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Thanks for the good wishes.... Heather, I've taken your advice. I have taken the liquid Motrin, and will continue to take it until I have my consult with my band doc on Monday. It is awhile to have to wait, but I am going to remain on liquids till then. I have decided no more 'testing myself' on foods... I have V8 (which I HATE, but will drink hot, like tomato soup), V8 splash, gatorade, hot teas, hot chocolate, assorted puddings and yogurts, and some baby foods like pear-pineapple, apples and blueberries, etc. I am also taking a multi as well as an Iron tablet since none of my foods have much Iron. I am also allowing one 'chewy' food... Cheetos. Bandsters far and wide know Cheetos are their own food variety and are the only thing I can get the 'chewing sensation' from, and know that they turn to liquid. :thumbup: Thanks for your optimism. I feel so much BETTER today, and it must be because of the liquids only. Not 'trying' foods is really making a difference cause of the no pain and lack of PBing. With the Motrin, my Upper GI should yield better results as well. :smile:

I went in for a fill 2 days ago. I was at 6cc's in a 9cc band. I had been doing great and seemed to find my sweet spot, but I did start to get hungry and eat more a week prior to the fill. So, my doctor filled me up to 6.6cc's As usual he had me drink a bottle of water and eat yogurt before I left the office to make sure I wasn't too tight. I was fine. I went home and had some soup for dinner with no problem. Well, the next day I went to work and had a protein shake for breakfast then soup for lunch. Next thing I know, I could not keep my lunch down. Later that night I had soup for dinner and could not keep that down. I was starving, so I tried broth, tea, jello, etc...could not keep any of it down. So here I am another day and not able to keep anything down. I called the doctor and he wants to see if I can keep down fluids today and then go in for unfill tomorrow. My fear is that he will unfill me too much and I will start gaining weight. I have worked so hard and my weight loss has been slow and steady...I would hate to fall back any in my progress. I am hoping that maybe since I was just filled, it just needs time to adjust and maybe between now and tomorrow I can actually keep things down. Has anyone had this type of problem ? What happend? Anu suggestions?

Just checked the fridge, yes its the true greek yogurt we eat. I also love the thick set vanilla yogurt, yummm. To me, yogurt should be something you can put on your spoon, turn the spoon upside down and it doesnt run off - it should be thick and of a set consistency. Runny stuff, ick.

Dave, you can't compare food portions post-banding with food portions pre-banding. That's because it's completely different. Once you're healed up and start getting fills, (usually starting about six weeks after surgery), you won't be able to eat like you once did, and you won't want to. The placement of the band at the top of the stomach puts pressure on the Vagus nerve, which controls hunger and production of ghrelin, the chemical that causes hunger pangs. So you'll eat a smaller meal, but the miraculous part is that you'll feel full after a small amount of food. And if you're feeling full, and are not hungry, you can safely stop eating without any problems. It doesn't matter that you only ate a fraction of what you used to, your stomach THINKS it's full. And that is the magic of the band. If you use it right, you can eat less and not feel like you are not eating a typical full meal. Once you get out of the habit of eating "big," you'll be able to focus on eating healthy, and eating smart. And the natural side effect of eating smart is weight loss. Easy, simple, and remarkable weight loss. You made a comment in your reply to my last post that it's our culture, and that everything is about food. I used to think that, too. Then I learned that holidays are about family. Food is just something we do to have a reason to get together. My family still knows and loves me as much as before. And we still get together. They eat "big," and I eat what I want, until I'm done. I still socialize and enjoy the time together, but the one difference is I eat less than I used to. Oh yeah, and I take up a lot less room at the table. Okay, you asked about my recovery. I'll try to be brief. Ask me if you want to know more about anything: I had surgery Monday, December 6, 2010. My doctor did not require a pre-op liquid diet. They put me on high Protein, low carb instead, to try and shrink my liver. I only had to do one day of clear liquids, on the day before surgery. During the surgery itself I had a hiatal hernia and a ventral hernia repaired, so where most band patients end up with five or six incision sites, I ended up with thirteen. I spent two nights in the hospital because they wanted to monitor my recovery, since mine was so involved. I was discharged on Wednesday, Dec. 8th. I had several weeks of sick time available to me from work, so I opted to take three weeks off work for recovery. My surgeon required three weeks of liquid diet after surgery. Nothing pureed or creamy. Only Protein shakes, and liquids you can see through. I had no appetite for quite awhile, and managed to get along drinking two ounces of Protein shake every hour from waking up till going to sleep - about 16 hours a day. In between the protein shakes I was drinking 64 ounces of Water daily, roughly four ounces per hour for those same 16 hours. Things went along normally for the first week, until I hit the only speed bump I've had. I discovered I was lactose intolerant, something I never knew. On the Monday one week after surgery I started having "dry heaves," but I wasn't throwing anything up. My body just had the wracking spasms that go with that. After consulting my surgeon (who was about two hours away), I made a trip to the Emergency Room. They gave me a single pill, and the urge to throw up instantly stopped. They found I was dehydrated, and gave me two bags of fluids via IV. After that I was fine. My Nutritionist and I went through trying a number of alternate liquids for protein shakes, different kinds of milk, soy, whatever, but nothing helped. I finally started drinking ready-to-drink shakes (Muscle Milk Light and/or Premier Protein Shakes, both of which were great, taste good, and filled me up perfectly with no side effects.) They worked great, and from there on out I was fine. At the three-week mark I went on soft foods for a week, (slider foods, thicker Soups, creamy stuf, and pureed foods.) It was like heaven. Then I did a week working my way back onto solid foods. The first thing I had was Wendy's Chili. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was amazing, and remains my "go to" food when I need a high protein meal that's easy to get, tastes great, and is perfectly band-safe. By the time I was back on solid foods, I felt absolutely normal. I can't feel the band at all, and I was ready for facing life as a bandster. At six weeks after surgery my hernia repair doctor (who had done his part during the band surgery) cleared me from all restrictions. I'd been on a "light duty" thing, not allowed to lift more than 15 pounds prior to that. On the same day, if I recall things correctly, my surgeon gave me my first fill. It was 3cc's, to go with the 3cc's he put in during the band placement surgery. So I was suddenly at 6cc's in a 14cc band. A month later I got another 2cc fill, which put me at 8cc's. A month after that I got a .5cc fill, putting me at 8.5cc's. And just today I got another .5cc, so I'm now at 9cc's. My surgeon's team and I agree I'm right at my sweet spot now, and I probably won't need any more major fills - just small .1cc or .2cc fills from here on out. My hunger is well under control, and I can go four hours or more without feeling hungry. You asked about my daily routine. For the last few months it's been pretty consistent: I've chosen to follow a modified South Beach kind of eating plan, with higher protein, lower glycemic carbs. I avoid (note I didn't say "never eat") fried foods, heavy sauces, and Desserts. So when I'm looking for a meal, I will gravitate toward a higher protein option. I eat "real world" food, not "diet food" because I know I have to function in my own life. I eat out in restaurants regularly. I don't drink alcohol, or anything with carbonation. I know some bandsters do, but I choose not to. I don't miss it. I do use artificial sweetener (Splenda, or one of its derivatives) when I want to sweeten something. I do drink coffee, tea, and unflavored iced tea often. When I wake up, I have a cup of coffee while getting ready for work. In the car while driving to work I have a ready-to-drink Premier Protein shake. (160 calories, 5grams of carbs, 3g sugar, and 30g of protein.) It kick starts my metabolism, and balances my blood sugar. About an hour after getting to work I have what I call a "naked sandwich." It's a Breakfast sandwich without any bread: A fried egg, a sausage patty, and slice of cheese. About 300 calories, and about 20g of protein. I'm good to go till lunch at that point. For lunch I usually have some solid protein, like a grilled chicken breast, roast beef, steak, pork loin, or similar. I may mix it in a salad, usually with a touch of a vinaigrette dressing. Sometimes I'll get a grilled turkey BLT sandwich, and set the bread aside. I'm fortunate to work at a hospital, and the cafeteria offers a pretty good selection of choices. If the volume of food is fairly large, like a full-sized sandwich, I usually only eat half of it during my lunch break. I take the rest back to my desk as leftovers, and I may or may not eat it as a mid-afternoon snack, if I need it. When I leave work I go directly to the gym, where I work out for about an hour or so. I usually ride a recumbent bike in the "fat burn" mode, but lately have been gradually adding some weight training. On my way home I may grab some dinner (like Wendy's Chili or their half-sized Apple Pecan Chicken salad. Maybe a Sourdough Chicken Club sandwich from Jack in the Box. Good stuff!) I don't get the "meal deal" at fast food places - so I'm not tempted by French fries or soft drinks, and I usually peel off the bun or bread and set it aside. Later in the evening, if I feel the urge to have a snack, I'll eat a cheese stick or two, or a cup of lowfat yogurt. I don't keep "trigger" foods in my house. No junk food, desserts, chips, or empty calories. And I drink water all day long. I keep a bottle of it with me at work, in the car, and at the gym, a tall glass with ice water at home, and anytime I'm awake. It really helps. If I go out to a restaurant for dinner, I try to select something higher in protein, and substitute steamed vegetables for any sort of potatoes. One favorite is at Olive Garden. They have a Steak Toscano. 12 ounces of grilled to order steak. I eat about a third at the restaurant, then take the rest home, where it makes two more meals. It's very filling, and the whole thing is only 400 calories and has 20g of protein. That's about all there is to it. As you can see, I'm following what works for me. I am NEVER hungry, I get in at least 100g of protein every day. I take my Vitamins and supplements daily, I drink lots of water, and I work out regularly. I was banded five months ago this past Monday, and as of today I've lost 83 pounds, with more to follow. My surgeon says I'm doing exactly what they expect, in terms of weight loss, and they are very encouraged that things are going so well for me. I hope this gives you some real world tips you can use. I learned what works for me, and I do my own thing in terms of how I eat, and what it means for me to be banded. I don't measure anything, and as I said, I drink with meals. But I eat slowly, I chew thoroughly, and I take small bites. All that is in deference to how the band works. I manage it, but I don't let it manage me. The rest is in the details, sorting out how to make the most of it. Hope this helps. Dave

See your dietitian for advice which you already know about. Have someone face you and reassure what you should be eating. Sometimes a wake-up call is in order. As stated already, get rid of all slider foods, donate it to friends, neighbors, parents. It has no place in your house. Have nonfat greek yogurt, low fat/nonfat milk, crystal light flavors, low cal apple sauce, SF popsicles, SF jellos and lots of good Soups to eat rather than heavy junk foods. Go back to basics and please start over! Best wishes

I stayed away from most dairy because I am lactose intolerant, so I ate alot of the following during my pureed (mushy) stage: refried beans hummus deviled ham corned beef hash pureed turkey chili scrambled eggs pureed chicken breasts smashed avocado (to moisten the chicken) mashed potatoes pureed squash Lactaid cottage cheese (found in health food/specialty stores) yogurt (but very little, i tried soy yogurt but did not care for it) would often top some of these items with a little cheddar cheese for flavor I actually found this stage harder than liquids, but luckily your real close to starting soft foods. I wish you well.

I add Costco brand flavor less fiber to my morning yogurt.

I had clear bandages over my incisions and was told to leave it till it fell off. I too had pains that went away with time. Just watch that they are getting better, not worse! Greek yogurt and apple sauce are good choices. All programs are different, but I was allowed both, along with low fat cottage cheese, milk, pudding, and pureed Soups after my first post-op appt. about 5 days out from surgery. Best wishes on a speedy recovery from your surgery and Sandy! Lynda

Jusstice, I am not sure about the clear bandages. Did they tell you you could take a shower and get them wet? If so, they will probably come off on their own. I had the same Sharp pain in my side when I would bend too. It will go away with a little time. The applesauce and yogurt is fine. You just might want to make sure there aren't any chunks of fruit or seeds in it. Sounds like you are doing great!! I am so sorry to hear that Sandy has affected you, and I hope you get power back very soon!!!

I didn't have it this time, but last time I had "metal mouth" and a coating. It was the result of the anesthesia. It did go away. Also, eat yogurt Glenda. It helps. I found out all that belly noise I've been having is perfectly normal! LOL! Good to know, because my tummy was more talkative than my ADHD daughter. (Something I thought impossible. The girl's tongue is hinged in the middle so both sides can flap.) Lena

Hi it's been 4 days for me and I started yogurt today and have gas...I'm miserable! I'm going to roll side to side on the ground like horses do and see what happens! LOL.

I just buy the yogurt I like, which is full fat. I have found calories take care of themselves for me with a lapband and lots of running.

I am just 2 days post-op and I am having a problem. Whenever I try to eat anything other than water, broth or juice, (ie: sugar free jello, low fat lite yogurt), my face turns bright red and gets hot and I get palpitations. What's up with that? Is this normal? Is it because my surgeon also repaired a hiatal hernia during the procedure? I was thinking that it might be related to the dump syndrome thing, but reading here it seems like it's not that. Am I trying the jello and yogurt too soon? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Once in a while. Can go down fine or really cause a problem. Got to know when to quit cuz one bite to many and it's all over. Here is where the rules really apply: 1. small bites 2. eat slowly (put your fork down between bites) 3. chew chew chew On any given day it can not agree with me but then again... same can be said for yogurt?

The Chobani Champions has 13g of sugar in each serving. The drinkable yogurt however, only has 8g. Sent from my SGH-T679 using VST

Yes and No. I think the answer totally depends on how you ate before. If you ate a lot of fast food and junk, then the answer would be no, you need to change. If you ate healthy foods before, but way to much, then yes, you could eat the same things. For me, I still eat many of the same things, but with modifications. Like if I want a hamburger or hot dog at a cook out, I eat it, but without the bun. I tend to get stuck on the bun. I don't eat french fries anymore, one because they aren't to healthy and two because they get stuck. I still eat baked and bbq chicken. We do eat a lot more fish now, it's yummy. I don't eat steak anymore due to getting stuck. I've never been a big sandwich eater, so I don't eat those. While I use to make a lot of Desserts, I don't now, so that is a change. If I do make something I eat one small piece and bring the remainder to my work for co-workers or send it to the hubby's office. In the place of Pasta I often use spagetti squash or if in a pinch I will use whole grain angel hair pasta. I still eat my veggie pizza- but one slice instead of a whole or half of a pizza. Breakfast use to be a biscuit or two from McDonalds- now it's a cup of light and fit 2x Protein yogurt with fresh berries. My weight has been a slow steady decline, which my doc is happy with. Of course I would like it to be better. I will be meeting with my nutritionist next month with lots of questions and my food diary. So, basically I think the answer to your question is totally subjective.

You and I are close in weight and while I would like to drop to around 119 I have found that there are certain things that prevent me from losing, which aren't unhealthy. As an example, when I lift weight, I maintain or gain weight but lose in inches. I have largely avoided weight training because I know I am all about a certain number and if I had been lifting the entire time, I would never have gotten into the 130's forget the 120's. I look at a squat rack and I gain weight, so now that I am under my original goal weight and sort of close to my end goal weight, one way to not continue to lose weight and to increase my tone is through building muscle. In conjunction with building muscle, a nice side of being a little thinner is you can add Protein shakes that have more calories and more protein. This balances out the calories you are burning with exercise and adds calories to your diet that aren't bad for you. You can also up your protein a little more, which also adds calories and is healthy for you, because now you don't have to worry about eating so much that you won't lose. I know that if I want to continue to lose I absolutely must have some form of cardio workout and be under 1400 calories, or if I want to be lazy and skip exercise, I don't get more than 1000 calories. I have found that to maintain I can eat around 1500-1800 calories and around 60-80g of protein and as long as I'm working out I don't really gain, I just bounce around between 2-3 pounds. So shorter version of my answer to your question- add more protein, healthy fat, and weight based exercise. You'll build muscle, which will make you look more toned, but you won't be getting skinnier since you're counteracting everything with higher calories and higher protein. Adding a single Protein shake that has a decent amount of calories (I like the kind in my blender with Protein powder, almond milk, PB2, and frozen greek yogurt) should help you gain a few pounds healthily or maintain.

Thanks to every one of you who read my story and replied. It really makes me feel great and supported. I'm now almost 3 weeks post op and down to 240. I'm happy to be losing weight but what they say in the Kaiser classes is so true. It is just a tool I could easily slip into the "slider food"...yogurt, cottage cheese, anything mushy and I really have to watch myself. I guess weight is just my life long struggle because, really, I seem to tolerate any kind of food post op and have to watch the carbs. Thanks people and good luck to all who are getting the sleeve. Smillzee

So, I've finally progressed from liquids to soft foods -- pudding, yogurt, eggs, etc. I was eager to eat but find it extremely unpleasant. I can feel the food traveling to my stomach and it's a very unpleasant feeling. I really feel it in my chest. It settles eventually, but not without much discomfort. I know the surgery affects people differently, but I was wondering: Is anyone else experiencing this? And those of you who are 2, 3, 4 months or more out, did you experience it and how long did it persist? I dread the thought that this could be a forever thing. That would really be depressing! Sleeved Feb. 27, 2012

thats a good thought. thanks!! i just might try the potato soup. it seems as thick as the pudding/yogurt i have to eat.

Also try yogurt, cottage cheese, pureed soups, any cooked and mashed beans, apple sauce. I don't think you should try lettuce yet. Just eat very slowly and you will do fine. Joan

I haven't been banded yet. Scheduled for 10/9 however, I have been in with the units nutritionist she suggests along with eggs & meat (which is hard to swallow at times unless, as BOH mentioned, you put it in a crockpot) Lowfat/nonfat cheeses, cottage cheese and yogurt. If you're struggling with these things then the Protein shakes is a definate plus! Good luck!

I love my Magic Bullet too! I just made fruit & yogurt smoothies yesterday morning for my son and I with it. I like that you can pulse it or all out blend with it. That way you can leave fruit chunkies, or blend it smooth. Cheers!!!

The only Protein drinks I've ever had were simply out of curiosity to try them. All the one's I've tried are disgusting - they have a distinctive base note or taste that is in all of them, covered by an absolutely sickly artificial sweetener sweetness. I just refuse to believe that they are healthy - they're processed crap in my opinion. Mankind survived perfectly well before Protein shakes became fashionable, which lets face it has only been in the last several years - and where are all the lean, muscle bound people walking around as a result of drinking them? Probably hanging round with the millions of healthy thin people that did Atkins and the trillions of superslim low fat high carb devotees. They're simply one way of ingesting calories. I've lost weight perfectly well, maintained it for years, and am now maintaining with my band unfilled, all without relying on protein shakes, I run, do bootcamp and body pump, all without protein shakes. I am fit and lean. Without protein shakes. I'd say if you dont like em, dont drink em. After surgery, I made lots of smoothies - yogurt, milk and fruit. Fruit was allowed on my list. Personally, i dont eat manufactured things like syrups, pudding mixes and other artificially sweetned and flavoured alternatives. Another faveourite - a good old fashioned egg flip - egg, milk, vanilla and a teaspoon or so of sugar. I had blended up Soups that had protein like meat and beans/pulses/lentils in them too.

I'm almost 3 months out and I get hungry, but it's usually when it's probably time to eat. It's really hot in Charlotte right now, and my appetite is reduced because of the heat. I've been eating Greek yogurt for dinner, and I'm full after 5 ounces. I agree that the hunger is not as bothersome as it was before surgery. Also, because Water fills me up, I can drink water to stave off the hunger for a bit.