Please help w/post-op diet!! Had surgery abroad!

[mariele 0]

Hi Everyone. It is my first post here. I had my surgery Tuesday, december 1st (5 days ago) in the Dominican Republic. My surgeon gave me a list of liquids which I was allowed to drink for 15 days: cranberry juice, apple juice, clear Soup (not blended) and Water. He said I should drink 1.25 ounces of juice or soup every 2 or 4 hours. and 1.25 oz of water every 15 minutes.

It is my 5th day and IM GOING CRAAAZY!!!! I looked around the forum and on the internet and realized that he did not say anything about Protein, liquids that go through a straw (just the ones i mentioned) or anything else!!!!

I am back in the stated and the temptation is horrible. I guess I started cheeting his diet already because I have started to have things like Jello, blended (and strained) Soups, basically, going on "the straw diet"

Even with that, I CAN'T STAND IT!!!! I am going crazy and I really want to EAT!! foood!!! I am sooo tempted!! I don't know what to do!! When I have "mushies" I feel full after very little and have had no problems but I am really tempted to eat really food. I just bought a Protein shake powder and plan to start drinking tomorrow. Maybe that will help.

I really wish I hadn't cheated his diet, but its like IMPOSIBLE for me. right now my mind is driving me nuts and I have no doctor here. CAN ANYONE HELP ME?? TIPS?? TIPS ON FOOD?? PLEAASE! HELP!!!!

[Soexcited 64]

My post op diet is HELL. I was banded in San Diego (UCSD) and my post op diet is this:

day 1 - 5 Water, sugar free popsicles, Vitamin Water, iceopure (clear Protein drinks ... 2 a day so I have been getting 80g of Protein from day one) chicken broth (the bullion kind).

day 6 -14 all of the above including Protein shakes (milk based) Jello, fat free sugar free pudding, yogurt & cottage cheese.

day 14-24 blended foods. Anything blended so the texture is alike the pudding like blended pot roast, blended yams, blended peas, just think "baby food"

then after that soft foods, like fish, turkey meatloaf, egg/tuna salad (just mayo no cruncy anything)

Hope that helps a little.... my first day of blended should have been this Tuesday but I gave a few days early and had like 4 bites of blended home made chicken noodle soup.....it was very light and I added water to lighten it up even more.

[mariele 0]

Thanks for replying!! I am definitely going crazy though... How about the time slots that they gave you eat???

I don't know... I feel so weird.. this morning is like im hungry, but have a feeling of fullness at the same time... I feel like maybe something is stuck, but i just had a Protein shake and it went down fine... but then again, i feel full.. even up to my throat a little. I don't really understand my band and am getting frustrated...

[Meagan 25]

OK well my surgeon and i know many other peoples surgeons tell them protien shakes. Go to a GNC and get Isopure. You need to be getting protien in during the day. It is def hard the first few weeks but i think it will be easier if you start incorporating protien shakes into your diet. try your hardest to get 64 oz of Water in a day. sip slow. 2 weeks of liquid then start slowly incor mushie.. styill do about 1 protien shake a day. mushie for me was like ricotta cheese and yogurt and cotage cheese. stuff like that. do that for 2 weeks. then slowly start incorporating solids. keep in mind your treating your tummy like a babies tummy. soo so things such as tuna or eggs. cause they are soft. dont start incorpoarting veggies and fruit until about 6 weeks. and at 3 months your ready for tough meet such as steak. you shouldnt drink with your meals.. when youget to solids. wait one hour after eating to drink again. this helps the food stay in pouch longer soo you will stay full longer.. eat food in order protien then fruit and veggies and then carbs. this also helps you stay fuller longer. I went to a top surgeon and these were all the tips i learned soo i hope that it helps you. but for right now GET YOUR PROTIEN IN!! its crucial. and isopure is a lower calorie low sugar protien shake. but there are other ones... good luck!

[mariele 0]

Thanks so much Meagan... I really want to drink Water but I just feel so full for some reason... its really weird huh

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

Here's a link to the post-op diet from my lap band surgeon's website. Please don't eat too soon. You may be causing long-term issues by eating too soon. Your body needs time to heal from the surgery and accept your new band.

http://www.massweightloss.com/patient_area/files/post-op_diet.pdf

I love my band and my new flat tummy!

Good luck newbie!

Sue

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Most of us had post-op diets that included 3-4 Protein shakes per day. Look for 20 grams of Protein per shake minimum

Clear Liquids

sugar free Jello

sugar free popsicles

broth

juice (look for ones with no sugar or lite)

at least 64 oz. of Water a day -- dehydration is your enemy,

post-op or otherwise!

I was on liquids for 10 days. Then on mushy food for 7 days. Then started adding solid food a bit each day based on my comfort level. Some docs have longer post-op diets but I think you would be fine with the 10 days of liquids and then mushy foods.

If you want to feel like you're getting food, try this. take a whole chicken and put in a large pot and cover with Water. Quarter an onion (don't even bother to peel it), chunks of carrots and celery. 1-2 bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is fallinlg off the bones. Strain all the solids out and drink the broth. This will have a rich taste that you simply won't find in the canned stuff! Try French Onion Soup mix. You can take a roast and do the same thing as the chicken and get lovely beef stock, too. When you are on mushy foods, you can puree a large can of tomatoes and add to the beef stock for a different taste.

Let us know if we can help with other suggestions!