This is frustrating. I am terrified of eating around my band so I try to consume only protein and veggies and majorly limit carbs. However, meats and veggies are SOOOOO hard to get down. They get stuck and it hurts! I can't live on cottage cheese. Help!!

Have you had a recent fill?

I had .75 ccs put in 6 days ago. The doctors said I can eat anything, just to go slow. I tried protein shakes but they don;t fill me up. :biggrin:

Your fill is still new, so it might loosen up a bit. If you struggle too long with not being able to eat solid food, or if you develop reflux /heartburn, please let your Dr. know.

Have you tried softer meat. Turkey meatloaf, chili, tuna salad, eggs or chicken salad? Maybe that would sit longer in your pouch and give you some variety from the cottage cheese?

I hope you feel better soon.

Great suggestions....Turkery meatloaf...yummm. I do need to get a little more creative with meals, it is just hard (busy working mother of 3 young kids).

Thanks!!

If dry chicken is a problem. Take chicken breast and put them in half and half with chopped basil for about 1/2 hour. Take them out of mixture and Then coat them in some breads crumbs, ( whole wheat ones would be healthier) and then broil them. The 1/2 and 1/2 and bread crumbs add a few calories, but keeps the chicken moister and then I eat the left over the next day for lunch, so I get my Protein in.

If your band is tight, grilled chicken might be too dry.

I remember the days of working and having kids, activites, all the family stuff, definitely tough for meal planning and prep. Maybe get that old crock pot out again and make some stew or chili that helps keep the meat tender.

how any fills have u had. that makes a big difference

My only advice would be the same as above, try softer meats, or flaky fish, definitely no dried out chicken breast. Maybe try dark meat for awhile.

SLOW DOWN, take very small bites, chew your food really well, and be patient. You'll get the hang of things.

Don't stress over it. Eat what you can tolerate. You have the band so don't kill yourself trying to diet.

There was a time for about a month that I could not eat much...and I tried so desperately to eat eggs, carrots, chicken...even chicken salad, turkey...even mushed.... I tried to eat healthy. But it wouldn't go down. I was so desperate for food that I ate Doritos. They went down. Another time I was hungry, I reached for peanut M&Ms my daughter had...they went down. So, I lived off them for a few weeks. Drinking milk for Protein.

That time passed and that chicken salad was delicious! So, do what you gotta do to get food down. In the big picture it's not that bad of a thing.

But always talk to your doctor.

I have been there. There are many many many things good for you that you can eat. I would NOT eat whatever goes down, it can cause bad habits.

Try canned chicken breast, it is much like tuna fish and usually very soft. Tofu is great as well if you like it!

Please don't just eat whatever will go down. You aren't dieting, you are eating healthy, there is a difference. If you eat junk you are hurting yourself by making habits you are trying to break.

I find that a week or two after a fill I begin to feel better. Eat more slowly, and blend things if need be. See your Dr if you don't feel better soon, maybe you are too tight!

Good Luck!

I mix the canned chicken with a dab of mayonnaise and a little sweet relish and it tastes great and is very soft. The bonus is that it is on the shelf and requires little preparation and it is inexpensive.

This is frustrating. I am terrified of eating around my band so I try to consume only Protein and veggies and majorly limit carbs. However, meats and veggies are SOOOOO hard to get down. They get stuck and it hurts! I can't live on cottage cheese. Help!!

It's so interesting for me to see how different Doctor's orders can be. In my case I wasn't close to being allowed to eat meat and veggies after just 3 weeks. IIRC it was still pureed foods and then on to chopped foods. I don't think I was allowed real meat pieces until after my first fill and that wasn't for 8 weeks.

My advice is to eat what you can tolerate and it looks like you aren't ready for these types of foods yet.

You need to be able to eat 'good' food, and if you really can't you are probably too tight. This is one of my pet peeves when I am on this sight and see what people eat in a given day (like on the 'share what you ate today' thread...) Don't let yourself be one of those people! I think some people like being too tight because they lose weight faster, but at what cost? When I see that people are skipping breakfast, eating 2oz of chicken for lunch and 2 oz of chicken for dinner I have to wonder what is going on. That is not enough food! That is not what the band was designed to do. So if you are on cottage cheese because it is the only thing that doesn't hurt you need to have an unfill. You know what you should be eating, and I applaud you for that! Now fix it so you can do it! It is no fun being in pain when you eat (and believe me I know what it feels like!!!) You will be so happy when you reach the RIGHT level of restriction - food will be enjoyable again! Hope this helps!

Oh, by the way, my worst PB episode ever was on turkey meatloaf!!! It's a great suggestion, and I am alive today because of ground turkey, but even that can be a problem if you are too tight. I have no trouble with steak, though. It is such an individual thing.

ABEAHER: How are you doing? Better?