So, I was banded yesterday and everything went fine. I am in the clear liquid stage. The papers all say that lasts for 1 week but my doc said I'd probably be able to have Optifast shakes by Sunday (3 days after surgery). So I'm sitting around thinking that my body needs some sort of calories/ Protein rather than just all these various forms of Water I'm taking in (crystal light/ tea/ broth from cubes, etc.).

So I figured it would be okay to go to a place that has various Soups and just get the thin liquid off of the top of say the chicken noodle Soup. And that is exactly what I did and no problems resulted. It was a little thicker liquid than those broths and had some substance to it. I even skimmed the thin tomato juice type stuff off of the top of the chili and it was fine also. So, I probably took in 200 calories or so but my body got a little bit of energy going and there were no problems with my stomach or my new band.

Anybody else try this kind of stuff during the liquid stage?

Lots of people do without problem. My only concern is that you might be going against your doctors orders on the very first day. Isn't broth included on your Clear liquids? If so, I wouldn't sweat the chicken noodle broth... Just stay away from the noodles.

Glad you are feeling well enough to be out and about!

Be careful becauswe the reason for clear liquids is to allow your body to heal from surgery. it may feel fine, but you can still do damage with thicker ones. chicken noodle or veggie soup as long as you take everything out of it can work ok, but stop now trying to test the system. You will ahve greater success if you decide right now to obey the doctor. We all have had bad habits, this is the time we ar to walk aaway from them and doing what we are NOT supposes to is not going to help you in the long run. The doctors have been doing this and hundreds of thousand of people have done this and followed the doctor with out issues from not enough. I assure you you are getting enough. Let your body heal and don[t push the limits. Try sugar free popicles, thy are a great help on liquids. I only tell you this because i have done whagt I was suppose to and it works my freindl but I follow to a T. We tried it our way and it got out us in bad shape. This is your hope and chance for a new start so take it. We can not do anything we use to and it is not about what sounds logical or "ok" to us. Trust the pros and let the doctors do their job to get you to your goal. I have seen some that have not stuck to it and it is a shame that they forget this is just a tool, not a cure all. We have to make right choices. What is right is what the doctors say. I promise, it will be worth everything you think you are deprived from. So worth it. hang in there!!

I cheated before banding, but not immediately after. Once I got to mushys I pushed my limits

For extra calories and protein you could try something like Isopure. They are clear liquids with protein in them and no carbs. The ones I got were in flavors like grape and orange and had 40 grams of protein per bottle. The best flavor is probably the grape and you can find these and others like it at health food stores. Good luck!

So, I was banded yesterday and everything went fine. I am in the clear liquid stage. The papers all say that lasts for 1 week but my doc said I'd probably be able to have Optifast shakes by Sunday (3 days after surgery). So I'm sitting around thinking that my body needs some sort of calories/ Protein rather than just all these various forms of Water I'm taking in (crystal light/ tea/ broth from cubes, etc.).

So I figured it would be okay to go to a place that has various soups and just get the thin liquid off of the top of say the chicken noodle soup. And that is exactly what I did and no problems resulted. It was a little thicker liquid than those broths and had some substance to it. I even skimmed the thin tomato juice type stuff off of the top of the chili and it was fine also. So, I probably took in 200 calories or so but my body got a little bit of energy going and there were no problems with my stomach or my new band.

Anybody else try this kind of stuff during the liquid stage?

I'm "watching" you.! Buy the Protein powder like I suggested,follow the lapband rules, so you can get get to your all important "skinny bucket" to do list! I'm glad to see your doing well.

I'm "watching" you.! Buy the Protein powder like I suggested,follow the lapband rules, so you can get get to your all important "skinny bucket" to do list! I'm glad to see your doing well.

Ha ha, good-stay on me about messing up. Thanks again for all of the tips and the great care on Thurs. The lbs. are falling off already.

No, you aren't stretching the definition and you didn't mess up. Some doctors put their band patients on the same diet as their bypass patients but there's really no reason for it. Many of us go through the stages in 2-3 days and are back on solids by 2 weeks postop. If you can follow a month long journey back to solid food, more power to you. Just don't stress that you've somehow done damage to your band or to your stomach.

After abdominal surgery of any kind you are on clear liquids for a reason. Please stick to them. Calories are not important right now. Allowing your stomach time to heal from the trauma of the surgery is. You were put on clear liquids so the stomach would not have to work hard to digest food. So please stay on them its important. Its not about damaging the band its about resting the stomach.

I asked my surgeon if I could have the broth or soup only from a can of chicken noodle soup. He told me when you put some soup in a cup, and put your spoon in, as long as you can see the spoon, that's clear liquid. It might have a tint to it, but you can still see through it. That is clear liquid..

Buy some stock, season it how you like. and enjoy some

Chicken Stock, poultry seasoning, and, sage makes a great stock.

Got some chicken and stars. It is pretty thin.