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I too have been getting myself prepared for surgery, liquid diet and post -op. I started eating and purchasing Premier protein bars and shakes, chicken broth and noodles, and sugar free popsicles. I woke up this morning and saw the scale went DOWN. So I am going to continue my cycle.

I know I shouldn't be so impatient, but I cannot wait to get my surgery date already! I have completed all of my pre-op appointments, and have gotten all my clearances, except the surgeons office is still awaiting the results of the MMPI-II test (which I only took 6 days ago). I got the clearance from the psychologist, but the surgeon, Dr. Scott Steinberg, at Dekalb medical Center in Atlanta, also wanted the MMPI-II test. I just cannot wait to get this new part of my life begun! I have already purchased my chewable vitamins, B-complex supplements, and a few protein powder supplements to try out before surgery. I was originally hoping to get banded before the new year, but realistically, I am hoping now for a January date. In the meantime, I am going to keep on exercising. I am pretty active (yoga, tennis, walking), but probably need more cardio. I will also practice eating slowly (very hard for me, I am a quick eater). I will also practice patience. Another week or two will not make a difference in the course of my weight loss journey;).

Hi Everyone. It is my first post here. I had my surgery Tuesday, december 1st (5 days ago) in the Dominican Republic. My surgeon gave me a list of liquids which I was allowed to drink for 15 days: cranberry juice, apple juice, clear Soup (not blended) and Water. He said I should drink 1.25 ounces of juice or soup every 2 or 4 hours. and 1.25 oz of water every 15 minutes. It is my 5th day and IM GOING CRAAAZY!!!! I looked around the forum and on the internet and realized that he did not say anything about Protein, liquids that go through a straw (just the ones i mentioned) or anything else!!!! I am back in the stated and the temptation is horrible. I guess I started cheeting his diet already because I have started to have things like Jello, blended (and strained) Soups, basically, going on "the straw diet" Even with that, I CAN'T STAND IT!!!! I am going crazy and I really want to EAT!! foood!!! I am sooo tempted!! I don't know what to do!! When I have "mushies" I feel full after very little and have had no problems but I am really tempted to eat really food. I just bought a Protein shake powder and plan to start drinking tomorrow. Maybe that will help. I really wish I hadn't cheated his diet, but its like IMPOSIBLE for me. right now my mind is driving me nuts and I have no doctor here. CAN ANYONE HELP ME?? TIPS?? TIPS ON FOOD?? PLEAASE! HELP!!!!

I am on a two protein drink two meal pre op diet. it is not two bad I have cheated a little but I have lost like 10 lbs the first week. this is exciting I am ready. I will not have to spend any more money on diets that do not work. Good luck with your surgery we can catch after ward to see how each of us are doing.

You really won't feel very hungry for a few months, but by your first month some easy digestible foods are Yogurt, scrambled eggs, shredded chicken, turkey with a broth (moist is the easiest to eat), peanut butter, protein shakes, sugar free pudding, sugar free jello. You basically will work on eating protein and very little 2-3 ounces will fill you, I know it sounds crazy, but I am a year post mop and 4 ounces of chicken fills me up. Also remember natural sugars versus processed sugar foods are very different. I haven't had bananas yet. Remember the majority of weight you lose will be during the first 5-6 months and the. It really starts to slow down, so enjoy the not feeling hungry and just focus on proteins, and keeping hydrated. I live on chickens, Powerade zero and coffee

So I am 2 months out and eating everything again (by everything I don't mean junk food). I still am feeling hungry and constantly want to "graze" I talked to my dr about acid reflux and he said that is not the problem. I just never feel full. A big problem I have is not getting down all the protein I need. I get about 65-75 g a day.....I CANNOT drink a protein shake for the life of me. They literally make me throw up (I have tried many different kinds). I need suggestions of other ways to get down protein....snacks, meals, etc....??? I'm down about 40ish lbs and about every week have a stall. So frustrated because I'm trying so hard and so confused why I'm not full

I know there are a few post on here about this but I have not found all the info I am looking for. I am 18 days post opt and have been on the mushie diet for a couple days now. My problem is that I am now hungry a lot more than I think I should be. I try to eat small portions usually about 1/2 cup and that usually does the trick, but I am hungry again in about an hour or so. I am eating foods with protein so I know that’s not the problem. I have also been at a stall now for about a week and that is starting to play mind games on me. Does anyone have any experience with this? I could really use some good news. Thanks Mike

Hey Shelby. I am 4 weeks post-op. I am doing very well. Right after surgery and the 1st week out I was really struggling. When I went to see the team. I told them I felt like I was going to puke all the time. Well they forgot 2 meds when I left hospital. Carafate helps with healing of tummy and staple line. Also I am on omeprazole for 3 months. Controls stomach acid. These 2 things helped me 100% I just started protein in regular consistency. Actually had 4 bites of a burger today. Did you or are you taking either of these items? Hope things get better for you. Stay positive. Lots of support on this site.

The smell of protein is really bothering me. I didn't have a problem with it b4 surgery, but it is really making me GAG now. I am trying my best to hold my breath and still drink it, but YUCK! Kelly

Can you tell me an example of your schedule? Mine for example went like this:: 8:30am 8oz Protein shake with banana 2:00pm 1/2 avocado w/pepper 6:00pm 1/2 a avocado, tablespoon of non fat cottage cheese, tablespoon of mashed potatoes w/gravy 7:30pm sugar free popsicle Every time food was eaten it was because I knew I needed to eat, not because I was hungry. I drank 48oz of Water and 1-G2 throughout the day and struggled to get that done Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It got the name Ring of Fire because it burns on the way in, and it burns on the way out. There is nothing really special about this chili, although there are two things of note about it. First, it is very easy to make, and second, it has been featured at all sorts of social occasions and we virtually never bring home any leftovers. I am posting it here in case someone is bored and wants to try it. It is not cheap in the calorie department, but a half a cup yields lots of Protein. In fact, you will get 275 calories and a hair over 25 grams of protein in 1/2 cup. These values were calculated with My Fitness Pal's recipe calculator. Just about anything in this recipe can be substituted, left out, moderated, whatever. For example, one might substitute ground turkey or chicken for beef. Make it your own and the way you like it. I like it hot - real hot. I like it so hot when someone breaks wind, it is like a flash bulb going off in a dark room. You may like it a little milder. One rule about chili is, you can always add more spice, but it is real hard to get it back out again. Ingredients 1 1/2 lb ground beef 1 large can kidney Beans 1 can black beans 1 can garbanzo beans 1 can corn Two large cans tomato sauce Two onions (chopped) Brown sugar Cumin Habanero pepper powder Black pepper First I put everything from cans into a large pot and start it warming up on the stove. I do not add any spices or sugar yet! While that is getting warm, I will brown the beef, cooking the onions along with it. Once that is ready, I drain it and add it to the big pot with the other ingredients. I will then bring the big pot up to a low boil, and back it down to simmer. Then I will start with the spices. There are no quantities listed because I have no idea what they are. Besides, you are making this, not me. Make it the way you like it. Store bought chili powder is a waste of time and money. As far as I am concerned, it is nothing more than a bunch of paprika with just enough cumin in it to make it smell decent. If you really like the taste and smell of cumin (and I think that is really important in good chili) just get yourself a bottle of cumin off the spice rack. If you are die hard fresh about stuff, you can buy it whole, roast it, and crush it. But that takes the easy out of this recipe. Put in some cumin. Put in a wee bit of habanero powder. Any hot pepper powder, flakes, or fresh cut will do, but habaneros have just a little bit of a sweet taste to them before they start burning your tongue off. Start low and add it sparingly. Add in some black pepper. I actually add in a lot of black pepper. I love the stuff. Then comes the sugar. Brown sugar has a little bit of molasses to it, and that plus the sweetness takes the bite out of the acid in the tomato sauce. It also complements and compliments the habaneros. I do not add a lot. Usually about 1/4 cup for a pot this size does the trick nicely. Stir frequently to keep it from sticking, and let it cook down until it is nice and thick. It is pretty much ready to eat any time you decide. I hope someone finds this helpful in their Quest for stuff that tastes good, is reasonably good for you, and is not hard to make.

that's what i do! 4-5 ounces of skim milk, 4-6 ice cubes, 1 heaping scoop of peanut butter chocolate body fortress protein powder, 2 tablespoons of pb2, mix in blender. mmmmmmmmmm (i'm alergic to bananas, or else i'd probably try to sneek a 1/4 banana and only 2-3 oz skim)

*Not anti-vitamin. I am anti a day of largely eating nothing but protein and having room for nothing else in the balanced eating equation. I know I signed up for needing a Multivitamin for the rest of my life by doing this.* I've always been very big on getting my nutrients from food, but even with my ability to eat a more balanced diet, I'll never get what I need from food now. Ever. Heck, I was anemic and vitamin D deficient BEFORE surgery...I have no hope of ever meeting those needs on my tiny meals. However, now that I'm fully committed to using vitamin supplements daily, I feel better and healthier than I ever did back when I was eating without limits. Weird, but true.

I'm one month out and I too had concerns of the amount I can eat to make the protein requirements. I understand it's for a short time but is still a concern. My Doc recommmended 60g protein as well. I think that's way too low. Caloric intake ,all I can get in at this point is 500-700 cals depending on if I have cheese or not. Vitamins aren't a problem for me at least. Great suggestions on how to get the vegs in during lunch! Right now it's very little for me. I was an over eater so getting full on small portion sizes is good for me. Gladly looking forward to month 2 and beyond and loosing the fat.

I agree. I had my RNY on the 14th and I think I feel hungry all the time. So I just put an eat time app on my phone and set it to remind me to eat every 3 hours. I try to measure out my protein drinks, but when I am eating anything else, I can tell when I am done. I'm looking forward to feeling normal again!

Oh yes, this is a weird sensation, the first few days I could feel everything I was drinking especially the Protein. I just kept on a schedule and limit to 4 oz at first. That does fade, I think it's because our stomachs are still healing. I hiccup now when I'm full and don't have that weird sensation after 3 weeks. I start soft food tomorrow so we'll see! Good luck to you!

I wouldn't have gotten so mad had he not just finished saying he needed to eat healthy and lose weight... I'm not thrilled when he orders pizza and I have to smell it but the comment is what set me on fire. He also complains about how much my protein powder costs... $20 a tub, but one tub makes me breakfast for almost a month. I've pointed that out before but it makes no difference. Then he'll spend $20 on one pizza for one meal and think nothing of it. I'm just angry with the double standard I guess. If you're going to complain about your gut and say you need to lose weight don't instantly follow it with a whole pizza. I also feel like I'm the only one doing my part in our agreement. WE decided for me to have this surgery... I NEVER would have done it if he hadn't thought it was the best thing, because he wants another child or two and wouldn't even think of trying at my current weight due to the risks. He didn't make me have the surgery, but he nudged me toward it. I'm glad he did. But he was supposed to be eating healthier and watching his cholesterol and doing what he needed to do too and he's not and I kind of feel like I was tricked into the whole thing when he does what he did. Again, I'm glad I had this surgery, but I went into it with him telling me he was going to be right with me and we were going to get healthy and lose weight together. Now I'm doing all of the work and watching him eat eat eat. I'm just frustrated...

Knowing that he pressured you to have surgery with promises to care for himself properly---and that he's now giving you a hard time for things like Protein powder--puts a bit of a different spin on it, for sure. I understand your unhappiness--I really do. But no matter what, his weight loss ball is in his own court. Sometimes we learn who people really are the hard way--I hope this is not the case for you; I hope that your husband steps up to the plate and does what he needs to do, and you find that he's just another guy struggling with his own demons rather than someone who manipulates to get what he wants from others, without doing what he needs to do for himself (and his relationship--not that weight is a relationship issue, but coercing you to have a procedure you didn't really want? that's definitely a relationship issue).

I recently met with my dietician because I was not losing weight at a steady pace. She says that a low carb, high Protein diet is the best. I am still eating mushy foods since my last fill so I either eat an egg lightly scrambled with a little salsa or 2 tablespoons of low fat cottage cheese with a teaspon of low sugar strawberry preserves. Both of these meals are around 110 calories and pretty filling. For lunch, I usually eat a cup of Soup that I make on the weekends using low fat meat and lots of vegetables. The soup is about 300 calories. For dinner I eat one lean cuisine. There are many choices out there and they are not too bad. I find myself not finishing the whole meal so I always start with the vegetables first. This meal is usually about 300 calories. I then have a snack before bed. I eat Kozy's Tapioca pudding with Splenda. I just found this snack and I love it. It has only 90 calories. All these together keeps me under 900 calories. This should keep me at a steady pace of 2 to 3 lbs of weight loss a week. Hope this helps. Helen

The number of fills a person gets is not the issue, it's more of how quickly the fill gets the person to a good restriction level and that varies for each person. The amount of saline at each fill will also determine how quickly a person gets to the right spot. 5 to 6 Protein soups at 300 each is a calorie intake of 1500 to 1800 calories a day, which is actually not very low at all. And if she is getting her protein in then that is good as well. The problem with the soups is she is not learning to eat "regular" food in moderation and establishing that habit, but apparently what she is doing is working for her to take the weight off. How active your friend is versus your level of activity is important as well. My Dr. advises "full" liquids for two days, followed by two days of soft food after fills. I do get swelling after a fill, so this policy makes sense to me. I then gradually try regular foods to see how they go down. I generally try to keep my daily calories to 1000 to 1200.

Thank you for answering my question. The only thing I have concern with is how am I able to obtain the proper amount of protein if It hurts that bad to eat? I literally never feel hungry but I do try and eat. I drink a lot of liquids which helps too. Any suggestions? Did you have a similar problem with the protein consumption?

This is greatly helpful for me. I will be five weeks post op on Monday and about to go crazy. My surgeon and bariatric coordinator both stated I wouldn't have my first fill until 6 weeks afterwards which is May 15th. Right now I have to consume at least 100 grams in protein shake before I even eat soup which is hard. Since my surgery, I have lost 16 pounds and the scale isn't moving as much. I know I was wrong but tonight I had two chicken strips and four fries...and what an awful feeling because I knew better but can we say I was full. Let me just say for the next 11 days until my fill, I am going to get back at it since I can start soft protein on tomorrow which will only be breakfast: 8oz protein (32 grams), 4 oz of grilled salmon and 1/2 cup of brocolli, 8oz protein (32 grams) for snack and dinner.

I was banded 4/26 on mushy pureed food now. I eat 1/4 c of mashed potatoes and 1 oz of protein chicken so far that's it per meal it holds my 3 to 4 hours

As I moved to mushies my doctor said 3 oz of protein (cottage cheese and ricotta and then the next week I could hve canned chicken or tuna). I would have 8 oz of tomato soup for my veggie and then have the protein (the soup would pass right through the pouch). As I move to solids the I was to have 3 oz of solid protein and then low fat/cal veggies until full. I would eat raw peppers/carrots (as I got closer to restriction I had to eat carrots with hummus) until full. My doctor never gave me instructions to eat by volume (cup).

Exactly what @@theladyslipper said. My surgeon told me that hair loss after surgery is not due to poor diet, lack of nutrition, etc. Surgery (I think the anesthesia specifically) makes the hair go from the growing phase to the resting phase. The hair that is put into resting phase on the day of surgery then falls out around 3 months after surgery. It will eventually go back to growing phase but there's just nothing you can do about it in the meantime. No amount of Biotin or Protein will STOP the hair falling out. It will stop on it's own once your body has time to get back to normal. The biotin and protein will help with new growth however.