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I am having the banding on 4/7 and would be interested in getting peoples thoughts on good postop diets. What worked what did not work. I am nervouse about the whole thing and starting a preop diet tomorrow. Any advice? Any good tricks for making the diet work in the workplace?

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Wel, the doctor just reccomends a low fat diet with a lot of Protein (to help you heal afterwards). My doctor has me on no special diet (just a liquid the day before and nothing after midnight the night before). I'm having my surgery the 26th... so we'll me around the same time!

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Pre op diets vary widely...from none at all, to 3 weeks of liquids in preparation for it!

Post op diets are much less varied, most differences fall in the length of time involved in each stage.

Most of us come home on a clear liquid diet. Water (always!), apple juice, broths---nothing with texture at all. It is recommended that for this stage you find something similar to Zero Carb Isopure, it is a clear liquid Protein drink---think Protein kool-aid! It has 40 grams per bottle. They also sell shots of protein---I have never tried them.... I remained on the Clear Liquids for 2 weeks. Something to keep in mind during this stage is that for most of us, liquids in=liquids out. Often diarhea hits---because our body is not used to not having food! When you move on, it eases---it is very normal.

The next stage you usually move to is full liquids. Anything that would pour through a straw. Cream Soups, Protein shakes, some pureed foods---thicker liquids.

Then you move to mushies. Cottage cheese, yogurt, mashed potatoes---soft foods.

Finally then after usually several weeks---a month on average I would guess you move to a full diet.

When they place the band, they bring the lower stomach up and stitch it, to hold the band in proper postition. Scar tissue begins forming, and that will be what keeps it in position. When you adhere to the liquid diet, it gives your stomach a chance to heal. When you put food into it that needs digested, the stomach has to knead and squeeze to push the food through---which keeps those adhesions--scar tissue from forming snuggly. If it does not form a snug fit, you will have wiggle room for the band increasing your odds of slippage.

Keep in mind, how long it takes your outside stitches to heal, and they are being kept dry, and allowed to air--the stitches inside are in a moist area, and will take longer to heal.

Sometimes it seems like the post op diet goes on forever! You go through bandster hell! You have a healthy band, and no fill, so you get very little if any help from it. BUT for the long term, it is well worth following your Dr.'s suggested post op diet. When the hunger or munchies hit, get up and move, go for a walk, or clean the kitchen---anything!

In the end it is ALL worth it!!!

We survived it, and you will too!!!

Welcome to both of you!!

Kat

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Pre op diets vary widely...from none at all, to 3 weeks of liquids in preparation for it!

Post op diets are much less varied, most differences fall in the length of time involved in each stage.

Most of us come home on a clear liquid diet. Water (always!), apple juice, broths---nothing with texture at all. It is recommended that for this stage you find something similar to Zero Carb Isopure, it is a clear liquid Protein drink---think Protein kool-aid! It has 40 grams per bottle. They also sell shots of protein---I have never tried them.... I remained on the Clear Liquids for 2 weeks. Something to keep in mind during this stage is that for most of us, liquids in=liquids out. Often diarhea hits---because our body is not used to not having food! When you move on, it eases---it is very normal.

The next stage you usually move to is full liquids. Anything that would pour through a straw. Cream Soups, protein shakes, some pureed foods---thicker liquids.

Then you move to mushies. Cottage cheese, yogurt, mashed potatoes---soft foods.

Finally then after usually several weeks---a month on average I would guess you move to a full diet.

When they place the band, they bring the lower stomach up and stitch it, to hold the band in proper postition. Scar tissue begins forming, and that will be what keeps it in position. When you adhere to the liquid diet, it gives your stomach a chance to heal. When you put food into it that needs digested, the stomach has to knead and squeeze to push the food through---which keeps those adhesions--scar tissue from forming snuggly. If it does not form a snug fit, you will have wiggle room for the band increasing your odds of slippage.

Keep in mind, how long it takes your outside stitches to heal, and they are being kept dry, and allowed to air--the stitches inside are in a moist area, and will take longer to heal.

Sometimes it seems like the post op diet goes on forever! You go through bandster hell! You have a healthy band, and no fill, so you get very little if any help from it. BUT for the long term, it is well worth following your Dr.'s suggested post op diet. When the hunger or munchies hit, get up and move, go for a walk, or clean the kitchen---anything!

In the end it is ALL worth it!!!

We survived it, and you will too!!!

Welcome to both of you!!

Kat

Just wanted to say THANK YOU for that GREAT Info!! I am saving this one, my surg date is 4/2 THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!:shades_smile:

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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