on the stomach of the band, what food you eat, are you gassy normally, how much air you tend to swallow, etc. I was really sore for about 10 days. And still nearly a month later, I get "twinges" of pain around my port when I twist a certain way or if I lift and twist at the same time. It DOES get better. Time is a great healer. My surgeon's group is VERY proactive in protecting your stomach and your band. For example, I was given Reglan (to increase GI motility) and a suppository AND a patch for behind my ear for nausea. I also was started on Prevacid for stomach acid and that I will take for at least a year. You could try some liquid like Gaviscon for the heartburn.

The biggest question is what will your diet be at 2 weeks post-op. Many surgeons are totally different. I cannot predict what your surgeon will have you on. If I were you, I would absolutely lie like a rug and develop a very nasty stomach virus, or to explain why you were off work, say you had hernia surgery, that way you can either postpone your lunch for another two to four weeks until you are certain to be on solid food (some surgeons have you on regular food at 4 weeks, some at 6 weeks post-op), or if you choose to go ahead with the dinner, then you can just order some Soup and explain you are taking it easy after either the stomach virus, or the surgery, whichever you choose.

If my surgeon wouldn't say how much fluid is in my band I'd have a REAL BIG problem with that. It is your band, your body and he works for YOU.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!

Here's a tip for the constipation (that seems inevitable), go get some Gerber baby Apple Prune juice. It comes in 4 oz bottles, it is clear and it's the perfect size. I drank one per day until I could have pureed/mushies, now I eat a jar of baby food prunes a day. It helps IMMENSELY and it tastes pretty darned good.

You can usually find samples on various bariatric nutrition websites. I know you can order samples on unjury.com You will have to talk with your nut about this, why not give them a call in the morning and ask? Some say it's okay, some don't, but remember you probably will go back on liquids for a day or two (depending on your doc's orders) after fills so you will be using them to a degree. Bariatric Eating - Protein, Vitamins, Gastric Bypass & Lap Band Info, Post-op recipes, and Help has samples you can order, as does Bariatric Weight Loss, Diet Foods, Protein supplements & Bariatric Vitamins, Gastric Bypass Surgery Diet There are lots of retailers out there and you'll find many links around these boards, too. Just make sure you are getting a Whey or Soy protein and that whatever you buy is not for body builders (usually extra calories we don't want), look for stuff for bariatric patients.

OMG you are soooooo normal. :welcomeB: to LBT, BTW and congrats on being banded. Spend some time, look around and you will find that you are very very normal. Go ahead and SIP away (do not gulp or chug), lots of nutritionists (nuts) give guidelines that 8 oz in an hour is good for the first few days to a week post-op. Remember every person's doc and nut have different reccommendations. You need to follow what yours says. Yoo may experience a time in the next few days that you ask yourself why did I do this? You may say that you want it out! You may get depressed and not know why, this is all very common. Lots of folks really mourn their food. I know I did and I do. You will likely always make some gurgles it's totally normal, and later on down the line, you'll still burp, too. Also normal.

There are clear Protein supplements available, GNC has quite a few, one that folks seem to like is Isopure, it comes in 25 grams or 42 gram bullets. Lots of folks halve the 42 gram bullets and pour it into something like a Crystal Light to cut the taste a bit. Also, your body only can really absorb and properly process about 25 grams of protein at a time. Vanilla anything is very likely NOT clear. The rule of thumb with clear is, of course, if you can see through it, it's clear. So OJ, tomato juice, etc... are NOT clears. Once on full liquids, protein shakes are usually fine. I liked (and still like) the Campbell's Soups at Hand as the cream based soups really helped me stay satisfied for longer. Just remember, if there are pieces of veggies or meats in them, you should strain it. Or put it in a blender and blend it smooth. You cannot have meat on full liquids, as meat really isn't a liquid. One place to try for clear protein that you can add to any cold food items, and most WARM ones (protein does not do well HOT or BOILED) is

My hospital wouldn't let me drive myself home. I wanted to...

Jacqui, YES I totally agree that whole grain carbs are very good food, and important to me. I want very much to be able to eat EVERYTHING healthy and good for me (and every once in a while, something kind of bad), but in smaller quantities than before. I don't want to be scared to eat fresh fruits, or shrimp or whole grains. Like I said before, if I have to live on Protein shakes, or eating less than a toddler eats, I don't want any part of it. But that may work for some people, and that's okay. It just won't work for me. Jacqui, I read your posts and think to myself, that's the attitude I want and the way I want to eat.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig --><!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Okay, it DID rock in 3D. But GOOD GOD I cannot stand OOTP as a Harry Potter Movie. As just a fantasy-type movie it would have been cool, but too much liberty was taken, WAAAAAAYYYY too much. I'm aghast.

Granted, but I guess I'd still like to be able to eat at least 2/3-1 cup of salad (with Protein on it, of course :confused: ) I don't have the need to eat 3 cups of it like I did before, though.

Nope, can't feel the band itself, just an occasional feeling of a marble stuck really low in my throat. Not bad at all, really.

:welcomeB: Yep, you'll get direction at your seminar. Take your calendar with you, they ususally have the opportunity to make an appointment for a first consultation at the seminars. But I just wanted to add that if your insurance company will allow you to go to different doctors, I'd go to each one of their seminars. I shopped the couple of choices I had. There is a FAQ and references Forum here and in it you will find a thread about questions to ask your doctor, I'd print it off and take it with you to each seminar. Good luck!

If you are comfortable with him and are confident in him as a surgeon, then I'd just let him make the judgement when he's in there. The VG and the AP both have the "Omniform" technology that means there are more like little baffles all the way degrees around the inside of the band (I think I've read someting like 280 or 300 degrees for the VG and a full 360 for the AP). A good thing they say. I'm just kind of surprised that he says he's going to start using the VG when it isn't new, the AP is. That's all. Of note, have you gone to the Allegan site (lapband.com) and the ASBS site (asbs.org) and checked to see if he's Allergan approved and a member of the ASBS? Just a couple of things to do. If your ins. is paying for you to go to him, then you may be stuck. P.S. I was my surgical practice's first AP patient, and my surgeon is probably one of the least experienced in that practice at around 50 bands. But I felt VERY comfortable with him placing my band because of how he answered all of my pointed questions about his stats and what surgical technique he uses, etc. I don't think it's so bad to be the "guinea pig" at all! :confused: When I went for my post-op check the nurse told me congrats for being the first AP, things looked good and that the practice is moving to all AP bands in August.

Okay, got a question for you both: Why is it BAD that you can eat anything? Okay, okay, I know it would be nice to not be able to eat junk foods, but for example the OP mentioned shrimp which is not a bad food at all. I got banded specifically BECAUSE I wanted to be able to eat ANYTHING and not be limited in my food choices. But I do know that I will have to make good food choices and not eat the thick crust pizza, burger with bun, sweet rolls, etc... If I want a nice small cut of filet mignon I want to be able to have it, if I want a shrimp cocktail, I want to be able to eat it, if I want a few pieces of sushi, I hope I can eat that, too. Fresh fruit, I had better be able to get it down. I will be devastated if in order to achieve restriction I am limited in my food choices. And I want to be able to eat 2/3-1 cup of food. 1/4 cup of food wouldn't safely sustain a toddler. Will I probably lose slower for this? Maybe. But I REFUSE to hope for so much restriction that I start living on Protein shakes. I could have done that without surgery.

How awesome! Congrats on being banded and :welcomeB:

:welcomeB: Lorien and vamaillady! Lizrbit: I also have the small AP, I haven't had a fill yet, but don't want to just get a measy little 2 cc's in my darned band for my first fill. Was it your surgeon's choice for the 6.5, was it a request of yours, was it based on how much you were filled before you lost your first band, or was it his usual practice to fill that much on the first fill? I know, loads of questions, but I want to go in prepared for my first fill. And CONGRATS!!!! Great NSV and goodonya on your renewed confidence in your ability to work this band.

Anesthesia and narcotics both can cause difficulty in urinating. A suggestion from someone banded not so long ago (so the constipation is FRESH in my mind), get yourself some Gerber baby juice bottles of Apple Prune Juice. They are the perfect size at 4 oz each and are 70 calories apiece. Drink one per day, it helped IMMENSELY. I then started eating one jar of baby food prunes per day (and dropped the juice) when I made it to mushy/pureed foods. Good for you, pretty yummy, and not a pill to swallow.

It's nice to gather recipes, but there is an entire Forum devoted to food and in it is a recipes thread. Several, actually (for the various food stages). I love your chicken salad recipe! I would love to see you guys share your recipes with everyone, though. :confused: