mtnman428

My nutritionist said to drink prune juice (assuming that you are on liquids or even if you're on solid food.) Also try some Metamucil/fiber supplement. I got Equate (Walmart brand) "Fiber Therapy", it is 100% natural Psyllium Husk Fiber, bulk forming laxative and dietary supplement. I'm not sure if you are supposed to take them in pill form, so I also have Metamucil powder form that you add to water to drink (I got the orange flavor). These things worked for me. :wink2: Good luck!

A PB is a Productive Burp. It is when you swallow food that cannot stay down for some reason or another (ex: not chewing enough, too big of a bite, wrong type food, etc...) It regurgitates back up. I've had no fills or solid food yet, so I cannot describe how it feels, but it doesn't sound too exciting!:wink2:

OH! Thanks WBB. I have heard of that before. I just couldn't put 2+2 together for some reason.

OK, I tried to figure it out myself, but I just can't...what does this disgusting DS stand for??? It sounds gut wrenching and awful, so I must know! :thumbup:

So I have a question kind of brought on by this post. I start solid foods on Wednesday, and I'm just wondering what to try and start with and should I really buy a baby fork and spoon??? I''ve heard the take very small bites and chew, chew, chew advice; which, I will take, but what should I start with for my first day?? Chicken, burger, eggs, toast, canned veggies, raw veggies????? I don't want to be PB'ing my first meal. Although does that even happen before any fills? Thanks...maybe I should've put this in a new thread.

I don't think that I had a catheter, but I was given these big, baggy blue thongs to wear!!!

Slimgirl and Isullivan68, a PB is a Productive Burp, as I understand it, to regurgitate food (involuntarily). If you take too big of a bite, don't chew well enough, eat to fast, etc... the offending food comes back up. I have not had a fill yet-in fact, I'm still on full liquids, so I have not experienced a PB yet (hopefully I won't for awhile, or at all). Also I have not thrown up or felt nauseous after surgery.

I was just banded on 7/24. I brought a duffle bag with PJs and Gas-x and magazines....but I slept for most of the night, then when I was up I had to go for a walk to get the blood flowing. I never even bothered to change into my own nightgown, I just stayed in the hospital gown. Maybe bring slippers. I did use mine because they only had the papery ones. Also, YES you should bring/buy some loose clothing to wear home the next day just to be comfortable. If you plan on wearing a bra, get a loose fitting sports bra without underwire. I wore loose sweatpants and a big T-shirt with a loose sports bra underneath. Just to keep clear of your incisions, plus my stomach stayed swollen and bloated for more than a week. Good luck!

Hahaha, you're going to have so many suggestions that you won't know where to start! I like the Milk Chocolate flavor Muscle Milk Light. There are 5 other flavors too. They sell it at Vitamin World or you can get it cheap online too at Vitacost.com It is 195 calories with 26g of protein.

I flew 4 days after being banded, and it was fine. BUT what's this Physician's card about Aspirin that you got?? My Dr. didn't give me anything like that, but I have heard it is bad for the stomach. Does it say to never take it??

Aside from the, "everyone heals at their own pace", which, is true; I'd say 5 days would be good if you can afford that much time. I'm unemployed (at the moment), so it's hard to say exactly when I would've been ready. However, I was only given 2 days of Supradol (or something like that-pain med), then instructed to take Liquid Tylenol if need be. I did take it but sometimes skipped doses, and don't really feel it would've been absolutely necessary to take. I'm 15 days out now. After the 1st day I was walking around and site seeing. I did have mild discomfort, but nothing too serious. Although, do listen to the advice to walk, walk, walk because it really does help with the CO2 pains. I thought that I just wasn't experiencing them, but then I skipped 2 days of walking and had gas pains in my shoulder. The walking keeps them at bay. The other thing I noticed was that my stomach stayed bloated and swollen for at least 7 days (and still is some). I 1st drove 3 days afterwards and that was what made it weird because my stomach was bigger after surgery. I had to move my seat around.

I'm new to this, so I don't have too much insight, but do you have your period? I found out that people on here were right about that. I have no fills yet, but when I got my period for the 1st time (post band) I was so full and tight. I didn't even want to drink. Just a thought.

I soooooo relate to this post! :ohmy: I have always been the same way, a "no-gray-area" mentality! I'm hoping that the band will change this and give me a healthier approach to eating. I mean before "on a diet" I would allow myself something "bad" as long as it was in my calorie range, but the minute I went to a restaurant or ate something that I could not calculate the exact calories of, I'd go off the deep end and just binge cheat for the next week or so until another "Monday" rolled around! But what I am finding so far (I'm only 2 weeks out, and still on full liquids) is that I STILL find myself counting calories (because it does feel safe-especially in this liquid phase), but I wanted to get the band, so that I would not have to live my life writing down every little morsel that goes into my mouth! But at the same time, I feel that that is the only way to guarantee success and stop at my calorie quota. So I don't know what to do either. My Dr. did tell me not to count calories. Help:confused: What have you successful bandsters done?? Did you count calories or just eat by satisfaction?

Hi, I'm only a little over 2 weeks out. I think that if you wait and heal a bit longer then you should be able to sleep on your side soon. I couldn't for the first maybe 4 days, but then I could. I've read alot of posts that people say that they couldn't sleep on their side for a little while. It is most likely either your port (that is attached to your abdominal wall, so needs time to heal) or maybe it is CO2 gas pains that get worse when you lie on your side. I think that it will go away with time like mine has. Good luck.

Hahaha, I hear ya about the gas...but sometimes I actually just hope for it now (to be expelled):wink_smile:!!!!

OMG!!! I feel for you. One of my previous posts was a question about LB and dating. So what ended up happening with your date, and did he know something was up?? Once I can actually start to eat solid foods, I will start practicing!!!

Oh that's cool...it's such a small state. I'm from Warwick. I started researching LB in December or January 08'. I was working and pretty sure that my health coverage was going to cover it. I went to a free (mandatory for Dr. Pohl) 3 hour seminar on Valentine's Day. It was very helpful. Before I could proceed I lost my job and health coverage! So I too became a self-pay, and that is when I decided on Mexico and Dr. Ortiz. I had watched him on Oprah, then started researching him and Dr. Rumbaut (because at 1st I was very skeptical of Mexico surgery). I also bought and read his book, Lap Band For Life. After months of research and scraping together money (credit cards!), I called and spoke with Carolyn (patient coordinator) for about an hour and a 1/2 with tons of questions. We spoke a couple times, then in mid June I booked it for 7/24/08. I left myself time for the 2 week pre-op diet. Now, yay, it is already done (the band insertion anyway)! The price is $7950 for a private room and $7700 for a semi-private room. These prices include pick-up and drop off at the San Diego airport and 3 day stay at the Hotel Lucerna. The only other thing that I really had to pay for was the airfare ($506). I can't really answer the food part too much, as I am still on liquids. I just started on full liquids actually, last night. One thing that people were right about, so far though is that when you get your period (sorry-TMI) you do get more of a full/tight/bloated feeling. I didn't even want to have my 1/2 cup of tomato soup last night, so I saved it til about 4 hours later!!! :cool2: Other than that, not too many problems. I've had a few minor concerns and questions that I've emailed Dr. Ortiz about. Haven't had much pain, just some slight discomfort/soreness at times. Also at first I had none of the CO2 gas pains in my shoulder because I was walking (site seeing) all around Mexico since the day after surgery until I left. When I got home I took it too easy and didn't go for a walk for 2 days, then I felt the gas pains in my left shoulder, so now I have been walking (slow-2.7-2.9mph) on the treadmill everyday for 30-35 minutes, and take gasx to keep the gas away! Hope this helps!

Hi, I just had surgery 11 days ago with Dr. Ortiz (as my doc). He was came in and spoke with me before surgery to answer my questions. He was friendly and helpful. My surgery was over before I knew it. I felt better than expected. I didn't see him again after my surgery, but the other Dr.'s and nurses came in to check on me several times. I have emailed him questions since, and he has replied quickly. I also emailed him and said "hey you never came in to see me after surgery", and he said that he did, but I was asleep and stayed asleep for quite awhile after surgery; which, is true because I did not wake up until it was dark out. I also asked other people there and he went in to see them afterwards, so it was just my sleepyhead ways. Overall, I was very happy with the OCC and (so far) would do it all the same. Let me know if you have any specific questions. Good Luck!:smile:

So far so good thanks, and the same to you!

Hi, I've only been slowly walking on the treadmill for 30-35 minutes per day at about 2.8-2.9 mph (less than 1 mile), but I'm only 11 days out from surgery. My doc said that I could resume (real) exercise after 3 weeks, so I assume that would be fine. You should really just monitor it by how you feel while doing it, and if you feel that your body is handling it. You could also double check with your Dr.'s office. Caloriesperhour.com has a great walking (and activities) calculator. It will calculate how many calories you have burned, when you put in a few different variables, like, your weight, height, etc... Hope this helps!

I think that it would be fine, but I am not a Dr. I'd also say though, to wait the usual 3 weeks (most other things were 3 weeks). You probably shouldn't expose your incisions to the tanning bed so soon. My Dr. told me to wait at least 3 weeks to put Mederma or anything else on them. Mederma also makes a formula with sunscreen in it, so if you do go after time, then you should either cover your scars or put sunscreen on them (or both).

Thanks for the advice doddie, I have never been successful with diets before which is partly why I'm here now. Life tends to get in the way of dieting, from my perspective. Thanks Michee, I'm allowed a pound and a half of green veg a day which is keeping the munchies under control. I'm going to the Stamps/Rider game tonight which would mean normally a tailgate bbq - burgers and beer. Tonight its bottled Water and a bag of celery sticks. I hope I can survive. Go Stamps! or Go Riders! - I haven't decided who to cheer for. I've never seen Saskatchewan win a game, so if I cheer for the Stamps maybe the Riders can stay undefeated. LOL cujo (former saskatchewan boy now living in alberta)

Thanks! That's why I said the bloating is finally coming down because for 4 days after surgery I was still the same and it was so frustrating, LOL!!! 13 before and 8 after, 105 to go.

Oooh I didn't ask the Dr., nor did he tell! But I drove about 5 days from the day of my surgery. That's mostly because I didn't have access to my car for the first 3 anyways (I was in MX). The first day that I did drive it was fine, but was a little different because I was still a little bloated/swollen in the stomach area, and had to move my seat around. I'm only 9 days out now and the bloating seems to finally be subsiding!

Hi Tonya, I have quite the comparable story! I started at 241. I was just banded on 7/24/08 - 9 days ago. On my pre-op diet I lost 13 Lbs. and since surgery I have lost 8 Lbs. so far. I did tons of research before making my decision to have this done to my body. As I'm sure you probably will too. So far I'm happy with my decision because I knew that I needed help. Knock on wood, it hasn't been very painful at all either, just some mild discomfort here and there. Good luck in your decision. Keep us posted!