The rules I must follow

I thought it would be a good thing to write down the rules that I must follow now that I have my band tighter. I am going back to what it was right after I had my surgery. There are some really strict rules that didn't really affect me after my surgery in 2008 but will affect me now that my band is tight. Now these are not verbatim from my binder from Kaiser Permanente where I had my surgery, but this site breaks it down a bit better than my binder. To give you an idea I went through about 9 months of classes to prepare for my surgery, so that I knew everything that had to be done to make it a successful tool. So most of the information I know is not in the binder but all of the classes that I attended.

I found this site that breaks down your diet and eating habits after surgery. My additions are done in red.

Post-lap band surgery, your gastric capacity has been restricted between 3 and 8 ounces .Hence, the first few days, you need to respect the recommended amounts and the allowed foods, in order for your body to adapt and to reduce nausea, pain, and vomiting.

The volume of food ingested should not exceed a small dessert cup or an 8 ounce plate. Remember that you must eat slowly and chew very well each morsel of food. *Now what they mean by this is very very specific!!! The size bite you will now and forever eat is the size of a nickel!!! That bite you MUST chew for 30 chews BEFORE ever swallowing! Try it sometime it's darn near impossible! But must be done!

You can drink between 1 and 1.5 liters of water daily outside the daily meals. Remember to do it slowly, in little sips and preferably with a little spoon. *You can not drink through a straw either as this adds air to your small pouch and will make it feel full and be very uncomfortable.

Remember that the liquids you drink must be low in or free from calories . You can use a sugar substitute such as SPLENDA, no-Sucar, Equal, Nutra sweet, etc.

Avoid food that could cause obstruction in the passage of food from your stomach to the small intestines such as: raw food with rind (apples, pear, mangoes, etc); seeded food (blackberries, guava, kiwi, popcorn, seeds like peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc.); fibrous food (Mandarin, orange, pineapple, etc). *Now these may seem like they would never block or cause an obstruction but you must remember that the size of the opening from your small pouch of a stomach to your larger stomach is the size of a dime! So look at a dime and think that everything you eat must pass through that.

You should not drink any liquids, not even water during meals. Do it 15 to 30 minutes before or after meals.

Do not drink carbonated drinks or alcoholic beverages for six months after the procedure.

Do not stretch, recline on the sofa, or lie down in bed after eating.

Do not eat dried nuts or ceded fruits until indicated by your nutritionist (blackberries, peanuts, cashews, almonds, guava, strawberries, etc).

Ideally, medicines should be mashed and diluted in water to permit better swallowing and absorption. You can even consider taking the liquid versions. If that is not possible, take the capsules in the way mentioned above.

Avoid sugar-sweetened foods and drinks (marmalades, coconut water, etc).

Stop eating when you feel satisfied, don't wait till you feel completely full.

If you have vomiting or constant diarrhea for more than 3-5 days, call your doctor.

Your nutritionist will recommend the nutritional supplements and food in order to maintain the adequate proteins and calories for your daily needs. *For mine I have to take 1500mg calcium, and a multivitamin. A lot of people need to add iron as well.

When you eat food, remember to chew properly and with the mouth closed, and try to take your meals in a calm and relaxed pace. *Hardest thing in the world to do!!!! It takes a long time for you to eat. I have sat at the table long after everyone else has finished their meal. You must not rush for anything!! It causes PB (productive burps ie up chucking), or worse yet, food sticking and causing terrible pain and pressure! Trust me not fun on either point!

Do not forget to take your daily vitamins. *Very important since you will be eating far less food and getting far less nutrients!

Here is information from my binder of what and how much I am to eat and for how long:
First off the guidelines...
Your meals must be spaced 4-5 hours apart
Each meal should take you 30-45 minutes to eat.
Calories to eat - 700-900 calories per day
Protein - 60-80 grams a day
Carbs - 100 grams from fruit and veggies
Fat - 30 grams a day
Fluids - 64 ounces a day minimum!!!

Stage I
Liquid for 24 hours!!
Jell-O, broth, tea, diluted juice, Popsicle

Stage II
Duration 2 weeks!
Soft blended foods. For example: Protein drinks, cottage cheese, pudding, Popsicle, diluted fruit juice, yogurt, strained cream soup, broth.

Stage III
Duration here on out for the rest of your life
Solid foods.

I didn't really follow to the tea stage I as I had some pudding and some clam chowder but I didn't eat much of the potatoes etc of the soup just the broth. Stage II is going to be the test for me. This will let me know if the band is too tight. If I have trouble eating these for the whole two weeks I will need to go and have some taken out. Which I'm hoping I won't have to...but it may have to be. I need and want this to work this time. The killer for me will be the 700-900 calories! I don't have a full or hungry feeling ever I just don't have the triggers that tell my body I'm hungry or full. But I can tell you that going down to that low of calories you feel it!!!! I will be exercising on top of this as well so I will have the added duty to eat to maintain those calories or my body will start to feed on itself and my metabolism will go into the toilet and it's already too slow now! My head has to be in the game on this and I can't let anything distract me from it!!!