Liquid fast support

[Paulax 8]

yes, I am just about starting to get a gagging feeling when I drink my broth.

but today marks the 23rd day. I had a hard time again yesterday. I have 3 young kids and dh BBQ'd some steak, boiled up some fresh corn and broccoli. I was just about drooling.

The important part is that I did make another day and I am counting down the days to my fist bit of mushies. I will start creamy stuff and mushy stuff a week from Monday when I get my first fill. So I had better get my reicpe out for some awesome broth and push through this last 8 days...........

still below 255, when i get into the 40s I will feel like that was a huge accomplishment....

hugs to all

[pplqueen 0]

Thanks Celeste, very supportive comment.

Day 15, that means I am 1/2 way there. Don't know whether or not to laugh or cry.

Had a real tough time last night. Made some sf Jello, that was new and nice to add. Yes, sick of broth already, but will try other ways of sprucing it up. Garlic, basil, juice....

But I am happy as the scale keeps dropping.

Now can someone tell me WHY I am watching the food Network?????

OMG, I did the same thing all day everday for 3 weeks............

[Paulax 8]

Day 24, where am I? Who am I?

lol

I had a hard time yesterday and licked an ice cream spoon of my kids' treat. Didn't feel too guilty, but the next 6 days can't go by fast enough for me. Gee, 6 days doesn't sound too bad, so onward I go.

I am going out today to get some more Soup. I ordered a Won Ton Soup and a Hot and Sour soup from our local Chinese. They were AWESOME and the kids liked eating my Won Tons. lol!

So onward....

Cheers

[Josette 2]

Yay Paula!!!! I caved last night bad and had a half cup of cream of wheat. It was soooooooooooo good!

[MelodyJ 0]

Paulax....technically ice cream is a full liquid....and you just slurped a little!!!

You are DOING SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KEEP IT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -75lbs

[babsintx3 0]

HI Paulax,

Todays another day!! I spoke with one of the most successful bariatric practices in the US to their in house specialist who says they prescribe an appetitie suppresant during the full or clear liquid phase. I called my surgeon and they thought I was nuts for asking, but said they would check with my doc and that no one has asked them this before. I know that I am on creamy liquids, so my situation isnt as dire as some of yours, but then again, they are not doing this to shrink my liver or as a post op healing phase type of thing so I dont have any restriction at all when they emptied my band last week and I dont feel like I have to be a martyr either.

FYI: Paulax - I hate to say this, but a clear liquid diet for one month is totally unhealthy and any doc that would make you do this for a month without any kind of Protein supplement is a scary practitiioner. No nutritionist would recommend this. Even Inamed wouldnt recommend this. THe reason they put you on a liquid diet is to shrink the liver and also post operatively to reduce the chance of band slippage. This is a time for healing and having a creamy liquid vs plain broth isnt going to do any damage to your band. Most docs will do one week of Clear Liquids, followed by one week of creamy liquids, followed by one week of mushies , maybe two followed by solid food. I know all doc are different, but as you lose muscle mass, it also becomes harder to lose weight later on because Protein is the most important to lose wieght and maintain muscle mass. So I guess I am not getting this. It sounds like a bypass post and preop,not a bandster diet. If you are not getting at least 30-40 grams of protein in, you are losing muscle mass and your body is not getting fuel.

Maybe you can ask about this??? Just wondering how you are getting by on no nutrients and a little worried for you thats all.

Babs in TX

[Paulax 8]

Thanks for the encouragement Melody...hugs

Josette, I am a big fan of Cream of Wheat. Can hardly wait.

FYI: Paulax - I hate to say this, but a clear liquid diet for one month is totally unhealthy and any doc that would make you do this for a month without any kind of Protein supplement is a scary practitiioner. No nutritionist would recommend this. Even Inamed wouldnt recommend this. THe reason they put you on a liquid diet is to shrink the liver and also post operatively to reduce the chance of band slippage. This is a time for healing and having a creamy liquid vs plain broth isnt going to do any damage to your band. Most docs will do one week of Clear Liquids, followed by one week of creamy liquids, followed by one week of mushies , maybe two followed by solid food. I know all doc are different, but as you lose muscle mass, it also becomes harder to lose weight later on because Protein is the most important to lose wieght and maintain muscle mass. So I guess I am not getting this. It sounds like a bypass post and preop,not a bandster diet. If you are not getting at least 30-40 grams of protein in, you are losing muscle mass and your body is not getting fuel.

Maybe you can ask about this??? Just wondering how you are getting by on no nutrients and a little worried for you thats all.

Babs in TX

I don't mind you saying it at all.

I think in my homemade broth, I am probably taking in only about 30 grams of protein per day. That isn't too bad. Let me go check that stat on fitday.com. Yep, I am inbetween 20 and 30 grams of protein per day. I can't stand the packaged stuff, so I make my own.

I myself think it is a bit freaky, but I will do what my surgeon suggests. If I weren't feeling so damned good during the day, I'd stop. But so far so good. You may find me crying here, but I do have the energy to do my usual chores. I am also starting to walk again.

When anyone asks my very skinny Chinese doctor if this is enough food for 30-35 days, he balks and says that our body will provide. Our body is using its stores and not to worry.

I do appreciate your questions. I think everything should be questioned. but for now, as grouchy and miserable as I can be, I will try my hardest to complete my 30 days to the best of my ability.

I may drop some eggs into my Miso today, I may have some yogurt, but I will try to stay as close as I can to my prescribed diet.

AS HELLISH AS IT IS..... lol!

Thanks my dear

Cheers to all

[bbrecruiter2000 1]

Hi Paulax,

I envy you because you can make a good broth. I could but with working all day and coming home to two hungry kids seems to limit my time, poor excuse, but I buy the stuff from the store.

I found a clinic who gave me an appetite suppressant. My lapband doc claims no one has ever asked him and didnt want to do it. The clinic I went to refused in the first instance and then agreed to a 20 day prescription of an appetite suppressant . You would have thought that I was an addict based on the way they treated me. Hopefully, this will keep me on track and I will be able to stay on liquids for at least three weeks.

I had a Protein shake for dinner and some more Water. . The pill I took seems to help take the edge off but its making me hyper. I dont understand why these docs think it is normal to keep someone on liquids for a month and have them be compliant. Its like they are torturing us or they just dont have an understanding of what its like to have others eat around you and feel like you are starving to death.

Lets keep holding hands here. You are doing great.

Babs in TX

[Paulax 8]

I dont understand why these docs think it is normal to keep someone on liquids for a month and have them be compliant.

Word!

I think my surgeon gets annoyed when patients can't stay clean for 30 days.

I don't know myself, how I have managed to stay on.

hugs babs, keep up the hard work....

[Paulax 8]

DAY 25....

I CAN DO THIS. COUNTDOWN....

I admit to having some pork from my Won Ton broth yesterday, it was so good. Back on liquids today. Actually, I feel VERY good today, lots of energy, lots of spunk. More like myself.

The HARD time will be tonight. I am going to dinner at the inlaws. I don't know how I am going to handle this as I have not announced my surgery to anyone other than my dh and maybe 3 friends. The dinner tonight is to bring my dh together with his cousin, who has 3 kids the same age as mine. So hopefully the business and visiting will hide the fact that I am still on a fast. I think, I will load the plate and eat a bit of salmon, I had the pork last night and it went down fine, after I chewed it 400 times. Maybe in the back of my mind it was a dry run. I just have to think that 24 days straight on liquid has helped me heal very well and I have to believe that the swelling went down by now.

So countdown numbers.

5:nervous

[Josette 2]

Paula... I think you'll be ok to have a little something. There's people that are eating toast and cheese sticks while in the hospital before being sent home. You've GOTTA be ok.

[giblert 0]

You're doing awesome Paula. I'm so proud of you. I am basically following the more generic post-op diet. Two weeks clears, two weeks thicker liquids with a few things like runny oatmeal, applce sauce, etc. And then at four weeks I'm going to try transitioning to soft foods and the odd "regular" food. I feel it's a reasonable balance. My only concern is how much weight I'll have lost by my next appointment which may include my first fill. It's currently scheduled for the 1st week of September. I'm hoping for a total 20 pounds loss or so (since I saw the good doctor last) so I can kinda "blur" the lines of reality which he asks me what my diet has been like. It'll probably include something like "I've recently started transitioning to fuller liquids/soft solids". OK, so 3 weeks isn't exactly "recently" but heh - as long as I'm not doing harm, am slowly losing, and am feeling good about myself, it's all OK to me.

Marie (who forgot to update the numbers below).

[Paulax 8]

Thanks Marie. You are doing well too.

I went to dinner last night at MIL's and had a very small amount of salmon and (wilted) Caesar salad, it went down easily. I will try to go back to my liquid fast until the weekend and then I see the good doctor on Monday for my first fill.

I know it seems early to have a fill, but I just happen to be in Vancouver that weekend.

And then so will end my liquid fast.

I have to say it has been an experience. I have gotten used to the feeling of hunger. Now I know to continue losing weight I will have to REALLY step it up on the exercise front. When the kids go back to school, day after Labour Day, I will have no excuse.

4

[giblert 0]

I've been too scared to try salad and it's one of my favourite foods. Since I stopped the clear liquid fast I've had my weight loss slow down to virtually nothing. I may start on firmer foods simply so it's easier to make better choices (i.e. chicken breast and salad). I'm not so much worried about the slow losses at this stage but rather the doctor's reaction when he finds out I've only lost a few pounds in what should have been a big time for losing.

Please Paula, post a detailed description of your first fill and everything about it. I'm scheduled for early September but I could probably move it up to to late August (4 weeks from surgery).

Good luck!

Marie

I went to dinner last night at MIL's and had a very small amount of salmon and (wilted) Caesar salad, it went down easily. I know it seems early to have a fill, but I just happen to be in Vancouver that weekend.

[ericsmom 2]

Wow, Paula! You're really doing good hanging in there with this long fast! I couldn't imagine...

My doctor had me introducing foods and aiming for 60g of Protein or more a day since my two week post-op check up and I'm having my first fill tomorrow. It's just amazing how different every doctor is! I've averaged 3-4 lbs per week weight loss for 6 weeks and I'm down 38 lbs as of this morning! I finally hit twoterville, too! Only by one lb, but it's 38 lbs I'll never see again!

Good luck to you with your fill next Monday!!