I have been on my liquid diet for about 9 days now and I am in serious ketosis! I am 4+ which is very deep. I am not getting enough Protein also. My dietician said for me to eat tuna along with the liquid phase because of the headaches and other symptoms I am having. I am also drinking 100% apple juice but that is not helping with the ketosis. I get hungry sometimes and I just don't eat because now I am tired of tuna. I mainly drink a total of 8 oz of Protein drinks, 16oz of apple juice, and about 56oz of Water. I feel really wimpy about this cause alot of folks on this site seem to have had a relatively easy time with the liquid phase. I know some doctors fill the band a little at surgery and some leave the band unfilled. My doctor leaves the band unfilled. I don't want to hurt my band but my body is craving things that I know it needs. Last night I wanted a cucumber, I drank water and went to bed. This is not how I imagined bandlife would be. I am seriously thinking what have I done to myself? I try to be upbeat and positive but this doesn't feel natural to me. I am hungry and can't eat so I drink juice and lay down. This is no life. I am down 15lbs in 9 days that is great. My friends and family say they can see it in my face. That is great too. I don't feel great. I know my insides are supposed to heal but who is to say I don't heal faster than the next guy. I think for me the mushie stage will be better I dunno. I may not be able to hold out until the mushie stage, I dunno. I go to my surgeon tommorrow and I will discuss this with him and the dietician. Well thank you for letting me vent.

Dee Dee

hi

I think a lot of us ask the same question while on liquids but it really gets better as far as the eating's concerned.....

Just keep the faith and stick it out,it is really going to be ok.

Get some slim Soup.Low cal and very satisfying.Also, Optimel liquid yogurt is great.Dont torture yourself at this stage by not eating enough "nice" liquids....

Hope you feel better soon..

Aw Dee Dee. Time to change things around. Definately wait and discuss this with your nutritionist, or call even! but you have got to add more than 8 ounces of Protien drink. Double or triple it!!! Drop back on the apple juice, not the water. And for goodness sakes, ask about Egg Drop Soup! Man, that stuff saved my life. It really really made a difference in how I feel. I was drinking it slowly at about a week post-op. (Wait, take that back, it was during week 2 but I had a slow start with lots of swelling...you should be able to handle it) You need a more varied diet, that's for sure. No wonder you feel like crud!! Hey, what about chicken or beef broth? Have you eaten any of that? Chicken broth is a clear liquid. Another staple of post-op. You won't hurt your band eating ANY of the things I mentioned. Just don't put the noddles in the Egg Drop Soup until you are on to mushies. Call today! Ask about those things. Feel better! There is no reason why you should be going into Ketosis and feeling this rotten. And if you put the cucumber meat (cut out the seeds) into the blender and add some carrot juice? Why not? If you can eat tuna, you should be able to eat these other foods. Time to start experimenting, in my book.

Hold on- it really does get better. I maily had boost drinks several times a day after surgery. I was told they had to be the high protein kind. I also had jello & strained soups. Why not try these. Just make sure the soups can go through a very tight strainer.

It really does get better- please hold on - you made the right decision & all will be so much better in less than one more week. Great job on your loss so far;0)

Keep the faith, DeeDee.....you are only 9 days post-op! You had major surgery, you are eating less calories than before, your lifestyle has probably changed dramatically, right? All this is not easy to absorb in the beginning....heck, I am 4 weeks post-op (so I am no pro at this), but I can GUARANTEE you, you will feel better soon. Once you go on mushies you will think you have died and gone to heaven, girlfriend!!!

I have been banded Aug 30. I have some coughing that is driving me crazy, and must of had an allergic reation to the strips, cause I am red around my incision. Went to doc(general) he said looks like an infected skin rash, put me on antibiotics, steroid cream. It is getting worse, so I deceided to see my lab band doc. Anyone else experience this? However, in spite of this all I am proud to be banded.

Cheri

Dee, really really have more protien shakes. Drink milk even. Even more fruit juice. You need to get way more nutrition in to get to feelin' better. It WILL get better though. Always be sippin' something.

Cheri, you should talk to your band doc. It's possible that he could take the strips off for you. Lots of people are alergic to those things. Get them off as soon as you can get your doctor to do it.

Hi Dee Dee,

Your post is confusing. If you are drinking mostly Water, one Protein shake and two glasses of apple juice a day, no wonder you feel like crap. are you liquidating the tuna? Cause thats totally gross and I would be sick of it too. Besides tuna is not a clear liquid or creamy liquid, so I dont understand why its OK for you to have tuna and you cant have some other sort of hi Protein mushy food.

Second, you cant go into ketosis if you are ingesting 2 applejuices a day. THe problem with sugar and carbs is they just amke you hungrier. Instead of juice, why not have two or three more Protein shakes? I guarantee you will feel fuller and a lot better.

And I know it probably wont make you feel better, but most of us here survived the liquid phase! LOL It sounds like your dietician is inexperienced or you are not understanding what you cant or can have. Maybe if you give us an idea of what food/liquid plan they recommended we can help you a little more.

Keep your chin up. It will seem like a bad memory once you are back to solid foods.

Babs in TX

334/180

-154

I mainly drink a total of 8 oz of Protein drinks, 16oz of apple juice, and about 56oz of Water.

Is that ALL you are having in a day? No wonder you are going nuts! Drink more! Blend some soup! Try cream of potato, it's wonderful with extra milk blended in and all those carbs will kick you RIGHT out of ketosis. Have some strained hot and sour soup! Get creative! And drink more!! Sheesh girl, you gotta take care of yourself!!!

Also, for ketosis to get that deep says to me you might even be a skosh dehydrated if you can believe it. Liquids help drop the ketosis levels. And so do carbs. Have some.

Tomato juice diluted with chicken broth is wonderful. I drank this alot and it helps make you feel full also. Good Luck, it get better.

Careful with the tomato juice... it can be very very irritating for some people, espeically in the first few weeks.

The blender is your friend. I lived on vitamized Soup on the liquid phase... and there's so many different flavours to keep you from getting bored with it. A creamy potato soup was fantastic for me. Also minestrone with a bit of spice added to it.

Not much longer now. I know its hard, but you can do it!

Dee Dee, there is light at the end of the tunnel..hang in there, we all have been where you are and asked the same questions. It does get better. Try drinking more portien, it does help with the wimpy feeling and does help with hunger. 8 oz of protien does not seem like enough, I was drinking 3- 12 oz cans a day on the liquid phase which was 60 grams of protein and it helped alot. What I'm suprised at is your Dr. will let you have tuna, if he lets you have tuna why not other soft foods with protein like refired beans, cottage cheese

I agree with the increase Protein suggestions - that is the only thing that got me through 2 weeks of liquids only - and I was sooooo ready for mushy food!

I drank Isopure - have you heard of it?? You can get it at GNC & places like that - it has 40 g of protein in a 20 oz bottle. It tastes like Kool-Aid with a pretty bad aftertaste, but honestly, it will curb your appetite. I was supposed to have at least 40 g per day of protein on the second week, preferrably more. I am now on week 4 post-op, which is soft foods and my protein goal is 60-80g per day (which isn't that hard on soft foods, but I still drink protein shakes).

I agree - talk to the nutritionist about a protein goal and other things to curb appetite.

Hang in there!

Dee Dee,

The following list of food is concidered Full Liquids and is what my surgeon sends you home from the hospital on. This is his recomended diet for the first 3 week (then you see the dietician as she can advance you to the next step). Give your doctor or nutritionist a call and ask about these foods because it really helps to add some variety.

Beverages:

Skim or 1% milk (carb countdown fat free contains more protien)

Low sugar, decaffeinated, non-carbonated Fluid (crystal light, fruit2o, etc)

Low sugar, low fat, high Protein supplements (CIB, protien shakes, etc)

Dairy products

Low fat, light yogurt

SF, FF pudding & custard

Low fat cottage cheese (blended)

Soup

Low fat cream Soups thinned down with 1 cup low fat milk (strained of chunks or blended)

Low fat broth

Miscellaneous

Plain hot cream of wheat or otameal (must be pourable consistancy)

SF popsicle

unsweetened applesauce

SF Gelatin

Once you get some food that you body can use into it you should start feeling better.

Good luck,

Dee Dee,

you poor thing. Iam so sorry you are going through this. I too am having a tough time on the liquids and I keep telling myself that it is just for 5 more days. I want veggies so bad it is killing me. I actually did the chew and spit with some food just to get a feeling like I was eating and not just drinking...

But you really need to get more into you girl. Everyone is right when they say you will feel better if you are getting the nutrition you need.

I was unable to do the Protein Drinks they made me gag...yuck.

But I add Protein Powder to pudding and soup and carnation instant b Fast.

It does make it better.

Just keep on going and you will be on mushies before you know it.

Feel Better

Amy