Calling All MARCH '09 Bandsters - We need a name!

[KarenInOhio 3]

wow...that was a long message. Sorry! :welldoneclap:

you're funny, hah :grouphug:

[conetha 0]

wow...that was a long message. Sorry! :welldoneclap:

Laura thank you thank for you message, I do not care how long it was...It was very informative!!!!!! Laura were you told to be on liquids for one week or 2 weeks after surgery? I am trying to figure out what the big deal would be if I started my mushies.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Conetha,

My surgeon has us on Clear Liquids for the first 7 days (with the addition of Protein Powder and/or Protein Drinks or Soups that are clear (ie. Bari Wise chicken Broth- has 15 gm of protein). We were allowed "no added sugar" fruit juice, like apple or white cranberry. (but in limited quantities, and organic if possible). Then weeks 2 & 3 "full" liquids- which includes skim milk, yogurt (no fruit chunks), sugarfree/fatfree custard or pudding, thicker lowfat cream or other soups (no chunks though- have to strain it), & V8 juice and pureed stuff that was thin (one recommendation was baby food, stage 1 & 2- but I had to pass on that!). Then week 4 is soft mashed. This could be mashed sweet potato, soft scrambled egg, egg salad finely chopped, tuna finely chopped, , soft poached fresh fish, Soft veggies mashed a bit, apple sauce, mashed banana, anything that was pretty much chewed up for you. Then week 5 full regular diet.. but with the addition of only one new food a day... to be able to see if you tolerated it or not.

So basically, the analogy is that we are learning to eat just like a little baby. Gradually increasing the textures. Now that I am on regular food, I am feeling so much better. I am feeling some fullness after meals. Not sure if it is the band, since there is no fill... or if my stomach just "shrunk" from not eating real food for a month.

Where are you in all this? Are your week 1 or 2, when did you have surgery? In my opinion, if you are doing ok... it is ok to start something a couple days early, but they don't want your stomach having to digest too much too early.

[Linlayni 0]

Have you lost consistently or did your body stop losing once you started eating some food...mashed potatoes?

[SweetReesie 0]

Lauara,

Everything you said is right on target with what my Surgeon and medical staff advised me of. When I went in for my consultation I was asked if I wanted Lap Band or Gastric Bypass and I chose the former. He warned me that Lap Band is a tool. I hope that everyone who is in Bandster He!! be patient and realize that getting that Band was for a life change. Another thing I want to mention is to eat your food really really slowly even the mushy food. This also helps so you can realize when you are full. Good Luck Everyone

Surgery Date: 03/18/09

Surgery Weight: 281 Current Weight 259 Mini Goal Weight: 230

[Kygie 3]

Hey everyone,

I was rebanded on the 25th of March and just wanted to catch up and see how everyone is going. The first 6 weeks or so is the toughest!!!!

Im so proud of all of you and look forward to getting past my bump in the road and going forward and losing all my weight!!

good luck

xoxoxox

[Laptastic 0]

Hey Ky! I was just wondering why you had to be re-banded. It looks like you were doing great with the band the first time. Something go wrong?

[conetha 0]

Conetha,

My surgeon has us on Clear Liquids for the first 7 days (with the addition of Protein Powder and/or Protein Drinks or Soups that are clear (ie. Bari Wise chicken Broth- has 15 gm of protein). We were allowed "no added sugar" fruit juice, like apple or white cranberry. (but in limited quantities, and organic if possible). Then weeks 2 & 3 "full" liquids- which includes skim milk, yogurt (no fruit chunks), sugarfree/fatfree custard or pudding, thicker lowfat cream or other soups (no chunks though- have to strain it), & V8 juice and pureed stuff that was thin (one recommendation was baby food, stage 1 & 2- but I had to pass on that!). Then week 4 is soft mashed. This could be mashed sweet potato, soft scrambled egg, egg salad finely chopped, tuna finely chopped, , soft poached fresh fish, Soft veggies mashed a bit, apple sauce, mashed banana, anything that was pretty much chewed up for you. Then week 5 full regular diet.. but with the addition of only one new food a day... to be able to see if you tolerated it or not.

So basically, the analogy is that we are learning to eat just like a little baby. Gradually increasing the textures. Now that I am on regular food, I am feeling so much better. I am feeling some fullness after meals. Not sure if it is the band, since there is no fill... or if my stomach just "shrunk" from not eating real food for a month.

Where are you in all this? Are your week 1 or 2, when did you have surgery? In my opinion, if you are doing ok... it is ok to start something a couple days early, but they don't want your stomach having to digest too much too early.

Hey laura, thanks for all your help. I was banded on monday 3/30 so I am one week post op. I went to the doctor on friday and he stated it was ok to start yogert so I figure if it is ok to start yogert, per their sheet this part of my week 3 items. My doctor stated 2 weeks post op clear liquids only. weeks 3 and 4 soft foods like, yogert, eggs, vegetables, soups, refried Beans etc. I figure if he is allowing me to go ahead and start yogurt which is part of week 3 and not week 2, I should be able to go ahead and proceed with all items on week 3. I guess what really confuses me is that all of the docotors are so different with the rules, it seem that it would be just one set.

[Kygie 3]

Heya laptastic,

I was assaulted at work and with the swelling and throwing up the band slipped BIG time. I had it repositioned with a bit of pulling and tugging and snipping lol!!!!!

[snereb27 0]

i was banded 3/30, i feel pretty good for the most part, but has anyone else noticed that if you sit for too long, it's painful? i went to church Wednesday night and today, and rode in a car yesterday, but after a couple of hours of sitting, i'm really uncomfortable.

also i still have a lot of gas... how long will that last? is it still from the anesthesia or is it just from having a smaller pouch? i still have a nagging pain in my back under my left shoulder blade that i'm assuming is from the anesthesia. any thoughts??? thanks for any input.

ps... stupid question, but how do i update my weightloss ticker??? :thumbup:

[jennibells 0]

I did find that I felt better the more I moved around. I am not sure how long the gas last but I do remember it being past the first week. I am 3 weeks out and I do not have any complaints, physically. All of my wounds have completly healed up and I am not sore anymore. My only complaint is the hunger but I know that will change once I get a fill.

[Big Momma is Shrinking 0]

Hi Lucky Losers!

Getting back to fluids. It is soooooooooo important not to drink anything 15-30 min before you eat. And the most important thing is to wait 30-60 min after you eat before drinking anything. Otherwise you wash the food right through the first stomach... and then you are hungry again.

So I'm curious, what do you believe is the reasoning behind not drinking 15-30 mins BEFORE eating???

I comletely agree about AFTER eating, drinking after filling your pouch is just going to result in you pushing all of your food thru your pouch.

I asked my surgeon about drinking before eating, his response to me was the Fluid is going to pass thru your pouch in a few seconds, and in his opinion there is no reason why you can not drink up until you take your first bite.

So if you know of a reason why it would be an issue please share.

Thanks and much continued success!!

[jennibells 0]

my surgeon never told me to not drink before I eat, only to not drink while I am eating or 15 minutes after.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Kygie~ Wow, sorry to hear what happened to you @ work. Glad you got re-banded and are back on track!

Snereb27~ I also found myself sore the first week if I stayed in the same position for too long. Especially sitting. I had the least amount of pain up and walking around. As for the pain in your back, behind your shoulder pain. Hmmm.. it wouldn't be the anesthesia. But it could be the gas that they inflate the abdomen with.. but this usually goes away in 1-2 days. If it gets worse or is intolerable call your dr and get rechecked. The ticker... I usually go to Quick Links... then to edit profile... and change it there and then save changes.

I am one month post op and the only place I have pain at times is at my port site. It's swollen a bit and sticks out as my abdomen is losing weight. My biggest fear is that I will get thinner and I will have this big bump of a port! Hey perhaps it will come in handy and be a shelf for me to place my water bottle on. : )

Linlayni~ I have had a major plateau these last few days. It has been a week since I switched to regular food. Also, I began working out with a trainer. I had been doing cardio/walking/biking/swimming on my own. She has be doing a circuit type routine to keep my HR up for an hour. Tons of lunges, squats, elliptical, weight machines...etc. I have been REALLY sore since that first workout... and wonder if that has something to do with my weight stall. I also took some Aleve (which I was advised not to take, but I did anyway), because the pain in my quads was so bad. Anti-inflammatories always make me retain Fluid. So... SIGH... I didn't change my ticker.. but I am actually up two pounds and I have not gone over 900 calories any day this week. So, I hope this normalizes. It just sux when you are being so good... and then GAIN! 48 hours until my first fill! I CAN MAKE IT.... (repeating this over and over)!

Conetha~ Yes, if your dr. said it's ok... then it probably is. It is frustrating that every practice has a different time line for liquids/mush/food... and for fills. Some will fill from the get go... others in 2-3 weeks and then others wait 6-8 weeks. I heard one theory for the clear liquids and full liquids (beside the obvious... that the stomach needs to heal)... I have heard that they use this time for us to be on the least amount of calories... because it is the MOST MOTIVATED time we will ever have. We are in complete fear of popping band stitches or dilating our little new stomachs. It is a poweful will power tool... fear of screwing up what we worked so hard to get!

Keep strong my fellow march bansters.. lucky losers!

Peace,

Laura

[snereb27 0]

Thank you peascorps for the information! i guess i need to just get up and walk a little more so that sitting won't be as uncomfortable!