I was banded 05/11, and am 4 days out.

My surgeon had me on a strict diet of clear, liquids only fo the first 3 days.

Starting day 4 (today) he wants me to introduce myself to things such as:

-Protein shakes

-Any low-fat, sugar-free liquids

-Skim or 1% milk

-pureed Soups

-Yogurt (low-fat, sugar-free, no chunks or granola)

-Soy/Whey drinks under 150 calories

-coffee or Tea (with low-fat or fat-free creamer and no sugar)

I decided to try some yogurt, as my dear hubby to be bought a bunch of different flavors of fat/sugar free.

Each cup is 6 oz. I know that my "meals" will be 4 oz.

I stirred the cup with such joy and anticipation!

I licked some yogurt off the spoon to see what would happen (would I turn into a pumpkin? Would my stomach explode?)

I literally licked the spoon TWICE, and have a "pinching feeling" where my port is.

Does that pinching feeling mean I'm full?

Do I try to eat more yogurt because two licks isn't 4 oz, or do I leave it alone?

The DR's office is closed until 9am, which leaves me a 1/2 hour.

Maybe someone here can give me pointers?

Thanks!

You may have all kinds of weird feeling for the first few weeks, because the band is trying to get settled. I had my surgery in January and was given an instant fill at that time. Between the fill and the swelling from surgery, I really wasn't all that hungry for the first few weeks and lost 28#. So unless you are in real pain, just take your time introducing food and if need, put it away and try again later. Just make sure you are getting your water intake everyday to stay hydrated. Good Luck to you.

Thank you for the responce and suggestions.

I slowly licked a few more spoonfulls, ending up with about 3 of the 6 oz eaten. I feel like it was an accomplishment. I'm not sure if the pinching feeling was just a passing feeling or what, but I seem to have a pretty happy tummy now that I have something besides Water in it

I'm not going to over do it though. I'm happy with 3 oz of yogurt. I've been drinking as much water as possible, but found that I'm actually getting dizzy. The surgeon said it was lack of calories (to keep my body running) and I really needed to try to get something with Protein in.

I had no fill during my surgery, the surgeon says he's just "not comfortable filling during surgery", so I need to go back May 22nd to make sure everything is healed correctly, and get my first fill. I'm excited, but also nervous, can't imagine anything being tighter than it is now!

I think your port incision is just hurting I don't think it means you are full. One suggestion I have is mixing yogurt with a hand blender gives it a nice texture. My doctor recommended Greek yogurt as it has twice the protein (I did add splendra as greek yogurt is sour, and by blending it the fruit gets minced.)

Ok, weird you say that because the exact same thing happened to me yesterday when I progressed to yogurts and cream soups. I felt a pinch/pull where I think my port is after eating for a while. I'm having a hard time telling when I am full or not. The first few days post op id drink juice or water and my chest would get pressure or id feel stuffed just from a few sips. Now i just get gas and the pinch feeling.

Just to let you know about yogurt: I'm 2 1/2 yrs out and I can eat practically anything (including bread, rice, and pasta), but I have yet to finish a carton of yogurt. Something about yogurt and ice cream, it get's stuck really easily - easier than bread actually. It takes me about 30 mins to eat a 1/2 carton. If I eat 2 bites ina row, it tells me I shouldn't have doe it.

Congrats on starting "REAL" food. I remember that clear liquid stage and the tomato Soup I ate tasted like lobster!

Good luck!

Marci

On a strange side note: While typically I would be craving breads and savory items (red sauce, home made soups, etc) I am now craving: black beans, cashews and sweet potatoes. Ugh!

Thanks for all of the replies.... I can tell that I'm actually "tummy hungry" rather than "head hungry" mostly by the terrible gurgling and growling and that light headed "if I don't eat soon I may pass out" feeling.

Great timing for all of this - I have my finals today and tomorrow for college. YIKES!

I'd like to try a Protein smoothie when HTB gets home, but I'm sort of scared after the feeling I had with the 3 oz of yogurt. Should I go back to Water and juice?

I've called my PCP and my surgeon, and haven't gotten a call back from either...

For me, full is a tightening or pressure behind my rib cage, but has nothing to to with my stomach...

This is going to sound so silly, but maybe some people here won't think it's so strange.

I'm sitting here crying over yogurt....

I had a 6 oz cup, and ate about 3 oz of it earlier. I stopped eating when I had a pinching sensation between my port site and where I think my band is placed.

I'm having a hard time getting fluids down, mostly because I still chug from the bottle like my pre-band self, get wicked hiccups and/or cramps, and then forget and do it over again.

My hunger is a ZERO, which normally I'd be excited about, but my surgeon warned me that I NEED to eat, even if I don't want to. (Something simple like yogurt, he says..)

I have been dunking the spoon in the yogurt and licking it off, then letting it dissolve some in my mouth before I swallow.

I have may 2 oz left to go, and just feel like I can't do it.

I'm tired, and I'm cranky, and I don't want to eat. No matter what it is, I don't want it.

Charlie, HTB, made me broth. I took two sips and let it get cold. He brought me a popsicle and I let it melt in a cup. He told me that I need to eat the yogurt, as per the dr's instructions, so I can keep my calorie count up for energy and healing.

I don't WANT to eat.

I can't explain it. I'm just... not even the littlest bit interested in eating or drinking.

Am I crazy? Is this dangerous? Should I force myself to eat and drink, even when I don't want to?

This is going to sound so silly' date=' but maybe some people here won't think it's so strange.

I'm sitting here crying over yogurt....

I had a 6 oz cup, and ate about 3 oz of it earlier. I stopped eating when I had a pinching sensation between my port site and where I think my band is placed.

I'm having a hard time getting fluids down, mostly because I still chug from the bottle like my pre-band self, get wicked hiccups and/or cramps, and then forget and do it over again.

My hunger is a ZERO, which normally I'd be excited about, but my surgeon warned me that I NEED to eat, even if I don't want to. (Something simple like yogurt, he says..)

I have been dunking the spoon in the yogurt and licking it off, then letting it dissolve some in my mouth before I swallow.

I have may 2 oz left to go, and just feel like I can't do it.

I'm tired, and I'm cranky, and I don't want to eat. No matter what it is, I don't want it.

Charlie, HTB, made me broth. I took two sips and let it get cold. He brought me a popsicle and I let it melt in a cup. He told me that I need to eat the yogurt, as per the dr's instructions, so I can keep my calorie count up for energy and healing.

I don't WANT to eat.

I can't explain it. I'm just... not even the littlest bit interested in eating or drinking.

Am I crazy? Is this dangerous? Should I force myself to eat and drink, even when I don't want to?[/quote']

I felt the same way up till today (8 days post). I did get too dehydrated and weak bc I had no interest in anything. Call your dr about it. I was told if I couldn't get 3 bottles of Water in and 600 calories they needed to see me.

Yes I would eat maybe an ounce at a time until u get it down. I haven't had surgery yet ( will b Friday) but the nutritionist said to add a tsp of skim milk n blend well to thin down n be easier to go down by port. Good luck.

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Call your dr about it. I was told if I couldn't get 3 bottles of Water in and 600 calories they needed to see me.

Calling my DR is where I started - I was on hold 19 minutes and disconnected, called back and put on hold for an additional 22 and left a message. That was around 9.30 this am, and I haven't gotten a call back.

If I were to add it all up, I'd say that I've had.... 1 bottle of white grape juice and maybe... 2 bottles of water. For food I've had 6 oz of yogurt (forced myself to eat the last 2 oz), a popsicle, 2 sips of broth, and...erm... a gas x chewable. Does that count? (I have a feeling I'm no where near 600 calories).

I have to go back to work tomorrow, there isn't a choice. I am solely responsible for the payroll of all of the NYS stores that my company owns. If I don't get payroll in, people won't get paid, and that would be a very.bad.thing.

I'm going to take 2 yogurts with me tomorrow, and hope that I can get them both down before I get home. I believe I have some Soups in the cabinet which would meet the requirements for this stage, so I'll try them when I get home.

Thanks for all of the help, ladies. I'm so glad I'm not going through this alone!

I get alittle bloated when I'm full. I do get pain in my port. My fiancé said when he eats he feels that the food is going threw there. I guess everyone is having different experiences. I would try to get down some protein drinks to keep your energy up. Good luck