I'm only 6 days post-op and already having a hard time sticking to the liquids-only diet. I am supposed to stay on it for 4 weeks then move on to mushies/solids but it's getting increasingly hard.

I had almost no post-op pain or discomfort but really struggled thru the 3-day CLEAR liquid phase and barely made it, and even though the first time I was able to eat some soup (Cream of mushrooms) felt AWESOME and was incredibly satisfying (compared to my previous "broth hell"). Problem is I am already SICK of soups & shakes and finding it really hard to have just 3 meals a day, in such small portions since I start feeling hungry just a couple of hours after each meal. I truly feel (or maybe I would just like to believe) that my stomach is READY to move on to the next phase.

Yesterday (Day 5) I couldn't resist the urge and cheated for the first time and had 2 slices of white bread with some mayo on them (mayo sandwich). I did feel kinda bad about it but the thing tasted SO awesome and my stomach was more than fine so I just let it go. Today, I had a few spoonfuls of rice before my breakfast shake and same thing, some remorse afterwards but it was DELICIOUS and the food went down OK.

Since the op, I haven't BP'ed, vomited or felt any kind of restriction other than feeling reasonably satisifed immediately after my morning shake or serving of soup.

A few minutes ago I was very tempted at work and had some junk food (a small bag of Mexican "cheetos") which ALSO went down perfectly fine, no burps, no pain or anything, so I am starting to get worried that this "bingeing" beahavior will only keep getting worse and worse as days go by and I won't be able to control it and/or may even damage my band at some point. Still haven't eaten ANY meat at all, but I am really tempted about having a few bites of a (small) cheeseburger just to see what happens... HEEEELP!!! :sad:

Edited September 16, 200916 yr by _Kimo_

Hey Kimo-

Hang in there. I was/am in the same boat! I had my surgery August 28th and I too had a tremendously hard time following the liquid diet.

I reached out to a few of my bandster friends, who all confirmed to me that they also cheated at times.

Don't be so hard on yourself, this is going to be a slow process. It is not going to happen overnight. Just because there is a piece of silicon wrapped around our stomachs, doesn't mean that we are all of a sudden going to hate food! Food and eating are a matter of life and that won't ever go away.

We are always going to be tempted, but I can tell you that it gets easier. MUCH, much easier. I am already having no problems thinking smaller. When I go out to eat, or when I prepare meals at home, I don't even think about the larger portions because I know I CAN'T eat that much.

Once you have a fill, you will not be able to binge, so that urge will slowly disappear with time. It's like a muscle, the more you resist temptations, the easier it will get.

Again, hang in there. From what I have heard this is ALL perfectly normal. Just try to concentrate on the reasons why you decided to undergo this surgery in the first place. Make small changes and be super patient with yourself.

We all mess up.

Good luck to you!!!

Kimo, even the most lenient post-op diets I've seen generally call for staying on a two week liquid diet. You have stitches that are holding your band in place, and you do not want your stomach churning to digest solid food. The scary thing is that you can't see if you're doing damage, and often it doesn't show up until later when your band slips.

You have to stop with the solid foods. Call your doctor, and tell him what's going on. You're not going to be his first patient who feels like he's starving on this post-op diet, and maybe he'll have some good suggestions to help you get through this healing period with your band stitches intact.

I do agree with BonMag that you shouldn't beat yourself up over it. What's done is done. There are people who cheat on the post-op diet, but of all times not to cheat, this is it.

Good luck, and believe me, we know this period can be rough, but you have to be strong.

Edited September 16, 200916 yr by kiz

Kimo I agree with Kiz you don't want to end up with a complication. The food choices you are making also are 'difficult foods' (rice and bread) that should be avoided even later or tried with care well after you have healed. Ask your doc if you can go on to pureed foods - 4 weeks is a long time for liquids so I can see how you are not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. When they say liquid do they mean you can have pureed food? I got banded on sep 11 - i had to do liquid protein diet 2 weeks before (was allowed two cups veggies ) but now I have to do 10 days of liquid no solids at all and not pureed. That means it is thin enough to be sipped through a straw. Pureed food comes after for another 10 days. The reason I am keeping myself honest is because messing up can cause band slippage and I don't really want to deal w/ that. Please take care of yourself and call your doctor.

Hey man, dont be too hard on yourself, I got banded yesterday and they have let me start on mushies today. I asked the doctor about this and what I have read about the need for liquids only, and he said not worry, that the band will be fine. He said that the way the put the band in nowdays is to stich a bit of the stomach over the band to stop slippages

So yes its best to follow what your own doctor says, but dont be too hard on yourself if you slip a bit.

My surgeon puts you on soft proteins and cooked vegis on day 4 of surgery and we have all done fine. Again all the surgeons seem to have their own set of rules... so call you dr and tell them what a hard time you are having and let them give you some other options to choose from to help you through the healing and that way you aren't eating mayo sandwiches and cheetos!

You will be ok...and once you get the beloved restriction you will do just fine. Hang in there, everyone struggles!

Kimo,

That's a lot of solid food after only 6 days. I know that every doctor gives different guidelines and yours (4 weeks on liquids) seem strict, but I haven't seen anybody whose doctor would let them go to solid foods after six days. I agree that what's done is done, but I don't want to give the impression that you should keep doing this. This isn't a diet to lose weight right now. It's a diet to heal from surgery. I think the foods that you are eating could be very dangerous for you. Please call your doctor, tell her what you've already eaten and ask if you can move on to mushies.

How much protein is in your shake mix? Mine has 22 grams/serving and they do a pretty good job at staving off hunger.

I wish you the best of luck. There isn't a single person on this board who got here because of an excess of willpower. This is hard for all of us.

Kimo, solid food takes a different process to digest. Liquids simply pass on through the pouch and through the rest of your stomach sort of "at will". Any solid food requires your stomach to "churn" it....and that action can cause complications INCLUDING SLIPPAGE.

Call your doctor's office, tell them about the bread, and ask for help with what you can have to help satisfy your hunger.

I was on liquids for 10 days, mushies for 10 days, then added solid foods slowly. But while on liquids, I could have as much as I wanted when I wanted...double check that with your doc!

Pudding, jello, broth, soup (puree the ones that have solids in them), yogurts, popsicles, frozen lemonade, make stock from scratch (it has a lot more flavor). If you need to know how, private message me and I'll pass it on. I've posted it on here so many times I'm just going to offer it if you want it.

I'm with everyone here... don't beat yourself up. I get banded on Thurs, and have a 4 week liquid protein diet as well, I must have 60-90 gms of liquid protein a day (I'm choosing mostly Isopure with zero carbs), and drink every one - 2 hours, not allowing myself to get hungry. I know it works! That protein (not the quantity) helps keep hunger at bay, but it takes 3-4 days for the body to adjust to that. adding carbs throws everything off, and that 3-4 day process has to start all over again. 4 weeks can seem very strict... but compared to the rest of my life??? 4 weeks is nothing. We can do it!

I am 2 days post op and I am liquids, not bad so far... hanging in there and trying to follow the rules.

Kimo good luck on your journey, but feel free to call your doctor/Nutritionist whenever your feel like cheating on stuff like brea and rice.

Surgery date Sept 14, 2009

Kimo - I am 6 weeks post op tomorrow. 4 days after surgery I was eating chicken salad with the ok from my surgeon. Just put it in a food processor and pulverize the crap out of it. I used the new Kraft Olive Oil light mayo and some relish and pulled a whole rotiserrie chicken apart and made it with that. I was able to eat about 4 heaping tablespoons of the chicken salad and I was stuffed. I ate slowly and let it sink in before I ate more and decided I was full after those 4 tablespoons. The Protein makes you feel full. Stay away from the bread and rice. Boil some eggs and keep those in the fridge for when you feel like you need something. I have not had a fill yet and don't get my first fill for another 12 days so I am anxious to see if that helps me. I'm not hungry but I stopped losing. I've lost 37 pounds from the 2 weeks liquid before the surgery till today and I feel blah because I have had no loss in the past week.

Anyway, don't beat yourself up! Just please try to stay away from the bread. Eat chicken, I promise you it will fill you up! AND it helps you meet your protein requirement!!

GEAUX TIGERS!:tt1:

As has been said soooo many times, all surgeons have differing rules. We were allowed - even encouraged - to eat a portion of the tuna salad that they served us in the hospital the day after WLS. We start on mushies immediately after our release from the hospital and move to soft food when we are handling mushies well.

Good luck to you (and ITA, speak w/your doctor!).

My doc says these 6 weeks after surgery are for healing, not weight loss. He wants me to do mushies and get in the good habits of eating less, no sodas, etc but according to him, I will be able to tolerate everything just fine. He said "it's all me" until I get my fill and "allow the band to start working". These days post op are for healing. He said that the band is attached in place with metal staple like things and it's not going anywhere. Kimo, don't sweat it. When you get your fill you will start seeing the band working.

Call your surgeon. Let him know what you've done and why. He's not your mama, and I don't mean you have to go hat in hand, ashamed. But, he needs to know. You may have a slip, you may have just pulled a stitch and will have one later on, you may be fine. We can't always feel it when our bands are messed up; we don't always feel slips etc.

Let your doc know; and tell him you doubt your ability to stick to a 4 week liquid post op diet, in light of this. Let him help you; he's the pro. Please, do this as soon as he's open tomorrow. You need an intervention of some sort.

Thank you all so much for your great advise. I've read each and every one of your comments carefully.

I will definitely come clean to my doctor tomorrow morning and ask for help and/or liquid diet alternatives if possible.

Good luck! Don't let him give you attitude, just help! :tt1: