Hi All,

I know every Doc is different, but I am a bit curious...

I am on my second week of liquids and HUNGRY! I have to wait two weeks until I can start mushy foods. I see some have started mushy foods eariler and some start later.

Jayjay,

you will survive this phase and will do well. keep up the good job

i was on liquids (slimfast, tomato soup, yogurt) for 1 week then mushies. I'm on solids now.

I am freaking out now because my Dr. told me to start out with liquid for a few days and than go to mushy when I felt I could. He said every one is different and to take it slow and see what my body can and cant handle. He was very laid back about it...No per-op liquid diet just a low cal, low carb diet to lower the fat around my liver.

According to the guidelines I was given, I will have to wait 3-4 weeks for mushies. HOWEVER, they classify cottage cheese, yogurt, pudding and scrambled eggs under full liquids - allowed after 1 day of clear liquids. Good thing I love cottage cheese!

I had a week of Clear liquids, 2 weeks of full liquids, a week of mushie and I'm working my way onto regular foods.

It's worth noting that using the band as a tool requires some self discipline. It's not to see "what you can get away with" because you are only cheating one person - yourself!

No one died from eating soft foods or liquids foods for a few days.

Yep, it was difficult for me, but I did it.

My surgeon explained that it varies for each individual. I was doing fine with the liquids the 1st 24hrs so they progressed me to pureed before leaving the hospital (if you have to chew it, it isn't pureed). I will remain with the pureed until my 1st follow-up visit on 4/22 (I was banded on 4/2). I'm doing fine with the pureed, but will wait until my surgeon okays progressing to the level III diet. If you are really hungry and think you may cheat, just give your surgeon a call, he should be able to let you know if you could progress earlier.

10 days out at my post-op appointment I was graduated to mushies. Still there, counting down the days until I can have some MEAT. Man, of all the things to miss!

I agree that we should each follow the instructions of our own doctor. They're the ones we carefully chose, and we placed our lives in their hands. And we paid them the big bucks (or our insurance company did)!!

That being said, my doctor and his team are a little more lenient than some. We do one week of pureed liquids and one week of mushies after surgery. I chose him because he has been doing lap bands for years, long before they were popular, and he has a very good reputation and a high success rate with few complications. I am fortunate to live in an area where I had quite a few doctors to choose from and his credentials were among the best. I put that in here just for those who think he is too lenient, lol.

He said that in his opinion, there is no medical reason to stay on liquids and mushies longer than 2 weeks, and he wants his patients to start learning to live with their band with "normal" foods as soon as possible.

If I'd gone to a doctor who had me on a liquid diet for longer, and mushies for longer, I hope I'd have followed his or her instructions to the letter. If you do have complications, and you didn't follow your doctor's instructions, it really diminishes your right to complain, or any claim you might have against the doctor. I was a medical malpractice paralegal for many years so I can't help thinking like that! :rolleyes2:

MY post-op instructions are clear liquids for 2 days, normal liquids until day 6. Mushy food from day 6-10, regular food after day 10. Every doc is different. Just as all pre-op is different, so is post-op.