Hi, today is 2 weeks since my surgery. I'd like to ask a couple of questions. First, I lost 10 lbs my 1st week but haven't lost ANY in the past week. Is that normal? Next, I know I'm supposed to be on a liquid diet for 4-5 weeks but I ate some mashed potatoes last nite and didn't bother me at all. I didn't feel full or anything. Does that seem normal? After the 1st week, I've really been feeling pretty good and actually, feel like I could eat small portions of solid food. I just don't know if that is right. I've been sticking to about 700 calories/day right now with mostly Protein shakes and juice. Thanks for any advice!

Follow your doctor's post-op instructions -- don't put yourself or your band in harm's way! I don't know what else to say.

Why 4-5 weeks? Seems long to me I was banded yesterday and they said liquids for a week, then mushies for a week, then soft foods , then real food......be careful! And don't rush it but check with your dr

I'm not sure why 5 weeks on liquid but I'm going to stick to it. I really am craving REAL food though :/ Thanks for the help!!

Any questions or concerns you really should ask your doctor ,because we all have different issues & bodies , so what may be right for me may not be right for you ,so please ask your doctor .

Here's why your doctor wants you on a 4 week liquid diet. He's seen your guts. He's the guy who placed the band and knows your complete medical history. The band was placed around your stomach. Then a portion of your lower stomach was pulled up and over your band, sutured into place with 6 sutures so that the band won't migrate up or down.

These sutures can take 2-4 weeks to heal. Eating solid food causes your stomach to go into peristalsis to move the food around and through your stomach into your small intestines. Your doctor doesn't want your stomach to be moving at all during the healing phase.

There can still be a lot of swelling around your stoma/band area. You haven't mastered the band eating rules yet. It takes months to learn how to eat with the band. If you eat solid food and swallow a chunk of chicken and it gets stuck in your stoma, you might have a violent barfing session which could tear the sutures away causing the band to slip.

It's just not worth it to disobey the rules. Going back into surgery for a slipped band this early could result in no band and then maybe a revision to sleeve or RNY. Keep following the rules and this episode of your life will be like child birth. I don't remember mine I know

call your doctor office and verify the diet orders. you always need to follow your doctors instruction but 4 weeks of liquids does seem extreme.

I agree with all the posters above, but give your doctors office a call and be sure that you have the directions for your diet correct. See if they have a hand out that gives you some ideas of what you should be eating in those 5 weeks or check with the nutritionist. You need a bit more direction then just stay on liquids for 5 weeks.

Thank all of you for the responses and thank you, 2muchfun, for the explanation. That makes perfect sense!!