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well, congrats on your surgery. sounds like you are healing well. the rash i am not sure about,i had one around my incisions, but it was from the bandaid type Patches they placed over them that irritated my skin. are you drinking Protein shakes, if not you need to do so. just sip them slowly. you are most likely still swollen, can last up to a month. that is why they don't want you to advance your diet too quickly so you don't do any damage or cause yourself problems. my mushy stage, i ate small curd cottage cheese, apple sauce, pudding, creamy soups yogurts. if you go to www.lapband.com, they have a ton of recipes people have submitted for all the stages, so things do not get so boring. try to drink as much Fluid as you can, getting dehydrated is not a good thing for your digestion. try the Crystal light packets in your Water. thanksgiving might be a little tough. you could always puree everything i know does not sound appealing, but at least you could eat it all I don't even try to eat white bread of any kind, i can eat whole wheat bread as long as it is small bites and i chew well. i don't have issues with Pasta, rice, or even popcorn. i chew it all up well. i can eat tortillas too, just don't do that often. hope all goes well with you, and no question is too much. that is what we are all here for! to give and get advice.

I would wash the area clean, rinse well, pat dry, and appy Caladryl. It helps the itchies. Don't but calamine lotion, it might not work. Th is has Benadryl in it. Over the Counter Benadryl, or Zyrtec couldn't hurt either. Pressure can always be normal, everyday is a different day with the Band ! So you might have a Fantastic Day or a little tight one, Try letting some ice chips just melt in your mouth. A little at a time. You will get your fluids, and it might take the swelling down. Mushie stage is: Cottage cheese, chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad, anything that you can put in a food processor, and puree (keep it moist, and Low cal) applesauce, Thicker soups, S.F. pudding, Yogurt,. shakes. that's a start, I'm sure you will get more.. But try those ice chips. Shirley.

@@sparksrn, I just had about 10-12 soybeans for lunch, that about what I can eat :-) The ONLY thing I can eat in a bit larger quantity is yogurt, I can eat a whole container, but it takes me about a half hour. Anything else, 1/4C max.

I've never bought any bariatric foods from here or any other place. Doing just fine and my grocery bill is tiny even feeding two adults. I don't eat much any pre-packaged/prepared foods after I realized they were part of the problem (most are crammed with fat/carbs/sodium). I cook from scratch with whole food sources about 75% of the time. Things like marinara sauce or turkey pepperoni I do buy prepared, but I get the lowest carb/highest Fiber versions, and avoid high sodium, and other questionable things. I read nutrition labels of everything. It also works to help me put things back if I'm suddenly craving them and want to buy - one look at a package containing 50 grams of carbs per serving and I can't stick that sucker back on the shelf fast enough! I buy lots of chicken and fish. We eat on a chicken drumsticks or thighs at least once a week, and I usually do them in the slow cooker so I can create broth from the fat/bones and then make a lovely Soup with it later in the week. We eat lots of veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, turnip greens and spinach, okra, brussel sprouts, (not so much of the carby veggies like carrots, potatoes, peas). eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, Beans (kidney, black beans, pintos, great Northern), and brown rice. High fiber wheat bread on occasion. Pork rinds are a great snack substitute when I'm desperate for the crunch of chips (but eaten sparingly since they are so high in sodium). I have a very large variety of awesome recipes that are low carb, high Protein and moderate fat.

PB2 is very nice in yogurt. Very intense peanut taste, and you can add Splenda so it's a little milder.

It is up to you. The sleeve is a tool but the choice of what you will put in your mouth is yours. Were we all perfect no. You have to make up in your mind that you want to live a healthier life period. Will you still be able to have a piece of chocolate from time to time yes eventually-- but hopefully you willing to find your way to chocolate in other ways. A chocolate Protein shake or Protein Bar, a piece of 70% Cacao dark chocolate, chocolate flavored greek yogurt. I felt the same about bread and since surgery I have not had a piece of bread nor do I want to. Does that mean I never will NO, its just right now it does not have any nutritional value to me and I would much rather focus on eating things that give me what I need. My plan allows me at this stage to have bread but in limited amounts. My continued weight loss helps drive it home that I don't really need it. When the time is right (maybe thanksgiving) I will have a 1 inch slice of cheesecake or chocolate cake I will savor and enjoy it, and move on with my life and If I think that might be a trigger food for me I'll steer clear. I never had a issue with sweets but carbs (bread of any kind) is my weakness, So I try not to eat things that I feel might trigger my cravings or desire for these foods like crackers, biscuits, croissants, English muffins and things like that. The sleeve definitely helps with reducing hunger in turn helping you to make healthier choices but some people still complain of having been hungry or dealing with head hunger which is where your willpower to be successful and following your surgeons guidelines is essential. Good Luck to you!

Foods like yogurt are pretty slippery and soft, so you usually don't feel the restriction or satiety with them that you do with something more solid like meat or cheese, so it is quite normal that you can eat more yogurt than the nominal 2-3 ounces that is often stated. I could likewise go through a normal 5-6 oz yogurt serving at that time, though I usually just kept it to 4 oz as that was adequately satisfying for me, and provided enough protein for that particular meal/snack (though by that time I was also throwing in a few berries for added nutrition and variety.)

Find things you enjoy! I eat a lot of fish and homemade chicken salad. If you are still on soft food, anything you like can be put in the blender to at least give you a different flavor. I also ate a lot of yogurt and cottage cheese at first. Now I pretty much eat whatever I want (healthy) in a very small amount. If I eat bread, it is multigrain round flat bread and only half of it. If I am having heavy meat (prime rib or filet) I even sometimes have a bite of mashed potatoes or sweet potatoe with my veggies. It is amazing how your taste buds change along with your habits as time goes by. I log everything and still only eat two meals a day (typically) and about 550 calories. I think every NUT has different suggestions. I am down 122 lbs, still see the dr every 3 months and have 25 pounds to go. She also says you have to be satisfied. Good luck everyone. I have had an incredible journey so far and it has been with the help of all of these veterans.

I'm 3 months out and have just started tolerating solids. I still get almost all my nutrition from yogurt and protein water. Try the protein water, it is easier than shakes, imho. Do check with your doctor. Mine wasn't worried at 6 weeks, but he did send me for additional testing at 11 weeks. But as @Pearldrop says, we're all different and some of us heal more slowly. And I agree with @shelly420, this is a great opportunity for weight loss if your protein intake improves. Hope all goes well.

Wait till ur on regular foods. It's easier to eat 4oz of yogurt than it is to eat 4oz of steak. I'm 3 1/2 mths post op and can only eat about 2-3oz of a TOTAL meal (including Protein, veggies and a carb). I'm hungry again in 2 hrs, but thats beside the point! They took out 85% of ur stomach. Don't worry. You won't be able to eat like you did pre op. I promise...

I have been able to get all my protein from food since maybe 4-5 week (Started solids by day 4 as per my program) We were told that each meal has to be 1 protein portion and on portion is 10g of protein. If you eat 6 times a day, you'll get 60g. I'm 6 months out, I now eat 20g pr meal, 4-5 times a day. The key is meal prep. Figure out how to get 10g of protein into a meal. We were told that 1 egg is considered roughly 10 g. I have found a high protein yogurt that will give me 11g pr 100g. You have fish, chicken, who are fairly light to digest compared to red meat. I make creme cheese sauce with my chicken so it's not so dry, chew chew chew, and it goes down. It is possible is you put some time and effort behind it. Also, track your protein, that is my biggest suggestion.

Hey there, I sis the 14 day diet. It was u can eat anything that goes in a salad but not eggs or bacon, stuff like that, And steamed or raw vegs, and broths. and Protein shakes with skim milk. and plain yogurt. And the 24 hour before sugery u can't eat nothing, And then for 5 days after u can only eat stuff that is clear., so Jello,broths,pickerels, hard sugar free Candis. yep, that is what i am on now, I can't wait to be back to eating the salad stuff again., But i got banged the 8th of this month. and i'm 2 days out. do 3 more to go.

I've had 2 fills, the first 3 cc in June and 1 cc in August. I think I may need another 1-2 cc but it's pretty close to right. I think I can still eat too much "because it's there" but I'm trying to retrain myself that I can save it for later. I am the "go box" queen. Portion sizes are really wayyy too big but u don't feel like u are wasting money if u can eat it 2-3 times. Chicken is the number one food on my list...grilled, baked or fajitas. I have also found the wraps with 90 calories and 8 grams of protein. I don't eat much bread and am usually giving pieces of the wrap to my dogs. As far as a sandwich or burger at least 1 bun's worth will be picked off. Some veggies but I spend most of my food allowance trying to get in the 60 grams of protein. Some junk but just in a smaller portion, the 100 calorie bags are my friend. Fried stuff makes me feel bad, usually diarrhea. I eat yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast...not a breakfast person at all, really don't want to eat in the mornings much, but u have to. I use the WW or LC meals as backup in case there is nothing I want to fix or there is nothing at work that will work. I try to shut down the food by 6 pm and make myself some decaf if I'm feeling deprived or try to get the rest of the day's fluid in. I try to keep a running calorie count in my head and try to put the brakes on at 1200-1500 calories. Hope this helps....the weight loss is slowing down and it looks like I must make friends with exercise. Surprise....it doesn't hurt as much as it used to and I'm trying to go the gym 2-3 times a week. My exercise is simple at present, 20 minutes on the treadmill and 9 of the machines, 40 reps at whatever weight for that exercise.

I got my first fill yesterday. 2 cc's. It felt weird. I was starving and liquids weren't cutting it. I ate some yogurt to make the hunger stop. Today the Protein powder and frozen chunks of banana are getting me through to lunch. Patience is the name of this particular game... my next fill is in 6 more weeks.

I had a rough time with the band. I wasn't banded in Mexico. I was banded at a Bariatric Center of Excellence in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was told, 3 bites of Protein to every bite of vegetable. I was told, avoid beef and pork. Eat what walks on two legs or swims. Don't use sauces, gravies or dressings because you're adding unwanted calories. I'd eat chicken/turkey and it would get "stuck" and I'd have to get an unfill. And there I would be told, "Yeah, chicken is hard for a lot of people to eat. It gets stuck. You should probably avoid it." I'd eat fish (salmon usually) and sometimes it would get "stuck" and I'd have to get an unfill. And there I would be told, "Yeah, fish can be a problem because it's flaky and gets stuck. You should probably avoid it." I was told yogurt can be okay but it's easy to eat too much because it's a "slider" food so I should avoid it (even when I said I was eating plain greek-style stuff that was 24 grams of protein per serving! "When you eat yogurt, you won't feel full because it goes past the band. And the band is there to make you feel full.") But I was continually told, "3 bites of protein to every bite of vegetable." So...avoid beef and pork. Check. Chicken/turkey can be a problem, avoid it. Check. Fish can be a problem, avoid it. Check. Avoid yogurt. Check. BE SURE TO EAT PROTEIN! check!!! I got to the point where everything was getting stuck (except the "bad" stuff - sure I could eat pudding and Cookies and usually cake!). I could eat runny eggs (not scrambled and certainly not hard boiled). I could eat yogurt. I could eat cheese. And I could drink protein. Basically, the only Proteins I could eat had to be soft or liquid. And that was what I was supposed to eat most? How can anyone live that way? Yes, I lost a bunch of weight - because I wasn't eating much! I couldn't! I couldn't eat healthy foods! I was miserable! My surgeon had left that Bariatric Center of Excellence where I was banded/maintained. In October last year, I had a big problem (couldn't sleep, couldn't drink, let alone eat) and the Bariatric Center of Excellence in Scottsdale had no one available to do an emergency unfill. No NP or PA, the surgeon was out of town but I could go to the ER (not covered by my insurance because they weren't contracted with that hospital) and a non-bariatric surgeon who wasn't really familiar with fills/unfills, on call with the Bariatric Center of Excellence, could help me. No thank you. I found my original surgeon practicing elsewhere (finally! he wasn't for a while), he was able to get me in. He had me do an upper GI at the hospital right then - my band was prolapsed quite a bit. I was only at maybe 3.5 cc in a 10 cc band. He was aggravated when I told him about my fill/unfill/fill stuff with the other office - especially when the fills were very, very small. He said they should've known there was a problem because I was barely filled. He deflated the band completely (relief! I could drink Water again!) and told me I needed it removed. It wasn't an urgent thing unless I couldn't eat or drink, so I went home. He told me he wouldn't reposition it because if it happened like that with me, it would happen again. Starting sometime in Spring 2011, I started having "stuck" issues again. More bringing up the food. One night in July, I had cooked a burger patty (after deflation, I was able to eat most everything again). Ate it plain, no bread (of course), no veggies. I had eaten too much. I didn't know I had until it was too late. Unknown to me, my band had prolapsed again. It was allowing me to eat much more than I had before. This night was just too much. I tried to wait it out and I went to sleep after a while. I woke in the middle of the night and I vomited. I didn't bring it up, I vomited. Retching, stomach acid, etc. After that, I couldn't really drink. I "slept" upright. All day the next day (thankfully a Saturday), I didn't eat. I just tried to sip water. I had no improvement. After the next night of waking, coughing up water over and over again, I drove myself to the ER. Unfortunately, my surgeon was out of town. His partner in the practice was on call. He wasn't very nice to me but...I had the band removal surgery and that was that. (I'll say healing was much better with this than when I had it originally - no port/muscle wall stuff to deal with) Was it the worst decision I've ever made? No, because I needed to do something. And I did lose weight. But I was miserable most of the time. So very miserable... I'm still over 100 lbs overweight and gaining. I have PCOS and I don't know what to do. But weight loss surgery is no longer an option for me. And I'm really worried about my future. To the OP - find a local surgeon. Fork out the money. You need an upper GI. You could have a prolapse and you are risking erosion. This is your health and your quality of life at stake - be proactive.

Chances are at this stage your solid foods will be mushy - apple sauce, mashed potatoes, anything blended (my dietician said one person put a bacon cheeseburger into a blender), things that can be mashed with a fork like peas, yogurt, cottage cheese. Be careful transitioning - you really should avoid fried/battered food like LJS - the battering is just hollow calories and you get less Protein when you eat stuff like that because it fills your limited stomach space.

Thanks for the article, Rick. Helped release some stress. I also think that maybe the cream of wheat and cream soups on my full liquid diet and even the yogurt may have too many carbs.

Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt has 80 calories and 8 grams of carbs There is a yoplait one that is 100 calories and 9 carbs By the way, Aspertame turns into formaldahydye. People should google why it's bad stuff

It appears you are still in the mushy stage??? If so, try and focus on lower calorie soft foods. I have not eaten potatoes since my surgery 8 months ago because they are too fattening. You can eat oatmeal with some Protein powder added to boost the Protein. Fat free Greek yogurt is very high in protein. You can have cottage cheese, beans-excellent, low cal source of protein. Get creative. Make some home made chili for the cold days.

I weigh and measure my food and count calories. I log it all on a web site. Here is the plan I used when I was losing. 4 oz of meat (by weight). Depends on density, if its steak, I usually have 2 oz but if its fish I have 4. 1/2 of a measuring cup of veggies 1/4 of a measuring cup of starch Plus I break it down further by these maximum calorie counts Breakfast 250 Snack 150 lunch 250 Snack 150 dinner 250 For a snack to qualify for the list it should have 1g of Protein for every 10 calories, ie. Greek Yogurt 140 calories, 14 g protein.

Good idea!! I am 2 1/2 weeks post op so I am in bandster hell right now, but still trying to stick to eating well. Breakfast--2 egg whites, 1 egg yolk Lunch--1/2 turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and applesauce Dinner--grilled tilapia, and half of a bacon potato with ff sour cream I didn't add the calories up but from all of the weight watcher days, I know I'm good. Tonight I will either have a ff fudgesicle or yogurt.

A bad case of the blues is really common at your stage! The anesthesia and pain meds mess with your system, and as you start to burn fat quickly, that sends stored hormones coursing through your bloodstream, so you're going to be MOODY with a capital M. Hang in there, it gets so much better! Many people also find their tastebuds go through an adjustment period as well. You may find you can tolerate things later that taste like yuck now. You might try diluting the shakes more so they're not as sweet. I also add some salt to mine, which helps to cut the sweet. Adding plain unsweetened yogurt (well diluted) might also help. If you're thinking you might be lactose intolerant, try almond or soy milk. Can you add unflavored protein to well thinned soup? One of my favorites in the liquid stage was cream of potato soup. Hang in there, it gets so much better!!

Hi Emlefe; Sad that this has not been an easy recovery thus far. Good news is that you are reaching out at all. Remember you are not alone. I too had a lactose intolerance (I love cheese) but grew out of it at about month four. Looking back, I can tell you that those first couple of weeks, I thought - "Did I know VSG was going to be this difficult? Was I really prepared for the changes?" Things you need to understand - things are different now. Your taste buds have changed, what you can eat has changed, what you can tolerate has changed, your body has changed - in reality you are searching for a new normal. Total assurance that you will find a new normal. Most likely this will take several months which is why we call this a journey. Have you ever had a horrid vacation and now you can look back and see the humor or at least laugh at how you survived? Equate this with the VSG journey. Some bad days or weeks and some good days. You are still healing, so you are eating to survive. You are eating to allow your stomach time to heal. I used the lactose free milk in my decaf tea. In time slowly a new normal will emerge. You will be able to eat non sickingly sweet foods. You will be able to have tuna, vinegar, tomatoes and all else your brain is screaming for now. Call your doctor in the morning and see if you can move to the mushy phase. If yes, puree the (*^% out of some tuna with a little plain greek yogurt - if your diet plan allows to satisfy your tastebuds. Also - have you tried just eating some plain chicken broth? I used Lipton Chicken Soup - the dried kind and threw out the noodles. Added in roasted chicken for addl flavor and then pulled it out. NUMMY after all that fake sugary thick shakes. If you like Starbucks and surgeon okay's - try a Decaf Latte, soy milk...or if too costly make your own version at home. There are some good online replacement foods besides sugary stuff. Google Barriatric foods. Expensive, but a lot cheaper than groceries. Lastly, do you have any VSG diet plan from your doctor? Google VSG diet plan and a whole bunch will come up. Read those for tips before talking to your doc tomorrow and see what you can have that is not on your diet plan. In a few months, try adding back in a food like dairy. The sun will come out soon. At 6 months it was as if I almost never had surgery minus the totally new body. Give yourself time to heal and don't think what is happening now is forever. Hugs to being willing to open up. Hope my words have comforted you in some small way.

Meat just isn't really agreeing with me and right now I'm eating mostly beans, cheese, Greek yogurt. Any vegetarians that can give me an idea of how they've been doing since surgery. I'm 2 months post-op.

Hi my surgery twin!! I had an amazing dinner of 6 boiled shrimp with a tiny bit of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt to make shrimp salad, and half of a sandwich thin toasted! So happy for real food!! Kimmie