Hello, I'm so lost at this point. I had my first fill April 6th and only felt restriction for maybe three days. When I eat it all goes down and it's hard for me to tell when I'm so full so when I'm done I really hurt and yesterday I hurt for three hours until it went away. I go tomorrow for another fill, hopefully that will help. Right now I only have 2.8cc. Is it hard to know when to tell the doctor when I have enough because last time I thought I had enough. I'm getting so frustrated:angry:

I know exactly how you feel. I had my surgery on 3/5 and my first fill 4/16. I still don't have that feeling of restriction that is always discussed on this board. I keep my portions reasonable and don't get that "full" feeling until much after I am finished eating. I think that part of my problem is that I am still eating too quickly and don't chew as much as I should. Part of this comes from the fact that I don't have restriction. My next fill isn't until 5/24. I am currently at 2.5cc in a 10cc band. I was told that I probably won't feel restricted until approximately 7cc's. It is a much harder process than I had expected, but I am SO happy that I did this. We have to keep plugging along - good luck!!!

Banded 3/5/10 350lb

Current 4/26/10 317lb

i just logged on for the first time. I felt the need for some support because I too don't feel like the band is working...I had my surgery 2/23 and only just had my first fill 2 weeks ago. I have really been feeling like a failure--from the sounds of it though maybe this is normal? I dont get another fill until the 2nd week of may..i can't wait..I too keep eating, however, I do get full faster..my weight loss is slow..I lost 12 lbs since my surgery. i know of others that have lost atleast twice that amount..any thought? suggestions?

tkay, you really need to measure your food and not eat until you feel full you only need to eat until you fill satified. You shoulld be eating 1/2 cup. Yes, it is true you probably don't feel restriction just yet but do the 1/2 cup at each meal. If you are truly hungry between meals until you get another fill then have a snack on some type of protien. You need to work with your band. You don't need to stretch your pouch out by overeating or hurt because you have eaten too much. Talk to your surgery team and let them know how you and the band are doing as they should be there to support you.

FYI - My surgeon suggests 3 X 1cup meals a day and if necessary 2 X 1/2 cup meals/day. Proteins - 70g/day. Water 64oz/day.

I feel the same way. I have little to no restriction and am hungry a lot! I am afraid of stretching my pouch. I was banded on 3/31 and have lost only 10 pounds. It is very discouraging.

I am going to try the 1 cup rule. How does everyone get their Protein that way?

Hmmm.

You know, what I am seeing in a couple of posts in this thread is some evidence of the idea many people with the band have, that the band is going to do ALL the work.

Just because you do not yet have full restriction does NOT mean that you should simply eat as much as you want. The band is not going to automatically “switch on” and keep you from eating….even after you HAVE restriction. YOU have to stop eating at some point.

What you need to be doing is to simply decide how much you are going to eat at one sitting (based upon your surgeon’s instructions), and eat THAT much, and no more. It might not be entirely satisfying, but that is part of the adjustment you need to learn to make. You might have to wait a little while after you have eaten to feel satisfied, but it WILL happen.

Even though you have a lap band installed, YOU are the one that is going to make it work….or KEEP it from working.

The band is not an answer all by itself. You need to work with it the RIGHT way, or it will fail.

S.

The feeling of fullness is not the same after you get banded. If you wait till you feel that "old" full feeling you will have eatten way to much and will most likely be in pain. You are stretching your pouch when you do this and that is not a good thing. You have to measure your food and make sure to stop at that. Even if you have to have a Protein snack later..it's better than stuffing your pouch at one sitting.

The time before your get good restriction is called Banster Hell for a reason...you are relying on mostly willpower to get you thru. It's something we all go thru and of course it's not an easy thing but it is part of the process.

If you are hungry between meals make sure you snack on something that is protein. Never eat more than the measured amount your Dr recommends. Once you get good restriction 1/2c - 1c will statisfy for 3-4hrs.

While your waiting to get to that sweet spot is the time to begin practicing the band rules as it relates to amounts of food..types of food...chewing well and making good choices..protein first etc.

Keep positive and know that you can get thru this and it WILL get better as you get your scheduled fills.

Thank all of you for your support. I learned the hard way that just because I can get anything down don't mean I can eat like I use to. I have taken the advise of eating only a cup at one sitting and eat alot slower and that has made a big difference. I went Tuesday and got my second fill; now I'm at 5cc but still not a whole lot of restriction but more than I had. I feel so much better just knowing this is going to work now that I'm in the right mind set.:redface:

I'm so glad I've got this site!! I've been reading about bandster hell, and just thought that it was after surgery until we get the 1st fill. I had thought I made it through... until I read this.... I just realized its only just begun to be bandster hell!! lol I just got my first fill on Tuesday (3.4 cc's), and I feel hungry a lot, but I try to ignore it and not eat just to be eating. And I've been measuring my food, well, pureed turkey chili, 1/3 cup today. I've already lost 3 lbs, so hopefully I'm doing something right.

I'm so grateful I found out about Bandster Hell before I am banded- it helps to know what to expect. For the past two months I've been acting as if I'm banded, so I think I will be able to handle it if I do go through BH. I gave the feedback to my doctor the other day that I think the possibility of BH and how to deal with it should be included in the pre-op classes.