Hi everyone, I have a question. I just had my lapband on 8/28 and I get hungry a lot & want to eat food! I mentally stop myself & have a shake but is my cravings normal?

Just below you is a post from someone who is 3 weeks post op and she struggles to eat 500 calories a day. She's never hungry. You sound so much like me and many others who have posted here. I was starving. Sometimes the surgery can cause a lot of inflammation around the band area. This makes it difficult for many to eat. I think I had a good surgeon as I never experienced any swelling and wanted to eat from day 3 on.

Yes it's normal and yes you must obey the rules. I've seen posts from people who didn't follow the rules and getting stuck this early could be disasterous. Drink your protein, drink your broth, heat up some Lipton noodle soup and only sip the broth. Nibble on sugar free popsicles and crystal light. Welcome aboard.

tmf

Thank you 2muchfun,

I have been hungry for quite awhile.. I had a little piece of chicken yesterday & kept it down just fine. I guess I wish I wasn't hungry all the time. I wish & want to eat foods... Plus its very hard while others are eating delicious meals for dinner around you.

So far I haven't tried foods after my surgery. So I don't know what I can keep down... Expect the little bit of chicken & I kept it down. Thank you for replying back. I appreciate the response.

You really should not be eating solid foods. If you get stuck, you could ruin your surgery. What did your doctor say to eat? Most of us are on liquids for a week or two and then soft or mushy foods for another 2 weeks.

It's not a matter of keeping food down. It's the fact that you haven't learned to eat like a bandster yet and if you get food stuck and you throw up. Thowing up causes your stomach to go into convulsions and your band is sutured into the lining of your stomach. The sutures could tear away and then you would have to have surgery again.

I know you're hungry but this is a time to obey the rules. Drink more shakes or if you have to, try some egg drop soup. It's very satisfying. And, call your surgeon or nutritionist.

tmf

Thank you 2muchfun' date='

I have been hungry for quite awhile.. I had a little piece of chicken yesterday & kept it down just fine. I guess I wish I wasn't hungry all the time. I wish & want to eat foods... Plus its very hard while others are eating delicious meals for dinner around you.

So far I haven't tried foods after my surgery. So I don't know what I can keep down... Expect the little bit of chicken & I kept it down. Thank you for replying back. I appreciate the response.[/quote']

As tmf said you should t be eating solids just yet. Did your surgeon give you instructions to follow post op? I know it's really hard especially if you're feeling hungry. I was one of the lucky ones that had no hunger till three weeks post op and had to make myself drink my fluids. Just keep sipping those fluids, your going to have to use all the willpower you can muster right now and it will get easier once you start getting your fills. Welcome to the otherside!

Hello Summerrain,

I had my surgery 3days ago & my diet is liquids for 2wks then soft mushy foods for 3wks.. I have been drinking mostly water. Had a shake today..

I had to do the 2wk shake diet before my surgery which was hard so overall I wish I can eat a meal. Lately I have cravings, I'm just mentally saying no & be a good girl by following the rules. I'm just wondering if this was normal. I don't want to be the only one feeling hungry while everyone else feels full.

It's hard not to have cravings being that all you see on tv is food commercials being advertised... But my health is more important than anything else.

Hello Summerrain' date='

I had my surgery 3days ago & my diet is liquids for 2wks then soft mushy foods for 3wks.. I have been drinking mostly Water. Had a shake today..

I had to do the 2wk shake diet before my surgery which was hard so overall I wish I can eat a meal. Lately I have cravings, I'm just mentally saying no & be a good girl by following the rules. I'm just wondering if this was normal. I don't want to be the only one feeling hungry while everyone else feels full.

It's hard not to have cravings being that all you see on tv is food commercials being advertised... But my health is more important than anything else.[/quote']

Hey there, yes what you're feeling is normal and it's emotional too, some days I cried like a little baby and didn't even know why, lol. In the end it was like I was mourning that fact that I could no longer eat, how untrue. You're right all those commercials the media throws at us every two minutes doesn't help either. Are you allowed chicken broth, vegetable broths as part of your liquid stage? I know each surgeon has a different set of rules. I was on liquids one week, mushies by end of second week and solids by end of third week. On my liquid stage I had lots of home made chicken broth and just the flavor was so delicious. Hang in there, the first few weeks are hard and a lot is willpower I found. I'm only eight weeks post op and my cravings are for chocolate, I will never give that up, but now I only have a very small piece and I'm satisfied rather than a truck load in one sitting.

Best of luck to you!

Hello again Summerrain,

Yes I've had chicken broth... I just wish I can have more vegetables added to it wish I shouldn't have at the moment... But you are right, it is very hard at the moment & I hope it will get better with time. I have faith in myself not to completely give in & stick to my liquid diet... It's just tempting seeing my fiancee (we live together) have dinner in front of me... He has tried his best not to eat in front of me in which I'm grateful for.. so he'll eat before he comes home from work or go to his mother's for dinner.. but I wish I was with him eating his mom's delicious meals... So bottomline having the lapband surgery is a chose I made & I know I have to deal & obey the rules..

Thank you for all your help... I hope you're doing well with your diet. See you on the skinny side :-)

I also was banded 8/28 and am on a pretty strict liquids first stage for seven days. Then mushy/puréed for one, then week three can start introducing solid foods. I agree with 2muchfun and think its extremely important to to follow our Docstors intructions in these early weeks. Not only because it can cause damage to your band, but our stomachs have just had major surgery. It is tough on them to handle regular foods at this point and I think it's important to let our bellies heal. Some of the things that were recommended by my doc are the Ispoure drinks which not only stave off hunger, but contribute greatly to our daily protein intake, sugar-free pudding, cream of wheat made with milk,and made soupy. These have really helped to relieve some of my hunger. Congratulations and best of luck!!!

Hello Ms. Bee

Congrats on getting your lapband. I do understand its important not to eat solid foods... I haven't had a meal, I actually do have Isopure meal replacement.. I drink water, my shakes & have myself oatmeal.. Oatmeal is very soft & gentle to my stomach but doesn't really fill me up.. I'm still hungry after my bowl of oatmeal.. I do want to eat foods but so far I'm doing pretty well... I think I may drink water too fast? I feel a bit of air in my stomach & sometimes need to make myself burp... But it usually goes away... Is that normal?

Okay. So now I completely understand how you feel. Yesterday was the first day I woke up HUNGRY! Ate some room temperature mozzarella string cheee chewed to much. Helped a little. Find anything that helps yet? Also, I've been doing a little research regarding drinking water too fast. It seems as though as long as you aren't drinking close to a meal or for at least 30mins after, most people can tolerate taking large, continuous sips of water. I'm sure each persons tolerance is different, but I've bee trying this out. Otherwise I a thirsty and find it really difficult to get the required amount of fluid if I am drinking so slowly.

I was hungry a lot and found myself wandering the kitchen but so important to stick to the rules...your fills will begin to make a difference.

Someone said it may be possible that our lapbands are not filled yet & once we get our bands filled thats when our hungry calms down... I hope so...