Hi,

I'm Barb. I was banded Aug 26th 2008. I've lost 27 lbs! I feel good most of the time. Occ., I'm Nauseated in the morning- not sure why. I haven't had any episodes of food getting stuck, or vomiting though. I don't know if the nausea is from what I ate, how much I ate, how well I ate it or something totally unrelated.

Does anyone really know how long it takes for food to get from "the pouch" to the rest of the stomach? I still don't get it about the drinking.

It's hard to know when to drink. What about when your meal consists of soup? If you drink this as a meal, couldn't you also drink with it?

Is it just that it pushes the solid through quicker or can it make you nauseated?

Someone, help the confused!!

Until you have restriction (fills) you don't really "have" a pouch yet. Think of a loose belt around your middle...until you start really tightening it, you aren't getting "cinched" in. So IMHO right now not drinking and eating is pretty unimportant. When it becomes almost vital is once you have a pouch and restriction....then liquid can wash food through and ruin that feeling of satiety we're going for.

How long it takes food to "trickle" on through again will depend on how restricted we are. The "sweet spot" that most surgeons aim for is restriction that is adequate to allow you to eat almost anything if you take small small bites and chew chew chew, and remain full for 5-6 hours.

So until your first fill, unless your doctor specifically told you from day 1 not to drink, I wouldn't worry. You are right; Soups and broths are liquid and go on through (as will almost any food right now)

Some few people feel restriction immediately; either from swelling or whatever, but once we start to heal, most of us can eat pretty normally until those wonderful fills start happening. And remember it can take 4-5 fills (or more, and unfills) to hit that "sweet" spot so most of us don't really feel restricted right away even with the first fill or two!

Sorry that I can't address the nausea. Were you nauseated often before the band? Could you be pregnant? Is it before you eat (when your stomach is empty) or only after? Maybe you should discuss it with your surgeon when you see him again...they take nausea very seriously!

I was banded 8/29 so we are at about the same stage!

Thanks for the reply. Sometimes, others can explain things in a more practical way. The nausea first thing in the morning can sound like pregnancy, but YIKES, check out my age--51!!

LOL Sorry I'll admit I didn't look...I'm 53 and they had to have "urine" to give me a pregnancy test before my lap band surgery. LOL What a hoot!