post op diet

Hi All -

I have some questions about the post-op diet - and some other stuff.

First, I had my post-op appointment with my surgeon today - I was banded on MAy 31st.   By my scale, I am down about 19 lbs.  They never weighed me the day of surgery, so they have a lower start weight than I was (my last weight at the office was about 10 lbs less - I know, I had a little bit of last supper syndrome).  Anyway, so, they think I only lost 7 lbs.  That sort of bummed me out.   Second, my surgeon literally spent about 30 second with me.  I was sort of surprised that he didn't ask me any more questions or even ask me if I had questions.  He simply gave me a copy of the diet again and the PA told me to exercie more.  

They were willing to schedule me for a fill on June 22 (which I thought was great - 3 weeks post-op), but I have a meeting that day, so we sxheduled for July 1 (4w 4days out).  I may call on Monday and see if I can get the 22nd date again.  I would really like the fill sooner than later and I am hoping that my surgeon will spend a little more time with me when I get my fill.  

Ok - so now to the diet.  He requires a 1 week clear liquid diet post-op.  No protien - jus****er, jello, broth, sugar free calorie free drinks.  It was hard.  I stopped 1 day early because I had to go to work for 12 hours and I just couldn't take the hunger.  

Week 2 is protien shakes, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, sugar-free pudding, blended soups with no meat.   This is where I am now.  Although I have "cheated".  I had 2 small bites of chicken salad and a bit of a crab cake.  Not a big deal in the scheme of things, but I know I could easily eat more and I coould easily eat meat and other stuff.   I also really want some veggies and fruit  - but not yet.

ANyway, because I am so hungry, I am tracking everything I eat on my fitness pal (i phone app).  Since Monday, I have been averaging about 750-800 calories per day.   Is this too much for week 2? Should I be consuming fewer calories? 

Next week, I am allowed pureed foods.  Fish, eggs, cheese, bean soups, soft fruit, mashed potatoes.   Som about how many calories a day should I shoot for during this week?

Week 4 is regular food. 

The guidelines say that I should shoot for between 900 and 1200 calories a day, but I should work my way up to that.  I feel like I could eat 1200 easily now.  I mean it would be a lot of cottage cheese, but I could do it.  

So, do I try to restrict calories more than I am (I'm at around 750-800/ day)?  Do I eat more, which I know I could?  Do I just do what I am doing?  I mean I am pretty much satisfied on around 800 cal/ day.  I am not "full", but not super hungry (I think I would have been pre-band).

Any advice on this? 

peace, nora

I think that for the first few weeks, I got between 400 - 1000 calories a day ---

By week 2, I was probably getting about 600 - 800

I tried to have 200 calories per meal (3 x a day) and 100 calories for 'snacks' twice a day.

As you are allowed to have more solid food, you will feel satisfied on fewer calories.
For example, 3 ounces of chicken is about 150 calories
That is much more filling than 1 cup of cottage cheese, or 6 ounces of yogurt.

At this phase, you should be working on eating small, careful portions (eat every 2 - 3 hours if you are hungry, but don't eat more than 200 calories at a time).
You are trying to heal and 'seat' your band---- your stomach is not supposed to be having to digest chicken salad and other foods that are not on your plan.

It is not about calories -- it is about healing and allowing your body to form the scar tissue that your band needs to stay placed well for life.

Like Kat said dont worry about calories right now. I never did and I never once worried about my carb intake because you are healing right now.  Dont stress about losing weight, what your calories are, how many carbs you are eating.

In fact I gained almost 7 pounds from week 2 to week 6.  Between the soups, the mashed potatoes, the refried beans and no exercise I put on weight so do not be surprised about that.

And not to be mean but it is a big deal if you start eating off your plan like you already have you could cause some major problems with your band.   Even if you have just a bite that one bite could screw you all up .  The reason why they give you the foods they do is so your stomach muscles dont work that much to try to digest that food .  They want your band to heal.   That can be very dangerous even if its just one bite .

You dont need to worry about calories till you start solid food and then everybody is different .what  works for me might not work for you.  I have found out that I will not lose weight if I go below 1000 and stay there.  I have to eat between 1000 to 1500 per day . I do alot of Zumba and that is a very intense workout so I need them calories to lose.

This is what I shoot for in a day

1000 to 1500 per day of calories

I try to stay around 50 or less no higher then 60 on fat

Carbs between 60-80 per day

Sodium I try to stay less then 2500 but dang that is hard .

But like I said this is just me , you will have to play around what you think is best.  Now my NUT did say everybody should be eating around 20 grams of carbs per meal . 

And you will never be full with the band you will get the satisfied feeling. I'm never stuffed like before, but I'm not hungry either.  I can go around 3-5 hrs of not being physically hunger.  Head hunger and emotional eating is a whole different ball game .

Good Morning,

I am the same way!! I am only one week post op and I feel like I can eat anything... I was doing the clear liquids and the left over optifast, but I have moved to soups and stuff... I think I may have done it too soon but I feel much better and I have had no problems... I feel like I dont have much restriction, I know I dont, but I want to eat more, I have eaten cottage cheese (small curd) and other stuff like that... I am watching the sodium intake and stuff... I cant seem to get my head wrapped around the other part of it.. I didn't know it would hurt the band if I ate this stuff? So soft eggs and stuff are out?

Thanks for this post...

Thanks for the information.  I had no idea that a few bites of chicken salad could screw up the way the dand settles.  I figured it was about the same consistency of the cottage cheese I am allowed to eat .  Anyway, I have been pretty good besides those few bites.  

Today, I begin week 3 post op, so I can eat what I *think* you guys call mushies.  This is where I can eat mostly real food, but it has to be put into the blender.  Although it sounds like I can eat flaky fish without blending - not sure.   Anyway, I brought some salmon salad for lunch today.   Just canned salmon and lite mayo - about 2.5 ounces.  I can't wait.  That is as adventuous as I am getting today.  I'll prbably have the rest of the salmon salad for dinner.  

I am still around 800 calories/ day right now.  The scale has not budged in about 5 days.  I am tracking everything on my fitness pal.   MAybe I am eating too few calories and my body is holding onto the weight? 

Not sure, but now that I have a wider range of foods I can eat, I plan to up my calories to about 1000 and see how that goes.  I plan to start walking daily this week as well.  

I hope I didn't screw up this band....

peace, nora