So Many Questions....

[Jnlebean]

Hi Everyone,

Well I have come full circle, a place I never thought I would be at again in my life. I took the big step on January 15, 2009 to have lap-band surgery with Dr Ortiz. The best thing I ever did for myself, I was young and ready to start living my life. Little did I know 2009 would be a very tuff and awarding year for me, and with that I was not strong enough to continue my weight loss focus. The best thing was meeting my now husband. Problem is we both have the same food demons so it was easy for me to slip back into my old habits. Since meeting December 2009 I have gained 50lbs and my husband has put on 100lbs.

I told him a few months ago, I was going to stop loving him to death, and if we didn’t get our demons under control we were going to do just that "love each other to death". Everything we do revolves around food. But we also have dreams and passions and if it wasn’t for our weight we would be living a more active life, I know it, and I know we will.

But with change and uncertainty comes many questions. My husband tried to support me in the beginning when we met, I wasn’t quiet a year out from having my surgery, he has seen my struggles, the sometimes embarrassment that comes with not using the band as a tool. When we made the decision to have the gastric sleeve surgery, we made it as a team, but with one big hesitation. We will have eating troubles like I do now with the band?

My questions to you are:

I currently get food stuck, almost like my band is to tight, although I am completely empty. Do patients with VSG, get food stuck, like Lap-band patients?

Do you have to chew the food until there is just nothing left to chew, like you do with the Lap-band?

Are there no no foods, like there is with the lap-band? It was years before I could eat a sandwich after having the lapband put in. I still to this day can’t eat dry meat, like steaks or pork.

Are you able to drink when you are eating, unlike the lapband, where you should wait at least 30 min.

How long was it after your VSG surgery until you could really eat solid foods?

How much food can you eat? Let’s say a year after surgery are you still only able to eat 1/2cup of food at a time?

Can you go out for dinner and order a meal?

We know the long term health benefits outweigh all these questions and concerns, but eating is still a part of life. We love to travel and try new foods at the places we go, I would hate not to be able to eat the local cuisine.

I guess we need to start looking at food as a survival tool and not entertainment.

Thanks for reading, loooking forward to your insights

[Kindle]

Sorry, can't help you personally, but there are a lot of good threads for band to sleeve revision surgery patients on the forum at www.bariatricpal.com. They should be able to give you a lot of first-hand answers to your questions.

[guatemama05]

Jnlebean here are my answers to your questions. I'm not a revision patient but did have sleeve surgery with Dr. Ortiz in June and I am down 76 pounds!

I currently get food stuck, almost like my band is to tight, although I am completely empty. Do patients with VSG, get food stuck, like Lap-band patients? I have never had this issue. I believe if you eat too fast or too much you can get that stuck feeling. It's like a pain in your chest. They tell you to get up and walk it off. Do not eat anymore or drink anything.

Do you have to chew the food until there is just nothing left to chew, like you do with the Lap-band? You are encouraged to chew your food VERY thoroughly. I think this is even more important when you start adding solid foods back. It also makes you eat slower which is a very good thing. Me....I'm still stuck in my old habits more times than not and eat quickly and don't chew as much as I should. I think I just fill up faster. I noticed if I am out at a restaurant or a party and am talking I tend to eat slower - maybe it's grazing - and seem to eat more.

Are there no no foods, like there is with the lap-band? It was years before I could eat a sandwich after having the lapband put in. I still to this day can’t eat dry meat, like steaks or pork. I stay away from rice, pasta and fresh bread. Rice and pasta just swell in your stomach along with being carbs. I tried a bite of a sandwich at about 4 months out and it went down fine and I didn't have any problems but I could really feel what I call restriction. Chicken does that to me too. I don't know what it is but turkey, pork and fish I guess aren't as dense and are easier for me to eat. Maybe it's I can eat more of that without feeling so full quite as fast. I agree dry meats are harder to eat. Pork is one of my go to meats and I haven't tried steak. I think I could handle it if it were a good cut and not dry.

Are you able to drink when you are eating, unlike the lapband, where you should wait at least 30 min. No! They say stop drinking 5 minutes before you eat and nothing to drink for an hour after. Not drinking keeps the food in your stomach longer which makes you feel fuller longer and doesn't wash the food/nutrients out of your stomach.

How long was it after your VSG surgery until you could really eat solid foods? The OCC recommends you start mushy foods in the 21st day and I want to say about 2 weeks later slowly start adding solids.

How much food can you eat? Let’s say a year after surgery are you still only able to eat 1/2cup of food at a time? I am 6 months out and if I do the cottage cheese test I can hold about a cup of food. This has been the case for a while. I didn't do that test until about 4 months out I believe. The swelling when down in my stomach relatively fast (2.5 or 3 months maybe) and I think I am pretty much to my 'normal' stomach.

Can you go out for dinner and order a meal? Girl YES! I end up splitting an order usually with someone or I take it home for leftovers. I was going out and eating soup or broth not long after my surgery. Chili is always a good option for me in a restaurant if the menu seems limited. Just recently I tried salad again and I can eat a VERY small salad. I say very small because I want to be able to eat my entree too. OK half of it, or 1/3 of it! I think Dr. Ortiz advised a friend to wait 10 weeks before trying salad.

I have a friend that had the surgery about a year before me with Dr. Ortiz and she says the good news is I can eat almost anything. The bad news is I can eat almost anything! I find that true for me too. Luckily I can't eat the amount I used to. I finally really understood that the sleeve is definitely a tool. If you can make good food choices, it will help you take off the weight. If you make bad food choices, luckily it will stop you from eating pre-surgery portions.

Dr. Ortiz is such a great surgeon and I am 100% convinced his skill is what makes his patients so successful. Feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions. I don't log on to the forum much but a private message comes to my email!

Laurie

[babygirl2013]

Jnlebean here are my answers to your questions. I'm not a revision patient but did have sleeve surgery with Dr. Ortiz in June and I am down 76 pounds!

I currently get food stuck, almost like my band is to tight, although I am completely empty. Do patients with VSG, get food stuck, like Lap-band patients? I have never had this issue. I believe if you eat too fast or too much you can get that stuck feeling. It's like a pain in your chest. They tell you to get up and walk it off. Do not eat anymore or drink anything.

Do you have to chew the food until there is just nothing left to chew, like you do with the Lap-band? You are encouraged to chew your food VERY thoroughly. I think this is even more important when you start adding solid foods back. It also makes you eat slower which is a very good thing. Me....I'm still stuck in my old habits more times than not and eat quickly and don't chew as much as I should. I think I just fill up faster. I noticed if I am out at a restaurant or a party and am talking I tend to eat slower - maybe it's grazing - and seem to eat more.

Are there no no foods, like there is with the lap-band? It was years before I could eat a sandwich after having the lapband put in. I still to this day can’t eat dry meat, like steaks or pork. I stay away from rice, pasta and fresh bread. Rice and pasta just swell in your stomach along with being carbs. I tried a bite of a sandwich at about 4 months out and it went down fine and I didn't have any problems but I could really feel what I call restriction. Chicken does that to me too. I don't know what it is but turkey, pork and fish I guess aren't as dense and are easier for me to eat. Maybe it's I can eat more of that without feeling so full quite as fast. I agree dry meats are harder to eat. Pork is one of my go to meats and I haven't tried steak. I think I could handle it if it were a good cut and not dry.

Are you able to drink when you are eating, unlike the lapband, where you should wait at least 30 min. No! They say stop drinking 5 minutes before you eat and nothing to drink for an hour after. Not drinking keeps the food in your stomach longer which makes you feel fuller longer and doesn't wash the food/nutrients out of your stomach.

How long was it after your VSG surgery until you could really eat solid foods? The OCC recommends you start mushy foods in the 21st day and I want to say about 2 weeks later slowly start adding solids.

How much food can you eat? Let’s say a year after surgery are you still only able to eat 1/2cup of food at a time? I am 6 months out and if I do the cottage cheese test I can hold about a cup of food. This has been the case for a while. I didn't do that test until about 4 months out I believe. The swelling when down in my stomach relatively fast (2.5 or 3 months maybe) and I think I am pretty much to my 'normal' stomach.

Can you go out for dinner and order a meal? Girl YES! I end up splitting an order usually with someone or I take it home for leftovers. I was going out and eating soup or broth not long after my surgery. Chili is always a good option for me in a restaurant if the menu seems limited. Just recently I tried salad again and I can eat a VERY small salad. I say very small because I want to be able to eat my entree too. OK half of it, or 1/3 of it! I think Dr. Ortiz advised a friend to wait 10 weeks before trying salad.

I have a friend that had the surgery about a year before me with Dr. Ortiz and she says the good news is I can eat almost anything. The bad news is I can eat almost anything! I find that true for me too. Luckily I can't eat the amount I used to. I finally really understood that the sleeve is definitely a tool. If you can make good food choices, it will help you take off the weight. If you make bad food choices, luckily it will stop you from eating pre-surgery portions.

Dr. Ortiz is such a great surgeon and I am 100% convinced his skill is what makes his patients so successful. Feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions. I don't log on to the forum much but a private message comes to my email!

Laurie

Thank you for such thorough answers. I knew some of this based on my boyfriend's experiences over the last year since his surgery, but I think women face different problems or demons with regard to food, than many men. Comfort can be important, but with all things it is moderation that we need to learn. It is a long road, but I am glad I am on it.