RestlessMonkey

I need some advice, please. I know nurses (and I'm sure many other positions) only get 30 minutes for a meal break. I'm still a student and am expected to work when I'm on the floor for a clinical...no malingering to drink Water, take breaks, etc. This is fine with me (I want to learn all I can) and have, in the past, used the one 30 minute break that I AM allowed to rehydrate and eat. However, now that I'm banded and feeling some restriction (4 fills) I want to follow my doc's requirements of no liquid 15 min before (no problem there) during, and 15 min after eating. This leaves me with a dilemma...I can eat, or I can rehydrate. How do you handle this? Since I'm a visitor in whichever hospital, I don't have a locker or facility to keep, say, a bottle of water. I'm thinking that maybe I should just have a Protein shake as a meal; that way I can drink 16-24 ounces of water too during my break ...but then come time to go home I am literally STARVING. Any ideas? Ideally I'd get to stay hydrated during the "shift" but while I'm still a student (and with joint commission rules about no drinks at the nurses' station) I don't see that happening. Help?

I like meat and cheese and have no problems. However there are many supplements on the market; you can find one you like and use it if you're afraid you won't get it in by diet alone.

Kiz summed it up pretty well. I had insurance (tricare standard) and it took me about 4 weeks from seminar to surgery (7/10 to 8/11) but there was no doubt, at 405, that I met the criteria. No tinkering with BMI etc etc.

It's fine if you want to call it eating; to you, right now, it is! Some posters "advance" the post op diet and eat solids too early, I think maybe because they don't realize how important it is to stick to it. I just assumed you might be eating solids; no biggie! I could "swallow" post op just fine, never needed to sip; but we are all different so call your doctor tomorrow if you think you should. That is always a good thing if you are in doubt!

I wasn't in much pain at all. I don't know if I have a high threshold, or if I was just so glad to have the band it was easy for me to ignore things. I could tell I'd had surgery but it was nothing to get in a dither about. I slept in my bed from the first night (used a pillow to prop up my abdomen) and so on. Lortab, Vicodin, Hydrocodone all make me vomit so the doc gave me darvocet tabs and I took 2 doses worth on day 2 but otherwise just took tylenol and felt great. Walking walking walking (just around your house for spurts, don't have to do marathons) makes a HUGE difference in recovery. By and large those unlucky souls who feel bad and stay drugged and in bed don't bounce back as fast as those of us who get up and moving right away. Not to belittle anyone's pain, mind you...just if you have it but can get through it, the more normal you act the faster you'll "feel" normal. And you may be like me...little to no pain or issues, just happy to have the band! :tongue2:

As long as you are doing what your doctor tells you I'm sure you'll be fine. I just got confused, I think, by the word "eating" since I relate that to chewing. Otherwise, I think of it as 'drinking" LOL Your feeling is probably trapped gas leftover from the surgery and if so no, Gas X won't impact it. Walking, slowly sipping your foods, following your doc's post op rules should help but if you are worried about it, call your doctor tomorrow.

Are you sure you're supposed to be eating? For most of us we have liquids or (clear, full, or a combo) for at least the first two weeks.

Hello, 62Peachy! You'd need to check your policy w/Coventry to see if Lap Band is approved. Since many of us have insurance through our (or our partner's or parent's) employers, realize that employers can, to a point, menu price the coverage (it is staggeringly expensive) by exlcuding things like weight loss surgery. Once you have confirmed (you can call them; there should be a number on your card) that your coverage does indeed extend to lap band, they can also tell you what pre-requisites you must fill to meet their requirements. While people here may post they were approved, it won't really help you much until you confirm that your insurance does cover the surgery and what prereqs are in place for you to meet. Once you know that, they should be able to provide you with a list of acceptable surgeons.

Since you are going by the book then you know that bandsters average 1-2 pounds of weight per week. You were banded 12/30 so in 32 days (4 1/2 weeks) you've lost 9 pounds...which is 2 pounds a week, spot on. Without restriction, no less. I think you need to adjust your expectations. You're blue and setting yourself up to fail when in fact you are progressing along perfectly! If you think of it logically and still feel disappointed, call your surgeon. Perhaps an appt. with a nutritionist will help. But realize that at your age, with no restriction, losing 2 pounds a week is a good rate.

Some people can (and do) eat rice so don't feel guilty. You are sufficiently post op that odds are one episode of PB (productive burp...where you burp up a bite of food that won't go down) most likely won't hurt you. However one thing many experienced bandsters do is to go back to liquids for 24 hours after they have had an episode like you describe...gives the stomach area a chance to calm down. Often when you pb you will have swelling in the area...24 hours of liquids lets things go back to normal. I can eat rice fine, but it isn't a favorite of mine (in any form) so usually it isn't an issue. However if you LOVE it, wait a few months and try again...making sure to chew it well, and perhaps alternate a small (SMALL!) bite of rice with a bite of something with a totally different texture. My doctor wants all his patients to have no "banned foods" (except carbonation) and that method, I've read, can work. Also make sure the rice is well done (same goes for pasta) because it does absorb liquid and can swell if you eat it al dente or on the less done side of done. Well cooked, small bites, chew. Until then try the 24 hours liquid. If you still hurt tomorrow, call your doctor. Good luck!

There's a LOT of misinformation out there about caffeine and coffee (caffeine is also in many teas and lots of sodas, to name a few sources) It doesn't dehydrate after all (new research) although in the past they thought it did. Actually a little caffeine can actually be GOOD for you. It IS an appetite stimulant for some, for others it actually acts as an appetite suppressant! (old diet pills always had caffeine as a staple ingredient) It gained a bad reputation for some reason...much of that based on "unfounded" assumption rather than cold hard science. My doc says to avoid caffeine if it stimulates your appetite. It doesn't do that to me (one of the few things that doesnt! LOL) so it's ok for me to have it. Other doctors will, I'm sure, have other opinions. Water, for example, has no nutritional value and still we need it. Once your doctor approves regular or decaf coffee (or tea, or whatever) then let it be a personal choice as to whether you want to include it in your "diet" (as in what you eat, not as in what you restrict). If you google it you'll find lots of info on coffee...for example, for some reason people who drink 6 or more cups of regular (not decaf) coffee each day are less likely to develop diabetes type II. They don't know why, so don't rush out and chug the coffee, but it's a valid statistic. They are doing "more" research. We all need to use our own best intelligence, remember that sometimes "they" (whoever "they" are) get it wrong, and that usually "all things in moderation" is a good way to go. And LOL at the 2 cals per 8 ounces. Good to know. I just checked my sugar free tic tacs and they are 1.8 cals each...the regular (with sugar) are...1.9! So I'll watch my coffee and tic tac intake carefully! :tongue2: (J/K) We all have to find our own way to use the band; and I guess for some, denying certain things makes good sense. If so, they should follow their hearts! But for some of us denial gets old and punitive where as an occasional cup of decaf or a glass of sugar free iced tea helps make things all go by easier. Do what your doc says, and what you know will work for you!

Whether or not a person has saggy skin and wants plastic surgery is very individual and caused by many many variables...how old you are, how fat you were, how LONG you were fat, your genetics, your sun/skin damage at younger age, your skin type, your diet, and so on. Skin is an organ; it will tighten up some but if stretched out too far, won't ever be as it was before the stretching. Some people exercise like crazy to "tighten" the skin and all that does, frankly, is tighten the muscles UNDER the skin, not the skin. Being toned is good but it won't take care of serious sagging, if you're one prone to that. Some people think if they lose weight really slowly then the skin will magically "adapt" and that is fallacious, too. If that were true, you could lose really fast but then over 2-3 years your skin firm up. And it does, some, and that "some" is enough for a lot of people. But again, if you were severely overweight, whether you lose SLOOOW or quick, your skin will not be like it was pre-obesity. I don't mean to be negative! I honestly (especially at my age) am fairly sure I'll have saggy skin; you may not, depending! I figure that I'd rather have a tummy tuck than open heart surgery. So hope for the best, get good nutrition, ample Protein, take Vitamins, exercise (it is good for you) and see what "shakes down"! AND are you okay with waiting for the surgery? It kind of sounds to me like your husband may be putting unfair pressure on you, but there are a (very) few who can control morbid obesity through weight and exercise...just not all of us can. I don't mean to put my nose where it doesn't belong; just make sure that whatever you do, you do for you. I wanted my DH on board with my surgery because we're a team, but I ultimately am doing it for me. Good luck to you, whichever way you go!

I'd submit it NOW. If they become more lenient you can't lose, and if they get worse, then you'll be glad you rushed it.

if you are following the rules (small pencil-eraser sized bites chewed at least 20 times) and are still in misery, you're probably too tight. Try following the rules of eating slowly, small bites, chewed to oblivion, and if that doesn't work, call your doc!

If you have insurance, start there. You'll need to find out 1. if lap band is covered and if it is 2. what are the requirements and 3. what surgeons/surgical centers are covered. Once you have that info, contact a doc (or three!) and go to the free seminars. Once you've done that, a lot of questions will be answered, and more will pop up. Good luck!

I hate to say that I think it depends on your surgeon. We were allowed decaf clear liquids (and coffee was ok as long as decaf)...but each doctor is different.

Mine didn't give me a "meal plan"...he said "Clear liquids for the first week, then come back, we'll check you and you can proceed from there". No "meals". You need to call your surgeon's office on Monday and find out how you fell through the cracks. Per my surgeon no, you aren't doing the right thing, but others allow Protein during week one. I have NEVER heard of one, before now, that did not give some guidance. Here is a link to the "LAP BAND" website....(assuming you have it and not a realize band). I suggest you follow it, in lieu of direction from your doctor. If you go by what's posted here you'll honestly get lots of well-meaning but conflicting information because all our docs put their own spin on it. Anyway, here you go: Lapband.com - After LAP-BAND® System Surgery - Recovery & First Few Weeks

I can't feel my band at all and probablly COULD feel my port if I mashed, but when I was healing the LAST thing I wanted to do was mash on my incisions. (I don't know about you but being a VERY fat chick I wanted those suckers to stay closed, not pop open LOL and mashing just seemed counter-productive to me) Now that I'm healed I don't even think about it but at first, when I did, I was happy it was there. I felt it was my good friend, not unlike my glasses or contacts which help me see, or my beloved sunglasses that I do not go out in this pretty south texas sun without, etc. (or my bra. My girls need a house LOL) In other words, I chose it, it is there to help me. I am glad it's there. It isn't alien or foreign, it's an accessory I picked and love. Maybe thinking about it that way will help?

It may be referred pain from your diaphragm but call your surgeon on monday to be sure. Chest pain is NEVER anything to fool around with, especially as we approach our mid 30-s and beyond. :thumbup:

How much do you have to lose? You may need to meet with a nutritionist. My doc says to have the Protein shakes as a meal, not in addition to a meal, and actually they don't really "work" with the band (not long term, any way) because the point is for food to sit in the pouch and trigger "full" and Protein Shakes don't do that. They go on through. I think a visit with a nutritionist is in order. If you don't want to do that you MIGHT want to try something like weight watchers. It's possible you aren't eating enough, but honestly if you "starve" long enough you lose eventually. You may be getting more calories than you think, or may have some endocrine issues you're unaware of.

I had my surgery Friday Morning and was home that afternoon. I felt good but it was nice to have another person (in my case my husband) there for "just in case". I slept in my own bed from the first night. I felt great. I felt fine saturday; oddly Sunday I felt a little worse and that was the only day I felt I needed the prescription pain meds, I used it only 2 doses worth. By that next Tuesday I was driving and went to class (I'm a student). Things I did to help feel better faster were to walk walk walk (just around the house but still...up and down and walking A LOT) and I used a pillow to protect my abdomen and brace it when I was sitting (for the first day. After that I didn't need it). I really wasn't in much pain. I don't like feeling groggy and "out of it" and prefer distraction to being doped up (we're all different) so tylenol worked fine for me (I took capsules with no trouble) and I watched movies I'd had on hand "special", had a couple good books, etc. I was so happy to have the band, that joy helped me heal faster I think.

The surgeon you choose will probably require some preop tests so that s/he knows your status before the surgery. What those tests might be depends on you, your health, your surgeon. They MIGHT be things like Upper GI series, chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, various blood tests, cardiologist clearance, psychologist clearance, nutrition clearance. That's not a complete list, nor does it mean you'll have to do all of it. Your surgeon may just require some blood tests preop. It all depends. The 6-month diet is a requirement of some insurance companies and it won't apply if you are self pay.

My first week I was "clear liquids" .... no cream soups AT ALL. Also many docs say no tomato (because it's acid)...so check with your surgeon's guidelines. Once I was on full liquid I either strained the soup or I blended it, since I was told "anything you can drink through a straw" is ok for clear liquids. I loved split pea soup blended in my food processor; it kept me alive. Just make sure you follow your physician's guidelines; they are all different and many conflict; best to do what your doc approves for you. Hang in there; it gets better!

I'll probably just repeat everyone's suggestions, but here goes....(had I flown....) Hospital: Change of undies (LOL TQUAD64 I'm a "panty packer" too) and I'd wear loose comfy clothes, comfy bra (I MUST have a bra but no underwires or extreme shaping) and shoes that slip on and off...glasses because they won't let you wear contacts during surgery, and if I'd stayed overnight (assume you are doing that? If not, you need to stay in a hotel...do not fly home the night of your surgery) then a toothbrush and paste, any other hygiene things like brush etc. And I don't use chapstick but a lip softener...same principal though and a must-have. To fly...loose clothes, a pillow for your torso. At home, all the above plus clear broth. For the cream of soups (and the mushie stage) I bought and used a little 2 cup food processor to blend things. It was a wonderful tool! however week 1 I was just Clear liquids, no Protein even. So good books, puzzles, anything to distract was good. I just reread your post and you say "flying back the evening after the procedure"...you do mean the next night after your surgery, right? like have it on monday am, fly back tues pm? Or did you mean in the evening, after the procedure? Because if you plan to have it done monday and fly monday night you really really really shouldn't do that.

For many of us, we're "taught" that the first 6 weeks are for healing, not weight loss. Slimandhealthy09, since you're just 3 weeks post op, unless your surgeon has told you to the contrary, just follow the post op guidelines they gave you and don't worry about "dieting" etc. Once you've healed, how you want to work the band will be very personal based on what works for you and your temperament. Some prefer to DIET, some want to count the calories in every morsel, some prefer a more "atkins" or "south beach" type approach, some don't do anything except "try" to make healthier choices. The band is a tool and is fairly flexible; once healed, you'll find your own best way to work it. AND once you have restriction and can only eat about a cups' worth of food, what you select to put in that cup will change over time. Personally I prefer steak to pasta; it keeps me full longer. Pasta isn't off limits, however. You'll find what works for you! For now, just heal! :thumbup: