banded 4 days ago have questions

Hi, How long was it before you could lay on your side?  I can't sleep very long on my back. Also how do you get all the protein and liquids in? With the sippy cup it takes for ever to even get all the water down, I am afraid of drinking to fast. Thanks for any help you can give me, Tracey

Tracey,

I don't know how differently it is comfort-wise from RNY to lap-band....but... Did Dr. Gupta put in a drainage tube? If so, it may take a week or so to start feeling more comfortable.

As to the drinking...it does get better. With the restriction on your input, if you think about your throat/tummy being like a funnel, it may help you understand. When you pour liquid into a funnel, if you pour too fast, it'll gurgle back up at you. You learn how fast/slow you need to pour the liquid in so that doesn't happen. Same thing with your tummy. Just keep sipping. It won't be long until you find yourself drinking your liquids and not have to think about it. The first 4-6 weeks really is the hardest time. By that time, you've relearned how to drink and will have no problem getting in all your fluids. Very few post-ops can honestly say that they had NO problem getting in all of their fluids when they were newbies. Just do the best you can and know that it does get better!

Sherri

Sherri, I don't have a drainage tube, but just really sore when I try to turn on my side.

Thanks for the discription of the funnel that makes more sense. It took me almost a whole hour to drink a muscle milk. Water just doesn't taste good threw a sippy cup, I used to love to drin**** water, now not so much.

Sherri thanks again for all your help and advice, Tracey

Hey Tracey!

JJ said he also tried to lay on his side and it didn't work very well!  I think I posted this exact post a week after my surgery and got the same answers  LOL  If I remember it was over a week out before I could lay on my tummy.

And it will be a little while longer before you get in all the fluids you need since your insides are still swollen from the surgery!  I don't think I started drinking the milk or protein shakes until a day or two after the first week was over!  Then it was easier, but still slow!

Hope you are doing good!  JJ is up moving around a little easier today but he is staying home from work one more day since Tuesday will be a week for him.

Leanne, I just got a reply on the lapband board that you could use a soft blanket and roll it like a jelly roll and put it between the mattress and you, I will have to try that tonight. After a week you can lay on your belly, that is great news.

Iam really wanting to try oatmeal again but afraid of it feeling like it did the last time. i had a muscle milk earlier and that wasn't to bad.

I am doing better, each day I get up I feel a little better but by the end of the day feeling a little weaker. Thanks for being there for me.
 

Tracey

Tracey....It took awhile to be able to sleep on my sidebecause it hurt. It still does sometimes an I am almost a year out. it just depends on the position I get into. I have now become a stomach sleeper instead. You will have swelling, but keep sipping! I am surprised at a sippy cup! i never thought of that and what a great idea! I will have to remember that one! be patient on the fluids and protein. You will get it in. Just be patient and keep sipping!

Thanks Lee Ann, laying on my stomach would be great too.

Everyone's different. but here's how it went for me.  From 3 days post-op, I was able to sleep on my side.  It was about 2 weeks before it stopped feeling like I'd been sucker-punched where the port site was placed. 

I never used the sippy cup, just drank slowly and I was ok.  From the start I was able to handle thin liquids like water, milk and isopure pretty easily, so it wasn't that hard. 

The first week I was fine with applesauce, soup, thin oatmeal or mashed potatoes, and pudding.  By 7 days out, I was craving more texture, so I made a little mix of seasoned ground beef and rice ... only had 1/3 cup, but it was soooo good!  After that, I was able to move on to small portions of regular foods, just real slow.  I didn't have much restriction until my first fill, but I never let myself eat a "normal" sized meal.