Hello,

I will get my first fill on 4/1 and have been really struggling during this "bandster hell". How did you get through this and after you get to the first fill does it help you to eat the expected (1/2 c per meal)? There are so many pictures of people on here that have lost so much at only 3 months past surgery. I have fluctuated between losing 15-18 lbs and I need to talk to someone who can help me. I am so scared that I've already failed. I am walking 3-4 times a week for 30 min...but the food part is my struggle. I am trying to get my 60g of protein and 64oz of water.

I didn't expect this to be easy at all, but I also didn't expect to eat so little with my band not tightened. I read mixed messages on here...I just want to know what others have done to be so successful from the start.

I kept telling myself, wait until the first fill, but I've come to realize that it could take months of fills before I am satisfied...in the meantime I could gain all my weight back. Any guidance would be appreciated. I'm feeling really down on myself.

Yea you can't just wait until the first fill if you want to be sucessful. You kind of have to diet during bandster hell unfortunately. Plan your menu for the day, maybe add in a bit of exercise if you can. For me, exercise actually makes me want to eat healthier just because I have burned cals so I don't want to mess it up by eating too much. Try a low carb diet...lean proteins and veggies. I always had one dessert at night just so I had something to look forward to! Good luck :laugh:

I was banded on 2/22 and will have my first fill on 3/31. I've been dieting during this time to try to lose some, but my doc says this is time for healing not major weight loss.

I get real hungry (stomach growling hunger, not just head hunger.) So I eat more than three 1/2 cup meals per day, but I'm eating healthy foods and limit my calorie intake to 1,000. I'm still on the pureed stages and eat:

• 3/4 cup skim milk-soaked cheerios for Breakfast
  
• 1/2 cup pureed chicken or tuna or scrambled egg for lunches and dinners with something to dress it up like salsa, lo fat cheese, etc.
  
• three 8 oz. powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury in crystal lite Protein drinks (20 grams pr. each).
  
• I also eat a mid-morning, mid-afternoon and mid-evening snack of things like 1/2 of a small banana, non-sugar pudding, non-sugar Jello, or non-sugar popsicle.
  

This keeps the hunger at bay and I'm slowly loosing pounds. When I go on soft foods in a couple of days I'll add some veges at lunch and dinner.

I lost 8 pounds during a one-week pre-op diet and have lost another 10 pounds since surgery. That's 10 pounds lost in four weeks since surgery, about 2.5 pounds a week. My understanding is that we're only supposed to lose a pound or two per week even after our fills.

The fills will help keep the hunger down, but no matter what I think it will always take some self-discipline to stay on course. It's not been easy but I love seeing those pounds come off. Your 15-18 pounds lost is nothing to sneeze at! Keep up the good work! :laugh:

One thing no one tells you about is bandster hell and yes you do have to diet just like before the band to lose weight during this time. Here is a blog I posted about bandster hell, I hop it helps.

It’s Not Bandster Hell…It’s the Waiting Room of Band Opportunity

I read few blogs today of folks that are in the proverbial Bandster Hell. Some are eating and frustrated, some are using Weight Watchers to fill the void and others are just hungry. I do think that LapBand medical community needs to be a little more effective in helping people through this phase of the process. My take on things is they do a great job upfront with the sales pitch and the pre-op prep. I think most doctors do a good job with the operation day and the basic post-op recovery. However, there seems to be a decided gap between the operation and the restriction phase of the band process. Which as we all know has been labeled Bandster Hell or BH for this blog. So for those of you in, or approaching BH, here is a check list to think about:

1. Avoid Consumption as Usual – it seems fairly common that once you are basically healed, many people can eat all they want and some like to test the limits of what you can eat. Needless to say this is not what we want to do. Just, assume that you can eat like the old you, but don’t do it. 

2. Prepare a BH Menu – Knowing the BH is coming, plan a special menu that is healthy and helps you keep the right habits until you have restriction. I would plan it just like you were at restriction just don’t beat yourself up if the portions are bigger during this time. One person was doing Weight Watcher, some do South Beach, but whatever it is knowledge and planning are power here.

3. Focus on 5-6 Meals a Day – For me the best way to manage BH is to get some 8oz dishes with lids (I got mine at Smart and Final) then plan on eating every 3-4 hours. This keeps me focused on small meals, but allows me to have some extra healthy food.

4. Get Your Protein – Use whey Protein to help you get enough protein. I mix mine with yogurt and blueberries, oatmeal and other foods to load up on it.

5. Focus on Exercise – This is a great time to get your exercise program going and that will help you interim weight management, and make the time when you do have restriction more productive.

6. You Are Not Failing – BH is part of winning in the long term. You are supposed to go through this part of the journey. Don’t beat yourself up. This time is available to you to prepare for the restriction phase of the process

7. You Did Not Do This For Nothing – Reading hundreds of these threads from folks who have walked through the valley of BH, all agree when you get to the other side it will be worth it for you. You did not deal with Pre-Op, spend the money, or go through surgery for nothing.

8. Embrace the Process – This is one of the stages of BH, don’t fight it, make it work for you. Focus on picking good foods, get your body in better shape with exercise and focus on the positive.

Like many of you I am trudging my way through BH. I am staying focused getting to the other side and finding the promised land of restriction.

I was banded on 2/3 and had my first fill of 3cc on 3/4. It did nothing for me as I expected. I go for my second fill (not sure how much) on 4/1. My docs office has great book with set guidelines that he gives all his patients before surgery (it is one that they have come up with over the years). They recommend eating no more than 5oz of food at a time, no breads and starches until after 7 months or so and to focus on getting in your Protein and Water.

Of course that is not always easy and until you have proper restriction we have to try it on our own.

I have had a little restriction with the band in place as I can tell I can not eat the amounts I used to and I am not always hungry in between meals (depending on the day:tongue_smilie:). So I try to follow his guidlines as close as possible but don't beat myself up if I mess up a bit. It seems each doc is different and so there is no SET STANDARD for banders. Here is what I do.

1. Journal everything I put in my mouth on myfitnesspal.com

-once I did this for a few days following my docs guidelines for portions and protein amounts I realized it gives me around 1000 calories a day.

2 - Get my required 70-87 grams of protein (differs for everyone)

3 - Try to get my 64 - 100oz water (much harder than I realized)

4 - Measure out my portions so I don't go over 5oz.

5 - Take my Vitamins - sometimes I forget

6 - Don't stress if I mess up a little as this is a learning process and I am not going to be perfect.

7 - Try to increase my activity - I suck at this but I am getting better.

I am two pounds away from a total loss of 20lbs since my surgery. That is 20lbs in a month in a half!!!!:laugh: That is unbelievable to me. And I am slower than some on here who where banded at the same time as me. It is way better than where I would be without the band!

Best of luck.

Thank you to all of you for your replies. You all have helped me in different ways. I decided to count calories on dailyplate.com and I am enjoying it a lot. I went for a 30 min walk today and am feeling much better. I feel like if I stick to just a cup of food per meal I will be accomplishing something great. I know that it will go down to 1/2 cup with restriction, but right now 1 cup is the best that I can do. I have already met my protein for the day, and I haven't had dinner yet. I can see where I will have to tweak my intake in some ways but so far--I am proud of today. One day at a time! Congrats to all of you for your success! Only 1 1/2 weeks until my first fill and I pray that I have just a little bit of restriction. Good luck on your continued journey!

Awesome advice! I am a firm believer that staying busy with good stuff, helps. I knit, walk, play a game with my kids and keep a book and puzzle going at all times. It helped a lot.

I also journal, plan meals, and watch every bite that goes in. But remember that Water, etc., fluctuates a lot, so don't get down by day to day weight gains.

I was banded on 12/30/09. Great start to a new year, right? Well, not so much. I have lost 28 lbs and then found 5 of that. I can't seem to lose that 5 again. It's been over a month and I am so frustrated. I read everyone's advice and find that yes, everyone is different. I am only to eat one cup 3 times a day, no snacks. Some days I'm hungry some days I'm not but either way, I'm not losing. Some days I think, why not eat? I'm not losing anyway. Sometimes, I give in and eat a little more and most days I don't but still, I'm stuck. My doctor's office doesn't offer much support and there's no one I know who isn't in the same boat as me. Any advice or encouragement would be good.:Banane20:

chgogirl,

Hey, I'm sorry that does sound really frustrating. I remember in the pre-surgical psych eval the dr said that you will hit plateau's just the same. I know for myself that I was really hung up on the 1/2 c 3 times a day and I felt like if I couldn't do that, then I have failed. Well, that's stupid, I haven't failed. My band isn't helping me yet. I keep hearing that it can take up to 6 fills to really feel restriction. Are you not feeling any restriction yet? Do you get a band tightening every month? Are you journaling your food?

I am really having a lot of luck right now with counting calories. It forces me to measure out my serving sizes and usually it ends up being about a cup of food. I have to do what works for me and if that means having a healthy, high Protein snack then I'm going to. I know it's not part of "their" plan...but they aren't me. I have been taking in 1500 calories a day (no restriction remember) and have lost 4 lbs in the last 3 days. I know that as I get more restriction that I will probably be at about 900 cal per day. For right now, I am really proud of my progress.

Don't give up, are you taking in all the protein and Water that they advise? That's one thing that's very important. I am also walking 30 min a day. We have had beautiful weather which helps with motivation. I know it's hard, just don't give up. I look at the calorie counting right now as temporary fix until I get the restriction that I need.

Hope this helps, hang in there...look at what a difference that a few days made for me. I was really down the other day.

Thanks for the reply. We weren't given a whole lot of information by our dr's office. It was kind of "here's a list of what you can eat and when. See ya!" So no, I haven't journaled. I have kept to my one cup unless I'm out in a restaurant then I have to eyeball it. I walk, I go to the gym. I'm just frustrated that I've taken the ultimate step to try and surgically lose the weight and it's not happening! I had my first fill on 2/23 and am going for another on 3/29. I don't really feel restriction although I'm not eating as much as I could. However, sometimes I can actually forget I'm banded and can eat 3 pieces of pizza with no problem and then I realize that I shouldn't have been able to eat that. Not good - I know.