I woke up today and for the first time since surgery I actually felt hungry. I am supposed to be on all liquids for 3 weeks and then solid food. I hear so many people get a mushies stage and so I figured it would be okay to eat some oatmeal and some mashed potatoes. Am I hurting myself? Anyone else do this? Liquid is just getting SO old!

Liz, I have to be honest -- I had surgery with Dr. Ortiz 1 day before you (8/29) and by the 4th day I was knawingly hunry...so I started with some creamy Soups and yoghurt as early as the fourth day. I"m now at 11 days post-op and I've had Peanut Butter (2 tbsps, injested slowly, along with tea) and various thicker soups/puddings. I draw the lines at chewable solids.

I worry sometimes as well, and my intestines have seemed unhappy sometimes, but no nausea, PBing, vomiting, or anything close to that. I try to limit it to once a day, and go out for a walk afterwards to keep things "moving".

I'm not advocating this but want to tell you that I've done similar stuff - the alternative for me would be to eat solids or go nuts because I'm literally hungry from the moment I wake up to sleep-time and my liquid Protein drinks help me for less than an hour. I just hope it doesn't mean that my band is in the wrong place!

I'm still losing weight, albeit slower than I could. At this moment, I'm just trying to heal and make it through our 3 weeks..

Best of success, Danielle

I have read multiple different diet progressions for post-op. My diet is day 1&2 clear liquids only, days 3- 7 full liquids (including yogurt, cream soups and pudding) and if that is being tolerated then on day 8 start mushies for a week and on to soft foods. So, I don't think it will hurt you at all if you have been tolerating everything right along. I would check in with my doc and see if they can advance your diet. Everyone is so different and they will make allowances for that. Good luck!

I was allowed on mushies after my first week. Mushies includes things like fish (fish filets) and cottage cheese. Both of those make you feel like you are actually EATING and I had a LOT of fish and cottage cheese during those weeks. It satisfied the craving to chew and I was getting GOOD protein in each time too. I love the Grotons flavored (Cajun) fish filets. They are exactly the right size (size of a pack of ciagarettes) and taste wonderful.

i'll have to remember those fish gortons fillets when I move on. They sound great. I'm only 5 days out and I feel like I could chew a finger off. I had surgery on 9/4 and i have my check up on the 12th and they said they would advance me to mushies then. I can't wait.

I don't think you are going to hurt yourself as long as you aren't eating steak, pork, etc ...

My diet is 2 weeks liquid and 3 weeks mushies. I switched over to mushies today.

Oatmeal and potato are carbs though ... they are just going to make you crave more food. (at least for me) Try some cottage cheese, tuna, or something high in Protein.

remember - every doctor is different.

please follow YOUR doctor's guidelines..

and Liz, you may not be hurting, but you certainly aren't helping ...

look up "Bandster Hell" in the search above - LOTS of posts about what you are experiencing right now.

My Dr. is the same as yours...3 weeks liquid, 3 week pureed, then solids. My appt is 09/26 so he says he might allow me to switch to solids 1 week sooner. I did start eating Yogurt this past Thursday and the 1st time I ate it it cramped me terribly and I got really really scared I'd caused harm. But since then I've had 1 yogurt per day and a yogurt smoothie and it has not hurt me. Now this is all under the supervision of my Dietician of whom I called Wednesday to see if there was anything else I could eat other than the standard broth, Jello.....etc and this is what she told me to add. I will admit on yesterday my granddaughter had a baked potato and I tasted a small tiny bite. I didn't feel any funny sensations but have not made it a habit since. You might want to try some Chinese Hot & Sour Soup (or wonton) and skim the juice off of it (I do Water it down somewhat). At least it gives you a bit of a spicy taste and it has 100 calories and 2 grams of fat (in my case less than that since I dilute it). This has really really helped me. I was told to put something in me at least every 2 hours and I shouldn't have a problem and it has worked when I followed that advice. I don't want to end up in Bandster Hell so I'm trying to be as good as possible. I am so counting down til Thursday when I can have some refried Beans....yum yum. I noticed some can have baked fish and I didn't know that was considered pureed but I'll ask my Dietician about it.

I hope you continue to do well and hang it there.

Rumar