Worried!!!

[Teri818 6]

My dietician told me I can have 1/2 to 1 cup of food per meal. I'm having a hard time and don't want to eat too much. I'm only one week out after being banded, won't have a fill for 5 more weeks and I am afraid of eating too much. One cup is not much and I can't really tell anything is different after my surgery so I'm having a hard time. I know that I eat too fast....so I'm trying to be really conscious of this and slow down. What are some of you eating in this mushie stage? I'm all worried too because am supposed to go to 2 events this weekend and of course both have food there - so what would be something good for me to take with me for me to eat? I know at one event, they are having sloppy joes....definitely can't do the bun...but would it hurt for me to have it with no bun??

[chasingadream 1,311]

[carol285 145]

Every doctor has different dietary rules so I suspect you will get comments that range from of course you can to you are progressing with your foods too fast. I'd suggest calling your doctors office to get more specific dos & dont's from them. My doctor puts us on mushy foods the day following surgery. As a matter of fact we need to eat a bit before we leave the hospital (farina if it is Breakfast time or cottage cheese/tuna salad for lunch time)

[ChicagoRose 650]

Sloppy Joe is a good mushy, but only if you chew really well and take little bites some ground beef can go down weird. I used to eat a lot of canned tuna and chicken, fat free refried Beans, or buy Soups I like and drain the liquid and grind them in the food chopper. Good luck!!

[2muchfun 8,927]

I avoided "events" for a month after surgery(11/28/11) Did have to go to a couple of xmas parties so I ate before I went. Wasn't that big a deal. You're still healing and eating foods that could damage your surgery is highly not recommended.

I ate oatmeal, refried Beans, thick Soups, lots of Protein shakes to keep eating demons at bay.

[Teri818 6]

Im not banded yet...date for 9/19....but im sure you will get lots of responses to follow your doctors recommended diet.

I know that I will be on full liquids ONLY for 2 weeks post surgery. I've read MANY posts that the first 4-6 weeks is for Clear Liquids to liquids then to mushies just so your insides can have time to relax and heal....my doctor told me the same thing.

If you arent sure I would definately call your doctor to find out what you are allowed to consume since you are only 7 days out of surgery.

Good luck!

My doctor's instructions on my first appointment one week after surgery was to go on mushies and to eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food per meal.

[Teri818 6]

Every doctor has different dietary rules so I suspect you will get comments that range from of course you can to you are progressing with your foods too fast. I'd suggest calling your doctors office to get more specific dos & dont's from them. My doctor puts us on mushy foods the day following surgery. As a matter of fact we need to eat a bit before we leave the hospital (farina if it is Breakfast time or cottage cheese/tuna salad for lunch time)

My doctor's instructions on my first appointment one week after surgery was to go on mushies and to have 1/2 to one cup of food per meal.

[Teri818 6]

So...those of you who are already banded, do you remember if your eating felt any different right after surgery and before your first fill? I know they say to chew chew chew and I'm doing that but I don't seem to have any problem at all with anything going down. I'm thinking once I get my first fill, I will notice a difference (?)

[carol285 145]

For me there was no difference until I had a fill or two, before that I had no restriction to speak of. Of course I did chew very well and take small bites but I suspect for me that was just practice for my future needs.

As others say, it is a time for healing (we were just sliced open and poked/prodded after all) so no matter what your doctors instructions are you should follow them because healing is job #1 for your future success!

[Teri818 6]

My dietician told me I can have 1/2 to 1 cup of food per meal. I'm having a hard time and don't want to eat too much. I'm only one week out after being banded, won't have a fill for 5 more weeks and I am afraid of eating too much. One cup is not much and I can't really tell anything is different after my surgery so I'm having a hard time. I know that I eat too fast....so I'm trying to be really conscious of this and slow down. What are some of you eating in this mushie stage? I'm all worried too because am supposed to go to 2 events this weekend and of course both have food there - so what would be something good for me to take with me for me to eat? I know at one event, they are having sloppy joes....definitely can't do the bun...but would it hurt for me to have it with no bun??

For me there was no difference until I had a fill or two, before that I had no restriction to speak of. Of course I did chew very well and take small bites but I suspect for me that was just practice for my future needs.

As others say, it is a time for healing (we were just sliced open and poked/prodded after all) so no matter what your doctors instructions are you should follow them because healing is job #1 for your future success!

Thanks. Yes...that is what I'm doing. I am following his instructions and doing mushies. Just had a few of these questions because of not really feeling any restriction, and worried because I don't want to eat more than the cup of food that I'm allowed - I just have a really hard time slowing down my eating - but I am working hard on it!!!

[2muchfun 8,927]

From the 2nd week through my 16th week I had virtually no restriction. Like you, I was in Bandster hell. It's no fun and it pissed me off that no one ever told me about this part of my journey. I read about it here all the time and advise others that they are in "Bandster Hell" but I never saw it before my surgery.

It's just a situation you'll have to find a way to deal with. For me, I ate more than the one cup of food but I tried to make sure I was filling up on healthy foods. I did stay away from pizza, taco bell and fast foods(occasional slip) so I lost 12 lbs initially and didn't gain or lose any more weight till my 3rd fill 4 months after surgery. I think I'm somewhat typical.

From what I read here on the forum, most people don't start to feel any satiety/restriction until their 2nd - 4th fill. There are many on either side of that ratio and most all of us have went through some stage of Bandster Hell. It can seem like you're hungrier now than before surgery. I know that's how I felt.

You're going to have to hunker down till you get that fill that takes away your hunger. Just concentrate on eating good, healthy food. Good luck.

tmf

[2muchfun 8,927]

One last comment? Eating slower will be one of the most difficult issues for you to deal with. Don't beat yourself up, it takes months to break this destructive habit. You cannot just change a lifetime's eating habits in a few weeks or months. Especially during the post op phase. Once you can sit down with a normal meal, and your band is adjusted properly, you will be forced to eat slower and chew bigger. Or, you will have stuck episodes, painful stuck episodes.

So, it won't come overnight, and it may not come in months, but these new skills can be nurtured and developed over time if you just commit to it and focus on them.

tmf

[Teri818 6]

From the 2nd week through my 16th week I had virtually no restriction. Like you, I was in Bandster hell. It's no fun and it pissed me off that no one ever told me about this part of my journey. I read about it here all the time and advise others that they are in "Bandster Hell" but I never saw it before my surgery.

It's just a situation you'll have to find a way to deal with. For me, I ate more than the one cup of food but I tried to make sure I was filling up on healthy foods. I did stay away from pizza, taco bell and fast foods(occasional slip) so I lost 12 lbs initially and didn't gain or lose any more weight till my 3rd fill 4 months after surgery. I think I'm somewhat typical.

From what I read here on the forum, most people don't start to feel any satiety/restriction until their 2nd - 4th fill. There are many on either side of that ratio and most all of us have went through some stage of Bandster Hell. It can seem like you're hungrier now than before surgery. I know that's how I felt.

You're going to have to hunker down till you get that fill that takes away your hunger. Just concentrate on eating good, healthy food. Good luck.

tmf

Yes I so relate to what you are saying. I know I have ate more than just a cup of food at a couple or 3 of my meals....but I am trying to make it that even if I go over the 1 cup, that it's food that is good for me such as low fat cottage cheese, baked fish, tomatoes, sugar free/fat free pudding. I just will be glad when I finally get my first fill so that I can feel the restriction which will help me to not be so likely to eat too much!!!! I so want this all to work....but heh - I'm a food addict...and I love food....and this is hard. I'm struggling but not about to give up. Just worried & wanting that first fill!!!