FallnXAngel

I just joined the site! I have an impending surgery date @ Nyköpings Sjukhuset for my lap band surgery. I'm so glad to find the site, but I am a bit worried about some things not being transferrable from USA to Sweden. I.E. Health supplements, liquid diet options, Protein shakes, etc. Also I'm really interested in a local area support group. I live in Eskilstuna. Which is mellansverige. We are about an hr west of Stockholm. Also, my first language is english, not swedish. I'm originally from USA. Tack tack! -FXA

Hej Nora! I would imagine to get the fill, you would have to contact your local vårdcentral when you get to Sweden (and get your personnummer, if you don't already have one). Explain the situation to your doctor, and he would give you a remiss to the people who handle these kinds of surgeries. Now, there are sometimes people in the smaller vårdcentrals who are able to do the fill. For example, I just got my first fill on Thurs, and I had to drive 1.15 hr to Nyköping (where I had the surgery done) to get my first fill and see the surgeon to make sure everything is alright. But she told me there is one woman in all of Eskilstuna (where I live) that could possibly take care of the fills for me in the future. But since your going to götebörg, I would imagine you wouldn't have to go very far. I'm sure there is a hospital there that does it. But first things first go to the vårdcentral and talk to a doc. They will send you on your way from there. As far as what to call it, gastric banding. That's what I say to people here and it works. Just be careful, because when I was in the hospital after surgery they gave me the diet plan for bypass, because banding wasn't so common and they didn't understand me. But on all my paperwork from the surgeon it says Gastric Banding. You won't need to worry so much about always finding the swedish translation of words. Many people here speak english, and if your uncomfortable about speaking in swedish at a doctors you have the right to request a translator be present, then they have to accommodate. One last thing (totally off topic). If you haven't found it yet, check out Amerikanska It's a forum for people who move from america to sweden and vice versa. Great resource of info. Good luck with your surgery!

I'm curious...when were some of you able to eat rice and Pasta?? I'm at 4 weeks post op, and on "puree" stage. But I'm allowed to eat something called knäckebröd here (aka large sized hard cracker bread) and mashed/pressed potatoes as my starches. But I'm dying to eat some rice or pasta instead. Not a big fan for potatoes. I mean..if you chew the hell out of it and grind it down before swallowing then it is sort of pureed before it hits the tummy. lol. Right? hehehe I can't wait to be done with this crap and able to eat real food. :sad:

I'm on the puree stage for the next 2 weeks. According to the menu my doc gave me I have to eat 7 times a day. Most meals involve dairy, except lunch and dinner where I can have mashed potatoes and some pureed meat and pureed veg. I'm not the biggest potato fan. So I was wondering, what did you guys eat? I'd love some really tasty and creative meal suggestions. Thanks!

I'm just over one week post-op. And my surgeon here in sweden (and the nutritionist) gave me a suggested meal plan throughout. And the caloric total is somewhere around 1200 (during liquid stage), and needing like 78 g of protein. I have to eat 9 meals a day (every 2 hrs). I need 5 dl (approx 2 cups) of dairy each day as well. My first day home after leaving the hospital when I followed the plan eating all that yogurt and milk and stuff, my calories were near 1200 and my protein near 100g. I was shocked! I was convinced I was eating too many calories. Over the last week I have lost 12 lbs, and I'm eating between 800-1200 per day depending on good I am at getting in the full 9 meals. Oh and he is intending to refill my band every other month (starting 2 months after surgery) and going on like this until the 1 year mark. He is hoping for me to lose 1-2 lbs a week once I move to solids.

I did a search and found one thread that speaks of lentil Soups recipes. But I was wondering if anyone else had any success with other lentil Soup recipes? Also, I was wondering if anyone had any problems digesting them? I'm 1 week post op, and have a rather different diet plan here in Sweden then in the States. For starters, never did Clear liquids. Day after surgery doc gave me yogurt. Nutritionist said Beans and lentils aren't highly recommended because of the skins or something like that. But earlier this week I made a tasty black bean soup, and have eaten it 3 nights in a row. So far no problems. I was hoping to make some soups that are higher in Protein and Fiber so perhaps I can ease off the Protein powder a bit on my smoothies. So any good lentil soup recipes would be great. Some for chickpeas as well would be super!! P.S. I have green lentils on hand (I understand red are better). Not sure if it makes much of a flavor difference. -FXA

Thanks so much for the fast reply Coco!! The celery, is the root thing instead. The big round white thing. Kind of like a funky coconut or something. :cursing: Sweden is really into the root vegs. Groceries as much more expensive here, and root veg is one of the cheapest options here. :cool: Strain you say for the broccoli huh? Thanks for the tip! I hadn't thought of that. Thanks a bunch. Yeah I'm trying to be as prepared as possible. Since 12 days after the lap band surgery I'm getting my ankle surgery and will be in a cast and in bed for a while. And my boyfriend will be working all the time. So I need to make it as simple and organized as possible. :w00t: Any other tips?

Hello all! So I'm scheduled for surgery on June 16. But I have a foot surgery on June 28, and we are moving into a new apartment on June 27. So I'm trying to pre-make Soups and stuff now and then divide them up into portions and store them in the freezer. Here's the thing though. First. I'm in Sweden, and my doc seems to view the diet a bit differently then American docs. I don't have a special pre-op diet. And according to some of the paperwork, I will be doing liquid/soft diet for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks it says I can try to eat potato and rice. So...I'm planning to make a creamy broccoli and potato Soup, where everything would go through the food processor at the end and be pureed. But I'm concerned that the soup will be useless until 4 weeks. But I'm wondering if that is more like eating cubes of potato or baked potato or something. Has anyone had difficulty eating pureed potatoes while on the smooth/liquid/soup diet section? Any other vegetables I should avoid? For example, I made a celery root & pear soup the other night. I'm wondering if those will be an issue too. I won't meet with the doc and his entourage again until June 10th. And I'm trying to get as many cooking days in as possible right now before the kitchen has to be packed up and before I have foot surgery that keeps me in bed for a couple weeks. So any advice would be welcomed! Thanks a bunch -FXA

Hey everyone! My name is Nicole aka FXA. Here come the stats Age: 29 Current Weight: 126kg (277lbs) Date of surgery: 06/16/10 Location of surgery: Sweden (Nyköping Sjukhuset) Surgeon name: Dr. Per Lundquist I'm originally from America, but moved here to Sweden 1.5 years ago. I have been overweight for my entire adult life and most of my adolescents. So getting this surgery is a great ray of hope for a much more positive future. Most of my family is overweight or obese. My father's side is extremely bad, with virtually every ailment known to man. Thankfully here in Sweden this surgery is covered by social healthcare. So I don't have to deal with insurance companies or any of that crap. The biggest problem I have been facing is waiting for my surgery date. It took like 8 months to get the appt to meet the doc who does the surgery, because of some communication issues (swedish/english thing). I met the surgeon back in Oct 2008, and was told 4-6 months for the surgery. But there has been a few setbacks. But at last, I have a surgery date! My father had this procedure nearly 3 years ago back in the states, and had mediocre results. But my father is the worst patient in the world. lol. He's italian and loves his pizza and bread and all things bad for you. But with his procedure he had to do liquid diet for 2 weeks before the surgery and up to 2 months after. Of course he didn't follow the docs instructions. My doc says liquid diet beforehand is not necessary. And I'll likely be on the liquid state for 4-6 weeks after the surgery. Also worth noting, my doc plans to put the thing to adjust the band just under my breastbone. Which is completely different then where my father has is. So there are a few differences. :smile2: Anyway. So there's the short-version of my story. I'm feeling an overflow of a wide range of emotions. The main one being excitement! :redface: I'm so glad I found this forum so I have someplace to go for help and support through the journey! I look forward to getting to know some of you. -FXA P.S. I do plan to start a LapBand/Weight Loss Blog. Just wanted to wait until there was something more to write about.

Just found out this week I'm getting scheduled for June 16th here in Sweden. I'm extremely excited and yet nervous. It's been a big hassel for the last year to get this to happen. So I'm just thrilled the day is finally upon us. A little bummed as June 19th is my 2 year anni with my sambo (cohabitating boyfriend). Don't think wine and a fancy anniversary dinner will be on the agenda for the day this year. lol. But oh well!! I'm thinking of the beautiful outfit I get to wear for family xmas instead. :redface: Good luck to all my fellow bandsters!