I was banded on the 31st , was on clears for 48 hours and now Protein shakes and fulls ( sweet potato Soup, yogurt), and i cant say that i have felt any real resistance with the band, is this normal?...does the real 'banding' feeling only come when solids are introduced?

new jersey

I had LOTS of resistance from the get go, was very very lucky.

However, its entirely normal not to feel it till several fills down the track, luck of the draw entirely. Dont panic, this will work for you!

What's weird for me is that I'm not a sweller. My stomach is remarkably stable, I dont swell after a PB and remain irritted, I dont swell and get irritated after fills, I've not been prone to the overfilled/unfilled cycle, I can eat any food and dont get stuck/pb often. So one would actually expect that I wouldnt have had lots of swelling after surgery to cause restriction.

Nope never not a bit. I drank 16 ounces of Water in the hospital just a bit after they wheeled me from recovery to my room. I didn't chug it but I didn't sip it for an hour either. I drank it.

I didn't get "resistance" until my 4th fill.

ok, that is good to know, i guess i was not expecting to feel hunger this early on, but it is post op day 4 and i have to say, i dont feel as weak, the protein shakes help a bit

i didn't feel restriction so much with the liquids, but now im on mushies i have quite a bit of restriction. I can eat 1/2 cup of food and be satisfied, but i tried to eat 3/4 cup and i felt ill, i was way too full. i had to walk until the gross feeling passed. i eat every 2-3 hours and i feel good now, the lightheadedness finally has gone away!!

amy

gamyj, oh that is good to hear....did you take some time off from work, i am a nurse and took off 2 weeks,...i figure that will be enough time to get my "head back on my shoulders"...how many calories would you say you were on at this point out 4 days post of

hi rabbitt,

I am a stay at home mom with a 19 month old son to care for during the day. My husband took a week off when i had my surgery, and i have to say it wasn't enough for me. i still cant lift the baby, and have alot of fatigue. i do notice i do feel much better ie.. lightheadedness gone. i would say two weeks should be fine so long as u don't have to do anything too strenuous. But everyone heals differently, you could be great in a few days!

I wish u lots of luck, if u need any questions answered feel free to ask away!!

amy

I think I have a bit of resistance right now. My doctor told me I could have yogurt so I had some last night and I think I took too big of a spoonful. I swallowed and felt pain. I had some soup yesterday and felt rather full for a while after that too. It might just be swelling, though.

Hi Rabbitt,

I think depending on which band you got, you will receive little or no restriction until your first fill. The act of having surgery and a band placed around your stomach usually causes some swelling, kind of a "natural" band restriction. I think a lot of surgeons put no fluid or very little fluid in the band at the time of surgery, due to that swelling. As you heal and the swelling goes down, you may find your hunger returning. That is totally normal, I believe they call that "bandster hell"..being hungry but only able to have clear/full liquids or soft foods. When you get your first fill, you'll see a difference. Follow the diet rules strictly, no matter what, to keep your band in good shape!

Oops, I needed to clear something up..

I didn't mean to say little or no restriction post op.. you will have post op swelling and the mere presence of the band around your stomach will provide some "restriction"-- however, when you get a fill in 5-8 weeks, that will be the beginnings of restriction. It's actually not uncommon for bandsters to not lose weight or even gain a few pounds until the first fill... Just use the time to heal and to prepare your mind for the challenges!

Hope that clears up my ramblings!

thanks for the reassurance, the hunger has been a bit more manageable the past few days, sf jello has helped, and i just have been keeping myself busy, looking forward to having tuna next thursday! the protein shakes definitely are helping, i have to remember, right now, i am getting better nutrition than any of the garbage i was putting in my mouth before surgery, ie taco bell after work at midnite, mcdonalds, ringdings....it was almost as if i was testing my body to the limit, i will take comfort in these hunger pangs that i am doing something good for myself, take care and thnks

Sounds like you have a great attitude!! I'm sure you'll do great!! Use this time to reflect on your committment, plan your exercise regimen and read the boards for tips! We are all here to help each other! Try one of those packets of Crystal Light to go Lemonade in some hot water for a drink, Miralax daily to prevent constipation, and make some chicken noodle soup (ala Campbell's) and just drain it through the strainer and drink the broth--it's pretty tasty!! Best of luck to you!

What do you mean by "keep your band in good shape?"

I don't see how we can hurt the band...

If the pouch gets too full, wouldn't we just feel discomfort and vomit?

Kage,

Do some research on the boards... you must follow diet guidelines and eating behavior guidelines to keep the band in optimal condition. Vomiting can cause the band to slip out of place, not chewing properly can cause your food to get stuck. Plus there are erosions , productive burping.... a total lifestyle change is necessary for success. Stuck food is one of the worst feelings in the world...