The first month of being a bandit

I am now a little over 5 weeks post op.

For the first 9 days post op I was struggling to eat anything and all I really wanted was water. On day 10 my appetite returned with vengeance I suddenly I was hungry (very hungry!!!). I know the swelling of my stomach had abated and the restriction that was being thus created had reduced. It was a good sense of what 'restriction' actually feels like and what I will be aiming for, eventually, with band-fills.

For weeks three and four I was supposed to eat 'mush' or anything that could be crushed with the back of a folk. I did so for a week but found myself eating more and more and wanting more and more and recognised I needed to get myself back onto a low low-carb diet (I had been eating a lot of high carb foods). I did just that and ensured I chewed food thoroughly ensuring it was 'mush' before I swallowed it.

I have been eating meat and chicken despite the 'rules' stating they shouldn't be attempted for 3 months (due to risk of them getting stuck above the band). In my opinion they are more likely to get 'stuck' after a few band fills when restriction is greater. I guess the 'rule' is there in the hope that by three months bandits will have learnt to chew well and eat more slowly. I have been doing that from the word 'go' - eating meat tends to make me cautious (I wouldn't want to get food stuck when I know I am technically breaking the 'rules').

I am eating two (on occasion three) small meals per day. I only eat if I am hungry (unless social convention dictates that I eat when not actively hungry). I am finding I can eat more at one sitting as time goes on and I know I am ready for a band-fill (thankfully I am due one this Thursday). I am sure if I wasn't doing low carb I would be gaining weight at the moment.

Happily I have not experienced any 'iron fist' or 'productive burps'. Iron fist is a sharp pain in the chest caused by food getting stuck at the top of the oesophagus due eating to much, too fast or not chewing properly. Productive burps are caused by insufficiently chewed food being unable to pass through the band, with the aid of oesophageal contractions, and resulting in the food being forced back up the oesophagus into the mouth.