Post-op day #11

[magkai1]

Hey gang -

I've noticed that I don't get full as fast on my yogurt drinks and soups. Did I screw up? Drink too much too fast and stretched the band already?

Moderator? Thoughts?

Help!

Margaret

[DisasterWalking73]

Hi, M - well, as you know, I'm a newbie, too (so you may want to take this with a grain of salt) - but I would think you just feel a bit less full because the swelling is going down. I've heard it said on this and other boards that when you have swelling, it gives a bit of tightness and restriction, almost like having a fill. Now, having said that, I am also scared of messing up and stretching out my pouch! I think it is a universal newbie bandster fear - so far I've had two incidents that I consider screw-ups. The first was at the airport on my way back from TJ - I was feeling really woozy and lightheaded and figured my blood sugar was low - so I got a cup of orange juice from Jamba Juice (which the sign said was pulp free - and I didn't dilute it - I was in a hurry and really needed the sugar). Well, turns out, after a few sips I found out it had LOTS of pulp - still it was so good I drank about half the cup and threw the rest away. The second incident was a week later and I'd made this really good soup with cheese, onions and potatoes (pureed) - I'd gotten myself a bowl but didn't bother to strain it (thinking, what the heck, it's pureed!) and ended up with a few tiny chunks of onion and cheese that I had to chew. The chunks seemed really tiny - but that was enough to give me gas later that night and just gave me a weird tight feeling - obviously I overdid it. Anyway - hopefully you are fine (I'm sure you are - and I'm sure I am too) - good luck with everything and keep us posted on how it turns out!

[magkai1]

Thanks for that post, DisasterWalking. It just makes me feel better somehow.

[DisasterWalking73]

lol - Glad I could help, M. If it makes you feel any better, after day 1 post-op, I have had NO restriction when it comes to liquids - I'll bet I could drink, like, a quart at a time if I wanted to (of course, I don't - lol) I find if it's something thicker, like the yogurt or creamy soups, then I drink about 1/2 cup to a 3/4 cup, and I don't feel FULL per se, but I feel a little, slight twinge of pain in my left shoulder. I don't even know if I can describe it as pain - just a really slight, barely noticable ache - so that's when I stop. I've also started taking cinnamon to control my blood sugar (a great thing for anybody with pcos, insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes - it REALLY works) so I've been getting less hungry in general. But, seriously, I don't think you've stretched your pouch - I've heard stories of people eating, like, chicken and rice (not pureed!) in big portions, like two days after surgery - I think they'd be in danger of a stretch, but you've been sticking faithfully to liquids, so - no way. Hang in there, I know you're gonna do great!

[Red]

Hi ladies...I had my surgery on July 21 of this year and thought I could maybe give you some idea of what 2.5 months post op looks like. Like you, I was expecting to feel something instantly, but my experience was that I have not really felt restriction this whole time. I felt it a little after my first fill, but only for about 2 weeks, and then I could eat anything, any amount and did not feel like I even had a band. During this time on liquids, there isn't much to worry about. A little OJ pulp didn't stretch your pouch. And when you get to solids, you need to "practice" for when you do get restriction, which may not be until your 2nd or 3rd fill. Everyone's different. Practice by taking smaller bites than you would normally and chew, chew, chew, and try to eat half to a third of what you normally did. A lot of people say they eat no more than a cup of food but I eat more than that because without restriction, I am hungry. I had my second fill just yesterday with Dr. So and I asked him about that. He said to just focus on eating less...half to a third. Now that I've had a second fill and am up to 7ccs, I am hoping I can start filling the restriction and decrease my caloric intake even more.

Also, I know a lot of people on the forum wait 1 hour to drink liquids after eating, but I asked him about that too and he said 30 minutes. He said food usually takes 10 minutes to pass through the pouch and so half an hour is sufficient. Anyway, it is always best to call up the OCC if you are worried about anything. They are always helpful and want us to succeed. You guys will do great and we newer banders just have to be patient and we will get there like a lot of the people on this forum.

Red

[jhawkchick75]

Ditto!! That is your stomach getting back to normal which is why clear liquids those first 7 days. Your band is inflamed and you are tight as a drum, but sadly that doesn't last. Right now you aren't going to stretch your pouch, but you want to be practicing all those good rules so you are ready when you have restriction. For me before that first fill eating really slow and chewing a lot helped me a ton b/c then I got full faster.

I didn't have much restriction until my 3rd fill and even with that I don't get the tightness like some describe. But if I go any tighter I think i'll be too tight and I don't want that. So i'm sticking with where I am now.

Good luck!

[Holly]

I could hardly eat anything for like the first 2 weeks after surgery...and then as I healed and the swelling went down...I could eat whatever I wanted...just like before. I was very frustrated at first until I finally got my first good fill. You just have to be patient...make good food choices and know that there will be a time here real soon that you will have restriction.