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Biggest advice is chew your food really well, and eat slow! Eat with people who like to talk! LOL I don't know what you've already been eating, but my favorite soft foods included fat free re-fried Beans (pinto and black beans). You can top them with melted cheese, a dollup of smashed avocado and greek yogurt as a sour cream replacement. Other things, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, baby bel cheeses, laughing cow cheese, tuna, egg, or chicken salad. Just remember when trying new foods for the first time, go slow. I was scared when my doc gave me the all clear for solid foods. I went from pureed food, straight to... you can eat whatever. I was sorta overwhelmed and intimidated. My nutritionist convinced me to try eating fruits and veggies. And I'm 2 weeks going on my 3rd, and so far so good.

Try making your own shakes. GNC has unflavored protein powder. You can add fruit and yogurt with crystal light in a blender. I can't drink the prepared shakes or muscle milk. Another thing to try is freeze some decaf coffee in an ice cube tray. Mix the rest of the cold coffee with unflavored PP in the blender with a little milk and the sweetener of your choice and blend with the ice cubes you created tastes like a frappacino from Starbucks. Get creative, try using the sugar free flavored syrups. I even added the protein powder to broth and blended it. Not as good but it works.

I hate to say it, but only time is going to help. Your internal wounds still haven't healed completely, and your body is still super pissed off at you. I know we all want to feel better faster, but some of us have extended recoveries while others feel great. I think if you change your perspective and really think about your body is enduring, maybe you won't feel like a failure. I wasn't even allowed mushies until 4 weeks out, and couldn't even tolerate them well until 6 weeks out then had to stay on them to get my Protein in since solid foods just filled me up so fast. I know it is draining and exhausting, but believe me, it does get better. I would recommend trying some yogurt, and Probiotics to help with the gas. Everything is just kind of going crazy in there, and it's going to take time. I know it sucks to struggle, believe me I do, but don't give up.

At that stage I was very swollen still and I was eating 2 tablespoons at a time for something like refried beans. I could do a little more of a thinner yogurt.

I tend to agree with jerri, what size bougie did your surgeon use? Mine used a 28/32F and at 14 months out I still have lots of restriction. I can eat a whole tuna sandwich for example but it takes me almost 30 minutes. . . or I'm really really full on 6oz of greek yogurt mixed with Protein powder. . .for my dinners I can get down 1 small chicken leg, 1 tbspn of rice and 1 tblspn of eggplant but i rarely can finish all of that . . . I'm wondering if your surgeon didn't leave you with a really large bougie. . . ask on your next visit. . . I understand some doc's do a 40F and larger. . .

At 7 days post op I was told to change from 5 Protein drinks per day to 4 and add 1/2c. mash pot or applesauce and 1/2c. yogurt or pudding. So, I sort of moved into mushies at 1 week. I am only 2 weeks post op (banded 10/12) and am now fully on mushies. I saw my MD yesterday and he said for some people, swelling goes down really fast and they are hungry sooner than others. Don't worry about a thing. Be happy you have the o.k. to move to mushies. I do not think it means your band is not working. I think it means you are healing well. People keep telling me this stage is for healing (not weight loss).

Ugh, bananas - IMPOSSIBLE for me to eat with any fill. I could eat an apple with the skin more easily than a banana. There is no rhyme nor reason to what our bands will tolerate. I couldnt eat easily bananas, yogurt, ice cream, juice, milk, but I could easily eat bread, steak, raw carrot and salads.

I am 5 months post op with about 8 cc's in my band. Although I still feel no real restriction I have found myself vomiting a lot of stuff I could tolerate prior to my last fill. The 1st week following my fill was fine .. no issues, no restriction, but no vomiting either. I guess I should clarify the vomiting is usually related to being stuck. It can happen on bite 1 or bite 4 and it seems to have not started until the 2nd week post fill. Yesterday was beef stroganoff.. chewed real well and just a few bites before I was in agony and stuck.. today a hamburger patty, no bread .. again tiny bites, not overcooked, melted cheese for moisture .. no go. Lunch I stuck w/ greek yogurt which is never an issue but a boarderline slider I think.. Tonite even a 1/2 cup of chicken salad took forever and was not comfortable but did not come up. I'm thinking chicken salad is moist, pretty chopped up. Am I in need of an unfill? I feel like I should be able to eat solids and not have to live on mushies.

It's not just you, and you're not imaging it! I had my sleeve 2 weeks ago tomorrow, and I have noticed things I could drink with no problem before surgery no longer taste good to me, and make me want to gag! I cried the other night because I miss being able to eat a hot meal, some meat especially! My husband is very loving and supportive, but he does make and eat hot meals in front of me. He drives me crazy watching him eat it, smelling it, and wanting to be able to eat it! I'm so sick of protein shakes, yogurt, sugar free pudding, and broth! People have no clue just how hard this is! Everything revolves around food. Parties, get together's, holidays, almost everything! If anyone thinks this is the EASY WAY OUT, they couldn't be more wrong! This is not for the weak of heart, or the quitting kind of person for sure! I use to love a couple cups of decaf coffee in the morning when I get up, but since my surgery it no longer taste good to me. Now I drink decaf tea instead. Not sure why your taste change, or why things seem to smell even more than they did before, but they do! I'm hoping in time we will get more use to our new stomach's, and our new life styles. Also as the weight continues to drop off, and we can wear smaller, and smaller clothes that it will be all worth it! Hang in there you're not alone, and you're not alone with these feelings you're experiencing. I thank God for this web site where other sleever's can help each other through these rough patches. God bless, and feel free to add me as a friend on here. Kathy

Am I allowed to esat Greek Yogurt. I know I am not supposee to have the kind with fruit in it. My doctor's manual has yougurt and sugar free pudding in it at the full liquid stage and supposedly full liquid began on day 2. However I tried a tiny spoon of jello sugar free pudding last night and I didn't feel well. Please advise.

I was sleeved on March 5th at approx 0800. My journey started a few years ago. I started tossing the idea of bariatric surgery around when I kept gaining and gaining weight. My dr kept doing test to see if there was a reason, and adding meds to my regimen because I was being diagnosed with different things. I talked to my dr about it and went through the initial seminar that the local bariatric surgeon has. That's as far as I went that time. I met my wife and realized that I wanted to be healthy. I wanted to be around for her and my children. Her and I talked and she pushed me to go back to the dr and start the process again. I am a paramedic for the city we live in and she is an EMT. A nurse at one of the ER's had recently had gastric bypass. My wife spent about an hour one night talking with her and her experience. She recommeneded the surgeon she used. He had practiced at the local trauma hospital and done the gastric surgeries there. Our friend had had great success and had nothing but great things to say about Dr. Allen. I did some research into the different types of surgeries that were being performed and decided that I really wanted the sleeve. I contacted Dr. Allen's office and scheduled to go through the seminar again. By this time I had almost completed the 6 month weight loss study with my primary dr. After the seminar I submitted the appropriate paperwork and was pre-approved. I met with Dr. Allen and informed that at that time he was not doing the sleeve. He suggested the bypass for me. I decided it was the next best thing; I was NOT having the band done. lol Dr. Allen wanted a few approvals from my primary physician before surgery. I had to have a EKG, and Pulminary Function Test. The PFT came back obstructed at the dr's office so I was sent to a pulmonologist. I was very discouraged. I met with the pulmonologist he sent me to and was told there was a chance I had COPD. Again, more discouragement. The pulmonologist was not about to sign off on letting me have surgery since the intubation could be bad for me. He wanted me to use an inhaler and CPAP at night for 6 weeks and come back for a follow up PFT. 6 Weeks later I was back. The PFT was enormously better, and I felt ENORMOUSLY better. Best of all, he APPROVED ME FOR SURGERY. My primary physician signed off ok'ing it as well. It was time for the waiting game with the insurance company for approval. A few weeks later on Feburary 5th at 1300, I recieved a phone call from the surgeon's office that I had been approved and my surgery date was March 5th. They gave me the date and time for the pre-op meeting and test. And the best of all, the information on the 1500 calorie diet I was to follow for 2 weeks prior to my surgery. 2-weeks prior to surgery my wife went to the store, stocked up on slim-fast shakes and frozen lean cusines and I started this crazy 1500 calorie diet. I was approx 390-400 lbs. It wasn't as bad as I expected. The day before surgery a few of my friends from work and my wife took me out for my "last meal". I went to the local BBQ shack and had a full rack of ribs. Normally, before the diet I could clean them off and still be hungry, however, I ended up sending almost half of them home with a co-worker! We then had a small desert and sat and talked for about an hour. It was the last time I really ate "real" food. The next morning my wife and I were up at 0430 getting showers and packing bags for my hospital stay. I was told to be prepared for a 3 day hospital stay. Surgery began at around 0900 and I was out and in recovery by 1030. No problems with sedation or intubation. However, I was slightly oversedated and sent to the ICU for the night because they were worried about the sedation and my sleep apnea becoming a problem. I don't remember much of this. The most I remember is having a cathader that I kept asking to be taken out and waking up with the CPAP mask on at one point. The next day at around 0800 I was taken for a swollow study (worse tasting stuff in my life). Everything looked great! Cathader was taken out and I was released to drink clear liquids! A few hours later I was moved out of ICU up to a regular floor bed. My wife spent hours with me at the hospital, encouraging me to get up out of bed to walk and get the gas off my stomach. She made sure that I was getting adequate nutrition as well as enough Water to drink. She even brought me fat free milk! On the Friday after surgery I called her to come get me. They removed my JP drain and got me ready to go. I was able to go home and get a FULL NAP!!! I actually felt good enough when I woke up to go to the grocery with her to get some broth, Soups, and yogurts. Since then, I am down to only 1 pain pill a day if I go out for a long period of time. I haven't gone back to work, but don't have a follow up until Monday. I'm hoping to get the staples taken out of the incisions on Monday as well. They itch like crazy. And I'm super excited to start the mushy stage of my diet. I'm ready to get back to the gym and start walking and riding the bike and lose some of this weight a little quicker. I'm amazed at the little amout that I'm eating and it's keeping me satisfied. I already have more energy than I did before the surgery and I am able to stay awake longer during the day. I did cheat yesterday and had 1 lean hotdog. I ate it very slowly and didn't drink anything with it or afterwards. I didn't get sick, but I felt 100x's better afterwards. Guess, we're not all perfect lol Hope everyone else that has been sleeved is doing well also, and everyone getting ready to be sleeved is excited!

I am 7 days post op and honestly the day of surgery was the worst for me. The gas pains in my back and chest were awful and I dry heaved twice I believe. But by the next day I was noticeably feeling MUCH better. And YES, walking does make a HUGE difference! Days following the surgery consisted of sipping, walking, resting and not at all being hungry. Which was very weird to not be hungry. By day 6 though, I do believe I was feeling true hunger pains and it was the day to start full liquids anyways so I had a little bit of greek yogurt and it went away. So all in all, I think i was one the lucky ones that really didn't have too many issues at all after surgery and continue to not really have any issues. This was the best decisions of my life. I've lost 17 lbs so far from preop & postop so I'm quite happy with that. Good luck!

This was the question asked of me today when I went in for my fill. For Breakfast most mornings (especially work days), I eat light string cheese and CARBMaster yogurt (12 g Protein, 4 g carb, 1.5 g fat and only 80 calories). She said that yogurt just slides right through the band and doesn't provide the feeling of satiety. I have to disagree. Again, during work days, I eat breakfast about 8:45 am. I then take lunch at noon. It fits my schedule perfectly and I am ready to eat lunch at that time. I don't eat dinner then until around 6:30-7:00 pm. My doctor also told me to stay away from any Soups that I can't eat with a fork. Hmm, so I guess no more SouperSalad for me! lol On a side note, I did get a fill and some how managed to lose a pound in the last two weeks. I had had a cold which made my band really tight so I didn't get a fill two weeks ago. My cold went away and so did my restriction. I've been eating a ton this last week and totally expected to gain.

Thanks everyone. I worry about the protien the most due to the hair loss. I went through that once and NEVER want to do it again. My post op diet (as of yesterday) is 3 small meals (cream of wheat, yogurt, fat free pudding made w/sk milk or low fat stained creamed soups) and 3 each 3 oz protien shakes which include skim milk. I am no where close to eating a fraction of this. Anyone know of any good protien water mixes...I cannot get the Special K20 in my area. Thanks again for the advice. My mind is just going crazy worrying about all of this stuff!

Where are you on your level? Regular food or soft food? I mix it up every day pretty much, but I have my standbys: Special K protein cereal (sometimes with 1/2 banana), 2 servings of skim milk/day, 4 wheat thins w/ 1 oz pepper jack cheese, 2% cottage cheese w/ fruit mixed in, pure protein bars, greek yogurt smoothies, flat out "chips" with salsa or hummus. Today I'm having: B: 1/2 cup special K w/ 1/2 c skim milk L: 1/2 serving of leftover meatloaf D: small bowl of leftover chicken stew (MIL recipe- even better the next day) Snacks: 12 oz skim milk, 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese with no sugar added mandarin oranges, flatout chips with salsa for dipping I don't alwys eat what I have dished out- usually there's leftovers. I am 8 weeks out today- will be adding salads and nuts here in about a week- can't wait to make my own trail mix. I am not a no-or super low carb fanatic- I eat some carbs. My weight loss has been fine, I think. 37 lbs in 8 weeks. Total weight loss: 67 lbs -Kendra

I'm 9 weeks out without complications but yesterday and today I can't eat. I doesn't seem to go down. Even yogurt was difficult. I have not had a BM in 6 days and I'm very burpy. Any ideas?

I couldn't agree more I'm 4 weeks out and today I had a half of protein shake and half a Greek yogurt and that's it. Everything makes me feel sick. It bums me out I'm depressed and weepy because I have no energy to handle my 4 little ones. I wish I knew it would get better!

My preop diet starts on the 3rd of November for 3 weeks. I have given it lots of thought while I waited. I am allowed veg, milk and yogurt. My go to, will be Thai soups and salads. I have bought in lots of water noodles as they are only 4 cals a packet. I like them better than courgetti. They do fill you up. When I get fed up of those I will have soups - carrot and coriander, mushroom and onion are favourite's . Then there is vegetable curries with cauliflower rice. I have had a lot of time on these pages and will use all the knowledge I have picked up. Onwards and downwards

I tried the acid reducer and it did nothing for my hunger, I have tummy rumbling, hunger pains every 3 hours,which are better if I eat something like tuna and cottage cheese. I can go 4 hours with high protein foods, but with things like yogurt I become starving after 2-3. I am only 3 weeks out but that is what I have found. Hope it helps.

Hi everyone, i was sleeved June 20th. Down 25 pounds so far, i'm eating little pieces of fish with lemon juice and 2 shakes made with protein and watermelon a day. I'm also eating some yogurt. Since i'm not eating any fiber and almot not carbs i'm constipated. I'm drinking about 48 oz of water a day and walking 20 minutes a day. Would someone please let me know what can help me with constipation??. It is urgent

MoM, Miralax, and chia seeds or Fiber One in your diet as tolerated are all our friends. I do Miralax on Wednesday and Sunday, with a little bit of Fiber One in my yogurt a few days a week and all is well here. MoM works for me too. I just think it tastes awful. But I can stomach it (pun intended) if all else fails. I'll say this. I'd rather have this than the IBD-like symptoms I used to have pre-surgery.

Hi friends! I thought we could start a thread of great low-calorie, high Protein, or just plain delicious food products as we re-learn our diets. I recently found this DELICIOUS blue cheese salad dressing that is yogurt based and has just 35 calories for 2 tablespoons. There are different kinds also (Ranch, Honey Mustard, etc.). I have used it on salads (yes, I can tolerate lettuce!) but also to moisten my Proteins (steak, chicken, etc.). I will post more as I remember other products. I hope this is helpful to someone! What is your favorite food item these days? xoxo http://www.bolthouse.com/products/dressings/creamyyogurts

When I was on soft food I ate a lot of Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I also had refried Beans pretty often. You can also still have liquids like Soups, puddings, and of course Protein shakes. A lot of folks like ricotta bake. I found it a little rich for my taste. I know it gets pretty boring but this phase will pass. Hang in there.

Then when you go on solid foods you will likely have the opposite problem, because of the lack of fiber. Plan now to add extra powdered fiber to your food (like yogurt, s/f pudding and the like). Also stock up on stool softeners and get Metamucil and Miralax.

I suffered the liquids in liquids out until I got to mushies. Greek yogurt helped, and I know a few other members bought some Probiotics to mix in their water/crystal light to help with the gi tract. My surgeon didn't prescribe a PPI until I talked to him about it. I had this kind of weird twinge in my stomach after I would eat something, and then I felt like I could eat again. I can't say it was hunger, but it was weird. I went on Prilosec 20mg once daily, and haven't had any issues since. I didn't go on the Prilosec until about 6 weeks post-op. I take it first thing in the morning, and I wait 1 solid hour before eating anything. I would definitely talk to your surgeon about getting on a PPI. If your surgeon can't prescribe one for you, Prevacid and Prilosec are both available over the counter. I have one more 90 day refill on my Prilosec, and keep saying I'm going to wean myself off, but I'm doing so great, I don't want to throw my body out of whack.