I've learned from reading on this site that each doctor has there own guidelines for pre and post op eating. I keep reading through my handbook from my doctor and I feel like a piece of the post-op stages is missing. They totally skip the mushies stage that most other plans included. According to the book, after surgery I am on Clear liquids for 2 days, back to the pre-op liquid diet for 21 days, then straight to regular food in 4 meals a day, 2oz protien, 1oz veggies, 1oz dairy. There is no mention of a mushies stage. Does that seem odd to anyone else?

I really think the 21 days on liquids is going to kill me. It's been hard getting through the 2 week pre-op, I don't know how I am going to do it for 3 more weeks. I get my Protein, take all the Vitamins, but I still can see this as being a healthy way of living. I know the stomach has to heal and needs time, but I thought that was what the mushies stage was for: giving you some additional food choices, but nothing too soild so you have time to heal...

I think your Doc knows what he/she is doing. Trust in that and you will be fine. I do find it a bit odd that you seem to skip mushies, but hey... I leave it up the experts!!!

Just follow what your doc tells you and you will be just fine!!!

I know every doctor is different, but that seems like a VERY long time on just liquids.....I was eating SF FF pudding and yogurt in the hospital. I can't imagine going 3 weeks on just liquids....it just doesnt make sense that one dr. would let you eat pudding in the hospital 2 hours after surgery, and one has you not eating anything for 3 weeks. I wonder why the complete difference. I am one month post op, eating mushies and some solid stuff...per Dr.s orders. I would call and check with him to see if something isn't right with your paperwork. Good luck to you.

I agree with Chick. It sure doesn't hurt to double check to see if you've missed anything. With all the paperwork I've been given, I'm paranoid about getting something mixed up. I finally started a notebook last week to get everything in order.

Edited August 28, 200818 yr by kiz

this is how im suppose to do by the books and doctors orders.

1-3 days post op clear liquids

4-14 days post op full liquids

15-28 days post op soft/ mushie food

29- and on back to solids

i guess every doctor is alittle diifernet but i dont see eatting pudding and stuff until you heal. thats why they have you on liquid diets is to heal, not to lose weight. i would go by what the doctor tells you to do. but call them if you have any questions. and call your nutritest (sp) and ask them about it to.

Everybody seems to have their own opinon about this. Every doctor is different. I was on clear liquids only for a few days and then to full liquids and mushies by the 2nd week. When I went back for my post op my doctor told me to start introducing solids as tolerated. 21 days seems to me to be a very long time on liquids only. It doesn't seem like you'll much energy to do anything. Also, I understand that the stomach has to heal but there is actually very little trauma to your stomach. It basically only consist of the few sutures placed to hold the band in place until scar tissue forms. This process actually occurs much quicker than you think. I think this is the reason for the vast differences from one doctor to another. Some are simply more cautious. It may depend on how confident they or on how many procedures they have performed. I wouldn't ever say to go against your doctor's orders but I agree you may want to double check just to make sure something isn't missing from your diet paperwork.

I am also on 14days of liquid diet. I am doing ok so far, but I am sure come the weekends it is going to be hard. I went and got sf ice cream and skim milk and I am going to make some milk shakes for the times I am feeling like I need a treat.

I'm another one who is to be on 14 days of liquid post op...and in fact he says no protein shakes the first week postop! Then mushies like "cream of mushroom soup well blended" and to me that isn't EVEN a mushie but a thick liquid!

Do ask your doc to confirm...but if that's what he wants, then that's what gives optimum results for HIS patients (all surgeons are different you know...they operate differently etc) and you should follow it. Trust me, do what your doc says.

My doctor's plan is:

Stage 1: Clear Liquids ONLY (in the hospital)

Stage 2: Modified Full Liquids (Day 2- Week 3) this stage is basically clear liquids plus Protein drinks.

Stage 3: Soft Foods (Week 4- Week 10)

Stage 4: Solid Foods (Week 11 and onward)

I was only averaging about 500 calories a day during stage 1, getting anywhere from 60-70 g of protein daily. Days 6-8 after surgery were the hardest. At that time I was only getting about 300 calories a day, but I found a higher calorie Protein Drink to add into the mix of drinks I was using and that helped. I didn't think I'd be able to make it for 3 weeks, but I did, and I'm grateful for that time away from food.

The Inamed LAP-BAND literature suggests a thin liquid diet for the first 2 weeks, pureed foods for weeks 3-4, soft foods at 5 weeks. It also says that it may take a month or more for the "new stomach structure to heal completely and the LAP-BAND to sit in the right position." I didn't realize it at first, but during the surgery the stomach is kind of wrapped around the band and stitched to itself, making a sort of casing for the band - like a casing for elastic in clothing. This is one of the big things that needs to heal. If you don't mind watching surgeries, there are a couple of gastric banding surgery videos on You Tube. I found the one I watched to be very interesting and informative.

Anyway, hang in there, follow your doctor's instructions and get ready to use your new tool!

Strangely I would now say.... do what your doc says. Not because I think that your band isn't going to heal correctly but because when you get off of liquids you may/will gain a couple of pounds and it can be very discouraging. I am getting my first fill on 9/11 and I am so frustrated that I haven't lost weight since I went into the mushy stage. I have no restriction so it is like I haven't had the band. Anything that can buy you some time and keep you motivated (see the scale moving down) is a good thing! Just another perspective. I started fluids only (my leftover optifasts shakes) just to get some movement in the scale. My preop diet I lost 17 lbs. Since my surgery on July 31st I had lost 6 lbs and gained 2 of those pounds back.

I hope this just gives you another way to look at it! : )

Hello,

Milk shakes are one of those things you can get through the band but if you do your results will suffer. I know this from experience! I was at a point where I did not lose anything for a month and I had to anaylize what I was taking in and found this was the problem.

I still have the ocasional Milk shake but I also now exercise all the time so it's not really a big deal.

Good

my diet is liquids for 21 days, although after day three you can add drinkable yogurt, then day 5 you can add Protein shakes then day 7 you can add creamy Soup (aka full liquids including milk or anything you can drink through a straw without actually doing so) then i can move right on to solids. there is no mushy stage on my diet, but from what i have read my doctor used to allow them, but decided full liquids for a longer time promoted better healing. by the time i can take solids, i will have been on liquids long enough to heal properly.

so it doesnt seem odd to me that you have a liquid diet for that long, i would trust your doc, i am sure he has his reasons :biggrin:

Edited August 29, 200818 yr by arwena

Just finished day 9 of my 3 week pre-op diet... not bad for me. But.... if all I got was liquids for 3 weeks + after my surgery, I woudn't be able to refer to the paperwork because I would eat it. I would check with your doctor just to make sure. That is a long time to be on liquids only!!! Good luck to you!!

I know every doctor is different, but that seems like a VERY long time on just liquids.....I was eating SF FF pudding and yogurt in the hospital. I can't imagine going 3 weeks on just liquids....it just doesnt make sense that one dr. would let you eat pudding in the hospital 2 hours after surgery, and one has you not eating anything for 3 weeks. I wonder why the complete difference. I am one month post op, eating mushies and some solid stuff...per Dr.s orders. I would call and check with him to see if something isn't right with your paperwork. Good luck to you.

I had my band done on August 18th here it is the 28th and I am still on Clear Liquids, no yogurt, no pudding or anything like that. I guess every

doctor is different. I get aggravated alot because I want something that

isn't going to just slide down my throat, I'd like it to stay in the pouch for

a while so i dont get that hungry feeling. I guess my doctor knows what he is doing though cause I have already lost 11 pounds and its only day 10:w00t:

I am also on 14days of liquid diet. I am doing ok so far, but I am sure come the weekends it is going to be hard. I went and got sf ice cream and skim milk and I am going to make some milk shakes for the times I am feeling like I need a treat.

I would be careful with that. If it was me, I would rather drink a protein shake than a milk shake, just to get the protein in. That just seems like too many empty calories to me. Also, I don't know about you, but ice cream is what got me into this mess to begin with. Good luck!

Banded 8/8/08..21days and 30 lbs lost...45 lbs to goal! Again all the Drs. are different, NO pre-op diet at all. 1st week, protein drinks, broth, water and s/f jello, 2 nd week all the rest plus cottage cheese, beans/bean soups. yougurt. and eggs. 3rd week, all the rest plus, chicken, fish, meat and apple sause. 4th, veggies and fruit, potatoes and crackers. It works for me..feel just great, taking ALL the vitimins and 8 glasses of water and excerising each day..water up to time of eating, then 30 minutes after. GOOD LUCK ALL..Chuck