I am less than two weeks out and it's almost as if my band isn't really in there. I know it is but my appetite has returned in full force and I get no feeling from the band at all whether I eat 1/2 cup of thick soup or 2 cups of thick soup (which i came close to at dinner tonight). Can anyone tell me if this is normal? Do I have anything to be worried about?

I feel just like you. I have an appetite and I feel like I am eating too much. I have lost 14 lbs, but that was in the first 5 days, and I haven't lost anything since.

My surgery date was the 16th when was yours?

Mrshudson you sound JUST like me. Mine was the 18th. I too lost the first week and NOTHING else. During the first week I could feel the band, feel a bit restricted (probably swollen stoma or something) but now it's like...NOTHING at all. No restriction, no problems eating, and no weight loss. Guess i'm kind of down about it today, wondering if something is wrong, wondering if i'll fail at this too...BLEH! Happy thoughts happy thoughts

im 2 weeks out and just started on mushies

you wont have restriction yet until, the first fill, thats why u feel hungry

your bodies are still in healing mode, so dont over do it, just take it easy

u wont feel hungry once u get your first fill

i feel a little hungry but i know that i have to stop

goodluck with it

Banded on the 16th with a post op visit tomorrow. I think the hardest part for me is knowing what "full" feels like. If, while eating, I feel anything that may seem full, I stop. Even if I'm still hunger right then, I stop. After about 10 minutes, I realize that was a full feeling.

I don't know if that makes sense but I think it differs for each person.

Jini, DO you feel o.k? I don't. My incisions still hurt, and I just feel weird if that makes sense. I sometimes get what I call aggravation, and gas and pain after eating, and I stop because I am scared. But I still feel hungry after I stop. I am scared I will fail too. I think that we might be doing a lot of this "mentally" to ourselves.

See that's the thing, i feel PERFECTLY fine. I'm vaguely aware of my port at times but other than that and the surgical tape I would not have known I had surgery. Hense the eating concerns and what not.

I'm coming to realise that may be the MAIN purpose of the preband Optifast, lol. By the time you have your surgery you're half dead with hunger and your system has virtually shut down, your metabolism slowed to a standstill.

Seriously though, my surgeon has impressed upon me the importance of not striving for that super uber fast weight loss but rather slow and steady so taking in liquids many times a day in small amounts - ie. dont let yourself be starving, eat/drink often if you need to and the weight will come off eventually.

Jini,

This is quite normal. THe first 6 weeks I was ravenous and it took 2 band adjustments before I had some restriction. Nevertheless, I did lose 120 lbs my first year. Just be patient. Once you have proper restriction, this journey will be much easier.

Babs in TX

334/180

-154

6/23/03

Is it possible you all have the BIG bands? 10cc rather than the 4cc?

If that is the case, from what I have read here before, you will need some fills before you start noticing much restriction.

I have the 4cc band, and it took 6 months before I was ready for a fill....I was too tight the first couple weeks to even think about anything much to eat....and my hunger dragon was vanished for nearly 2 months...ah...the good old days...

Time to call your surgeons....if you think you have concerns....

Mine didn't want to see me until 'week 3' when I was feeling pretty good....I told him the 3rd week was improved over the first 2...he said that's why he didn't want to see me too soon post-op....

hmmmm.....i think i would have the 4cc band

i will ask my doc when i see him on friday

I think Jini and I have the same size band. (same doctor so it would make sense) It's the larger one either 10cc or 14cc. I can't remember which. My doc is very agressive and said he generally gives about 7cc on the first fill. Sounds good to me but that's because I'm on this side I'm sure!

Ive only been banded since the 26th, and I came on the board searching for help because I too feel like no restriction, and keep telling myself that the doctor did say DONT FOCUS ON RESTRICTION but i still worry about slippage, like why am I able to eat 5-6 oz instead just the 2-3oz he said id be able to, im going to buy some protien drinks now to see if maybe that will help me not feel like im starving all the time!!