EnchantedPiano70

Dietary Guidelines Eating Right with Your Gastric Band is Key to Success It's important to review and follow the post-operative dietary guidelines closely after your gastric band procedure, as they are critical to your recovery and weight loss success. Right After Surgery Weeks 1 - 2 Weeks 3 - 4 Week 5 Week 6 & Beyond Foods To Avoid Best Results The First Few Days after Surgery In the early weeks it's important not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the band. Vomiting can do this, so it is important not to vomit, as this can also increase the chance of stomach tissue slipping up through the band. Right after surgery, you can take a sip of water or suck on an ice cube. You should not drink more than this. The day after the surgery, you can take a little more fluid but only a small amount at a time. Besides water, you should also choose clear liquids that have an adequate number of calories. To prevent nausea and vomiting, don’t drink too much. Liquid Diet: 1-2 Weeks Post-Op During this time, only thin liquids can be tolerated. It’s important to keep hydrated with lots of water. Other liquids recommended during this phase include: Clear broth or soup (with no vegetables or meat and not creamy) Skim milk Fruit juice No-sugar added popsicles Pureed Foods: 3-4 Weeks Post-Op During this phase, you may start having slightly textured foods. Aim for the consistency of baby foods. Eat protein-rich foods first and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Foods in this stage may include: Pureed skinless fish or chicken Mashed potatoes Peas Low-fat yogurt or pudding Soft Foods: 5 weeks post-op Your meals can now include tender cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Make it a habit to chew foods well. If you don’t, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You could also have a stoma obstruction. If solid foods cause nausea and vomiting, go back to the liquid diet. Then, slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. Solid Foods: Your New Nutrition Plan When you are able to eat solid foods without problems, you will need to pay close attention to your diet. The gastric band system was designed to restrict solids, not liquids. Liquids will pass through the upper stomach pouch quickly and will not make you feel full. Drinking liquids during or immediately after meals tends to flush food through the pouch and you will not get the prolonged feeling of satiety needed to help you eat less. A lot of patients have difficulty with solid foods in the morning. If this is the case for you, open the gastric band by starting with a couple glasses of liquid before your first meal. Too much food or big chunks of food can block the stomach pouch outlet. Avoid this by chewing your food thoroughly and eating small bits at a time. Remember, your new stoma opening is the size of a dime. Eat only three meals a day and make sure these meals contain adequate nutrients. Your stomach can only hold about ¼ cup of food, or 2 ounces, at a time. Stop eating when hunger is gone or when you feel comfortable. Foods to Avoid After you have transitioned to solid foods, you should try to avoid certain foods. Such foods include, but are not limited to: Dried fruits Asparagus Pineapple Rhubarb Corn (especially popcorn) Grapes Nuts and seeds (walnuts, whole peanuts, almonds) Carbonated beverages High calorie foods/drinks Best Results: 10 Important Rules Once you are eating solid foods, follow these 10 rules for eating, drinking and exercise to achieve the best results: Eat only three small meals a day Eat slowly and chew thoroughly Stop eating as soon as you feel full Do not drink while you are eating Do not eat between meals Eat only good quality foods -- no junk! Avoid fibrous foods Drink enough fluids during the day Drink only low-calorie liquids Exercise at least 30 minutes a day There is a great wealth of information on the Web that can help with the post-op care. I am so ready for this!!

:-h I am getting banded on March 7th too. Anyone else for the 7th? I know there has got to be more people for that day. Yahoo Id: enchantedpiano70 IM me those who wish to share a one on one conversation. Ruth

It's confirmed!!! I got my days off from work and so did my cousin. I got my son care for the days I won't be here. I got my financing. I got my Airline tickets $335.00 USD/PP with Southwest Airlines I am also nervous and I totally hate needles. But I am excited that I have a new chance at a healthy life. Let's stay in touch PM me.

Hello Michelle!! This is great!!! I will look for you there. I will be with my cousin, the one I spoke about getting the gastric by pass. One question, will you be having a private room or not? I decided not to have a private room and save the $450 dollars. What time will you get there? Anyone else for March 7th? I think those for the 7th should stay in touch and share pre and post surgery experiences.

I arrive March 6th and my surgery is on March 7th. I might see you there. My name is Ruth from Groveland Florida. We should get to know one aother so at least when we are therewe can talk and say hi. I am going with my cousin, who are u going with? And listen to what I am going to tell you very clearly. Do NOT let people discurage you. These are people that probably are dealing with there own demons. If it were as easy as just not eatting we wouldn't be this way. I don't look like this because I sit on my couch eating cheetos all day long. I myself have a hernia on my stomache, and osteo arthritis of the spine and I'm not able to walk long periods of time and or exercise, so screw those who are fast to judge. They don't live your life or walk in your shoes. How sdare they tell you things like that. Loosers!!!! It makes me angry to know that there are people out there that would even talk to an obese person that way. I get it lots and I shut them up fast!! Ruth

I set a tentative date for my band on 3/7, airfare will cost us $335 round trip from Orlando. My boss was notified and the days were approved to take off. I'm so excited and nervous. Anyone else getting banded on March 7th?? Ruth

I want to know what are some of the airlines flying form Orlando FL and what are some of the airfares you folks received. Any pointers will help. I want to schedule mine for March but I need to know when it's most inexpensive to fly from Orlando, Florida to San Diego, CA. Anyone from Florida going anytime soon?

It was heart wrentching. I love him so much. But he's one of the reasons why I'm doing this. Thank you

No, my son isn't coming along. That's another factor I need to think about. I need to make sure he's taken care of while I'm in Mexico. I spoke to my mother and she's willing to come down for a week or two to watch him while I'm in Mexico and to help me should I need help after the procedure. My cousin will be traveling with me. She's my inspiration. She weighed over 300lbs and is only 5'2". She had gastric by-pass and is now healthy and thin.

Hello everyone, I started considering the LapBand procedure after seeing and hearing about Dr. Ortiz on the Oprah show. I must say that having Dr. Otiz on the Oprah sure helped me, encouraged me to look into it more. 1st I emailed the Obesity Control Center, then I called and spoke to Lori and again and again. Lori must be tired of getting my calls and answering my questions. Anyhow I am now in the stage of finalizing my plans to travel to San Diego, get picked up and get this over with. After all my health is on the line being overweight and having all these pounds on my frame doesn't help my Osteoarthritis of the spine. I am 37, 5'4", 232lbs, Size 18 pants, 2X-Shirts. My arms are large and at times it's difficult to buy shirts simply because of this. My goals are to loose weight, start an exercise regimen, and be an advocate to this procedure. The way I see it, if it can work for me it can work for anyone, so we will see. I hope I loose the size of my calf's, I want to fit into a pair of cowgirl boots. I've never been able to wear high-rise boots for this same reason. I think the older you get the more you realize that your health is important and an integral part of living. My ex-husband died last year at age 37 on Nov. 18th, 2007. My son was left with an empty heart. Even though we had divorced he sill looked forward to having a relationship with his father as an adult. That hope was cut short because his father died of a stroke. He was overweight, had heart problems, hypertension(high-blood pressure), sugar levels were never stable, etc., etc. Well my son, after his fathers death, left me a message on our Wii message center. It read "Mommy, I love you and I don't want you to die. Please don't go anywhere, I need you." When you read something like that coming from a 12 year old, right after he looses his father you can't help but wonder what he feels, thinks, and worries about. I want to live to see my grand-babies. I want to live to see my son thrive in the World. So for my life, for my health, I do this for you my son. Ruth PS: All I have to do is get the travel date and procedure date to coincide with eachother. PSS: I'm scared out of my mind!!