sumlike2h8

I didn't do liquids but for 3 days, then I went on to mushies. I had mashed potatoes, applesauce, yogurt, squash, and spaghetti sauce with turkey meat run through my food processor. Once I ate real food I felt so much better energy and strength wise. My doc said it's all what you can tolerate, he actually urged me to get back to normal eating as soon as possible.

Ginger, Sounds like I'm right where you are at. I have my first fill 3/8/07 1cc in a 4 cc band. I can eat just like I did prior to surgery. Heck, I can eat a burger with a bun, raw veggies, popcorn, etc. You name it, I'm still able to eat it and not feel full or unhungry. I have a second fill scheduled for 4/5/07, hoping like hell that does SOMETHING for me. Right now I feel no different than before. I try making good food choices but it's hard when the band isn't working and it's like a regular old diet. And lets face it, if we were successful dieters we wouldn't of had this surgery. I just wanna say I know just how you're feeling. I'm maintaing my initial 20 pounds lost but not losing and if I do it's a pound here and there, nothing substantial. I even have started walking 45-1 hour a day during lunch. I feel bummed but am keeping faith that evenetually with the right fill I get there. Hang in there!

I had my lap band put on 2/5/07. I lost some initial weight primarily due to the liquid diet stages before surgery and right after surgery. I'm in week 4 and can pretty much eat anything I did before, I also have no restriction. I have not been losing anything. I'm wondering if others are experiencing this or if it's normal? Or do most people not start losing until they get their first fills? Because I'm basically hungry and feel I could eat my old portion sizes. I'm trying my hardest to eat healthy and cut back, but if I gotta do this on will power alone I'm feeling like maybe this band in useless. Thanks for any input or personal experiences you can share.

To me it sounds like you're not dropping weight because you're eating to little. Your body goes into a starvation mode on to little calories and holds onto whatever it gets. I'd try increasing your calories and see what happens. Also try eating 5 small meals a day to keep your metabolism going. Just my thoughts from experience. When I don't eat enough I lose slower than when I eat 1200 to 1500 cal a day.

I had my 1st fill 3/8/07, they put in 1cc and I have a 10 inch band. Doc says my band holds about 4 cc's. I do not feel any restriction yet. Is this normal? I know my friend said she didn't feel restriction until like 10 days after her 1st fill. Has that been the case with anyone else? I'm getting discouraged here, I'm losing tiny amounts, 2 to 3 pounds ever 3 weeks. I thought by now I'd be down like 30, my surgery was 2/5/07. Am I unrealistic here or does my band not seem to be doing much for me? I know my doc says at this point it's the band doing 20% and me doing 80%. But heck, if I had 80% self control I'd have never been fat to start with! Thanks!

I have been able to eat a piece of cake with no problem. I have not tried pastry yet because I don't care for it. However, I'm craving a bagel and am kinda scared to try one. I'll try it toasted and see how it goes. I've been able to eat anything from the get go, steak, salad, raw veggies, salads, etc. The only thing I tried that was kinda uncomfortable was a bisquit from KFC. I think it was to doughy and although I didn't puke or anything, I'm staying away from those!

I've been able to eat bread as long as it's toasted. I am also able to eat thin pizza crust with no problems. Don't worry, as long as you chew well and have the bread toasted it's gonna be okay. And your band won't be tightened until 6 weeks after surgery so prior to that bread shouldn't be a issue. I still have not attempted a bun or sub yet because I'm nervous. I've had 1 fill but really don't feel any restriction yet.

I don't think anything is wrong with you because I feel/felt the same way. And people on this site assured me this was normal. I still feel able to eat the way I used to, only I'm afraid so I've cut way back but could if I wanted to. I can eat anything, i've had steak, pizza, salad, raw veggies, etc with no problems at all and I'm only 5 weeks post op. I have my first fill 3/8/07 and like you, I'm hoping it will help me reduce portions. Because lets face it, if we were masters of doing that none of us would be here. I feel this is the most trying time because you're unsure what you can eat quanity wise without damaging the band, yet you still feel you could wolf half a pizza down and then some. I gotta admit, at this phase a half of cup of food just isn't cutting it for me.

I'm wondering what people are losing weight wise after having the band placed but before they get their first fill. I haven't had a fill yet and feel I can pretty much eat what I used to. I've tried to be healthy and change my ways and I'm not eating like I used to. But I still feel I'm not losing. I lost during the "liquid" phase pre surgery and right after surgery. But now that I'm on to regular foods I'm not seeing the scale move nor am I ever really feeling that full feeling. Anyone else experiencing this?

Thanks Jayne! I feel you. I know I've lost some inches because my pansta nd bras are loose, or more so than they used to be. But the scale is not being my friend like I thought it would. Maybe I expected things to change to soon. I know some people say the 1st 6 weeks you don't lose much, if anything. I'm just hoping my first fill, which is 3/8/07, will do something to help me out. I also bought a exercise bike and plan on starting to do that 30 minutes a day so I hope that and some restriction gets to to a swimsuit ready body. I have a goal of being at 200 by August so I have 50 pounds to go and I hope I get there!

I had my band placed 2/5/07 as well. The key is to eat. I did liquids for 1 week only and then went on to mushys. I made hot dishes, spaghetti, soups and put them in my food processor. I ate tender roasted chicken and turkey and used ground turkey in my hot dishes. I never felt that sick, tired, sluggish feeling once I started to eat. But on that 2 week liquid diet prior to surgery I was barely able to walk and my mind was always foggy, seriously, it was like I was on drugs or something. After that I decided I wasn't going to do that to myself again. I though my doc would be mad when I told him I only did liquids for a week but he was actually happy. He saod great, whatever I could handle and not puke up he was cool with. So my advice is to say goodbye to liquids and start eating some meats, potatoes, cottage cheese, apple sauce,mashed bananas, food processed chili, whatever you can make soft, make soft and eat!

I stuck to liquids for the first week. However, I did include some yogurt and applesauce into my diet in that phase. Week 2 I ate pretty much whatever I felt like, I just put it in my food processor. Didn't look great, but after weeks of soup and broth it was a dream come true. I'm now starting on week 4, have never puked or felt ill and I eat everything I used to except I have not had ground beef or pork. I did have a piece of round steak made in the crock pot with a sauce and that went very well. I personallt think you could have cottage cheese, yogurt, pudding, mashed potatoes, applesauce, ice cream, whatever. Oh sure, they say not to eat ice cream, but lets face it, If you're living on 400 calories a day via soup, a little ice cream won't kill you and you'll feel much better. Just my opinions and it worked for me. I am still scared to try salad and brocolli or raw veggies, I think I'll wait till week 7 for those. Good luck and you'll get through it!

I have no issues at all with tortillas. I also can eat toasted bread, rice, pasta, etc. I can basically eat anything and everything I ate before. I just toast the bread very well and I prefer hard taco shells so they work best for me. I was even able to eat steak 3 weeks after surgery. I just take small bites, chew well, ait a few seconds to see how it affects me and off I go! My first fill is coming up and that may change things, will let you know howit goes.

oops, I think i responded by quote instead of quick reply, sorry!

I couldn't do the straight liquids for 2 weeks. I had slim fast for Breakfast, soup for lunch, any kind of soup, and for dinner I had a chicken breast or roasted chicken, steamed veggies with no sauce or butter and salad with veggies and fat free dressing, ie, no croutons or cheese. I lost 11 pounds, felt good, and didn't lose my mind. My surgery went beautifully per my doc and he had no problems at all.

At week 3 what types of chicken were people able to eat? Could you eat tenders with bredding? Rotissirie chicken without the skin? Boneless skinless chicken breasts? Buffalo wings?? Please let me know because I'm sick of blending everything in my food processor. Thanks!

At what week after surgery are we bale to eat salads? I'm 2 weeks post op and feel like I can eat anything, ie, starving all the time, but am afraid lettuce or raw veggies might get stuck. Any help would be great, thanks!

You know what, it's totally normal. I felt the same way. I was in pain, starving and unable to sleep. But mentally I was mourning the loss of my friend, food. I was always a healthy eater but a over eater. I sat there at dinner time watching my husband eat steak while I ate this tiny amount of cottage cheese. I was sad because I felt like I'd never be able to eat a large portion again, like even if I had a slice of pizza I was afraid I'd be pissed it's all I could have. Then I took a step back and asked myself how I got fat? Well, it was my large portions that got me fat and feeling miserable and ashamed of my body. So I told myself that eventually I'd get steak and pizza, just a little steak and a little pizza. And you know what, I'm already starting to accept that quantity isn't always better than quality and I'm only 12 days post op. I think the liquid stage and mushy stage makes us all wonder.. what the hell did I do? But I'm starting to eat chicken and even had a few chips the other day and was satisfied. Believe me, it does get better. It's just hard to let go of food when it's been a crutch to so many of us for so long. It's almost like kicking a drug habit except worse because food is our drug and we have to have it to survive so we have to co-exist with it.

I didn't sleep more than 3 hours at a time until about day 6. I'm 10 days out and still have incision pain but I had my stamples removed today and now I feel pretty good. I agree with you, the pain was more than expected. I think it's a combination of pain, gas in the chest and tummy, being hungry and weak and not tolerating pain meds well due to empty stomach. I finally feel normal now that the stamples are out and I'm on mushy foods. I am however still hungry but it;s mind over matter. Just think, in 6 or so months we'll look great, feel great and never feel ashamed or embarrased of our bodies again! Stick it out, it's normal to be in pain and be morning the loss of food which many of us used to comfort ourselves.

I did the liquids for 1 week and then moved on to mashed potatoes(instant with gravy from KFC) I had yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, cream of wheat, creamed soups, canned soft veggies, refried Beans with cheese, baked potatoe with cottage cheese. This helped and my doc said if I would eat it without throwing up to go for it. Try some of those foods, start slow, make them runny with some broth, tc.

I was supposed to be on a 2 week liquid diet as well but I couldn't hack it, almost passedout, super weak and ill feeling. My doc said you can have skinless chicken breast w/ no sauces, butter or anything on it, green veggies such as brocolli, cucembers, lettuce and radishes. I basically cut carbs and fats like butter, sauces, ice creeam and have lost 10 pounds. Some real food makes it more bearable!

Has anyone been able to eat things besides liquids prior to surgery and still lose weight and shrink their liver? I'm wondering if you treat yourself once a week to something you like will it ruin the entire pre op liquid diet phase?

Yes, it's been a living hell for me. I was so ill feeling I called the nurse and asked what else could I eat. She said once a day I could have a skinless chicken breast and steamed veggies. I've been doing that each night and it helps alot. I feel better and am able to do my liquids in the day time.

Well, I was so weak and ill feeling I didn't think I could make it. My mind even was foggy. I called my nurse who told me I could eat a chicken breast with a steamed veggie once a day. Boy, that was a life saver. It's hard but gets a little easier as the days go by. But I'd doubt I could make it without the chicken and veggies to look forward to.

Has anyone ate anything other than liquids on the pre surgery stage of the lap band diet? I'm wondering if I'll still shrink my liver and lose weight if I eat something I like once a week? Thanks!