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I am really not tolerating my protein shakes now...they taste too sweet to me. I don't know what to do. I can't get by on yogurt alone!..,not for 6 weeks!

When you start on soft foods. Eat one thing at time. Don't mix things. If you eat just chicken, you would know if your issue is chicken. If you eat just yogurt you would know it is yogurt.

Way to go! I'm sure you are working hard! Hope you are proud of yourself! Weight loss can slow down but it is different for everyone. There can be a lot of reasons for this but don't let it mess with you. Focus on keeping up the good habits - whatever exercise you like, lean protein first and hydration. One reason that weight loss can slow down is that we weigh less and it takes less energy to do the same activities. As my surgeon put it - It is like driving a car to Florida and hauling something. If you are hauling 3000 pounds you are going to use more gas than if you are hauling 1000 pounds. Cravings and head hunger started to get really intense around the 8 to 9 month mark for me. It doesn't happen for everyone, some people don't even get cravings back. My best advice is read about mindful eating or books by Geneen Roth maybe get some counseling (helpful for me cause I'm a stress eater) and if possible avoid keeping around sweets if they trigger you to eat. I keep around sugar free popsicles and yogurt for when I really want something sweet. All the best to you!! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using BariatricPal mobile app

I am 3 1/2 weeks post op. I have never been one to nap and usually have good energy. However, for the last week and a half (since I went on pureed foods) I am struggling. Yesterday I slept so much I missed a meal and some liquids. I am bone tired. I am out of work until the beginning of January so I have time on my hands. This morning I slept until 1030. Usually I'm up by 730. I am taking all my Vitamins. I admit Protein has been a bit of a struggle so I have gone back to one Protein shake a day with added greek yogurt to up the protein grams. I am pretty close to 60 grams a day as recommended. I have been Water jogging with weights every day except today when I went in to lie down for about a half and hour and wound up sleeping 3 and a half hours. This is so not me. Anyone else experience this?

I could sleep on my left side about 2 days ago, my right is still a wee tender, but I'm off the meds....and seemed to slide from pain to hurt/uncomfortable today. I turned a corner! I have a class this week to talk about stage 3/4 foods next. Pureed foods, here I come! By the way, the multi-vitamins...blech/taste wise, but I coat my tongue in yogurt first to dull the taste. It's fine. They'll help keep me healthy, so I'll deal until I use these up and try a different flavor.

I tend to agree with jerri, what size bougie did your surgeon use? Mine used a 28/32F and at 14 months out I still have lots of restriction. I can eat a whole tuna sandwich for example but it takes me almost 30 minutes. . . or I'm really really full on 6oz of greek yogurt mixed with Protein powder. . .for my dinners I can get down 1 small chicken leg, 1 tbspn of rice and 1 tblspn of eggplant but i rarely can finish all of that . . . I'm wondering if your surgeon didn't leave you with a really large bougie. . . ask on your next visit. . . I understand some doc's do a 40F and larger. . .

I have posted on the general forum about my experience. I was banded on 9/16/2008. On 1/31/09 I had emergency surgery to remove the band and repair my stomach - I had a hole along the bandline and I was leaking air into my body cavity. Luckily I had gone to just yogurt with probios because I though I had gaz so somehow there was no food to infect me even worse. This was followed by a second surgery on 2/2/09 to help stop a massive infection. I spent three weeks in the hospital - left on 2/20/09. My symptoms appeared about a week/11 days earlier. I woke up bloated on my left side. No pain. I disregarded for another 6 days where I went to my generalist. She felt a mass. Called the bariatric surgeon and they thought perhaps a hernia. A cat scan was arranged another 3 days later. Two days later, Sat 1/31/09 I got an urgent message to get to ER because the Cat scan revealed air in my abdmoninal cavity. A lot of it. I called the bariatric surgeon and got her partner. I was told by this surgeon: " You dont sound like you have air in your abdomen (this is a critical situation), the Cat scan must have been wrong. You should have them redo it. It cant be the band, they dont erode at 5 months" Luckily, I still went to ER and from there was taken in an ambulance to another branch of the hospital which did bariatric surgery. I was wheeled into the operating room and soon after operated. I would have likely died had I not gotten to ER and been operated. Out of the whole 3 weeks, I only remember about 12 days. I was delirious the first half of my hospital stay. I was confined to a bed with a nasal gastric tube, and 24/7 Ivs pupping me full of antibiotics and hydration. It appears more like a leaking staple or a staple that pulled? then erosion from what I have understood. I am unclear how that would happen. Anyone Its taken me 3 more weeks to be able to take a shower without feeling faint. Two weeks before I could even drive/walk to my mailbox. I was exausted. My voice has been altered by the nasal tube and its gotten squeaky. I HATE it. I am almost back to normal except I must eat very little to protect my stomach. In 2 days I will graduate to 5-6 oz 3x a day. I was on 2oz of food 3x a day the last 2 weeks. Basically I must pretend I have a band though the scaring is so bad, I will never be a candidate for bariatric surgery again. The original surgeon has not called to ask how I am doing. However they have been asking and trying to get my hospital records. That's been very dissapointing. Finally, I think my insurance is picking the tab after I have paid my deductible but I am not 100% sure. If not, I am really concerned what 3 weeks, 2 surgeries, several cat scans and other tests with cost. From what I understand I am now at a higher risk of intestinal occlusions. My stomach was attached to my abdomen and I feel it. I am no longer a candidate for bariatric surgery, and therefore at a very high risk of regaining the 62 lb I have lost. I forgot, a very important thing. My surgeon told me that sometimes in obese people there is not always a fever to reflect an increase of white cell and an infection. That was my case. Zero fever until after the operation. So, if your stomach gets very bloated, call your doctor. Oh, and I missed a 2 weeks 1/2 trip to New Zealand. Grrrr.

To be honest i hated greek yogurt prior to surgery and cottage cheese and never eat fish. My staple meat on my diet has always been chicken and turkey. They are the best anyway cuz they are 2 of the highest in Protein and low in calories and fat. After surgery i have come to love greek yogurt. My taste buds have changed a bit. I also will use cottage cheese in a recipe but still cant just have it on its own. I also make Protein shakes with a little skim milk, greek yogurt. A scoop of whey isolate any flavor. And some fruit. Makes a great shake and super high in protein. I have a limited pallet but i have been able to eat a varied diet. eggs are just a good soft food but remember they are about 70 cal and only 6g of protein so dont panic. Wait a few weeks and then start trying differet things. You may be pleasantly surprised at what u may or may not like. As far as red meat, we really shojldnt be eating it till around or after 6 months cuz its hard to digest. The chicken you will just learn to make it alp kinds of different ways so theres always change. Another thing is the canned chicken. High in.protein and u can make a chicken salad and eat with crackers or put it in a Soup or just add it to some broth. Just follow the high protein plan and get plenty of fluids. Also if ur not a yogurt eater try starting with the light and fit greek 80 cal yogurts. You may just like them. Also the yoplait 100 cal ones. In my shakes though i use the plain nonfat. Lower in cals and higher in protein. Just dont be discouraged. It isnt as bad as u may think. Good luck and if you need any suggestions please feel free to ask me. Id be more than happy to help u.

Quest are actually a Protein blend, not 100% whey protein isolate. I drink Quest sometimes *now* at 16 months out because I'm getting most if not all of my protein from food (I drink shakes more as a convenience now). But we were told early out when you're relying on shakes to meet your protein needs to stick to 100% whey protein isolate. Samples - I don't really know of any free ones - usually you pay a couple of bucks for an individual packet, but it's way cheaper to pay $2 for sample than pay $30 for a big tub of it only to find out later you hate it. I'd definitely invest in a bunch of samples. And don't forgot a lot of people's tastes change after surgery - so try the samples *after* your surgery Calcium - I use a variety: Upcal D (a powder you mix into food or thick beverages (it doesn't dissolve very well, so thin, watery drinks don't work as well. I usually mix it into my morning yogurt)), Bariatric Advantage chews, occasionally Calcet Creamy Bites (they're wonderful but 40 calories each - yikes!). Sometimes I'll also make a double Protein shake and drop a couple of calcium tablets in it. If it's somewhat acidic (like the fruity Syntrax ones), the tablets will eventually dissolve.

Good point, I will have to monitor that a bit more, but usually the shake lasts about 2 hours before I feel hungry, the yogurt holds for about 2 hours, the salad for two to three hours. By the time I get home from work the hunger is strong and I am ready to eat anything I can find--that is why the snacks are now all ready and pre-planned to prevent me form just eating anything I can find! Dinner is about 3 hours later and no late night hunger or anything, but I do have a SF popsicle or two every so often.

I would focus on liquids before foods, that's a pretty quick progression to mushies. I know I had no appetite the first few days because of the swelling, etc. I also was on full liquids, which allowed for puddings, yogurt, Jello and found that I felt extremely nauseous when I ate some of those foods. Do you know if you received a fill at time of surgery? This could also be a problem if you have a fill

Hi ladies, Today- B: cherry carbmaster yogurt with half a banana L: quarter cup chicken salad with 3 club crackers S: 1 pretzel, 4 coconut cashews D: a third of a panko breaded tilapia fillet with tarter sauce and one slice of peach from a can of peaches Exercise: nope Water: maybe about 30 oz. Not good! :biggrin:

I prepack homemade beans (I use toddler-sized plastic containers), fresh cilantro to top the beans or sometimes homemade salsa, Greek yogurt, 100-calorie packs of almonds (I'm 4 months out), babybel lite cheese or Laughing Cow soft cheese, cheese sticks, apples or berries, veggie strips (usually red pepper or cucumbers), salads, yogurt with protein powder added, protein bars for emergencies (only eat half), vegetarian chili... I'm a vegetarian btw.

I agree-- in vanilla protein shakes. But boy oh boy, in greek yogurt sounds great! I will be trying that!!

The only diet I follow is really what was on the sheet that my doctor gave to me. The liquid diet for the 1st 48 hours and then after that for this 1st month I only eat: Breakfast: 1-2 eggs scrambled 1 package of grits omelette (no meat) 1 package of oatmeal (any of the above) Lunch: Soup at Hand 1 can of tuna or one of the flavored packages w/mayo, salt, pepper small salad or any fish Dinner: Any baked fish or salmon steamed veggies Snacks: Jell-o w/fat free whipped topping fat free pudding cottage cheese applesauce popiscles/fudgsicles (sugar free) fat free frozen strawberry yogurt w/whipped cream This is just a example but check with your doctor...He told me for the 1st month to stay away from beef, veal, pork, chicken and to try salads 2 weeks after. No bread, pasta, rice, corn...even though it is a starch I stillhave mashed potatos since they are soft. I also found that Viactiv makes a multi-vitamin now and that is alot better than drinking Centrum! It's like having a chocolate! Plenty of water and hot tea has helped me....and NO sodas! juices are great but you might want to dilute them in the beginning. Hope this helps! Good luck on your band!

This is the first time I've ever posted here, lol. The sugar free coffee syrups are great! I love them. There is a blog that I follow called the world according to eggface - the lady who writes it had gastric bypass in 2006 and shares a ton of recipes using the sugar free syrups. Heres a link to her recipe/syrup page ( http://theworldaccor...ree-syrups.html ) I've tried a bunch of them and the recipes always turn out great! she (the world according to eggface) says - " How do I use them? I add my syrups to Protein shakes, Desserts, Protein Ice Cream, Fage yogurt, ricotta cheese, SF cocoa, cream cheese, iced tea, lemonade, steamed "milk" (I'm a soy girl but you could use the real stuff), protein balls, oatmeal, and of course in coffee and coffee drinks."

I drizzled some Raspberry syrup over my Greek Yogurt today.

My doctor has me on a two-week post op diet of either 5 low-sugar milk based Protein shakes per day, OR 3 of those shakes and blended foods such as tuna, chicken, cottage cheese, applesauce, etc. I've been afraid to try the blended foods, even though so far liquids haven't been a problem. I'm going to try and eat more of those soft foods now, since it seems that I am ready. I find it very interesting that when I was only drinking Water and broth I would feel hungry quite often. Since I've been adding Protein powder to drinks, I find that I am not nearly as hungry. Guess that really does make a difference! Tonight I'm going to bust loose with a yogurt, yum!! Thanks to all who are posting here- it's great to connect with folks, and the information sharing has been really helpful for me. keep up the good work, and hang in there until mushies!

Hello all.. I was banded on 2/3 and have been on a clear liquid only diet... (no shakes yet) so everything is sweet... I hate the chicken broth so I bought chicken noodle Soup and drained off the liquid and that was yummy.. everything else though has been so sweet even if its sugar-free. I was so desperate today that I drank pickle juice. Yummm... I'm just craving something salty. I'm haveing a party at midnight with my daughter and MIL to Celebrate that I made it the full week on nothing... cream Soups and yogurt never looked so good. It's funny how drs. differ on the pre/post-op diets. The only other thing is that I have some heaviness in my chest when standing or walking for long periods. Guess that is where the band is and the soreness of the stomache. I have been able to sleep on my side and stomach for a bit and was so tickled to do it. Wish everyone else a speedy recovery.

My dr considers full liquids and mushies to be the same thing. Doesn't make sense to me because I was allowed pudding, baby food fruit and yogurt during my initial 2 week "liquid phase" but not allowed cream soups until phase II (full liquids aka mushies). Each dr is different. Did you get any kind of paperwork showing what is allowed on the different stages of your post op diet?

Pudding and yogurt were part of my "full liquids" but cottage cheese and oatmeal were part of "mushies".

I didn't eat fruit (other than avocados) for a few months after surgery -- I was focused on protein, and the carbs were just too high for my plan. Not eating fruit didn't hurt me! I was eventually able to add it back in. Keep in mind that you will be eating very small portions of whatever you are eating. 25 grams of blueberries (a very reasonable amount for a sleever to add to some yogurt) has 2.5 grams of sugar.

I was able to swallow pills right away (a day or two after surgery). I do have one large pill that I haven't gotten back to taking yet. I wonder the same thing...maybe crush it (it's just really a horse pill). I'll be watching to see how folks make it palatable. I did sprinkle my Biotin in my yogurt this morning, just to see how it would be. No taste change, but really gritty!

I like the Yoplait light flavors...my favorites are lemon, apple turnover, & strawberry white chocolate. They don't taste like yogurt and the texture isn't like typical yogurt.

The funny thing, is that the dr has had me on meats since day 6. I try EVERYTHING. I have had problems only with crab so far (or it was a coincidance) I can eat eggs,bacon, chicken, beef, cheese, turkey, cereal (dr said high fiber) he has me off shakes and yogurt, but I went back to yogurt because I NEED a little something for when nothing else works. Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app