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Most of time time the first two weeks following bypass is: Week 1 - Clear liquids only SF Jello, broth, Water, crystal lite, watered down apple juice, SF Popsicles Week 2 - full liquids and clear liquids- same as above plus creamed Soups, yogurt, Protein shakes (no more watered down Apple juice) Week 3 - the will move you to puréed if all goes well. You should ask your surgeon for his/her food plan because they all seem to differ but they should give you some idea of exactly what to eat when. In terms of meds, you should try to get yourself the liquid versions for the first 3 months or chewable if you can. Otherwise you will be crushing anything that is bigger around than a pencil eraser. This improves over time but those first 3 months it is pretty swollen in there. I don't use a blender because I buy Premier Protein ready made shakes instead of all the powders. When I had the puréed stage I used either my food processor or I had a nutrition bullet. I have since given that nutri bullet away. The best of luck to you! I hope all goes well.

I am having the hardest time. I don't know what to eat and I do feel hunger. I eat yogurt with genpro for breakfast. Even though I could have scrambled eggs now. Then last night after broth for lunch. I had refrained beans. I wanted more but I was scared. I think I had about 1/3 of a cup. Anyway. I'm struggling and don't feel like I'm losing. I am so scared I did this for nothing. I love real food. So the sf puddings are wearing on me. I don't like sweet as much as not. Help. What are you guys eating two weeks post op. How much. How often. Thanks.

From your most recent post it sounds like you now have the information needed, but I'll copy and paste below what Tijuana Bariatrics sent me last year (it could have since been updated) in case anyone else is seeking it: Pre-Op Instructions Gastric Sleeve, Plication and Lap Band Use any prepared canned or powdered Protein drink. You may purchase these in any health food store or many grocery stores. Please be sure it contains at least 15 grams of protein per serving. 1 Protein Drink at Breakfast 1 protein drink at lunch Dinner: salad with Protein (chicken, fish, egg, etc), small amount of low fat dressing, or fat free dressing or olive oil and vinegar. 1 protein drink in the evening if needed You may also take 1 Metamucil capsule per day if needed for hunger. Start this phase the day before surgery: Do a light breakfast the day prior to surgery and take only Clear liquids after that. This consists of broth, Jell-o, sugar-free juice, any clear liquid You may have nothing to eat or drink after the midnight preceding surgery or 8 hours prior to it. If you are a Same Day Surgery arrive with an empty stomach and wear compression stockings during your trip. You may take needed medications (such as heart or blood pressure medications) with sips of Water the morning of surgery as directed by our Doctors. Do not take any aspirin, Advil, Nuprin, Aleve or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication for 7 days prior to surgery. These medications cause unnecessary bleeding after surgery. This includes baby aspirin and most arthritis medications. If you are not sure, please check with our Doctors.. For headache or minor pains you may use Tylenol. You may restart these medications the next day after surgery. Do not take any herbal medications for 7 days prior to surgery. Bring comfortable shoes and slippers to Mexico, you will be asked to walk several times per day. Please bring your medications in properly labeled pharmaceutical bottles for documentation of dosages. You will be on a liquid and soft food diet for two weeks after surgery. Stock up on sugar-free liquids: Crystal Light, sugar free fruit juices, apple sauce, yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free jell-o, thin Soups and caffeine-free teas. If you do not like the flavor of chicken broth, make chicken noodle Soup and strain out the solids. Avoid all carbonated beverages (fills the stomach with gas). Avoid sugar (extra calories that fight against weight loss). Caffeine makes you urinate more and can lead to dehydration. You will need to drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration after surgery. Sport drink bottles with measurements on the side will help ensure you are drinking enough liquid. You will need to drink at least two quarts (2,000cc) per day to prevent dehydration. You will not be able to gulp liquids so you will want to drink small amounts throughout the day. RNY/Bypass, Mini Bypass and DS Start this phase 2 days before surgery: Take a laxative (any laxative that you usually use). Take only clear liquids after that. This consists of broth, Jell-o, sugar-free juice, Gatorade and any clear liquid. You may have nothing to drink after the midnight preceding surgery or 8 hours prior to your surgery. If you are a Same Day Surgery arrive on an empty stomach and wear compression stockings. *Please follow the pre-op diet as instructed below 1. BMI’s 30 to 31 no diet-only clears liquids the day prior to surgery 2.-BMI's 32 to 39 - 7 days 3.-BMI's 40 to 49- 10 days 4.- BMI's 50 to 59- 14 days 5.- BMI's 60 to 69- 21 days 6.-BMI's 70 and over- 1 month

Congratulations! I don't know what your plan recommends, but I grabbed this from the University of Pittsburg Medical Center website. Suggested Foods Ideas for Pureed Diet After Bariatric Surgery Protein Sources Yogurt (plain or sugar-free, low or nonfat, blended without fruit chunks) Strained cream soups (celery, potato, mushroom, or chicken made with skim milk) Skim milk with ½ scoop protein powder Protein supplements added to food or water for extra protein Mashed cottage cheese (low or nonfat, small curd) Ricotta cheese (low or nonfat) Scrambled eggs or egg substitute Pureed beef, chicken, or turkey Baby food meats White fish (cod, haddock, tilapia, orange roughy) mashed with a fork Canned chicken breast, mashed and moist Canned tuna fish in water, mashed Grains/starches Cream of wheat or cream of rice Farina Grits Baby oatmeal Mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes Pureed winter squash Fruits Diluted, 100% fruit juices (apple, grape, cranberry) Light juices sweetened with non-nutritive sweetener Applesauce Mashed bananas or mashed canned fruits in own juices Pureed peaches, apricots, pears, pineapples, melons Vegetables Tomato juice Diet V-8 Splash® or V-8 Juice® Pureed spinach, carrots, summer squash or green beans Avoid pureed broccoli, cauliflower, and other fibrous vegetables at this stage Sample Menu for Phase 2B: Pureed Diet After Bariatric Surgery Eat the protein portion of your meal first, and don't forget your liquids between meals (about 30 minutes after each meal). Breakfast Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup scrambled eggs or egg substitute Starch: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup cream of wheat Lunch Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup mashed low fat cottage cheese Fruit: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup pureed peaches in own juices Dinner Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup baked skinless chicken breast (pureed) or mashed canned chicken breast Vegetable: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup pureed carrots Liquid meal- If you're having a liquid meal replacement, soup, or high protein shake: Drink 4 ounces (1/2 cup) over 20 to 30 minutes Try adding mashed, canned chicken or tuna to soup to increase protein content Blend if needed Pureed food should be the consistency of baby food, “spoon thick.” Cut food into small pieces and place in blender or food processor Add liquid (broth, low-calorie gravy or skim milk) Puree until smooth Season food to taste

Mac where do you find fage yogurt? Is that something you find in a health food store or a regular ol grocery store? I love laughing cow cheese too. It's great for only 35 calories. I sometimes put it on those carckers I like.

I realize that; however if trying to stick under 30 gms of carbs, and there's 10 in the yogurt, that to me seems like a lot for the size of the container.

I eat a lot of: meat (leftovers, deli meat, etc.) eggs (hard-boiled, egg salad, egg bites) string cheese (the 2% milkfat kind, not the full fat kind) cottage cheese (non-fat as I honestly can't taste any difference between full and no-fat cc) yogurt (FAGE has 20 g of Protein per 6 oz. serving) beef Jerky protein hot chocolate (I like the Nashua Nutrition/Healthwise brand the best) Protein shakes (I like Chike the best.) nuts (have to watch the quanities due to the fat, but they make a nice change) I did the bullets for a while, but after a while they made me gag. Milk is okay *in* things, but I can't drink more than 4-8 oz (used to be less) without getting gastric distress. I also sometimes use Protein Bars -- but only ones that have no more carbs than protein) and trail mix that I mix up myself. I also make a protein muffin that has a 3:1 carb to protein that is supposed to be good for recovery from exercise. I make them in a mini-muffin pan and have two after I work out. I think the key is to make every meal and snack protein-based. If you can only eat one egg, have a hard-boiled egg and something else (i.e., instead of crackers which are all carbs). Crackers are easy, but so is beef jerky. If you want crackers, have much less than you normally do, but put some Peanut Butter on them. Yeah, PB can be high in fat, but PB crackers will stay with you longer and have more protein than crackers alone. The other thing I do is cook a lot on the weekends so I have plenty of leftovers. I notice that, when I don't do this, I tend to eat worse because I grab the first handy thing that comes along. That always leads to bad choices IME.

I'm 8 weeks out from surgery and having trouble introducing new foods. Apparently in now lactose intolerant. I can handle cheese but not yogurt or milk. Also meats don't sit very well with me either. Fruits and veggies hurt my pouch and shakes make me gag now. I've been eating mostly eggs, beans, and cheese every day and getting so sick of it! Any suggestions? Also we eat almost every meal away from home... So grab and go is the best for us!

I find different days I can eat different amounts. Some days I can hold 1/2 cup of food. some days 3/4 c of food. Also different foods make a difference to the amount. Sat. I tried to eat 6 ounces of mahimahi, almost threw up. 4 oz of fish is all I can eat. Yogurt I can eat 6 oz.. My calories are between 700-900 60-70 grams of protein. I do not count carbs, but drink about 64 ounces a day. Sophiepants, I am 5'6" too down 73 pounds as of tuesday. I do not use MFP. It is too long to use. I keep everything in a journal, which I carry everywhere with me. I like being accountable for what I eat.

I eat a full container of yogurt with granola added in and have been for several months. Dr says it's fine. It's because it's a liquid like food and goes straight through the stomach.

@@genise82 - It's taken me 4 mths to find a Protein powder I like. I finally tried Isopure Naked whey. Also known as unflavored protein. The only ingredient is whey protein isolate (26 gms per scoop). I mix it in my hot tea, in my soup, in 50/50 diluted apple juice and in my greek yogurt. I even mixed it in Water. It made it cloudy but didn't change the taste.

Seriously I don't want to complain about this surgery, It's what I wanted and did it for a very good reason. I'm 5 day's out and on full liquids I feel like thing's are falling apart and I'm just trying my best to hold it all together. I'M STARVING!!..I've gotten in all 64oz of Water and 80grams of Protein and I'm so hungry I'm about to crack! It doesn't help that my husband decided it would be an awesome idea to bring 2 large pizza's into the house for himself and my small 4 year old daughter that will only eat 1 slice, But yet he thought it was necessary to get two after I told him to get one..This isn't head hunger. It's not acid reflux or the need to drink more water, this is stomach eating hunger.. Taking my pain pills and wrapping up in a blanket for a long night's sleep, At least I won't feel hungry then. Hopefully.. Hi there Baby...I've been reading your posts for a while now. Please don't be discouraged. I too get hungry and it has been that way since about the 5th day post-op. In fact, I broke the rules on the 6th day post-op and had yogurt and cottage cheese and refried Beans with melted cheese. Not saying you (or anyone else) shoud necessarily do that, only that the hunger is real and I feel you. There have been many times over the past 4 weeks that the rest of the family has been eating something really good..like hamburgers and french fries and yes, PIZZA! These were formerly two of my favorite meals. It's hard to sit there and smell it and want to have it, especially when you are truly hungry. I would sit down with my low-fat pot pie Soup and eat that. When I would become full fast, it would remind me that even if I wanted what they were eating, there was no way in heck I could even get down a portion of any of it. Other than that, I had to just walk away. They asked for chocolate chips Cookies the other day and I was going to make it for them. But after some thought I knew if I did, there was no way I could stop myself from sampling some cookies. So I just didn't go there at all. As my mother always likes to to say, this too shall pass. Good luck to you!! I know you will be successful with each pasing day.

Even when I'd moved on to yogurt and cottage cheese, I still wasn't feeling full. I couldn't feel my stomach at all. I called my clinic worried that maybe there was nerve damage or something. From what I understand, it takes a while for your stomach to come out of the anesthesia and shock and trauma of surgery. I didn't feel what I recognized as "full" until I was eating flakey fish.

@@HaddocksEyes I wish I felt full.. Since coming home I've been able to get 64oz of Water and 80gr of Protein in each day no issue which is great considering...The issue is I can literally sit and eat a whole 4oz bowl of Soup and not get a sense of fullness, Yes it takes me forever to eat it but at the end I'm still hungry. I'm on full liquids now and yogurt was included in that on my nutrition packet so I did almost a full cup of Greek yogurt today and that actually helped hold me over for a longer period of time then any of the cream Soups did, So I plan on eating that for a while. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ YAY! Glad to hear that the yogurt puts off the hunger pangs for a longer period of time.

Hi Hun idk if this may sound good to you or weird but if you take the cottage cheese or low fat ricotta cheese and put a little bit of vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon it's delightful , I'm not really a big egg person eaither I never really was idk why. Also idk someone was telling me about the laughing cow small lowfat cheese are Also a good way to get Protein and are soft . Also I do a lot of yogurt . And almond milk . emoji33] Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Good Morning, Dianne, sounds like your esophagus is irritated from the PB and raw from it. If your going to eat food, I would have very soft food for a day (yogurt or pudding), even a liquid diet might be good for a day to help it heal. Betty glad you enjoyed your bike ride. Some times ya gotta say WTF Cindy you'd die if you saw my closets and drawers... clutter bug for sure. Some day I'll clean them but not now, life is passing me by and the drawers are the last thing I want to do. But mostly I'm lazy :scared: :D Pat how was the banquet? You know, I've never had a manicure. My dd is 5 and she's had 2 already. I lead such a sheltered life RoFLMfAO !!!! :scared: Well nothing much is happening here today except aunt flow decided to visit me yesterday and ruining my weekend.... I get so grumpy and so dang tired I could sleep for 2 days strait... its not fare I tell yah lolol. Today I'm making tuna salad for the week and ribs (with out burning them this time lolol) and some acorn squash mmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmm. Whatcha all up to?

Afternoon, All! I am definately tighter in the morning. Around my TOM it gets worse - I often go to liquids in the morning for a few days. I normally can't eat anything solid until around 11 am. I will have yogurt or Cereal in the morning (sometimes even cereal won't work), or if I'm super-tight, a Protein shake. lunch is usually okay for a salad or Soup, but nothing too heavy - sandwiches are out at this point, and anything more than a saltine gets stuck. dinner is my most "open" time, so I have to be careful not to overdo it then... I'm 8 months out (banded in mid-November 08) and you can see my progress on my ticker. I've had 3 or 4 fills, I forget which, and I think I'm at my sweet spot. Losses are pretty regular...loving it so far.

I started my pre-op diet on Monday. I am allowed 6 Glucerna shakes a day, 2 yogurts, and all of the calorie free liquids I want (i.e. broth, sf jello). I have to say that now on day 3, I am not that hungry. I was starving yesterday when I had to cook something for my 11 year old. I finally had to tell myself to back away from the fish stick!:frown: I don't even like fish sticks, but I was ready to shove my son out of the way for one. My shakes smell/taste like medicine. I really hate the vanilla. I tried added flavoring to it, but you can still smell that awful mediciny smell. gross! I am going to keep going though. I don't want them to cut me open only to say "no surgery for you!" like Surgery Nazi (i know poor Seinfeld reference). Good luck to you all!:thumbup:

During preop and immediately post op doctors have you drink Protein shakes to get nutrition. Pre op doctors have you eat only protein so as to force the body to burn the fat in the liver so it is easier to move during surgery. After surgery you can't eat solids for several week so you need some way to get protein. After I was healed my doctor did not want me eating shakes, instead I should be getting my calories from solid foods. To deal with the possibility of the band being too tight in the morning I eat greek yogurt (which is high in protein, but I add half a scoop of protien powder as well). Once healed you want to avoid slidders (anything that will go right through the pouch into the big stomach) and protein shakes are a slider.

Breakfast and lunch: protein bar or shake... mid morning,afternoon evening snaxks:small piece of fruit or lowfat yogurt. dinner 3 oz lean meat. none starchy vegetables unlimited

I had a hard time with the soft food phase too. I was REALLY looking forward to a deviled egg, but now eggs make me nauseous, and I was sick of yogurt. Mashed potatoes were allowed, but not encouraged because of the carbs, so I would have mashed potatoes with cheese or with unflavored protein powder and garlic every couple days and Tyson has a flavorful frozen chicken fajita that I heat with bone broth to make it moist and soft and chew the heck out of it. I got bored with refried beans really quick but adding taco sauce and cheese helped. If you like to cook (I don't) you can find a lot of things you can do with foods to make them more appealing. My phase 3 allowed meats other than beef, which was restricted to once a month. I was supposed to work up to it, but I added it pretty quick because I tolerated it well. Maybe you are allowed a turkey burger as long as you chew it really well? I'm the type of person who craves when I can't have something, so I have to allow myself little cheats. I find that as long as I CAN, I can resist better and don't get carried away with the cheating. For example, I craved salt and would occasionally suck on a salt and vinegar chip or 3 until dissolved. Those salt cravings are almost non existent now. Talk with your dietitian about your cravings and alternatives. I confessed to her about the chips and that I found a carb conscious tortilla that I'd use 1/2 of for my refried beans. She was OK with it as long as I showed restraint and tolerated it. Keep those food logs up and don't lie to your dietitian. Being accountable will help you stick to your diet. They are there to help you, not judge you. At the tail end of my phase 3 when they upped my calorie and protein goals she allowed me to add nuts as long as I chew it into peanut butter consistency.

would it be ok to crush the ones i take already. They are great vitamins and very potent, they dissolve immediately in a cup of water. Could I crush them and take them with yogurt or something?

Seckert, Sounds like you are eating about what I am eating. I had some pizza tonight and definitely couldn't eat much. I had chili at lunch and half an english muffin and light yogurt for Breakfast. I too am struggling with the Water. I need to put a reminder on my phone or calendar at work that says "drink up"!! So glad we're all doing so well.. what a difference a couple of months makes, huh?

When I flew to London, I stopped over in Paris, and in the airport, they had these little lunch places. The French people were sitting in there eating these tiny slices of pizza, like the size if you cut one of our regular slices of pizza into three, and that was their one piece. The yogurt containers were about three ounces, and the sodas were about 6 ounces. I never saw anything like it. I also read an article once that said the average caloric intake for a French person is 1,200 per day! When they're not on a diet! In the same article, it said these French people went into a Mcdonald's and ordered a happy meal and they were "stuffed". In another article I read, a British woman and her mother came here to the states and went out to dinner, and when the plates came out, they burst out laughing because they thought it was a joke because the portions were so enormous. They were horrified to find out that it was a "normal" restaurant portion. When a friend of mine (who is very slender and eats very sparingly as it is) went to Paris, he stayed with a friend, and the friend would give him a tiny slice of quiche for breakfast, and my friend was ready to pass out! His friend was disgusted with him for being hungry all the time. The French also do not snack in between meals, ever. In my old job a few years ago, there was an intern from France, and one day we ordered Chinese food. It came in one of those round metal containers (about 10 inches in diameter). She said to me "no offense, but I have to say, you Americans wonder why you're all so fat, and the reason is this" (she pointed to the container) "Back home", she said "this would be lunch for me and four other people. Here, it's lunch for one person." Also, I met a girl from Germany who had moved here to the states, and she said that since coming here, she had gained 18 pounds without changing her portion sizes or the type of foods she normally ate back home. She attributed this weight gain to the fact that all of our food is so heavily processed. She said in the UK, all foods are fresh and often organic, and that they purchase foods fresh every day instead of relying on canned, frozen, and boxed foods like we do here. So, my two cents is that yes, we eat waaaaay more than the rest of the world and our food is crap. My best friend is Indian, and she said their plates are much, much smaller, and their large pizza is the size of an individual pizza here. Also, she says all their food is fresh and unprocessed. I believe that if Americans ate like the rest of the world, a large percentage of obesity would go away.

It really depends on the Dr. I was on clears for 2 days post op, then on soft foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, applesauce and the like for 4 more days. On day 7 I was allowed to add in deli chicken or turkey, canned chicken, any seafood, soft cooked veggies, canned fruits, Babybel cheese, oatmeal, etc... about the only restriction I have is to stay away from red meat, pasta, rice, and potatoes until 2 months. When I had my 1 week meeting with the Dr. he just said to progress my diet as I felt comfortable but at 2 months everything would be completely healed and I could eat just about anything.