Hi,

I am 6 days post surgery and I need some encouragement. I am usually a very happy, fun loving person but I have only lost 8 pounds, have pain in my chest (my doctors office says this is gas) but I can't get rid of it and I can't crush all my heart medicines and swallow them in water. They taste so bad.... I need to make sure I get those meds in my system.

When I called my doctors office and asked them why I am starving and told them I had eaten yogart, they said I could cause a slippage from doing that....That scared me because I didn't even know there could be a slippage. Now I am afraid to even move because I think it might slip.

Wow, after reading this I can't believe I am saying all these things......I guess I didn't know what I was getting into.....I weighed 222 at surgery and now weigh 214.

Sorry to sound so down, but am I alone in my feelings or will things get better. Will I ever be able to eat again and not hurt in my chest.

Thanks for listening guys........

First of all, you have lost 8 pounds when you should not be worried about losing. Right now, your main focus should be to get healed up.

For the chest pain, walk, walk, walk....Gas-X pills.

Heart meds...my wife's Doc said that if they are not bigger than a dime, you should be able to swallow them.

You are starving (head hunger) because you have nothing in your stomach or intestines. Keep something in there all the time...drink, drink, drink, sip, sip, sip. And, you have NO RESTRICTION. So everything you put in there just goes straight thru. The slippage can be caused by your stomach trying to mash up food, so nothing solid until the doc says so.

You CAN move, that won't cause a slip.

No, you are NOT ALONE with these feelings and YES, things will get BETTER.

Yes, you will be able to eat again. And probably just about anything. But you have to give yourself time to heal and adjust and realize that you can't eat like you use to.

hello ,

sorry to hear you are having problems. i too am struggling with the difference between head hunger and physical hunger. my heart goes out to you and i will pray for your guidance through this difficult time.

baddadbear

I had to take high blood pressure meds and I crushed the ones I could and put them in pudding. As far as the uncrushable ones check with your pharmacist and your doctor to see if there is a liquid or a crushable pill.

The gas takes time to go away but I agree with the chewable xtra strength gas xx and walking. Keep sipping and sf popsicles and fudgesicles really help with the hunger also. Are you taking your chewable Vitamins? They helped me with my hunger also. how long are you on liquids?

Keep up the great work 214, I wish.

You will DEFINITELY Get better. The first week was rough for me too and I was totally exhausted. I'm a little confused about the yogurt. You should be able to eat some yogurt during the first week -- I'd just add some milk to it to make it go down a little easier. Also, you should seriously be sipping on your Protein shake ALL DAY LONG. You absolutely MUST get down 60 grams of protein every day. Go out and buy yourself one of those hand-held portable blenders that you just stick into the cup -- I still use my Protein Shake and LOVE it. THere's a whole thread on here somewhere about Protein shakes and how everyone makes them differently, but I add some flax see oil (Udo's) which someone suggested on here, Water and splenda. SOmetimes some vanilla flavored coffeemate too! Yum!!! Other people add a spoonful of reduced fat Peanut Butter and love it. Either way, it sounds like you're not getting your protein in and you really really need to be doing that!

I also eat a lot of cream of wheat (NOT OATMEAL! TOO THICK).. I'd take the chunks of dried fruit out of the packet and mix with water and a little milk. Yum!

Don't worry, this is just the tough time. It's difficult to cause a slip so I would not worry about that right now. Just clean your incisions, baby yourself and drink the protein! good luck!

You're only 6 days post op! Give your body some time to heal. The first 6 weeks are about healing NOT weight loss. As for being able to eat without your chest hurting, it's not the yogurt possibly causing a slip, it's ANY solid or semi-solid food while the stitches in your stomache heal up. If the stitches break because your stomach is trying to digest or because heavy or large food is trying to go down the stoma - particularly while your stomach is still swollen from surgery (which yours definitely still is) there will be nothing holding the band in position which will alow it to slip. On the upside, the chances that yogurt broke your sutures is pretty slim but you've GOT TO GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO HEAL. I don't know what your doctor recommended as far as a post-op diet, but I was on "clear liquids" for 4 days post-op, then on "full liquids" (which is blended cream soups, etc.) for 3 weeks. I've been on "mushies" for a week now and I'll still get that chest pain if I eat too fast or swallow too big a bite. I won't be able to eat "solid" food for another week at least.

My advise is to slow down, this isn't a race it's a complete life-style change. Give your doctor a call to discuss post-op food stages. If your doctor doesn't give you specific food-stage information including dates - FIND A NEW DOCTOR. Give your body the time it needs to heal and you'll do fine.

Keep us posted so we can be here to support you as you need it.

Good luck on your band journey.

Thank you so much for your advice. It is amazing how much better I feel just knowing there are people out there who care enough to share things.

Thanks

Thank you sooooooo much for the advice. It has made alot of difference to me.....How did you know when it was time for a "fill". That seems so complicated to me. Thanks again for your caring....

6 days post surgery

but I have only lost 8 pounds

how do you know if you have a slip? I'm afraid I might have eaten too much the first 2 weeks post surgery, now I'm worried too. I was supposed to still be on full liquids, but I just couldn't take it. I've had mostly mushy and chewed real good. I haven't had any PB's, actually I feel like I don't even have the band on. ?????? HELP

Don't worry -- from what I know from this site, you'd KNOW if you had a slip. You wouldn't be able to eat or drink anything and you'd be in really bad pain. My advice is that Newbies should NOT read too much about complications on this website after you get out of surgery. It's tough because you're home and have extra time on your hands and everything... but TRUST ME, you'll be fine and the likelihood of you being in the 1% of people with serious complications is very, very low. Just focus on healing guys. Don't read too much negative stuff on here or you'll get yourself all worked up!

PS, most of the doctors have a standing length of time they let you go BEFORE a fill. If you're losing regularly, you might not get one. But it's usually about 4 to 6 weeks post op.

Wheetsin, be nice....hehehe

Ellette, since you will be going back to your doctor pretty soon, call HIM and tell HIM of your concerns. That's what you pay HIM for.

I am also 6 days post-op as of today and can have yogurt and pudding on my 2 week post-op full fluid diet. Everyone heals at a different rate and I am still VERY sore. My stomach is black and blue, I can't sleep on my side, I'm bored with the diet but everyday seems to be a little better than the previous one and my focus now in on healing and preventing infection. Give yourself some time and focus on positive outcomes.