I was banded on 7/28/03. My Dr. has done over 600 lap bands. I was doing very well for the first 4 days on the liquid. But on the 5th 6th and 7th day I have eaten soft solids chewed very well but to day is my 7 th day after banded and I don't feel the same restriction as I did on the first few days. I have been drinking lots of water with and in between meals I believe I'm emptyin my pouch to soon I also chew my food to a puree and then sawallow. I am not due for and fill for another 3 to 5 weeks. Has anyone out who truthfully ate some solids during the lidquid phase and Once you got your fill you had restriction again? I don't beleieve I strechted my pouch but i am concerned since I am now able to get more food down. I feel on a little restriction now and I have had no fills. Will things change for me? I have had no promblems with my health or band.

I wouldn't worry to much if I were you. You really are not supposed to feel much restriction (unless you are really lucky) until your first fill! But do try to follow your doctors dietary instructions as closely as possible. I really didn't feel any restriction until my first fill six weeks post op and I moved on to mushy food a little earlier than my doctor wanted me to as well!

Good luck,

Tanna

I started mushy foods a week after banding on 7-22-03, and have added some meats since then. I think that the restriction at first (I could barely drink water!) is because our stomaches are a little swollen from surgery.

I do have to chew, and chew, and chew before swallowing or it hurts like heck

353/325/199

Thanks for asking that question! I'm just barely banded and have been eating whatever I want. I, too, chew to puree and my dr. said mushy food for 4 to 6 weeks. Tonight I even ate brown rice and chicken and I do't feel as restricted either but if I eat more than about 1/3 cup I hurt. Good question and good answers. Thanks!

Please, please, please follow your surgeon's instructions. They're given to you for a reason. Even though you don't think you have restriction, solid foods may still get stuck. Even if you chew them to a "puree", it might still be too chunky to get down. This can cause vomiting, something you really don't want to mess with right now. If you start vomiting before you're fully healed, the sutures that hold your band in place can rip loose, causing the band to slip. Slippage will require another surgery.

I do understand that you're hungry. I do understand that staying on mushy foods for a few weeks is tough. I've been there. But, you don't want to mess with your body's healing time!

Some of the things that satisfied me during the mushy (not liquid...my surgeon doesn't require a liquid phase, just pureed/mushy) stage were:

Wendy's chili

egg/tuna/chicken salad mushed up really well (no celery or onion)

pureed bean Soups...as I went from pureed to mushy, I stopped pureeing them. really satisfying.

chocolate pudding

carnation instant Breakfast blended with milk, ice cubes and a dab of Peanut Butter

mashed potatoes with a little cheddar cheese sprinkled on top

Wendy's baked potato, no skin

I ate the salads and soups for Protein (and great Fiber in the bean soups and chili!) and the other stuff for "comfort". I have to say that there were a few times I was practically crying because I wanted a big honkin' cheeseburger..lol..but I didn't want to jeopardize my band. Stretching the pouch is the least of your worries right now...you don't want to cause that band to slip!

tangerine thanks for reminding me why I did this. I almost feel like I went temporarily insane! I'm still going to have a scrambled egg with salsa for breakfast. Wanna join me?

I really want to say thank you all for each and every response. I appreciate your responses. Today I ate oatmeal and I had the liquid Protein which equals 30 grams of protein in a 2oz. packet made by Vita4Life.com for breakfast today, and I ate soft veagetables for lunch and for dinner I drunk another 30 gram protein package. I am a little hungry right now but since it is late I wait until the morning to eat agin.

How do you know weather or not if your band has sliped? I know mine has not, but how would one know ???

Thank you all for your responses and the one to come.

That's another good question. Does anyone know?