Hey everyone. Ok so I just got banded on the 18th of Dec. I got through the first week good as far as following the diet and only having liquids. I then moved on to thicker/creamier foods the next week and was doing fine. I am on mushies and throwing in a little piece of chicken (little little) here and there.

My questions are:

1. why do I have to wait till the 4th week to eat foods?? I feel like my body can handle them already. So I have been trying, but if there is a good reason for me not to, then I won't.

I still only eat half a cup and feel full. SO I am doing ok with quantity.

2. This is a little TMI but, how often do you guys have a BM? It seems to be once every few days for me, and I don't know that that is normal.

3. will the gas and bloating ever calm down??

4. Do I have to take small sips of Water forever?? I am so thirsty I just want to chug water but I am scared to. ALSO I hate the Protein drinks I have (haven't found one I like yet) and I could get through them perop because I chugged them, now I have to sip slowly. Any suggestions??

5. Will our serving sizes be 1/2 a cup forever? I mean as long as we have the band??

Any feedback you guys have would be amazing!!!

Thank you everyone in advance!

I'm in the same boat. I've been eating mostly softer foods, but stuff I wouldn't consider "mushy". Only 6 more days for me until I can supposedly eat "solid" foods, but I already do and I'm fine. As long as you're getting plenty of protein, I don't think it matters as long as you don't over do it...

I can really relate to what you are talking about. I was banded the 29th of December and I am on a full liquid diet right now. My sister who was banded 2.5 years ago said that she would get Soup from restaurants and if the potatoe or carrot could be mushed in her mouth with her tongue then she ate it anyway. That is what I have been doing but only a little bit because I am nervous to get something stuck.

2. As far as the bm goes I didn't have any until I move up to full liquid and now it's one every other day.

3.As far as the gas goes I really hope it goes away because it hurts so bad it takes my breath away.

4. I am able to chug Water now and am perfectly fine. I don't do that with milk or Protein shakes because it makes me feel way too full way too fast. I have a wonderful Protein Drink made by BSN and it is called "Better than dessert" It comes in banana pudding, cinnamon roll, vanilla pudding, choc pudding, and chocolat coconut candy bar. I bought it on line and it has 20grams protein with 3grams sugar per serving. Very delicious.

5. My info book that the clinic gave me said that I would work up to 1cup per meal.

Hope this helps a little

1. I'm a little over 3 weeks out (surgery was Dec 13th) and have pretty much been eating most foods since Christmas. My Doc gave me the "ok" to start mushies a few days early because it was a holiday. I was told to not puree my foods and to just chew, chew and chew some more, and to not eat anything that walks on land until at least week 5.

So to me that sounds like I could eat anything (with a few exceptions, meats, untoasted breads and fibrous veggies, which I have been eating here and there as well and haven't had a problem) as long as my mouth worked as a food processor most foods are ok to have. Although I may have problems with these foods after fills start.

As of now I've been doing just fine, but I'm at the point where I can pretty much eat anything, and drink a little while I'm eating (which is a NO NO but I'm having a hard time breaking from that). I have very little restriction which is normal, unfortunately, so I am eating more than I want to be but still less than I used to.

I wouldn't tell anyone how to eat, just how it is working for me. It's best to follow what your doctor tells you, they all seem to have different ideas and different ways of doing things. If you really feel ready to move on, talk to your doctor about it.

2. I'm having normal BMs a little less frequently, now maybe every 2-3 days where as before it was almost everyday. I'm assuming it's because I'm eating less and my body is still getting used to the changes. If they get less frequent or if I'm feeling constipated I was advised to take Maalox.

3. My gas and bloating were gone after the first week.

4. I am able to chug Water, but not my Protein shakes. I drink Pure Protein, they are premade in cans and have 23 grams of protein, I get them at Target. I don't like the vanilla but the chocolate and Cookies and cream ones are good. When I make them I put a handful of frozen fruit, some ice and pour the can into a blender, they are really yummy! This is now my everyday Breakfast.

The 1/2 cup servings, once you have restriction I don't think it matters all that much because you won't be able to get more down than that. But every BODY is different, you may be able to get a cup down, it all depends on your restriction level/where you are comfortable/and whats working for healthy weightloss. When you get down to a weight you are happy with you can have them take some Fluid out if you wish. I know of people that have fluid taken out for vacations/holidays things like that so they can eat a little more. Full restriction doesn't have to be forever, the band is to aide us in weightloss then to help us maintain if and when we fall off track.

Hope this helps!

1. why do I have to wait till the 4th week to eat foods?? I feel like my body can handle them already. So I have been trying, but if there is a good reason for me not to, then I won't.

I still only eat half a cup and feel full. SO I am doing ok with quantity.

because those are the rule your doctor has set-up for your recovery. he's not trying to sabatoge you by setting unrealistic goals. we've ALL had to follow basically the same post-op diet. you have to give your body time to adjust to having the band around it. do NOT go against your doctors orders because YOU feel like you're doing okay. there are rules for a reason.

2. This is a little TMI but, how often do you guys have a BM? It seems to be once every few days for me, and I don't know that that is normal.

this is a problem most of us have had after surgery so there's nothing to be shy about. since our diet has changed dramatically, so will the BM. check with your doctor and see if you can take a Fiber supplement to help you out.

3. will the gas and bloating ever calm down??

yes... i promise, it will calm down!

4. Do I have to take small sips of Water forever?? I am so thirsty I just want to chug water but I am scared to. ALSO I hate the Protein drinks I have (haven't found one I like yet) and I could get through them perop because I chugged them, now I have to sip slowly. Any suggestions??

for now, no chugging. your band is way too new. continue to sip, sip, sip. i'm almost 3 years post-op and i can drink a little quicker now but just remember how tiny your stomach is right now. if you drink too much too fast, it won't have anywhere to go and you'll end up throwing up the water. and that is a big no-no!!

5. Will our serving sizes be 1/2 a cup forever? I mean as long as we have the band??

yes, your stomach will remain the same size so that means the amount of food you can eat will remain the same. i'm sure it probably seems unattainable right now to eat that little basically forever, but it gets easier with time. i usually eat off a small saucer plate and not a big dinner plate. that way my plate looks full.

Yes the "diet" rules are for a reason! Your stomach is healing from being sewn. Think about that. While there are occational exceptions MOST doctors have a progressive diet like yours ordered. Yes the liquid diet sucks but that's the way it is. I hope you are'nt offend but the doctor knows wayyyyy more than we do about how the body responds to trauma. Almost everytime someone posts about having problems in the 2-3 weeks post surgery it's because they moved forward on the food plan before doctors orders. At my two week check in I ask the nurse if I could move to mushies like 2 days early. Her answer No!

As for Protein are you allowed to make the shakes with fat free milk? That makes them taste so much better. Also there are lots of recipes on this site and on the internet in general about add ins that help the taste. I made mine with fat free milk, sugar/fat free pudding powder, sugar free coffee syrups, splendra; in a miniblender with ice cubes really helps the texture. Also costco has a nice RTD Premier chocolate 160 cal, 30 g protein.

Thank you for all the responses they are all helping so much. I do have another question though, how do you guys manage getting all the Water and Protein drinks in?? I am barely able to finish a bottle of water, it takes forever to drink. Can you give me an idea of your normal day of food and water with times or whatever cause I am struggling.

Thank you!

Hey guys, in regard to the gas... I was banded on 12/29/10 and i had terrible gas pains. I bought some Extra Strength Gas X tongue strips and they work WONDERS! Ok'd by my Dr. too. Hope this helps!

Thank you for all the responses they are all helping so much. I do have another question though, how do you guys manage getting all the Water and Protein drinks in?? I am barely able to finish a bottle of water, it takes forever to drink. Can you give me an idea of your normal day of food and water with times or whatever cause I am struggling.

Thank you!

I've always drank at least 64oz of water a day, one habit I was able to keep after years of doing weight watchers. But somedays I just don't want it. Sometimes I use crystal light packets, I only use half a packet per 16oz because it's a little too sweet for me. What I've been loving lately is True Lemon, it's basically crytalized lemon flavor, it tastes like u just sqeezed some fresh lemon in your water.

For my protein I throw it in a blender with some ice and a little frozen fruit. When I was on just liquids I had this 3xs a day and that gave me 72 grams of protein. I'm still having this every morning for breakfast.