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JAN. 24, 2011 - MONDAY - 1 WK. POST OP - WELL I WENT TO MY DR. APPT. TODAY. I LOST 10 MORE LBS. TOTAL WT. LOSS 26 LBS. YEH! MY STERI STRIPS WERE TAKEN OFF AND THE INCISIONS ARE HEALING WELL. MY DIET WAS ADVANCED TO PUREED. NO MORE PROTEIN SHAKES - YEH! I AM TO RETURN IN 1 WK. FOR MY NEXT APPT. I WENT TO WALMART TO CELEBRATE BY BUYING SOME NONFAT AND SUGAR FREE FOOD FOR MYSELF. WHEN I GOT HOME I MADE MYSELF SOME PUREED TUNA WITH A BIT OF FAT FREE MIRACLE WHIP AND HAD SOME NO ADDED SUGAR APPLESAUCE AND A SMALL CONTAINER OF HIGH FIBER PEACH YOGURT. IT TASTED YUMMY! I FELT SATISFIED. I HAVE TO REMEMBER THOUGH - NO DRINKING 1/2 HR. BEFORE OR AFTER A MEAL. AND NO MORE THAN 3/4 CUP OF FOOD EACH MEAL. I THINK I OVERDID IT TODAY - I AM VERY TIRED SO I THINK I WILL GO TO BED NOW! GOODNITE ALL!!!!

Hey everyone I was sleeved on the 3rd. Today is day 13....its so funny how we count the days. I'm able to drink 2 shakes a day, 24 oz of water, 4 oz of cream of wheat, yogurt with a mashed banana was yesterday attempt and it gave me life. I pureed some beef stew with carrots and had only 3 spoons and was done. I can sleep on my stomach. However last night and right now I have aches all through my legs and lower back. Feel weak to walk.

Most post-op diets follow the below schedule: Week one-two: Full liquids (some surgeon's require Clear Liquids for one week or part of one week). Full liquids for me included low-fat yogurt without any chunks of fruit or seeds, broths, Lipton cup of Soup cream of chicken, Protein drinks, milk, 100% fruit juice diluted 50%. Week Three: pureed foods- anything you can blend to the consistency of baby food. Still no foods with chunks and no solids. Week Four: Mushies- soft foods. eggs, oatmeal, grits, tuna salad. Week Five +: Slowly start adding normal foods to diet, paying attention to feeling satisfied. Keep in mind that the diet is to make sure your band settles properly. The band is sutured in at the top of the stomach and so the diet is used to prevent the stomach from churning (something it does when you eat solid foods). For the safety of your band and future health, you want to follow your post-op guidelines to a T so you don't cause any issues out of the gate.

Sounds like you have pretty good restriction already! That's great! Or your stomach can be a bit swollen from the fill. Maybe try liquids, yogurt or pudding for a day and then try again. Eggs should be a food that go down fairly well. Try to wait a minute or two between bites and see if that helps. Sometimes it's not just small bites and chewing well but giving your stomach a little time for it to register. I doubt if 1 egg was too much, you should be fine with that.

TG this isn't another "I feel like a failure 10 days post op". I think there is a presumption that if you don't lose all this weight quickly you wasted money and you are a loser. You are not!! If you are a failure than I need to just to jump off a bridge for only losing 30 pounds a in a year. Yes, sometimes I feel disappointed but I know I would never ever have lost it without the band. I am slightly annoyed at doctors who vary so much on lap band advice - by reading the boards some doctors yell at their patients for only losing a pound a week while my doctor is over the moon when I lose a pound a week. You will have to keep getting fills until you hit the sweet spot. It took me 6 fills in 7 months to get really get there. I wonder why doctors don't seem to explain what this is as so many people on this board seem to think 1 or 2 fills will magically work which usually wont make a difference on most people. For instance, I am satisfied with yogurt and string cheese. Fills 1 thru 5 - I would have rolled my eyes at that - it would have taken 6 oz steak and mash potatoes to fill me up. Hang in there and don't compare yourself to others.

All the problems you list COULD be related to the acid, which isnt that abnormal. It would be a good precautionary step to get some imaging done just in case. But if your surgeon is confident, then it's your call whether you want a second opinion. Acid can swell up the esophogus and slow down the movement of food. Does it get better when you take the acid blockers? Does it feel like food is stacking up before the stomach (intense, focused discomfort)? Are you chewing things up really well and eating slowly? If you get imaging that shows youre structurally fine, then I'd work with the choice of foods. Work with your nutritionist to find foods that don't trigger the acid. For me, I couldnt touch yogurt for 3 months. But now I'm off the pills and love yogurt.

Definitely increasing your protein and fluids will help with energy. You can also probably up you calorie intake a bit. I found that in order to really sustain my workouts, I needed to be right at or a bit above 1000 a day. I also started adding a little Kashi cereal (1/4 of a serving) to my greek yogurt in the afternoons, because I found that having a little bit of carbs pre-workout really helped me get through. Then I would have a high protein dinner shortly after my workouts. I always work out in between when I get home from work and dinner. I find that's the best time for me to work out, because instead of changing out of my work clothes and into my house clothes (pajamas basically) I would change straight into my workout clothes. Once my pajamas are on, I know working out is NOT gonna happen, so by changing into my workout clothes right after work, it forces me to go ahead and do my workout!

I had a lot of those cartons of creamed soup post-op, which I often added milk and unflavored protein powder to. I also used a lot of protein powder (both unflavored and sugar-free flavored varieties) and smooth greek yogurt. I bought oatmeal but discovered I could only stand the unsweetened stuff immediately post op, the normal stuff was WAYYYYY too sweet for me to tolerate. High protein milk (Fairlife in the USA, Natrel in Canada) was a great way to get in some more protein and a hundred or so more calories a day, as well as upping my fluids when water was weirdly awful to drink. I think I had some unsweetened applesauce, but not often. Basically my rule for myself was if it wasn't a source of protein, I didn't eat it those first couple weeks. There was just so little room in my tummy or will to eat, I needed to make every single bite "count". I think the biggest surprise was how much sweetened stuff in general disgusted me and tasted bad though. Pudding cups, popsicles, protein shakes, oatmeal... I had absolutely zero interest in sweet things. I lived off of savoury for at least a week before introducing limited amounts of sweeter foods. (AKA going from plain oatmeal to plain oatmeal with half a teaspoon of raspberry jam VS the high protein maple brown sugar oatmeal I'd been suggested to buy). I know some surgeons include baby food in their post-op diet plans, but I can't imagine myself eating that post-op. If it's not specifically recommended for you, I would like to say it really isn't required. I was kind of emotional and crotchety after surgery and was even resentful of the pureed soups, so I can only imagine how crabby I'd have been to be eating food meant for a baby LOL. Your mileage may vary on that one. I think my biggest piece of advice from one planner to another though... is DON'T OVERBUY. I was totally like "oh yeah I'm gonna stock up on all this stuff and it'll be perfect!" and then things I stocked up on... I ended up not wanting to eat and not liking. Stuff like said high protein oatmeal which I had always enjoyed before suddenly tasted terrible and now I was stuck with four stupid boxes of the stuff. Buy enough for a few days so you're not stuck with stuff your new belly/tastebuds aren't digging. Yes it means you're a little less prepared for the post-surgery apocalypse, but there's always online shopping and grocery delivery if you don't have enough of something. Post bariatric surgery is the one time I'd actually advocate "better to need it and not have it than have it and not need it". Also, I really looked forward to grocery shopping post op because it was a great way to get out of the house and do some limited walking

I've been struggling too. .. It's when my children have their snacks that I tend to cheat. .. At work I'm fine at night for dinner I'm fine. For snacks my nut told me I could have sugar free jello and Popsicle. Also boiled eggs and yogurt. Maybe you could all of you could ask about those... That's what I did! Good luck!!

I definitely meal-plan, shop and cook more than I did pre-op. (I've lost all my excess weight and maintained my weight loss for over 15 months.) Breakfast is high Protein / high Fiber. lunch is something easy, e.g., dinner leftovers, a high-protein/high-veggie salad or sandwich, etc. Planned Snacks (not grazing!) are fruit, cheese. We do a sit-down dinner every night -- either home-cooked or healthy takeout. We eat in restaurants 4-5 times a month. I'm such a fan of My Fitness Pal. Using it for the last 2+ years, I've learned so much about the basic nutrients of specific foods. I now eat more fibrous veggies and fruits; yesterday I had carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, spaghetti squash, and blueberries. Yesterday's protein came from a Protein Drink, Greek yogurt, skim milk, cheese, roast beef, chicken. Whole grains were high-protein/high-fiber bread (2 slices), all-bran Cereal. I have treats daily. Yesterday's were 1 salted caramel biscotti, 1.5 ounces of scotch, and 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate. It's all so delicious and satisfying. I couldn't be happier about how I'm eating.

THAT SOUNDS TERRIBLE. I AM SORRY THIS IS HAPPENING TO YOU. I HAD MY SURGERY ON JUNE8TH. I WAS ON CLEAR LIQUID FOR 10 DAYS AND THEN I ADDED YOGURT AND SOME CREAM SOUPS FOR ANOTHER TEN DAYS. I CAN NOT BELEIVE YOUR DOC SAID YOU COULD HAVE CEREAL. THAT SOUNDS CRAZY TO ME. YOUR STOMACH NEEDS TIME TO HEAL.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend and a wonderful relaxing Sunday. The day is beautiful here in SC, sun is shinning but it is still a little cool for the south. I don't know about everyone else but I can't wait until spring. I have so much more energy and motivation when it is warm outside. I find the winter months to be a little depressing and I do not feel as motivated to be outside and exercise. I am proud that I have went back to curves a week ago and have met my goal of going on Saturday mornings, and Tuesday and Thursday evenings after work. I need to set a new goal this week of at least doing 30 minutes of exercise daily of at least walking or something. I need my tread mill moved so I can use it, my son moved in late last year and it is in his room and a little hard to use. My husband says he has to take it apart to get it out of the room and has not done that yet. First thing that ticks me off lately. I go back to see my surgeon next week one , I had my last fill on Jan 30th and I am still struggling with solid foods most days, I do eat but it is usually late in the afternoons and evenings, I am getting all my protein in but with supplements. I keep thinking the band will loosen up a little and some days it seems to and others like yesterday, I just gave up and ate Greek yogurt and drank protein. I am still holding at 160 lbs, so at least I have slowed down on losing for a while. On the 30th I was at 175 which was up 5 lbs from before Christmas. I did find something good to eat this weekend, we ordered take out from the local Chinese restaurant and I ate a tofu stir fry, it was yummy and the tofu was silky soft and slide right down. I was only able to eat about 1/2 cup but it was yummy. I went out today and purchased a fit bit and tied it to my fitness pal account so I could track my activity and calories burned. I will let everyone know how that works out. I have been a little lazy lately and feeling a little frustrated with food and eating in general. I haven't felt this way in a long time but it is just so frustrating when one day things go down with out problems and they same things don't the next day. Welcome to bandster hell, I guess. The last thing that ticks me off today is people who use this site to promote sales of products. I was reviewing the forums and blogs this morning and found a blog that someone had started yesterday, she said she was 2 years out from lap band and had lost 150 lbs but was promoting a protein drink diet to get back on track. I thought to my self, every lap band patient knows that gimmicks don't work, diets don't work and getting the lap band has to be about changing your life and behaviors. Not sure why it pissed me off but it did, I feel we all work so hard on trying to live with lap band and trying to change out lives and live like others and the last thing I needed was someone telling me I could lose weight with lap band drinking yummy protein shakes. SERIOUSLY! I drink the damn shakes because nothing else goes down some days and this is not how I intend to lose my last pounds. I want to eat, enjoy my food portion. So shame on you if you are a lap band patient for encouraging us to drink protein to lose weight instead of change our behaviors and learn to live with lap band. I know we all have the freedom to post and believe what ever we want but SERIOUSLY give me a break. Ok, I feel better now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, Jori! 990ml isn't too bad to start out with, but really try to get in more so you don't become (if you're not already) dehydrated. Try room temperature, a little colder, and ice cold... see which you tolerate best. In the VERY beginning, I could only tolerate absolutely ice cold water, otherwise I would get terrible hiccups. That has changed and I can have all temperatures now with no problems. You definitely need more protein than what you're getting from one container of FF Greek yogurt, though. Have you tried protein shakes (that would help get in more liquid as well!) or adding some unflavored protein powder to your yogurt? If walking is really bothering you, I would maybe suggest holding off on that for now, until you are getting in more calories per day. I don't think your weight loss in the first month is *too* extreme for having had the surgery. It will slow down All the best to you, and keep us posted!

This is not to slam anyone, but I really would like some input. I read here so many that say the band doesn't work, or that 20,30,or 40lbs have come off and now nothing. I realize that many of you have had problems with slippage or some other medial issue, so I'm not thinking of you, I have been reflecting and I'm finding some greal gray areas for myself. I started to make my food changes the day of my seminar, I cut out sweet tea, sodas, starting taking smaller portions , no drink with food and soon started to feel bertter. And I was working hard to drink my Water. I choose the band because the bypass scared me, and I didn't like the look of those who had it. I followed my own changes from Nov. until my 2 week pre op diet.in Feb. I was down 18lbs on that day. I was good about following the instructions and the weight keep coming off. I didn't exercise much, just watched what I ate. When I finally lost 63 lbs. and was in a size 12....I lost my mind. I got lazy and stopped following the rules. I lost my commitment to the program. I stopped loosing . Even knowing this I can't get on track. I say these things because I don't think we are all as commited as we once were, we are not as honest with ourselves as we need to be. For me candy keeps wandering into my home, coffee creams are the devils inventtion and sugar has rentered through a back door. Still knowing this, I can't seem to shake things back in the right places. I started this journey because I didn't want to be on a diet for life, and I don't feel I am. One of my problems is that even though I don't have ture restriction, I don't have a problem with hunger, I thought if I wasn't hungry I shouldn't eat...very wrong. I am stumped about how to fix where I am, I need to loose anthore 30-35lbs to be in the guidelines. I would like to loose about 15 to feel like I had a true result for my effor. I don't think doc will do a fill since I'm not hungry. I try to eat meat & veggies but it is usually only once a day. Yogurt and Protein drinks to try to get the protein in. My life schedule is strange and gym time never seems to come. So, is it not working or am I doning something wrong.

Be glad, my pre-op diet is a complete liquid diet starting on Nov 24-surgery is scheduled Dec 1st. I can only have protein drinks, low-fat cream soups (strained), sugar free jello or pudding, yogurt-no chunks. I am on a clear liquid diet the day before surgery. After surgery-I have to follow the same liquid diet for 2 weeks before adding soft foods. But it will be worth it.

I am 10 weeks Post -Op and still can't eat eggs, cottage cheese bread of any type and barley can eat any meat and if I do get to eat meat I only can eat a couple of bites of a grilled chicken strip only no red meat or pork and then I'm full . I can eat yogurt and a half of a protein shake .I was wondering if anyone else has or had this problem of having a hard time eating at 12 weeks out ? I'm already down 60 lbs which I'm happy about but I would like to get more of a food intake. TYI

update: sleeved 2/9 Pain is gone except for a backache in the mornings. dinner was chicken gravey and a lite yogurt for dessert. muscle milk for Breakfast and lunch

Congrats on your loss! I am still in the pre-op phase but I have heard many people say they liked refried beans and cheese, ground beef or turkey pureed with spaghetti sauce and cheese, protein shakes made with greek yogurt and 100% fruit juice. These are just a few things that I said I was gonna try once in that stage. I am loving the GNC banana cream ready to drink lean shake right now. To me it has a good flavor and not an overwhelming protein taste. Hope this helps! Can't wait to see you on the banded side!

Just tried one yesterday (I am 2 and 1/2 weeks out) didn't care for it. Nut. said greek yogurt 0 fat was fine I actually put a tablespoon of honey on it, she said as long as sugars were under 15% would be fine. This helped me get Protein (go for high ones) and feel like your eating something. Pre made Protein drinks make me ill, just can't stomach them. Plus try Soups but make sure you puree them up. Must admit this gets old but thankful to the heavens that I do not have to go weeks and weeks like some brave soles. Have no problem with liquids but thicker foods I really need to train myself to eat slower because it hurts. Muddling my way though this, hope you enjoy something.

Turns out that since I posted this that I have found out that I did indeed have MAJOR issues with my band. I went in for a fill when the found out that my band had slipped. They removed the fill and my symptoms got worse. Completely unfilled I was dealing with vomiting daily even when eating yogurt!. I finally found a doctor who is going to try and get a revision covered by my insurance. Two days ago I had an endoscopy and we found out that I have major gastric outlet obstruction and the sleeve is really no longer an option. This doctor is convinced that because of all of the damage to the stomach where the band has been inserted that my only option is bypass. He said the stomach is in such poor shape that even removal of the band would do me no good. So we have now submitted for insurance approval and hope to have the revision in the next month or so. While I am not looking forward to another surgery I am relieved to know that the last few years of throwing up and gaining weight were not totally my fault!

eggs are mushies so whenever you're cleared for mushies or purees, you should be able to add those foods. Applesauce is a full liquid. I wasn't ever able to eat eggs even now at 16 months scrambled eggs cause some discomfort/heavy feeling. Don't push mushies, if you're having trouble getting in liquids, mushies won't help because the consistency is much heavier. I'm not sure if cottage cheese would be a full liquid or mushy because I hate cottage cheese so I never ate/eat it. Logically, if sugar-free pudding, and yogurts are full liquids then cottage cheese would fall in that same category. Just chew up the curbs to mush.

So, I got a speeding ticket this morning. Isn't that super awesome!! :thumbup: Honestly though, I was going 76 mph in a 60 mph zone, so I totally deserved it. The only thing that makes me mad about the whole thing is that that motorcycle cop is there EVERY morning and I KNOW BETTER! Oh well, it is what it is. I'm feeling much better today! The respiratory infection has faded for the most part. Jazzercise was tough last night, but I definitely felt better when it was over. It is nice to be in enough shape that I don't feel like I'm killing myself the first day back after a break! Today I'm taking it up a notch and I'm doing my 2 mile hill run at lunch and Jazzercise tonight. I only have a non-running lunch work out tomorrow (maybe the bike?) so I should be able to push it out today. I was hungry yesterday. After breakfast, it didn't take too long until I was hungry for lunch. We went to Mi Cocina to meet my parents and I was worried that I would need to eat too much. But my mom & I shared a nacho plate and I ate three nachos with sour cream and guacamole. So, not too bad. In fact, it held me until very late in the afternoon and I didn't get hungry until about 4pm when I had some greek yogurt. I was a little hungry when I went to Jazzercise, but it wasn't horrible. When I got home, I fixed goodies for dinner. (My niece's favorite meal is what she calls goodies, which is bascially a collection of snacks, like apples, pretzels, peanut butter and cheese.) I had just less than a 1/2 c of potato salad, a boiled egg, 10 crackers and 5 pieces of cheese (roughly 3 oz, I think.) I finished the potato salad and egg, but I left 2 crackers and a piece of cheese. I didn't seem to have any "restriction" in the sense that there was no issues with anything going down, however, I did have "restriction" in the sense that I was full after eating a reasonable amount of food. So, I did well yesterday. The trick is stopping when I'm full. I've not been good at that historically and is something I need to work on. So, goals for the week...drink water! And stop eating when I'm full. PS: My new item of the day that I'm wearing...electric blue flats with a row of sequence around the top. Very flirty, but practical too. Have a great day!!

I was banded on 9/13 - All went very well. I have had no issues really. Not much gas pain, no throwing up, a little regular burping and definitely some incision discomfort but other than that I feel great. I was very disappointed that I gained 8 pounds during my overnight hospital stay! I guess IV fluids, etc. I was really bummed! But I am happy to say that I have lost the 8 plus another 4 pounds since then and I am feeling very confident! I am never hungry and in fact I am a little worried because I hardly eat anything. I am on liquids and yesterday all I did was drink water, crystal light and I had a liquid yogurt. I dont think I am getting enough protein. I just dont think I should eat if I am not hungry! Its amazing I feel so noninterested in food! It's like I dont want to eat because I know I can't eat! Hope the feeling sticks around for a while! I am going for post-op appt tomorrow...going to ask about protein shakes and powders. Good luck all!

Okay, I am new to restriction. I had my second fill Wednesday. All day I had trouble drinking water and keeping it down. I was uncomfortable all evening. When I tried to eat, I couldn't. Thursday, more of the same. Yogurt was the only thing I could eat, and then only about 2 oz at a time. Friday, I made a stir-fry, and was only able to eat 2 small bites of broccoli and two small bites of beef. AND THEN it all came right back up. Not like throwing up, it just sort of crawled back up my esophagus. And the pain!! OY! Before it came back up I had chest pain that I can't even explain! Now, five days later, I am still only able to eat extremely small amounts. For dinner I had about an ounce of a turkey burger, and 2 tater tots. I stopped before the pain started this time. <----not completely stupid! :smile: But honestly, my dr. wants me to eat five small meals a day. Since my fill, I am lucky if I eat TWO small meals a day, and they are extremely small. I know I am not getting enough nutrition. I can barely fit the protein drinks in. Do I need to have an unfill? Or is this just what it is supposed to be like?? I like the scales going downward each morning, but am worried that this isn't healthy. Thanks! Hugs,

I used to adore milk chocolate and I find it sickeningly sweet now. In the same vein, I thought dark chocolate was horrid pre-surgery but I absolutely love it now. I also love iced coffee now and rarely had it before. I can't stand tortillas anymore... it just feels like a giant mass of dough in my mouth. I also really don't care for pork anymore. It just seems really rich now. I now love greek yogurt, chicken wings, and eggs; all of which I rarely ate in my old life. I'm sure there is other stuff but I can't think of it right now. Amanda