Lap-Band Post-Op Questions???

Hi all,
Ok so I'm 4 days Post-Op (lap-band)  I am almost 100% healed up, I mean the scabs over the incisions are already falling off.  I have absolutely no appetite at all I mean "Zero"  I don't even think I coming near 200 Calories a day, if that.  I don't feel weak, I feel normal as always.  I still can't seem to keep much liquid's down, nothing painful, but I Burp and up it comes.  I was told I was breathing in to much Air, so I've been very careful with that, makes no difference, it still comes up.  I can go more than 2 hours without any sort of liquid and start developing the "Foamies" as I guess there called?  The weight seems to be Melting off, as far as the scale keeps telling me, I still can't really see anything!  I was Weighed in the day before my 2 week Opti-fast Diet (3/12)  at my Surgeons office at 341lbs. The day of Surgery (3/27) 322lbs  Today's Weight  313lbs.  Since the day of Surgery I'm dropping Approx. 3lbs a day, but like I said I'm hardly hitting 200 Calories a day.  So is this Normal?  Is there any reason to call the Doctor Monday Morning?  I mean I feel good, healing up great.  I'm trying to just take very little sips when I do drink, but then...Foamies!  I'm out and about everyday doing my normal things, no problem.  I am taking my Vitamins, and my Meds, they seem to stay down with no problem.  So do I have a problem?  Or not?

I also found out why my Ear was Plugged up, went to my PCP and he put me on a liquid Antibiotic (Keflex) He said my Middle Ear Drum had an Infection.  I'm having no pain, started on the Antibiotics yesterday morning, but still can't hear anything, my left Ear is still Plugged shut.  Which is just annoying as hell...

Look forward to all of your impute!

Much Thanks,
Rocko~~

hey Rocko,

in the begining you're going to lose weight no matter what. but you have to get into the habit now of eating. there is a reverse rule out there that you are going to find quick. the less you eat, the less you lose weight. you see, if you don't put enough calories in, your body says, oh oh, let's store fat. so you won't lose. try to keep at least 1200 calories a day going in and in several meals. this way the body is always eating. see my post as to what 200 calories looks like. eat a bunch of those throughout the day and you'll be fine. you want to keep out of starvation mode, that's when you'll start to stall. good luck......carbonblob

I'm on a Clear Liquid Diet for 2 Weeks, then Regular Liquid for 2 weeks, then the 5th week I can start Mushies.  Where are 1200 Calories going to come from?  Let alone, it's not really staying down?  (I'm not trying to sound sarcastic)  :-(    I mean I can't possibly consume 1200 Calories of Sugar Free Jell, and S/F Popsicles, and Propel.  See my point? Thanks~~

Rocko,

I was recently banded myself (January 30, 2007). During the liquid phase, to keep the calorie content up I was using Boost High Protein drinks from Wal-Mart. 240 calories (only 50 Fat calories) in 8oz with 15g of protein.  I would have two per day - Lunch and Supper. That will add 480 calories to your day. I also was using cream of chicken soup (Cup-a-soup) and straining out what little solids it contained. That added 120 calories a pop. I was staying in the 900 - 1200 calorie a day range pretty comfortably. Feel free to use all of your favorite seasonings... Garlic Salt, Hot Sauce in Chicken Boullion (Killer!!), etc... I understand your lack of hunger, and the trouble with liquids. When the band is installed, it is stitched onto the esophagus. The action of stitching causes some minor swelling of the esophagus. Since the esophagus is surrounded by the lapband, it has no where to go but inward... kind of like a fill from hell. After about a week mine started opening up pretty good. By the time I got to my first fill (6 weeks post surgery) I really needed it because I was having very little trouble eating anything and everything I wanted. The lack of hunger comes from WHERE the band is placed. It is resting directly on your Vargas nerve. That is the nerve that signals your brain that you are full. You are going to become very sensitive to listening to your Vargas nerve. Once you start to open up where you can eat normally, you really do need to quit at the very first sense of fullness. If you go about 2 bites past that point, you will get a world class case of the hic-cups, as well as a king sized case of indigestion because of the accumulating pressure on the Vargas. Also, when you go in for your fills... you will have to drop back to liquids/mushies for a bit as when the fill is applied that results on pressure (Squeezing for restriction) on the esophagus, it will react by swelling again for 3-5 days so be prepared. I am now a little over 3 weeks since my first fill, and my next one is scheduled for 16Apr07. Currently I am at 4cc's, which veteran Banders will tell you is still pretty open. I imagine on the 16th I will end up at 6cc's. By the time I am maximum restriction, I should have 8-9 cc's, but that won't be until late summer, or early fall. I had lost nearly 30#'s pre-surgery on the Liquid Diet, and have lost a little over 36# more post surgery. I was losing 5-6# per week for a bit, but have slowed down now to 3-4#. CB is telling you the Gospel. Too many calories = gain, Too few calories can induce a stall due to your body perceiving starvation (Start storing fat). You have to strike a balance on Calories, the ratio of Calorie/Calories from fat (Try to keep the fat calories below 30%), grams of protein (I try for 80g-100g due to working out at the 'Y' 3-4 times per week), and liquid intake (64oz-120oz). It sounds to me like you are right on track and doing great! Welcome to the Losers Bench, and feel free to contact me any time... Another recent Bander would be cleonard, a very nice gentleman who started out getting an RNY, but they had to change up to some physical limitations that they discovered during the RNY surgery. We have some veteran banders out there as well... +Padre+ is one who I have been communication with when I am curious about where I am heading. Throw out you questions, just as you have been, and you will usually reel in a pretty good answer or two... Start whining and you will promptly be towel snapped (Right Paul?).

ROCKO..... you ain't sick, you is banded.....right now chill with the no hunger...it will not last forever...this is the anesthiea that makes you not hungry.... 3 pounds a day.....nice job..... send some that Flordia sunshine to Houston please..... Russ

Hey Rocko, first off, congrats on the weight melting off.  That is weight you will never see again.  In terms of the calories, there is no way you are going to be able to get to 1200 calories on liquids right now.  In fact, the surgeons are way over the map on this one.  My surgeon wants us on 400-600 calories a day for the first 6 months.  Others say 1,200.  What did your surgeon tell you? The key thing is to sip sip sip, walk, walk for the beginning of your journey.  The amount of liquidis most important.  64oz or more a day and hopefully 60grams of protein.  I had a hard time doing this with the isopure.  It was just too sweet.  Once I went to the regular protein shakes I realized I was able to get there.  I would try this.  Look for the Wal-Mart brand sugar free fruit or cherry punch.  No calories, but the taste keeps wanting you to drink and it is not as sweet as the isopure.  Then test a chocolate protein shake and see if you can keep it down.  If you can, switch to that.  I found that  I could drink much more with those two than I could with the Isopure and water.  The protein shake that we use is Champion Nutrition Pure Whey.  It has 23grams of protein in 8 onces mixed with water, more if you can handle skim milk.   Shoot for 400 calories a day to start.  Then increase once you can move to soft food.  At that point, egg beaters are your best friend. Low calories, low cholesterol, very soft and easy to take down with 2% cheese, great source of protein.  I'm 5 months out and still eat them 1-2 times a day.  When you start to struggle with eating TOO much, these (shake, eggbeaters) are great to come back too. Hope this helps Greg

 

Hi Rocko......you might try warm liquids....soups, hot choc ect with canned milk.....will help keep the protein up.  Warm stuff is easier to keep down than anything cold….at least for me.

Your doing great.

 

Terry

Hi Rocko, Sounds like you got a tight band. Welcome in the club That's what's causing the foamies. It will get better, you just need to be patient about it. I wouldn't worry about it for now  if you are managing to keep some liquids down. Otherwise if you throw it ALL up, then you do need to contact the doctor, you are going to get de-hydrated real fast that way (but you said you were keeping the meds down, so I'm not worried for you) Just be happy that you are not hungry right now, being on a liquid diet for a while yet it wouldn't serve any purpose for you to feel the hunger pains: Count your blessings buddy. As for the Cal input, you have been given good advice, I believe. There are many liquid products available to fulfill your requirements. Take care and enjoy the sun ( I could use some warm weather here, It's been chilly the last few days)

My Banded-Brothers have all offered good advice to be sure...the only thing I'd add or maybe restate would be to chill a bit....you're still "suffering" from what really is major surgery despite how "common" it's becoming.  You're body is merely going to take a bit to heal up and trust me, this short period where you feel no hunger and are uber restricted will indeed pass.  Use this time as a grace period to get ready for the new lifestyle a'coming.  Do stay with your waters and liquid proteins for right now and don't worry that you're not getting in anywhere near your goal amounts.  Give it time.  In 2 weeks you'll be wondering if they put a band in there at all because you'll find the ability to eat too mu*****uantity has slowly returned.  It's all normal...then in a few weeks after that, you've gotten the chance to adapt to a new eating routine and then you'll be able to go for your first small adjustment...and guess what...it starts all over again.  A day or so of liquids, then a day of blended (if that's your program) and then you'll be back to "regular" foods. The ability of the band to keep that hunger demon at bay is fantastic and that is one of the ways I know it's time to see about another fill.  Enjoy your new ride!  You're going to do just great with it!  Slow down even your sips right now and I'll bet within another day or two you'll find you're able to get tha****er intake up to a decent amount again.  Do NOT let yourself get totally dehydrated..sip sip sip.... Padre+

Thank you all very much for the very Helpful Posts!  Well as of today I'm able to keep more liquids down, warm liquids really seem to have helped me.  So thank you all very much!

Rocko~~