Hi all.....

I'm heading into Day 5. I'm on Clear liquids until Day 7 when I enter full liquids. Two more days of this tastebud hell is unfathomable! I never thought I'd say this but having a red popscicle for Breakfast is just not my idea of fun. Honestly, it's really NOT the liquids thing. It's not even the head hunger. It's just that I have no interest in eating/drinking the things that I am allowed. Add to that the fact that I really am not hungry, I could just stop eating/drinking all together. Water is fine. It's tasteless. It hydrates. No problem. But, everything else....the crystal light, the sf popscicles, the sf Jello, the watered down juices, the Italian ice, the broth......yuk, yuk, yuk. Am I missing something? Is there some amazing food/drink that I haven't found that would at least get me through? I do not want another SWEET thing.....unless of course, it's mind blowing!

This whole feeling is so foreign to me. Today I made my Famous French Toast for my dear daughter (who has been such a sport and a huge help through all of this) and then I made her favorite Tuscan chicken with Rosemary Potatoes for dinner. I didn't want any of it. And, trust me, I love those foods! I was not hungry at all. So, I heated up a little broth so that I could sit down to dinner with her. Two tablespoons and I just couldn't do it. And, this is MY OWN recipe broth.....not from a can. So, I pulled out a little Rita's Italian Ice....one little teaspoon and I was done. I wasn't full, mind you. I was just yukked-out!!!! Is there anything that is working for any of you? Any suggestions? I just spent another $$$ at the grocery story preparing for the next week or so. But, honestly, other than adding some Protein shakes and maybe some yogurt....what is there? I also stopped by the bookstore and picked up a WLS Cookbook too. I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything good. But, so far, I haven't seen anything for the liquid stage. Am I just a spoiled gourmet?

:help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help:

GNC has Isopure, some of it isnt too bad..expensive tho.

I'm still pre-op but I wanted to share with you a few things my Dr has on the list for post-op (first 2 weeks) full liquids: V-8, Cream of Wheat thinned to liquid, and eggnog (recipe below)

sugar-free Eggnog

4 c skim milk

1 1oz package instant SF vanilla pudding

1 c egg substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of nutmeg and salt

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Judi

I just got back from post-op meeting with Nutritionist, she said if you don't feel hungry, Don't Eat! She said just keep hydrated, and Protein supplment. I am 8 days out, and have been on mushies, per my Doc's post op plan. Soft scrambled eggs tasted like the best thing I have ever eaten. Moving on to baked potatoes, and soft Beans Yeah! Sounds like your Doc's post-op plan was more restrictive, but you gotta follow what they give you. I actually did one additional day of clear liquids cause I just didn't feel up to full liquids or creamy Soup. Keep up the good work it will get better.

Jim

Kathy

I followed you from the Vegas thread. I just want to say HOLY COW you are only 6 days away...not like I need to tell you...but I'm so stoked for you and I know you've got to be full of all kinds of emotions.

You'll do really well.

Being banded is the best thing I've ever done, aside from getting me a baby.

WOO HOO, can't wait to actually meet you.

Kathy

I followed you from the Vegas thread. I just want to say HOLY COW you are only 6 days away...not like I need to tell you...but I'm so stoked for you and I know you've got to be full of all kinds of emotions.

You'll do really well.

Being banded is the best thing I've ever done, aside from getting me a baby.

WOO HOO, can't wait to actually meet you.

Thank you, Juli! I am so excited!!!! I'm really doing OK-- didn't cheat on pre-op diet, not scared or worried about risks, just ready to be banded! :whoo:Woooo Hoooo!

Hi All!

I met with the surgeon on 7/26. I accepted a short fuse to surgery on 8/8/07. She wanted me to lose weight (10#) in this time. Being fortunate in losing weight easily, I lost ~18 in just 12 days, Of course I understand that most was water. This produced major blood chemistry foul up( creatinine haywire) so they kept me in the hospital an extra day to rehydrate me...I'll stop digressing.

I felt a bit ill for a week..now fine,

I drink 8 oz. of skim milk milkshake twice a day, a soup meal once a day, an nonfat yogurt (8oz.) once a day and a too sweet slimfast/other equiv., once a day...and plain water( really hard to get it down in small sips.) I've ignored recommendations and just went back to coffee..life not acceptable without it!

The thing I do is change the order in which I have these during the day.

It is beyond boring and is enabling to keep the eating monster asleep.

BUT...my clothes tell me I'm melting nicely.

I've never in my present pre-fill days ever felt a sense of FULL (breastbone sensation)....zip!

I'm looking forward to mush starting 8/22 but somewhat nervous about waking up the beast in my brain with TASTE...texture comes two weeks later.

But for me at age 72, it was do this or die...vanity not a component of my actions.

Good luck to all.

I'm very competitive with my sister who lost >130# in the past ~16 months.( Lap Band) I've told her I will beat her by at least 1#! (lol)

ttyl,

Walter

At the end of day 3 I am just transitioning into full liquids. Had a frozen yogurt this afternoon because I was surprisingly hungry after work. And, oh utter joy, more than two hours later I am actually still feeling FULL from that.

Alexandra.....You went back to work already???? I have a high stress but very low activity job and I could not imagine it....even now at DAY 6. Even when I have to respond to emails and take a small number of phone calls right now (from home), I get tired out! But, wow.....you....3 days out and back to work! You definitely had yourself in a better "healing" mode than I. Which, of course, may definitely be the case. How's it going for you? Seriously, I am still sitting here with my jaw dropping!!!! You go girl!!!!! Judi

JudiM! I'm with you ab. Alexandra!

Alexandra! YOU GO GIRL! back to work already!

The THOUGHT of going back.. .. although at least i would be busy...

but i just can't at this point!

Good for you!

Keep it up!

Hi all.....

I'm heading into Day 5. I'm on Clear liquids until Day 7 when I enter full liquids. Two more days of this tastebud hell is unfathomable! I never thought I'd say this but having a red popscicle for Breakfast is just not my idea of fun. Honestly, it's really NOT the liquids thing. It's not even the head hunger. It's just that I have no interest in eating/drinking the things that I am allowed. Add to that the fact that I really am not hungry, I could just stop eating/drinking all together. Water is fine. It's tasteless. It hydrates. No problem. But, everything else....the crystal light, the sf popscicles, the sf Jello, the watered down juices, the Italian ice, the broth......yuk, yuk, yuk. Am I missing something? Is there some amazing food/drink that I haven't found that would at least get me through? I do not want another SWEET thing.....unless of course, it's mind blowing

This whole feeling is so foreign to me. Today I made my Famous French Toast for my dear daughter (who has been such a sport and a huge help through all of this) and then I made her favorite Tuscan chicken with Rosemary Potatoes for dinner. I didn't want any of it. And, trust me, I love those foods! I was not hungry at all. So, I heated up a little broth so that I could sit down to dinner with her. Two tablespoons and I just couldn't do it. And, this is MY OWN recipe broth.....not from a can. So, I pulled out a little Rita's Italian Ice....one little teaspoon and I was done. I wasn't full, mind you. I was just yukked-out!!!! Is there anything that is working for any of you? Any suggestions? I just spent another $$$ at the grocery story preparing for the next week or so. But, honestly, other than adding some Protein shakes and maybe some yogurt....what is there? I also stopped by the bookstore and picked up a WLS Cookbook too. I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything good. But, so far, I haven't seen anything for the liquid stage. Am I just a spoiled gourmet?

:help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help::help:

JudiM, I am not postop yet but I do love to cook so I bought this book called EATING WELL AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY. It is written by Patt Levine and Michele Bontempo-Saray and I bought from Amazon.com. If you are a gourmet cook I think you would like it plus it has recipes for all the stages of LapBand postop.

I am now 2 days out.

I'm not hungry at ALL, but, figuring that I should be drinking something, I have been mostly having:

Water

broth from progresso Soups (tastes better than plain chicken)

Isopure (from GNC)

Special K Protein water (I like the strawberry kiwi kind)

Jello

Edy's Fruit Bars (popsicles) -- the sugar free lo carb stuff

The liquid diet does not bother me at all -- I've been ready for it for some time. I honestly do not care that I'm not hungry or that I don't crave food. Isn't that the point? It's discouraging to read about how frustrated people are with the liquid diet. Honestly, we all knew it was part of the program going in. Time to grin and bear it.

Melbart01....Yes, you are right....it is discouraging to hear how frustrated some of us are with the liquid phase. I feel so badly if I may have discouraged anyone. That was not my intent at all. I know very well that I should just grin and bear it. I knew that this would be my life at this point. So, perhaps all of this is part of my frustration. Like I said, it is NOT really the liquid stage. I am just not hungry. But, then again, I do have to eat/drink. And I don't like the constant tastes of those things that I can eat/drink. As I said....this is just me. But, I've carried on. Perhaps that's just part of the whole thing here....I needed to vent in some way and it came off as me causing others frustration. Yet, I still think the liquid phase is not easy. Call me spoiled....which I am. But, that's exactly WHY I think the lap band is good for me. I'll be able to enjoy foods....good, well prepared, wonderfully delicious foods. Just not now. I graduate to full liquids on Sunday.....yahoo! I have myself ready.....I hope!!!

Good Luck to all!

Alexandra.....You went back to work already????

Hee hee! Yep, after surgery on Monday morning I went back to my office on Thursday. Am I nuts? (Don't answer that. )

I just can't take lying around the house, especially as I started to feel better and got a little hungry. I hate the way pain meds make my head feel, so they didn't really help. The worst part was driving to work--my 1/2 hour trip had a few potholes that made me twinge. But once at the office I was really OK.

I find that working helps me keep my mind off of other things--time goes faster, I don't think about my next meal, it's all good! I did go to bed early that night, though. :biggrin1:

I'm 5 days post op and just made the transition from clear liquids to full liquids. Not in a huge rush though. So far, I put a little skim milk in my morning tea and made some "instant" cream of potato Soup. (1/2 cup skim milk, 1 teaspoon butter, salt & pepper. Heat to almost boiling. Add instant potato flakes until soup is the proper consistency.) It was heavenly and very filling. I'm thinking about some canned cream of mushroom soup for dinner.

As far as the clear liquids go, I was having a really tough time because nothing was appealing to me. So I just drank Water. Last night I drank some watered apple juice (which I keep in the house for the kids) which I usually hate. But it tasted so good, I know that my body was craving something in there. I think it was just the calories. I feel much better and more energetic today.

The mad frog

I was just advanced to the mushie food stage at my 2 week post op visit on Thursday. Unfortunately, my hunger has returned completely and I won't get a fill until 8 weeks post op. I'm eating a lot of soups, mashed potatoes, and now tuna and chicken salad made very fine in the food processor. I've lost 23 lbs. since I started the preop and hope I can at least maintain that until I get a fill. I know the focus now is suppossed to be on healing and not losing, but I'm off to a good start and would like to keep the momentum going. This is the hardest phase so far for me because I am really hungry, but still very limited on the things I can eat. I don't mind mashed potatoes and gravy, but how am I going to lose weight eating that kind of stuff? I know it is just another part of the journey, but I can't wait for that first fill. Becky