I am clueless as to how much to eat. I full full before I even start because of this gas crap!! Is that normal. I had surgery on Thursday. I had some potatos with gravy for dinner with my family, and now I am burping a lot, except it doesnt come all the way up, and it hurts really bad. Please someone tell me if this is normal. there is no way I could thin out the potatos anymore. I mashed them in my mouth until they were like milk. You guys are the only the only people I know to ask that have an answer, and I appreciate it so much. You guys are soo much help!! I soo dont want to mess this up. When did you guys start trying mushies, such as a soft egg, or soggy cereal?? Thanks in advance for your help!!:welldoneclap::laugh::Banane53::laugh::Banane44::laugh::laugh::woot:

The reason I was eating the gravy was to thin out the potatos because I am so weak from not eating. Like I said before, I was following my surgeons orders. They were no thicker than the protein shake that I drink, and I had two bites.

Actually, I'm not quite sure what the problem is. Mashed potatoes and gravy are not on MY menu until the 3rd week...but they ARE on the menu. So, the idea of focusing on the dietary appropriateness seems a bit harsh. If a patient stays within the advised parameters of the diet (e.g. 1200-1400 calories) then she's going to lose weight...mashed potatoes or not!

Maybe I'm wrong, but I view this as a trial and error deal. I've always known the RIGHT way to eat...I just chose not to eat that way. I'm not sure what I'm going to be able to eat after surgery...but I know that some things will work for me and some won't.

If her doctor approved the food that she is trying, then I'm not sure what the issue is.

My dr. has told me no potatoes for the first year. Different guidelines for everyone I think.

Hey Willsmommy

My doc gave me a book to help for after the surgery about everything from eating to exercising. The point is that I couldnt stay on just juices and milk and Water, I needed sumthing that tasted like food so i made cream of vegetable Soup but i thinned it out as much as i could. it helped alot. I still eat it somedays when I feel that my stomache is irritated. I was banded 3 years ago the pain goes away, you will be able to burp later on and the gas is just for the first couple of weeks. You probably will not regret it later on. Dont drink right before you sleep.

Mashed Potatos, very thin, is on my menu of what I can have. I am sorry, but thats what my surgeon said!!! Give me a break. Dont act like I am an idiot who hasnt read anything on this forum or in the notebook that I was givin. I was doing what I thought was right. PLEASE!!!

I didn't mean to get you mad. what I was trying to say is that although my doc said clear liquids for 3 weeks, I couldnt stand it so I had soup! i watered it down with milk. and it was fine. do you have trouble with water? because when I was at that stage I found milk felt so much better than water (soothier).

willsmommy, if by today you are still feeling this badly, I would highly recommend calling your Dr's office and having a heart to heart with him or his nurse's about what "you" are going thru and feeling. Because the fact of the matter is, "you " don't feel right, you don't seem to feel they are giving you the support you need right now, and that is what is important. We all take this journey in a different way, ups and downs, goods and bads, there are so many different philosophies on who, what when and how to do each step depending on the which Dr you have. What is working for some of us may not work for you.

What you may need right now, we may not be able to help you with just because you may need your Dr's care, so sweetie don't be afraid to ask for it, in fact demand it. Sure it could be that your just going to have a rougher first few weeks than some of us ,but that doesn't mean you have to just accept that. There may be something else they can do to make you more comfortable, or at least set your mind at ease. We all know you will eventually feel better, and adjust, but there are those times when things are going on that we won't know about and your Dr can tell by seeing you etc, .

Odds are you are fine. I really feel we are here for moral support and to help guide you, share all sorts of information, experiences, tips etc, but also recognize when to say, call our Dr. I posted to you earlier when it seemed you just needed some information to compare, but advised you may need to call your Dr then, since you still seem to be feeling badly I felt the need to repost to you. Good luck.

Edited May 15, 200818 yr by sugrbear

Willismommy, I have become very irritated because it seems like you are under attack by some of these post and I don't like it one bit!!! We are all here for support, not to be attacked or judged! You have done an awesome job following your drs instructions and if my memory serves me correctly, your original post did not include you asking was it ok to eat mash potatos and gravy! I e-mail my surgeons office almost everyday with very simple questions that are applicialbe to me. So, don't hesitate to call or e-mail them any questions that you may need answered. I hope you are starting to feel better. Keep up the good work! By the way, to all of the potato experts out there, I received my band on 5/9 and since day 3 potato soup has been my favorite meal (I have no problems or pain. It is fine with my dr. and I am loosing a pound or more a day!) Good luck to you sweetie!!!

Edited May 15, 200818 yr by kellygirl0520

Potatoes give you gas...but heck, so does every other food we eat!!

KUDOS WILLSMOMMY!!!! You enjoy whatever your body desires and can handle!! I can have thinned potatoes 2nd wk out and have already bought a box (yuck, but to make it easier-LOL)....as far as gravy, you gave a good point...you used it to thin out your potaotes, not to lard them up...plus you took 2 bites...Yes some may say "gravy?" but hey, the main issue here is portion sizes. I've been told after 6wks, I can eat WHATEVER, just no fried foods, sweets, bad food...that is, if I want my weight loss to slow down. But as long as I stick to proper portion size, ENJOY!! I too am sorry for the blasting you have received.

I find it hard to believe anyone even wanting to eat mashed potatoes and gravy 4 days post op. I was on a full liquid diet for two weeks and now I am 3 weeks post op and slowly introducing regular food. My doctor told me to eat anything I want now but I am a little apprehensive and will do it slowly.

Actually, I'm not quite sure what the problem is. Mashed potatoes and gravy are not on MY menu until the 3rd week...but they ARE on the menu. So, the idea of focusing on the dietary appropriateness seems a bit harsh. If a patient stays within the advised parameters of the diet (e.g. 1200-1400 calories) then she's going to lose weight...mashed potatoes or not!

Maybe I'm wrong, but I view this as a trial and error deal. I've always known the RIGHT way to eat...I just chose not to eat that way. I'm not sure what I'm going to be able to eat after surgery...but I know that some things will work for me and some won't.

If her doctor approved the food that she is trying, then I'm not sure what the issue is.

Dietary appropriateness is not harsh IMHO - we can not continue to eat like we did prior to banding.

Maybe we should ask what kind of gravy - like I said mine was high fat ya it's an approved mushie but if I had choosen to eat it - I was not changing my eating habits which is what needs to be done in order to lose weight and keeping it off.

Truly the potatoes could have been thinned with extra skim milk which would boost the Protein and not added the additional fat (if there was any)

Yes this is a learning process - I don't feel that anyone is attacking op just pointing out that there are other healthy opinion in her food choices to make.

Support does not equate to enabling

YAY! MY SAME DAY BAND BUDDY!

The reason I was eating the gravy was to thin out the potatos because I am so weak from not eating. Like I said before, I was following my surgeons orders. They were no thicker than the Protein shake that I drink, and I had two bites.

Hey... Willsmommy, how are you feeling? You and I were banded on the same day!!! :cry_smile:

There are TWO commanders-in-chief for this lap band thing to go right... just two. #1 is your body, #2 is your surgeon. Listen to them. Do what they tell you. If you are forcing food down, don't. That's bad. If you are feeling burpy, gassy, and crappy after eating, hold off eating that kind of thing for a while. I doubt you did any damage, just be gentle on yourself. I saw it on here somewhere that our stomachs are like that of a small child's in the beginning.... delicate, sensistive... tehy need to be protected. I think of that a lot. It kills me that I can't remember who said it.

Today is my first day of mushies and I am starting off slow. Applesauce, pudding, Mashed Potatoes. Next Thursday, I'm going to start on blended/puree'ed mushies. Go slow. Play safe and conservative. You're NEVER going to regret being too conservative. I don't have any more gas pains at all, some port site pain (2 or 3 on a scale of 1-10) when I lean, bump, jounce, or flop my stomach. (Lol!)

You'll be fine. Remember, there's a lot more conservative doctors out there than ours. Your doctor seems quite generous/liberal but he knows your body and his banding techniques better than anyone on this forum. Follow his orders and watch for signals from your body that it doesn't like what you're doing. People might scoff at your decisions/choices because they do not your doctor or your body. Follow your commanders and forget the rest.

Good luck and you're in my prayers.

Edited May 15, 200818 yr by NicoleW8ing

I had my LB on Monday, May 12th and I am still on liquid protein and water. My abdomin is still pretty swollen but coming down. I take gas x for the gas pains and Lortab elixer for the incisional pains. Everything is getting better each day. It is very challenging getting in the protein drinks. It takes me all morning to get in one glass. I am pretty much just sipping protein or sipping water all day. I also have to wait 30 min before and after water before I can have the protein. I feel extremely full and have no appetite, but I know I need the protein to heal. I am still 100% happy that I had the surgery. Every little bit of discomfort is so worth what I will have for the rest of my life.....portion control. Becky

Willismommy, I have become very irritated because it seems like you are under attack by some of these post and I don't like it one bit!!! We are all here for support, not to be attacked or judged! You have done an awesome job following your drs instructions and if my memory serves me correctly, your original post did not include you asking was it ok to eat mash potatos and gravy! I e-mail my surgeons office almost everyday with very simple questions that are applicialbe to me. So, don't hesitate to call or e-mail them any questions that you may need answered. I hope you are starting to feel better. Keep up the good work! By the way, to all of the potato experts out there, I received my band on 5/9 and since day 3 potato Soup has been my favorite meal (I have no problems or pain. It is fine with my dr. and I am loosing a pound or more a day!) Good luck to you sweetie!!!

*where is my soapbox...

i don't think that anyone, including myself was "attacking" willismommy. this is a public forum where people are allowed to respond to posts written. when you post in here you are willing to take the reply - for better or for worse. if someone has thin skin, don't post something that 'may' get a negative response. most everyone on this forum (maybe not you, but most.) are told to stay on a liquid diet for several days to 1 1/2 weeks - sometimes longer. this is due to swelling. "potato soup is differnet from potatos and gravy. the fact of the matter is that the error is not willismommies...it's her doctors mistake. the question i have is this: if she would have been instructed to stay on liquids for 2 weeks - would this have happened?. answer: no. If a doctor gave someone the green light to eat popcorn 24 hours after opp - they'd have problems.

my original response regarding how funny it was to hear about pots and gravy 3 days post opp still stands. TO ME, it was funny. to all the people that this wasn't funny to - that's ok. to the people who felt like she was under ATTACK - give me a freaking break. that is how forums work. give and take. if this forum is a "lie to me and tell me everything is ok" kinda forum, let me know - cause i'll leave it and go somewhere else.

no one is trying to offend anyone, or attack them, or belittle them or or or...

willismommy - i'm sorry if my inital post was offensive. i meant nothing personal for what i wrote. if it was misunderstood - i'm sorry.

ok. off my soapbox.

Hi all, I just have a question. I have been on clear liquids and protein drinks since surgery, 5-12-08. Early this morning I woke up with the most horrible epigastric pains. I got nauseated, cold and clamy. I got up and took some liquid tylenol, gas X and a little milk of mag. Nothing was working. I was up walking for an hour when I looked in my Lap Band compainion book and it said to try some warm tea, so I a made warm pepermint tea. Finally at about 4:30 am I was able to go back to sleep. I had to be up for work at 6:30. This happened one other time and I called my Dr and he had me go for an upper G.I. Everything looked good at that time. I just don't want to go through this again. Anyone else have this problem and how do you prevent it. Becky