phil1336

gwins, my Surgeon says Carbs are the "killer" Keep to 60 grams daily if possible. Its almost like (Atkins). I`m just a month post op, not much hunger though. Maybe I`m doing under 1000 calories daily. 2 slices of lean moist roast beef, 2 table spoons of mashed potato`s with a spoon of beef gravy and some steam carrots. Sugar free jello and pudding for dessert. Same with fish and chicken.

jaxmom, Be careful what you wish for. I think your Surgeon is being very wise and conservative with your fills. Better to slowly get to that (sweet spot) then to put too much restriction in and have the throw-ups and slime drool events. Everyone is different but unless your starving between your 3 small meals, go slow! I don`t want to vomit and want to be able to swallow my pills and other medication without worry. Too tight a Band is MUCH worse then too little restriction. I got banded on Jan 12, 2010. My Surgeon put in 4.5 cc when he placed the Band and just added 1.25 cc yesterday. I have no real stomach hunger, just once in a while (head hunger) from smelling something that excites the taste buds. 31 pounds down to date with (N0 exercise)yet. Had gout flare-up for 2 weeks....talk about timing!

I got banded on Jan 12, 2010. Had my first fill yesterday. My surgeon had placed 4.5 cc in my band at time of placement. Did`nt even feel the need of a fill because no hunger problems (yet). He added 1.25 cc so I now have a total of 5.75. Elma creme? Novacaine? Whats to numb? Ever have blood drawn or a blood glucose pin prick on your finger tip? You call that "Pain"? Please.......how delicate can anyone be?

Well, they say misery loves company. I can relate. A week ago Sat a got intense pain developing in my left foot from the ankle down through the arch to the entire bottom of my foot. The pain was so bad Sun and Mon I went to my Podiatrist they took xrays that were not conclusive. They sent me for MRI`s of my foot and ankle and I find that I have a hairline stress fracture (as well as Gout with Uric Acid levels of 12.9) I`ve never has Gout or high Uric acids before. 4 weeks post op..how can you exercise on one foot? Oh well, few calories in should still cause weight loss. We are all in this Lap Band thing for the long haul so, whats another setback?

Don`t worry about a overdose on Soup. It goes right through the (Stoma opening) into your regular stomach much like drinking any liquids like water or juice. Only if it contains solids like pasta,rice,veggies, etc that the solids will interfere.

PB is what they called a "Productive Burp". Sorta like drinking a gulp of Seltzer Water (which I miss sooo dearly) and burping afterwards. Now, PB attempts to dislodge a food particle thats not passing as it should and may have either been too large or not chewed enough. Theres still other (neat) adventures that will come too. Like sliming drool and full blown (stuck) food between your throat and the new small stomach pouch. I hear they are very painful like your having a full blown heart attack until you either through it up or until it finally passes. The only possible way to reduce these incidents I`ve been told is to always take very small bites of food and chew until whatever is left in your mouth has the texture of applesauce. Also, I`ve been told, when your stomach lets you know that your full, (not your brain hunger), drop your fork and STOP. Otherwise, prepare for one of the above unpleasant situations to possibly occur.

longbaygirl, Boy, you had an easy trip. Guess your surgeon doens`t buy into the 5 week requirement of 1 week liquid pre-op followed by 2 weeks liquid post-op, followed by 2 additional weeks of soft/mush food. Frankly, I have little appetite and don`t want to attempt eating anything I want prior to my first fill (next Mon) because I`m sure the Band and internal organs are still healing from the surgery. Since I`m not getting either stomach or head hunger, I`m going to request a small fill to begin with. I`ve heard too many horror stories of gagging on liquids, food getting stuck despite consuming small bites and chewing 25/30 times. I want to avoid the painful food stuck, sliming drool as much as possible. Better to be cautious and precede slowly. Good Luck! You have no idea how lucky you were to have avoided 3 weeks on just a liquid fast!

2 Incisions? I`ve heard of Single Incision Surgery where (all) instruments are inserted (trocars) through the bellybutton. Most procedures leave one large incision where the Port is attached and 4 other quarter inch incisions where co2 gas, lighting, and surgical instruments are accessed. As far as that thin plastic film that covers the dissolvable stitches that most surgeons now use, usually they wear or peal off on their own. I think you`ll be fine, if in doubt, call your surgeons office for advice.

3 weeks post -op, finished first week of soft foods after 2 weeks full liquids. Boy, I never figured tuna/chicken/egg salad would taste so good. Cottage cheese too. Now starting week 4 post op...no appetite at all. Force myself to do Protein drinks and a few tablespoons of soft food but no desire whatsoever to eat. Great feeling ...as long as its not permanent. Going for my first (fill) a week from tomorrow, going to ask for small fill adjustment due to the fact that I don`t feel (any) need for restriction to curb hunger. Guess its a week by week learning curve.

I`m not a Milk or Milkshake person by any means........ice cream,cheese, ok. But I was excited about a high Protein (CLEAR) drink that was not of milk shake design. ISO-Pure was VILE...Period! ALL flavours to me tasted like car anti-freeze with a slippery glucose slime aftertaste. Sorry, I like the idea, but for me...it`s back to the drawing board on this product!

I have been a 2 cup a day Gourmet Coffee drinker for a lifetime......(not Starbucks uggggg). Those 2 cups of dark rich bliss for breakfast in the morning and I`m good till the following morning. For some odd reason which I still don`t quite understand, all caffeinated products are added to the forbidden list ae: beer and carbonated beverages. How anyone can substitute decaf coffee for real coffee with its horrible chemical aftertaste is unbelievable. I`ll sip my 2 cups of Joe and enjoy, or never sip coffee again.

I got the same drill about post-op no carbonated beverages sodas and beer. I will still have an occasional diet orange/root beer soda left out for hours to eliminate (most) of the fizz and mix with lots of ice. Still get the taste minus the bubbles. I still miss my Seltzer Water badly! As for beer, a Coors Light draft beer drank and sipped very slowly is not going to cause band erosion or pouch expansion or stretching if its kept to a minimum. John Daly the PGA Golfer was a two case a day beer guzzler has lost 110 lbs in 11 months with his Lap Band AP and (still) sips a beer now and then a drinks lots of Diet Coke despite being instructed not to. Nobody is going to be the perfect compliant patient. We will progress and regress depending on out will power and what tolerance we have to our beloved past foods and beverages that led us to our Obese state of being.

I`d love to join you`all in having a pint or two of a fine quality micro-brew IPA or Red Amber at the Brew Pub of your choice. Cheers! I promise to sip slowly....lol

Not sure if your post Monkey was for me, but I`m in agreement with you! I have proceeded with my surgeons regiment 100% with one week liquid only pre-op and 2 weeks liquid only post op! Its been a miserable 3 weeks....but I did it! I have 2 more weeks of eating pureeded and mush foods before I can advance to solid real food. I plan on keeping to that regime without deviation. But I assure you, once I`m 5 weeks down the road from where this journey started, I will slowly but surely experiment and test my abilities to tolerate at least small tiny portions of the foods I once so loved. Its a learning curve for all Banders and we will have our PB,Drool, and Stuck foods episodes from time to time by failing to take very small bites and chewing till food almost become liquified! I choose not to follow Spartan and share my dogs diet of 3 measured packets of gibble as my daily meals.

Spartan, I have but one comment to your (Spartan) posts. I finally got banded On Jan 12, 2010. Was going to have the procedure 5 years earlier but with a BMI of barely 40 at the time, I felt that I could drop tthat extra 20-30 lbs by diet (again) like so many other previous times and try to keep it off. Fast forward 5 years and a additional 35 lbs and a BMI now reaching almost 44! Bingo, Nows the time! I`m 64, kinda old to do a complete life change but still, realize that I`m calorically out of control. Ever here of John Daly the PGA Golfer. This Bubba from Arkansas was almost 300lbs. A two pack a day smoker (still smokes) a 2 case a day beer guzzler (still sips a pint or two now and then) 4 time divorce, with multiple arrests for trashing Hotel rooms while drunk on his Golf Tours. Since his surgery in Feb 09` he has dropped 110 lbs with NO exercise except walking the Links on the golf course and drinks CARBONATED DIET COKE like crazy and still has been able to make the Lap Band work for him. NO PATIENT is going to be 100% compliant or perfect, we are Human. I hope this tool will help me shed a significant amount of excess weight for me (no pre-set goals) and hope it helps maintain me at a truly happy weight. Not what the Life Insurance Co`s weight tables have set for everyone. We will all do the best we can, but life is too short to deny oneself of all our favourite foods and beverages simply because we are obese, had surgery, and are looking to look and feel better! Lighten up....just nibble on (one) Girl Scout Cookie and not have a panic attack that all is now lost! Maybe a Zanex Tab might help!

Debster, as one who was banded on Jan 12, and was on full liquids one week pre-op, with the exception on clear liquids only the day before surgery, 3 days post-op clear liquids only followed by 12 more days of full liquids only, I know once I reach the end of this 3 weeks liquid phase, I`ll breath sign of relief. Cottage cheese, soft cheese, tuna/egg/and chicken salad will taste like a Tbone steak or Maine Lobster. I`m not going to sugar coat this bandster hell process. It sucks, I`m hungry, getting hunger headaches, tired of gas an passing liquids. After next Mon when I get first surgeons FO, I got 2 more weeks of mush and pureeed crap before real food. I for one can`t wait. I knew what I was getting into reading all the pre and post op literature, but reading and walking the walk is too different experiences.

Am I the only one on this blog thats going crazy from the boredom and hunger of this 14 day post-op full liquid diet? Began the liquid (Fast) on Jan 6 and got Banded on Jan 12.Damn, sugar free jello, pudding, yogurt,soups,and high protein shakes are driving me mad! Wanna add in gas and constant diarrhea from consuming only liquids for 2 weeks already and one more still to go before we can progress to mush foods. I know they call in Bandster Hell for a good reason. Between the one week liquid pre-op and 4 weeks post-op regiment is over, I`m sooo jonesing for some real solid food already!

Well, I got banded on Jan 12 by Dr Brett Cohen at Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood FL. Checked in at 7:00 am and was discharged at 1:30 pm. Home walking my Golden Retrievers soon after. Got some liquid pain medicine, took a little. No staples here....all disappearing stitches. Lots of bloat, gas, no shoulder pain though. Clear liquids only for 3 days and then full liquids, sugar free jello, pudding, yougurt, high protein shakes, and creame soup for next 10 days. Damn, even chicken salad or tuna salad would taste great! A few weeks down the road. I agree with Dan, the surgery itself is not the issue. The pre and post liquid diet is the bear. Can`t wait till Feb 11 and real food!

I got a buddy Ardie Davis who lives in Roeland Park, KS We are BBQ Buddies, damn, I`m gonna miss pigging out on good bbq. Oh well, maybe just small bites of this and that and chew-chew-chew.

Just an update. Went to hospital this am for &:00 check in. Surgery was 9:00 am and lasted approx. 45 mins. Was brought to post-op recovery and discharged from hospital at 1:00 pm as out patient. Sore throat, mild chest and shoulder pain from co2 gas. The pre and post op diet called (bandsters hell) is much worse that the surgical procedure.

No one told me that you have to carry an extra pair of underwear with you on the full and clear liquid pre and post op diet. Just when you think you have to pass a little gas, "surprise", a nasty liquid discharge like babies poop. Damn, guess its time to stock up on some adult size Depends throughaways. I know, its gross but......no one discussed it at the doctors office or for that matter on this blog either.

sdh5463...You`ve gone too far to abort the procedure. Pull the trigger! Almost everyone I`ve spoken to has told me their only regret was they did`nt get the (Band) years earlier and would do it again in a heart beat. Good luck, I`m going in tomorrow myself....1/12/2010 for my surgery. Good luck, and go for it!

I know any form of carbonated beverages are discouraged like diet sodas and beer (YIKES), but look at John Daly the PGA Pro Golfer. Still smokes almost 2 packs of cigarettes a day, still sips on a beer or two and guzzles Diet Coke like crazy. Still lost 110 lbs since being banded in Feb 09`. Not saying I`d recommend his compliance but, lots of folks make the band work without being the "perfect"patient.

Dan, Your one hell of a Trooper. Going from 308 to 232 in 6 months, sure you need surgery? If I had that kind of will power, I would`nt need the Lap Band. I think you might be able to deal with your weight (without) the surgery. I`m right behind you, going in for my band on Jan. 12! Good luck.

Minimeme.......I`m rather confused? 97 lbs lost in 3 months and 2 weeks and your kinda iffy on your (Band)? How does one spell negativity or is your glass half empty or half full? You must have had a huge amount of complications with a 200K bill and as for the green beans getting stuck, small pieces and chew,chew,chew. The pain issue is individual case by case but most folks don`t even need their liquid pain medication that they take home from the hospital after the procedure. Hope your weight lose continues and best of luck. I`m getting banded next week and hoping for an easy trip.