Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well!

As for me, I need some help! :sad: I hate to admit what I'm about to say, but I need to be honest with myself and everyone else and say that I have strayed off course...

Since I had my follow up appt with my surgeon, (last Tuesday), and was given the go ahead to add a few things to my diet, I pretty much lost my mind. My body feels so good and healed, it doesn't even seem like I had surgery less than 2 weeks ago! I am only reminded of this when I see my incisions, bend over the wrong way or slouch, or have to ask hubby to lift the little one for me. I am happy to be feeling so good, but at the same time, I think I have gotten a little bit overconfident.

So, first I tried my new allowed items, cottage cheese, string cheese, eggs...yummy of course. Then, over the next few days, I got a little cocky and couldn't resist trying a little bit of the meat sauce I made for my family the other night, to go with their spaghetti. Then I tried some of the hotdogs I had made for the kids...and then a crescent roll...and then some skippy natural Peanut Butter...a piece of regular bread...then more peanut butter...(I think I am in love with peanut butter, btw). I did not have a problem with any of these foods, nothing stuck, nothing came back up. (I wish it would have to teach me a lesson!)

So it has kind of been a free-for-all the last few days. I haven't been focusing on getting my Protein in, I have actually been AVOIDING my Protein shakes because I am so tired of them, I just plain have not been following the rules. I do not feel any restriction at all and although I haven't really eaten anything TOO bad, such as fast food or sweets, I do NOT want to keep this up for the next 3 weeks until I get my first fill. I know that if I do keep this up, I will gain all of my pre op weight back and I DEFINITELY do not want that! And who knows if my first fill will even create restriction at all!

I was SO incredibly strict with the pre op diet, I never had a bite or taste of anything that was not on my list, so why am I doing this now???

Is anyone else having a similar problem? PLEASE kick my butt in gear! This is your invitation to tell it to me straight!

i understand exactly what your going through. the problem i'm having is that i have started to get really hungry. i'm allowed to eat 1/4 cup of (pureed or soft) food at each meal and that doesnt seem to make me full. i've started working out and i find myself starving and i dont want another protein shake YACK!! i guess we just have to be strong and have a little restraint. like you said dont wanna gain the pre-op / post-op weight back. now the real work begins for the Mayo Banditos! remember, you're not alone!!

Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well!

As for me, I need some help! :sad: I hate to admit what I'm about to say, but I need to be honest with myself and everyone else and say that I have strayed off course...

Since I had my follow up appt with my surgeon, (last Tuesday), and was given the go ahead to add a few things to my diet, I pretty much lost my mind. My body feels so good and healed, it doesn't even seem like I had surgery less than 2 weeks ago! I am only reminded of this when I see my incisions, bend over the wrong way or slouch, or have to ask hubby to lift the little one for me. I am happy to be feeling so good, but at the same time, I think I have gotten a little bit overconfident.

So, first I tried my new allowed items, cottage cheese, string cheese, eggs...yummy of course. Then, over the next few days, I got a little cocky and couldn't resist trying a little bit of the meat sauce I made for my family the other night, to go with their spaghetti. Then I tried some of the hotdogs I had made for the kids...and then a crescent roll...and then some skippy natural Peanut Butter...a piece of regular bread...then more peanut butter...(I think I am in love with peanut butter, btw). I did not have a problem with any of these foods, nothing stuck, nothing came back up. (I wish it would have to teach me a lesson!)

So it has kind of been a free-for-all the last few days. I haven't been focusing on getting my Protein in, I have actually been AVOIDING my protein shakes because I am so tired of them, I just plain have not been following the rules. I do not feel any restriction at all and although I haven't really eaten anything TOO bad, such as fast food or sweets, I do NOT want to keep this up for the next 3 weeks until I get my first fill. I know that if I do keep this up, I will gain all of my pre op weight back and I DEFINITELY do not want that! And who knows if my first fill will even create restriction at all!

I was SO incredibly strict with the pre op diet, I never had a bite or taste of anything that was not on my list, so why am I doing this now???

Is anyone else having a similar problem? PLEASE kick my butt in gear! This is your invitation to tell it to me straight!

Okay, you asked for it! Are you crazy! Those beautiful children and a lifetime commitment you made to have a lapband put in and you are already off track. Please see your doctor immediately and/or a counselor. They don't want you eating even soft foods early on because your stomach has to heal, the stitches holding the lapband in place have to settle and heal and I am really afraid with the chances you are taking with the eating you describe, that you could be leading yourself to a potential for a lapband slip due to it not getting seated well around the top of your stomach pouch.

So yes, kick it in gear for yourself and your family.

Okay, you asked for it! Are you crazy! Those beautiful children and a lifetime commitment you made to have a lapband put in and you are already off track. Please see your doctor immediately and/or a counselor. They don't want you eating even soft foods early on because your stomach has to heal, the stitches holding the lapband in place have to settle and heal and I am really afraid with the chances you are taking with the eating you describe, that you could be leading yourself to a potential for a lapband slip due to it not getting seated well around the top of your stomach pouch.

So yes, kick it in gear for yourself and your family.

Thank you for the kick in the butt, I did ask for it. Please note that my surgeon AND dietician told me last tuesday that I could start eating eggs, cottage cheese, string cheese and unsweetened applesauce.

i understand exactly what your going through. the problem i'm having is that i have started to get really hungry. i'm allowed to eat 1/4 cup of (pureed or soft) food at each meal and that doesnt seem to make me full. i've started working out and i find myself starving and i dont want another protein shake YACK!! i guess we just have to be strong and have a little restraint. like you said dont wanna gain the pre-op / post-op weight back. now the real work begins for the Mayo Banditos! remember, you're not alone!!

Thank you for your reply. I am going to have to just start over and get my mental focus back!!!!

ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto to everything you have said Cyndi. I am hungry inbetween my schedule meals and protein shakes. My surgeon warned me about this. Just like you I was the strickest I have ever been in my life with my pre-op and post-op until I got the ok to start pureed food. I didn't go nuts, just a little ice cream here and there, but it was short lived because I ending up kicking my arse about it. I am now back on track and I get moving inbetween meals and I add protein powder (not the same as my shakes, tastes like pink lemonade, etc) to my water to curb my appetite. Good luck.

Hey Cyndi, same here for me, thank you for your honesty. I feel great as well, except when I bend over, and such. I do not feel any restriction either. I have been good for the most part just eating cottage cheese, eggs, drinking my Protein ect., but I do not feel any restriction so i tried a piece of very thinned crusted pizza and chewed and chewed and chewed to baby food consistency. I felt like I could have eaten another piece but didn't. Like you I wish I could feel what it feels like to get full or stuck to learn a lesson. Although I did cheat that once I am still being really good and I'm only eating about 1000 calories a day and I'm not losing any weight which is pretty discouraging. (I know we are not in the losing weight but healing stage) but still.....

The info Special K helped me too, thanks Special K for telling it like it is.

Isn't this the part they call Bandster's Hell? I don't think we're supposed to feel any restriction at this point. But we have to be so sure to still follow the "rules" so we can heal.

I've found that keeping a food journal really helps me stay honest and keeps me from eating things I really shouldn't. I don't want to see it in writing! Maybe that would be something that could help you to keep the cravings in check?

Also, my nutritionist recommended eating something every 2 hours or so throughout the day at this point. It will help me get used to eating small meals more frequently and it keeps me from being hungry between times especially since I have no restriction right now.

Hang in there. I think this is all trial and error for each of us until we find something that works for us.

And thank you SpecialK for the very wise words! It definitely reinforces my desire to stay on course.

I was banded on the 18th, and lost 11 pounds in five days while I was on the liquid phase. I felt SO weak and tired during the first few days, but now I am on pureed foods and feeling a little more normal in terms of energy.

The funny thing is, the last couple of days on pureed foods I haven't felt full at all...but today...and I'm still on pureed foods...is that I ate yogurt at lunch and I have felt full all day since then...almost like I need to burp but the gas won't come up. I don't necessarily feel uncomfortable, but feel like I could burp. I am thirsty, though, so I keep taking sips of Water and so I keep staying full feeling.

I wonder why I feel so full today? Why won't it go away, even when i don't eat or drink for a while? Weird...

Hi Cyndi,

I understand what you are going through and I admire your honesty. I too am on pureed foods (banded 5/7)

It has been really tough. I have been living on yogurt and refried beens. The thought of a Protein shake makes me want to hurl. I did have baked Beans mashed up and a bite of a hotdog. I am too afraid to eat bread. I am craving fruit and cucumbers. I think when we are advanced to a regular diet and can prepare a balanced meal it will be easier. Hang in there. A few "meals" that have helped me are -

refried beans, low fat cheese, microwave, then top with guacamole and low fat sour cream - feels like you really have something to eat. the other is ricotta, egg and parmesan cheese mixed, top with spaghetti sauce and low fat mozzarella - microwave or bake, kind of a no Pasta lasagna. Hope this helps. Stay strong!

Mary

Thank you thank you to everyone for your replies! I did much better today and I am going to start using my food journal again!

I am having the same problems right now. While I am at work I follow my diet strictly. At home is a different story when I need to cook for the family. My Doc gave me the option to either drink slim fast or carniation instant sugar free breakfast. The Slimfast makes me want to gag but I love the Carniation. I mix it with 8 to 10 ounces of skim milk and blend. I also add in a tablespoon of dry skim milk to bring the protein up even higher. The other day I was a Walmart and found an awesome high protein supplement. They are call protein shots and come in a fruit punch flavor. At $2.00 a vial they are a easy way to add protein to your diet. They are a little sweet but still taste good when sipped slowly.

I started getting hungry yesterday I knew to expect this part would be tough its not called bandster hell for nothing but I admit to nursing that hope that I would be one of those rare souls that felt restriction right away. Lol

I am looking forward to advancing to stage three next week. Something with more taste might help all this creamy mushy stuff doesn't even feel like food.

It is bandster hell until you get your first fill. Dont beat yourself up, get back on track the best you can. A year from now this fiirst cheating/hell month wont matter! Thanks for being so honest.

Just like your preop diet, try to think of this as your prefill diet! Good luck, friend!

Cyndi- Thank you for being as honest as you were...... I too have tried and cheated on a couple of occassions.... BUT, then I think after I have done it and feel awful. Now, in the past several days I have minded my diet. Like SpecialK stated so well in their response, you need to question yourself on why you cheated. For me it was mindless cheating, I cheated and then realized what I had just done. Like you, I feel 100% well- like I never had surgery 2 weeks ago. Accept when you seee the scars. WHat has worked for me is to keep myself busy, during down time when I would have sat down and watched TV with a plate of Nachos I now get up and move, go for a walk. I have 4 kids and each night I take a different one on a walk, good bonding time and it doen't cost anything. Replace a bad habit with a healthy one......... the food journal is a great idea as well, makes you have to be accountable. Stay focused Cyndi. We all did this for a wonderful reason....... OURSELVES!!! And you need to believe you are so worth it. Peace. Heather:thumbup: