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How frustrating! Maybe aim for 1000-1200 cals a day. It sounds counterproductive but I agree with that others that a stall can be broken by eating more. If you're already eating your 80 g of protein, which is plenty, add calories with fruits, veggies and healthy carbs. All carbs are not created equal, and they aren't all bad. Healthy fats are good too. Some easy ideas: Make some roasted veggies in the oven with a little EVOO, salt and pepper. Cut up onions, potatoes, add cauliflower, brussel sprouts, carrots, etc. make sure you're still only eating 1/2-1 cup at a time. Add avocado to anything for a calorie and healthy fat boost. I've always liked to wrap deli turkey and cheese in an avocado slice and eat it like a wrap. Have a chai or coffee latte with skim or reduced fat milk. Add a sugar free "pump" for flavor if needed. Have some fruit. Add a little Greek yogurt or chocolate hummus as a dip. Adding 200 cals a day might make the difference you're looking for. Good luck!

All doctor's are different. You can talk to 10 people and all will have different pre-op diets as well as different post-op diets. My instructions pre-op - be caffeine free and 2 weeks prior to surgery, have 3 Protein shakes and 1 meal (4 ounces of protein and a veggie). The night before surgery, the surgeon told my husband and me to go out and have whatever we wanted for dinner. I thought he was joking - he wasn't. He told me I had done great on the pre-op and that the only restriction was "don't go overboard on the red meat and no all you can eat buffets" (we were in Vegas). Post op - my surgeon was very progressive in introducing foods…I could have a couple of tablespoons of "slip and slide" food the day after surgery (scrambled egg, yogurt, anything that would slip off a plate). When I got home from Vegas and had my 2 week follow up with my local doc, I actually regressed to an all liquid diet. You'll do fine - be happy your doc said only 2 days…pre-op diets are very difficult! :-)

I didn't eat the amount i "could" just because i "could". my doc said to stick to roughly 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I'd eat the following 1/4 cup egg beaters with a small amount of cheese small mashed potatoes and gravy from KFC Pintos N Cheese - taco bell Light N fit yogurt - 4oz size natural applesauce pack - 4oz Soups of all kinds and of course popsicles and water! of course I was running at about 5-600 calories/day which I was told was a bit low... I'm on solids now and going at about 800-1000/day maybe I was overzealous but it did pay off in a huge return of a 40lb loss.

Are you sure you might not have a bit of a stomach bug? It would seem like that might be likely since you have been eating for awhile now without these issues. If you don't think that might be the case, I would stick with things like yogurt and other soft creamy foods and let your system have a little rest.

Love it in yogurt, esp. vanilla, but also berry flavors with a scandalous 1/4 scoop of genpro protein powder.

I have to take pills in the morning and at supper time. I take them with yogurt. I take my capsel apart and mix it with the yogurt and yuck but I do it every day and I have a pill crusher for the rest of them and put them in the yogurt. It has worked for me since Dec 31st when I had my surgery. I did get a fill that was too much and could not take my meds the one night because I could not even get a shake down me without it coming back up but that was my fault, I talked the doctor into giving me too much. I won't do that again. 24 hours after the fill I tighten right up, I guess I was swollen. I was told after a fill it does get tighter but then will get looser. I am trying to find my sweet spot also, I am at 5.5 cc. I am hoping 6 will be it. I go again next week for another fill. Good luck in finding your sweet spot. Judy

I had my first fill this afternoon by Jessie at Northwest Weight Loss Surgery and was in and out the door in 10 minutes...that included taking my shoes off, weighing-in and getting the fill! (My doctor does not have his patients do the barium/fluoroscope unless absolutely necessary. I don't know if that is trpical of most doctors or not). Amazingly, I did NOT feel a thing! She was done before I even knew she had done the procedure! (I was staring at the ceiling as she instructed me to do, reading the chart overhead.) The person who did my fill is one of the best in the US and wrote the book: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0595311148/qid=1130296666/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-8191535-1545448?v=glance&s=books]Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery[/ame] by Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D. A. R. N. P. After filling me up with 1.5 cc she had me move to her office and drink about 5 ounces of Water before I could leave. I tolerated it well but could definitely tell there was a difference. My restriction has been pretty good so should be even better now! I pb'd this morning for the first time. I was running late so woofed down a few bites of scrambled Egg Beaters...wrong move! Took me 15 minutes to recover (burp..pb...burp...pb...burp) then off to the dentist I went...and of course I was now running late for my appointment...to have even more fun for the day...pb-ing and the dentist!!!! I could only eat a half cup of food for dinner tonight (I've been able to eat quite a bit more then that previously) and I felt satisfied so hopefully will start dropping pounds again. After a 27 pound loss, I went up a couple of pounds...eating too much soft food like cream Soup, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes (I know not the best idea!) and yogurt. I was eating meat and veges too but usually had one or two of the mushies with my meal. I can eat a cup of popcorn...no problem but bread is a no, no. I'm sure learning as I go. What a journey it is!!! I love it!

I am not a low carber and to me, I've never gotten over the idea that Breakfast is carb time, lol. I like to fuel up at breakfast, and not eat so many carbs later in the day. I tend to eat oatmeal or muesli a lot - I dont waste my calories on very processed cereals. To me, oatmeal comes as rolled oats and you cook it up in a saucepan, it takes 10 minutes or so. I dont like bread anymore, i can eat toast but for some reason, bread doesnt "taste right" to me anymore and tends to nauseate me. I occasionally have a crumpet with butter and honey for a treat or quite often I'll eat wholegrain crackers with toast spreads - being an aussie, I love my vegemite. I am also quite partial to a bit of smoked salmon rolled around cream cheese in the mornings, and when I have time, poached eggs. But apart from the smoked salmon, I like flavourless cardboard as you can probably tell. I am not a fan of bacon and strongly tasting foods like that in the morning. I'd happily eat bacon and eggs for dinner but cant come at it early in the day and I really dont care for shakes and such. Cant eat cold yogurt either.

Every doctor and every person is so different. I had my first fill just 3 1/2 weeks post op and my doctor put in 4 ccs. I felt absolutely nothing. I went back last Thursday (2 weeks later) and he put in another 3 ccs for a total of 7ccs. I felt the difference before I even left the office. I had a hard time that day even getting in my Clear liquids, but woke up the next morning and had thin oatmeal, yogurt for lunch, then a regular dinner. I feel the full "restriction" much quicker but have had no problems. Most people that I have heard from tell me that having 7 ccs, 5 weeks post op is pretty aggressive, but it feels "right" to me. I think it is important to listen to your body and hopefully you can trust you doctor to make judgements that are in your best interest.

Okay.... (imaginative exercise #1) Close your eyes.... think about last Thanksgiving... the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberries, the pies, the egg nog, the corn, the Beans, the bread and cornbread, the after dinner wine and then... squeeze in that last piece of pumpkin pie. How do you feel? Like you need a dolly to get you to the couch? As if you could just fall off the chair and roll to the living room couch? Okay... (imaginative exercise #2) Now close your eyes again... eat a couple ritz crackers, 4 oz of yogurt, and a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.... now picture how you felt on the Thanksgiving exercise above and VIOLA! You have "fullness" feeling. Not painful really, just FULL. This is just how I feel after eating and I am less than one month banded. I think it is actually quite tiring how "full" you feel like your stuffed EVERY meal. I need to work on finding that happy medium but it "sneaks" up on you and all of a sudden you will say after very little food, "MAN, I AM STUFFED" and push the plate aside not even imagining of taking another bite. That's when people look at you like your nuts and get wide-eyed.

Hi there! When I was on mushies after surgery, I stuck with very soft foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, and fat free refried Beans. Remember that your stitches are still healing and your stomach is still swollen from the surgery. For the gas pains, take Gas-X. It was a real lifesaver for me! Good luck!

I was banded 3/11. 1st 4 days were bad from the gas I am hungry now living on ice pops, sf pudding jello yogurt and on P shakes. I still have a gas issue I was in the Groc. Store Yesterday and had a wave of nausea and cold sweats while trying to find yogurt and thought I was going to pass out, came home and had a violent bup and dry heave session and I feel a ton better. But I have a sore abdomin worse when I stand no redness or sign of infection. I thought I would try to go to work later this week, I think I'll wait to next. I'm going to the movies solo today.:confused2:

I did yogurt with a small amount of soft fruit like peaches, cottage cheese, hummus, ricotta made up like the filling for stuffed shells. I never did mashed potatoes but I did grits with a little protein powder added. I tried to make sure everything I had contained some protein.

I'd keep taking the prilosec, Don't be like me, lol. There is no harm in taking it for 6 to 9 months and a lot to not taking it. Just because you don't feel GERD issues doesn't mean you aren't producing excess acid. If you can eat food at other meals, eat food at all meals. Give up the protein shakes, and yogurt is just a slider. Eat ral potein as much as possible.

i'm 2 weeks out today and get to advance to mushy foods. I ate a whole banana before i felt full and had no issues. I did not get all that full especially on full liquids. I can eat 6 ounces of yogurt and just feel satisfied not really full. I'm not freaking out and raiding the fridge tho, I keep pretty busy and sometimes forget about food. But I'm just saying...it seems like I can eat a good amount if I go slow and chew well. It just surprises me. I can drink normally and even gulp ...a few gulps and not feel that weird pressure that I did the first few days post op. I'm too scared to eat steak yet. I would be worried about the staple line still. I ate some pureed chicken salad tonight though with no problems about 1/4 cup..didn't really feel full but don't want to push it. I was satisfied. It was yummy!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick question - are we EVER supposed to snack between meals - like on a few pieces of melon or string cheese? I haven't been hungry much at all until today and I seemed hungrier than before. So I had a piece of string cheese about 2 hours before my dinner and then a few pieces of fruit a couple hours after the meal. I am using 12gr yogurt as a supplement because I cannot get the protein shakes down without nausea (lactose intolerant).

I posted this thread in the Success Stories section by accident. :confused1: This is where I meant to post it: Hi everyone! I see a lot of questions on this site about pre-op diets. I thought I'd post mine, just as a guide for those who aren't prescribed one, but think they might need or want one. Good luck to everyone. Pre-op liquid Diet It is recommended by your surgeon and dietitian to follow a low calorie, low fat, low sugar and high Protein liquid diet for ___ days prior to undergoing bariatric surgery. The purpose of the liquid diet is to reduce the size of the liver, reduce the risk of bleeding during the surgery and to show commitment to the program. Below are the nutritional guidelines for the pre-op liquid diet. You will need to measure your intake and keep a food journal. Depending on which items you choose to consume throughout the day, your intake should be approximately 1000 calories and 60-80 grams of protein. You will be expected to lose 5 lbs per week on this plan. The nutritional guidelines are as follows: UNLIMITED SECTION: These liquids can be taken in any amount since they do not contain sugar. 1. sugar free or diet beverages such as Crystal Light (Great Value @ Walmart), Sugar Free Kool-Aid, Sugar Free Tang, Diet Snapple, FUZE, Powerade Zero, Diet V8 Splash, Propel, Fruit 2 O, coffee, Tea and Water. 2. Low Sodium broth Soups (chicken, vegetable, beef- tomato Soup is not a broth soup). It needs to be a clear liquid and can NOT contain bit and pieces of meats, tofu, noodles or vegetables. Each 8 oz serving shouldn?t be more than 140 mg of sodium. Bullion cubes are not acceptable as they are too high in sodium. 3. Sugar Free Jell-O and Sugar Free Popsicles LIMITED SECTION: Please do NOT consume more than the maximum # of servings listed in each category for each day you are on the diet: 1. Juice: Limit intake to 2 cups or 16 oz per day. Fruit Juice(apple, orange, cranberry, grape, and grapefruit),Gatorade, G2, Vitamin Water, Life Water, Snapple, Powerade, Low Sodium V-8 juice and V-8 fusion ? limit intake to 2 cups or 16 oz per day. 2. Limit to 3 servings per day: ? cup of Regular Jell-O, Popsicles or NO ADDED SUGAR Fudgesicles. 3. Limit to 3 servings per day: 1 cup (8 oz) of milk (skim, 1%, Lactaid, Almond, or Soy), 6 oz of LIGHT or Greek Yogurt (no more than 110 calories and 12 grams of sugar/serving), ? cup of SUGAR FREE Jell-O pudding, ? cup of FAT FREE or LOW FAT Cottage cheese 4. Protein Shakes: Limit to 2 servings per day: The following are approved protein shakes: Muscle Milk LIGHT (costco, Target, GNC and major grocery chains), Pure Protein shakes (Trader Joe?s), Premier Protein Shakes (Costco), NO ADDED SUGAR Carnation Instant Breakfast (Target), EAS 100% whey Protein (Walmart), Isopure (GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe), Zero Carb Isopure (GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe), Body Fortress Protein Shots (Walmart), Body Choice Liquid Protein Shots (Costco). *** DO NOT BUY SLIM FAST, ENSURE OR BOOST ? these drinks are high in calories and sugars. If you chose a brand that?s not listed above please check the nutrition label first and make sure it meets the following criteria: less than or equal to 160 calories, less than or equal to 6 grams of fat, 15+ grams of protein and less than or equal to 6 grams of sugar. ***For those that are lactose intolerant please choose the following: Isopure, Zero Carb Isopure, Body Fortress Protein Shots or Body Choice Protein Shots. ***For those patients with diabetes, we recommend that you consume 15 grams of carbohydrates every 1-2 hrs. Be sure to monitor your blood sugars and contact your doctor if necessary. If your blood sugar is >150 mg, spread out your sugar sweetened liquids over a 3 hr period.

Hello from Galveston Tiffany! Week #2, I'm recovering at the beach. Gotta kill time before my 2nd follow up visit with the doc. Anyway, this has nothing to do with a baby, but you said you never used Protein supplements. Yay, I cannot, I have tried. The taste was killing me. I am a week out as of yesterday, I have not had to use my medication for naseau at all, I have not been sick at all. I don't want to start now. I can spend hours trying to get a shake down....I finally gave up because I was freaking out about Water, and just focused on liquids that I could do, crystal lite, water and Sobe. Anyway, this week I can have liquid yogurt and anything that will 'go through a straw' so i'm being creative. Greek yogurt, plain, I'm adding Weight Watchers Key Lime or whatever for flavor and then skim milk to thin it. Blend it and there ya go. I can only do this once a day, and am only using half the Greek yogurt. It's not enough. I've added boiled shrimp to Campbell's healthy choice chicken gumbo Soup and blended it, but I'm not hungry. I'm eating about an eighth of a cup once or twice a day. Do you have any suggestions? The good news is, I'm down 30 lbs since my first meeting with my doctor back on Apr. 6th. :biggrin0: Thanks Tiff!

jordien, 52g scoop is six star muscle professional strength whey protein - got it at walmart. (i just re-read the directions. it takes 2 scoops to make 52g. what a goober i am) the chocolate yogurt is umpqua. i dont know if they sell it anywhere but oregon or west coast. i imagine anything will do. i know it's not the best thing for me but anything at this point is better than nothing. yesterday i took a knor leek soup package and mixed it with tasteless whey pwder 42 g's, milk and water. it had the consistancy of powered mashed potatoes so had to keep adding liquid to it to get it to loosen up. not great but at least it's not sweet. the smoothie went down really easy with no cramping. the soup causes cramping but not bad. i have some home grown veggie soup in the freezer. i strain out the chunks and give it to the dogs - the broth is full of all the nutrients and man it's good. the only thing not from our garden is the chicken broth. we also made a beef veggie soup. threw stew meat, beef broth, peppers, onions and chiles in a crockpot and let it cook all day. it too was awesome. the dogs love my diet. (o; we just have to keep trying things. be creative. it's not too hard to eat - it's getting the nasty protein down. i'm going to look online for some protein shots. i hear they're 40-50gs in 3-4 oz. probably tastes gross but i can do it twice a day easier than 10 times a day.

During liquid I ate: Yogurt, blended soups, jello, sugar-free popsicles, Fairlife milk (has WAY more protein than regular milk and no lactose), chicken broth, sugar-free pudding It's rough - but it's really a pretty short amount of time. I just graduated to Pureed diet and that transition is going slowly. My new tummy doesn't like some of the foods. I didn't digest pureed ground turkey well...at all. It is definitely a lot of trial and error! Best of luck to you!

Right after surgery, I was a little afraid to take pills. So for about a month or so, I did everything I could to avoid. I did the vitamin patches, tried to get chewable or gummy anything else I had to take. I even crushed things or opened capsules and put the powder on pudding/yogurt to swallow down. By the time I was on regular food again, I was taking normal size pills. At first, I took them 1 at a time, but now...I just put them in my mouth and swallow them down. I usually try to take them with food or within 15-20 minutes of eating. I find that if I take them on an empty stomach, I regret it: I taste the pills, I burp up medicine burps, get heartburn, or even get nauseated. The largest pill I take is a gel-cap that's 3/4 inch long. The most I take at one time is 5. That's 2 reg size capsules + 2 small gel caps + an iron pill. Right now, I'm still doing gummy MVI's, but when those are gone, I think I'm going back to my normal size multivitamin.

I have not tried tuna yet, mainly because it does not sound good. I think sometime next week I will give it a try. I usually love it, so I'm sure it will be fine. I'm stuck on refried Beans, fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds. That is about it. Good luck everyone!

Some people add the unflavored protein to Soups, the yogurts, etc. Honestly, I didn't even worry about protein. I didn't get it in on a consistent basis until I hit mushies. It's not ideal, but it's what I had to do to stay hydrated. You can add sugar free pudding mix (the powder) to greek yogurt. The white chocolate or cheesecake flavor tastes fabulous.

I think that's a good idea. The first few days I didn't want anything. But now I'm doing better getting some calories in and Protein. I am just trying to continually sip throughout the day. That chocolate smoothie sounds great. Wow... What kind of frozen yogurt? Chocolate? Any special brand? What brand did you use? And what whey protein has 52grams a scoop? Mine (unjury) is 40 g per scoop and I thought that was good! I am def. going to make that when I get to my 2nd stage. I can't have milk yet. Just clears. Wow a chocolate marshmallow smoothie sounds good about now. Guess I'll go have a lime Jello in the meantime. haha...

Hey April. I'm Lisa. Also having surgery Nov 9th - in NYC. Started my 2-week liquid diet today. For Breakfast, I had 1c almond milk, 15 ice cubes, 2TBSP PB2 powder, 1/2 banana and 1 packet of unjury chocolate Protein powder -- blended into a smoothie. I've actually been having these daily for about 5 weeks now. My pre-surgery diet is full liquids - I know some others get to have a light meal on theirs. I made a worksheet last night with my day's dietary plan (2 Unjury shakes, 1 Premier Protein shake, a yogurt and sugar free Jello for snacks). A written plan works best for me so it's all ironed out before my day starts. Just need to remind myself to drink Water. Never been a big water drinker, but I'll learn. Good luck!!