My band date is set for 04/12 and I have to admit i'm getting a little worried about it.

The surgery itself isn't what's bothering me but the two week full liquid diet following the surgery is what has me scared. To be honest i'm doubting myself I can do a liquid diet for TWO weeks considering how hard it's been just on the pre-op diet itself. :phanvan

I was reading my doc's website and it said blenderized Soups wouldn't be allowed until liquid/mushy stage so I guess that rules out that possibility.

I've read on here from some of you guys that you haven't really wanted to eat to Protein shakes help with the hunger to down right starvation.

Don't get me wrong, I want to do this and i'm commited but at the same time I can't help but worry. Anybody have any words of encouragement or suggestions that might help?

Thanks

It will be VERY HARD. You will survive. I promise.

edie

I can't really help, as I don't even have a date yet... but good luck with everything. I'm hoping that after surgery, I'm not going to want to eat, which is the point.

I think what I'm going to do right before surgery is CLEAR my house of real food. I have a roommate right now but as of May 1, I'll be alone... therefore I'm pretty much not going to have the choice of real food. If you live alone, that might work for you as well.

If not, you might just want to remind yourself that you could have some realllllly bad results from trying something other than what's been recommended to you by your doctor.

Sorry for the lack of help! Good luck with your surgery and 2 weeks of liquids!

I think you'll be fine. I'm 1 week, 2 days past surgery and I have been fine with liquids and Jello, etc. I am trying to transition to soft food and I am going very slowly with that. It just doesn't appeal. For the first week, you are a bit uncomfortable with just being gassy and also with healing. The pain is minor, but it's kind of like you feel after having the stomach flu, you know? How you have to take a few days to build up to actually "eating" again? You aren't ready to sink your teeth into anything substantial anyway.

The healing pain (though minor) will distract you from food and the band will restrict you at first. Have some sugar free popsicles on hand if you have a sweet tooth.

If you don't feel hungry, you won't be thinking about food as much. So far I have felt very little hunger.

It wont be that hard. You are not really hungery. You are healing. You will be fine good luck

my surgery was on 3/29..and the first few days is tough..and u dont want to eat...now i am hungry but the shake does help...i am on 3 WEEKS of liquids...no soups or anything...it SUCKS!!!! but i have lost 15lbs in a week! so i try to think of it that way...good luck, i am preparing my recipes for the mushy stage now!!!! oh yea and i go to bed very EARLY to deal sometimes...

Don't worry! When I had my surgery a few weeks ago my stomach was swollen and I was not hungry at all. Really over the course of the first week it was all I could do to make sure I got enough Water. I was a little hungry for the second week but broth and Jello and Protein supplements were more than enough to satisfy. I bet you'll be fine! Good luck with your surgery. ...the waiting really is the hardest part.

Virginia

hi horns10 - I am pre-op too and I have the same feelings as you do. I am scared I won't be able to make the changes too so its good to know that I am not the only out there that has these feelings. I know I want to do it and I'm scared of any complications that not following the post op diet might do so I am determined to follow my doctors instructions to the T. Please know that you are not alone with your feelings and if you need help just write. Take care! shelli

I am pre-op too....getting near my date...couple of months. I am worried also. My entire problem my whole life has been CONTROL and eating too much now I won't be able to eat!! But....remember this....that is the point of the surgery....we wouldn't be doing this if we all knew how to eat right...you know? Hang in there and I will too....we will be fine....HAVE FAITH.....good luck to you!!!

Hi horns10- I am an early April bander.4-2-07. I had the exact same worries. I have always been a BIG eater! Ya' know like, a side of beef, kind of eater. I had heard the stories, and for the life of me, just could not believe it! Not be hungry... satisfied with a small portion.... fill up quickly....stay full for quite a while????? It just did not add up!

I went on blind faith... and.... Monday I went in, and out of surgery. I have not really been hungry! I can honestly say, I can not drink a whole shake in less than 12-15 minutes at all! Before/on pre-op diet, I thought, I could drink 3 shakes in 5 minutes flat- no problem. Not any more!! food still smells good, and I do have an interest.

Today for example... I have had Water, a tea, a SF pudding cup(about mid-night when Hubby was snacking), a small bowl of tomato/basil Soup, strained french onion soup (less than a cup), one small SONIC fat free yogurt smoothie!! and <2 Protein shakes (that I shared with baby girl). I have felt full all day long!

My fullness is still full, and fine, but a bit different.... Before it was a heavy, fullness,from LOTS of food, low in my "stomach area", NOW it's a higher up, tightness, pressure under my sternum, kind of fullness, from a small amount of food, and it does stay with me for quite some time! I still dream of the day that I can again, sink my teeth into an enchilada.

But it is WAY, WAY more doable than on the pre-op diet!! It was painful to watch my family eat before, and now I can say " don't feel sorry for me, I'm just not hungery!".

The hard part is before- not after- you can do this- even I did- Do it on your own before hand and the band will help you after (even if it's the swelling).

Good luck Horns10- I will be thinking of you and praying that this pre-op stuff will come and go quickly for you!

Thanks to everyone who posted, your suggestions and kind words really helped me out.

I'll let everyone know how things go after this Thursday

i didnt even want to think about consuming anything until about 2 weeks after surgery.

you can survive this.

good luck!

Quite simply, its the price you pay to get banded. Just put it in your head that the sutures are healing that hold the band in place. Protein shakes will help. Good luck. Julie

What protein shakes do you use?

I use GNC's protein shakes. They have 25 grams of protein.

The first two weeks were actually pretty easy... it was weeks 4-6 that were hard...

While you are still sore and healing up, it is much easier to stay on liquids - it takes a good two weeks for the swelling inside to calm down - and then you go on full liquids...

It was after everything was healed and you start to feel lots better that the hunger comes back... That is when you will need somebody to lock all the cupboards and tie you to the treadmill.

You will survive it, though. We all did.

Good Luck!!

Oh - and I use Six Star Protein from Walmart - or Atkins pre-mixed shakes in cans.

:]