Seems I'm reading posts that state some banders have lost minimal weight prior to their fills. I don't understand how you can be hungry with a small pouch. Does the food just go through and you can keep eating including the kinds of food that are high in fat, sugar, carbs etc?

I think it would be really discouraging post op.

Can you share your experience?

Thanks

K

It really depends on the restriction you get from surgery. Some people don't get any with just the band itself, others get enough just from the band. I've lost all of my weight without one fill; guess I'm one of the lucky 1% of people who don't require fills.

With the band your stomach is smaller and a pouch is made, but for some it's not enough to hold them over for 3-4 hours without getting hungry again, so a fill is necessary. Sometimes without proper restriction people will go for the "slider" foods (chips, ice cream, etc.)

But for many, a few weeks post-op until the first fill can be "bandster hell." It just takes some self-pushing and self-regulation of what you eat and how much.