I've been banded for 2 weeks and have done extremely well up until the last 4-5 days. I'm hungry! I eat less than what I did before but still too much. This is the hardest time for me trying not to eat like I did before. I've tried to stay on the mushy diet, but find myself eating other things and just chewing until it's applesauce. I haven't had a bit of trouble with it. I just want a super fill right now so I don't feel the hunger. Is this normal? What do you do? Please advise.

totally normal - you usually do not feel restriction until the 3-5th fill - so right now you are in "bandster hell" where you are on low calories but feel you have a normal stomach. You can make it through - this is the time you really need will power!!! Best of luck to all of us on our journeys!!!!!

Thank you so much Allison. I've read about bandster hell and now realize what it is...wow...Unfortunately, we can't go cold turkey off food like a soda drinker can or smoker can. Will power against food hasn't been my strength, which is what got me here, but I am truly inspired by everyone. I will admit, I can't wait to feel full, not hungry, and even eat too much and get sick.

Unfortunately it is very common.

Hopefully what will help you is knowing that eventually your band will be working with you and you just need to stay strong during that wait. It's not easy but this forum is a great place to help keep you focussed. You can do it!

It's very very normal. Stay strong and don't go back to your old ways!

Bandster Hell can really suck. This is the time you have to think of all the "dieting" rules you have learned over the years. Remember low cal......bla bla bla.... When you start getting some fills it will be mush easier for you.

This is good practice time for you. Start eating the small protein filled meals. Chew, chew, chew your food. Cut into small pieces etc. That alone will help. If you get hungry try a string cheese or SF popsicle. That kept me from gaining while waiting for first fill.

I am right there with you. My doctor told me that I would more than likely not lose anymore weight until I get a fill. But I am hungery all the time too, We just have to be strong and eat very filling food. My husband took me out last night and we went to Pei Wei, where I got a lettuce wrap which is chicken minced with some kind of sauce and normally you would wrap it in a lettuce leaf. I was to afraid of the lettuce so I just eat the chicken stuff. And boy was it nice to eat something with flavor. But I did notice that I can't eat hardly anything. normally I would eat that and a full meal with it. This time I eat maybe half of it and I was so full I felt like I was at a buffet. And we all know how we felt when we left a buffet.LOL:)

Keep your chin up and keep reading and posting on here and it will make it so much easier to get through.

I feel the same, it hit me like a ton of bricks watching my sister eat crackers and drink soda!! AHHHhhH! I was almost drooling!!!!!!!!!! I bit off a piece of pretzel the size of a finger nail and chewed the crap out of it and DAMN was it good!!!!!!!