LapBand on 12/13 - holiday recovery advice please!

Hello everyone. I have just spent several hours reading the last 9-10 pages of posts and have been both encouraged and forewarned about this journey I'm about to undertake. My decision to get the lapband has been in the back of my mind for several years, and I have spent the last 6 months in full-fledged preparation. The letter of approval from insurance arrived a few days ago  and it's full speed ahead now. As expected, I am both excited and nervous.  I could use some specific advice from other lapbanders if you have a chance. I apologize if this info is already addressed in a forum - I couldn't find it after 10 pages, so decided to just post my ??'s

1st - I will be traveling via plane to visit family for Christmas 5 days after surgery. Dr. has said I should be fine. I'm mostly concerned about discomfort while sitting in those less-than-spacious airline seats. Do you forsee any problems?

2nd - Liquid/pureed food diet while over Christmas. Not ideal, but work schedule prevents me from postponing surgery until Jan. Soooo... any suggestions? My plan is to allow myself to eat anything liquid/pureed that sounds appealing & that I can get down, even if it is high calorie/fat. I figure that since I won't be eating much anyway, the little bit of comfort from ice cream or cream of xyz soup (pureed & w/protein supplement) might help balance the emotional challenge of missing out on the Christmas meals. Then, once past the holidays & eating soft foods, I will concentrate on making good, healthy food choices. Any warnings for me about this plan? Any ideas for recipes for yummy pureed foods?

3rd - For day of surgery & days right after - I plan to stock frig/pantry beforehand with: soups, greek yougurt, pudding, protein powder & drinks, and flavored protein water. What kinds of foods worked the best for you post-op? Also, I gather from reading posts that I will need gas-x strips and possibly peppermints to suck on. Any other suggestions?

Thanks for your input!
CAgirlnCO

P.S. For those you who have had bad lapband experiences and have posted cautions on this board, please rest assured that I have read your posts and have taken what you have shared into consideration. Your warnings are important to know & be aware of. While you are certainly welcome to reply to my post, at this point, I have made my decision and don't intend on rehashing the issue.

I was banded right before thanksgiving. it wasn't terribly difficult to stick to soft foods, I just saw it as I didn't really have a choice, I needed the band to heal. I think your plan sounds like a good one. Good luck!

 First of all congratulations on beginning your journey. It is a difficult time to be starting because of all of the food around. Five days after surgery ( according to my dr) you will be still on liquids. I would suggest that you get some protein shakes to takewith you. If you are on pureed food you may want to have a blender available to you. You probably won't be too hungry anyway. Give your self a break. If it is possible walk as much as you can and drink water.
Please remember 1 thing- every one's journey is different. What may work for me may not work for the next person. 
Good luck anf enjoy the holdays
Wendy

Congrats on your surgery :o)

a couple hours before you fly maybe you could take a pain pill just in case there is any discomfort from flying if you are going to be on a plane for a long period of time . And dont put that seat belt tight you will be sore and you dont want that seat belt cutting into your tummy right now .

When I was five days out I wasn't in any kind of pain , of course my port area was a little tender if you moved to fast a certain way , and your upper tummy might feel like you did a million sit ups but as far as pain I was fine but that was just me .  Everybody recovers different and pain wise.

And far as food. I had my surgery done a couple days before Thanksgiving last yr and food was the last thing on my mind.   I dont think you will have any problems in that dept :o) .

Just remember dont stray off your guide.  I fixed Thanksgiving dinner for my son and hubby and the hardest part was not to taste test lol.  I'm very bad about that .

Just follow your docs rules if he says stay on liquids for two weeks then do it .  I was not allowed any kind of solids till I was six weeks out .


As far as pureed foods at your Christmas dinner I would be very very careful of doing that !!.  Most  docs that i have seen on here and mine do not allow you anything but clear liquids the first week after surgery .  Protein drink, water.   I was not even allowed no yogurt, jello or anything like that till my second week out.

I dont think I would puree any foods at Christmas but that is just my opinion.  I was not allowed them kind of foods till I was three weeks out from surgery . You dont want to work your stomach so soon after your surgery it needs to heal.  There will be more Christmas dinners .  I thought the same way at Thanksgiving but I fixed my family's meal and watched them eat and it didn't bother me at all .  I sat there and sipped my water .  

Good luck and go enjoy your family dont worry about the food . Its not worth hurting yourself over a dinner and plus if you do eat and something happens you are no where near your doc to get help if something happens.

Great idea about the pain pill! My kids are old enough (16, 11) and experienced fliers so that if it knocks me on my a** (which they always do), they'll manage just fine. '

It's good to know that I probably won't be much in the mood for food, so that will probably make it easier. Most of my family who we'll be visiting (mom, dad, sis) know about the surgery and will be a great support for me - the best part is that I won't have to cook for my hubbie & kids. The tricky part is figuring out what to tell 90yr old grandma - certainly not the truth. Like Jack Nicholson said, "She can't handle the truth!" She'd find every negative comment and every possible complication and fear the worst. Sometimes a well-meaning lie is the most loving thing to do, right? We're just trying to figure out how best to explain away my strange food choices for 10 days. That's one long bout of the flu - and she'd worry about that too!

I did read a lot of posts w/ people's docs instructing liquids only for 2wks. My doc doesn't. My Phase 1 for wks 1-2 is called the "liquid pureed diet" and includes most foods as long as they are blended to a thin (baby food or applesauce) consistency - they say 1part solid to 1part liquid. Seems strange that there is such variety among reccommendations. You'd think it'd be consistent. But again, even my nut (see, i'm even learning the abbreviations!) says that everyone responds differently and to not introduce new foods too quickly. Protein shakes sound like a good starting point - and easy to prepare too.

Thanks for the input!

I was banded a year ago Dec 2nd and traveled by plane 2 weeks after surgery.  As far as traveling what I did was pack Labrada Lean body for her packets, sealed of course and my shaker cup in my carry on along with a collapsable small insulated lunch bag and a couple gallon plastic zip loc bags.  Once I cleared security I mixed up my shake**** the golden arches and filled a ziploc with ice and double baged it and threw it all in the cooler.  That way I had my cold shake ready to go when I was ready for it.  I also bought yogurt and water and kept it in my lunch bag and to this day when I fly which is quite often I travel with my lunch bag and shaker cup.  

 See if your family you are staying with has an emersion blender you can use or bring your own. I found the emersion blender was my best friend, way easier to clean than a reg blender, plus if you need you could pack it if you are checking luggage.

Also start trying samples of protein shakes now to find one you like. Also consider getting some sf flavorings to change up your shake flavors or google protein shake recipes and find some really yummy ideas. 

That's a great idea - to start trying protein shakes now. I'll head over to Vitamin World or the like this week. We just got a magic bullet which seems to make smoothies really well with very easy cleanup. It's small so I'm planning on packing it. Thanks for the advice!

The others have given you some great ideas so I won't go there but want to add a couple of things. In addition to your pain meds and gas-ex get some liquid tylenol. Some find that it is helpful when actual pain meds put you out. Go with the stronger stuff for the flight, though. Time it so it is going to start working just about the time the flight hits the runway. Night, night.

I don't mean to worry you since I was one of the odd ones, but, I was starved from day 2. In order to survive the ordeal I had to work hard to tell myself that while it wasn't super fun to not be able to eat the goodies right now, it would not be forever. Just that right now it wasn't in my own best intrest. You have an easier eating plan than I did so that may help, but you need to prepare yourself for the smells, etc. And, no you cannot purree pecan pie.

Good luck and enjoy the family and don't worry about the food. That isn't the point of the holidays.

 First off, congrats on getting your surgery date!  I agree that everyone heals different so it is impossible to predict how you will be feeling. My Dr. did not allow flying for 6 weeks although I'm not really sure why as it didn't apply to me, but just another example of different recomendations.

 The magic bullet is a great idea! I hated the protein drinks, but I tolerated the vanilla protein (GNC) with sugar free vanilla frozen yogurt. I also added spices to them such as pumkin spice and apple pie. All the flavor with no added calories.  The pre-made drinks are gross and a waste of money....DO NOT BUY! LOL!!