Could I have done any damage to my band? Could it have slipped? 4 weeks post op and ate a big salad - too quickly and now I feel SO full. A bit of heart burn, but I don't feel like I will throw up or anything. Could I have made my band slip? Has anyone else not followed the post op diet correctly?

I'm kinda in the boat as you. I was banded last Thursday, and I wasn't hungry the first few days, but now I get hungry between meals. I drink mostly skim or 1% milk...because I hate chicken broth, but I have cheated a little and had half a slice of bread (twice). I haven't felt full yet, nor have I had a my first fill.

I'm still waiting for my band and haven't even hit the pre-op stage yet, but I can't help wondering why anyone would push the envelope or cheat when you've staked so much on the process in the first place. The best thing I've learned in doing my research- when I went to my nutritionist yesterday, he said I was the best prepared patient in his years of practice- is that the band is only a tool, and I still have to manage myself in order to make it work.

When it comes my being at the same stage, I hope I don't have to eat my own words!

Edited April 3, 201016 yr by AnneGG

Yes, you can hurt yourself by advancing too fast or eating too much, but no, you probably didn't. salad really does kind of chew down to nothingness. The main problem I have with it is that the leaves of lettuce (or spinach, or whatever), if not chewed very, very, very well (and it's hard to do this, because it tends to slip down your gullet pretty easily) can find themselves lying across the stoma just so....not really "stuck," but blocking the way for anything else to move through for a while.

It can be really uncomfortable. It happens to me after fills--I have to be really careful. BUT, chances are you don't have much in the way of restriction right now, so by now, you've probably determined that you are just fine. (The pouch is more elastic than most of us think---you won't cause a slippage with a bunch of chomped-up greens.)

Kelsey, if you're starving between meals and your doctor has a no-snacking rule, call his office and ask for guidance. You will very likely be given a broader list of acceptable Snacks than the one you have (which, I bet, has broth, sugar-free Jello, and sugar-free popsicles on it). If they refuse to help you figure out snacks, look at the foods you are allowed to have at mealtime.

If you're genuinely hungry between meals, choose something that would be a wise choice for a meal, and have a small, measured serving. Then, tell yourself you're done until mealtime.

But please, don't start down the bread and milk path.

I've definitely cheated since my surgery. I was banded March 25th and now I'm on full liquids. I did good on Clear Liquids but about day 2 or 3 on full liquids, I just felt like I couldn't drink another nasty Protein shake. I think its a texture issue for me. I don't like how thick the protein makes the shakes nor the taste it gives them. I bought an unflavored brand so that I could mix it in just about everything but I still hate it. I ordered a sampler pack from Bariatriceating.com and am waiting for it to arrive. I hope they'll taste better than what I have now.

I've cheated on things like green Beans (that I chewed until it was liquid), bread, and a little spaghetti I made for my family. I'm chewing EVERYTHING I cheat on until it liquifies in my mouth, but this full liquid phase sucks! I'm not eating all the horrible things I used to eat but I'll be glad when I can move on to "mushies".

Numerous of my clients confessed to me that they had not followed the transition diet strictly, but they had not blockages or discomfort, so in the end similar to you, the band is still in the correct position.

If the band has slipped you would find it difficult to keep both liquids or solids down. You are doping ok.

Cheers

Helen Bauzon

Bariatric Dietitian

Welcome to globalgastricbandsolutions.com.au

I was given a 1 day liquid, 2 day mushie, and on the 4th day after surgery I was allowed solids ( protein first, but anything other than bread).

And I go for my first fill on 04/13 and I've lost 12lbs so based on my post op diet I would think the actual band is safe, but your doctor may want you

on a special regimen that he has found successful and that's why the difference in the post op diets from dr to dr. I would just try to stick to your assigned

meal plan and wait until your first post op appointment.

Wow that's a rapid transition to solids. I have to say that as much as I miss "real" food.... I am pretty thankful my post-op was a long road back to solid food.

I was banded March 19th and am almost through my first week of mushies, but have also lost 31 pounds in the almost 3 weeks since my surgery.

It's so interesting how doctors follow such different plans for post-operative eating.

It just amazes me the variations of the post op diets out there. I was on clear liquids plus 1 protein shake a day for 3 days, then on full liquids for 10 (am on day 7) then onto pureed for 17 days. But on my full liquids i am allowed 1 protein shake per day, low fat creamy (no chunks soup), skim milk, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, egg beaters, and thinned down cream of wheat or oatmeal. I think the most important thing is to let your body and stomach heal. I'm hungry in the evenings, but like Betsy suggested at that point when I've had all my calories and protein I will use the sugar free popsicles and jello. I just keep telling myself "this is just for today....I can do this for one day". Calling your surgeon or diatician for advice I think is the way to go.

Edited April 7, 201016 yr by stargate713

I tried V8 one day too early and paid for it!! After that, I stuck to the plan the way the doc ordered it. One week liquid, one week full liquid and two weeks mushies before Solids.... It was fine, because I was so excited to finally get my band I wanted it to work for me. Hugs!!!

I really do not understand the cheating on this plan. I am a week and a half after surgery and prior to that was on clear liquid with only 3-4 Protein shakes and still on that for another week. What is the purpose of going through this if rules are going to be followed. We all made a decision to change our lives and to deviate from this to help us in the long run really bothers me. I have a neighbor who had this done years ago and tries to tell me how he gets around things. Why?

With my procedure, my surgeon takes an extra step to keep the band from slipping and he had a patient a few months ago not follow the guidlines and ended up really sick and on a ventelator for 3 weeks.

I am sorry for sounding so rude but why waste the time if you are gonna just fall back into the same bad habits that got us into the place we are now.

I really do not understand the cheating on this plan. I am a week and a half after surgery and prior to that was on clear liquid with only 3-4 Protein shakes and still on that for another week. What is the purpose of going through this if rules are going to be followed. We all made a decision to change our lives and to deviate from this to help us in the long run really bothers me. I have a neighbor who had this done years ago and tries to tell me how he gets around things. Why?

With my procedure, my surgeon takes an extra step to keep the band from slipping and he had a patient a few months ago not follow the guidlines and ended up really sick and on a ventelator for 3 weeks.

I am sorry for sounding so rude but why waste the time if you are gonna just fall back into the same bad habits that got us into the place we are now.

There is a reason all of us are too fat. We sometimes don't know what it is, we think we are just stupid, or we think we are weak, or any number of things. Some people, who get the band think it is a magic wand. Get the band and magic happens and we are thin. The problem is, that when it actually happens, the underlying reason we got fat to begin with, rears it's ugly head and for some unconscious reason , we start trying to thwart the progress. We do not understand it at all. We start blaming others, the doctor, the nutritionist, our spouse, our mother,,,,,,,, it goes on and on. You may find yourself in this situation down the road too. It happens to all of us in varying degrees. Some who reach goal, find it way too hard to keep going and gain it back. Some are totally ready to be thinner and keep the weight off. The band is helpful but it is not magic in any way. It is a tool period.

I have a client who had bypass surgery 25 years ago. She lost all of her weight, and at 120 lbs, she was shocked everytime she looked in the mirror. She said it was extremely uncomfortable. She gained back around 80 lbs and has kept off 100, but it illustrates my point. Society says we will be happy if we are thin, but it is not so for everyone. If we are not ready we will find a way, even if it is unconsious, to keep it from happening. This will happen in a number of ways. Maybe the band will slip, maybe we will be unable to follow the plan, maybe something will happen to make us unable to exercise, maybe a number of other things will happen to get in the way. If we go inside, and study our behaviors, we will see some signs of the problem. Maybe not. I think if we keep bumping up against a brick wall, it is time to seek some serious therapy and find out the reason. Remember that all of us are not supposed to look the same. Even in the old days, some people were plump, some were skinny. We all need to figure out our own problems and not beat ourselves up over it.... The discussion here is supposed to be a venting ground, an exchange of ideas. If anyone gets worried about other's ideas, it only defeats the purpose of the board. I wish you only the best in your journey!!! Hugs!!!!

Me, I'm a recovering cheater, self saboteur, issue-laden person, I am. For me, acknowledging that helps me simply state what's so, and then I can do something that approximates being accountable for my own behavior. I got fat because I cheat, because I don't want the rules to apply to me. So now I gotta do something about it, and you can bet your sweet patooteys I'm not going to let someone invade my body- for the good- and then figure out ways around what I've had done to myself. My behavior's gotta change, pure and simple, and whether I'm nice about it or rude to myself about it, it doesn't make a difference.

Doesn't mean I'm going to be perfect, far from it, but I have to do it.

What's that saying about how the violinist got from Penn Station to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice...

Whew! I just gave myself a good talking-to:sneaky:!

I was banded with the Realize band on March 24th and i can honestly say I have not Cheated once. I will start pureed foods on saturday. my dr makes us wait till day 19, and combines pureed and soft foods together. Can hardly wait!! Ive lost 20 lbs so far and that is incentive enought for me so far!

Edited April 8, 201016 yr by flnurse

I am two years post-op. I have lost 100 lbs, and I can tell you that I have cheated, I have eated too much, I have vomited, I have done it all. I have also reaped what I have sown. I am an emotional eater, for me I know that, I still get caught up in what ever is happening and forget that I cant just eat to make it all better. So I suffer some pain. I am however getting better at this, every day that passes I am gettting better at realizing why I eat what I eat and what my triggers are. I thought that I would never cheat because I had gone through so much to have the band in the first place. Everyone cheats...just like every one picks their nose or scratches their butt. Don't be so close minded that you think "It wont happen to me" cause it will. And when it does you will feel like crap, just make better choices. That my friends is all any of us can do. Try every day to make better choices.

Peace,

Ang~

I'm 7 days post op. Tonite I decided to eat a sugar-free pudding cup. I'm feeling pretty miserable right now!