Hello fellow LapBanders... It's been a month since I've been banded and I have been doing really well on my post op diet. Everything has stayed down, with the exception of the day after surgery. I'm real nervous about starting on solid foods and also getting my first fill on the 31st of this month. I'm so nervous I'm going to over eat and then get sick.

I'm really glad I found this site and look forward to advise. The problem I seem to be facing right now is finding a way to drink enough fluids since we can't drink during meals. I know I'm not drinking the amount of Water I need to be.

I've been banded for 2 months now and I STILL struggle with that. I'm lucky if I get 48oz of Water in a day. I mean, when you can't eat during meals and 60-90 minutes after meals, it definitely makes it difficult.

An hour and a half after my meals, I grab a bottle of water and sip almost constantly until my next meal. Lather, rinse, repeat.

If anyone has a better idea, I hope they share!

Dont forget that the food you eat contains water, you probably are getting what u need a day but some of it is hidden, i certainly only drink an additional 32 oz as pure water, the rest comes from tea, coffee and food.

Nice to know I am not the only one struggling with Water. I am on mushies and my surgeon said to practice not eating with meals and it is hard because I feel like I have to schedule my drinks as well as the food.

I start solids on 3/26 and my first fill is scheduled for 4/3 so it will be nice to hear how you do with the transition and the fill.

A few things for you newbies.....they tell you 60-90 minutes because they don't know what else to tell you.

It's mostly B.S.!

The way it works is this...first you need to have some amount of restriction, which you will not have for a quite a few more weeks, and fills. Burt when you get restriction, food will accumulate in your pouch, passing throgh your band slowly. The pouch can hold just so much food. Overfilling your pouch can be disasterous! So when and right after you eat, adding Water to that volume with immediatley increase it, immediatley having negative results.

As you become an experienced bandster, you will learn to "Listen" to your band, and become a good judge as to what is happening.

Water, without food, will pass right through the band into the stomach. So I drink whatever and how much right up to the point where I begin to eat.

After eating, it all depends on how my band/pouch feels. Most of the time I can begin drinking 20-30 minutes after eating. I may have to take a small sip to see/feel if it is safe first.

For all you newbies, you are being taught all sorts of "Rules" to follow, learn.

The majority of them do not apply to you just yet, but you need to get them in your hread just the same.

The first time you have a negative reaction to swallowing, etc, it is then you are going to remember what and why they told you about this and that little rule, and it is then it will all make sense.

Glad to know I wasn't the only one struggling with the Water intake. Thanks Cazzy for your reply, I didn't even think about the soft foods I've been eating having water in them.

B-52 thanks for reply. It has helped shed some light into the future and how it's a matter of "listening" to the band and then understanding the "rules" that were given to me.

i also struggle with liquids...i was told 30 minutes before and 30 after...i find that i don't want a drink by then!