bkchick88

I'm in the same situation on the pureed diet and mentioned my frustration to my family today. I haven't lost a single pound since I started it, and when I tracked my calories I'm only eating about 1000 calories. That scares me because I think, "Crap, I had surgery and I still can't lose weight!" I guess we all need to focus on healing for now and maybe when we eat more Protein things will start to change for us.

I was extremely nervous and scared too. I cried all the way to the surgery table. But I'm only 12 days post-op with my lap band, and I can already tell it's been the best thing I could have done for myself. (I also recovered quickly.) I, too, thought I had to "eat my last_______(fill in the blank), but that really hasn't bothered me. I get full on about one cup of food and I haven't even had a fill in my band yet. I used to drink a Diet Coke a day, but I've been cold turkey since the day before my surgery, and it really hasn't been that bad. The biggest hurdle for me right now is head hunger. I start eating something I enjoy, like Soup or cottage cheese, and it tastes so good I want to keep eating, but the band stops me. Yes, it's works great! But my head is like, "Oh, geez, I was enjoying that!" I'll have to get my eyes to catch up to the new size of my stomach. I love this "secret tool" I have now. It helps me stay satisfied on little meals throughout the day. I could never do that on my own before. Have courage. You can do this!

Your prep diet is a little different from mine. My doctor said I had to keep my calories to 900 a day, but he didn't restrict me to liquids only. Sorry about that. Hang in there. I feel your pain. I've moved my post-op diet along quicker than I was told because I was going crazy with the liquids.

You'll be very sore and groggy. Avoid sneezing The liquid pain medicine is horrible tasting! Make Jello ahead of time and have your liquid diet planned. You should get a food list from your doctor. It might take three days to have a BM but that's normal. -But don't get constipated; drink lots of Water. It's easier to sleep in a recliner because sleeping on your side hurts and it's really hard to get comfortable in a bed for the first 5 days. At about day 4, you'll feel a big improvement. By day 10, it only hurts if you have to bend over to pick something up off the floor (hate that when that happens!). I went back to work one week after surgery and no one could tell I had anything done. Keep your eye on the ball through the liquid phase. By day 10 you'll be able to have cottage cheese, etc. and life improves. You'll also lose about 10-15 pounds by day 10 between the pre-op diet and the liquid phase.

Okay, now it's day 10 and I'm on pureed food. It only takes about a cup of food to make me feel extremely full, and I haven't even had a fill yet. I can't imagine how I'm going to eat once that happens. So, so glad to be off the liquid phase. I pureed ravioli today and it tasted divine. It looked like crap, but it was filling and delicious.

Give yourself time. You just had surgery and your body is going through a lot of changes. I'm not too happy with my stomach either, but this is why we were proactive and got banded. That took courage. Let time do it's thing and if we do our part, the body will follow.

Postop, your before/after pictures are amazing! You don't even look like the same person. I had a different procedure than you did, but I'm hoping for just as a dramatic difference in my appearance. I have my fingers crossed. So far, I haven't had a fill yet in my band, but with my stomach plication, I can only "eat" (still on the liquid diet) about a cup of Soup before I feel full.

We buried our dear cat (Scooter) in the backyard too. It's been five years now. I cried so much the next day, I had big circles under my eyes. I really should have called in sick to work. My tears wouldn't quit and I'm sure people thought I was a crazy cat lady. It's hard to explain the deep bond you have with certain pets, no matter what kind of pet they are. It's a personal story for everyone.

My dearest buddy while I was a stay at home mom was a huge and very handsome orange striped cat. He lived with us for 13 years and gave us so much joy and tender memories. We used to joke that he and my daughter were twins because we adopted him about the same time she was born. A part of me died when we had to put him to sleep after he was diagnosed with liver cancer. We've had three cats since him, but it's never been the same. I swear, when I cross to the other side that cat will be there to greet me at heaven's door.

Did anyone else feel bloated in their abdominal area after their lap band surgery? I swear my stomach is bigger than it was before I had the surgery. It feels tight and I can't tell if the sharp pains are from the surgical sites or if it's air. I just feel icky. I'm only three days post-op and wondering how I'm going to fit into dress pants when I go back to work on Monday because my stomach feels like it's as big as a horse's.

I had those exact same feelings. Best of luck to you and wishing you a speedy recovery.

I just noticed we had surgery the same day! Last night I could finally sleep on my side and not wince with pain. It was wonderful. My energy is back 100 percent and I can get up and down from a chair without much pain. I would say we're doing just about the same, so it must be normal. I feel the same as you as far as looking forward to the puree stage. So ready for that day to come. I'm tired of Soup and yogurt. (BTW: my nurse said I could have very runny instant potatoes and I've started eating those and it's been wonderful.)

I just discovered "The Good Wife" on Netflix for the first time. I'm now on season four. Loved The Hundred Foot Journey as well.

Hi Tasha. I just recently joined this site, so I'm a newbie too. I can only speak from my limited point of view, but one of the disadvantages of the lap band is that there are certain foods that can become stuck above the band, so they are off limits. This includes steak, Pasta, popcorn, certain fruits just to name a few. During the plication procedure, the doctor sewed my stomach so it's only half its size. However,the stomach isn't cut during this procedure, just folded and stitched. I wonder if having only the plication would be more comfortable rather than having the band along with it, which restricts certain foods that aren't necessarily bad. From what I've read, the gastric sleeve has been very successful for a lot of people. The only drawback is that it's permanent change to your stomach, whereas the band can be removed if there are complications. Keep reading up on each procedure. It's a whole new world once you're on the other side. Best of luck to you.

I amazed at the differences in everyone's pre-op diet. My doctor told me to limit my caloric intake to 800-900 calories a day for two weeks and to start with a Protein shake in the morning for Breakfast. lunch and dinner were to be a diet entree so counting calories would be easier. Those were the only restrictions. The closer Christmas came, the more I fell off the wagon. My surgery was still a success and I'm 5 days post-op and feeling just a little sore. Heaven forbid I should drop something and have to pick it up off the floor...ouch!! But my energy is back up, even though I'm still on a liquid diet. So far, things are going very well. Best of luck to you on your new weight loss journey in 2015.

Ry9010, I was banded on Monday. I only feel sore when I attempt to stand up or sit down because of the stomach muscles. So, I'm only one day ahead of you. By the way, I'm a teacher too and chose to get my surgery the second half of the winter break. It worked out perfect so I didn't have to take any time off from work.

Hello, everyone. It's taken me two years to decide if I should have wls, and here I am, one day after lap band/stomach plication surgery. I'm sore, but not as sore as I thought I would be. No shoulder pain either as a side effect, so everything is good so far. I have to say I was about ready to jump ship before they took me into surgery because of fear. Glad to be on the other side of it. Any advice?

JoJoNYC, I wish you the best. Hang on tight for the next six weeks.

Dsteele89, my recovery has been fairly smooth. I didn't experience any of the shoulder pain from the air they pushed in my abdomen, so I'm grateful for that. Just a little bloated for a few days. I was having a hard time finding a comfortable position to sleep in because I'm a side sleeper, but someone on here suggested I use a pillow to support my stomach on my side and that's been very helpful. I feel so much better today. I'm not as bloated and I'm not quite as sore as I was yesterday. I definitely feel like I'm on the mend and will be ready to go back to work on Monday. I just don't want anyone running into my stomach accidentally...yikes! I've got a little bit of "head hunger," where I'm tired of my liquid diet and trying to be patient until I can add more variety into my intake. I can't wait to eat cottage cheese or a soft yogurt. Looking forward to a new me in 2015 and the "green zone."

Babylvrrn, you're just a few days ahead of me in this experience and I feel exactly how you do with this liquid diet. It's driving me bonkers too. I would pay big money just to eat some cottage cheese right now. It's gotten to the point that no matter what I drink, it all tastes the same. My doctor said I could start pureed food at about 10 days, and I'm only on day 3. He won't let me eat solid food until week 4, which seems like an eternity. I guess we just have to tough it out.

When did everyone start feeling comfortable with their band? I know I'm just starting out at 2 days post-op, but I can't find a comfortable position to sleep in and the liquid diet is making me crave crunchy food. Going back to work on Monday and hoping I'll feel better by then.

I'm two days post surgery with my band and looking for a band buddy. I could really use some encouragement with this lifestyle. I'm looking forward to feeling "normal" again when the pain from surgery stops and living a normal life begins. How long does it take for your insides to feel good again?

Thanks, Bandista. I nap a ton and still use liquid ibuprofen/acetaminophen. I can't stand the taste of the other pain medication. Lots of Popsicles for sure. I keep smelling wonderful food in my house while my family eats, and my brain wants me to eat right along with them. I think once I'm off this liquid diet, life will be so much more enjoyable.

I would definitely keep it a secret from those you work with. People can be so judgmental, even in the kindest of work environments. You could tell them it's for surgery related to a female issue. That usually shuts people up. I was able to have my surgery during the winter break at my job, so I already had the time off. Good luck with your surgery. I'm only on day 3 post-op and my brain wants to eat real food instead of the liquid diet. No sure if I'll ever eat Jello again for the rest of my life.

Congratulations on your surgery date. I was very nervous! I even cried when they made me walk down the hall to the surgery room. I wondered if I was crazy to have something done to a healthy organ (stomach). I kept reminding myself that I had two options, continue going up on the scale or be proactive and have the surgery. I had my surgery on Dec. 29, so I'm still very much in the sore stage. There's no turning back now.