MollyRN

My first fill is August 19 and my doc says 1000 calories per day until then.

Cheers Hannah - we have the same band date. I had an epiphany today - although it may seem ridiculously obvious to everyone else... We are on the puree, but the puree is still more likely to move faster through the band than solid food - thus the transition from liquid to solid. Plus, I think this is when our swelling truely starts to abate and we are beginning to enter that phase where we are increasingly hungry. Also, I think that in theory, 1/2 - 1 cup should make you feel full ALWAYS (especially when we are on real food) - the tightening of the band really effects the duration of the full feeling. I eat 1 cup of soup (which is liquid btw) and I feel hungry in one hour. Tighten my band and I eat one cup of soup and feel hungry in 3 hours. You and I in theory have our band pretty wide open - liquid and mushy stuff should pass pretty readily through it once the swelling subsides.... sounds like you (and me) are in the right place for this leg of our journey. My doc told me to keep things to 1000 calories a day right now. In order to do that, it is less band or more willpower until my first fill I suspect.

LapNYC - I want to get to this point you are talking about, but did you start by tracking things in order to sort of memorize the stuff that you needed to consume?

Thank you Emjay! That is exactly what I was looking for. They told me to stick to 1000 calories right now - I am 10 days post op. Your weight loss rate was really great! I hope I can achieve something like that as well. I am NOT messing around with this!!

Please...please please... could someone give me a sample daily menu of theirs? With quantities included? I am really trying to figure out how to get enough Protein, without a lot of fat, into two or three SMALL meals per day. And also, anyone know how much fat is too much fat in one day?

First, you have a lot of options post-op that are not limited to his practice - so just having the surgery there doesnt mean you are committed to them for life. I really like Frank but I think you need to have the ability to slow them down. That's my impression - to be self-possessed enough to say HEY - stop for a minute. I need you to pay attention to this. I don't know if you have any kids, but it is kind of like pediatricians - they treat the average you know? But of course, there are always outliers and we need to be able to get someone's attention when we need it. I have never met Dr. Ren - but I will tell you that Dr. Fielding got inside my head, he is sweet, straight forward, mild mannered - he could never be harsh - ever! And, as with many things in life, my care is really ultimately up to me. I picked NYU because they are the best and I can't see having surgery with anyone with the best. I picked Dr. Fielding because he has a band (and he's the best). I like Frank and Gaspar (the nurses) and I think they generally run that office pretty efficiently. My experience with the surgical team was lovely - the anethesiologist was great. The nurses were awesome. Everything was as I would have wanted it. Now I am what, 11 days post-op? I have been in the office once, and it was a positive experience. If you want to talk, send me a private message and I will send you my cell.

No joke. I was supposed to start mushy today and I took the list shopping last night and then today I just stayed with my Protein because I have no clue in the world how I am supposed to get enough protein and eat the things on that list. I mean, how much cottage cheese do I have to eat to get 60 grams of protein???

OMG - seriously, my band buddy and I were talking about this yesterday. We are TOTALLY afraid to eat. I was cleared for mushy today and I am still nursing the protein shakes.... so funny.

NC Dave is now my fav!

I didn't do anything other than milk with protein stirred (not blended) in and vitamin water for the first 5 days. I think the goal is to make sure you are getting your protein. Save the soup for when you feel hungry.

Awesome! That's great!

I agree - love reading everyone's. www.aleadsinger.blogspot.com

I lost 6 lbs pre-op and 8 in the week since my surgery. Since I have started losing week, I have not stopped. I will start soft, mushy foods on Thursday and I am a little scared. Like you, I am consuming about 600 calories a day now (but I am sooo tired). Yesterday, the nurse told me to keep it always to about 1000 once I start mushy food. I hate this thin liquid phase more than I hated pre-op, but I feel amost afraid to eat right now...I know that may sound a little crazy. But my body is chugging along right now and I feel like I should stay the course until I plateau... but then again, cottage cheese sounds REALLY nice.:thumbup: Good luck on Friday!

Ik77 - I have been thinking about this exact topic for a couple of weeks now. Dr. Fielding gave my seminar - so a lot of information came from that night. I then, like you, got the food advice from the nutritionist and other health info from the nurse. I saw Dr. Fielding once before they submitted for approval and then the morning of my surgery and that evening when he discharged me. Yesterday, I went for my one week post op and I saw the nurse (who's great, really). Initially, I was kind of surprised. I mean, one of the MAIN reasons I picked Fielding was because he has a band and I thought, wow, I will get some great guidance. But I guess that guidance doesn't come one-on-one - it comes from the experience of his practice and staff. The papers they give you at discharge at quite all inclusive about how to care for yourself. And the packet you got from the nutritionist is really the only food advice I have gotten to date - although I have to see the nutritionist at my first fill - which is really when I will just start eating solid food. Yesterday I sort of realized that Dr. Fielding's job with me was to safely place the band - and that his team would take care of me post-op. I am not sure if this is the case with Dr. Ren or not. Hope I answered your question....:thumbup:

Call your doctor. Tell them what happened. The worst thing they will probably do is push your date back a little (and I doubt that). The bigger issue for me is the self-sabotage stuff. We all do it - that's why we are getting banded I suppose. Instead of feeling guilty, resolve to talk to your doctor and get back on the program - and LOVE YOURSELF and give yourself the BEST ODDS!!!!!!!!! You can do it.

Good words! My surgeon does 2 weeks pre-op liquid and then 10 days post op THIN LIQUID before moving on to mush. The 2 week pre-op was so hard when I was doing it, but I will tell you that I have 3 days left on my THIN LIQUID and I am going out of my mind. We banded people are willing to sacrifice in order to be healthier, skinnier, etc. These short term diets are part of that sacrifice. I agree, cry if you have to.

My doc said absolutely no carbonation for the first couple of years. He said is could stretch the pouch.

I walked alot and did windmills - I am almost a week out and the main sources of gas pain are gone now - although I have little ones here and there (like when I yawn). The trick is MOVING - move as much as you can.

I have the same thing - THIN LIQUIDS - the judge is whether it could, in theory, be consumed through a straw (even though we are not allowed to drink from straws).... I like the Soup at Hand Tomato fits that bill - there is nothing in it and it is thin.

Hi - newly banded on Monday - had abdominal surgery before so knew what to expect with the gas pains - they have subsided substantially now - a few remain - but I notice when I yawn, I feel pain around my heart - the left side of my chest. Is this just gas pressure too? It's weird.

My tricks: having someone pat or hit my back or my lower abdomen, windmill my arms, walking around, doing modified side bends, gas x twice a day. Mine finally went away, day 2.

I cried for 5 days of my 14 on liquid - but let me tell you something, I only have two incisions because my liver was so light - I didn't need all 5. It makes a great difference to stay on the diet as much as possible.

Everyone on here is so awesome! Day 2 and I am feeling great. Just had some awesome cream of aspargus Soup... I squashed the gas pains by walking around the house and by doing windmills with my arms (I know...weird). That was really the predominant pain I had and I only took the pain medication for the second day. Took some Gas X too. Seriously, the surgery was a breeze and everything went so smoothly. Those of you who are coming up on your date, don't stress out. I have had knee surgery and two c-sections - this was a WALK in the park compared. Really, agitating yourself will only make things harder. This is a gift. My surgeon was so awesome when he came to see me when I was getting ready for surgery. He said TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT DAY and I get to be there with you. I thought that was really cool - that he acknowledged how life changing this can be. And my husband wrote me a note yesterday telling me how brave I was to do something like this and take control of something about myself that I don't like. Here's to all of you - you're awesome and you can do it!:cursing:

Went in at 7am, home by 7pm.... Today is a little rough as I am struggling with the gas pains more than anything. REST OF MY LIFE...here I come!

Every single one of us feels this way.... hang in there!!! You will do great!