FrogStar24

You're doing fine. I didn't want to drink anything after my surgery either. It was really a pain to force myself to drink liquids and get down my protein shakes. The biggest problem I had from not drinking was dehydration. They say anesthesia really dries you out, so you should keep drinking. The problem, of course, is sipping. You can't quench thirst when you a) don't want to drink and can't drink gulps at a time. I don't think you're depriving yourself of nutrition when you're only a couple of days out and don't want to drink. I'm not sure about your liquid diet, but I'm sure it's similar to what mine was - so make sure you get your protein shakes in. Protein helps your body heal, and will also give you some of the "nutrition" you think you're not getting. Also, I had to start on vitamins right after surgery, so that will obviously help with anything you're missing. You just had surgery and you don't feel well, but you'll get the hang of it. Most everyone here had the same problems at first. I totally had the problem you were talking about where I really wanted to burp but physically couldn't seem to! Not having problems with that anymore, haha :eek: Good luck with everything, and be easy on yourself. When your stomach starts healing more, you will start feeling hungry again, but you'll know it when it happens. Try your best, but don't force anything.

To me, 13 blocks sounds like a lot just a week out! I remember taking a walk with my dad about a week out (that I could probably do in 10 minutes today) and it took me 35 minutes, and I was sweating and exhausted even from my shuffling footsteps. So maybe you're pushing yourself too hard too soon. Take it easy, you'll build up. (It's good you're taking a break!) My doc said I should be able to do 2 miles by my first fill (week 6) and I could, but my first few weeks were mostly spent pacing around my living room, and when I had the energy maybe a walk around the block. I'd say that's the biggest reason for heart racing and being tired. You just had major surgery! Also, I was on liquids for 3 weeks after surgery too, but not just clear liquids. Are you taking any protein supplements? I had 3 protein shakes a day on top of my (not exactly) 64 oz of liquids. Just wondering if you're literally taking in only clear liquids.

I posted nearly the same thing a couple of months ago, and we share a band-date :ohmy: Everyone told me, which I have since implemented, that the time I'd been told to wait was ridiculous. I actually do feel better seeing you were told the same thing, silly as it sounds, because I was starting to feel like I'd imagined that wait time! A lot of responses I got were that I should wait at least a half an hour before and after. My band isn't really restrictive just yet, so I can sometimes get away with less time, but I only do that when I'm extremely can't-wait-another-5-minutes kind of thirsty. I don't take any fiber supplements, but I have noticed certain foods help me - like beans (lentils specifically - but you can see the fiber content on any package/can), broccoli, apples and grapes. Also, yogurt (in general) seems to help. Just for flavor ideas, I sometimes get either regular plain yogurt or greek yogurt, and cut in some mango or add a scoop of protein powder for flavor. Based on other answers before mine though, fiber you can add to water definitely sounds like a good idea. The one thing my doc warned me about is that fiber fills you up, so maybe don't take it right before you're going to eat, or after a meal. Not sure about the liquid fiber though.

Congrats!:ohmy:

I had that same problem with standing up right after surgery. The nurses at the hospital said to just make sure you do everything slowly. When I was lying down in bed, I would prop myself up, then sit up, then swing my legs over the edge, and then fully stand up. I just had to give myself some time to adjust to each phase, so I'd rest a second to make sure I was okay. Maybe instead of squatting or bending, try to sit on something instead. That way you can sit back upright after bending over, wait a second, and then stand up when you're ready. I'm not sure about the correlation with blood pressure, especially if it's just dizziness when you're standing back up, as opposed to all the time randomly. Take your time :ohmy:

Personally, I had a very hard time sitting for a few weeks after surgery. Even when I finally went back to work, I had to constantly get up and walk around because it was uncomfortable to sit for too long. Everyone's different, but I couldn't wear jeans for a while either. I was in sweats for the first month - even at work. My stomach was really tender and even sitting in the car to drive the 2 miles to work was difficult. Just make sure you're super comfy on the plane... seatbelt's not too tight, pants aren't too tight, make sure you don't have to bend too much to get stuff from under the seat. Not trying to scare or concern you, but that was just my personal experience.

My favorite breakfast: Cream of wheat with Almond butter (a spoonful) and sliced banana (about 1/3rd of a banana cut into pieces) If it's too thick, I add some almond milk or just some extra Water. It keeps me full and tastes so damn good! Just for reference, I've tried alternating in oatmeal and Peanut Butter - just not the same, honestly. My pretty usual dinner is stir fry (sort of): Basically I just cook up some tofu or fish (I find them so much easier to cook than chicken for some reason) - Tilapia's my favorite - along with veggies (my usuals are broccoli, onion, mushrooms, and sprouts). Sometimes I'll add Beans in the mix - love butter beans. I start cooking the tofu a bit earlier than the veggies, with a bit of olive oil. When I add the veggies, I splash in some chicken broth and some water so everything's moist and tasty. My favorite seasoning for almost anything I make is lemon and garlic, so I use that for flavoring instead of soy sauce or teriyaki. Garlic while I'm cooking, squeezed lemon once it's on the plate. If I'm inclined, sometimes I shave some parmesan on top for a little extra flavor. Other things I enjoy: I love lentil Soup. Heat up a bowl with a little extra chicken broth, and throw some pieces of chicken or turkey into it. Yum.

I didn't use slim fast/carnation. I just mixed 1% milk or soy milk with protein powder. Towards the end of your 3 weeks I figure it's natural to be hungry since the swelling has gone down and obviously you don't have any restriction yet. You'll have to just try things like cream soups to see how you respond. I had no problem with butternut squash, but tomato based soups give me reflux now, and I never had that problem pre-banding. good luck

You should try to start a lower cal diet before your surgery. They advised me not to binge beforehand, getting in those last minute eats - but that's what I did anyway. I did it in more moderation, not as much as I would have a few weeks before, but I did cut out all sugar and caffeine completely. It was amazing how much better I felt without ingesting sugar. That'll help your body not be in too much shock for surgery. Meanwhile, in terms of the 1lb a week... First off, as someone else said and as happened for me, you will probably lose a lot of weight right off the bat since your caloric intake will decrease drastically. And, as someone told me and I still have to realize myself sometimes, you didn't put all that weight on in a week, so you can't expect it all to come off that quickly. Losing a moderate amount at a steady pace will ease your body down, and will probably help make sure you maintain the loss. good luck!

I was on a liquid diet for 3 weeks after surgery. For at least the first one, I wasn't even interested in liquids. I was super super thirsty, but not interested in drinking. You don't feel any pain on the inside, if you know what I mean - because I was expecting to - but my stomach (belly) hurt like hell. There was no comfortable sitting position, and I couldn't lie down, sit up, stand up on my own for the first few days. I was in so much pain I couldn't help crying the first few days, but if you can push through that you're fine. My end goal was too important to let some discomfort slow me down. In terms of keeping food down, follow what the doctor tells you, mine was 3 weeks liquid, one mashed, then solids. Don't add too many foods at a time. If you're trying pureed carrots, just do the carrots, don't have carrots, broccoli, and peas. I've learned now, I'm 2 months out, that there is some stuff I liked before that I just can't tolerate now, and I wouldn't have known it if it were hidden in a mess of other foods. Good luck!

I don't know if this is the answer, but hopefully it'll help some. Do you know how much protein is in your Carnation shake? My doctor advised against Carnation and Ensure, and required/recommended protein powders that give you at least 20-25 grams of protein per serving. When I combine that with 1% milk, it adds 9 grams, soy milk is about 7. I know I was told protein is the most important part of post-op life, because it helps you heal, and also maintains muscle mass. Also, from what I've heard and experienced, sometimes the numbers on the scale don't drop, but your body is still slimming down. I lost 2lbs in the past 3 weeks, but I can fit into a smaller pant size. So take it all into account and don't give up! It's still early on, and you'll figure it out! good luck!

guess I found this a little late, but I was banded 11/24/08. I'm doing well. It's been 6/7 weeks now. I'm eating solids, I think I have a good grip on my diet. I've been cooking most of my meals at home and packing my own snacks for work. I've tried foods that you could have never made me eat before, but I figured for the sake of starting over I should try new stuff. Not crazy about all of it, but I'm doing what I can. (Almond milk, greek yogurt, soy milk, tofu, making my own fish!) I think it's going well. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, like at work, but I watch the clock to see if I should eat or drink instead of listening to my boredom. I've been bringing a book too, in case I need something to do instead of thinking about food. I actually enjoy cooking. I was never against it, just didn't have time. I've cut down my prep time with all this practice, and it takes me about 10 mins prep and 10 mins to cook (depending on what.) My new favorite thing is steaming my veggies with a little chicken broth for flavor. My other favorite thing is cream of wheat with almond butter and bananas. YUM. Hope you guys are all still doing well Mid-January! November Band-its unite

I had a lot of dry heaves after my surgery. The worst was the first time I tried standing up. I was still in the hospital at the time, and the nurse just grabbed a bucket and held it under me while she rubbed my back. My guess, from what they told me, is it's a reaction to the anesthesia. They gave me some medicine for it and I felt loads better. You might want to talk to your doctor, but if they've stopped I don't think you have to worry. My doc warned me about it pre-op, and I was worried about slippage too, but I think one bad day isn't going to ruin you. Especially if there's nothing to throw up. I'm over a month and a half out, and was CONVINCED I had stretched out my stomach because I wasn't getting full, and therefore eating more than maybe I should have. When I went for my first fill, I did the barium thing and saw my stomach on the monitor and it looked normal. In the beginning it's trial and error, everyone reacts to surgery, etc. differently, but you'll see when you go to the doc! Good luck.

Post surgery was really rough on me too. It seemed a lot harder than anyone had prepared me for. Everyone else was back at work in days, but I felt like you did for days (and more!) I had that horrible shoulder gas too. Anyone else have that problem? My incisions seemed to cause more pain than any possible internal pain as well. Especially the big one in the middle, where the port is. (The doc said that was normal.) I remember my first small victory... the day I got up and out of bed by myself, without my dad having to pull me up. That was after 4 or 5 days, and I actually felt if I could do that then the rest would be fine. Even with that, however, I wore loose sweatpants and big shirts for the next couple of weeks, even to work. I wore a bra, but it hurt so badly. When I was home I would take off the bra and tuck my shirt under my breasts. That kept them slightly elevated and off of my incisions. I was most comfortable sitting like that slightly reclined on the couch (propped up with pillows.) I don't know if that's a helpful suggestion for you or not. Just hang in there and do your best. You've come so far already, congratulations!

I had to have a psych eval. I think it's a good idea. My lady just asked a bunch of questions, similar to someone else who posted - about depression and stuff. Also talked to me about when I am prone to eating (emotional eater) and stuff. It was helpful, actually. They want to make sure you realize the surgery is a tool to lose weight, but isn't an answer. She wanted to make sure I knew that I'd have to change all my own habits and attitudes towards food. No one else would do it for me. She also gave me a list of resources (books and websites) where I could find information about surgery, and a list of suggested stress-releasing exercises like breathing techniques, and (I forget what it's called) but suggested ideas of what to do instead of eating, like go for a walk or read a book or paint, etc. It's normal to be worried about the appt. You might want to think about whether or not you're ready to face anything they might bring up. I knew that my appt would be the time I had to really deal with why I eat and why I'm overweight (out loud!). It's pretty rough, acknowledging what your problem is and that now you'll have to face it. But the tough love truth is if you're going to make a change to your whole life and lifestyle, you have to look inside yourself, and find the deeper set problems. Eating broccoli isn't gonna cut it. Ya know? Good luck, it's going to be fine!

Congrats on your victories! We have a candy bowl at work too, and that was one of my major weaknesses as well. Since banding I don't even walk over there anymore. My favorite victory so far is that I now fit back into my favorite jeans! Not only that, but I was really ambitious and tried on a size smaller than those, and they fit! That was really exciting for me. Sometimes (obviously the scale doesn't lie) but I don't feel like I'm really shrinking, so proof like that was amazingly inspiring! Keep up your good work!

Breakfast - tbsp (dry) cream of wheat, with a spoonful of almond butter, and 1/3rd of a banana mixed in. snack - greek yogurt with vanilla Protein Powder and about 1/3rd a mango mixed in lunch - chicken and a cucumber/tomato salad snack - apple slices and Peanut Butter (the organic brand I found tastes just like jif!) dinner - fish with a little veggie stir fry (broccoli, onion, mushroom) and black Beans

I haven't found one. I had a hard time finding chewable anything, actually. I ended up on CVS brand chewables. 2/3 flavors taste fine, as long as you follow them with a sip of water. Haven't tried any of the chocolate ones. Also, I've been eating a bunch of almonds, and substituting almond milk in stuff (cream of wheat, shakes) because they provide a lot of calcium. Maybe look into other foods that provide calcium which might taste better than the chewables.

I'm having a hard time staying hydrated. Maybe I took my doc's advice a bit too literally, but by the time I stop drinking half an hour before, and wait 2 hours after a meal to drink again, I'm dying of thirst. The problem, of course, is I cannot then chug a glass of water. By the time I get a glass in, it's time to eat again. (I've given up on 5 small meals a day because of this, and am shooting for 3-4). Does anyone else have this problem? Does everyone wait 2 hours, or do you take a test sip, and if you're fine you continue drinking? I just don't know how to get more water in. I'm really thirsty, but I'm more afraid of vomiting, so I don't want to just start drinking. I'm 6 weeks out, and thought that I'd have a system or routine down, but this is something I'm still struggling with. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Thank you guys for all your answers. I know 2 hours sounds extreme, but I swear they scared it into me in my pre-op classes! I'm going to cut it down, especially since most of your doctors have told you 30 mins is fine. I was just (am just?) really worried about making myself sick, but I guess if I can take a drink and feel fine, then there's no problem continuing to drink that soon afterwards. As for pre-meals, I've been drinking up until I eat. Also, I wanted to ask my doc this, but maybe you guys know... Why can't we drink from a straw exactly? Something about gas? Who knows. I don't prefer a straw, but I still didn't get why we can't use one EVER AGAIN. Thanks again for taking the time to answer me. I feel better knowing that a majority of you aren't having a problem with way less time drinking after meals, so I won't worry about waiting so long! Maybe now I'll stay hydrated!

Nope. I had the hernia surgery as well. Each of my parents have had hernia surgery though, and both of them told me that hernia surgery alone would have been enough for me to be out of commission. Recovery for me (for both things) seemed to be a bit slower than it was for some other people. I couldn't go back to work for 2 weeks, and even then I was wearing sweatpants because it was very uncomfortable for me to sit. However, everyone is different. Basically, I think you'd have the same recovery time either way because you're recovering from both concurrently. Any pains or problems I had, I chalked up to the band.

I have been having the same problems lately!! Really vivid dreams about drinking soda, and other bizarre stuff. I haven't had soda since early fall, and stopped eating sugar before my surgery (11/24/08) but for some reason these dreams keep happening. I'm just trying really hard not to do it in real life. Sometimes my mother tells me that when you have dreams about something, it could be your body's way of telling you you're missing something. For Example, if you're craving sweets, your body might need to get more protein.

Honestly, my dr didn't give me a pre op diet. The recommended things were things I was going to do anyway - I stopped eating sugar and caffeine. However, since I just got my first fill, my dr said I should have liquids for a day. He said I could have anything, it didn't have to be clear, as long as it was liquid. I say as long as your soup is more brothy than hearty, you probably could blend it enough into liquid form But again, it does depend on what your specific pre-op diet is, so I'd call and ask your doctor specifically.

For the liquids phase, I stuck to chicken broth, jello, and water mainly. I froze some little dixie cups of Crystal Light Lemonade too (or you can buy popsicles). I also had to have 3 protein shakes a day (which I made with 2% milk because I found it had more protein than 1%, skim, and even soy milk.) For the first couple of weeks I wasn't hungry at all. Third week gets rougher, but there isn't too much more variety until mushy foods. I was eating mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, yum. I'd recommend making them yourself though, because when I bought them they were waaay too salty. Also I had some fish, tilapia's really good, salmon too, and tofu. For the rest you can just blend stuff. I started boiling some veggies in chicken broth for flavor, or otherwise you can do them in water obvs, and then blending them. Scrambled eggs with a little cheese, as long as they were more on the runny side. My mushy phase was only a week, and I can't remember much more than that, sorry! Soups are good though, but my dr recommended I blend them again anyway, even if everything was well cooked. good luck!