hi all,

I am in the process of of getting the Lap Band - should be able to get it in September.

i have gone through all the pros and cons of the surgery from countless people and the net. All the naysayers are people who were always thin and never struggles with weight loss.

I am looking for any tips or advice you can give about the process. I would like to start purchasing the liquids/protein/ soups/ soft food... that I will need pre & post surgery. Does anyone have a list of things to get to stock a pantry in preparation of the surgery.... and any kitchen products that might be needed.

Any advice on the liquid phase- both pre and post surgery. I've found some websites that have protein powder recipes.... would anyone be willing to share their favorite recipes?

How about the mushy/ soft food phase any tips/ recipes?

THANK YOU all for any responses

I am not sure if I can post my email in a posting.... but my username at Gmail dot com is my e-mail

Hi there! I was banded in December 2016, and so far so good! (84 lbs down to date)

I did not go the route of protein powders, and instead relied on Premier Protein shakes (from Costco). They are 30 gm of protein in each shake and taste pretty good compared to some of the others I tried.

During the soft food phase, I ate lots of beans (refried, etc...) as the taste of "pureed meat" was less than satisfying. They were soft, filling and provided a decent amount of protein. (Note: I understand that some banders do/did not tolerate beans well, but I was just fine.)

I can't stress enough how important a good vitamin regimen is. I didn't do well with that piece when I started out and started to have some significant hair loss. Everything's good now that I'm taking the right vitamins (a bariatric supplement regimen recommended by my doctor and dietician), but the first time I showered and had a fist full of hair fall out I was horrified!

The biggest tip I can give you is to make sure that you remember that the band is a tool and not a miracle worker. Use this first year with the band to reevaluate your relationship with food and what you want to put in your body going forward. Eventually, you'll get to the point where you can eat just about anything again - prepare yourself for that! I consistently remind myself that I eat for nutrition, and to make sure that I'm putting the best things into my body that I can.

Good luck!!!

I was banded in 2009. I've lost 120 pounds and have kept about 110 off. When I was banded it took 8 month before my doctor got me to a fill that actually restricted anything and a few more fills after that to get me to my sweet spot. That first 8 months was difficult because unlike gastric bypass, I wasn't losing weight quickly.

if I had advice I'd say "eat slowly." Every time I ate too fast I'd fill my stomach too quickly and end up getting sick. It takes time to find out what foods will work for you post op. I avoid beef products because they don't break down enough to go through my hole, but chicken and fish are fine. Also be very careful about following that "don't drink while eating" rule. Fluids with food can either push food painfully through or make you puke.

I'll admit I eat more junk food than I should. like the other poster said- this is a tool, it will limit how much you can eat, if you follow the rules properly, but it's not going to stop your emotional eating cravings.

Good luck to you! Stay positive and remember the non-scale reasons you want to do this too, whether it's to fit better in chairs or not die going up stairs, it's not all about scale weight.