BandedBrunette481

Bandista is right, it's basically like being on a diet at first! I go to a support group and the nutritionist said that this is the part people seem to forget when they get surgery, that after it can take a while to get the proper amount of restriction in the band and until then, it's up to you! When I was on mushies I couldn't ever tell if I was really full. I just stopped when I finished my 2-4oz of food because that's what my nutritionist's guidelines were for each meal. It's REALLY important to follow the guidelines they give you though! If you overeat too often after surgery, it can lead to complications like band slippage. I'm about 6 weeks post-op and I still only eat my 3/4 - 1 cup of food per meal, even if I'm starving after it's gone. It's hard, but I know it'll be worth it in the end best of luck to you!

I have a page on my blog with the recipes my surgeon's office gave me for Protein shakes! There are lots of good suggestions and you can always tweak it to fit your surgeon's guidelines

Here's the link if you want to check it out:

http://blissfullybanded.wordpress.com/protein-shake-recipes/

When I was doing my pre-op diet I thought the same thing - "When does this get easier!?" A lot of people say they felt better after the first few days, but for me it took more like 5. And then around day 10 I got back into a funk because I didn't even WANT to drink the Protein shakes anymore. I think each day is different because obviously we have different emotions every day, but I will say I had more good days than bad ones! What helped me was 1) chewing gum 2) drinking a ton of Water so I wasn't dehydrated 3) sipping broth or tea when I felt like I was starving 4) Eating Jello to feel like I had something other than liquid in my stomach.

It takes a lot of practice and discipline to make it through the pre-op diet and the 6 weeks post op before you get your band filled. It's a complete lifestyle change. Don't get down on yourself because you're struggling. We all struggled and still have struggles after surgery. My motto was and still is "keep your eye on the prize!" Just think how great it's going to feel to be strong and healthy! You're taking control of your life and your health and that is something to always be proud of! I wish you the best of luck in your journey

The Atkins Advantage French vanilla shakes are pretty good! They don't have as much Protein in them as other brands, but once you're in post-op that doesn't matter as much because you can get Protein from other sources. Premier Protein Shakes are also sold in vanilla and have 30g of protein and they are palatable, but do leave a slight aftertaste.

Oddly enough, I only feel disappointed that I can't eat very much when I see other people overindulging in food and having a good time! For example, if I'm out to eat with friends and everyone is enjoying all the good food, I'll eat my small portion, watch them continue to eat, and then I'll get bummed that I can't join them. It's such a weird feeling! Especially because I know that my association with food equaling a good time is so horribly wrong. I just try to focus on spending time with everyone and enjoying their company instead of the food!

chocolate candy! I'm talking reese's, hershey's, M&M's, etc. That stuff is so easy to eat and it's just empty calories. Not that knowing that makes it any easier to stay away from lol

Congrats!! I think what helped me prepare the most was using this site to search for answers to my questions and checking out blogs from other people who have gone through it. I have a blog, the link is in my signature below, but you should also check out these awesome ladies! They are 1+ years out on their journey

LapBand Gal

BandedWendy

Amy

Chicago Rose

I agree with the water bottle and the food scale! Although what really was a lifesaver for me was my Magic Bullet blender. I don't know how I would have made it through the pureed food stage without it! It's also great for blending up Protein Shakes

Good questions! I asked the doc many of the same ones about band size and such. I asked a few other things too:

- Is my band completely empty? (some doctors "prime" it with a tiny bit of fluid)

- Where exactly is my port?

- Am I good to move onto the next food stage? (blended foods)

- Why can't I burp? (I couldn't for weeks post op! haha)

- Will my insurance cover the cost of fills?

- Can I schedule my first fill appointment today in the office?

- What can I take for acid reflux?

If any of those questions are relevant to you, you can ask

Best of luck to you!

I'm one of those people who had WLS but only weighed 235 when I started the pre-op diet. My BMI was 40, I have high blood pressure, am borderline diabetic, and suffer from back and joint pain. I'm only 23! Even my surgeon said I was too young to have all those medical problems. I chose to get LapBand surgery because of all the health problems I was facing, not so much the number on the scale. I have been struggling with my weight my entire life and it was just time to take control of it.

Only you can decide if WLS is right for you, but it's worth considering if you feel like you truly cannot make the lifestyle change on your own. Don't even worry about the number on the scale in comparison to others because it's about your level of health, not pounds! I wish you and your husband the best of luck

I haven't had my first fill yet and haven't felt any serious restriction from my band since surgery a month ago. I find what helps the most is just sticking to my eating plan. I measure/weigh out my food for each meal and even if I still feel hungry after, I just stop. And then I go do something else to take my mind off of it. In two hours if I'm still hungry, I'll eat a small snack like a low fat string cheese. Usually though, I'll find that I'm not hungry anymore. While you're trying to get to the green zone, this is just something you have to do. It's hard to beat the head hunger, I know, but it will be worth it in the end!

Have you talked to your surgeon about your lack of restriction? Perhaps he/she will give you a bigger fill the next time you go in if you explain what is going on.

And what are you doing for exercise? If you up your exercise routine a little bit, you might also see more of a loss on the scale.

Best of luck to you

My surgeon told me that an occasional NSAID would be ok but I can't take them all the time because they can cause band erosion. So if you need an NSAID for pain management on a regular basis, I would definitely talk to your doctor about what he/she recommends!

My pain started to subside right around day 4/5 so I'm sure you'll be feeling better soon! It's different for everyone so don't fret too much about it. I only had to be on the liquid diet for a week post op and it was the worst! I was either starving or not even remotely interested in food. Once I started drinking more Protein shakes, I started feeling better. I would just sip on one slowly for a while. You'll get more energy back once you get on to the pureed food stage. I didn't cheat but it's not like I didn't think about it!

The fast food addiction is hard! I live in a place where I am literally 2 minutes from 5 different fast food joints so I have the visual reminder allllll the time. What helped me get over it was thinking about my future and staying busy. When I feel that craving for fast food hit, I just think about how far I've come, how hard I worked to get to this point, and how badly I do NOT want to go back to how things were before the band. I think of all the things I want to be able to do like buy normal sized clothes, or enjoy swimsuit shopping, and usually that's enough to talk my self out of it. If it's not, I go do something else and keep myself busy until the craving goes away! It does go away and it does get easier to deal with it the farther along you get. Just focus on your goals! Best of luck to you

The only things I really needed/used at the hospital were a robe (for walking in the hallways), hair brush, and toothbrush/toothpaste. They gave me those skidder socks to wear and I used their pillows/blankets because I didn't want hospital cooties on my own stuff hahaha

Definitely bring a pillow for the ride home. The bumps in the road can hurt and it's nice to have it to hold on to. I also recommend asking for a prescription for an anti-nausea before you leave the hospital since you know you get sick from pain meds. I ended up having to call my doctor's office the day after I got home so they could call one in for me so I wished I had asked before I went home.

If you don't have a heating pad, I highly recommend one of those too!! That thing was a life saver the first 4 or 5 days post-op. It helped ease the shoulder pain caused by gas as well as the soreness in my abdomen.

Before I left for the hospital I got my room ready for when I came home. I moved our reclining chair into my bedroom and set up a space next to it where I could keep my blankets, pain meds, Water bottle, heating pad, laptop, and tv remotes within reach. It was like a little recovery station. I ended up sleeping in that chair for almost a whole 2 weeks after surgery! I was glad I set it up before hand because when I came home I just went right to sleep.

I know you probably read this a lot, but don't forget to walk after surgery! It seriously does help with the gas pains and it makes you feel more awake and alert. I tried to walk every couple of hours or so. I'd even walk around the house when I woke up in the middle of the night because it helped break up the gas so I could go back to sleep after.

I hope this helps a little! Best of luck to you!

My dietitian said I couldn't have coffee during the pre-op diet stage or for a month post-op. At first it's mostly to detox from the caffeine, but after surgery it's because the caffeine is a stomach irritant. It can make your already stressed and swollen stomach hurt more. I'm two weeks post-op and the only caffeine I've had has been in the form of a cup of non-decaf tea this week at work. I felt fine after...but I know it's important to follow the guidelines given. My best advice is if you are dead set on your coffee, despite your doctor's instructions, give your stomach a week or two to heal and then ease back into the caffeine if you really feel like you need it. Listen to your body, it will tell you if it can handle it or not. Good luck

I work as a teacher's aide (not a very physically demanding job at all) and I only took a week off work. I had surgery on a tuesday and went back to work the following tuesday. Those first few days post op are quite painful, both from the gas and the incisions, but I finally started feeling better around day 4 post op. By the time I went back to work, I was just sore and a little uncomfortable from a bit of lingering indigestion. It was nothing major that interfered with my job, but I was able to sit as needed. If you have a job where you are extremely active or have to do heavy lifting, you'll want to take more time off.

I think I was able to go back to work so soon because I was committed to weaning off my pain medication a few days after surgery. Those meds they give you are pretty heavy duty so you definitely have to be off them before you go back to work! I was loopy on them and slept all the time. My doctor said you can get a DUI if you drive while taking them. What I did was I gradually cut my dose back and then switched over to liquid Tylenol so that I would be ok for work. I stopped taking the liquid Tylenol a few days after I returned to work because I just didn't feel like I needed it anymore. I'm almost 2 weeks post op now and I feel back to normal! Best of luck to you!

Definitely stop the Vitamins if your pre-op diet requires you to drink Protein shakes. The shakes are full of Vitamins so you'll be getting a double dose if you take a Vitamin on top of that. My surgeon didn't require me to stop taking my thyroid medication or my blood pressure medication, ever. They even gave it to me in the hospital still after surgery. I was instructed to stop taking NSAIDs (like ibuprofen and aspirin) at least 7 days before surgery. They also gave me a long list of meds to stop taking 7 days before surgery but I can't recall any of them specifically. As for post op, my primary care doc said I should be able to get off the blood pressure meds within the next month and my thyroid medication may need a dosage adjustment as I start to lose weight so I'll have to get regular blood draws (like every 3-6 months). Best of luck to you on your journey!!

I started my journey by looking online to see which surgeons/programs in my area were the most reputable. Look for a practice that is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. It's an award that is given to places that give the best service. My insurance company actually required that I go to a center of excellence or they wouldn't cover the cost! Then I went to my first seminar, which is basically an informational meeting. Most surgeons won't even let you make an appointment with them until you attend a seminar. From there they will let you know what the next steps are. It's good to find out early on what your insurance requirements are as well. Best of luck to you in your journey!! If you want to read more about the process, I detailed my entire experience in my blog. The link is in my signature below

My surgeon's diet guidelines said I could move on to pureed/blended foods one week post-op and I was sooooo ready for that stage I started the night before I was technically supposed to lol I ate slowly and felt full after only 3oz of pudding. As long as you listen to your body and stop when you should, you'll be good to go. I've eaten all kinds of mushy foods since I started this stage without any bad incidents (i.e.- throwing up). I don't feel like I have any restriction unless I eat too fast. Even then all that happens is I get indigestion. I know it's important to follow the lap band "rules" though so I only eat my allotted amount per meal, even if I'm still hungry. And I'm sticking to approved foods. It's hard sometimes, especially when I'm stomach growling hungry, but I do have too much of a fear of my band slipping to break the rules! Hahaha best of luck to you!

My surgeon's office wanted me to drink Bariatric Advantage shakes but my stomach couldn't tolerate them so I switched to Premier Protein shakes. They taste pretty good I think as long as the shakes you choose are low sugar, low carb, low fat, and high Protein, you're ok since those are the things you're supposed to cut out for the pre-op diet phase.

I had a hernia repair as well when I got my lapband put in and I also noticed some strange spasms! My surgeon's office said it will ease up and it has I'm almost 2 weeks post op now and I rarely have spasms anymore. When you feel more restricted, I've found it helpful to sip hot liquids like tea and broth. It seems to soothe the band, if that makes any sense haha. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for all the advice!! I'm trying to eat as healthy and Protein packed as possible all while staying in my 2-4oz per meal range. I think you all are pretty much right, calories counting is more for later food stages

I'm one week post op and I've just started my blended/pureed diet stage. I've been following my nutritionists guidelines but I haven't seen any mention of how many calories I'm supposed to be taking in during this stage. I've been tracking my food intake on myfitnesspal and I've been eating less than 600 calories a day, but I am getting my 60 grams of Protein in most days. I worry that's not enough and my body will just start to store all the calories I take in (aka starvation mode) and it would kind of suck to start gaining weight back right now. So my question is was it recommended to you to stay within a certain calorie range during this stage? I would appreciate your insights

Congrats!! I know it's scary but you're going to do great! You're taking an important step tomorrow towards a healthier life and you won't regret that! I'm one week post op and I couldn't be happier

I think I might name my band Seraphina! It translates into "fiery one" and my band is definitely got a lot of fire in her personality. Also, I decided it's a girl because she is way too all over the place with her feelings to be a guy