Hi everyone, I've been reading this board for a while leading up to my banding. Had it done yesterday afternoon, and was able to go home around 10am this morning.

It seems like my surgery went very well, and I'm feeling quite good all things considered - the normal amount of pain I expect, some very colourful bruising, and the dreaded wind pains.

I do have a question/concern about my liquid intake. I was advised I should sip my liquids - about 50mls every 10 minutes - so about 1/2 cup per half hour so as to not cause discomfort, and not stretch the pouch. I'm having to really slow down and sip, sip, sip. I feel like I could be drinking normal speeds - the liquid seems to be going down without any trouble at all, and I'm even managing my pills without any trouble. Maybe I'm lucky, but I was expecting it to be harder to swallow.

Will I damage myself if I'm managing to sip through a cup of liquid over 20 minutes?

Thanks

Luscious.

I had chicken Soup Optifast for "dinner" tonight.... BLAH!!! I could only manage a few sips - the smell alone was making me nauseous.

I don't mind the chocolate Optifast shake, so long as the Water mix is ice cold, and extra diluted.

Has anyone tried the coffee flavouried optifast?

I bought some Jalna drinking yoghurt - that was very good.

I had chicken Soup Optifast for "dinner" tonight.... BLAH!!! I could only manage a few sips - the smell alone was making me nauseous.

I don't mind the chocolate Optifast shake, so long as the Water mix is ice cold, and extra diluted.

Has anyone tried the coffee flavouried optifast?

I bought some Jalna drinking yoghurt - that was very good.

Luscious,

I had cup a soup, chicken noodle and strained out the noodles, I couldn't keep the Optifast down so this really helped.

Any yoghurt was great ..

hot tea remember, take it all slow.

I had chicken Soup Optifast for "dinner" tonight.... BLAH!!! I could only manage a few sips - the smell alone was making me nauseous.

I don't mind the chocolate Optifast shake, so long as the Water mix is ice cold, and extra diluted.

Has anyone tried the coffee flavouried optifast?

I bought some Jalna drinking yoghurt - that was very good.

I loved the coffee one. Mix with cold water and ice and blend away. You can almost convince yourself you're drinking an iced coffee!

Hi everyone, I've been reading this board for a while leading up to my banding. Had it done yesterday afternoon, and was able to go home around 10am this morning.

It seems like my surgery went very well, and I'm feeling quite good all things considered - the normal amount of pain I expect, some very colourful bruising, and the dreaded wind pains.

I do have a question/concern about my liquid intake. I was advised I should sip my liquids - about 50mls every 10 minutes - so about 1/2 cup per half hour so as to not cause discomfort, and not stretch the pouch. I'm having to really slow down and sip, sip, sip. I feel like I could be drinking normal speeds - the liquid seems to be going down without any trouble at all, and I'm even managing my pills without any trouble. Maybe I'm lucky, but I was expecting it to be harder to swallow.

Will I damage myself if I'm managing to sip through a cup of liquid over 20 minutes?

Thanks

Luscious.

Hi Luscious,

You probably won't do any harm but you need to drink slowly so that you don't swallow too much air - this will increase the gas problem and could cause you problems, especially pain if you already have problems with gas. I am attaching a suggested program for the Fluid stage and hope this helps - remember slowly does it to start with. This is for the full fluid stage, if you are still on clear fluids you will need to swap them with the sustagen etc.

Danna

On Waking Sip 100-120mls Supradyn mixture over about 10-15 mins

Breakfast 240 mls Sustagen made on Water. Sip 120 mils over 10-15

mins, wait half an hour and the sip the second 120 mls over 10-15 mins.

Morning Tea 120 mls juice over 10-15 mins

120 mls cup of tea or coffee using at least 60mls low fat milk

lunch 120 mls runny soup made with half milk/half water eg tomato

120mls Sustagen sipped over 10-15 mins

Afternoon Tea SAME AS MORNING TEA

dinner 120 mls runny soup eg pumpkin or chicken

120 mls runny custard over 1/2 hour (Pauls trim custard)

Supper Drink the rest of the sustagen about 240 mls in the same manner

as breakfast

NOTE You may still have a little low fat milk left to drink and you

have at least 2 more hours of drinking. 240 mls each hour to reach

your level of 2 litres of fluid daily.

Remember to use the free fluids like water, tea/coffee and low joule

cordials to make up total volume.

Daily Intake 1500-2000 Mills daily

600 mls sustagen - Calories

120 mls liquid Vitamins - no calories (Supradyn)

240 mls fruit juice - pear, apple prune, Orange ,pineapple - Calories

360 mls reduced fat milk - drink plain or make runny custards or add

to soup -

Calories

If desired

60 mls drinking yoghurt - some calorie value

sip as desired - vegetable juice - V8 or tomato

sip as desired - vegemite broth - add 1 teaspoon to mug hot water

Constipation add 50 mls prune, apple or pear juice daily

Thank you so much, this is very helpful. Danna, I was banded by same Surgeon as you - he does good work !!! I am mindful to slow down even though I don't seem to be having difficulty swallowing at all. I am on full fluids, and finding the first week quite easy - I have had a few moments of dreaming of a BBQ chicken leg :-) I am so craving fish and chicken.

For anyone reading - the Cambell's Sensations Sweet Potato, Honey and Red Lentil soup, diluted 50% with Chicken Stock, is really delicious and satisfying.

When do you go for your first post-op visit? I went after only 1.5 weeks and was allowed to go straight to mushies and was on soft normal foods within 3 weeks - depends on how you are going - they are pretty flexible about moving onto normal foods.

Danna

I have my follow up this coming Thursday. I am hoping I can move onto mushies :-) Its funny the things you crave. All I can think about is Tuna Mornay (luckily a good mushie food).

I took my steri-strips off today... 4 of my incisions look really good (including the large one). I'm a little concerned about one of the small incisions which has raised into a bump - looks like I might have burst a stitch and the wound has popped a little. Its still moist, but not weeping - hopefully no infection - but I will follow up with Doc on Thursday. Spraying with some antiseptic just in case.

I had my follow up appointment today - all well except for a minor infection in one of my smaller incisions - nothing serious - got some antibiotics.

Can move onto mushies a few days early (YAY).

I've spent the afternoon making some Tuna Mornay - and also my favourite crockpot recipe is simmering away - Moroccan Beef ! I'm sure it will taste just as good after its been blended. I'll post the recipe in the mushies sticky under food/nutrition if anyone is interested.

I had my follow up appointment today - all well except for a minor infection in one of my smaller incisions - nothing serious - got some antibiotics.

Can move onto mushies a few days early (YAY).

I've spent the afternoon making some Tuna Mornay - and also my favourite crockpot recipe is simmering away - Moroccan Beef ! I'm sure it will taste just as good after its been blended. I'll post the recipe in the mushies sticky under food/nutrition if anyone is interested.

Moving onto mushies soon - that is great you'll start to feel like a real person again soon.

Yes please post the recipe - I bought a crockpot when I got banded so would love some recipes for it especially with the cold weather arriving here.

Danna

Congratulations on your surgery. I was banded by Dr Liebman & Dr Smith as well. Great guys! I went for my 8th fill yesterday and I think I'm getting close to good restriction. I was told they will only go .5cc for each fill so that they don't over fill me where I end up with problems. Good luck with your journey.

Hey Danna how are things?

Hi Danna,

I posted it in the crockpot recipies - but here it is again ... it is REALLY good. I found I had to add some plain low fat yoghurt and a little extra beef stock when I was blending it down to mushie :-)

TANGINE OF BEEF

1 tablespoon olive oil

1.5 kgs of gravy beef (cubed) (3.3 pounds for non metric folks)

2 sliced onions

3 cloves crushed garlic

2 tablespoons Moroccan seasoning

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup beef stock

1 cup pureed tomatoes

3/4 cup dates - halved and seeded

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup chopped parsley (can leave this out for mushie stage)

2 tablespoons flaked almonds (can leave this out for mushie stage)

Heat oil and brown beef in portions (drain on kitchen paper)

cook onions until golden, and add garlic, moroccan seasoning, cinnamon, beef stock and pureed tomatoes.

Cook for 2 hours on low.

Add honey and dates.

Cook for another hour on low.

before serving sprinkle with parsley and almonds.

Congratulations on your surgery. I was banded by Dr Liebman & Dr Smith as well. Great guys! I went for my 8th fill yesterday and I think I'm getting close to good restriction. I was told they will only go .5cc for each fill so that they don't over fill me where I end up with problems. Good luck with your journey.

Hey Danna how are things?

Hi Sades,

Real slow at the moment - went back for more fill about 3 weeks ago but was really sick that day so they wouldn't give me any and now can't get in again until 14 May so - no restriction and am living on will power - HELP!!!!:tongue:

Danna:cursing:

Luscious,

Sounds great, makes me want to run down the shops and get some beef right now - 'cept I'm in my jammys - so might scare the other shoppers - better leave it till Saturday. Looking forward to trying it though!!

Danna

Hi Sades,

Real slow at the moment - went back for more fill about 3 weeks ago but was really sick that day so they wouldn't give me any and now can't get in again until 14 May so - no restriction and am living on will power - HELP!!!!:tt1:

Danna:cursing:

You poor thing. It's really hard trying to do it without restriction. Have you asked them to let you know if they have a cancellation? I had my appointment on Wednesday but was going to call them 2 weeks ago to try and get in early because of the same problem. I didn't but luckily enough I didn't put any weight on. My restriction feels ok now but I know I need a little more. The only thing I can suggest is to fill yourself up on good food that way you cause less damage. In the meantime call Anna and beg !! :tt2: Let me know how you go.

Today is my 2 week banding anniverary ! I am loving my band so far. As a Type 2 Diabetic, the best news is that my blood sugar readings have been dropping steadily and have been in ideal range morning, noon and night for the past few days. This despite coming off one of my meds completely, and reducing another by half. My goal in all this is to be med free by end of year. The 10kgs I've lost over the past two weeks is none to shabby either.

Back to work today ... I had the whole 2 weeks off !!