Hi everyone, I was only banded 8 days ago and would like a little advice from experienced people as my surgeon has the personality of a rock and I don't find him easy to talk to. As a 182cm (6ft) former basketballer who had tipped the scales at 130kgs(286pds) I felt I really needed to do something drastic. Hence the band, but my second son is only 3 months old and I am still breastfeeding. After a horrendous first few days with the most extreme side flank pain ( ended up at the hospital but nothing wrong) I am now feeling pretty good. However, I am feeling better because I put a little solid food in my stomach. Within an hour the pain had subsided and has not returned. I have been eating a little bit of solid stuff each day for the past 3 days,(chunky soups, tuna mornay etc) chewing well, eating slowly etc and have had no troubles at all. However, my husband is worried that I will do some damage to the band or myself although I think unless I vomit, this is unlikely to happen. As a breastfeeding mum I am obviously very conscious about nutritional requirements etc and found this difficult with liquids only but don't want to damage the band. Anyone else start eating a bit early?? Or hear of difficulties etc.. (accidentally posted this on the intro site too)

stop eating solids now.... you can damage your band. doctors dont just give the post op diet cause they are "mean". for more info, go read this post/thread

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/im-cheating-already-44151/#post608101

What does your Dr. want you eating? Are you still suppossed to be on the liquid diet? At 1 week out my Dr. moves his patients to mushies, which includes tunafish and full soups, just no Soup with big chunks of meat. If you are allowed to move to mushies I would say you are fine, but if your Dr. wants you on liquids stay with liquids. It should not be much longer if you are 8 days out.

Chris

is there someone else at his office that you can speak to? you were refered to my thread, where you will read that i got a good lashing for cheating.

my dr's office is fully aware, but they did clear me for mushies..and their mushies are just soft foods, like lunchmeat, ravioli, etc. however, each doctor is different and there are some very good points in the thread "i'm cheating...already".

I'm very surprised they did the surgery on someone who is breastfeeding. I'm not trying to judge you but did they not tell you beforehand that you would be on liquids for awhile and you would not be able to take in the nutrients required by nursing mothers?

Thanks so much for your responses. Definitely great advice from everyone, particularly on the "cheating already thread". Unfortunately there isn't anyone else at his office that I can talk to and he just says "continue with fluids" until week four. He had no problems with the surgery on a breastfeeding mother, in fact he was going to do it when my son was only 6 weeks old - but needed to postpone it. (Thank goodness in hindsight) - although we have already discussed that I am not going to have very much adjustment done until I am no longer breastfeeding in around 9 months time. I am trying really hard to get all my nutrients through liquids alone and now that I am no longer in pain, I think it will be easier to stick to this for awhile longer. Not complaining about the weight loss already though - 8kgs (17.6) pound in 8 days. My son also seems his normal self - happy and contented so my milk must still be doing ok. I'll hang in there - really glad to have found this site though.

I didn't read anything about you taking in Protein via shakes... I would think if you take your chewable Vitamin daily, and drink all your fluids, which includes Protein Shakes you would be okay.

Did you ask your obstetrician about what you need to take in for the baby?

I am 8 days post op and I am feeling really great. I am still on full liquids and I am not feeling even remotely deprived (which has surpised me - I was sure that I was going to be that hungry patient whose tummy rumbled the whole time).

I guess the biggest frustration that I have found to this point is the vast difference in the post op diet that each surgeon suggests. It makes it so confusing for the average person to know what they can and cant do. I am adhereing to my surgeons instructions yet I am feeling guilty. Surely there is a recomendation by the distributors of the band that all surgeons must follow.

I for one, was on Clear Liquids for 2 days only and then was told to move on tho full liquids (making sure to include 1 to 2 dairy serves each day). I am having thinned down yoghurts with processed fruit for brekkie and lunch and then thinned down/blended soups for dinner! It has worked well, no upsets and definatley no hunger.

But after reading threads such as these .... was my surgeon advising me incorrectly?? Has it been too much too soon and will there be long term effects becuase of this.

Oh how I wish there was ONE post op diet that every new bandster must follow!!!

She too didn't seem concerned about me having the surgery, so I guess I am being overly worried. Having a breast feeding mulit vitamin everyday and a meal replacement shake, which contains lots of protein.

I guess the biggest frustration that I have found to this point is the vast difference in the post op diet that each surgeon suggests. It makes it so confusing for the average person to know what they can and cant do. I am adhereing to my surgeons instructions yet I am feeling guilty. Surely there is a recomendation by the distributors of the band that all surgeons must follow.

surprisingly, there is not ... it is based on the surgeon's experience and preference.

my advice - follow your surgeon's orders to a "T".

good luck and congrats on being banded!

I second that, losingjusme.

You'll read a lot of great advise based on experience here, but follow what your doctor tells you to do. They are truly the experts, not us. One person can go to mushies 2 weeks out and another has to wait 4...just follow Doc's Rules!

I found I just couldnt survive on Protein shakes, Water, juice etc.

Once I was off clear fluids and beginning to heal up well, my doc was happy for me to have anything that went through a straw. So I took him at his word and ate real food - just blended it up. So I had thick, chunky Soups blended well and perhaps thinned a little - stuff with meat and Pasta in it, things like that, gradually the texture could thicken as I got nearer mushies.

I found my portion size very limited of course, but I wasnt hollow like I was on just those "lighter" foods - everytime I got hungry I could just have a bit more. So I put REAL fruit and yogurt in smoothies, had REAL meat and pasta, plenty of lentils/veges etc in soups, that kind of thing. And honestly, I found liquids easy.

Its the consistency that matters, you dont want chunks for your stomach to have to break down. But nobody ever said you cant have real, healthy food.

ISAGENIX IS WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ON AFTER THERE SURGERY. THIS PRODUCT IS AMAZING . PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AT MY WEBSITE WWW.FACCIOLLIO.ISAGENIX.COM NOT ONLY WILL THIS PRODUCT HELP YOU YOUR FIRST FEW WEEKS OF BASICLY STARVING YOURSELF BUT IT WILL ALSO GUIDE YOU TO BETTER EATING HABBITS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LONG LIFE. PLEASE TRUST ME YOU WONT BE DISAPOINTED. MY BROTHER IS A RECENT LAP-BAND PATIENT 2WEEKS AGO HE LOST 30 POUNDS ISAGENIX IS PROVIDING HIM WITH EVERYTHING HE FEELS GREAT EVERY DAY.

After being thoroughly annoyed at seeing these blatant (and poorly executed) advertisements, I visited the website and checked a few of these products out. They contain no Protein (definitely a red flag for a bandster) and don't have anything my multivitamin/multimineral doesn't. On top of that, they have disturbingly high amounts (some up to 5000% recommended daily value) of certain Vitamins and minerals.

:help: Hey y'all! How do y'all get the weight trackers at the bottom of your Posts? I can't make mine look like yours. Some advice please.