Hello All.

I haven't been on here in months...

I am now with a new surgeon, Dr. Gabriel, I believe he's one of the most sought after bariatric surgeons in my area [we'll see] and it took me MONTHS to see him and finally get back on track.

Anyways,

I have some questions for you guys. Please help me out?

After you get a fill, what happens to your diet plan?

I know you have to be on liquids for a few days....the way my original doctor did it, he had me stick to liquids the first 48 hrs and told me after that, I could go back to eating as normal.

The NEW doc, has me on 48 hrs of Clear Liquids, an additional 5 days of full liquids, a week of puree and slowly getting back into soft foods, then eating solid foods whenever I feel I am able to.....they pretty much handed the diet plan for a

"patient's FIRST ever fill", and I wonder if, since my situation is a bit complicated, the nutitionist just misunderstood.

I asked my original surgeon, when I told him I wanted to change docs, to completely empty my band so I could move on and start over. I found out he never did, so when I got my fill I went from a fill of 1cc to 4cc. So I was never emptied, like I thought. I don't know if this makes a difference in what I should be eating now?

Either way, I'm a bit confused and no one really gets what I'm talking about when I try to explain it. I figured you guys might.

When my new doctor gave me the fill, he does it through radiology, with me sipping barium while he takes pics of my stomach, etc ...completely new to me! I'm used to hopping on an examining table and being violently stabbed with a needle and blindly filled in a normal Dr's office....

So while he was doing this procedure...I had to take a big sip of barium and he said that this is pretty much the amount of food I'll be able to eat from now on [or until my next fill]. I did swallow the barium and it kinda felt like it wasn't going down, like I had that "I'm gonna burp or possibly throw up" feeling and I told him this and he took a bit more out. He explained the burpy sort of feeling is me feeling full.

Um ok... to me, that's me feeling on the verge of vomiting, so naturally, I don't want to eat up until that point....but that leaves me with what? 1 spoonful?

It doesn't help that I had a break in between to be a bit lax about what I was eating...but I guess I'm sort of panicking now.

Barely a mouthful of food or drink is too much for me to handle? It just doesn't seem right to me. Or healthy.

I was once able to eat about 1/2 a cup...and most meats were impossible for me to eat, along with bread, Pasta, eggs, etc....so honestly, I've had so much trouble with my band in the past, that I have no idea what works and what doesn't.

All I know is, sometimes I can handle drinking [Water or juice] more than other times, and Lipton Soup seems to be the only thing that works for me. LOL

And now, of course, I feel like I'm back to where I was and I'm ready to cut the band out myself.

Is it possible to have this thing and eat comfortably?

I got the fill on wednesday. I did the liquids thing the day before [tues] and until Saturday....then I just effin' gave up and I've kinda been feelin' around for what I can/cannot handle. I'm just sort of ready to give up completely but I hate to fail at this.

You should be able to eat at least 1/2 cup of food. If you can't, you need to get some taken out. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body and insist that the doc listen to you. I think you already feel this. Starvation will slow down your weight loss even more, so you need to do what it takes to take care of yourself. Do start with mushies at least for a day or so, just to be sure you are able to eat. If you can't eat meat, you also need to get some taken out. You should be able to eat at least 1/2 to 1 cup of food. If your choices are good, you should lose between 1 and 2 lbs a week. If you are starving, your weight loss will stop or be much slower.. We think that we got this band to keep us from eating, but we got it to help us with hunger and portion control. You could possibly need to switch docs again if you can not get them to listen to you..... Hugs.....

Thank you for your reply.... it seems to get a reply on here, I have to post TMI TMI TMI and talk about my bathroom issues....

Anyways, I'm just a bit concerned because my previous doc more or less starved me....to the point where I couldn't handle a sip of water. I would try to eat the foods I was told I should be able to eat and I would get sick everytime.

I feel like now I have some kind of anxiety before and while I eat because I'm so afraid its going to result in me throwing up. :frown:

I've been sticking to soup/broth and as of this morning I was having A LOT of trouble getting juice down.

I just don't want to end of being the problem, like every doctor I see can't be wrong....

Maybe he is thinking, erase the board and start over, maybe the whole, liquid, mushie, etc progression is as much for your mind as for your stomach. Maybe he is thinking you personally have a stomach that is prone to swelling so he wants you to be really slow to reintroduce food so you don't end up in the same situation as last time.

He knows something that is making him one of the most sought after bariatric surgeons, so I am going to suggest listening to him. (I know 3 weeks of this sucks so feel free to throw things, kick, yell, complain, etc)

sounds to me like a slight unfill may do you alot of good

This is what I wanted to know! I do not want to feel like this! Currently I am in Bandster Hell seaking Retriction. But I want true restriction without all the stuff you're going through. I am sorry you are so discouraged. Hang in there! You will find you're sweet spot. Just don't give up and thanks for you're post!

After you get a fill, what happens to your diet plan?

My doctor doesn't have any special diet after a fill. If solids go down, then I can eat solids. If not, then stick to 'slider' foods (soup, Protein shakes, etc.) for a day or so because it's probably just temporary swelling.

Is it possible to have this thing and eat comfortably?

Yes, even when I had temporary restriction, I could eat comfortably if I remembered to take small bites, chew well and eat slowly...meaning not to shovel another fork full of food in my mouth as soon as I had swallowed the last bite. I generally swallow and then give it about 30 seconds to make sure I'm not going to have difficulty with it.

I avoid those foods that I know give me problems (eggs, bread, ground meats) and I don't drink with my meal. Too small of a sip with the meal and you'll just help your food slide through. Too big of a gulp and you'll end up sliming and PB'ing.

I'm still a newbie at this...14 days post-op as of tomorrow. However, one of the things I think I see woven into every thread on this forum is personal awareness, personal advocacy and personal responsibility. It seems to me like your body is trying to tell you what it needs. We are paying these doctors waaaaaay too much money for them to not listen to us. Now, having said that, if your last doc was a quack, then maybe you should give your new doc the benefit of the doubt. I like what one of the earlier replies said about maybe the new doc was trying to work with you mentally as well as physically. I am quickly realizing that this band is as much a mental tool as a physical one. As long as we're trying to work our ways through this both physically and mentally, I think you can't help but be successful! Best wishes!

Hello All.

I haven't been on here in months...:eek:

I am now with a new surgeon, Dr. Gabriel, I believe he's one of the most sought after bariatric surgeons in my area [we'll see] and it took me MONTHS to see him and finally get back on track.

Anyways,

I have some questions for you guys. Please help me out?

After you get a fill, what happens to your diet plan?

I know you have to be on liquids for a few days....the way my original doctor did it, he had me stick to liquids the first 48 hrs and told me after that, I could go back to eating as normal.

The NEW doc, has me on 48 hrs of clear liquids, an additional 5 days of full liquids, a week of puree and slowly getting back into soft foods, then eating solid foods whenever I feel I am able to.....they pretty much handed the diet plan for a

"patient's FIRST ever fill", and I wonder if, since my situation is a bit complicated, the nutitionist just misunderstood.

I asked my original surgeon, when I told him I wanted to change docs, to completely empty my band so I could move on and start over. I found out he never did, so when I got my fill I went from a fill of 1cc to 4cc. So I was never emptied, like I thought. I don't know if this makes a difference in what I should be eating now?

Either way, I'm a bit confused and no one really gets what I'm talking about when I try to explain it. I figured you guys might.

When my new doctor gave me the fill, he does it through radiology, with me sipping barium while he takes pics of my stomach, etc ...completely new to me! I'm used to hopping on an examining table and being violently stabbed with a needle and blindly filled in a normal Dr's office....

So while he was doing this procedure...I had to take a big sip of barium and he said that this is pretty much the amount of food I'll be able to eat from now on [or until my next fill]. I did swallow the barium and it kinda felt like it wasn't going down, like I had that "I'm gonna burp or possibly throw up" feeling and I told him this and he took a bit more out. He explained the burpy sort of feeling is me feeling full.

Um ok... to me, that's me feeling on the verge of vomiting, so naturally, I don't want to eat up until that point....but that leaves me with what? 1 spoonful?

It doesn't help that I had a break in between to be a bit lax about what I was eating...but I guess I'm sort of panicking now.

Barely a mouthful of food or drink is too much for me to handle? It just doesn't seem right to me. Or healthy.

I was once able to eat about 1/2 a cup...and most meats were impossible for me to eat, along with bread, Pasta, eggs, etc....so honestly, I've had so much trouble with my band in the past, that I have no idea what works and what doesn't.

All I know is, sometimes I can handle drinking [Water or juice] more than other times, and Lipton soup seems to be the only thing that works for me. LOL

And now, of course, I feel like I'm back to where I was and I'm ready to cut the band out myself.

Is it possible to have this thing and eat comfortably?

I got the fill on wednesday. I did the liquids thing the day before [tues] and until Saturday....then I just effin' gave up and I've kinda been feelin' around for what I can/cannot handle. I'm just sort of ready to give up completely but I hate to fail at this.

Hi NYC Gal,

A jump of 3cc is pretty big. You could be having trouble adjusting, or there could be some swelling that needs to go down. That much of a jump may be why you have such stringent instructions for the after fill diet.

When I get a fill my surgeon draws the Fluid out to check the amount already in the band and then puts it back in along with the amount in the syringe that he planned to add. I have never received more than 1.5cc at a fill.

My after fill instructions are liquids for the remainder of that day and then back to solids the next day.

Now I can eat about 2-3 oz of meat and a small side dish of about 1/2 to 1 cup of salad and a small bit of veggies. If I eat slowly and take small bites I can eat without trouble or pain.

I was overfilled once and I could barely get liquids down. When that happens it is time for a slight unfill. I had 0.5cc removed and it made a dramatic difference. The band is not meant to be a device of torture. If you can't get liquids down, you will rapidly get dehydrated. You need nutrition.

I don't get my fills under fluoro, so I cannot say if the amount of barium would equal a meal for certain, but I can't really imagine how it could be. Maybe someone else can say for sure.

Right after a fill, my surgeon has me sip some water to be sure it will go down. He says if I am gurgling and burping, then we need to take some out right then.

Hope this helps.

run do not walk to another dr. Your dr. is not one of the most sought out he is one of the most heavily advertized. Dr. Gabriel is a self promoter this does not make him the best. He is just greedy and accepts all insurances. Dr. Brathwaite is the dr. to go to on long island. As far as the nutritionist goes she does not even listen to you she reads from a book so of course she doesn't understand what your telling her. It's about seeing the most patients and making the most money . Don't give up find a better dr. Even dr. amad in port jeff is better than gabriel. You should report bothe your dr.s to the dept. of health for medical misconduct. keep us posted

I have my fills done under floroscopy. The amount of liquid that they have me sip is not equal to what I should eat for a meal. It is equal to the amount I should ingest with each bite, not each meal. Is this what they could have ment for you?