Question? (suggestions)

My doc says I should be on "CLEAR" liquids for two weeks (after being banded).

They told me to drink only:

Clear broth

Clear Juices - No sugar added

Jello (ick)

Ice Pops

Crystal Lite drinks

NO SODA

coffee w/skim milk

Tea

Thats it !!!!!

I am on day 6 and I am famished, the hunger pains is just horrible.

The nurse in the hospital told me about Isopure (she was banded 3 years ago) and two of the folks here at this site suggested the same (Ira and Beanie )

Question is? Since Isopure contains Protein, how much protein should someone at this very early stage be drinking?

I'm thinking b/c I'm not getting any Fiber that I might want to be careful and not drink to much of the stuff.

Thanks for your suggestions, thoughts, idea's.

Eileen

You know, all doctors differ somewhat in their recommendation, so I'll just tell you what mine said to do, and you can just add it to the info you already have. I was on clear liquids, too, but after 4 days, he did allow the regular protein drink in a can (I like Adkins Advantage). I could only drink part of it at a time, so I poured the rest into a water bottle, so it would stay fresh...the kind that have oz marks on the side, so I oculd tell how much I was drinking. After a week, I was allowed to go to creamy liquids, like soups. After that, it was whatever I could tolerate. I started with mushy food first, of course, then I chose on my own. I was totally eating regular food before my first fill, which was about a month after banding.

I also like Unjury protein powder, which I added to cooled off coffee, or Crystal light. I didn't worry at all about too much protein with little fiber, so maybe that's bad, but it worked out okay for me. Good luck figuring something out that will work for you! Cindy

I was told to eat at least 58 grams of protein a day. I started on protein on my first day home from the hospital and I was never hungry. I used the low-carb slimfast cans. Our bodies need protein to heal from the surgery, so I think it would be pretty hard for a newly banded person to get in too much.

Eileen, I started my protein on day 3 and I was told to use Isopure because it is a clear liquid and I had to use it of for 3 days. Started off with one bottle on day 3 and day four and five I had 2 bottles those days. Then I started taking slimfast low carb (the already made ones).

Do you have GNC where you live? That is where I got the Isopure. It comes in several flavors, like grape, blue raspberry, green apple, alpine punch, mango Pineapple, kiwi strawberry, peach, mixed berry, passionfruit and a few others I can not remember. You can also get it online if you do not have a health store where you live. Hope I have helped

--Asphalt Angel--Jolynn

Jolynn, yes, we have a GNC and DH went there yesterday to pick up a few bottles for me. I feel better that I'm having something other than sugar in my body LOL.

Anne, the link below says around 50, so thats pretty right on w/what your doc says. The Isopure drinks have 60 whopping grams, so if you have a hard time you can try these, but like Jolynn says, you have to drink them COLD !! LOL the fruit punch is nasty LOL, I'm on orange I think lol. THANK YOU !!

Cindy, I like how you think..... Anything to my coffee sounds WONDERFUL !! Thanks.

Check this out..... I think I answered my own question (*blush*)

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dga/rda.pdf#search='Recommended%20Dietary%20Allowances%20%28RDA%29.'

REMEMBER ITS A GUIDE, NOT THE LAW !!!!

THANKS EVERYONE

.

Eileen,

How's it going? I fell your pain (hunger).......Luckily i didn't have to do 2 weeks of Clear liquids. Actually, I was blending up Taco Bell stuff a couple of days after surgery. But all doctors are different! My Doctor said "anything" that was a thick paint consistency! Lucky me.......I don't know if I had made it otherwise!

Isopure, in my opinion, is the best tasting Protein drink out there! The Green Apple rocks! Tastes like a Jolly Rodgers candy! It ain't thick and chaulky like many of the other protein drinks! YUCK! I think they have about 40 grams of protein also!

Good Luck NJ Chick!

Ray

Congrads! on getting banded! take it easy for a few week's. and pretty soon you will be in the fast track of losing weight!

take care.JOHNQ

I was banded on the 14th. My Doc said everyone is different when it comes to moving from one stage of eatting to another. He said that it would be up to me as to what I felt I could tolerate. At one week I was on soft food and when I saw my Doc 10 days out, he said for me to introduce fish. He said that it would not hurt my pouch or my band if I moved from one stage to another to quickly, I would just have be careful. Friday was 2 weeks & I had chicken & a salad, it was great, just have to take it really slow. Take care & happy losing. Kim

So, what I'm getting from this post-op liquid diet stuff is that if you can tolerate more "mushies" before the 2 weeks are up, go for it? I will admit that I'm now day 11 after surgery and had some egg salad (no bread) for lunch and I did fine. Is the purpose of the liquid diet after surgery to make sure you don't PB or vomit? If that's the case, I can see why the liquids. However, if you're doing ok with alittle mushies a little early, what the harm?

Is the purpose of the liquid diet after surgery to make sure you don't PB or vomit? If that's the case, I can see why the liquids. However, if you're doing ok with alittle mushies a little early, what the harm?

The purpose is definately to avoid a PB, but also to allow your stomach to heal. The upper part of the banded stomach moves and churns just like the lower part (I saw mine squeeze under flouro...wierd) so the mushier the food, the harder your stomach has to squeeze to get it down...and it will try...it tries hard. This can be hard on your healing process...stiches and all, ya know. So, the liquidy-er the better on a newly banded stomach. If you need more calories and protien, try to do them liquid. Rather than egg salad just yet, do egg drop Soup.

On the other hand, there are soooo many different opinions on the post-op diet, and if you are doing well on a little mushies a little early...you know, why not? I suppose I'd try and get them liquid though. Just in case. Does that help?

makena2,

Today is day 24 for me & I got my 1st fill, so I am back on liquids for the next day or so, but yesterday I had steak & veggie stir fry. I feel great, down 24lbs, started back to work on day 10 & working out on day 11. 2 solid weeks of liquids is tough & depressing, I really feel for you, it should at least give your weight loss a major jump start. I would not tell you to go against your Dr's orders, but my Dr was really great about allowing me to decided when my body was ready to move on to the other stages. He beleaves that starving yourself is very bad, it robs you of the energy you need to heal.

I'm sure that was the best darn egg salad in the world!

Kim

NJ --

My doc is having me do the same thing, I'm on day 11. I've had a few days "of hell" in the "starving" department, but I drank some milk, or had some sugar free jello, and that seems to have really helped.

Hope you're feeling better... This is the hard part, and we'll be off to the races soon...

angie

Sugar Free pudding was my saving grace in the second week and potato soup. I really didn't do the broth but SF popsicles were the best. Eileen you are doing great just keep moving forward.

I made it 12 days clear liquids, then I moved on to thick liquids. I am trying my best to stay with the thick liquids like creamy soups and cream of wheat, vanilla yogurt and protein shakes.

I will admit, I am sucking on goldfish crackers. It turns into pure mush, almost liquified LOL. Its keeping me sane what ever that is.

Makena, be very careful what you are eating, especially being just banded. Kathy is right, its all about healing right now so try your best, I will too.

Thanks everyone, these surely are the hardest days.

HUGS !!!

Being a almost banded one, I am searching forms of high protein for right after and to have always on hand. I am ready to clean out the pantry. I have not had the visit with the nutritionist yet, but get the whole idea of liquids at first and then mushy ( what are mushies) or am I dense and it just means mushing up foods?!