I had my first fill yesterday and diet is 24 hrs clear liquid, then 24 hrs Protein shakes, then there's a limited list of mushy foods I can have. They didn't give me guidance after that so I assume I can advance to a regular diet as tolerated. What were your doctor's dietary instructions post-fill?

it seems every doctor and every clinic has its own idea of post fill diets.. mine said 24 hours of liquids and go back to regular eating.. im not sure there is any scientific research in this area to really say what is right and what is wrong. some docs are very conservative and push the fluids and mushies for days.. others think its a waste of time. all i know is that i use liquids after i get stuck.. to just calm things down for a day.. and my band seems to be well placed and is working.. im no doctor.. but im not sure all the docs know the answers either.. this lap band thing seems to be very individualized to the specific patient and there is no 'recipe; for any one person or any one band.

I found this on a lap band site in Longview, Tx. I found a lot of good information here about what to and not to eat during the different stages. Hope it helps.

Week 1

Days 1-2:

Clear Liquids, at least 32-64 ounces per day) sip…sip…sip

Days 3-4:

May add Protein drink

Look for Protein drinks with 24-30 grams of protein

Try different supplements prior to surgery to find what you like

Mix only with skim milk or Water

Goal is 60-80 grams/protein per day

Liquid Protein supplement 3 times daily between meals and before

bed

Remember to go slowly (4 ounces = ½ cup)

Take thirty minutes to drink 4 ounces

When you feel full –STOP

Begin liquid or chewable Vitamins and Calcium

Vitamins need to be “complete,” can take any brand

Calcium, try Viactiv chews (3 different flavors)

Days 5-6

May add V-8 juice, then cream Soups and applesauce

Day 7

May add low fat yogurt and low fat pudding

Yogurt needs to be plain (no fruit or nuts added in)

Week 2

Days 8-9

Start full liquid diet

Add thinned out oatmeal, cream of wheat, baby foods

NO grits, rice, Pasta or Peanut Butter

Day 10

May add thinned out mashed potatoes, cottage cheese (low-fat)

Days 11-12

Continue low fat and sugar free full liquid diet

Continue protein supplements

Can add bananas to Protein shake for volume and flavor

Days 13-14

SLOWLY add soft boiled or scrambled eggs, baked potato and

canned fruit (packed in water)

Suggestions for Thin/Clear Liquid Diet

Water –bottled or tap

Apple juice, cranberry juice, grape juice –choose “lite” variety if

possible

NO orange or grapefruit juice, too much acid and sugar

Gatorade, Propel or Fruit 2.0

Diet Snapple and other diet drinks (NO sodas or carbonation)

Iced tea, no sugar added (may use NutraSweet, Splenda, Stevia, and

Sweet & Low)

Hot tea, no sugar added

coffee, no creamer or whole milk, use skim milk or low fat milk

Crystal light (avoid the orange and raspberry tea flavors, too acidic)

Sugar free Jell-o, sugar free popsicles

Broths, any variety

Sugar free Kool-Aid

Protein Drinks:

Read the labels

Protein greater than 15 grams per serving, ideal is 24-30 grams per serving

Carbohydrates need to less than 10 grams per serving, ideal is less than 5

grams per serving

Sugars less than 5 grams per serving

Atkins Advantage shakes

Carb Solutions

Isopure/Zero Carb

whey Protein

Stacker Protein Drink

LaBrada Pro-V

Suggestions for Full Liquid Diet

Thin liquids listed above

Sugar free pudding

V-8 juice, tomato juice

Cream soups (need to be strained)

Applesauce (no sugar added)

Baby foods

Cottage Cheese (low fat)

NO Starbucks, smoothie King, Jamba Juice or other high calorie

drinks

NO low carb ice cream (no, you may not even THINK about it)!

Week 3 –Soft Diet (the Mashies)

Soft fruit (banana, melon, strawberries), watch out for fruit with skins

(grapes, apples, plums)

Well-cooked vegetables (mushy, not crisp) –may have broccoli crown

and asparagus tips, not the stalks

No celery or corn

Small amounts ( ¼ - ½ cup) of rice, pasta (soft cooked and well

chewed)

Eggs, any style

Toast –crackers, breadsticks, melba toast. No bread or tortillas

Whole grain Cereal, with or without low fat milk

Potatoes –mashed, baked, boiled

Any Beans or lentils, low fat refried beans

Protein Bars

Atkins Advantage

South Beach

AdvantEdge

Cliffhanger

Protein:

Moist skinless chicken, ham, turkey

Fish or other seafood –baked or grilled (NO frying)

Lean ground beef –make sure it is moist, no bun

Canned tuna, chicken or turkey packed in water

Low fat and low card lunchmeats (read the label!), NO hot dogs

Eggs, low fat milk and low fat cheese

Protein drinks/powder

DO NOT EAT:

Steak

Pot roast

Stews

Your doctor will tell you when you can start these foods, usually about

three months post op.

Week 4 –Regular Diet

Gradually add regular foods, add one food at a time and assess

tolerance

Eat three meals per day at set times

Sit down to eat

Eat slowly, fork down between bites

Chew 25 times before swallowing

Small portions (use a smaller plate)

When you feel full –STOP

NO grazing!!

NO liquids with meals or for 1 hour afterwards

Avoid cheap calories –ice cream, (yes, even low carb ice cream),

Cookies, cakes, pies, chips, nuts, candies, chocolate, high calorie

drinks (including alcohol and wine)

No carbonated drinks

No dried fruits or popcorn

No greasy, fried fatty foods

No high calorie gravies/sauces

Use light tub margarine (Smart Balance, I Can’t Believe It’s Not

Butter)

Light or fat free salad dressings

No butter or sour cream

Use olive oil or canola oil

No fast food

Once you are on a regular diet, decrease or stop mashed potatoes, rice

and pastas

Continue protein drinks (you may always need a supplement)

Continue Vitamin and calcium supplements

Fill up on protein and vegetables, not on carbohydrates, fats and

sugars

If hunger is a problem, you probably need more protein

Begin exercising and continue to increase duration and frequency.

LAP-BAND POST-OPERATIVE DIET INSTRUCTION

Consumption Foods to Choose

Weeks 1 and 2

Liquids only:

Room temperature clear liquids

until nausea resolves, then may

have full liquids hot or cold.

Slowly drink 4-6 ounces of fluids

6 times per day.

Drink water between meals

Skim/fat free milk

Slim-fast Optima

Broths

Low fat strained cream

soups

100% juice (limit to 4

ounces per day)

Week 3

Consume puree texture foods:

Limit to ½ cup at a time to

prevent stretching pouch

Consume meals at least 3 hours

apart

Consume water or no-calorie

liquids (crystal light, tea, sugar

free drinks)

Wait one hour after “meal” to

start fluids

pureed or baby foods

Soft scrambled eggs

Sugar free-low fat pudding

Fat free yogurt (no fruit or

nuts)

Hot cereals, thinned

Applesauce

Low fat cream soups

Week 4

Consume soft foods:

Limit to ½ cup at a time

Consume meals at least 4 hours

apart

Consume water between meals,

waiting until 1 hour after meals

Scrambled egg

Soft canned vegetables

Soft canned fruits (packed in

water)

Tuna or chicken salad

Week 5

Transition to solid foods:

Slowly add 2 ounces of protein 3-

4 times per day

Slowly add 1-2 ounces of

vegetables 3-4 times per day

Stop eating as soon as you feel

full

Chew all foods to applesauce

consistency (about 25 times)

Do not drink liquids with meals

Solid foods as tolerated

macaroni noodles

Sliced lunch meats

Raw fruits and vegetables as

tolerated

Avoid stringy, fibrous foods

and non-tender cuts of meat

Avoid white bread, popcorn,

coconut

That's a post-surgical diet, not a post-fill one

I had my 7th fill yesterday and I am eating regular food today. I don't have a problem eating, but I am very cautious for a few days.