Search the Community

My start weight was 334. I don't eat much tho. I eat Greek yogurt. Premier protein shakes. Light baby bells. Beef jerky and some fresh fruit. I only drink water and G2 or diet cranberry juice. And I eat soup often.

Congrats! Thats my 1 year anniversary too! I love my band and it was just what I needed to get this weight off! I started using myfitnesspal.com to track what I eat and it has helped me lose over 7 pounds the last 4 weeks. I was overeating Yogurt! too many carbs.

Glad to know there are others out there Today makes day 3 I think the worst part has been the headaches I am adding coffee to my regime in the morning The withdrawl is killing me I am drinking Advent carb control-chocolate is the best-no after taste for me-vanilla was not bad just an after tast I did not like I am also eating 4 cups of yogurt, 2 sugar free fudgesicles and as many sugar free popsicles as I want My surgery is schedued for the 21st How did you get that little counter scale on your site? I am pre diet 195 and want to get down to 120-130 I am having diabetic trouble and just can not seem to loose this weight Where are you located in the world? Thank you for writting please keep in touch I can really use the support

I'm scheduled for July 4, gastric plication with dr. Ponce de leon, I have read you should take : Gas-X strips and Sleep-Ease strips.......I think you will be fine when you get home, get some treats for your faithful little dog who will be your best companion during that time.. awry' timestamp='1308935981' post='168932'] Hi All - My surgery is scheduled for Monday and I'm really ready for this. I've been pretty good with the 2 week pre-op diet. I did fudge a little bit but in the scheme of things, that cheat was nothing. Guess what? I ate some plain greek yogurt in place of a shake a couple of times and I had some tomato soup just for a change - These items were not on the sheet. Even so, I've lost 15 pounds in 11 days. Not bad for someone who usually takes 2 months to lose 5 pounds! Anyway, any advice on how to prepare for Monday, what should I take with me to the hospital? what should I have ready at home? Will I need much help and for how long? I live alone and have a little dog. Anything will be appreciated, prayers too. B.

I get heartburn from any kind of breads or grains. You mentioned a sandwich at bedtime? Maybe try just PB and banana. Even popcorn can cause it for me. Eating yogart everyday helps a lot. When I slack on my organic yogurt, I notice more heartburn. I don't know why. Sorry you are in pain, no fun!

Dr. Benavides has put me on Myocel two weeks prior to surgery. He is located in Richardson. Or you can buy it from Dr. Garwood in College Station. He had something to do with inventing it. It mixes pretty well with alot of things. I have tried orange juice an skim milk. You can add ice cubes and hit it with a blender to make smoothies. I know it can be added to yogurt also if you like. It comes in 3 flavors. Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla. I have the vanilla. Just make sure it is blended REALLY well or you get powder chunks. Remember Orange Julius? try mixing the vanilla with OJ...yummy! oh yeah, runs $35 for 3.3 pounds of this stuff. Dr Garwood's number is 979-485-0395

Yep, I'm finally here. That fourth fill on Monday did the trick. By yesterday afternoon, I decided to try some real food. First, I had a yogurt which went down real slow. Then, I tested myself w/a solid dinner of chicken apple sausage, asparagus (slightly overcooked on purpose), and pasta. I took very small portions and cut everything super small. The skin on the sausage was a little irritating, but went down OK. But, having the leftovers today at lunch, I got stuck bad. Still no PB. I had to just tough it out until it passed through. Lesson learned... remove the skin on sausage!!! :eek: Its kinda like now is when I really GOT my band. All of the stuff they taught me that I would need to do (small small bites and chew chew chew) was not necessary before and now, all of a sudden, it is. I'm gonna take it easy w/dinner tonight and maybe just have lentil stew or a black bean soup that has been waiting in my pantry for just such an occasion. The really good thing is that I'm still not hungry so I really don't care what I eat. I am a little worried about tomorrow, though. I'm going to a friend's wedding tomorrow night and have no idea what is on the menu or if it will be buffet or served to us. I usually am not a fan of buffets, but I am really really hoping for a buffet this time so I can pick out just a little of the things that I think will work for me. I just really don't want to end up having a stuck episode in public and at a special event like that. My plan is to locate the nearest bathroom ahead of time and cut my food really really really small. Working in my favor are two things. First, all of my friends know I am banded and I am sure she will have sat us all together. So, at least all of my tablemates will know why I am eating such miniscule portions and skipping on meat or dry chicken if that's what is served. They are all very supportive too and won't make me feel weird about it. The other thing is that the bride's own mother is actually banded. So, maybe, just maybe, the menu is actually band friendly. Could I actually be that lucky? :w00t: And then as soon as I survive this wedding, what do I have next? Easter dinner! At least I am hosting so I get to choose the menu. I'm gonna make ham and really creamy delicious scalloped potatoes. Haven't figured out the rest of the meal, but my MIL is bringing baked apples (totally soft and band friendly) and coconut cream pie. Yum! Still gotta figure out some other sides. Really, I think the ham is the only thing that I'm not sure of. I have never baked a ham myself and just hope I can do a good job so it is not dry. And, the good thing is that the only outside guests are my inlaws and they also know I'm banded and are supportive. You know, the thing is that even though everyone knows about my band and is totally supportive. They just haven't seen me ever get stuck before. :eek: And, I would hate to have that happen in front of them and then have them think badly about the band. All of us who are banded know its a learning curve. Every time we get a fill, we have to relearn what works for us and what doesn't. But, from an outsider's perspective, they see you get stuck or in pain once and they think... oh, the band is bad, makes you sick all the time. Oh well, I guess I can't start worrying now about what people think.

Did they use antibiotics at all during your ordeal at the hospital as a precaution to infection..some doctors do.....Antibiotics kill any bacteria in your bowels or system....so you have to replenish them......good bacteria by the way...lol Take some yogurt and cranberry juice for a while..it will help to clear it all up......

Please don't rush it. Would hate to see you get a leak. At 6 days you should still be on clear liquids or close to full liquids. Are you on mushies yet? If so, that is awfully quick. i would not even be having yogurt at 6 days, and certainly not a banana. Even when you get there, please watch the bananas, they are full of sugar. Iif you are drinking coffee, you should be drinking decaf because caffeine will dehydrate you especially at this stage. Right now please concentrate on liquids and protein. You do not want to get dehydrated. there is no reason to make your stomach ache or to be nauseated when you are this far out. It takes your stomach 12 weeks to heal. Please follow your doctors or NUT's instructions and don't vary from it. Your time will come sooner then you realize, but if you keep making yourself sick, he won't let you go to the next stage! Good luck!

Okay I woke up feeling great this morning. So I had my usual protein drink and coffee. Then water. Then fage 0% yogurt with peach and half banana pulverized in food processor, for lunch. More water.. Then some more broth. Oh I'm 6 days post surgery. Anyway I had the munches. Boredom not hungry. Then I put one of the little breaks tone cottage cheese pots with a little salsa on it and ran it thru food processor. More yogurt. And on and on. Then I began to feel bad. Gas pain returned. Stomach pain. Basically just feel yucky. Lordie I hope I haven't done any damage to my sleeve. Will definitely follow my instruction to the letter of the law,

Go to your surgeon, just to ensure you're fine/or not & be honest about your concerns/pain, etc. I still get spasms at 4 mos out & it helps that my nutritionist (one of 3 free ongoing monthly group support seminars offered by my surgeon) said, "Your stomach's the size of an egg, make a sunnyside up egg so you can see what you can hold. Eat slowly & chew like crazy, don't drink anything for 30 min before/after. Cut your food into sm bites, arrange the bites into the Alphabet, starting w 'A' & take a bite once you've made that letter. Then arrange the next bites into 'B' and so forth. Do this w every meal." I can only handle about 3 baby forks of regular foods & I still can't eat meats (they come right back up), but I can eat eggs, NF/SF: cheeses, cottage cheese & Greek yogurts, and fish (a few bites of each), in addition to the broths, popsicles, fudgesicles, creamsicles, puddings & jellos. I've eaten 2 bites of an English muffin, a slice of cooked bacon & 2 sausages (at separate times, w my egg). Since I tend to still inhale my food, I find that I'm my own worst enemy (self-sabotage) and I'm seeing a therapist to deal w my body dysmorphic & eating issues. I make myself shrimp fetticcine & eat 3 bites on a baby fork (also use a baby spoon). I'm a foodie & chef so I make everything fresh. I make soups/broths, but still can't eat French Onion, Chicken, Veggie, etc. soups (just made myself some, but will try again at 6 mos out). Going to get an avocado & hope I can eat a little bit. Sm victories like eating a few bites of an avocado, are so important. I'm still getting my 3 90 gms shakes in daily, because I'm learning to eat correctly & need the protein. I do get in at least 80 oz of liquids daily, aside from my shakes. As long as you check in w your surgeon/nutritionist to ensure you're doing everything correctly, don't worry about what you can't eat, but focus on what you can eat & be gently and loving to yourself at all times. I've been exercising since the day of surgery and if walking is good for you, do that & enjoy your own journey. I got a flu shot, came down w the flu, so haven't done much for almost a week but walk my dogs! When I feel well, I'll get my 2.5 ml walks in. Please forget about comparing yourself to anyone else on their own journeys: what I've learned is to just get support here on these forums as everyone else is following their own individual paths to health & wellness. Namaste.

Hello, I just wanted to share my story. I was on a fb group through the weight center that did my surgery on 12/5 but they didn't let me share my story. I went in for my sleeve surgery but shortly after while in recovery my BP dropped really low, I started sweating badly and my skin/eyes turned gray. They gave me a blood transfusion which brought my BP back up. I was brought in for an emergency surgery because I was bleeding out. They said leaked 3 liters of blood and had multiple large dark blood clots in my stomach. I was bleeding and oozing through the staples so they double stitched me and cauterized some of the stomach. Since the 2 surgeries I have had very high pulse, which they call Tachycardia. Also, I am anemic. I also get this uncontrolled diaphram spasm where it makes me gasp for air. The 1st week it hurt to swallow anything, even a sip of water. I started to get pain up my throat so they gave me heartburn meds which helped that matter. I went home after spending a few nights at the hospital but quickly after I was home I went back into the ER for low BP and dehydration. I am home again now, monitoring my BP. I am taking fluids ok and getting my proteins in. I still have to drink slow but I am able to. You can feel/hear every sip go down and every pill go down. I still get times where there is pressure from air stuck under the rib cage and the pain goes up to my shoulder. They just ok'd me to start cream soups, yogurt and cottage cheese 2 days ago. I get full really fast. I just wanted you to know that the 1% they warn you about can happen. It happened to me and I cry myself to sleep about the events that happened every time I close my eyes. It was very scary to go through. They said it will take about 6 weeks for my body to rebuild its own blood back up. Your body rejects some of the transfusion since it isn't your blood. Until then I get weak, dizzy and lightheaded every time I get up to walk around and my pulse goes really high and my heart beats out of my chest. I have a couple of mins to walk or shower and then I need to lay back down to catch my bearings. I am starting to get color back in my lips on occasion. The most important thing is I keep fighting to get up every day, walk a little and drink my fluids in order to get better. They tell you that you need support at home and I live alone so I was worried. They are right, you can't do this alone. After the ER trip it helped to have my parents coming in to remind me to keep drinking and to do things around the house that I couldn't. Thank you for listening. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Day 1 ,2 clear liquids Day 3 to 13 - protein shakes, yogurt, cream soup, unsweetened applesauce, malt I meal Day 7 add soft cooked eggs non fat refrained beans and low fat cottage cheese Day 14 to 49 - soft solid foods Eight weeks and beyond - progress toward solid food

Good thread . The last 2 weeks I have been having trouble having food pass through . Not every meal though. Yesterday I had no trouble at all but today I had frozen yogurt that got stuck . Does this mean I am too tight? I don't get a full feeling and I'm hungry too soon ?

Ok this is a great post!! I am also vegetarian and it has been a struggle to get in all my protiens. I have a gathered a list of high protien/low fat options with my diatition................Would love to add to the list if you guys have suggestions. True most veggie meats are off limits but I have found a few................ Also tofu, cottage cheese, eggs and Beans. Beans are a starch though so you have to limit them. Tofurky meat cuts are high protien, low fat. Greek yogurt is good...............Loma Linda meats .........some of those are ok............... My surgeon doesn't like protien shakes but I use them sometimes. I also sprinkle protien powder on cream of wheat and stuff like that................. Any more suggestions welcome. My doctor would prefer I eat some meat but so far so good.............only thing is I think I lose slower this way.

I had my first fill two weeks ago. I was losing very well but eating in between meals and starting to not feel so full. (My surgery was May 5 and I have lost 35 pounds.) So they said I should get a fill..which was an absolute breeze...no problem drinking a glass of water...no problem with liquids day 1 and mushies day two...but solid food has been difficult. I have found myself the last day over the toilet after every meal. Crappy food goes down great...ice cream or crackers....but chicken, tuna, hot dogs, burgers...all of that will usually come back up. I am feeling sore today...so should I just go to liquids for a couple days to give my stomach a break? I am so afraid I caused it to slip...though I can still feel when the food "goes through". Needless to say I have not lost any weight this week. But I lost 5 pounds the first week after the fill...so what to do? I don't do protein drinks but I do Carnation Instant Breakfast for breakfast..and yogurt goes down well. I could eat almost a half of sandwich yesterday...and I kept it down. Yogurt stays...course stupid stuff like chips and popcorn will stay down. And I don't want to be eating those...I just feel like everything I am eating is coming up so maybe I am hungry. To be honest..right now I am not sure I can tell because I am a bit sore........ Thanks Cindi

Greek yogurt was on my doctors list of full liquids.

Im 9 days out. I was a little sore still at 6 days, but felt the need to go back to work cause staying home was driving me crazy!!! My doctor has his patients on a full liquid/clear liquid diet after we come home from. Getting 75grams of protein in aday, along with 64 ounces of water seems pretty much impossible!!! Ive bought Unjury protein to add to my crystal light, and chicken broth. I cant have yogurt until two weeks out, which is three days away!! Yes, Im excited about yogurt!! I had a baby shower today, and although the food smelt so good, i wasnt hungry...oh and the cannolies!!! Ohhh maron!!! Pastries galore! It was weird, cause a part of me missed digging in and chowing down....but thats not me anymore!! I have a new way of life! Good luck to you!

I had a very similar situation, but had my band drained for both pregnancies (banded since 2003). I had band slippage and 2 hiatal hernias (first diagnosed Nov 2015/repaired Dec 2015, and second April 2016/repaired May 17 w/band removal & sleeve conversion). I'm currently at day 11 with my sleeve. Loving it! The first few days were a bit rough -- painful to drink, then the constant feeling of hunger. Yesterday (day 10), I was able to have yogurt and my first full feeling! Do know there is hope, and you are not alone! I read in one of the forums here that patients with band conversions have a more difficult time. My NP confirmed this yesterday at my first post-op appointment. So do keep this in mind if you're tempted to stray from better food choices.

OK, so I've heard some people become temporarily lactose intolerant post-surgery. It appears that I may be in that category. Yesterday I first tried milk (as part of my protein shakes), and I felt pretty crappy the entire day - extremely gassy on both ends, rumbling stomach, and generally feeling like my stomach was filled with rocks. This morning I drank a 200-ml drinking yogurt (with active cultures, if this makes a difference), and felt fine. Now I'm drinking a protein shake with Lactantia (lactose-free milk) and the rumblings and weird feeling of pressure is back, although so far it seems a bit less intense than yesterday. What gives? How long is it gonna stay that way?:thumbup1:

Thanks guys for the advice! Taking it all in one day at a time. Today I have a slight headache..I just took some ibuprofen. I can't have any yogurt. Only shakes, Jello, crystal light, broth, popsicles. .straight liquid..like no short cuts LOL...these popsicles will be a meal LOL.. Sent from my SM-G360P using the BariatricPal App We all are gonna do great! We got this! Sent from my SM-G360P using the BariatricPal App

I am almost 16 months post op and I am still lactose intolerant. I can eat cheese and yogurt, but milk makes me rather ill.

It might be too soon fro you. Even though the food stages exist as guidelines, they just mean you can TRY those foods at those times, not that you HAVE to be eating them then. Everyone heals at a different rate. Have you tried drinkable yogurt (the stuff for kids?). I actually started that before moving onto thicker yogurt.

Thank you both so much! I'm relying on the Greek yogurt and the broth. I feel I need a more concentrated source though. LOVE the idea of the Lifeway Protein Kefir. I love kefir! Drinking some today. But the protein version doesn't come without sugary ingredients and fruits. I just want plain. maybe I should replace all my water with broth and watery yogurt or milk. i can't imagine blended tuna. I did try other protein powders. Ugh. Bought plain and vanilla Paleo Pro beef and egg protein powder, couldn't choke it down. Same with pea and hemp. Nope. our nutritionist said whey protein would be for our whole lives to get enough concentrated protein in once a day. sigh. Thanks so much.

I need to jump on this thread. Because I was going to post something about being lactose intolerant. I am. So for a very long time (years), I have not been able to tolerate milk products. I actually use Rice milk instead of Almond because it has no flavor for cooking etc. I can tolerate MUSCLE MILK. The Pro ones seem to bloat me, but the regular Muscle Milk is fine with me and I actually really really like it. I love the Vanilla Cream. That has 130 cals, 0 sugar and 20 grams protein per premixed shake box. Muscle Milk has whey isolate protein. Which is more easily tolerated if you have lactose issues. I'm lucky that I can tolerate it. So try that maybe? I have also tried pea protein, hemp etc. for years. Sometimes I just gag them down. Till I found one that I really like but wonder if the protein, because it's all plant based, is as useful as the whey. I use powdered RAW FIT by Garden of Life. Vegan, dairy free, gluten free, soy free. One scoop has 160 cals, 1 sugar, 28 grams protein. My typical breakfast for so many years has been 2% greek yogurt (I can tolerate Fage greek yogurt) with a scoop of Marley Coffee flavor Raw Fit (YUM YUM!). I mix the powdered raw fit with just a couple tablespoons of water then add the greek yogurt. Otherwise you really have a hard time stirring it, so thick! I don't mind the bit of gritty left, actually. I imagine if you left the raw fit to sit mixed a bit, the gritty may go away. I never tried it though. The greek yogurt and scoop raw fit is a whopping 48 grams protein. YES it's too much to eat at once when I am sleeved. but even half is 24 grams. Good for soft stage, puree stage. BUT......is the plant and seed based protein as beneficial for your body after sleeve as the whey or whey isolate is? I understand totally the need for protein. I have had hair loss for 3 years due to menopause and Estrogen Dominance. I need my protein to work for me to try to mitigate the effects of WLS on my body and slim head of hair! Was wondering if anyone knows the answer about the whey vs plant based. Thanks so much!!!