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Eating in college



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I'm getting banded next month and I was just wondering if anyone out there had to handle the banding process while in college? Im really worried about being able to make my own food or find appropriate foods during the first 2 weeks after my surgery (mushy foods, soft foods, etc.). Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do or what you did?

Thanks!

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Hey I was recently banded on January 5th and am a sophomore in college. Luckily for me though I had about a week after surgery before I had to move back to school. I do think it would be hard to be back the first couple of days right after surgery. The main problem I am having as you said is having to make/provide my own food because the cafeteria food is not ideal for our situation.

My surgeon only had me eating mushy food for the first week after that I am pretty much eating normal food now just chewed A LOT and mostly Protein anyway.

It is a little bit hard. Im doing a Protein shake for most breakfasts and a have a lot of yogurt and applesauce, stuff like that stocked in my room fridge.

Keep in touch maybe we can end up sharing tips with each other as time goes on. Anything helpful I come across I'll try to let you know I'm still getting used to it.

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I'm planning on getting the surgery on a weekend and go back to school on monday, I go to school an hour and a half away from home. My surgeon has me on liquid for a week after, than mushy the next two weeks I believe. After that I'm not too concerned about eating at school. They only serve organic, and non fried foods, which is convenient.

Let me know how everything goes, and good luck!

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I am in college too. It's about an hour drive from my house. I can't just run home and have lunch. I took Protein Shakes when I was on full liquids. Now I take some sandwich meat and string cheese, salad. My doc has me on low carb. I also carry some propel packets in my purse. I can buy a Water and pour in the packet for a little flavor. I was banded 1-4-10 and returned to school 1-11-10. I think I had plenty of time to recoup. I do have a rolling bag now though. I use it because of lifting restrictions. My books have gotten to be too heavy anyway. Good luck in school and with the band.

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Hey-

I had my lap band a while ago (2.5 yrs), but I am at college living with it.

If you have a blender, it will be your best friend during your intro stage (or forever...) Also if you have access to a grocery store get some cottage cheese- its cheap and Protein packed. I don't know if your doing the low carb thing or not but there are plenty of options!

Hit me up if ya'll got any questions... about anything

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I got banded on 3-26-10 and I'm a freshman in college. I'm sort of on a regular diet again but it's still hard. I don't have the ability to have certain foods in my room so I just have to pick and choose down at the cafe carefully (it's rather annoying). For most of this week I've been living on chicken and eggs but that's just because there wasn't much around that I could eat.

I took off school for a week after my surgery and things weren't bad at all when I got back.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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