First month completed and still confused

[Linda H. Garden Grove 3]

Well I have made it through the first month after surgery, YAH! I had a fill two weeks ago and I am still hungry, and not sure what I can eat. All the paperwork says I can start adding foods in slowly but it is scary. I had scrambled eggs that did not want to stay down a few days ago so I'm very casuist. My family is very supportive but they just don't understand. Thanks for letting me vent.

[susancwalker2008 70]

Chew chew chew!! Ian having surgery in a few weeks. This is one of the must do rules. My surgeon sad scrambled eggs give several of his patients a hard time. You are going to be okay. Just breathe.

[2muchfun 8,928]

Most of us were able to eat whatever we wanted. It's a time where you discover what your band will tolerate and how restricted you might be. Here's a link to another practice's manual. Maybe you can glean some information that might be helpful.

Susan is right. Learning how to eat with the band is one of the most difficult tasks we bandsters have to learn. It doesn't come easy as most of us have been big eaters, big bites, greedily swallowing chunks of food so we can follow that bite with one as big or bigger. Remember, eat slowly, eat small and chew big.

Link: http://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/docs/Gastric-Band-Patient-Manual.pdf

[A New New Dawn 1,695]

Much of this is a learning process. For example, salad for me is a "slider" food and goes down realllly easy yet many others have trouble w/ salad. We are all different. You will also find as you get fills that you will need to be more and more diligent about taking small bites, waiting or putting your fork down till that bite is fully chewed, then next bite, etc. If you feel any discomfort stop before trying to go to another bite until it fully passes. Otherwise the next bite may do you in.

Also, I struggle w/ scrambled eggs and cannot eat them. I can; however, eat eggs over easy or over medium without an issue. So perhaps try them again but chewing more and waiting or try other methods of preparing them. Don't rule them out completely.

Also, the first 2-3 months are often referred to as "bandster hell" until you get more fills and aren't feeling the hunger between meals. Some people require no fills and are fine, others require several.

Are you getting 3-4 ounces of Protein in and starting your meals w/ the Protein? Protein will really help fill you up and keep you satiated longer.

[CHEZNOEL 4,061]

Good advice Dawn... You must take small bites and chew thoroughly. Think pinkie nail size. We got used to stuffing in and swallowing to get to this point, but that eating style is no longer possible.

Good luck, just small bites and chew, chew, chew. liquids for the rest of your life would be no fun at all!.