I've started eating soups, cheese, soft foods etc and I've gained 4 lbs!! Help. I'm 3 weeks post op

Drinking a lot of water? Still drinking protein shakes? I am 2 weeks out and just spelling protein makes me gag! Lol

First, take a deep breath. It's going to be OK!!!

It is not at all unusual to gain weight once you begin to transition off liquids and onto mushies and solids. Generally these foods have more calories, plus I know that once I was allowed something other than liquids, my appetite came back with a vengeance, so I just wanted to eat more. You should almost expect to gain some weight between surgery and starting to get fills, because your band is not yet operational!!! This is very important to remember. The band is designed not to work with liquids and mushies, but to work with SOLID foods like chicken or other meats, vegetables, etc. Liquids and mushies rush right through the band so it can't do much to control those portions. It CAN control portions of solid foods because they take longer to pass through the band and spend time sitting in the pouch, thereby creating the feeling of fullness.

Right now, your band isn't working, it's just settling in and your body is still healing. Once you're healed and your doctor begins adding saline to your band to tighten it far enough to give you restriction, that's when you can expect to really see weight loss. That's why this period (between surgery and fill restriction) is called Bandster Hell. It's a struggle. Trust me.

Now, if you're really freaked out about the gain, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure you're obeying all your doctor's/nutritionist's instructions, but if you've got that covered you can and should also be tracking your calories (I use MyFitnessPal and I LOVE it). Your nutritionist may have given you guidelines for how man y calories to eat, but if not, most women do fairly well eating somewhere between 800-1200 calories per day. Keeping in that range might require you to chose alternative foods (fat free cheese, a baked potato mashed with skim milk as opposed to mashed potatoes with butter and cream, low-calorie cream soups, for example). Also, definitely make sure you're drinking enough Water for many reasons: it can help curb hunger, thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger, it aids healing and helps your metabolism work more efficiently, and more.

If you control your calories and drink plenty of water, you should be able to control weight gain until you have restriction, but I won't lie that it will be easy. Remember, it's Bandster Hell. But I think the most important thing to remember is that it's NORMAL to not lose or to even gain weight at this stage. Once you're healed, on solid foods, and have enough fill to restrict your eating, the weight WILL start to come off.

Good luck!

If you are eating a lot of cheese & canned soups, they are high in sodium too. Relax and just keep doing what you're doing, it will go down again.

Thanks for the info. I haven't lost much either so hearing it's normal helps!

Great info Morelgirl! U put my mind at ease!