anglov

I guess I should eat more protein but I am running out of ideas. I don't like fish at all. I have been eating eggs, eggs beaters, chicken salad, ham salad, cottage cheese, refried Beans. I don't know what else to add for protein. I can only eat so much of it. After several days it gets old. I can officially add baked chicken/turkey this week but I have already been adding well chopped meats and have had no problems. I have been craving vegetables so I have had broccoli casserole and green beans. I ate some chili last night at bingo and man it was good. I took my time and chewed the meat really well. I ate probably 1/2 c if that. It was delicious. It's the change of pace that I think I loved.

Thanks finally and drowsy. Interesting information. I was really worried and I would say that one or two "mishaps" shouldn't have done any harm. Now that I am aware of it I just to need to listen more to my stomach. The problem that I am seeing when I eat is I don't have the full feeling until about 30-60 minutes after I eat. Sometimes an hour later and I am just like UGH!! I am stuffed whereas 10 mins after eating I didn't feel full at all and still felt hungry. I slow down and take my time. That is what gets me in trouble when I don't get that signal until much later.

If you haven't looked at your paperwork/binder lately I highly recommend getting it back out. I learned somethings. I was concerned about no restriction and overeating and stretching my pouch. This is what I learned in my paperwork. My new pouch can hold about 1/2 cup or 3-4 ounces. It won't stretch because of one overeating. It happens over time. Just don't keep doing it. Most who overeat get sick and throw up. I learned that the diet I will have once I am on ALL foods is pretty hefty. For instance: Breakfast: 1-2 oz high quality Protein (like an egg, cottage cheese, 1 tbsp peanut butter) 1 serving of skinny bread, toasted 1 piece fresh fruit or 1/2 canned 1 tsp butter, oil or margarine as needed. Lunch/Dinner: 2-3 oz meat, fish, poultry or conbinationa with low fat cheese 1 cup vegetable/salad or cup vegetable plus 1 small piece of fruit or 1/4 cup potato, rice, Pasta or bread 1-2 tsp butter, sauce, sour cream or oil as needed Plus add 2 servings milk or yogurt. I think any of that is a lot in one sitting so my eating the breakfast casserole the other morning is no reason to beat myself up over. I can't imagine eating this much in day. Does the swelling go down that much?

I posted a question in the post op form on restriction. I received several replies with good reminders of what I need to be focused on. I have no restriction. I have read that it happens when the swelling goes down. I just didn't expect it one week after surgery. I guess unrealistically I expected to be a little "tight" for a while. So, now I am on a different path. I have to be more mindful of my eating since I obviously don't have the help of my band right now. I go to the doctor on June 10th so that is quite a while to be on my own. I have thought a lot of what would I do if I stretched my pouch. What if this lack of restriction was actually my pouch was stretched? Could that be it? What do I need to do if it is stretched and how would I even know? Anyone?

thank you for all the responses. It is helping me keep perspective. The rest of today was better as my post above says. I am still only having about 400 cal today. That is not much.

Hey Heather, I have to say even though I ate that much this morning at 8:30 am I was not the least bit hungry until 1pm. Then I ate green Beans and cottage cheese. I tried to eat some Soup at 6pm and I can't eat it. I feel full or bloated. Still not sure of the difference. I agree though if we had willpower we wouldn't have had surgery. Crazy!! The breakfast was good and when had I ate the small portion it would have been fine. I am all about filling foods. The whole breakfast had 200 cal 4.5g fat, 18g Protein. That's for all that I made and ummmm ate. Tomorrow is another day. aaaahhhh!!!!!! Here's to us keeping on track!! Let's keep in touch in case we need exta support and motivation okay?

Thanks! I am trying really hard not to compare myself to others when it comes to the weight loss but that is human nature. Every doctor is sooo different that there is no real "norm" out there. Since I am on foods sooner I am not going to lose weight as fast which I know deep down is a good thing but 7.2 in week and now I can eat nearly a cup of what I consider heavy foods is a little concerning. I go June 10th for my post op. I hope they do a fill that day.

I was banded a week ago on May 12th. Today I feel no restriction whatsoever and downed quite a bit at Breakfast this morning. Way more than I should be able to and barely felt full. Is this normal? Anyone else have this problem just one week out? I am not on full liquids anylonger. I am able to add foods like eggs, potatoes, vegetables etc. Today I made a "casserole". Hashbrowns, egg beaters, pureed turkey sausage and a laughing cow cheese wedge. The batch I made was intended to be 2 servings at least and I ate almost all of it and wasn't stuffed. I am SOOO concerned over that. It made about a cup of food. I don't feel sick or stuffed or anything.

I was banded May 12th. I have NO restriction at all. I feel like I could eat just like I did before surgery. I called the office and they said that is normal. I must be a fast healer because that means the swelling is way down. I don't go back until June 10th for my 1st post op possible fill. I am really going to have to watch my eating but as it is I probably don't get 800 cal a day and that isn't healthy. This is really bothering me.

My first post-op is June 11th. I hope it helps. Have you tried refried beans? It stays with me a awhile only I can't handle it very often. Mashed potatoes stick a little but that is a lot of carbs. Hopefully we will both be feeling restricted soon.

I must be a fast healer as well. I am only one week post op and it seems each day I feel less and less restricted. I feel more hungry more often. I am sticking to eating no more than every 3-4 hours but sometimes at 2 hours I am feeling hunger. I am still struggling with drinking while eating so that may be it. I am on soft foods now. Still I am eating less.

I am heading back to work tomorrow. I have a desk job too. I went to the store today and overdid it. I was sore where my hernia repair was. I think it was the slight bending and straightening I did getting things from my grocery cart to the conveyor belt. I felt it about an hour later. Just me and the heating pad on the couch right now.

Most surgeries have a general post op procedures to follow but this surgery seems to have a WIDE variety of post-op diets. I am on soft foods now and can have full solids in about 2 weeks maybe sooner if I am tolerating them. I have heard reasons for a 21 day liquids diet because it takes that long for the stomach to heal to they don't want them to have a sold BM. What the heck??? It's like every doctor has their own take on it. I am so glad mine is less conservative. I have deep respect for everyone who has a long liquid phase!!

Don't beat yourself up. Every doc is different and honestly if flipping the band was that high risk then there would be a precise set rules that ALL people who have this surgery would have to follow. I have seen some that are already allowed solids after just a few weeks. I can have solids in 3 weeks and I was banded last week. If you are looking for the "chew" factor try pickle relish. You get crunch but it is already processed up in small peices for you. Geez 4 lbs is still a loss and every loss should be celebrated!! I was 314 on surgery day too. I am down 7.2 and I was banded one week ago. You are doing great!!

I am down 7.2 lbs since surgery. It isn't a whole lot by comparison to others but isn't that point? I should not compare myself to others. My weightloss is just that, MY WEIGHTLOSS. That doesn't include the 5 lbs I gained from swelling after surgery. I lost that 5 lbs of fluid(that counts right?) and then 7.2 lbs after that. Not too bad considering I am not on a liquid diet. I only had clear fluids 2 days and surgery day was considered day 1. Each day I add more foods as I tolerate them. I am down a total of 25. 5 lbs since March 25th. This is the most weight I have lost in years. I am amazed at how well I am doing and I don't feel deprived really. I still miss my mac and cheese but I suppose I will one day get over that. I had breakfast casserole this morning. It was very tasty. It's funny how the little things are so much better now. I made it myself and it took a few minutes but tasted so good. I made ham salad that is wonderful and a change for lunch. I am not a tuna fan or any seafood for that matter. I think chicken, ham and egg salads will be my staples. It's best when you can make things yourself because you can control what goes into it but in reality since we are eating such small portions most foods are well within guidelines. Ok, has anyone else noticed that your tastebuds aren't the same? I LOVE to put lots and lots of pepper on my food. I never use salt. I have realized that now I am super sensitive to pepper in my food. I made egg salad and put a very small amount on my food. I mean very little and it still seemed to overpower the dish. I actually was coughing as if I had poured a cup of pepper on it. Very weird. I have to say I am so glad I found this site. I feel I have so much support and help on here and hopefully I can pass what I have gotten onto to someone else just joining us. Thanks to everyone I have met along the way and will continue to meet. Each one of you have touched my life in a way that is changing my life. At a time when I wasn't sure if this was the right decision I was reminded how successful I could be. Now that I am banded I know that no matter what I can get the help or encouragement I need right here.

I am 6 days post op and feel great. My swelling has definitely gone down because I am hungry every 3-4 hrs sometimes sooner if I don't eat something with substance. Yogurt doesn't stick for very long. Egg salad does well and refried Beans sticks a long time but kind of sits there kind of heavy. Mashed potatoes and well cooked vegetables are next on the menu. I can now sleep on my left side where my port and hernia repair are so that is nice. I feel almost back to normal. I tried driving yesterday to the bookstore and was tired. I go back to work in two days so I need to work on that. It does get better every day. The more you can move around I truly believe the better you will feel. I was scared before surgery but it really was not as major a deal as I made in it my own head.

Congrats!! I am looking forward to being under 300. I have 8lbs to go to be under 300 and that is something I haven't done in YEARS!! I don't know if you have a Lane Bryant near you or not but they have pretty clothes. Pricey but good quality. Womanwithin.com has some good deals and nice clothes.

I agree, you are probably in starvation mode. If that happens you start burning muscle instead of fat. My doctor told me that once I get to the full foods stage I should be eating a minimum of 1250 calories a day. As my doc explained it this is not a diet but a lifestyle change and my stomach should tell me what I need. That is drastic to limit yourself to 800 calories. Are you still hungry? I listen to my stomach. If it is hungry then I feed it something healthy. Take this for what its worth. I am only 6 days post op right now but I have learned to listen to my stomach. It hasn't led me wrong yet.

I have to say I am really amazed how opposite ends of the scale every doctor is when it comes to after surgery diet. You would think there would be some similarity to it but it isn't. I can start mashed potatoes and cooked veggies today. I can't imagine having to do liquids for so long. I feel for you both and everyone else out there who has to. If you are worried about vitamins, try Vitamin Water Zero. I tell you that is all I drink and I have had minimal problems. I don't know if that had anything to do with it but if I can't stomach the gummie vitamins I know I am getting plenty with my fluids. I gained 5 lbs after surgery on the 12th. It will come back off. I wonder if they could give you a water pill to help. I have BP medicine that has a small water pill in it and the water came off in a day or two. I know its hard but the more fluid you can get it hopefully the more it will flush out. Take heart, this won't be forever. It will all work out in time. It just may take a little longer.

I had a rash on my right side on my rib area. It was weird. It is red and blotchy but doesn't itch and like you said it looks like it should. I am wondering if they had but an electrode for the heart monitor on there and I just happened to have an issue with that one? I don't know what caused it or what it is. I am watching it and it seems to be fading each day. My incisions are covered by liquid skin I think with the port incision covered by a clear sheet of tape. Very plyable. They are starting to itch under there. I guess I am glad they are covered by something or I would be digging at them. I hate to itch.

That's funny you say that about the phone. In my education class there was a man that didn't turn his phone off and would let it ring and ring and then went it went to voice mail he would listen to his voice mail. He never turned it off. I would say that is not only rude but shows a clear disrespect for what everyone is there for.

Right now each day is like a new beginning. I learn new things about my new "friend" every day and in turn new things about my new life. I learn what works and what doesn't. Everyone is different so what I may tolerate someone else may not and vice versa. I haven't added anything new the past few days. My "food" choices consists of: yogurt, egg salad, refried beans ( to be used sparingly), applesauce and mashed bananas. Oh and Chocolate cheesecake pudding if I need a sweet fix. Which isn't often. I am not much for sweets. I am more of a savory girl. Not much variety there. One tip to watch out for andyou may not have this problem but refried beans are delicious when thinned with taco sauce but after 2 teaspoons I start to get the full/bloated feeling. It lasts a pretty long time so all in all is a good protein choice and staying power in my pouch. Can be painful if too much is eaten. I drove for the 1st time today. No problems. I have a van that sits a little high but I was still a little sore getting in and out. I only drove to the bookstore and back home. Which brings me to my find. I purchased the book "Eating Well after Weightloss Surgery". Intersting book/cookbook. It has 140 recipes that on each one indicates how much is a serving for Lapband, Gastric bypass etc. It breaks it down for each surgery type. It also indicates how to prepare your serving depending on how many weeks you have been banded or if not recommended in the first few weeks. I flipped through it first to make sure the recipes are something I would be interested in and found quite of few I liked and more that I could tweak to my liking. Some I thought were not worth the effort until I could eat them regular. Like an omelet. Why would I go through all the effort to make an omelet if I am going to just puree it as suggested for weeks 1-4 for lapband? Ummm....isn't that scrambled eggs? It is worth taking a look at. I haven't found many websites that have lapband friendly recipes. If anyone knows of any please share.

I have deep respect for those that have a long liquid diet after surgery. You will lose weight much faster than I will but I am not sure I could stick with it. I am to a pudding/applesauce consistency. I made egg salad and processed the heck out of it and it was very good. I tolerate it very well. Tomorrow I get to start mashed potatoes and very well cooked vegetables. As long as I can mush it I can eat it. I am down about 5 lbs since surgery which isn't a lot but it is a loss and I am not feeling too deprived other than I would love to "sink" my teeth into something rather than pushing it with my tongue. I miss that feeling.

Good for you! I ordered my card Friday. They say with the card that some places will let us order off the kids menu and I know the Villa Buffet at Horseshoe casino in Indiana lets bandsters eat free. At least we went with someone that had the band and she got to eat free. Needless to say she was a failed band. Even that day she sat right now and ate two rolls and went to throw them up. What a waste!

ok well not totally crappy. I suppose it could be worse. I felt clogged today. I felt like something was trapped in the back of my throat. Like it was sitting there like nothing was going to pass by it. I didn't feel nauseated or anything but suddenly I just knew I needed ot get to the bathroom. I got in there and gagged. Again not nauseated it was just a feeling. I gagged three times and only spit but it dislodged whatever it was because I felt "free". Very weird. I sipped water for the next couple of hours. I am having a lot of sinus drainage that makes me cough day and night. I hope this doesn't cause any problems. All day long I was STARVING, okay not actually starving but you know what I mean. The hunger pains were there all day. I limited myself to 2 oz per meal like yesterday and felt I could have eaten 4 more. The pain was mostly gone today. I actually wore pants that button and I buttoned them so I would say the swelling once again is down. Maybe that is why I am so hungry? Dang if that is the case then I am a fast healer which could be problematic since I don't have the opportunity for a fill until June. I have realized today that even though I had surgery I have a habit of grazing. And if you think about it, if we are to eat every 3-4 hours anyway then that is essentially the same as grazing. I cooked again tonight and while I kept from scarffing the mac n cheese(by the way I AM ADDICTED TO) I was sooo hungry while cooking and it wasn't time for me to eat again. I prepared myself for how hard this would be but I guess I never thought that it would be like this. That's not true. I did I guess I just hoped it would cure some of my habits. Again a reminder this was surgery on my stomach not my brain. I have to be determined to make this my new life. I am really thankful my doctor does not require an extended liquid diet after surgery. Tomorrow I am going back to the foods I ate yesterday since that day was optimal for me.