Just a couple of questions please........

[nebsmom]

I have a few questions

1) When will my port site pain go away? I was banded on 4/29

2) Can you feel your band and if so where is it located? (I can totally feel mine thats why I ask)

3) Is the no drinking with meals forever or just until the post-op diet is over? I ask because I typically eat cereal for breakfast and I was worrkied that I wont be able to because its solid mixed with liquid.

I appreciate the input everyone. Thanks, Nebs Mom

[BeBe]

I have a few questions

1) When will my port site pain go away? I was banded on 4/29

2) Can you feel your band and if so where is it located? (I can totally feel mine thats why I ask)

3) Is the no drinking with meals forever or just until the post-op diet is over? I ask because I typically eat cereal for breakfast and I was worrkied that I wont be able to because its solid mixed with liquid.

I appreciate the input everyone. Thanks, Nebs Mom

My port pain went away a little over two weeks after surgery.

I feel a lump under my skin at the incision site, but I don't know that that's my port - I think it's scar tissue. I have no idea where my port is. LOL! (I can only feel the scar tissue)

The no drinking rule is forever. I'm sure you could eat cereal as long as you don't wash it down with a glass of water (or a whole glass of milk) afterwards.

[Guest cedartown]

Now i have a question.

Why can't you ever drink while eating ever again?

I'm not understanding this part.

[BeBe]

Now i have a question.

Why can't you ever drink while eating ever again?

I'm not understanding this part.

I've heard two explanations... 1. it washes food through the pouch, thereby making it ineffective, and 2. if you eat, the food blocks the stoma, so that if you drink with your meal, you are filling up the pouch with liquid and thereby, expanding it.

Obviously, you can choose to drink with a meal if you like... but your results will not be as great, and you run the risk of expanding your pouch.

[Blazn]

I have a very good explanation for why you cannot drink while eating. And this can also answer the question about cereal. Last Tuesday (after my first fill on Saturday) I ate one of those small kid's bowls of frosted flakes - you know the ones with the plastic bowls that has the peel back top. I was very full after the cereal but from habit and before I thought of it I turned up the bowl and drank the milk in the bowl. OMG the pain in my chest. You know how it feels when you get something stuck and you can't get it to go down. Well it was like that and it was terrifyingly painful. The only way I got relief was to throw the milk up - which is what I did. When the food is passing through the band liquid cannot pass. Because our pouches are so small large gulps of liquid will essentially fill the band up and back up if it cannot pass through. I learned that lesson the hard way. Needless to say I have not had cereal since then. Which is devastating for me as that is one of my favorite foods. I may try it again one day (without drinking the milk, that is), but no time in the near future. So as you can see - if I were to drink with every meal my pouch would probably expand. And I certainly do not want that!!