I am STARVING!

[laughnleo 0]

Okay, I guess that I am in bandster hell!

I have only had one fill, surgery was 11/30 and first fill was 12/22. I do not know how much he put in, didn't ask. I have a 14cc band. After the fill, I was full for a couple of days. Now, the hunger is in full control.

After the surgery I was not hungry for almost a week. I was then getting back an appetite, but could supress it with liquids and then mushies when I moved on to that stage.

I am now on a regular diet, and 4 ounces is NOTHING! I can eat that and still be starving. Needless to say, I eat more and then feel guilty. Full, but guilty.

The food also does not stay with me more than 2 hours. I have never felt sick, so hopefully my pounch is how it should be. I worry about that, too.

I go for my next fill on 1/13. I am so scared of gaining pounds back of the 30 I have lost just because of how I am eating. Anyone in the same boat and have any tips or tricks? I don't want this procedure to be in vain, but it is so miserable to be hungry!

[millhead 0]

I just logged on to the site because I am feeling the same way. I was banded on 12/14/09 and in the mushy stage. I am hungry all the time. I have heard it is just your head but I heard my stomach growling over my radio! Help!

[Mimilou2004 13]

Just do the best you can, you will average out your wt loss when you get restriction. I had to get an unfill 2 wks ago and my next fill isn't til 1-14 so I am struggling, too. Try and keep your calorie count to 1500 and walk as much as possible or exercise as tolerated. I know it feels like a set back, but except for "dieting" there is nothing you can do. Know that you are in good company!!!!

Best wishes,

Mimi

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Okay, I know the feeling, LOL. Here's what I was told to do in the beginning. It may not be what your doctors have said but I'll share.

I was told to eat 3 oz of lean Protein and a vegetable. If still hungry, I could have a serving of whole grain carbs. When (notice I didn't say "IF", LOL) I got hungry in less than 4 hours, I ate a Protein snack...a boiled egg, an ounce of low fat cheese or a little deli sliced turkey -- each of those are about 70 calories).

Try to EAT your protein rather than drink Protein shakes. The reasoning behind that is very easy.....liquids pass through your band very quickly so they can't stick around long enough to give you any feeling of satiety. On the other hand, solid food -- especially solid protein -- takes longer to digest so it stays in your pouch longer and that gives you more of a feeling of satiety.

Hope this helps.

[Genielady 0]

I could just copy and paste what laughnleo wrote, almost exactly, even almost the same dates of surgery and first fill. I have never felt the full-constriction feeling that my girlfriend does, who had the Lap-Band brand band implanted 3 years ago, feels. I lost almost 30 pounds the two weeks pre-op on the Sugar Busters diet and two weeks post-op on all liquids, but have not lost anything since. My first fill was Dec 15 and they put in 8cc's in the 11cc Realize "c" band. I still could eat a full-course Red Lobster meal and feel no constriction at all, if I let myself. I go back on January 14 for a band adjustment but I can't see how 3 more cc's is going to make any difference. If I wanted to starve myself and exercise like crazy just to make some progress, I don't know why I went thru this surgery. Can you tell I am worried?

[crzytchr 3]

I could just copy and paste what laughnleo wrote, almost exactly, even almost the same dates of surgery and first fill. I have never felt the full-constriction feeling that my girlfriend does, who had the Lap-Band® brand band implanted 3 years ago, feels. I lost almost 30 pounds the two weeks pre-op on the Sugar Busters diet and two weeks post-op on all liquids, but have not lost anything since. My first fill was Dec 15 and they put in 8cc's in the 11cc Realize "c" band. I still could eat a full-course Red Lobster meal and feel no constriction at all, if I let myself. I go back on January 14 for a band adjustment but I can't see how 3 more cc's is going to make any difference. If I wanted to starve myself and exercise like crazy just to make some progress, I don't know why I went thru this surgery. Can you tell I am worried?

I wouldn't get really worried yet. At your next fill, be sure that they withdraw the Fluid from the band to be certain they actually hit the port when they filled you last time. If the port was missed, you didn't actually get a fill at all. Also, it will tell whether or not any Fluid is missing, possibly indicating a leak. If none of these are the case, it is possible that you just need a lot to get restriction. My friend who was banded 2 weeks prior to me almost 18 months ago has 8ccs in her band and I only have 2. When it gets close, even an increase of .2ccs can make a huge difference. Good luck!

[NoName-AZ 0]

Try eating more Protein.. It stays with you longer and fills your pouch up and stays there. Protein and green veggies. Stick with those types of foods.

Hope this helps.

[Davidzthe1 0]

Eating more protien seems to curb my hunger, therefore, more protien shakes between meals for me. I am only 2 weeks post surgery though.

[tinkerbellbeeve 1]

Protein Shakes and Water

will help kill the hunger pains.

good luck!!

[Soexcited 64]

Ahhhh mee tooooooo! I was banded 11/25 and my first fill is not till 1/4 (a long wait I know...the dr's office messed up my appointment otherwise I would have had my first fill by now). So I am fully healed and HUNGRY! Trying to do the same thing as suggested here...protein Protein protein! Today I had a 30g Protein Shake for Breakfast ... a 1/2 a chicken breast for lunch and tonight I am going to BBQ some pounded flank steak. (If you pound your meat before you cook it .... it will be VERY tender and easy to go down) Even though I have no fill I still get food "STUCK" if I eat to fast. It happens with chicken and meat.

[ElfiePoo 109]

My first fill was Dec 15 and they put in 8cc's in the 11cc Realize "c" band. I still could eat a full-course Red Lobster meal and feel no constriction at all, if I let myself. I go back on January 14 for a band adjustment but I can't see how 3 more cc's is going to make any difference. If I wanted to starve myself and exercise like crazy just to make some progress, I don't know why I went thru this surgery. Can you tell I am worried?

Call 'em up and ask them to take out the Fluid to *be sure* you have 8cc's. That's one heck of a lot of Fluid for a first fill...for any fill...and to not have any type of restriction? Sounds strange.

I have the Realize band and at 6 cc's I could eat to excess if I wanted although did have difficulty with french bread and similar 'european style' breads. At 8 cc's I couldn't eat solid foods (oh, except for Cookies ) so they took out 1 cc. Now at 7 cc's I think I'm at my sweet spot. Definitely feel full after my meal and I'm 'content' for about 4 hours.

I had one scrambled egg and 1/2 piece of toasted oatmeal bread for Breakfast and 1/2 cup of clam chowder and 1/2 of a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Now, four hours later, I'm ready for a meal, but I'm going to put it off for another hour or so by having a cup of sugar free hot chocolate. I can't remember when I've eaten so little and felt so satisfied!

[cruzlady 0]

I am hurgry all of the time now .. Had to have 1/2 cc removed just before Christmas.. Was not able to kkep anything down.. Now I am looking at food all the time,, even the dog food is getting a second glance.. Not due for next fill until Feb

[ElfiePoo 109]

I am hurgry all of the time now .. Had to have 1/2 cc removed just before Christmas.. Was not able to kkep anything down.. Now I am looking at food all the time,, even the dog food is getting a second glance.. Not due for next fill until Feb

I am ROFLMAO...although at first I thought you said you were giving the 'dog' a second glance and I thought 'poor doggie'! LOL.

My doc is apparently unusual, but it may be because he has the band and has personal experience with it, but he lets his patients determine when they need a fill or unfill and it's based on whether or not they're hungry and/or whether they're still able to eat to excess. Perhaps you could call your doc and schedule your fill sooner?

[minimeme 1]

I had (and sometimes still do) that problem too. My hunger was not all in my head, it was physically hard to take. My stomach grumbled and rolled and made it so hard for me.

It has gotten better, but I have to watch my carbs. I can drink a 1/4 cup of low cal cranberry juice and be in trouble.

The best advice I can give is to journal your food. Keep track of what you are eating before you get so hungry. Try to eat things that wont send your blood sugar out of control. It is the only thing that works for me. Instead of eatting 1/2 an apple, I will eat 1/4 an apple with a slice of cheddar cheese. Or 1/2 a pear with a little cottage cheese. Or a couple grapes with a wedge of laughing cow.

[laughnleo 0]

Thank you all! I love this site and am so thankful to be able to communicate with all of you who are going through the same thing as me.

So, here is my game plan:

- Tomorrow (today I blew it...LOL) I am going to eact more Protein and stick to the Protein and veggies. Also, how long do you guys wait to drink after eating? My paperwork says 30 minutes before and after, but maybe I should move that back?

- I already called and moved my fill up to 1/06. I am also keeping my 1/13 appointment just in case.

Thank you everyone - here's hoping for a better tomorrow!