phowell

Are you on mushy or solid food...it makes a huge difference. I do get full, but I can still eat quit a bit (at least more than I thought I would be able to)! I really have to pay attention but I do notice myself getting full. Kind of like eating Thanksgiving dinner. When I was on liquids I didn't get full at all. I was hungry about a half an hour after I drank!

I didn't have to do a liquid diet at all. We were just supposed to try and lose weight to shrink our liver before the surgery, but it was just a goal. We didn't HAVE to make it. Just as long as we were trying. If I was you I would just be honest and check with them. It might not matter at all.

Well, it is official. I had my surgery on Wednesday and got to come home on thursday!:whoo: I am doing pretty well. Surgery day in the hospital was awesome and I didn't really have any trouble with anything--I felt great! I had to do the swallow test to make sure everything looked ok (GROSS!) but it went well. I went home on Thursday with a full liquid :beer:diet and ate 2tsp of cottage cheese yesterday and was stuffed!! Took a while to eat it, but boy did it sound good! I had a scrambled egg this morning for breakfast and that took even longer, but I couldn't finish it. It is a wierd feeling to feel full after so little! I am excited for when I can venture into more "real" food. I have been doing good on creamed soups, though. I love Campbell's Soup at Hand! The only thing I really had any pain with was the gas (of course!) and the port site kind of feels like a pulled muscle, but everything else has been great. Went to the grocery store today and am at the library right now! I had to be at the hospital at 6:15 am and they gave me a lovinox shot into my stomach (had NO idea they were going to do that!) and then they brought me into surgery at about 8:15am. I was out of surgery and in the recovery room at about 10:15 am and was there for about half an hour! Good luck to everyone. So far I am doing great and it was a very positive experience!

Welcome aboard! Glad to hear you are doing so well....keep us posted!

I guess it used to be that the program here made lapband patients stay on liquids a lot longer, but they discovered that if the patient is hungry and tolerates solid food, that it is better for that patient. I guess it keeps people from getting too hungry and "giving up." I don't know if I could have handled not eating, I was way too hungry. I even tried all the tricks like adding ice and eating popsicles. My swelling just went down quick. For the most part I heal pretty rapidly.

I get terrible raised scars called keloids and was told by a doc to buy vitamin e gel caps and cut them open. I just cut the end off and rub the vitamin e right on the incision. It moisturizes it and keeps it from itching! I know about the itching, though, because I forgot to tell them I am allergic to the adhesive on band aids and sure enough I have these awful itchy patches in the shapes of band aids where each of my incisions is. The benedryl helps a little, but I will be glad when they are gone!

I wish I wasn't hungry, but I am. It is funny, though, because even though I am hungry I can't really eat that much--definitely not like before. I can eat a couple of ounces of chicken and then a little bit of mashed potatoes or a little bit of a vegetable (if it is cooked). I am craving a salad, but can't have one of those for a while. You will have to let me know how your fill goes. I am a little nervous for mine, but all steps we have to take on this wonderful journey, right?

My manager made me take 2 weeks off and I am going crazy. I am not a person that likes to lay around and do nothing so I have gone to more stores in the last week than I have in months. I am having a really hard time staying home. I don't feel bad, though and quit taking my nasty tasting pain syrup 3 days post op. I tried to keep taking it, but almost threw up so I decided that was it. I work in a hospital so I can see why I have to take so much time off, but I am really looking forward to getting back!:smile:

I burp a lot, but even worse than that I get the hiccups! Whenever I get hungry I start hiccupping! Sometimes they really hurt! Does this happen to anyone else?

I forgot to add that I go for my first fill on the 30th of this month. She said that they do fills between 4-6 weeks and that because I was already getting hungry, I would probably need mine at 4 weeks...anybody else already scheduled?

I really give you guys that had to be on clear liquids so long a hand! I hated just having to do them in the hospital. I don't like jell-o so it really limited me on what I could eat! I was glad to start full liquids which for me included yogurt, cottage cheese, and a scrambled egg. It was very filling and I couldn't finish all of it, but it made me feel a lot better. I went to the doctor last Wednesday for my 1 week post op check and she said I was fine to go ahead and start eating whatever as long as I was VERY careful and chewed a lot! I had my work Christmas party on Friday and was able to have some mashed potatoes and gravy, some chicken and even a glass of wine (which I didn't finish). But, it was wonderful. I hardly ate anything and got full. I ate slow so I didn't get sick. Lots of chewing, but it was worth it. I had a wonderful time! Good luck to everyone and keep me updated on how you all are doing! I love to come on here and just hear how everyone is feeling!:smile:

I just read your post today and wanted to let you know that I work in the medical field and sometimes phone calls don't work. My suggestion (completely annonymous of course:)) is that you call and if that doesn't work, just show up. Say "I really needed a fill and was in the neighborhood--I was hoping you could fit me in!" 99% of the time they will work you in if you are already standing there--good business! Maybe this will help you for next time or help someone else!

Tracy--I love the pics...they really do tell the tale of your weight loss journey! I am IMPRESSED! I am at 215 and can hardly "weight" (dumb joke, but I thought it was funny!) to get to where you guys are. I was banded on 1-2-08 and have already lost 12 pounds since surgery! Onderland here I come!:whoo::whoo:

The 7th huh? What a lucky day already! WTG for starting this thread! Good luck everyone!:whoo::clap2:

I had to stay overnight. I work in the hospital and know how stuffy those rooms can get and how dry the hospital is so I was sure to bring chapstick and deodorant! If you shower there, they will provide you with soap and shampoo, but no conditioner (they say it is conditioning shampoo) so I brought my own travel size of those. It is so nice to be able to shower! Lotion is wonderful to have, too. And maybe a brush...lol the list gets longer. I brought my rice sock and had them heat it in the microwave (could use a heating pad, too) It just helps with some of the gas pains! Our hospital has wireless, but you can only use it in the lobby. Good luck!!!!

Good luck!! You will do great! Let us know how you are as soon as you get back home!

I had it, too...YUCK! It is just all those liquids running right through you! Just think of the weight you are losing...lol. I still have it a little, but I think adding just those few solids to my diet helped a TON! And this, too, shall pass.....

I only had to be on clear liquids while I was in the hospital. Now I am on "Stage 2" of my diet which is sf instant breakfasts, slimfast, water, sf popsicles, creamy soups and I can sub one meal a day with yogurt, cottage cheese, or a scrambled egg. It has been working fine. It does take much longer to eat the "solid" foods, but as long as I chew and eat very slowly I don't have any problems at all. I can't have carbonated drinks or anything with caffeine, but other than that I can have just about any liquid I want. I know some people that don't have to follow any kind of post op diet! I know my next stage I can eat tuna fish and mashed potatoes and all kinds of good stuff!:)I have been losing weight plenty fast, too--at least I think so and I feel great. I haven't had any pain when I eat or any feeling like I need to vomit. I burp a lot when I get hungry though, does that happen to anyone else?

Hey, glad you are home and doing well! Looks like we both did great! You got to go home sooner than me, though! I tried to text to your e-mail, but I just figured out I had your e-mail address wrong!! Let me know how you are! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

7 pounds since surgery....I think that is awesome! I keep weighing myself because I can't believe it!!! Funny thing though....I am sitting at the library typing this because I don't have internet at home and I let out a belch (couldn't help it--just comes out!!LOL) and the guy next to me was like...nice! :eek:

Okay, I am so EXCITED!!!!:whoo: Less than 24 hours and I will be waiting to be wheeled into surgery!!!:scared: I can't stand it--how exciting!!! Are you guys ready? I am...still a little nervous but the excitement is taking over! What time do you guys have to be there? I will be thinking about you all!

Helloooo! I am from North Dakota and am getting banded tomorrow!:whoo: I can't believe it is here--finally! Where are you from in North Dakota? I am from Grand Forks!:clap2:

I was told we have to wait 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after. The before is so you don't fill up on liquids and not be able to eat and the after is so you don't push food through and get hungry faster. I don't know....just what I heard!:scared:

I was told not to drink coffee also because it can irritate your stomach...but if you can tolerate it--I say why not?:biggrin1:

I think that most of the times when people act that way, they are worried. Not necessarily about surgery, but about the way we will be. No one likes change so when they think about us looking different or eating different, they have a very hard time with it. Maybe they think that by being mad or angry toward us we won't go through with it and things will just stay the same!:cry