Daddyof4

How's everyone doing? I had a tough time on liquids - hungry all the time; when I switched to mushy it got better but still not great. It's a little easier on solids - it sticks with me for 2-3 hours but no restriction yet to speak of. I had to call the doctor's office to ask when I could move to solids but they did not give me any schedule beforehand. I go for my first fill June 28th and cannot wait.

OK, Shap, here's a try. Part of Father's Day celebration used to be IHOP with the kids and pool later. I don't want to return to the scene of so many overeating crimes, though. This year, my wife and I plan to get coffee and find a quiet place to drink it and read the paper and spend some time together. So many holidays are centered around food and this is one way to celebrate differently. How about you other guys?

Hi Matt, I was banded May 21 and mowed the lawn yesterday. No problems at all. I notice that we started at the same weight and you are winning the race so far How are you feeling? Are you on mushies yet? I was really hungry on the liquid and not much better on mushies. Solids are helping but I cannot wait till my first fill on June 28. Restriction, here we come!

I have tried several flavors of Crystal Light and really do not like any of them. I can do decaf instant iced tea with Sweet n Lo. Does anyone have suggestions for other water-like low carb drinks?

Wow! Congratulations! We seem to be on almost the same track with this adventure. One of my reasons for doing this is my kids as well. I'm hoping to be able to do more active stuff with them - we haven't even tossed the football for a year or more and haven't been to the zoo because I can't do the walking. That's about to change. My wife is also concerned that I'll be more attractive to other women but, even if that's so, I'm not about to go anywhere after 22 years of marriage. I keep telling her that my body is getting smaller but I'm not changing my personality! I wonder if other significant others have these concerns - there seems to be no organized support for partners of bandsters. My first solid meal was a meat loaf with grated onions in it. I have no idea why - it's what I had on hand. I need to figure out other things to eat as well. I know pot roast and brisket are moist meats because you cook them in Water for hours. I've also had chicken breast in cream of chicken Soup - small pieces of chicken chewed well seem ok so far. I do not like dark meat chicken, but dark meat turkey is good - maybe I should roast a turkey (that doesn't sound like summer food very much). I'm planning to start swimming laps, now that the pool is open; maybe I can join my 8-year-old in her swim team practices. How's that for embarrassing your kid. Have a good day and keep up the good work!

Hi Kate, I had Dr. Moazzez as well. Have you been to any support group sessions? I'd like to go but may not make the June one since it's my daughter's birthday. RockieBarbie09, my family has been nothing but supportive, as have my coworkers. I worried about who to tell and a lot of people on this site said not to tell too many people but I've been fortunate. The one person who I thought would be negative asked me to keep track of how it goes because she might want to be next! How did your appt go today?

Nobody has mentioned the one I like - Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein. I've had chocolate and strawberry and they provide 26 g of protein and only 8 g of carb. I have to say, though, they taste really good when made with skim milk but not so good with water. The milk adds protein, though. I don't care for Muscle Milk and cannot stand yogurt no matter how many times I try it with different stuff added, it just tastes spoiled to me.

I was banded May 21, 2012 and have lost 12 lb since then, 33 total.

Guess who got approved for solid food today? I am afraid I overate because my pouch feels FULL. We'll see how long it lasts. I had to call the doctor's office to ask how much longer I needed to do mushies. I wasn't having too hard a time with it but was hungry a lot of the time. I was told that I would, in fact, get my fill on the 26th. Can't wait. One suggestion for mushy - I browned ground beef, put it in the food processor a little bit and added beef gravy and it was pretty good and about the consistency of sloppy joes. I tried this trick with chicken but it looked too much like cat food to eat much of it. I was told that my portion size could be between one half and three quarters of a cup. Woo Hoo!! We are really enjoying JEB. I think it has gone through some changes and upgraded itself. My older son is going for the IB diploma - that's a ton more work than I was willing to do in HS. My wife graduated from there in 1982; I'm from a suburb of Rochester, NY and went to a tiny high school (200 in my graduating class).

You grew up about a half mile from where I live - did you go to Annandale High School? My kids are at JEB Stuart. I was banded May 21 and it's going pretty well. The 4 small incisions almost invisible now and the bigger port one is fading. Currently on mushies and getting pretty tired of it. Not staying particularly full; hungry lots of the time but, hey, I figure in a year I won't even remember this part. I see the doc June 26, presumably for my first fill - I can't wait. How about you?

I was told mushy is anything you can mash with your fork. I've been living on egg salad, tuna, gefilte fish, scrambled eggs and canned no sugar added fruit like peaches. Yams, squash and spinach work too, as well as well-cooked (really, overcooked) broccoli. I get my first fill June 26 and hope to get enough to give me some restriction. My will power won't much longer.

I was banded on May 21 and have not had my first fill yet (anxious to get some restriction!). I made the mistake of taking a small bite of my daughter's steak sandwich, chewed it really well and it got stuck. It felt like a golf ball lodged in my chest just above the stomach. I used one of the papaya enzyme pills and felt much better witin about 15 minutes. I got them at my local natural vitamin shop. Nothing like a bit of pain to remind me not to have steak sandwiches anymore!

Not close to Richmond, I live in Falls Church in Northern VA.

Hi Difa, How are you doing? Did you get banded June 4? I was banded May 21. I am 5 feet 9 inches, started at 285, now at 255 and am 55 years old. I did not have to do the pre-op liquid but did manage to lose a few pounds doing Atkins for two weeks prior. Still trying to juggle the soft foods, protein shakes, vitamins, etc. but happy with results so far. Let me know how it's going for you.

I kind of jumped the gun on this. I was told both 4 weeks and when the incisions are healed. My 4 small incisions look just like scabs now and I put a waterproof bandage on my port incision, which also looks mostly like a scab. I went into the (seemingly) ice-cold water slowly, got used to it shortly but got out soon since it was break and my daughter (8) wanted to sit with me. After break I got back in for a long while but I got cold (first time in ages) after about 30 minutes. So far no ill effect. I was cleared for light exercise so I swam a bit of breaststroke and felt fine. Just reporting in.

I was banded on May 21, full liquid diet for the required 10 days and went to post-op appointment to be told another 2 weeks of liquids - bummer! Saw nutritionist the next day - change of plans. I was hungry all the time on liquid but this morning I found out that if you eat a little too large of bites or a little too fast the food says it wants to make a repeat appearance. The difference between no restriction with liquids and no restriction (no fill yet) for mushies is amazing. How's eating going for you other May 2012 Bandsters? Buddyslim.com weight loss blog[noparse]<noscript>buddytslim</noscript>[/noparse]

Hi K6TYX - I was told to do full liquid for two weeks post-op, not clear liquids - you should check with your doctor. Full liquid includes anything that acts like a liquid inside your body like cream of wheat, sugar free gelatin, sugar free low fat vanilla pudding and cream of chicken soup put through the blender to get rid of the large chunks of chicken. If your doctor's office says liquid is ok I see no reason why you couldn't put the vegetable soup through the blender and then drink it. I did that with black bean soup (not recommended for its side effects but tasted good). The variety helped me get through the liquid stage. Good luck!

Jannaboo, what helped me when I was hungriest was either low fat no sugar pudding or cream of wheat. Both of them have some substance to them and helped me feel a little full for a little while. I was also permitted cream of chicken soup put through the blender to eliminate the chunks of chicken. I ate it slowly with a spoon and it seemed to do the trick. Hang in there - you'll get through this. I keep saying that in a year I won't even remember this part. Good luck!

I can't wait till my first fill. The liquid diet with no restriction is leaving me hungry most of the time! How long post-op did you have to wait?

Hi pbmls223. I was banded on May 21 also and am having similar pains that you describe. I have a small amount of swelling just to the right of the port incision (at 11:00 with navel as center) that is tender to the touch. When I lay on my left side the port area hurts and I cannot lay on my right side at all yet. I called and they asked if it was red and infected-looking which it is not. I was told this is quite normal but the PA will check it out Thursday at my appt. Yours sounds normal too based on what I was told. Hang in there; I hope your checkup goes well.

Bamasleever, I don't know where you got your information but there is no chlorine in any of the sugars or sugar substitutes. Elemental chlorine is a poisonous gas and is found in sodium chloride, common table salt. Sugars have carbon, oxygen and hydrogen - no chlorine in sight.

As a chemist I like Splenda the best in principle since it's chemically the same molecule as sucrose, just the mirror image, but it tastes weird to me. I use old-fashioned saccharin in the pink envelopes. I find the others have an off taste; not just sweet but with a taste of their own. Of course, many people think saccharin has a bitter aftertaste so you just have to try them all. I think Elcee has the right idea - try to get rid of the craving for sweet items and avoid the whole issue. My mom has always drunk black coffee so she doesn't have to find the right half-and-half or the right sweetener.

Cazzy, thanks for the advice and the reminder. I want the weight off me as quickly as possible and wish for instant gratification but I will have to be patient and know that if I follow my doc and nutritionist's advice I will lose the weight and improve my health. As soon as I am cleared for exercise I plan to join the gym at my office (cheap!) and get moving too. I see you've achieved your goal - congratulations!

The ounces may be limitless but the liquid diet is NOT helping me get into the new routine I need to have to succeed with the band. They say breakfast, lunch and dinner with protein shakes in between and lots of water but it's hard to say, this shake is breakfast, etc. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.

I couldn't stand it last night - I was sooo hungry that I had to have something. I felt if I had another instant pudding with Protein (actually pretty good) I'd barf so I had a little cream of wheat too. It was extremely satisfying but I realize that I'm on liquids only to give my stomach a break. I had a small amount and waited to see if there would be any bad reaction. None, so I had more. I'll be good till I can get to the mushies but I don't see any point in beating myself up over it. BOB052212, thanks for opening up on this. Continued good luck with this. Buddyslim.com weight loss blog[noparse]buddytslim[/noparse]