Banded April 30th. All else is going well, except my bowels. Anyone else having trouble. I go too much and vary between diar. and hard, painful stools. Even bleeding sometimes. Driving me crazy. Anyone else having this? Let me add that my sur. believes in three weeks liquid after surgery. So I'm hungry also.

I feel yucky.

Gwenn

Hey evryone.I was banded on may 7th.I have been on mushies for about a week.I have been eating fine until today!I can't take more that like 4 bites and it feels like it is sitting there.Why would restriction get worse as I heal?Anyone else have this feeling?Thanks

I haven't been banded yet - but if you don't get an answer to your question, try the chat room - there is usually someone on-line and they are always there with an answer!!! Try it!

Terri

"I think I cried a little about getting my life back to where it was 15 years ago."

I've been feeling my heart tug at me a bit too. I am just starting the process and am anxious/excited about the future. It's been over a decade since I was at a body weight at which I felt comfortable, and I've never been "regulation size". I don't know what it feels like to be thin and it's all a bit scary and joyous at the same time.

I have a feeling I'll cry a little too when I have my meetings.

Thanks for sharing.

Hi Makeupqueen,

I have been on the boards the last hour trying to find out whatever I can about why food I'm having trouble with food.

My surgeon has banders on liquid for 3 weeks post surgery so today I had my first soft food. just a liqhtly scrambled egg and a couple of tablespoons of cottage cheese....both on his list. I was told to eat 4-6 ounces and I'm sure I was within that.

Within 10 minutes after eating I started to feel like the food was stuck halfway down. Here I am an hour and 2 good belches later and still feel that it's "stuck"....just a little less so.

Of course I'm worried that I did something terrible and the band has now slipped, or I hurt something, or whatever. But reading your post made me think that maybe this is something that just happens to us.

Have you found out anything about it in the past two days? I feel like calling the nurses tomorrow but they're gonna shot me I call so often. But everything is new and strange. Right now I feel like crying. Feel like I better go back to liquids. I certainly won't try this combo again.

Did I eat too much? Is this normal?

Any answers?

Gwenn

my doctor said to avoid scrambled eggs. That all his patients have trouble.He said they have no explanation for it but they get stuck.Hope this helps.Mashed potatoes seem to be good.

GDF18 - I am having Dr. Khalili do my lap band surgery on May 29th, this thursday (my 9th wedding anniversary).

Any tips that I should know about? The nurse you talked to wasn't Brandy, was it?

Just curious!

Good luck to both of us!:rolleyes2:

I love Brandy. No, the problem is that they hear this stuff everyday so I think that eventually, try as they do, they don't always get the very individually nuanced issues. But in general, everyone there is really nice. I especially like Brandy(not crazy for Karen) and a couple of the dieticians as well. I'm just having all kinds of stuff like not getting back on foods easily- I'm sure all normal. I truly think the best place to come is here, because no one minds the same questions over and over. This is great support.

Dr. Khalili is terrific. So are the others on his team. If you come across Dr. Eraj Basseri, tell him Gwenn Drucker (the woman from Federation) says hello. He's one of the wonderful residents who work with Khalili. They think so highly of him- Basseri told me that Khalili is the "Michael Jordan" of weight loss surgery. LOL.

The nurses up on 7 South are terrific. I can't remember all the names but there wasn't one nurse or aide who wasn't lovely to me, didn't find time to get me what I wanted, etc. The rooms up there are as you may know, all singles (all of Cedars is) and that's very nice. They're all recently renovated as well, and I don't know it that matters to you, but to me, a spotless room that clean and fresh and new makes me more comfortable. My surgery was early AM so I was actually there all that day and night, and then not released until about 6PM the next day, so for me it was 2 days and one night and I was very happy because I felt well cared for there.

WALK. WALK. WALK. And walk. And don't stay in bed much. I actually slept in the chair on and off. I couldn't sleep much the first night so every hour I got up and walked. It was easy once the IV was out. I did 2-3 laps around the floor each time. It eliminated almost all the discomfort. My shoulder was painful- very common. But walking helped get me moving and made a big difference.

My first fill is scheduled for June 4th.

Ask me anything you want- I had a very positive experience and am happy to share it or help you out.

Gwenn

I'm heading towards mashed potatos. I had good luck with pulverized chicken, then a little less wiht very delcious and nutricious salmon. Made it into a pate. I just think that it's bit oily for an empty stomach. It's hard because what I feel like having is toast and jam with tea. That would settle me down nicely. I think I'm going to do some mashed potatos and slammed chicken tomorrow. I don't eat much at each sitting, but I've got to stop the gas pains and feel a little better during the day.

Thanks_Gwenn

Hey Gwen - I know this is a little after the fact, but whatever happened with the scrambled eggs? Did they get "unstuck" and how did you unstick them? I have also heard that scrambled eggs can be difficult because they can be a little rubbery.

I'm doing well, not having too much trouble post surgery. Still a little sore with the occasional uncomfortable burp or hiccup!

Thanks for doing all of this before me so I can learn from you!!!

Terri

Thanks for all the good info, Gwen. I have a friend that had the surgery about a year ago, she said when things got stuck like that she would lay down so that it doesn't block the opening and then she would dissolve a teaspoon of meat tenderizer in a small glass of Water and drink that. She got a piece of papaya stuck once when she swollowed it before chewing it up well. She said it took a few minutes but worked.

She got that tip from someone who had the surgery for over 2 1/2 years ago.

I know if something like that happens to me....I think I will try it out.

Hi Terri and Ddem,

Terri- Good to see you and hear you're doing well. I'm so happy for you.

Yes, scrambled eggs, I have heard since, are too rubbery. Also, I forgot that I'd always heard that eggs were harder to digest than most foods. I didn't do anything but make it through that horrible day. I'm doing a little better, but still burpy and get tightness after eating sometimes. A burp takes care of it.

I've read more and more that the first few months can be tough and up and down (Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies) and that calmed me down. I'm realizing that I am who I am with my own age and anatomy and I'm not someone who can go out and eat sushi a week after banding. Maybe that's for the best anyway.

Ddem- I've heard about the meat tenderizer and warm Water. Good to know but hope I won't need it because it sounds dreadful. I've also heard that very warm water itself can help as it soften the band. I've heard some people use a little warm water if they are at a party or something and want to eat a little more than usual. Amazing that people figure out whatever they can to get around the band.

Last night, I got tired of feeling icky and decided to do what I would have done if I'd had a bad stomach flu and hadn't eaten in days.....I had a baked potato. I've been trying to stay away from many carbs, and meet my Protein without eating more than the 4oz the books say....but you know what? I'll lose weight if I eat 800 calories rather than 600. Even at 1000, I'll lose. The potato was wonderful and really helped. It moved gas and it help me "move" LOL and it filled me up a bit. Now, I'm going to have a half baked or sweet potato with my main meals. I think I was actually eating too little and things like salmon, which is so healthy and so high in protein, was a little to oily for an empty stomach right now.

Today I had my cottage cheese with a few blueberries, and I'm going to have a soy shake as a snack and then two protein meals with 1/2 potato. I think that sounds like a plan. I'm going to start a food journal today and keep track of calories and approximate protein. This way, if I'm having any trouble, I can show it to the dietician. And then I don't have to keep track as much.

Anyway, see you all later. I'm going out with my husband to do some errands and get a CD to watch tonight.

Gwenn

Hey Gwen - glad to hear you are doing better! At this time in my recuperation a baked sweet or regular potato sounds heavenly!! Actually, I am doing fine on the liquid diet, only have 1 more day until I can do pureed foods. Yipee

My nutritionist also told me about the meat tenderizer and warm Water. I agree, sounds terrible, but it sounds better than food being stuck all day!

I also heard that pineapple juice helps with stuck proteins! Sounds better than Adolfs Meat Tenderizer any day!

A lot of people in the chat room talk about using on-line food diaries and say they are wonderful! Of course, I can't remember the names of any of them at the moment, but will pass it on to you when I ask them all tonight!

Take care!

Terri

Did I know you are in Los Angeles? I'm in the Valley - near Woodland Hills.

Edited May 27, 200818 yr by tmfritts

Sounds great. Which chat rooms do you monitor? I haven't tried that yet.

Yes, I'm in LA also. I live a few blocks from Cedars-Sinai if that gives you an idea.

I just looked at your profile and noticed you're a legal sec. Another connection. I'm a fundraisering director for The Jewish Federation, and my area is attorneys. That's all I work with.

Isn't that funny? Are you with a firm or solo practice?

Gwenn

Great! Glad it went well. I'll hope along with you. Sounds good.

Gwenn

Guess what!!!????? my insurance approved my surgery!!!! Im just waiting for a surgery date!!!!!!! Im sooooooooooooooooooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for hoping with me! :smile2:

FANTASTIC! you see, it will all work out. Any more tests to do or are you finished?

I'm thrilled for you.

Gwenn