Ok So I guess I have a ton to ask about.. I'm less than a month post surgery and am a bit stuck...

So I'm on my first menstrual cycle since getting my band (12/16/11) and I had been losing about a pound every two days... but for the last week, NOTHING.... It's incredibly frustrating considering it's actually the first week I started exercising! I was wondering if anyone else had had a similar experience... could it be Water retention from the period??...

Moving on... I've been wondering about diet... I am always STARVING when I'm on strictly liquids and can't really wrap my head around the pureed food deal.. So I was wondering if anyone had started solids a little early on, like 3 weeks after... Now i'm not talking serious solids, but like perhaps one meal a day with some salmon or Mahi Mahi... I've had it a few times and it went down totally fine, but I just don't know if it might not have been a good idea... Suggestions?

i bloat up like mad when it is that time of the month, i drink liquids for the 1st 2 days of my period and that seems to help, and no i don't lose one ounce during that time.

I'm way past menstruating, but when I did, I retained a lot of Fluid during my period, so I suspect that's what's causing your plateau. You'll probably find that when you're period's over, you'll go back to losing weight. But I have to point out that losing a pound about every 2 days is unusually quick weight loss, so please don't start kicking yourself if your weight loss slows down. As long as the number keeps ging down, you're doing fine.

I don't think anybody enjoys the liquid or puree diet phases, but you're doing them for a very good reason. One of the most common causes of band slips during the early post-op period is not following the liquid and/or puree diet. Your band is still in the process of healing from surgery and "seating" itself in place against your stomach. When you eat "real" food, even soft food, your stomach muscles expand and contract to aid digestion, and that can disturb your sutures and interfere with healing. So bottom line...don't cheat unless your surgeon or nutritionist says it's OK!

I always retain the week before my tom. The week of my tom I usually drop 3 pounds. Our bodies are all different but as you get thinner you notice it more. I was overweight for 25 years and it has just been in the last 4 months I have noticed how much I swell before my tom. It is amazing the changes with the weight loss.

Yes I retain a lot of water during TOM. And NO do not start solids early. Solids are solids. Period. I asked if I could move from full liquids to soft mushies (cottage cheese) 2 days early and my doctor said absolutely not. I would suggest having your soup (say tomato) waiting a few hours and then having the protein shake. Helps with the head hunger.

I bloat up so bad during my period and sometimes even gain up to 3 pounds during my period! The week after though, BOOM, it all goes away. I try to take Midol to get rid of some of the excess Water weight and drink plenty of fluids. If it doesn't make you lighter, it at least helps you feel better!

Elizabeth

I was on full liquids the week after my surgery, soft foods the second week after my surgery and any regular food I could tolerate for week three, but that is just a difference in surgeons. Ultimately, I don't think it's terribly damaging to start eating real foods the second week as long as they're soft, otherwise my surgeon would not have advised me to do that. I sometimes think the liquids for a few weeks after is related to the surgeon's view on dropping weight a little faster up front to help you feel more motivated because your weight loss will slow once you start eating more solid food- it's probably also to keep you from going nuts and eating something that could potentially cause damage by getting stuck- not so much about healing. I've read that about a week after surgery, your healing up pretty nicely on the inside.

I'm outside of North America and it seems a lot of my surgeon's advice is quite different from what I've seen many people post here. I fully trust him though and he gives advice that is from Dr. Paul O'Brien, so I feel like it's solid.

I was banded on 12/16 and had my TOM last week. Up till then I had been dropping weight pretty steady. I figured that my TOM showing up and I have added a little more mushie/semi solid food to my diet. My doctor said it was fine to start adding a little more to my diet.He said that just to make sure I really chew up my food. I have mainly been adding fish. I haven't had any problems. Nothing has made me sick or stuck. I eat really slow and chew like crazy. I have really been just listen to my band. I feel the fullness and I am done. I feel like that this week since my "friend" is gone I am sure I lost some weight this week. I am thinking it was just bloating last week from my "visitor".

I must add....I have PCOS and have had irregular cycles all my life. So, when my "friend" showed up last week I was pretty excited. I am pretty sure it's because of the weight I have lost so far. YAY!!!