..and I feel awful! I am so tired of broth, I can't seem to swallow any more of it. I've tried all types of soups with clear broth, (draining out all the food) and I've about had it. This whole afternoon I have been crying off and on. I know I'm feeling sorry for myself....I don't regret the band... but only clear liquids is so HARD. :wink: My stomach is growling...my head hurts....and I'm always tired. I just feel like crawling into bed and not getting up until Tuesday when I see my Dr. for my first post-op appt. I still have tonight and 3 more days to get thru.. I don't know how I will do it. Please help me stick to my post op diet. I'm super frustrated. :w00t: I understand what's in store....what the goal is. Trying SOOOOO hard to keep my eyes on the prize...

Some of these doctors go overboard!!!!! I did ZERO days of clear liquids. I had full liquids then started mushies on day 8. I never got sick, belched, or had any issues. Make yourself a shake and enjoy it. You should NOT have had to go through that....

Where did you get your medical degree? Where did you serve your internship, get your training?

:tongue:HI, I'm in Mn. and banded on 9/2 and I too am very surprised to hear all these long durations of clear liquids. I was only on them the day of surgery - after surgery and then on just liquids with a strick regime of protien shake intake for calcium and nutrictition and that is hard.. My heart goes out to you. I think the more "solid" liquids have helped me heal up. They did my surg.at 7:30 am.. they woke me up at a bit after 9 and had me up. I was out of the hospital by12:30! I have a "no exceptions" return to work at 2 weeks and was released to work out at day 7 - so by day 8 I was doing 1/2 hour on the bike at the club. My scars are almost all healed up already and getting up and out has helped. I get a bit shaky now even though and can't imagine doing it without protein and nutrition. I"m doing about 50-60g of protien per day. My new goal is to get my fiber intake up. I am hungry though and it's a very concerted effort every day not to eat more than the diet allows. I'm averaging about 7-800 calories per day pre excersise and am down a bit over 8# so far.. Not huge wt. loss but steady and I feel good. I am nervous since I know I could eat a lot more if I did not force myself not too.... a bit scared about rtw since my days get long and stressfull... but plan to make myself a priority.

Hello Again All!! Thinin10, I could use to follow ur plan of making yourself a priority. :thumbup: It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day "stuff". Wanted to follow up with you guys after my Doc appt. The manual I got before banding said "clear liquids until you have your first post-op appt with your doctor, usually a week". When I asked my Doc when my first post op appt would be he said 2 weeks. My understanding was clear liquids till u see good ol doc. :mad2: I went in to see my Doc. He said I was only supposed to be on clears for 1 week then puree. lol I even called the office yesterday and got the same... until you see your doc. clear liquids....usually 1 week. In any event....I made it thru 17 days of clear liquids!! & :thumbup: I'm on puree for a few days then soft foods. :thumbup: I have my second post-op appt scheduled in 2 weeks for my first fill! YAY! How was your appt DiananG?

Hi So_it_goes,

Glad that your appointment went well and that now you can eat something with a bit more substance!!That is great.:thumbup:

Isn't it interesting how one hand doesn't know what the other is doing sometimes!:mad2:

I just got back from my appointment and the surgeon is happy and so am I. I am down another 3 pounds this week. He wants me to lose 2-3 lbs a week. He said that he wanted to see me in a month, but since I am planning on being gone for 5 weeks, he told me to call when I got back and he would give me my next fill then. He says that usually after a fill, you aren't hungry, but after a couple of weeks, hunger returns and then you get a fill. I have a couple of weeks until I leave, so he said if I was getting really hungry,call him and he would make sure I got a fill before I leave.

Hello all! I'm on day 15 Clear liquids.. still going strong. Thanks for all ur postings! I'm not sure of my caloric intake... I'm straining ckn Soup or Wonton soup for the broth. Is there a way to get an idea of my caloric intake? maybe divide can of calories by 2 or 3? I see my doctor on Tuesday.... I think I can make it till then... :thumbup: lol I'm looking into the Isopure, well hey, lol I can call my doc abt that on Monday. :thumbup: Jac the salmon sounds yummy! I do plan on sticking to my diet....clear liquids till given the green light for the next stage..which I think will be mushy... applesauce, scrambled eggs, mashed things. :thumbup: the hand out from the nutritionist said clear liquids for 1 week post op...but each doc is sooo different! :mad2: Mine said clear liquids till I see you....2 weeks. lol Thanks again everyone! And Diana, Fingers crossed here for out Tuesday appts! :thumbup:

Okay, so you got 2 conflicting sets of instructions from your Dr's practice? You have done so well... but if it was me, I would follow the nutritionist's advice. That sounds like punishment - 2 weeks clear. I had 3 days clear liquids pre op and none post op, went straight to "straw diet" which included stuff like yogurt and cottage cheese. This just seems extreme, and why would the nutritionist tell you one thing and the surgeon another? Good for you staying on this so long. I would have snuck in a few Protein drinks by now.

Okay, so you got 2 conflicting sets of instructions from your Dr's practice? You have done so well... but if it was me, I would follow the nutritionist's advice. That sounds like punishment - 2 weeks clear. I had 3 days clear liquids pre op and none post op, went straight to "straw diet" which included stuff like yogurt and cottage cheese. This just seems extreme, and why would the nutritionist tell you one thing and the surgeon another? Good for you staying on this so long. I would have snuck in a few Protein drinks by now. :mad2:

Oops, I didn't see your last post! So it was only supposed to be 1 week. That makes more sense. Congratulations making it through and happy weight loss to you!

Where did you get your medical degree? Where did you serve your internship, get your training?

This is a case where Dr. does not always know best...He should have made it clear to her that it was only one week, not 2. I think that was pretty lame that she had to live through that.

Respectfully, I would've asked "well, is it ONE week, or TWO" but that's just me. The Doc TOLD her at the post op appt she was only supposed to be on liquids one week, so apparently he had a grasp of the situation. When I was told "usually one week" I'd have called to clarify. I'm not saying the OP was wrong; understand! She did what she thought was right (and WOOT! for making it so long!) but communication flows 2 ways.

Edited September 15, 200916 yr by RestlessMonkey

Kudos sogoesit! You're made of tougher stuff than me.. If I hadn't already called the dr. office weeping before.. I would be calling now to kick some butt on whomever gave me that bad info! If you've got that kind of willpower... you're going to be SO successful!

So how long were most of you out of work and any rough ideas on avg. wt. loss the 1st 2 weeks... say for anybody with 125+ to lose? :mad2:

Respectfully, I would've asked "well, is it ONE week, or TWO" but that's just me. The Doc TOLD her at the post op appt she was only supposed to be on liquids one week, so apparently he had a grasp of the situation. When I was told "usually one week" I'd have called to clarify. I'm not saying the OP was wrong; understand! She did what she thought was right (and WOOT! for making it so long!) but communication flows 2 ways.

True, but sometimes your own instinct and common sense may trump the "official" medical advice. Just one example: I was given a prescription for the giant Vicodin pills after surgery. Seemed weird, so I called the N.P. She said, go ahead and take em whole, most people have no problem with them. I did, and the pill promptly got stuck, and I had to do everything in my power to avoid vomiting since I was just 3 days post op. That was BAD advice. That could have caused a very bad result.

So, my view is, if it is not a life or death situation, or a situation where your surgery could be cancelled, I think it is perfectly reasonable to question the Dr's view.

Not to go on and on, but when I was pregnant with my first baby, I asked the OB/GYN about drinking coffee while pregnant. She said, "well, we tell our patients not to drink any coffee at all because we are afraid they will go overboard. But its really not going to hurt you to have a cup of coffee once in a while." In other words, some of these rules are put in place because the medical professionals do not think we can handle having options. We might "go overboard." You know, especially since we have proven our ability to go overboard: we are overweight!

Of course, I drank coffee in all 4 of my pregnancies and delivered healthy babies. Imagine that, I was able to think for myself and limit my caffeine intake to a reasonable amount!

Thanks for the feedback everyone! At the pre-op appt the Dr.'s office gave me a packet. It said " after surgery you will be on clear liquids until you see the Dr. for your first post-op appt. Usually 1 week." This same packet was what I went over with my dietitian a month pre-op.... the "Usually 1 week" was emphasized. After surgery, while is recovery I asked the Doctor when is my first post-op appt. He said "2 weeks". At the time, I was ok with the 2 weeks clear liquids...as I know that sacrifices are made for the band to work. :thumbup: The 2 weeks just got very hard... and when i called the Dr's office yesterday.... the assistand agreed with me that the packet was correct and I then asked " so at my first post-op appt, tomorrow, the Dr. will let me eat something other than broth"... he said yes. Could I have could I have said more to clarify... sure. But I thought I understood. And I'm also a bit insecure about food, my weight...so, I'd feel weird asking to eat.... But that's my thing. :thumbup: Thanks again all! 17 days clear liquids, down 17lbs. Let's all cross our fingers I won't gain it back now that I can eat puree.. :mad2: that would not be good! :thumbup: Cheers!

So_it_goes, I can easily see how you thought your clear liquid diet was to be for 2 weeks. After all, the whole life change thing, plus surgery, etc. result in a lot to remember and think about during a very stressful time!! It can be almost overwelming and emotional.

Now you know you are a very strong person! You have a lot of willpower and it will serve you well in the coming months. I am proud of you!!

I don't think you will gain the 17 lbs back. There for a while after surgery, I was losing at a rate of a pound a day. I am about a month and a half post-surgery and today I found out that I am 30 pounds down!!!! So I am losing at a more satisfactory rate now, but I didn't gain back what I lost during those early days. So concentrate on the future and not the past and you are going to be so impressed with yourself!!!!! "atta girl"!!!!!!!

:drool:Can you chew gum (sugarfree) that always help me thur the liquid diets. Keep busy (games, walking or friends) anything to your mind off of eating.. (easy to say, I know)!

Check with your surgeon before chewing gum (sugarless or otherwise) There can be issues with it (gas from swallowed air, peristalsis from chewing and salivating with the gum, and "stuck" issues depending on your fill level) and some surgeons prefer their patients just stay away from it.

Some of these doctors go overboard!!!!! I did ZERO days of Clear liquids. I had full liquids then started mushies on day 8. I never got sick, belched, or had any issues. Make yourself a shake and enjoy it. You should NOT have had to go through that....

Not everyone will have issues (right away) if they do not follow doctor's orders. But it is still very important that we all do it anyway. The reason for clear liquids is to allow the stomach time to DO NOTHING while the tissue is healing/getting used to the band. In the long run, it helps the band stay in place.

I think none of us can say how long the clear liquids are really necessary -- my doc has me on clear liquids for 5 days -- then two days of full liquids, so that it isnt such a shock on the stomach to go from next to nothing to regular food again.

If weight loss was easy, none of us would be here. THe Lap-band will make it eas-ier, but not if we take advantage of it. I dont know about you, but I am a single mom on a really restricted budget. My family paid for this. I am not going to let them down by questioning doctors orders. I am not going to let my children down - they need their mom. And I am not going to let ME down. My kids are going to be grown before I know it and I deserve to have this time for me.