cj74

:rolleyes2:Hi everyone! I was banded on 6/3 and have been doing pretty well. The past few days I noticed the swelling going down (gradually) and I definitely feel better each day. Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time sitting and bending in a way that put some pressure on my incisions. Last night my port incision was so swollen and it just hurt. This morning it's a little better but not much. I'm icing it again and trying to take it easy this morning. Do you think I just over did it? Or, should I be concerned about something more serious? The incision where I have the port is warm to the touch but not especially red in color or seeping or anything. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated! On a positive note, I'm down 15 pounds since the day of surgery!

BKNY - I was banded just a few day before you, June 3rd. I'll be on the full liquids for 3 weeks and then the pureed for another 2 or so. That being said, I have a few weeks before I can eat the pureed foods but I read something on here that made sense to me - the person said they just have what their family has (some moderations as necessary) but they puree it in the blender and add chicken or beef stock if needed. They said the stock has better flavor than just the broth. Anyway, I was talking to my fiance' last night and told him about reading that and it seemed to make sense. That way you don't feel like you have to cook different for yourself. Anyway, I thought it was a good suggestion and I intend on trying it. One person recommended making chicken fajitas (without the tortillas) and pureeing the peppers, onion, and chicken and then having some mashed up beans - sounded great to me! After 3 weeks of liquids I'll be sooooo ready for anything with some consistency! Also, I've had a few thoughts like, "wow, what did I do?" since my surgery but no depression. My fears seemed to come out the week prior to surgery - I found myself in tears almost every night saying things like, "what if I do this and fail?". Thankfully, I have a wonderful support system and I'm able to lean on them. Good luck on your weight loss journey, know that you will succeed!

The way my doctor and nutritionist explained "full liquids" to me was anything pourable or able to go through a straw (except, without the straw of course). I'm also in that stage right now. One suggestion I was given was to try egg drop soup. I went yesterday and got some, brought it home and threw it in the blender and it was wonderful! Plus, the egg is a way to get in some extra protein!

Thanks for the suggestion! I actually had tried a packet of that - Cookies and Cream, and I like it. Plus, my stomach seemed to be able to handle it so that was a huge plus! I went back to the store today to try some of the other flavors.

When I met with the psychologist I also asked why it was necessary to have a psych eval? One of the things he explained to me is - Usually, when a person has surgery that fixes the problem. This surgery is a tool to help with the problem, but it still takes a commitment to eat right, exercise, etc. He explained that one thing they have found it that a person suffering from some types of mental illnesses have a hard time sticking to that type of commitment. Also, if you haven't dealt with any emotional reasons behind your eating habits, surgery won't really help because in the end you'll likely end up going back to where you were before. I also took the MMPI. It wasn't bad, just a little time consuming. I met with the psychologist afterward. I was in and out of the office in about 2 hours. I wouldn't worry about the anti-depressant. If it was prescribed to you and you are using it appropriately, it seems that you are following doctor's orders, right? Nothing wrong with that! Good luck!

I got my band one week ago today and am having problems digesting the whey protein. I called my doctor's office and they suggested trying a soy protein or nectar, saying that some people do have problems with whey protein. I have some of the nectar and it says whey protein on it, so that confused me a bit. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for a good soy protein? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!!!

The nutritionist I met with said no caffeine and to try to ween myself off of it prior to my surgery. I was soooo unpleasant to be around for a few days! The next time I met with my doctor I told him I understood the no carbonated drinks but I was struggling with the no caffeine. I asked him to explain that to me so that I would be able to buy into it more and accept it. He said that I can have caffeine since I was having the band. He said it's not good for bypass patients because it can be hard on the digestive system and their systems are already messed with so much! I wanted to hug him, I was so happy. I told him he was my new best friend! The weird thing is, I got my band almost a week ago and have yet to have a cup of coffee, it just doesn't sound good yet! Go figure!!!

I was banded last week, on June 3rd. I will be on the full liquid diet for 3 weeks before I move on to pureed food! Basically, what I was told is I can have anything that is pourable or can go through a straw (without the straw, of course). My doctor said I could have yogurt and sf pudding at this point too. I asked if I needed to make them more liquidy and he said no, really he just doesn't want me chewing anything. I've been having problems with keeping anything in me though, everything seems to go right through! Sorry, TMI. I'm wondering if it might be the dairy I'm mixing with my protein shakes? I've never had any problems digesting dairy before though? I've tried blending some banana in with my shakes but it hasn't really made a difference. Any suggestions?

My insurance also required that I lose weight prior to sugery, but it was only 5% of my bodyweight. My surgeon didn't necessarily agree with that requirement but we had no choice. My body tends to respond well to the low carb, high protein diet. It's not easy to cut out breads, pastas, etc. but so worth it - you will see results!