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My NUT said soups and yogurt and broths and jello and pudding and protein shakes are okay for full liquids. My surgeon told me to stick to 800 calories a day and cut out the protein shakes. I'm compromising the two and have basically had one creamy soup and two shakes per day and buttermilk at night. I'm hungry but doing okay. Staying under 800 calories. April 24th I transition to regular food. That was the term they both used. I can't wait. I also found out from the NUT that this surgeon's protocol is to maximize post-op weight loss and get me a jump start before starting to eat again. It's doing that but boy, is it a long haul.

Banded 2010 (Dec). It seems everyday is different. Normally I cannot eat breakfast early. I can occasionally have an egg with chopped ham. But now that I'm at 5.5cc for me, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cottage cheese with mixed yogurt and granola is my style. I can't do bread at all, maybe a small baby bite of whole grain toast...but not my preference as I risk a stick with bread. About a cup each meal.

No, sorry i ment 3 oz protien, 3 oz vegg, 3 oz vegg thats my dinner. Lunch protien shake, breakfast 3oz plain greek yogurt and small fruit. Thats it, just having issues with wanting that full feeling lol

I just bought 1/2 cup of Greek from the local yogurt shop-83 calories, 7 grams of protein! A little sour but I will try with fruit or some sugar-free syrup!

What am I doing during the wait...trying to eat like I already have the band. Protein shakes, greek yogurt, string cheese...working on the mind...the body is ready but my mind is still acting like a fatty!! Relax...time will fly by!! The fatty has on two occassion this week ordered way too much food!

Are you having yogurt at this point? That helped get me through as well. Congrats!

Last week was a little stressful and I needed to get away, so I jumped in the Jeep and took off. I ended up in Springfield at the Octoberfest. PS...Beer and the band don't work so well together. OOPS! It was nice to just get away and the drive was beautiful down Hwy 5. I love the fall colors. I decided that I'm not going to weigh everyday like I have been doing...yes, I am a scale whore. I have a really busy week this week and fitting in time to work out is going to be challenging. I'm trying to formulate a game plan I already missed this weekend, unless you count the dancing and the...:confused: We ate at a chinese buffet today, it wasn't so bad having the band. I took a little of my favorite things, ate one bite of each and then called it quits when I was full. Thankfully, it was only 5.99 so I didn't feel like I had wasted a lot of money. That's about it for me, now it's time to go find something for dinner. I think it will be my favorite...Lemon parfait yogurt, YUMMY!!!!

Hi all, good to see these stories. I had my sleeve on January 18, 2011 with Dr. Jones at Park NIcollet. I weighed 257 and was a size 24 or 26. Now I am at 165 and can wear a size 12 in most things with about 15 more to goal weight. My life has totally changed! Though I worked full time and traveled alot for work, before I had to curtail most of my physical activities, use a cane and walker, drive carts in stores, and even needed a wheel chair at the airport for travel. Now I have my life back. I can do house work, shop for hours, run all over the airport, wear heels again and have tons of energy, and can wear clothes that I like again and find things that fit easily. At first I had alot of problems. My doctor required 10 days of liquid diet prior to surgery and I actually gained weight on that. Then weight loss was really slow and I was very frustrated as I have alot of arthritis and could not take ibuprofen until March. When I was able to take that again, everything changed. I was able to get moving and even though I didn't really exercise formally I started to lose more consistently. I have Chobani black cherry yogurt for breakfast, 1% cottage cheese for lunch, other cheeses and/or almonds for a snack and meat and some potato and vegetable for dinner with a few squares of dark chocolate for a treat. I stick to about 1000 or 1100 calories per day and keep track on Fitness Pal. We do eat out alot and eat what I want but a whole lot less of it. I bring part of my food home or my husband and I split things or I order an appetizer or small plate sizes. I even treat myself to ice cream and triple cream cheeses and popcorn sometimes, but generally stick to protein items rather than breads, sandwiches, pizza or pastas but generally keep snacking to an exception. So I don't feel deprived at all. I love the feeling of restriction as it helps me curtail my portions. I think the sleeve was the perfect solution for me as I am not diabetic and didn't want permanent malabsorbtion. I just hope I can maintain this. Anyone a couple of years out? I would love to hear what happens after 18 months and how you can maintain this over time.

I was wondering if anyone else has acid reflux after surgery? Im 3 weeks post op but still having acid reflux. Prilosec OTC takes care of it but I have to take it everyday. If I miss a day the acid returns with a vengeance! Does anyone know how long this can last? Should I be worried that it's lasting this long. I'm only able to drink liquids. Even if I have a yogurt I feel the acid so I'm still sticking with liquids. Sometimes it would be so bad it would make me gag and dry heave.

The only thing I had the day before was a Greek Yogurt.

Yes, I wait 30 minutes before and after, I have to eat, shaved deli meat, cream cheese, string cheese, greek yogurt, fish, any seafood, and eggs. Have an app that I enter all my food intake and usually make it to at least 60grams protein in food daily.

I went to whole foods yesterday and got some of there traditional butternut squash soup. One cup has 8g of protein. It's really good. Yoplait makes a Greek blended yogurt which is good. The Tangerine has no piece it it. Also Chobanis key lime and orange vanilla has no pieces in them and they are good too.

When I was on full liquids, all I could have were protein shakes, milk, strained soup, pudding, and yogurt. My nutritionist wanted me to drink 4 protein shakes a day to make sure I got what I needed to heal from surgery.

Just make sure when you start doing strength training (which I definitely suggest you do when you're ready - maybe in two weeks or so?) that you get enough calories/protein to rebuild the muscle you break down while training. On the days I don't weight train, I get around 600-700 calories. But on the days I do lift, I get closer to 1000 or even 1100. I get between 80-90g of Protein every day. If you do decide to up your calories, I'd say don't do it through more animal fats (full-fat mayo/cheese, etc). Not all calories are equal, and you should be aiming for something more nutritionally dense, not just something that has more calories. So you could adding a little more carbs through fruit (berries!) or a nice whole grain like quinoa, or go for plant based fats like avocado or healthy nuts (walnuts or almonds, for example). Or, of course, you could just add more protein, maybe through another shake (which, of course, some of the above options could be added to, within reason). All of the options I just listed would give you essential micronutrients along with the extra calories. Full-fat mayo would just be fat. (I have seen some studies that suggest one serving of whole fat dairy a day can aid weight loss though, but still, that's a single serving, not an extra serving, and I don't think it was all dairy, I think it was just yogurt and certain cheeses.)

For about 5-7 days, you will be on a clear liquid diet. Weak tea, broth, gelatin, sugar-free popsicles and zero-calorie, non-carbonated drinks. Make sure it is at least 45 ounces. The second week after surgery, you will go to full liquids for about a week such as watered down cream soups (cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, etc.). This also includes yogurt, watered down mashed potatoes and watered down cooked cereals. I say watered down but you can use low-fat or plant milk. All foods must be at room temperature. You can have sugar free popsicles too. Of course, you must remember your protein shakes. The three most important things are protein, water, and supplements. The third week after surgery you are on protein shakes and pureed (like applesauce) meat and veggies but no more than 3 tablespoons at a time. At this stage, you might want to get a baby plate and spoon just to make you visually more comfortable with how little you are eating. Again all foods must be at room temperature. There are medical transportation companies around that will pick you up, get any post-op meds you need and get you settled in your own bed. Check to see in your area. Mine is going to do all that for me for $75.00 which to me is well worth it. I would also either hire a dog walker or board your dog with a reputable person for a few days. Even the little ones tug at the leash which will not feel good on your suture sights. By the way, don't forget to buy your vitamins (liquid or chewable but not gummy bear types) that you will need. Do you have a pillow to hold against your abdomen for coughing and sneezing? Also, you need to walk and cough then walk and cough some more to avoid clots and adhesions. My doctor has written a couple of books that you might find informative or look up some of the books mentioned in FAQ.

With purées I actually didn't puree anything. I stuck primarily to my full liquid diet including greek yogurt, with the exception of cottage cheese and ricotta cheese. I only was on the pureed stage for 5 days, so it wasn't a huge deal for me. From prior experience (no kids but my gecko used to be handfed baby food). Fruity baby foods are quite tasty; bananas, apples, pears.

Current Mood: Good:thumbup: Well, as much as I enjoyed the cauliflower yesterday, I paid for it dearly. A couple of hours after I ate it and several sips into my protein shake I was struck with debilitating gas pains. I have heard others compare this type of gas pain to labor with labor coming out on top.... they are right! Oh how I wished I could burp, or vomit or anything but no.... Instead I went on line and quickly realized that chemical intervention was required and it was going to have to be something OTC...Maalox to be exact (Gas X was actually recommended by name repeatedly but my corner store didn't have any)! With the aid of Simethicone, the gas storm subsided somewhat though I still had pain. I did not eat dinner. In fact, I took a Percocet, sipped some water to help the Maalox through and went to bed. Lying down helped. This morning it was all gone and I proceeded with caution. Greek yogurt and, dare I try it, 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce. Well, the gas kicked in but not nearly as harshly as yesterday. This time I took a spoonful of Maalox and headed out of the house for a walk. It didn't seem to dislodge the gas so I decided to try warm liquid - decaf, about 3 ounces. I sipped it while I got a pedicure. Well at least that turned out well. The gas was still there but not as bad by the time I walked home. I decided to try for lunch because I actually heard grumbling and felt a bit hungry. Mmmmmm, 2 eggs in 1 cup of fat free chicken broth did the trick (ate about half). Not only was it mouth satisfying, but the pains went away too after a few much appreciated burps. Since lunch...um, let's just say if there were a dog around, it would be getting blamed for the noises coming out of whatever room I am in. Wow! That cauliflower is finally making itself heard and it's not pleasant but boy does it feel good. To paraphrase a famous quote, "A fart by any other name would still smell as ...." Well, you get the point.

Keep in mind that different surgeon's have different post-op instructions. It is NEVER a good idea to start eating too soon. I was on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks before I was able to move on to full liquids for the next week. I wasn't allowed yogurt, mashed potatoes or anything with any consistency until week 3. It isn't easy but we all go through it. You will survive!

What? Me? Really? Yes! It’s true—I’m back with a blog update. I’d love to give you some grand reason for my disappearing act, but the truth is just that life has just gone on. Being banded was a huge life altering experience and for many months it affected everything. In a way, it defined me, just as being fat has defined me for the past 20 or so years of my life. Being banded affected my daily routine—what I ate, how I moved, work, the gym, doctors appointments. And then slowly, it affected me less. Life went back to normal. I stopped feeling sore, I went back to the gym, I started being able to wrestle those big dogs I work with again, and I stopped agonizing over every morsel I put in my mouth. My band became a part of who I am and stopped being everything I am about. And as life went on without me having to stop and contemplate my band every other minute, I stopped having new and exciting things to say about it. That’s not to say that everything has gone back to the way it used to be, although my life is not yet as completely altered as many of my pre-band fantasies projected it to be. A lot has happened in my life both related and unrelated to my weight-loss journey. I believe last I left you guys, I was plagued with a big pain from a little kidney stone. Who knew something smaller than a pencil eraser could cause so much trouble? Well, in case you were wondering, the kidney stone did not pass on its own. After my trip to the hospital and the very happy drugs they pumped me with, my pain was gone. I followed up with an urologist anyhow and it was a good thing since he informed me that being pain free did not mean being urolith (big, fancy, medical word for a kidney stone) free. And low and behold, the night after my appointment, I had another bout of excruciating pain. The pain came and went for the rest of the week until my follow-up appointment at which point my doctor and I decided to schedule lithotripsy—a non-invasive surgical procedure used to break up kidney stones using shockwaves that pass through the body wall. Unfortunately the first available appointment for the procedure was not for another 2 1/2 weeks. The pain was sporadic in the mean time, and while I had some hefty pain meds, I was unable to use them at times—ie when at work. So, I used Ibuprofen instead—after all the PA at my docs office said it was okay given my situation as long as I took certain precautions. Well, I don’t think I took enough precautions, or I just took too much Ibuprofen because after a few days my stomach got all funky and I was sick for a good 2-3 days. I stopped the Motrin of course, and got better. Finally I went for my scheduled procedure and they took an x-ray to locate the stone, then hooked me up to an IV and knocked me out. I woke up shortly after and everything went smoothly. Of course the lithotripsy only broke the stone up to smaller pieces and didn’t get rid of it, so for another week and a half I waited for the stone to pass—with even more pain than before, as well as several bouts of nausea. At last, my stone was gone, and with it, the pain. In addition, I felt energetic and just plain good for the first time since it happened. I turned the stone in for analysis and did some extra urine tests and next week I return to my doc for the results as well as a discussion on nutrition to help prevent further stones. I’m a little worried about how that will go and how his nutrition advice will work with my band. Obviously drinking plenty of water is paramount for both my situations, but I have a feeling he’s going to tell me to cut back on my protein which will not bode will with band eating. He says he’s seen many bandsters getting kidney stones 3-4 months after surgery and on the one hand, that probably means he knows our nutrition restrictions, but on the other hand, it probably means the diet change helped in the formation of the stone. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. Despite the passing of my kidney stone, I am—sadly—not yet a paragon of health. I’ve been having some trouble with my shoulder. At first I just suspected a pulled muscle or something, but given my kidney stone-ibuprofen snafu, could not treat it properly with anti-inflammatory meds like Mortrin. I finally sucked it up and got myself to the orthopod who examined me and took an x-ray. He said the x-ray looked pretty good, but he did see a small bone spur which probably caused some bursitis. Normally he would have just had me treat it with NSAIDS (if it was that easy, I wouldn’t have needed him) but instead he gave me a cortisone shot. Sadly, it didn’t work. He also gave me a prescription for physical therapy if it didn’t work. I think I’ll probably have to use it, but I’m going to try my sister’s acupuncturist first (I saw him once before and he actually predicted my kidney stone by feeling my pulse—well not a kidney stone exactly, but he told me the “kidney” part of my pulse was weak—how crazy is that?) Of course, I think I’m starting to sound like an 80 year old, going on and on about my health problems. I’ve been sicker since getting my band than I was before—how did that happen? In other—non-medical—news, in the end of August, I finally moved into my new place. Having my own refrigerator to stock with all my own food has been helpful. I pretty much live off rotisserie chicken. I’ll have a quarter of a store bought chicken, no skin and I’ll pair it with some fruit, or carrot sticks, or tonight, a small baked potato. Yum, yum. My lunches vary, sometimes I’ll have a lean cuisine, or I’ll have a salad from the salad bar down the street. My usual breakfast is either a protein bar, or if I get up early enough, a 100 calorie whole grain English muffin with 1 egg, 1 egg white, and piece of low fat cheese. I do still have snacks. I believe in eating when I’m hungry. I’ll usually go for either a yogurt, or a high protein snack bar—Slim fast makes a yummy caramel nougat one, and South Beach has a chocolate raspberry one I love. Like a bad girl, I have taken to drinking diet soda again, but only 2-3 times a week instead of 5-6 times a day like I used to and of course, plenty of water is still a must. I stalled with my weight-loss for a while, not because I didn’t have restriction, but because I was making bad choices and eating a lot of junk food again. So, I started going to Weight Watchers. The band helps me monitor how much I eat, and WW gives me the tools to help me make better choices. Having to figure out how many points everything is makes you stop and think before eating it. I only have so much room in my new little tummy pouch, and I need to make each bite count. That’s not to say I’ve given up all the good stuff—I still eat the foods I love…pizza, bagels, ice-cream, etc, but not on a regular basis. I really feel like I eat like a “normal” person now. I can eat a slice of pizza, without eating 3. I can have a turkey burger and leave half for the next meal. Anytime I order out, my food lasts a good 3 meals instead of finishing the whole thing and wanting more. It’s amazing how normal that is for me now. My loss is picking up again and I still have hopes of making my goal of losing 75# by my sisters wedding which is October 25. I’ve got to lose another 5 lbs and I’ve got 10 days to do it. Holly, this entry is getting long. I have more to say about how I’m feeling about the changes the last 6 months have made to my mind, body and soul, but I’m working on page three of this thing now, so I’m going to cut it here, and save the rest for another entry. Here’s to not letting another 3 months go by before that happens Tootles.

How about: Mozzarella cheese stick Drinkable yogurt smoothie (Dannon lite) a small package of cheese cubes some Special K Protein bars or something like that in the diet or healthfood aisle beef Jerky?? If I think of more I will let you know. Hope this helps!

Current Mood: Tentative :smile: My last fill was 4 weeks ago tomorrow. At the time, I felt I'd really gotten it right. It was going quite well until last Wednesday when I went out for drinks with colleagues. When I got home, I was hungry and decided to eat some left over steak. Well, being a little bit drunk, I probably ate it too fast and didn't chew well enough and my body retaliated. Vomiting and gagging for about an hour immediately. In the morning, my stomach still felt a bit rough so I just had some Greek yogurt with a little raspberry preserves mixed in. It didn't sit right. Nothing solid sits right since then and I've had a couple more incidences of severe discomfort. The only thing that went down well and left me feeling good full was carrot ginger soup. The upset feeling is gone but I am now getting uncomfortably full from what probably amounts to 2-3 tablespoons of food, well chewed and eaten slowly. Last night I had one sea scallop and tablespoon of beans and mashed potatoes. I was full for hours. There is no way this is enough food for someone my size - 5'10", active and still a good 80 lbs overweight. Is 2-3 tablespoons how much I'm supposed to be eating? I thought it was more like 2-3 ounces of food (6-9 tablespoons). Or, maybe this is the right amount of restriction and I haven't quite grasped how little I am supposed to be eating and try to eat more at every sitting. In the last 4 weeks I have lost about 20 lbs. I've also started a regular work out routine and have been sticking to it so I'm sure that helped with the weight loss but still....5 lbs per week? I have a post-fill check-up tomorrow and will see what they say about the amount of food I should be eating. I'm honestly hoping for a small unfill so I can eat TWO scallops next time! Total weight loss as of this morning: 75 lbs at 6 months and 8 days post surgery.

Hello post op friends, I am on day 3 today and feel worse today then I did yesterday is this common? I am up moving around and doing things but feel just awful. I am doing fine on about 16 oz a day over 3 meals (yogurt, protein drink, jello and soups as a variety) I am trying to drink all the water I need to but I think that it is the gas in my stomach that hurts so bad. Any suggestions on relief?

Thank you, my uncle passed away after a long and painful struggle. Unfortunately, his passing was very unexpected even though we knew he was ill. I managed to eat a few spoons of yogurt w/ Protein granola. I'll make some soup later. Thanks for the love. Surgery 7/25/12

I had surgery the same day and I am not experiencing hunger all the time. I try to have 3 protein shakes a day and eat every 2 to 3 hours if I feel the need. I am mixing the protein powder with Almond milk and shaking it with ice which makes it thicker and very satisfying. I have made homemade delicious soups with vegetable like asparagus cooked with a whole bunch of parley, whole onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 carton and one can of chicken broth, some pepper. When soft I beat 4 eggs and add to soup and it cooks and then grate some fresh Parmesan cheese. Blend it to puree and it is very satisfying and has protein in it as well. I have had a can of tomato soup with the almond milk as well which is also very good. I have made a spinich soup and added the egg and a can of garbanzo beans to add texture and protein. Lots of water, diet tea, etc. I have been doing fine. I stared after surgery as I really needed the protein. I get creative with the cooking which helps and I have had yogurt and sugar free pudding. It sounds as if you are not eating enough protein. My doctor said to have protein immediately. You need it to heal. You can eat, just eat smart and not to much at a time.

How do you guys stay hydrated in beginning? I am worried I will get depredated. Im only 3 days post op. Im drinking , yesterday I had like 12 oz water and 2 popsicles and some yogurt. this was spread out throughout day.