I had my 8th fill today. I have always been told, "clear liquids for 24 hrs, then soft foods 24hrs then regular food. I got really hungry so I ate some solid food. I feel fine. Why should I wait to eat, if I can eat without a problem?

I found the more full my band got the more I really needed to wait on soids.

To be honest, only the last fill I've gotten (after almost 3 yrs) was the only one I followed the liquids rule of 24 hrs. My 3rd fill (the one that brought me to my "sweet spot" I was staying in a motel (drs office is 3 hrs away from home). I went to the hotel coffee shop for dinner. I ordered a chicke breast, baked potato, and green Beans (+ a dinner roll). I ate about 8 bites of the entire thing - I was totally full. It made about 5 different meals for me.

After having complications with my band recently, I decided to start following the rules. They're there for a reason. Taco Bell is not my friend 2 hrs after fill! I still have a few lbs to lose, but I'm sure I'll make it if I continue to follow the rules!

I'm sure they recommend liquids for 24 hrs because of the changes made to your stomach. It's not to punish you! Good luck!

Marci

The reason you should wait is because your stomach could be swollen and irritated because of the increase in fill, so surgeon's like patients to wait until the swelling has gone down before they start eating again. Also, as you get more restriction, each fill could be a learning experience on how/what you can eat. By starting back at the basics, you listen to your body about textures it is able to handle.

Your pouch may become irritated with the change in restriction created by the fill. Following your surgeon's instructions with a liquid diet allows for any needed healing and not irritating your pouch.

I'm advised to have only liquids for 2 days and soft foods for 1 day after a fill. I comply with the rules as designated by my surgeon; he has the medical expertise, and I'm paying him for it.

The reason they tell you not to eat is because the procedure of "fill" can cause swelling around the band site. You need to give it time for the swelling to go down. You don't want to take the chance of something getting stuck and causing more swelling. Every doctor has his own idea of how long. Mine says liquids for 12-24 hours and then solid food as tolerated. I generally stay on liquids until the next day.