First day on Mushy

[commishnyse 0]

Had 1 measured cup of of tuna-salad. Wasn't hungry when I was done but I don't know if I had that "full" feeling.

Is it the same full feeling as before surgery?:confused:

[RestlessMonkey 7]

No. You won't (or shouldn't) get FULL. The chart in my doc's office says "satisfied" and that's what he stresses. Many of us overate and full to us meant, well, stuffed to a more "normal" eater. That's a big challenge of the band, to relearn when enough is enough. You'll get it! :confused:

[xrayman720 0]

:confused:Im starting mushy food have any idea's , that are not tuna base:smile2:

[greytz 4]

I use canned all white chicken just like tuna. Just be sure it is mushed up real good.

[commishnyse 0]

Egg salad, Mashed pot.(low fat) eggs scrambled or hard boiled cut up small

[commishnyse 0]

This morning i had 1 egg and 3 egg whites i measured them in a 1 cup meas. cup. it was 3/4's full making it a total of

4 oz. of food is this right?

and i was satisfied.

[Padanelle 2]

One of my favorite mushies is low-fat ricotta with Tomato sauce & parmesan. I also love instant mashed potatoes, and add Unjury chicken Protein pwder to it to up the protein count.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Refried beans! Couldn't have done it without them!

Plus I think you can blend (I bought a little mini food processor, rather than a thing like a magic bullet, and I LOVE that little thing) lots of different foods to mushie consistency. They look funny but taste good! (check w/your doc first if you're in doubt)

[greytz 4]

Definitely get a magic bullet if you can. They sell them just about everywhere including Walmart. It is the best thing that a banded person can have. You can blend up almost anything in it.

[commishnyse 0]

I've had tuna (4oz.) with Home made roasted peppers chopped up about the size of a pea...then took about 6 croutons cut them in half.. and would have the tuna with roasted pepper on top with a piece of the crouton..and it does not bother me. and i hear about liquids and mushy foods not being able to stay down, I'm not getting it can there be something wrong w/ my band? I feel like i can eat solids too i took a bite of my wife's pizza right after i finished my tuna and nothing..mind you I was banded 10 days ago.. in other words i don't feel like i have to blend anything.:frown:.

Edited July 11, 2009 by commishnyse

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I've had tuna (4oz.) with Home made roasted peppers chopped up about the size of a pea...then took about 6 croutons cut them in half.. and would have the tuna with roasted pepper on top with a piece of the crouton..and it does not bother me. and i hear about liquids and mushy foods not being able to stay down, I'm not getting it can there be something wrong w/ my band? I feel like i can eat solids too i took a bite of my wife's pizza right after i finished my tuna and nothing..mind you I was banded 10 days ago.. in other words i don't feel like i have to blend anything.:frown:.

Ok. Here you go. You have a band placed around the top of your stomach, kind of like it would be if you took a belt, looped it through your pants loops, but did not buckle it. It's there, but it is not doing much but looking pretty.

WHEN you tighten and buckle that belt, THEN it works. Same with your band. Fills=tighten and buckle. UNTIL you get fills, for most of us that band is just sitting there, a pretty pricey piece of plastic (forgive me I was an English major LOL)

SO that is why you feel like you could eat anything. You probably can.

HOWEVER! before you dash for food...your band is likely lightly sutured into place (actually part of your stomach is pulled around your band and it's sewn in. Ouch.) Groovy...but when you eat foods that must be digested, your stomach CHURNS and agitates to help break up what is called chyme. You don't feel it (we're almost miraculous, aren't we?) but your tummy does its part, along with digestive enzymes etc, to process that bolus of food, aka CHYME, into things your body can use.

So I think you can see the problem. You don't have restriction yet so can overeat. BUT you aren't healed yet. IT's just been 10 days. Those stitches could either pop loose altogether (a trip to the emergency room would then follow) OR ... you could loosen things up and have a slip or erosion down the road (be back here in a year going "WHY ME?" well...)

Docs don't take the time to lay this out, usually, they just expect us to be compliant with their good advice. Ha.

You think they'd know better!

Yes, you'll get hungry. Yes you feel like you can eat. It's your choice. ER now, ER later, or hang in there and let your band heal. They call this period "Bandster Hell" for a reason...

SOME people feel restriction early on. Why? Swelling post op (and you can see why things would swell, they are traumatized!) AND some docs put fills in during surgery. Many don't. Your's probably didn't, or if s/he did, it wasn't much more than primer.

[chefla 0]

Hey Nurse restless monkey or anyone else who wants to answer

I am new to banding 7/6/09 and new to this website, I read what you wrote about the guy who felt he could keep eating the one who took a bite of his wife's pizza (yum) just 10 days after banding, anyway you seem to know a lot, I would like to ask you a few questions.. I was banded 5 days ago and I don't know much about why I'm on Clear Liquids for 14 days (broth,tea,decaf,protein shakes etc, I've been starving since day 3. Do they do this so we can truly know what it feels like to starve? And it seems like other people are on mushy food after 1 week. I don't know if I can make it 2 weeks on Clear Liquids. Maybe my Protein drink is not adequate, i'm drinking carnation instant Breakfast or slimfast and i add more Protein powder to both. Help.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Hey Nurse restless monkey or anyone else who wants to answer

I am new to banding 7/6/09 and new to this website, I read what you wrote about the guy who felt he could keep eating the one who took a bite of his wife's pizza (yum) just 10 days after banding, anyway you seem to know a lot, I would like to ask you a few questions.. I was banded 5 days ago and I don't know much about why I'm on clear liquids for 14 days (broth,tea,decaf,protein shakes etc, I've been starving since day 3. Do they do this so we can truly know what it feels like to starve? And it seems like other people are on mushy food after 1 week. I don't know if I can make it 2 weeks on clear liquids. Maybe my Protein drink is not adequate, i'm drinking carnation instant Breakfast or slimfast and i add more Protein Powder to both. Help.

Your doc is apparently conservative, as is mine. You are on liquids for the very reasons I wrote to Commish....your band needs to heal. Some surgeons are less conservative and feel less time without that digestive action is ok; I've read of some docs who have people on clear liquids for 4 weeks. Seriously. No, they don't want you to starve. It isn't punitive. It's to let you heal properly.

I had clear liquids for a week and didn't even get Protein drinks and lived through it, without doing murder or some other mayhem. I'm sure you'll make it too! :frown:

I will say at almost 1 year out I have pretty much (knock on wood) no issues. I can eat any food (even white bread), no GERD, no Vitamin deficiencies, am well restricted and stay full 6 hours on my cup to 1 1/2 cups of food I eat...so I'm VERY glad I did what my doc said. You'll be glad too if you hang in there!

And I have tried to educate myself on this process...that's my nature. But my advice, here or anywhere, should NEVER countermand your own good sense, or what your surgeon has told you to do. They are they pro's, you paid for that expertise! With that caveat, I'm always glad to help if I can!

[chefla 0]

Thanks, I have another question, how do you get that ticker on the bottom of your comments, I created on tickerfactory.com but don't know how to get it over to here.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Here's a ticker tutor I think helps...I don't remember how I did it but found this one later

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/