jrg1979

I've tried several different shakes (Unjury, GNC whey, a couple others, too) and I can not bring myself to drink any of them. Luckily, I haven't had any nausea since my surgery. However, I have tried to just suck it up and swallow the Protein Shakes, but they make me gag. I am scared I may be doing more harm than good by making myslef drink them. My question is, are they really necessary now that I am onto soft food stage???

I' ready to be able to put some cream on them, too. I've been washing them with dial soap, and they look great (no infection) they are just really dry and itchy now. How did you get the sticky goo off your skin from the steristrips? Someone mentioned alcohol - but NO WAY! That would burn, I still have a few small scabby spots, and 1 place where I put a bandaid to keep my bra from rubbing and the band aid pulled all my skin off with it.

As long as you have been following your liquid diet up until that point, you should be ok. Every Dr. is different though, some see "cheating" as a sign that you are not committed to a change in eating patterns and lifestyle and will refuse to proceed with the surgery. The main reason for the liquid diet is to shrink your liver, as I understand it. Surely one slip up won't have that much impact on it, but who am I to say???

minpinmom, did you have staples at all?? I had staples for 1 week post op, then at my 1 week follow up they took the staples out and put the steri-strips on, apparently for another week. I am 2 weeks post op today and stil have steristrips. I think it has been long enough, don't you? These things are driving me crazy!

Could be gas pains???

Not to disagree that the post op diet is important, but if it is that matter of fact, then why do so many different surgeons have so many different diet plans. My surgeon says Soft foods are ok after 1 week (including ground beef), other surgeons have patients on Clear Liquids for 21 days!!

If so. how long did you leave them on before removing them? My Dr. said to just let them come off on their own, but they are driving me crazy. Some of the ends have come off and left sticky on my belly that keeps sticking to my shirt. I have had the steri-strips for 5 days now. What do you think??

I was recently banded on Feb 13th and have been concerned about my port area as well. When I am standing up, I can feel alot of swelling around the port (feels like a boiled egg under my skin) but it is not painful. I asked my Dr. and he said it is normal. He said sometimes it can take 2-3 months for the swelling to go down??? How long have you been banded.

I went to LBS first and was ready to get the ball rolling when I saw an ad for Dr. Wade Barker at Doctor's Hospital in Dallas (at White Rock Lake) for $9500. I was banded by Dr. Barker Feb 13th and am so glad for it. I think he is a brilliant Doctor that really is committed to helping people. At LBS, I was the only patient in the waiting room. At Dr. Barkers, there is about a 2-3 hr. wait, but I took this as a good sign. This many people can't be wrong. However, he does the RNY and sleeve as well, so everyone is not a LB patient, but still, in that wait you get to talk to all the other people in the waiting room and here about their experiences with him as well. I have not found 1 person that has had anything bad to say about him yet, and hey, $5,500 dollars is alot a money to me - glad I could save it.

I was banded by Dr. Barker on Feb. 13th for $9,500.00 cash. He is a very good surgeon, just VERY busy. His entire office staff is very friendly and understanding. Just be prepared to wait anywhere from 1-4 hours to get to see them. But when you finally get back there, all focus is on you!

My post-op diet instructions list blended Soup as OK. But I can't see much difference between a noodle that has been blended, and a noodle that has been chewed really good??? Has anyone else thought about this?

I am glad to read this post. I am in the same boat. I was banded Feb. 13, and did very well n my liquids until Sunday. I had some tortilla Soup from On the Border, and just sipped the broth (except for a few well chewed bites of the chicken and rice) - Whoops. Now I am worried I might have sabbotaged my band. Today, 6 days post op, I had some mashed potatoes - not exactly liquid. What is wrong with me??? Do you think I did any damage??

I saw Dr. Barker about 3 weeks ago, and I feel like I got a whole different treatment. Yes, his office was very busy. I was there for the same reason as you - the price. But as busy as he was, I felt like he had all the time in the world for me. He patiently answered every question I had (probably for 100th time that day). After I scheduled my surgery, a little panic set in because I dod not feel like he really explained to me everything I should(or should not) eat, but when I went for my pre-op 2 weeks later I met with his nutritionist Betsy, and she gave me a whole notebook of what to expect after my surgery. I am having my surgery in the morning and am fully confident I am in good hands.

Hello Chris. I am scheduled to be banded April 13th By Dr. Wade Barker in Dallas. He is also running a $9,500 special, which prompted me to finally take the plunge. I am so glad to find people on here that are going down the same path as me. I tried to talk to some people in the waiting room, but it seemed like I was the only one there for lapband, everyone else was getting gastric bypass. I even felt the Dr. was somewhat partial to the bypass over the lapband. Did you get that feeling?