sandielaw

First, congrats on the great weight loss so far. It looks like you're eating a lot of soft foods. These foods tend to go through your band very quickly and are often high in calories. The band is designed to keep solid food in the little pouch. The food slowly dribbles into the rest of your stomach. This means you get full fast and you stay full for a long time (4-5 hours). Try eating more solid foods. For me, that means chicken or beef in sauce, veggies, and potatoes. Things like ice cream and cottage cheese go right through me...I'm hungry again an hour later. Give it a few days and let us know how it goes.

You're right...vomiting is probably not something you want to do. My recommendation: get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and call your doctor about medicine options.

My doc's first question is always, "How many hours after you eat are you hungry again?" His gauge is more about how long I stay full. He wants me to go 4-5 hours between meals. He does also want to know if I can eat more than 1c at a meal. I don't measure, but I figure I'm eating more than I should if I can eat what my 6 year old eats.

Most pre-op diets are designed to reduce the size of your liver. The post-op diets are liquid because you need time to heal after the surgery. Even if salad was allowed on your pre-op diet, I seriously doubt it's on your post-op list. Check with your surgeon to be sure.

Blech! I haven't had a Protein shake since I was allowed to eat mushy/pureed foods. I much prefer to get my protein through food. If I get really desperate for protein, I'll drink skim milk (without adding protein powder) to get in my protein. With real foods, I feel full faster and it lasts longer. Plus, in my humble opinion, real food tastes a gazillion times better than Protein drinks. That being said, I can tell you that you should look for a drink with at least 15g of protein and less than 5g of sugar. I've heard that you can't absorb more than 30g of protein at a time, but I have no idea how true that is. Many protein drinks can be mixed with Water, milk, or juice. Using 8oz of skim milk (roughly 1 cup) adds 8g of protein and 12g of carbs. Using juice adds a bunch of carbs, but no protein. As far as how much to drink...it kind of depends on your Protein powder itself. You have to factor in your protein drinks when calculating your total calories. So it pays to drink a low calorie Protein Drink. I'd think 300-400 calories would be appropriate for a Meal Replacement. About half that would make a decent snack.

How many fills have you had? You should be able to eat meat, salad, and raw veggies. As long as you're chewing well and eating slowly, you should be able to eat almost anything. Many people who are too tight start eating soft foods that are higher in calories. This may be why you aren't losing more weight (although 77 pounds is wonderful!). I suggest calling your surgeon and asking for a very small unfill. You need to work with your surgeon to get to the sweet spot...fills/unfills as small as 0.05cc may be helpful.

Congrats on the surgery and the fantastic weight loss! I had gas pains for about 10 days. I've heard gas-x strips help, but I didn't use them. My surgeon defines "liquid" as anything that can be sucked through a straw. So thick soups were ok for me. That being said, check with your doctor as soon as you can. I went back to work after 10 days. I can't say I felt like myself those first few days back...I did way too much, didn't eat enough, and ended up spending 2 days in bed. But by 20 days out, I was feeling pretty normal again. :tongue_smilie: I can't answer your question about dressings. I didn't have any dressings when I left the hospital. They just told me to keep them clean and dry them off quickly after a shower.

Well, what did your surgeon say? Usually, you progress from clear liquids to full liquids to mushy/pureed foods to soft solids to solids. How fast you do it is really up to your surgeon. I was on solids within a month, but I encourage you to talk to your doctor.

I have seen so many posts like this...it's painfully frustrating. Here's what I think: 1) Surgeons don't adequately explain what happens after surgery. They're big on the pre- and post-op liquid diet...but don't bother to tell you that the band doesn't work until you get restriction. Until then, you'll be able to eat as much as you used to...and you'll be hungry. 2) Surgeon's don't properly explain weight loss expectations. It's important that patients understand that losing 1-2 pounds a week is GOOD. Granted, 15 pounds in 5 months is not what I'd call good. 3) Surgeon's don't give big enough fills and they don't do them often enough. It's important to take advantage of the patient's excitement and motivation right after surgery. I understand that surgeons want to play it safe, but I think many go overboard. Patients will get frustrated if they're not losing weight and not feeling any restriction. What's to keep patients from feeling like this is just another failed attempt at weight loss? 4) Many programs are simply too strict. We wouldn't need this surgery if we were good at following strict diets, keeping detailed food journals, and counting calories. I understand that it's important to eat well and exercise, but we need to be shown HOW to do it. It's important to teach patients how to deal with the new eating pattern that this surgery requires. Okay...I'm stepping off my soapbox now. Try this other surgeon in your area and let us know what they say.

I agree...it might be time for another fill. It might help to look at the reasons you're eating when you're not hungry. Are you stressed? Going through something difficult at work or home? Feeling sad or alone? I would suggest talking to your surgeon AND your regular doctor about what's happening.

I hear ya! I found the liquid diet to be torturous. It didn't matter to me that it was only for two weeks. And I didn't have to do it over the holidays...just Halloween. Doing the liquid diet over the holidays is incredibly difficult. You know why it's important and that's why you'll do your best to stick to it. You're doing a great job. Good luck with your surgery!

I've noticed I have less trouble with meat if it's in a sauce. My favorite way to do chicken: Thaw your chicken and half a bag of frozen veggies* in the fridge. Slice the chicken breasts up into small pieces (they cook faster this way). Saute the chicken in a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Dump in a can of low sodium, low fat cream-of-whatever Soup. Add the veggies. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the veggies are hot. You may need to cover it if it starts bubbling. *I get the generic mixed veggies (carrots, peas, corn, lima Beans, and green beans). They come in a 16oz bag in my grocery store. When I get home, I split them up and put each half in a zip top bag. Of course, you could substitute a can of black beans, a can of corn, and a jar of salsa for the soup and mixed veggies.

I'd be shocked if a doctor actually postponed surgery because you only lost 2 pounds. I lost 5 and they were THRILLED. Generally, the pre-op diet is used to reduce the size of your liver. It sits right in front of the top of your stomach...which is where the surgeon needs to work. If your doctor wanted you to lose a significant amount of weight before surgery, he should check your weight before scheduling the surgery. Don't beat yourself up about "cheating." First, it's not a good time of year to be on a liquid diet. Between holiday treats and family gatherings, I'm amazed at your restraint. Second, WLS shouldn't be about adhering to a super strict diet. If we were good at that, we wouldn't need the surgery. Yes, we need to eat healthy foods, but we don't have to suffer. For me, the band is a tool that lets me eat whatever I want...just in very, very small quantities. The band is not about willpower. Don't let any perceived slip ups make you feel like a failure. You can do this...you just need faith in yourself.

Yeah...my bladder was fast asleep after surgery. They had to put in a catheter three times in less than 6 hours. I could pee, but not much. That was not a fun situation. But it did get better after a few days.

My doc doesn't have a strict post fill diet either. He wants me to do liquids for dinner and breakfast after a fill, then slowly bring in solids.

After my surgery, I was scared to try a lot of snack foods. Most of my favorites are pretty bread-like and I was afraid they'd get stuck. Grocery trips are a family affair in our house. We plan our meals, make a list, and stick to it. Also, I don't go into the snack aisle at all. My husband and son know what I shouldn't eat, so they don't usually let me sneak it into the cart. We try to keep the snack food out of the house. Fortunately, the boys like Snacks that I hate. So we've got cheetos and pork rinds in the house, but no tortilla chips or ice cream.

Don't stress about a small gain. You're on the right track. How long does it take you to feel hungry after you eat? I know many people here eat 4-6 times a day and others are strict about only eating 3 times. What do you normally eat? Protein will help keep you satisfied longer. I think the key is eating the right foods first and listening to your body.

I had my surgery on 11/6 too. I didn't experience that kind of pain. What did your surgeon DO about the pain?

I have to say, he is a very lucky man. You obviously care a lot about him.

My surgeon has a support group. I also do therapy...I've found both to be helpful. The more support I can get, the better. :thumbup:

This sounds like more than a band issue. Have you asked him to go to therapy?

It sounds like one of several things: 1) his band is too tight 2) he's eating too quickly 3) he's not chewing enough Vomiting and banding do not have to go hand in hand. Has he seen his surgeon about any of this? What do they think?

Your colon does a great job cleansing your body...that's its job. You really shouldn't need any sort of flush or cleanser. What is the flush supposed to accomplish? Are you having any problems that the flush is supposed to help? Nothing I've read gives me any confidence at all in these products.

Congratulations!!! I'm bookmarking the blog now. I freaked out a few days after my surgery because I felt like I'd never be able to eat my favorite foods again. My doctor sat me down and had a long talk with me about what his expectations are. He wants me to be able to eat anything I want...just in very small quantities. Granted, it'll be a while before you're eating solid foods and some foods may not sit right with you, but don't get depressed about the foods you'll miss. Many people say they aren't even interested in a lot of their old favorites. So far, that's not true for me...but I am eating a LOT less.

It might be that Water before bed. I have to sit up for at least an hour after drinking, which means I end up taking my evening meds at dinner instead of right before bed. Try drinking the water earlier and let us know how it goes...