megansmommy123

They aren't premade, but I love the GNC Isopure low carb powder. You can mix it with milk or water. They are 25g of protein for 6 ounces of liquid, and low carb. They are the only protein shake I thought tasted good.

If it were me, I would not get a band. After seeing what my mom has gone thru the last 4 years after her band, I would never get one. She did lose weight, but had a ton of problems, and the band eroded into her stomach. She had to have emergency surgery to remove the band, and it could have been life threatening if she didn't catch it. A few months later she had gastric bypass. I know every surgery has its horror stories, but the lapband seems to be becoming a thing of the past, and too many complications. I strongly urge you to get a second opinion before going further!

Most of the surgeons in my area wont even do a lap band anymore, too many complications. I've known so many people who had a band, and had to have it removed, and did either sleeve or bypass after that. My mom was one of them. She had GERD and had a ton of problems after the lap band. She got bypass and has had no problems. I would recommend getting a second opinion from a different surgeon, just to be sure.

I went to Olive Garden around 4 weeks on soft diet, and had the minestrone soup, I just ate the broth, with the softened veggies, I didn't eat the pasta as my NUT doesn't allow pasta until 6 months or more post op. The soup was really good, and easy to eat.

I've been having some sugar free chocolate, or hot cocoa to get my chocolate fix. Most stores sell sugar free chocolate (Target, Walmart, CVS), I like the hersheys chocolate, or the reeces peanut butter cups. Hills Bros also makes a Sugar free powdered cappucinno mix that is good, in vanilla or chocolate.

I chewed beef jerkey, then spit it out. Just not too much because the sodium is high.

I never did pureed food, my dr said at that stage you can eat anything soft, just chew it well. I lived mostly on egg drop soup, dannon light and fit greek yogurt, scrambled eggs, split pea soup, chili (mushed up, not pureed), mashed sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, refried beans with melted cheese on top, vegetable soup, tomato soup, and of course protein shakes.

Ever since my sleeve on June 11th, everytime I eat food, I get almost an allergic reaction after. I sneeze, my eyes water, and my nose runs. Anyone else? It's completely weird.

It definitely happens more when I am full, but happens even when I am not. This morning it was 2 bites of yogurt, and I was sneezing. Maybe I'm eating too fast? Glad to see I am not the only one.

My NUT guidelines is 50g of protein per day from shakes, and then whatever I can get from food on top of that is great. She said our bodies normally need 70-80g per day, but if we get 50g from our shakes, then don't worry about the rest, just try to eat protein at all 3 meals, and that is enough in addition to our shakes. But the 2 shakes, 50g protein per day is an absolute must daily.

So frustrating! I've lost 46 pounds so far, and all my clothes fit the same! I want to see progress, results, something! How do you lose that much and not notice a difference? I know the bigger you are, the longer it takes to notice weight loss, and my starting weight was 366, so I know that has something to do with it. But its still frustrating! Where has all that weight lost come from?

Are you keeping up with your protein shakes? I found that to be the key to keeping my energy levels up.

It's perfectly normal, happens to almost everyone. My mom gained 20 pounds after surgery. It will go away, I promise. You are full of gas, and iv fluids, and swelling. It will come off over the next few weeks. Hang in there.

I agree with tesser85. I don't think you can compare numbers. People will lose differently based on their starting BMI, how active they are, if they are male or female, a number of reasons. I think as long as the number is going down, you are going in the right direction. I was sleeved on June 11th, and have lost a total of 46 pounds. 6 of that prior to my pre-op, 15 during my pre-op diet, and 25 since surgery.

They look good, going to try making them tomorrow. I am desperate for anything bread-like. Has anyone tried making these? http://www.food.com/recipe/cleochatras-oopsie-rolls-292261

I posted the link above so you can look at the recipe.

It's easy for people to make judgements when they have never struggled with weight. Walk a mile in our shoes.

You're lucky. I had to do 2 weeks of protein shakes only. Nothing else. I did have a bad headache the first few days. I thought it was because of cutting out caffeine, but I think it was more from sugar withdrawl, and lack of food. Hang in there, the first 4 days are the worst, after that its a bit better.

When is your surgery? How long do you have to do the pre-op diet for? Mine was 2 weeks of liquids. I did cheat, around day 5, I had a few tb of peanut butter, and a few pieces of deli ham. But I still had 9 days after that to do liquids. I promise the pre-op liquid diet is much harder than the eating after surgery! It was the worst part! As far as your Dr, it depends. Mine didn't care, as long as you lost weight prior to surgery, he didn't care. they didn't even weigh me on the day of surgery! But I have heard of some drs that if you don't lose weight, they will cancel the surgery. Basically its about shrinking your liver. The more fat that is around your liver, the tougher the surgery is to do. So sticking to the diet makes the surgery safer for you, which is what you want. Stick with it, you can do it! I know its hard, but it will be over soon, and the cravings after surgery are gone.

Before surgery I rarely drank milk because of the calories. But since then, I find myself drinking it more and more. I've always loved milk, but I drink it now because it does down easy, and its nice to drink something that isn't sweet, and I figure its a protein boost. I usually drink 12oz a day mixed with my protein powder, and then another 12 ounces throughout the day. So a total of 24 ounces a day. It's 1%, so about 250 calories, 23g of protein. I'm losing weight fine, and reaching my protein requirements with no problems, so I don't think its an issue. Do you think that's too much?

I eat a ton of greek yogurt, and cheese too. At least 1, sometimes two yogurts a day. And at least 1-2 cheese sticks too. It's just hard to go from the pre-surgery thought of "stay away from dairy, its calories", to now eating it all the time.

I lost 35 pounds my first month, 40 if you count the weight I lost on my pre-op diet. But I think it depends on your starting weight too. It seems that the heavier you are, the faster it comes off at first. I am 39, my highest weight was 366. I lost 6 pounds prior to my pre-op, then 15 on the pre-op diet, and 35 in the month after surgery. I think as long as the direction keeps going down, it doesn't matter how fast. I expect that the first month we will lose the most, then it will began to slow after that. After not losing weight for over 10 years, any movement in the right direction is fine with me!

Sugar free syrup, peanut butter, or sugar free jam heated and thinned out?

I just went to an amusement park over the weekend that was "no outside food allowed" and I was able to bring in food in a cooler. I just showed them a letter from my dr and they were fine with it. You could get a small cooler and put ice packs in it and bring food with you when you are out of the hotel. I brought greek yogurt, string cheese, sliced turkey, and sugar free powdered drink mixes to mix with my water. For the hotel you could bring packs of tuna, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, cheese. Don't forget your protein shakes.

I would say yes. I think they celery is hard to digest because its stringy, but if its cooked and pureed it should be fine. I ate some celery in soup at about 3 weeks post op. It was cooked really soft, and I didn't have any problems.