Lizzy Fu

I need to know how normal this is. I was banded 2/18, and I've been doing great! I've had a few pity party days early on, but I'm losing weight and happy with the feeling and results so far. My problem is, I just started my menstrual cycle (first one since being banded) and now I remember why I failed on EVERY diet in the past. I'd be fine for weeks, then BAM! As soon as Aunt Flow comes, I seem to have a perpetually empty stomach. What would make me super full on normal days, just never seems to get me to a point where I'm satisfied for about 3 days straight. I've done my best so far, this time, but I measured the food to ensure i didn't overeat, yet went to bed hungry, woke up hungry, was hungry after breakfast etc. AND I haven't even wanted carbs for the last month, yet right now that's ALL I want to eat, carbs and CHOCOLATE. Hahaha! I feel like the cookie monster when he eats every cookie on the plate, and then eats the plate too! I haven't given into it yet, but going through this every single month is aggravating. Do any of you experience crazy hunger during that time of the month? And if so, what tricks do you have to get you through those few days before things start calming down again.

What everyone is saying is right, but in my case that bad breath and gritty feeling on my teeth turned out to be thrush. I noticed it after the surgery, and had to get some medicine for it, because it won't go away on it's own. Have your doctor check it out just in case. It's not uncommon to get thrush after surgery or having antibiotics. Just do a google search on Thrush and check your tongue and throat for any spots or discoloration.

I think what you're experiencing is pretty normal. I was beating myself up for about 2 weeks after thinking "Why on earth would I do this to myself?" Having serious regret. But that feeling passes as soon as you're able to start eating normal foods again. I'm only 4 weeks out, and I'm slowly adding more solid foods into my diet, but I'm losing weight, not feeling deprived and I feel like I'm getting a fresh start. I don't think in terms of "I'll never be able to eat that again", because if I want it, I'll eat it... but I'm learning how not to want to eat everything that looks or smells good. Hang in there, It gets better and better each day!

So I'm 3 weeks out from surgery. I lost 21lbs between the pre-op diet and the first 10 days post-op, but ever since then I've been gaining weight back. I'm pissed. I've been hungry, and still on full liquid diet until next week. I've counted my calories, and I average around 600 calories a day. And yes, I've cheated, I eat pre-packaged oatmeal when I can't stand my own hunger (160 calories) , but only a couple of times. Yesterday I ate less than 500 calories and I gained 2 lbs. HOW!?!? How on earth am I nearly starving myself and GAINING weight. Had an appt for a check up with the surgeon yesterday and he said it's obvious that I'm eating much more than I'm telling them. But I'm NOT. I've started to journal my food intake just to show them that I'm NOT eating more than I am telling them. I'm about to start my period (probably why I'm so pissed about everything) and I have only had 2 bowel movements since the surgery. I feel like my body is just retaining every ounce that I eat. I feel guilty when I eat ANY food, and I just took a laxative to help get out of my anything that's still in there. I feel like I'm doomed to fail. Someone tell me HOW you can possibly gain weight when eating so little!!! Please, I'm so discouraged and pissed.

I had the hernia repair as well, and I was banded on 2/18/11. For me, the pain lasted for about a week, but the shoulder pain was on and off for about another week. I'm 3 1/2 weeks out, and I haven't had any issues for at least the last week with that particular pain. The worst part of the hernia repair was the inability to catch my breath. If felt like I couldn't breath for almost a week. The hernia repair was definitely the worst part of the surgery!

I'm 3 weeks out, and I felt the same way. You won't feel real restriction until you get your first fill, so don't feel bad about that. I also gained 3lbs the second week, but dropped 5 the next week, so I think it's somewhat normal to gain weight when introducing mushies, but it will even out and you'll drop more in the end. When eating mushies, do your best to stick to what your doctor recommends, and stick with low or no sugar/ low or no fat etc. My doctor also told me to beware of stretching the pouch too early, so even though we're super hungry, eat less at a time, but more frequently, and that should help. I graze all day long, but try to keep my portions to under 4oz at a time until I get my fill, and I'm still losing, so that's good.

I totally understand! For the first 2 weeks all I could think about was spaghetti. Of course, I'm over 3 weeks out now and i haven't had it yet. Once you start actually eating food again, you'll be surprised at how little you want and how satisfied you'll be with bland things for now. Stick with your doctors prescribed diet while your tummy is healing. You'll be able to have eggs, beans, cottage cheese, hot cereals, chicken salad, tuna salad. I know they don't sound like that great food from your favorite restaurant, but again, you'll be so surprised at how satisfying they really are after not having REAL food for soooo long. I felt really confident last week when they said I could have eggs, so I tried it and it got stuck. That was an incredibly painful 4 hours I spent waiting for it to pass. So be cautious when starting with the solids. Go easy at first, don't make the same mistake I did!

My doctor gave me the okay to start cardio exercise 1 week post-op. She told me to go ahead and start slow enough that I could hold a regular conversation with someone while on the treadmill or walking without needing to take deep breaths or gasp for air. 10-15 minutes to start, 1-2 times a day. Stop if you feel uncomfy, just listen to your body. More vigorous exercise that use your abs or include high intensity workouts or lifting weights shouldn't happen until at least 6 weeks post-op, or until you're given the okay by your doctor. But during the next 5 weeks, if you feel good enough, you can increase your cardio time to 30minutes at a time. Check with your doctor first, of course, but this is just what my doc told me! Hope everything goes well!

My surgeon doesn't have a nutritionist on staff, so I don't entirely trust everything he has to say about what to eat. It was Clear Liquids for the first 2 weeks, then full liquids the 2nd 2 week period. During the first 2 weeks they wouldn't allow Protein shakes at all. They said that I would be getting plenty of protein from broth (1 gram per serving). I followed what they had to say until my hair started falling out in clumps. Hahaha. I started Protein Shakes the second week out, but I never told them because they didn't approve of anything that wasn't clear.

I would LOVE to hear more advice on this too! I'm 2 /12 weeks post op and I'm in the same boat. Getting around 500-600 calories a day, but not losing any more weight. Try posting this in the post-op section and see if you get more responses.

The bleeding isn't severe, and it's not constant. It only started this yesterday (13 days post-op). Did anyone else have this happen? Everything is perfectly fine and then random bleeding? I have a 2 year old, so maybe I've been doing too much with her since the surgery. Let me know is anyone else has had a similar experience.

Not entirely sure what to tell you. Every surgeon and nutritionist says incredibly different things on this subject. My surgeon only started allowing me mushy foods post op day 13 ( yesterday). Though i don't trust everything his PA's tell me. They said i didn't need the protein shake and wouldn't let me eat anything more than broth for the first 13 days. My personal opinion is that you may want to wait for the initial swelling to go down before starting on more solid or mushy foods, maybe day 7? But I'm not a doctor, and by no means well versed on this subject.

I'm 14 days out, and I just got the okay for mushy foods yesterday. I'm always surprised at the differences between each surgeons post-op diets. I wish my surgeons would give me the okay for a salad. I want real solid food! But I have another 2 weeks before they let me have that.

I'm also 2 weeks post op and I'm ravenously hungry. I feel like I'm eating more than I really am though. I feel so hungry, and I feel like I'm overeating, but when I added up my total calorie intake it was only about 480. My PA told me 2-4 oz of food only 3 times a day, all no sugar, no fat etc. So whenever I eat anything beyond that, I feel guilty. BUT I'M HUNGRY! Hahaha. Also, you're body is an amazing thing, when you starve it like we have, it slows the metabolism WAY down. So when you start eating again it says "SAVE AND STORE" since it's been under the impression that there was a famine. It's strange, but when you start giving it regular food at regular intervals it will start to use your food as fuel and not have a problem with burning your fat again since it's not duped into thinking you're starving. I'm with you though... I'M HUNGRY!

I'm baffled, and hungry and I'm post op day 12. My surgeon doesn't have a nutritionist on staff, but he has his PA that does all his post-op work and follow-up. So I sought the help of a nutritionist prior to the surgery and got all the information that I needed about post-op diet etc. Now my surgeon's PA has reprimanded me for following the nutritionists guidelines. I had strained soup ONCE and also started to drink my protein shakes when she calls the next day to see how I'm doing and told me I wasn't allowed anything but broth (2oz, 3 times a day) until 2 weeks post op, and they had me on a clear liquid diet 1 week pre op. She said I'm getting plenty of protein from the broth (which is less than 1 gram per serving), but my nutritionist said I should be having at least 50 grams a day. So whose advice should I follow? If I eat strained soup this soon will I stretch out my pouch? Is there some reason why I can't have anything of substance like a protein shake?

Love it!

Thank you so much! I think you're right, it is my body, and I am doing this to get healthy! I don't know if it's that healthy to go 3 weeks with 1 grams of protein each day. I think I'm going to start drinking my shakes at least. You know, we trust our doctors. I just assume that she's telling me not to eat or a reason, you know. I assumed that having the shakes would somehow compromise my surgery, but it hasn't hurt anyone else. to have protein shakes. I'm so confused about her reasoning behind it.

Just to stock. I strained the soup first.

I am 8 days post op, and I've lost 21 lbs. Is most of this water weight? Considering that I am trying to lose weight, it seems strange that I would be concerned with losing too much too quick. Am I losing muscle? I know once I start eating solids everything will be quite different, but does anyone know whether I'll end up gaining some back, or is this real weight loss? I started 15 minute cardio workout yesterday (post op day 7), so I'm planning on just going with the flow and using the weight loss to encourage better habits and lifestyle. I guess I didn't expect to lose so much so quick, so again, is it real? Is there usually an initial weight loss then it gets really hard? So far it seems too good to be true.

I'm 8 days post op, and my family has been so very good to me, except that my husband brought home this gigantic burrito from this authentic mexican food place that we both love. I told him that he could eat it in the bedroom out of my sight! I'm so hungry! I can deal with most foods not being overly tempting, but chocolate and mexican food are too much for me to bear. Though I really just can't wait until the day I can eat something substantial like oatmeal. HA!

Yes, he did approve the exercise. I thought it was so soon, but he encouraged me to start 15 minutes on the treadmill going at a speed where I was still comfortable talking without needing to gasp for breath starting day 7 post op. All is going well. I'm a little impatient, since my husband is doing the p90x workout, and I won't be able to do it with him for at least another month or until the doctor gives the okay to do more strenuous exercise. When is your next check up? Keep me posted on your progress. This is all so new to me.