CHITO

Vicki,

I hear everybody use the line about starting solid foods "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". This should be the First Golden Rule of Lap Band Surgery. As a matter of fact, I think I'll do that right now! We can all refere to this comment as the First Golden Rule of Lap Band Sugery (this will allow other great words of wisdom to be added).

The biggest threat to eating solids before 3 -4 weeks post op is what everyone is concerned about: Band Slippage. In his book - he explains how eating can push the band lower creating a bigger pouch. All in all, this can prevent the weight loss that you went through the procedure to assist with in the first place.

Follow your doctor's instructions! (Oopps, that sounds like a good Second Golden Rule for Lap Band Surgery). And if you have questions, ask your doctor.

It's great we have such a great support system right here... but everyone is different. What works for me, may not work for you and vice versa.

Darrin

San Diego, CA

To be Banded - June 22nd

3 days and counting DOWN!!!!!

Darrin I agree with you the day you go into surgery is the day that I'm suppose to start eating solids. I'm still on mostly liquids and yogurt and even now I feel the yogurt get kinda stuck and I haven't had a fill. People eat because it's put on paper that this is the day you start solids which I myself took as this is the day you can try it if you are feeling up to it.

Theres also something very important I would like to say many of you will probably disagree and be some what or plenty upset at me and I accept that. But, I have been reading some of the post on here and it seems to me that some or most are going into this surgey and not being Mentaly Prepared for it.

Hi, I had my surgery on the 12th. I had no nausea and was able to immediately drink a half of glass of tea with no regrets. I know that you are supposed to have clear liquids for a week, then full liquids the following week, but I have been able to eat ice cream, puddings. Tonight I ate a piece of pork and corn on the cob because I did not want the people I was with to know my secret. Are we going to expand the pouch to much by eating to soon?

Vicki sorry to be so blunt but the reason you ate was because you didn't want your friends to know your secret? simple you just make up some lie like your on a liquid diet or my stomach hasn't been feeling to well those are the excuses I use. Plus I'm going trough the same problems with my sister we both had our sugeries done on May 31, 2006 by Dr. Ortiz & Dr. Martinez wonderful Men and their staff is great my sister has been eating regular food she says "As long as I smush it or chew it very very well it's ok it goes trough fine and it's not bad" Sweetie just cause food goes trough and it doesn't get stuck doesn't mean its ok to eat it. The doctors gave us a special diet for a reason your stomach is still swollen from surgery and your band hasn't properly adjusted. You might think your not doing wrong because nothing happened when you ate the solids but it doesn't work that way by eating solids sooner than you are suppose to you run higher risk of having complications later on. You know that some of the risk are slippage or erosion right? Well, think about it this way right now your not hungry you ate cause you wanted to keep your surgery a secret. Whats going to happen when you get your first fill and then you eat because you dont want others to know? are you gonna start eating like you use to just cause you can? Like I said I dont want to sound all blunt and rude about it but it just worries me when I hear this sort of stuff because that just shows that some of us that get banded just jump into it without thinking about how your life just drastically changes all over night. Some of us are not mentaly ready for this surgery and that worries me as well because then when something bad happens they never realize that they were the cause for not doing what your suppose to. If I were you I would just go back to the diet the Dr. & Nutritionist gave you is for your own good I know you'll start or probably already feel hungry but remeber on the 8th day add low fat yougurt with no fruit pieces and on day 10 start drinking your protein shakes it works trust me. I personaly feel full with just the broths and liquids and sometime the yogurt feels like it get stuck and I haven't even started the solid phase yet. But I dont get hungry at all trough out the day but I eat and drink because I'm suppose to and remember just because you can eat doesn't mean you should. Think about your health and the consequences there may be later on in your life if you dont fallow the diet like you are suppose to right now. Good luck with everything and please take care of yourself I dont know you but your health still worries me.

Laura, I just had my lapband placed last week on monday and they give you a better list of what to do each week so do not worry. I just finished my total clear liquid week and I was on my menses so I gained weight instead of lost so I will be doing another week of clear liquids it says that you can if you want to lose more weight... next week I will add more directed.. the procuredure went great but we had a day when everyone also did not get to have surgery cause someone said we could have sips of water NONONONONONONONONONONO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!not the day of surgery. good luck. Armynurseb.

Armynurseb. I remember that day I was the patient that was there who had previously had the surgery. I remember waking up to see Dr. Ortiz very upset because all the patients had been drinking water. Did you guys get the surgery done after all that day or when did you get it done?

I was banded by Dr. Ortiz on May 17th. Since then I have had a lot of gas. The airplane ride was very embarrasing. Burping and farting pretty consisitently for the first week after surgery. Now maybe 3 or 4 times a day.

How long will this last?

I know what you mean, I got my surgery done May 31 by Dr. Ortiz Wonderful Man and so are his staff. I've been having the same problem with the gas. Honestly I tried the Gas X pill and they didn't do nothing for me it seemed to me that it build up more gas. What I have been doing now is just drinking my liquids and putting a heating pad over my sholder it helps wonders. If that doesn't work why dont you try calling the Dr. on call or the Nutritionist maybe they can recomend something for the pain and for gas. I think that would be the safest thing to do, yeah I'm sure you can get a bunch of suggestions on here but also take into consideration that no two bodies are build the same. Everyone is different and can tolorate different things I know that because my sister had the surgery with me the same day and she is doing great she has no pain what so ever.

I'm new to this and I'm getting my surgery on the 31st with Dr. Ortiz. Can someone tell me what the Gas X Strips are for They didn't mentioned that to me.