Cheaters

[onenuttynurse 0]

I was a big fat cheater too. I ate a egg on day 6 and lived to tell the tail and am doing very well..........What a rebel I am.......Good luck everyone....

[purple shamrock 0]

I did "cheat", but only after the okay from my surgeon. I saw him on day 5, and he gave me the okay to go ahead and slowly add to what I was eating. Like some have said, there were things (and still are things) that are more painful than others! Good luck to you!

[shibalover 0]

Hey Trishfish! Good info. I had a longer restricted diet after surgery progressing from liquids to mushies to soft and then to solids over an 8 week period. Just wondering now if occasional overeating, after the healing period, could cause the band stitches to have problems or for slippage to occur. Any info on that?

[Astrasmom 1]

So....I just need to put in my 2 cents here....SO WHAT she ate ONE freakin egg!!!! I am sure she probably did no damage to her band....I read a lot on this website, and it seems to me that everyone's rules are quite different. I remember reading about someone who ate a Protein bar a couple days after her surgery....and I was thinking....Oh my, how can she eat that?? But her surgeon ok'd it. But I kept my comments to myself....

The only question Amanda asked was, "Did anyone else cheat early? So to answer your question Amanda....No I did not, I was strictly on liquids for 10 days....I really wasn't feeling hungry during that time. For future, maybe you can try a Protein shake....those help fill me up! Good luck to you!!

Yes but the key word here is "Her surgeon Ok'd it." Every doctor is different. That is why you have to rely on what your doctor says.

[jeannierk 0]

Heal first when you can eat it's no problem I eat mostly anything just very little of it. Hard to eat rice and pastas which I really miss. I keep trying, but it make me feel so filled that I choose to eat my meats and veggies. i still eat the fats. Usually not hungry. Take your time you will love losing the weight. Your body will tell you when to stop eating and some days no restrictions. What you eat today you might not be able to eat tomorrow. In the beginning I got tired of the clear broth so I made my own chicken Soup, miso soup I even bought saimin (noodles) soup, sea weed soup from the chinese restaurant but don't forget to strain them just till you can eat solids. My first mushy was corn chowder from subway just couldn't eat the corn. Stick to it you will be happy and amazed how much you will pull down..

[kellyodoran 12]

You are healing, be careful. FYI when i have restriction eggs are one of the hardest things for me to eat. I won't lecture you for cheating but you did throw this out for the world to see. Some of us sugar coat it, some of us don't. Fattys final line "For your health you should listen to your doctor" is completely true. So, feel free to call me a vulcher or whatever you want. It's your band, it's your life, my only advice is be careful.

what is a vulcher? Did you mean vulture? As in bird of prey?

[Mommy2Ps 4]

Yep, I cheated. Would I advise it, no. Would I condemn you, no. Do I think back and wish I wouldn't have done it, yes, sometimes. Am I losing weight now? Nope. Maybe I should have followed the rules. Maybe not. I'm 4wks out and should be just now starting solids. Ummm, ya, been doing that for a little over two weeks now.

To me, it just seemed like there was soooo many different variances out there depending on who your doctor was. I figured it some reputable surgeons were giving the green light on day five, could it really be that bad? So I did. My band, my body, my consequences.

The way I looked at it, if you chew your food to oblivion, isn't it a liquid by the time you swallow it anyway?!?!?

Just sayin'....

[Klisa 0]

I'm trying soooo hard to be good but I want something to CHEW, dang it! I've been doing Protein shakes, 'juicing', drinking Soups...Last night I made my husband chicken and the tiniest piece fell off (the size of an pencil eraser) and I snatched it up and chewed on it forever and it was heaven. I don't think I ever even swallowed anything. I just masticated it till I could find it no more. :blushing: But I'm not planning on continuing down that path. I want this to work and just keep telling myself to get past this first month...THEN I can chew to my hearts content (well, kinda) again.

It's tough though...My surgery was 7/30 and I'm already chompin' at the bit.

[Klisa 0]

Mommy2Ps - I've thought the same thing a gazillion times...'Well, if you chew it REALLY well, then isn't it the same thing as pureed?' People will say we are rationalizing, but it IS kinda the same, right?

I've lost about 5 lbs...I started the liquid diet 2 days prior...and was banded on 7/30 so it's been about 1 week of liquids. Given the amt of solids I would consume before, it's no wonder I've lost something.

My surgeon and nutritionist DID say that this first few weeks were NOT for weight loss and how a couple weeks down the road I'd be able to consume a good amt of food (though I s/b on liquids?) and that that would be totally normal. They said we're just looking to let the tummy heal right now and THEN I'd get my first fill and start being restricted. They want to do my first fill at 3 weeks. Then I hear it's another couple days of liquids & then a couple of mushies. I guess they are getting that fill in there before I can get to solid foods...They see that look in my eye, don't they?

[chickadee81 0]

I'm trying soooo hard to be good but I want something to CHEW, dang it! I've been doing Protein shakes, 'juicing', drinking soups...Last night I made my husband chicken and the tiniest piece fell off (the size of an pencil eraser) and I snatched it up and chewed on it forever and it was heaven. I don't think I ever even swallowed anything. I just masticated it till I could find it no more. :cool2: But I'm not planning on continuing down that path. I want this to work and just keep telling myself to get past this first month...THEN I can chew to my hearts content (well, kinda) again.

It's tough though...My surgery was 7/30 and I'm already chompin' at the bit.

Maybe try some SF Popsicles. It's still a liquid because it melts (it's even a clear liquid at that), but you get to chew! :blushing: That helped me when I thought I would go stark raving mad before I was allowed to move on.

[tinksmom 0]

IMHO guilt, shame, and blame are far more damaging to weight loss efforts than cheating. All of us have experienced these and none of us have any business dumping more on anyone else.

The standards for pre and post op diets are so varied that they almost seem whimsical. I don't think anyone can be blamed for listening to our bodies (within reason) over "rules" that are possibly based on our doctor's beliefs or desire to avoid lawsuits by being over-conservative.

There are reasons for a liquid diet post op but for how long? Purees...how long? Are we told to puree so we don't mindlessly swallow a large piece like I did when I was bumped by a large dog in mid-chew? Probably. At least my doc laughed and agreed when I asked him. I came out from anasthesia hungry as anything and wanting the roast chicken I had prepared to make for my family. Obviously not a good idea. But 5 days later I had a nice mushed up chicken canneloni from Olive Garden with no trouble. I confessed and just got a shrug and was told NO beef, pork, or lamb until my four week visit. And he told me why...with diagrams. It made sense so I complied. I lose an average of 2 lbs a week...and cheat madly. I refuse to feel guilt but I have learned what I need to do to protect my band and make it work for me. Had I only believed those who are rigid about rules I would have not had the lapband at all. Instead I met a woman who shared my attitudes toward dieting and the medical profession (doctors as employees and resources rather than godlike creatures)...and who two years since surgery looked and felt wonderful. A chance meeting made me realize that the band could work and I could still have a life. My way may backfire in 5 years...but I'm thinking it won't. And adhering to rules works for some people. So by all means, find your own style people!

[Shay7997 0]

There's a reason we have to go through stages to get back to eating full meals. Your stomach is healing. There's stitches in there as well as foreign objects. For each type of food to digest it requires more movement from the stomach and other digestive parts. The more movement, before you're fully healed, the more likely you are to cause a slip, erosion, etc. While it may not happen immediately, what you do NOW can cause problems 6 months to a year from now. That's why it's best to talk to YOUR doctor.

By coming on these forums and asking what people think, you're going to hear what you want to hear and think it's ok and I can do what I want. To me, that's not ok. What is OK is communicating with YOUR doctor and doing what YOUR doctor tells you to do.

No, I did not cheat. I want to make sure I do everything I can to keep my band. My insurance paid a lot of money for this thing and I surely do not want to go through surgery again.

Plus, this is also to teach us how to eat all over again. If you can't follow the rules and beat temptation now, when it's probably one of the most important times for you to do so, then how are you going to say no to your trigger foods later when you can eat whatever you want?

Use this time to establish new habits and you'll be amazed and so proud of yourself.

***By the way, I'm not going to apologize for the lecture. You put this out there on an open forum. I'm giving you my opinion.***

[jdulac 0]

Hi I felt exactly how you did and contacted my clinic and was told not to beat myself up over it. They told me to go back to liquids and just try my best. Honestly I am almost 3 weeks out and around day 7-10 was the hardest for me because I felt great but I was very hungry for the first time and wanted to eat (also a feeling weak). Try not to call it cheating. Just pick yourself back up and go on.

We are all here for the same thing, information and support. So don't get discouraged with the negative comments.

Good luck

[dman3998 0]

I liked the one post that compared it to heart surgery! While I agree we should follow the docs instructions, I would be willing to bet that the instructions given to patents by heart surgeons are all on the same page. like 99% the same.

As most of you have noted, there is WILDLY different instructions as to food, fills, ect... post and preop. So it makes it hard to really know if YOUR doc has it right. I would say that following the advice on the conservative side would be safer but I refuse to believe that they are all correct with all the conflicting opins.

So what is one to do? The best you can in trying to understand the reasons for the diet, lifting and fill procedures and make the best decision for YOU!

YOU are the one that has to live with any consequences NOT THE DOC or anyone else for that mattter. YOU know your body and circumstances better than anyone. Do your own research and use come common sense and do what you think is going to give you the best results with the fewest problems.

that's my story and I am sticking with it!

dman

[Dawn5115 0]

4 days post-op I made potato Soup (mixed with skim milk)and poured it through a mesh strainer. (the dogs are loving my liquid diet... they get everything in the cans of soups... minus the Water or skim milk and flavors that make it through the strainer!). The doctor won't see me until 3 weeks post op .... and the office said "liquids only"... no pudding, no cream of wheat, no cream, no yougurt... but this "semi-liquid" is best I've felt since Friday! I pray I didn't make a mistake.... I added twice the skim milk and strained out all the tiny bits.