Post-Honeymoon but pre-first-fill phase

[BandedKitten 0]

Hello nice bandsters

So up until yesterday I guess I was unknowingly in the sweet honeymoon phase of the first 3 weeks after surgery when just a little food made me feel full without having had a fill yet.

And lo and behold I got hungry last night and am hungry today.

I don't have my first fill for 3 weeks...and I have to get through this.

I need some suggestions on how to get through this hungry phase. I was SO happy after surgery when my appetite was gone. It was like a dream come true---everything I had hoped for. Now I'm fighting the hunger pains. I had 3 ounces of salmon today and a 1/2 cup for veggies and a couple of sugar-free popsicles. I feel like I want to eat BIG. I'll hold myself back but boy....I really hate feeling hungry again. Hunger has been that Big Lion you see on the lapband posters in the doctor's office...did you see that poster? I knew that lapband was for me when I saw the poster. That hunger lion was always following me around! After surgery when he disappeared...I was SO freaking happy.

Please! How did you get through this hungry phase? Will it pass?

thanks,

Bandedkitten

[jennifer1 180]

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND! I was sooooo glad to not be hungry for 3 weeks and thenn BAM!!!! When i started mushies my appetite came back with a vengence. but the weird thing is that it fluctuates from day to day. some days it's worse...some better...i think this may be bandster hell that others speak of and the scale is not my friend right now. i did notice that i was not drinking anywhere near the amout of Water i was drinking before and i believe that attributes to some of it. my dietician told me this would happen as well as the scale wavering. so what we're experiencing is normal and we just have to hang in there, you can continue with things like SF Jello and popscicles, this is helping me. hang in there. i dont get my first fill until june17th, which seems sooooo far away, i'm ready to start working this band and know what restriction feels like!!!

[Beachy_Babs 5]

I am right with you both! I will be exactly a month post op on June 2nd and my appetite is back. Of course, I am still measuring all of my food out and making sure I don't over eat. The thing I still have trouble with is the chewing and waiting in between bites. I'm still practicing. I haven't been to the gym in four days because of finals for school and I have been staying up super late. (Which isn't healthy for anyone). I have been eating bread though..it's a no no, I KNOW (for you food polices out there). Not much bread, but one carb a day. I need to stop it because it'll slow down my weight loss.

Anywho... I would say try sugar free popiscles and Jello or fruit and veggies. I'm not quite sure myself since I'm going through the same thing

[BandedKitten 0]

thanks. I am hoping it's not like this for the entire 3 weeks..is this what's called Bandster hell? I was never sure what it was.

How does one get through it? I'm going to have a Protein shake before I got to bed.

I think i've been drinking less fluids than I should as you mentioned. I'll make sure to get them in.

I'm just wondering if there's any type of mushy that helps with hunger more than others.

thanks Bandsters!

hugs,

BandedKitten

[Beachy_Babs 5]

Before lapband, I would drink 4 liters of Water a day... Now.. I barely get 64 ounces.

Mushy foods ideas: cottage cheese with soft fruit, refried Beans or guac, scrambled eggs, really soft meats .. That's what I ate! High Protein will keep you full longer.

I have a Protein shake at night too.. I get too hungry and my stomach would growl like a wild beast !!

[reverie 49]

Eat more protein/higher fat foods. I can't offer much help as I expect to be hungry; it's normal. I'd definitely try eating more Protein however.

[Toast4U 6]

Misery loves company!!! I was just getting ready to start a new thread about "bandster hell" when I saw your post. I'm 28 days post-op and went from only being able to eat a very small amount to being extremely hungry and able to eat an almost normal portion of food. I've been careful as to what I eat (so far!), but feel like I'm losing a grip on it! I knew to expect it and know that I'm not supposed to worry about losing weight during this period, but it sure does bring back a lot of negative emotions! I don't go in for my first fill until June 25. Ugh! Sounds like the next four weeks will be long ones! It's close to TOM so maybe it will pass soon. In the meantime, I'm thrilled to death that I finally have my band, and can't wait until I get my first fill! We all need to hang in there together!

[WEESIE 5]

We will have to hang together. I am six days post op. A couple of days ago I thought I was starving to death, literally. Then yesterday I found some old Metafast Soup and mixed it up. It had 13 g of Protein and 3 g or carbohydrate. I made it real thin and I lost my appetite. Today I called the surgeons office and they said that is a good choice because of the protein. They told me that I could have anything that is runny and doesn't have chunks but keep it light. In other words, I can't have a runny steak. I am doing so much better at this point. I was so tired of sweet.

[NJGirl32 43]

My first fill is 5 weeks away. The first week post-op I had trouble getting anything down, but as I am approaching week 2 I can get thingss down a lot quicker and more of it! I am a little worried whatthe next 5 weeks will bring! I hear that it actually might take a few fils to get that just-right feeling. I guess these are the things to ask yourself:

Am I getting all my Water in?

I am planning my meals/snacks?

Am I eating Protein first and avoid drinking prior to and after eating so food stays in the pouch longer?

Have I started some form of exercise?

Am I taking my Vitamins?

Am I getting enough Protein in?

Am I liniting my caffine intake?

We CAN do this!!!

[LapNYC 3]

Indeed that is the sucky part. You're officially in bandster hell. I'm not sure if it helps or not, but I think that according to many, I'm a pretty good lapband success story. Few problems and much success within a short period of time. During that month of bandster hell I gained a few pounds. I did show real restraint, but I also ate way more than I was able to once I had restriction. I got that magical fill (fill #3 maybe?) and that was that for many many months. I don't want to say it got easy but it wasn't the lifelong struggle I was used to. So hang in there, keep your eye on the prize, don't beat yourself up and don't gain some new bad habits. If your portions are too large, so be it. But don't even dabble in those band friendly/diet unfriendly foods you'll want to avoid in the future (chips, ice cream etc.) You really sound like you'll be ok. This is the hard part. One day at a time, as they say. The band is the best. Just give it time!

p.s. I just had a Tummy Tuck and after that was done they sprung it on me that it takes a YEAR to get to a final result. Suddenly, the band sounds quite immediately gratifying to me!

[hopetolose 192]

I went through some days where I was not hungry and then some days where I just wanted to eat all day. It was like some days the band was working and some days it wasnt even there. This started around 3 weeks. Those are the days that you have to track your food intake, so that you can manage it without the band's help. I think this is what is referred to as bandster hell. It is also going to get frustrating because if you are like alot of us, you weight loss is going to stall as well for the next few weeks. This also is hell. This is when you need to track what you eat as well.

Good luck