RestlessMonkey

If you graze, the band won't be able to work for you. It's because of what it does and how it does it. You will have a small "tiny tummy" formed (the pouch). You fill it up by eating 1/2 to 1 cup of food. (this is once you have restriction). That food sits there, rather than going quickly on down to the bottom of your stomach, and it triggers (they think) hormones etc telling your body "I"M NOT HUNGRY NOW YOU CAN QUIT EATING!!!" LOL That feeling, once properly restricted, should last up to 5-6 hours. However you can graze or snack all day and bypass that. Think of pouring something through a funnel. You can pour slowly and keep a steady stream, or pour too much and the funnel overflows. In a way, it's like that. if you graze, you just have a steady stream of food trickling through that smaller hole that you had formed by the band. No trigger of "stop eating" ever happens. And you don't lose weight and you are depressed and wonder why on EARTH did you ever get the band anyway? SO you are the one to decide if you can quit snacking all the time. If you really can't then the band isn't for you. We all have food issues of one type or another. There's no big shame in being a snacker (or a volume eater, or whatever!) but if you snack and graze and really think you can't give it up (or cut way back) then listen to your doc, consider a different surgery. My doc requires NO Snacks. I am a night time snacker (but not a daytime grazer) and I am really fighting to change my routine. I understand where you're coming from. I was scared of bypass, too. But 11 months of behavioral therapy convinced me I could modify my behavior and the band would work for me. Good luck for you, whatever you decide!

Volcano lady...I'm a nursing student (NOT a nurse yet) and one of the FIRST things we learn is a fever post op is often a precursor to pneumonia...it can be a sign of atelectasis (Fluid in the lungs) and what you do to treat it is to deep breathe and cough. The coughing moves the fluid, the fever resolves, and the patient does NOT go on to develop pneumonia. I don't guess the hospital gave you an incentive spirometer (since they didn't seem to do much but take your money!) but if you don't have one, try DEEP breathing several times an hour. Hold a pillow over your surgical sites, breathe deeply even though it may cause discomfort, and be happy if it makes you cough up mucus because that means you are clearing your lungs. This is vey important for ANY post op patient. Please try it while you are waiting to get hold of your surgeon! If necessary and you have them on hand (most of us don't) blowing up balloons is also a good trick to breathe deep and clear the lungs. If you do have your incentive spirometer, use it, while awake, at least 10 times an hour. Walking walking walking also helps you breathe more deeply and clear your lungs, it helps circulation, it helps prevent clots, and it helps you pass gas. (I'm just telling you all this since apparently your post op directions were non-existent) Email if I can help you in whatever limited capacity,...but try the things I've mentioned. They should help you feel better fast. Don't let the fever go, though, and don't just treat it with tylenol. You have it for a reason....and need to figure out why.

This is a time for healing. You won't really start to lose until you have had several fills and have good restriction. Right now you are following the phases of the post op diet to allow your band to heal into place (no slipping or erosion later on) etc. So yes, follow the diet perfectly but realize the point right now is NOT weight loss. It may be several months, once you've recovered, before you start to feel full on less and lose consistently. If your hunger isn't back yet, it will be. That's normal, too. Still stick to the diet post op that your doctor prescribes, and you'll be set for great success! :biggrin:

I can see why my doc says EAS CarbControl AdvantEdge shakes! More protein, less calories, less fat! They are my "go to" shake.

What you are supposed to do is exactly what YOUR doctor tells YOU! We're all different (different blood work etc) and your surgeon will tell you what s/he requires of you prior to surgery. You need to follow his/her directions, not our advice! Good luck! :biggrin:

For me it's like this...have you ever taken a swallow of something and realized it was going down "wrong"...we call it "down the wrong pipe".? Stuck is like that, only worse. AND it STAYS..it doesn't resolve like a "wrong swallow" It just sits there and causes feelings ranging from discomfort to outright pain. You'll know when you feel it; it is not a normal "large" swallow.

Smoking constricts the blood vessels and impairs healing. It is also vey bad for your lungs and just a few days out as you are you're still at some risk for pneumonia. May I suggest going on your lunch hour and buying the patch? Now's a good opportunity to quit for good. Smoking can also irritate the esophagus etc... so stay strong (I know it's hard I smoked over 3 packs a day when I finally quit in 1995) it's worth it. Use the money you spend on cigarettes to start a fund for new clothes! :biggrin:

Call your doctor, tell him, ask for help. Seriously....you may or may not have messed up. He can tell you what you can eat etc. So call him now! Good luck!

Good luck It's VERY simple! :confused:

Welcome and good luck! Just look around this site; there are tons of stories on here, and lots of info! :confused:

Well my multi Vitamin has 1200 but since the body can only handle about 600 mg at a time... i take 2 in the morning. I have sufficient dairy, with my multi, to make up the difference. From the bottle (which I just happen to have handy! :confused: a dose is 2 tabs and they have 400 mg of calcium citrate and 400 iu of Vitamin D. Size wise...they are (guessing, don't have any around) "pillow" shaped (not exactly a rectangle) they are about size side to side as an m and m would be...they are a little thicker though. They are really easy to swallow. I got them on the recommendation of another bandster back when i had just been banded. I can still fortunately swallow ANY pills but these are easy easy.

I sent you a private message, creed, so we wouldn't hijack this thread any farther! :confused:

What did your doctor tell you? Mine was pretty specific....

Clear liquid is something you can see through. So no, you can't see through V-8. It's not a clear, therefore.

I haven't had a salad actually...don't like salad dressing much and they are more a "summer' type food to me ! LOL (or diet) I have had all kinds of veggies though with no problem. I think if you put the rice in with something you'll probably be fine but do ask, don't go on my word! LOL Our doc says no drinking 15 minutes before, during, (and eat in 30) and then 15 after. I'm glad I don't have to do 30...going without that liquid is WAY harder than I thought it would be! :confused: My doctor says to try (again, once past healing) ALL foods we like. He also says if we have one we love and can't eat it, to wait 3-4 months and try it again. So it's possible that initially you may not be able to eat your rice but later you can. My doc's attitude is we'll make healthy choices but eat "normally"....just WAY WAY less. No carbonation (because of the gas, I think...it does bother most people) but otherwise, he doesn't "Ban" anything..OH yeah, no chewing gum (but that isn't food, is it? LOL)

I'm a firm believer in doing what your doctor says. I also believe in question authority! LOL We were told that, once we were THROUGH the healing phase (1st 6 weeks) we could have pasta if we cooked it well. No al dente, because it continues to swell. My doc doesn't ban any food, he bans snacking. I've have 3 fills, have mild restriction, and can eat rice fine. However, I will have a bite of it, then a bite of something else, etc (always chewing well of course). I read somewhere that breaking up foods like rice and white bread by eating different textures in between each bite can make them go down more easily. I don't know about that but I can eat rice and white bread fine so far....and well done pasta.

The citrical petites are pretty small! They are easily swallowed, at least by me! :confused:

Are you still on liquids? Many people don't lose, or lose but then regain, during the average 6-week post op healing phase...and often people don't lose, or gain a little, (unless they intentionally diet) until they get restriction. What's happening with you isn't uncommon.

An ecg and a stress test are very different tests. You'll be fine! Even if you HAD to have a stress test, they can do it by elevating your heart rate etc with drugs instead of making you physically run, if necessary.

Yep me three...lie down on exam table...they stick the leads on...you lie there and stare at ceiling, at room, la la la, and then they are removing leads and you say "that's it???" easy breezy! I removed my bra but kept my shirt on.

See I'm not like Momcof3...my port incision healed fine and never bothered me. But that one above my belly button bugged me for a while...even a month or two out if I hit it (it seems to be counter height on my tummy!) on a counter etc it would twinge. That quit at some point, though, because I haven't even thought about that for a good while now. It'll heal; it just takes time!

I'm tricare standard. I had it done at a civilian hospital (center of excellence...) and had a marvelous experience.

C-section is way more invasive! There's no comparison. (I haven't had one but I've seen both done...nursing student LOL)

Thank goodness after my tilted port, and the 1st time (which the doc found it, it was just weird feeling while he was searching) he's hit it spot on each time for #2 and #3. AND .... it's worth it!

Thank goodness your experience isn't the "Norm!" But my doc has people stay overnight (he let me go but I agitated for it, and because DH is an RN, he let me), and people from out of town have to sign an agreement to be IN TOWN for 1 week post op. Even at that, I had to have an Upper GI done and pass it, and report no nausea for a while, before he cut me loose. And my husband had to sign my discharge papers etc since I was still under effects of anesthesia...I was told no major decisions until at least 24 hours had passed. No driving etc for 2 days. My gas pain, pain, and nausea was not at all as intense as yours. I actually woke up hungry (really hungry, not "emotional") and thirsty. I felt great, was alert, etc. Even with all that (I was lucid, vitals were stable and great, etc etc) they kept me for a few hours, made me walk, made sure I urinated, did the barium swallow, and kept a good close eye on me until they wheeled me out and handed me to my husband.! I'm sorry you had such cruddy medical care. Seems like the doctor and the nurses really let you fall through the cracks.