i'm cheating.....already

[bandster_1007 1]

Ok, I know that this time is about healing...blah blah. I was banded on October 18 and this week is the week of the month that i have sweets cravings. Well, this weekend, over the course of the whole weekend, i ate 4 100 calorie brownies. Ugh, then I have wanted a shortbread cookie for 4 days now. I just wanted one. Well, who knew that they sold shortbread in 100 calorie packs. So i bought some today. I should not have purchased them. Then, i ate 2 packs..not 1 but 2. Then i have a terrible cold, so i had orange juice also.

With that said, it is on 10:00 a.m. and i have already consumed 300 calories. I'm only supposed to have between 500 and 800. I will have 200 hundred for lunch, and i know that i can do this...but.... i feel like a failure already.

Did any one else go through this. I think the fact that I am glucose intolerant creates more cravings...i'm not sure about that though.

please help, i need some encouragement.

[Crispy2 0]

ok you are supposed to be on full Fluid stage right and the mushie stage sometime at the end of the week right? I was banded the day after you and I am now starting to feel hungry and craving and ofcourse as you I am starting my monthing woman thingy and want SUGAR. I bought the fat free Jello pudding and that helps curve the craving. I also like hot choc (living in Canada) so I have 3/4 cup of coffee with a shot of hot choc for the flavor. I am having a hard time not cheating too but I really want to follow the docs advice. I just hope you are not hurting yourself. I know we need our band to heal first before solids etc....

[Lynn_Marie 0]

Aww...don't beat yourself up over this. You said you aren't feeling well so just do your best and then do better when you are well. You'll do fine! Just hang in there!

[bandster_1007 1]

thanks lynn...that's what i need to hear. i'm afraid that i'm just making excuses though.

crispy..i was cleared to go on mushies last week. i have not eaten anything that is hard. the Cookies were complete much by the time that i swallowed them, but they are by far the hardest thing that i have eaten. you know the conistency of a brownie...they were pretty mushie.

i eat chilli for lunch, that is one of the recommendations from my doc, and tonight i will either have ravioli or meatloaf for dinner.

i'm not hurting...and i'm not eating until i'm too full. i'm just making bad food choices...and that sucks..i should be all motivated right now and sticking to the plan, but instead, i'm cheating already.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Aww...don't beat yourself up over this. You said you aren't feeling well so just do your best and then do better when you are well. You'll do fine! Just hang in there!

Wrong. That's a LOAD! The post op period sets the tone for the LIFE of the band. You are encouraging this person to lose their band! I realize you don't intend for that to happen but on the realistic side, that IS what you are doing!

(copy/paste from another post)

Eating solids during liquid phase:

When you eat food your stomach has to churn and work to break food down so it can pass through the GI system. When you drink Clear Liquids it virtually does little to no work. When you drink full liquids it doesn't have to work hard. When you eat solids your stomach has to work very hard to break down food while it mixes with stomach acids. It almost looks like stomach spasms.

Since it is the scarring and adhesions that hold the band in place and not the sutures (long term), when you eat solids your stomach is moving and churning and this prevents adhesions from forming.

The other issue is that when they first started doing this procedure they made the pouch bigger than they do now. People were not losing weight with a larger pouch so they started making it much smaller. If you eat solids before you are supposed to you can actually push your pouch down and the adhesions that do form will secure the pouch in place but with a much larger size. You could end up with a larger pouch and weight loss will be very difficult. The only repair is surgical and then you start the post op diet all over again. I doubt most docs would redo the procedure because you didn't follow the post op diet.

When you don't follow your doc's instructions you are only harming yourself. If you want the band to work, you have to do as your doc tells you.

I think there should be a huge warning label somewhere that patients have to read before surgery. If you want your band to work you have to follow the instructions for EVERYTHING and especially a post-op diet.

When you are doing clears/full liquids/soft foods remember that sugar, ANY kind of sugar or carbs will make you want to eat your right arm. Protein will kill hunger. It's the way your blood sugar and pancreas work. When you eat sugar your blood sugar increases. Then your pancreas kicks out insulin, then your blood sugar decreases and that sends hormones that tell your brain you are hungry again. When you consume Protein it doesn't mess with your blood sugar much so your body isn't constantly trying to tell your brain you are hungry. Oh, you'll still have head hunger issues, but we all have that and that is a big reason we are fat. But mix head hunger with stomach hunger and we will fail. It's just too much.

So cut out ALL sugar and most carbs, limit carbs to 30gms daily. Then bump up your protein and that should make it so you can manage post op diets.

[goodtimes 0]

I agree with lynn marie. there is always another day. I have to admit that I haven't been on my best behavior. I've come to realize that I can't worry about what I did yesterday or even the day before; and to be honest, I don't know what tomorrow will bring so I can't even worry about that as well. Doing it one day at a time is always best. But since you have all these people on here for support and you see the difference, you can't go wrong for tooo long. Good luck girlfriend!!!

[bandster_1007 1]

thanks wasa...i guess i just needed a good stern typing to...

i kind of wish i hadn't been cleared for mushies early because now i realize how easy everything goes down. i eat the healthy choice Soups with the chicken, rice, etc...it goes down fine. so then i know that i am able to eat the other stuff that i don't need. my doctor has not made any mention of the possibility of messing up my sutures, or harming the adhesion process..i wish he would have.

i will go back to my chili for lunch and meatloaf for dinner..i have a whole new day tomorrow.

i have a question though, what is the defining factor between mushy food (i.e. chili, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, ravioli, lettuce, etc. and mushed up shortbread Cookies. i know, obviously, that the latter containes processed sugar, etc., but the consistency is the same before it leaves my mouth. why does the body work harder on it, compared to something that has much harder foods in like meatloaf, that contains green onions and onions, and chili with the Beans and all? i'm not a doctor and i'm not in the medical field at all, but the logic isn't there for me. why does my stomach squirm more for something that is softer?

well..i don't understand the human body and that is why i should stick with the dr.'s orders. i just need a swift kick in the a**, and if dh knew that i had Cookies, it would be coming.... swift and hard.

thanks to all of you who have replied, i'm already having a renewed since of committment.

[Crispy2 0]

Wasa you are a wealth of information and I want to give you a huge THANK YOU for explaining all that. It makes perfect sense. You have to follow what the doc says as you want to keep this BAND for a long time. Thank you.... I am going to go get some Protein in me now !

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I agree with lynn marie. there is always another day. I have to admit that I haven't been on my best behavior. I've come to realize that I can't worry about what I did yesterday or even the day before; and to be honest, I don't know what tomorrow will bring so I can't even worry about that as well. Doing it one day at a time is always best. But since you have all these people on here for support and you see the difference, you can't go wrong for tooo long. Good luck girlfriend!!!

No, there isn't another day for healing. The fact is that the post op diet sets the tone of the life of the band. Another day for healing means that the patient can have revision surgery and they start the healing process ALL OVER AGAIN! Is that honestly another day?

You see, the reason people often slip is because they didn't follow the post op diet. They might slip the day they decline to follow the diet or they might slip a year later. Six of one, half dozen of the other. If they slip they might or might not do well with a 2nd post op diet. Following your advice they may or may not slip again.

The reason a 2nd post op diet may NOT work is because scar tissue does not typically form as strong as it did the first time. You get a band, you have surgery, you form scar tissue. It is NOT the sutures that hold the band in place, it is the scarring your body creates that holds the band in place. You blow the fist post op diet, you get your slip fixed, you are not likely to form strong scar tissue the 2nd time around. Thus, you are at MORE risk for a 2nd slip the next time around. That means another surgery, something more drastic such as a sleeve.

Typically those that agree it is not a big deal to follow the post op diet ARE those that don't follow the post op diet.

Yes, a certain amount of self control is vital. It is necessary. If you CHOOSE to decline to follow the post op diet you risk a slip and the future of your band. We are talking SIX freaken weeks! Not a lifetime! Yes, you need self control.

Now, you can justify that however you wish. It does not change the reality of the situation.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

thanks wasa...i guess i just needed a good stern typing to...

i kind of wish i hadn't been cleared for mushies early because now i realize how easy everything goes down. i eat the healthy choice Soups with the chicken, rice, etc...it goes down fine. so then i know that i am able to eat the other stuff that i don't need. my doctor has not made any mention of the possibility of messing up my sutures, or harming the adhesion process..i wish he would have.

i will go back to my chili for lunch and meatloaf for dinner..i have a whole new day tomorrow.

i have a question though, what is the defining factor between mushy food (i.e. chili, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, ravioli, lettuce, etc. and mushed up shortbread Cookies. i know, obviously, that the latter containes processed sugar, etc., but the consistency is the same before it leaves my mouth. why does the body work harder on it, compared to something that has much harder foods in like meatloaf, that contains green onions and onions, and chili with the Beans and all? i'm not a doctor and i'm not in the medical field at all, but the logic isn't there for me. why does my stomach squirm more for something that is softer?

well..i don't understand the human body and that is why i should stick with the dr.'s orders. i just need a swift kick in the a**, and if dh knew that i had Cookies, it would be coming.... swift and hard.

thanks to all of you who have replied, i'm already having a renewed since of committment.

The difference between foods is simple.

Clear liquids.. something you can see through.

Full liquids... something you can suck through a straw without firm suction.

Soft foods... something you can eat if you had NO teeth. Something you can squish between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. You need NO teeth to chew.

Solids.. you need so much as ONE tooth to chew.

The post op diet sets the tone for the LIFE of your band.

Personal experience only... men have more self control than women. They follow the diet, women do not. Women will NOT faint with labor pains, men would die. Go figure.

Your stomach has to churn and work to mix stomach acids with food. The tougher the food, the harder to mix with stomach acid. Without stomach acid your food cannot pass through to your colon. If you have to chew it, your stomach has to work harder.

Stick to your doc's diet, not the justification of others. Your band depends on this.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Wasa you are a wealth of information and I want to give you a huge THANK YOU for explaining all that. It makes perfect sense. You have to follow what the doc says as you want to keep this BAND for a long time. Thank you.... I am going to go get some Protein in me now !

There is a trick to the post op diet. It is simple and hard all at the same time.

NO CARBS! No white carbs, no white flour, sugar, rice, Pasta, potatoes, none of it.

When you eat white carbs it increases your blood sugar. That tells your pancreas to kick out more insulin. Your body kicks out more insulin and your blood sugar drops. When your blood sugar drops that starts a hormone reaction that tells your brain you are STARVING! So, you have no choice but to eat.

Post op goal is simple.... low fat Atkins. No white carbs, bump up Protein. You will survive the post op diet without mega hunger. White carbs encourage hunger, protein kills hunger. Ohhhh, you'll still suffer head hunger but not stomach hunger. If you have to deal with stomach AND head hunger, you will fail. Pure and simple.

Cut out stomach hunger and YOU can DO this! The rest of us did and we suffer the SAME problems as you.

Do it, you can.

[travelgirl 3]

I agree with Wasa here. Our surgeons don't give us post-op diets for THEIR health, or to torture us. They are given to us FOR A REASON.

IF YOUR SURGEON GIVES YOU INSTRUCTIONS, FOLLOW THEM!!!!!!!!!

[Boysaway 0]

I agree but all surgeons have different post op diet recommendations. Mine (I have a Midband) said 2 days clear fluids, 2 days full fluids, 3 days mushies, normal food from day 7 but to keep it soft (not mushy) for the first month. The Midband manufacturers recommend this and it is a bit different on food restrictions from other bands I believe.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I agree but all surgeons have different post op diet recommendations. Mine (I have a Midband) said 2 days clear fluids, 2 days full fluids, 3 days mushies, normal food from day 7 but to keep it soft (not mushy) for the first month. The Midband manufacturers recommend this and it is a bit different on food restrictions from other bands I believe.

Very true. And various docs have different post op results.

My doc has an erosion stat of 0.0016%. What is your doc's?

The point here is simple, many docs cave on the post op diet so that patients will cheat with appropriate foods vs. the WRONG foods.

If you want your band to last, you'll do what is necessary. You'll do what the rest of us have, suck it up and stick to the original diet.

[juliegeraci 7]

bandster, look back and think about why you got banded. Also, it sounds like you may not be getting enough Protein. The chili and meatloaf will fill you up the most. YOu'll be okay. Just learn from this and move on.