I'm a bit upset about this but I just wanted to get it off my chest.

The day before surgery I came on my period, which was great LOL.

Anyway the surgery went fine (on Thurs) but yesterday and today I have had an almighty need for sugar - I think this could be to do with my period etc.. so I had some ice cream (it was soft and slightly melted) but I feel like I've let myself down.

I have stuck to liquids apart from the ice cream, it just felt like my body needed it, anyway after I ate it I felt fine.

Is this what they call banster hell? Where you can eat soft high calorie foods?

Has anyone else had this prob?

Kindest

I was banded about 4 weeks ago and yesterday broke down and had a sundae from Baskin Robbins..... I have done well the whole month and lost about 30 lbs so far. About two hours after eating it I got very sick to my stomach from all the sugar. I am pretty sure I wont be doing that again ..lol.... I also was having pretty severe PMS and craving sugar. I wouldnt beat yourself up over it.... just get back on track and follow your doctors post op diet.... especially so soon after being banded. Its a learning experience for all of us. Just realize that eventually you will be able to have a little ice cream here and there but in moderation. When I think of it that way I dont crave it so bad. I also go for the sugar free chocolate jello and its only about 60 cal per serving...that usually will take care of my craving too.....Good luck on just being banded.... so far I really love mine!

Bandster hell is when you are hungry and have no restriction yet. Basically you can eat like you could before the band and it isn't really doing anything for you yet, after all the swelling from surgery has gone down also.

Unless your stomach tissue healed superfast and the swelling has gone down all the way already (which I doubt) then you aren't in bandster hell yet, you're just having cravings. Believe me I know about cravings, I dreamed about eating spaghetti and meatballs last night (and I just had surgery on the 12th).

So far I've stuck to my full liquids but to kind of ward off the cravings today for lunch and dinner I had cream of tomato Soup with a little chili powder and spices in it. Was definitely not the same, but I guess it will have to do for now.

If you're on full liquids and some people say pudding counts as a full liquid, I'm sure you were fine with a little melted ice cream.

My TOM is coming soon I think, but luckily so far I'm not craving sweets, unfortunately I just want some REAL food!!!

I keep telling myself okay, only one more week and I can move on to mushies (refried Beans with guacamole or ground beef with spaghetti sauce thrown in a blender), I'll probably think I've died and gone to a buffet or something.

Good luck to you and take care!!

You need to stick to the post op diet or you will have complications.

I stuck to mine and so did a lot of other people. It is not, by any means, an impossible thing.

I know it's hard but my personal opinion is that it's critical to stick to the post-op diet for the first few weeks. You only have one chance to heal the right way and you sure don't want complications after everything you've been through. It's really a short time to have to stick to something so strict, in the big picture of life.

I'm not trying to sound harsh.... we all have our weak moments! I'm just saying having the surgery brings a committment to stick to your doctor's rules. I actually had to sign a statement agreeing to that.

I'm sure no harm done, I'd say just learn from it and move on, you'll be on mushies before you know it!

Ice cream is liquid calories. It's not a great diet food, but you didn't stray from the "only liquid calories" rule unless your doc has you on Clear Liquids.

Like others said -- don't beat yourself up, it's counterproductive. It's not the first time you will make a bad food choice between now and when you die. :wink_smile:

chocolate is also liquid calories -- that stuff melts in your mouth and goes down as liquid. So does Jello. So not everything that is solid is really solid, if you know what I mean.

You didn't harm your band or surgery by having liquid calories in the form of ice cream, even if it is a food not conducive to weight loss. You might cause problems if you eat solids too early though.

I do recommend pulling out your detailed list of reasons you want to lose this weight and reading it daily though. If you don't have one, make one. And no vague references to "being healthy". Be specific and detailed. And then rearrange the list to be in priority order.

• What exact health improvements do you want?
  
• What improvements in appearance?
  
• Will you feel different when you are thinner? More confident, more in control?
  
• How about things you want to do that are difficult or impossible at your current weight?
  
• Any reasons related to other people? (most of my reasons are for myself, but I do have a couple like "I want my husband to feel proud that I'm his wife when we are out walking around in public, not embarrassed that he's with the fat chick" Not that he's ever expressed embarrassment -- he's always been supportive and loving -- but c'mon, most guys want to be with a good looking girl right?)
  
• Clothing-related reasons?
  

This can really help you stay on track if your reasons for losing weight are fresh in your mind. If you need it, stick a picture of yourself at the top or bottom of the list so you can remind yourself what you look like right now (if looks are one of the reasons you are doing this).

dont beat yourself up about it. but the more you stick to the diet the easier it becomes. especially when you start seeing the results. remember "nothing tastes as good as thin feels."

I drove past mcdonalds on 2 diffrent days saying that i was going to stop and get a milk shake and never did. I think its because my sugar level was low. I had a few sips of the sweet tea and it seemed like that made a world of diffrence. U have to do what's best for you and just remember is the pain from the recovery worth it. HELL NO..... so just think about that the next time u get an urge...

I'm surprised and dismayed that some are being so harsh about this. I understand that all diets/doctors are different, but ice cream IS on my list of full liquid diet items.

I agree with some of the other pp's. Move on, it's not the end of the world. I, too am on my period (just started this morning, surgery was on Thursday May 15th) and if ice cream didn't make me nauseous I'd be having some!

So you had a moment of weakness.... it's fine... just don't do it again...

My hubby had ice cream yesterday and he couldn't finished it. So before i threw it away, I "licked" it once. that's it... I don't want to feel so deprived, but again, I don't want for the band not to work.

So don't get so upset, live and learn right? just don't do it again...

You know, I have to say a couple of things here... I was banded on 5/9. I've been on clear liquids since then - sf jello, broth, sf popcicles, tea and crystal lite. Prior to surgery I was on Optifast liquid diet - all the above plus the Optifast.

I keep seeing posts of people saying they feel deprived. That's what I call "stinky thinking" because the truth is that we are NOT deprived. We are finally learning to eat healthy. Part of the recovery is the liquid diet and then the mushies. This is something you signed up for when you got the band. Yes, it's hard and feels like s**t sometimes, but then you have to decide whether or not you're doing this to become healthy and strong.

The band is a tool. If a tool isn't used right it can hurt you. You have to go into this knowing that you WILL NOT CHEAT... cheating and self abuse is how we all got fat in the first place.

I'm having a hard time of it too, but I'm going to my support meetings, I'm going inside myself to review my reasons for having this surgery, I'm calling friends on the phone. For me, it's really easy... my body is hungry, but my body is not my friend right now... my brain and my heart are my friends - I love myself enough - finally and for the first time in my life - to do exactly what my doc says to do.

If you ate a little bit off your list, or choose high-cal vs. low cal, you must forgive yourself for that and move on, determined to do better next time.

I wish us all the best of luck! We should all be proud of the decisions we've made to take control of our lives - even when we have strayed a bit.

Consider yourselves hugged!

Barbara

[[The band is a tool. If a tool isn't used right it can hurt you. You have to go into this knowing that you WILL NOT CHEAT... cheating and self abuse is how we all got fat in the first place.]]quote

I refuse to call anything CHEATING> This is a life long process. I can agree that sticling to the post op diet is important..but ice cream is a full liquid. And though it is NOT something one should have on a daily basis I think it is something that needs no criticism. I ate ice cream a ciouple of times...I will say it is in SMALL amounts..about 1/5 to 1/8 of what I used to eat. 1/2 c was more than enough to make me full. And I have lost 11 pounds in two weeks...so I think if I can lose like that and still have an occasional serving , and I mean SERVING, of ice cream...then I will live with that.

I have written down everything I have eaten and I will share that with my nutritionist. I am sure i am making a few mistakes..but I am doing well compared to where I was..and I will continue to do better.

CINDYLOOWHO...don't eat it every day and don't exceed 1/2 cup but once in a blue moon is probably okay.

Cindi

I was banded in October and I had my first ice cream yesterday. It was so good, but sweet. The whole time I ate it I kept wondering if I was going to keep coming back for more and more! It was what I would call a bitter sweet experience. I have now had strong words with myself and I will not be visiting my local DQ again!

That being said I refuse to judge the poor new "summer" banders. Being banded in October I was fine eating soup and sugar free jello. In fact I did not touch the SF popsicles. My advice is find some better alternatives if you must color outside of the lines. There is SF ice cream and Skinny Cow when you get a little further in your journey. The only draw back is the more sugar you consume the more sugar you want. If you can use the post-op time to get off the "white-stuff" the futher along you will be.

Do your absolute best to stick to the plan but if you trip don't lose faith it all works out.

I had mixed feelings reading all the replies to this post. As bandsters, we have one large and important factor in common. WE ARE ADDICTED. To food, to feeling good, to the guilt, perfectionisism, etc. So you had ice cream. Well, ok. It WAS a silly and un-healthy choice considering how recent your surgery was. But you admitted it as well. That shows dedication and honesty to yourself about this journey. I don't subscribe to the theories that everything can be considered a liquid if blended, mushed or chewed enough. If that was the case, I would have been the 1st one in line to shove my cheesecake into a blender.

Its true that beating yourself up will only have negative impact on how you feel about this entire experience. Its also true that PLENTY of people have done worse. What matters is if you do enough every day to be proud of yourself. That's all. You may not lose as fast as others, you may not get enough protein or enough walking, or whatever. But if YOU can tell an improvement in mind and body, and if YOU are already living healthier then before banding, then be proud of that and move on. I was banded exactly 2 months ago today, and I've had Dairy Queen several times. I've also lost 25 lbs and only "treat" myself when I earn it. There is a big difference in cheating and treating, and the healthier your relationship is with food, the easier it is to see.

I'm no expert, just someone who wants to give the level of support I got from others, so here are my parting words. If you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always got.

Heal your body. Your mind will catch up.