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My doctor said to start practicing the wait 1 hour before drinking even during the liquid phase. More about behavior modification really. During this phase I would have full liquid soup (Pacific brand tomato/sweet red pepper is very good) and then an hour later the protein shake.

Welllll how do you plan on having the clams prepared? Here is New England that would be fried or cream based chowder. I choose not to eat them because that's how I like them.

I was allowed to move to mushies (3oz protein) on day 15 postop. Week two I was allowed 3 protein shakes a day and 3 8 oz servings of full liquid soup (tomato) and sugar free jello. I had my check in at day 12 and asked if I could move to mushies early. The answer "absolutely not!"

My doctor recommended Flinstone Multi chewable with Choline; I buy the Costco brand which is much cheaper (exact same thing). Vitafusion has both fiber and Vitamin D chewables; fiber I get at Costco and D at Walmart or drugstore.com. Caltrate (calcium + D) large bottle at Walmart (I have low D levels so I take a lot)

My doctor recommends Flintstone multivitamin with CHOLINE (double check not all have choline). I buy the Costco brand version same thing half the price. Pre breakfast is my chewable fiber gummies, Vitamin D Gummies, Chewable Calcium, and Chewable Multi; it's like a mini treat.

Nope no problems

Yes life does get better! For either good or bad I am one of those bandsters who can basically eat anything. I choose not to eat pizza everyday (which at one point of my life I did. No kidding). I try to eat by the 95/5% rule. Eat correctly 95% of the time and enjoy your treats the other 5%. The only bread I've had trouble with is cheap rolls you get at low end restaurants. I reallllyy really like bread so I choose my battles. If there is good bread to be had I can have some but I choose not to eat lesser bread the rest of the time. I don't tend to eat sandwiches because the bread is not the star of the sandwhich so only have the filling. You will be able to eat out again you will just need to choose healthy foods and to probably pack up half of what you are served.

I think your doctor is referring to water not the protein shake being 40 oz. At this stage you are still healing. When was you surgery? I was not on mushies until 3 weeks out. If you doctor progressed you faster than 3 weeks perhaps you should still be on full liquids.

Did your doctor tell you to move to solids? I was on clears for 7 days, full liquids 7, soft mushies (cottage or ricotta cheese) 7, fuller mushies (canned chicken or tuna) 7 days and then solids. So buy that schedule you should still be at soft mushies. If you Have not done so buy a digital food scale. My doctor said 3 oz of protein. If you are still hungry add a fat free pudding cup. When that's gone stoop eating. It's hard but that's why they call it bandster hell!

I did'nt get hunger pains like that but if your shake is whey based some people have trouble with the lactic acid. Also your body is used to probably 3000 calories a day and you've but it done to 1000 or less; it's going to revolt.

FYI I also used fruit in my shake pre surgery (I was on my own diet not one from the doctor) but post op he said NO fruit.

In the US most doctors recommend focusing on 3-4 oz of solid protein and then 1/2-3/4 cups of low cal/fat veggies. It sounds like perhaps you are consuming too many carbs (ie potatoes). I would recommend buying a digital food scale. Measure out your protein and when it's gone stop eating. It can take a long time to get restriction. Took me 6 months! If you must have a snack I would recommend 1 oz chicken breast.

If you can not eat 3 oz solid protein 3 times a day you are too tight.

I had BCBS and I was approved right away.

I did not get restriction until 10.6 CCs in a 11 cc band. I would def. talk to the doctor about your fill level. As to food choices; pre band I had really modified what I ate so that hasn't really changed. I try to live by the 95/5 rule. I eat very conservatively 95% of the time and can have treats the other 5%. Yes, I understand "If I could live that way I would'nt have needed surgery" Well that's how MOST "naturally" thin people live. This is so much a mental journey. To me restriction isn't normally I can't eat another bite it's do I really want another bite. I feel more of a satiation. Preband I would have heard that voice and just kept eating. Now I have a stronger physical feeling that helps me turn food down.

My doctor has never said anything about calories. I am to make sure I am getting 60-80 grams lean protein and to eat fruit and or veggies at every meal.

You may want to keep a supply of chewable papaya pills at work. They may help with a stuck episode.

I would ask your insurance what weight they use. The last time I was weighed was when I went in to meet with the Anesthesiologist, 2 weeks preop. .

My doctor never told me to only drink 4 oz at a time. I could drink as much clear liquid as I wanted; and three protein shakes daily first 7 days post op.

My diet post band has really helped with my low blood sugar. How long after eating do you start to have a problem. If it's after 6 hours you are hungry. Eat something. My worst event post surgery was just recently. For food that day I had a protein shake, chicken breast with salsa and low fat cheese and sweet pepper. I'd done an hour at the gym in the morning and had gone back in the evening for water aerobics. I had not eaten dinner so I almost fainted in the pool. Not good. If I'd had a protein shake before the class that would'nt have happened. Lesson learned.

I was not on a liquid diet ordered by the doctor. I had lost my required amount plus 20 pounds. I put my self on a 2 protein shakes with one low cal/fat protein meal per day. Based on reports on this site that I might not be able to eat bread again I went to Not Your Average Joes and split a dinner with my mother. And of course had their fabulous onion bread with dipping sauce (olive olive and grated cheese with hot pepper flakes). Oh and my very last diet coke!

This was my first time reading and I was going to suggest an ultrasound. Sounds like the ER did that. When I lost a lot of weight at 18 it led to having my gallbladder out. For now stop eating ANYTHING with fat. Period. Trust me the likelyhood of attacks goes way down.

Well I am not in the age group but as my mother had one hip replacement around your age and a second hip done when she was 78; this surgery is a piece of cake compared to those! If you lost some weight do you think you would have an easier time exercising? At my heaviest I started swimming to try loosing weight because I had horrible knee pain. If I can go to the gym and swim in front of the high school swim team in my fat lady swim dress anyone can! Swimming and or water aerobics are great for overweight people because you dont have all that pressure on your joints. I highly recommend a water proof MP3 player (look on Amazon).

You are doing really well. I am more of a 1 pound per week person (or less) and I eat very conservatively and exercise 7 days a week (sometimes twice a day). I had lost 100 pounds pre surgery which I believe is why I am a losing slowly after. Also as previously mentioned I'm sure I lost slower than someone who was eating 3,000 calories a day persurgery. I was already down to 1300-1500 cals a day before surgery.

Per Elcee's comment the band is meant to be permanent. Unless someone can completely overcome their eating behaviors they would revert to eating too much once the band was removed. It would become like every diet I ever started lost weight and then gave up on.