So, I've been having some major difficulty the past week and a half! My hunger seems to be out of control and I don't know what to do! I sent the following email to my surgeons nurse this morning and she quickly replied and said that I definitely needed another fill and that I should call the True Results office (my doc doesn't do the fills because he has such a high volume of patients) to get an earlier appointment. Problem is, when I called, True Results seemed very unconcerned with me and basically told me to wait it out! Here is the email. . .what do you think?

I am writing because I am STARVING to say the least! LOL (funny, but not funny) I had my first fill (2 cc's) on Monday, December 10th, and I followed the 3 day liquids, and today I am finishing up the 3 day soft foods. . . but I am able to consume LARGE amounts of food with NO restriction. Yesterday I had the little single serve microwavable mashed potatoes, and I ate 2 of them back to back with no problem. . . no pains, no vomiting. . . and the worst part is that I could have probably eaten another one a half hour later! My next fill is the day after Christmas (26th), but the scary thing is that I'm really afraid of what I can potentially consume during Christmas with my family. I mean, I eat the right foods, but because my restriction seems to be "hiding" from me, even the good things tend to be eaten in large amounts. . . even when I eat VERY slowly. The slow eating with the little "minute glass" helps, but I'm still consuming more than 1 cup of food. Even if I stop before I'm satisfied, I'm hungry within the next hour! This is an example of my typical diet on regular foods:

8:00 Protein shake w/ Light vanilla Silk

9:30 1 egg scrambled egg w/1 tea. cubed ham & 1 tea. shredded cheese (because I'm still hungry)

12:00 turkey/roast beef lunchmeat w/Laughing Cow Light Cheese & Cucumber Slices

4:00 Protein Shake w/ Light Vanilla Silk (before workout)

6:30 Shrimp, tilapia or chicken breast w/ broccoli

8:00 Hot Tea

What am I doing wrong??

Tiffani

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

how many ounces of water; that could be a factor (?)

I have a 24 ounce filter bottle and I fill it up twice daily with Water, plus I'm drinking at least 2, 16.9 ounce bottles of Crystal Light and drinking hot tea at night.

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

Could you be drinking too much of your protein and calories? Liquids go right thru you and do not give you the feeling of being full. Can you substitute your shakes for real food. Some dr's believe that once you are on a full food plan you should never have to have shakes again, you should be eating all your calories. Some people are tight in the morning so need the shakes.........just a thoughts. Mashed potatoes probably wouldn't give you pain or vomiting or a full feeling, I would imagine they slide right on thru. Are you drinking all of your fluids? Good luck to you.

I guess I could cut out the Protein shake in the morning and maybe do 2 eggs instead of 1. . .the only thing is, is that I struggle with waiting until lunch to eat after I eat the eggs (hungry)! I do the second protein shake for sustainability before a workout, but I could try and cut that out, too! Hope this works!

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

I agree, I tried the protein shake in the morning early on and it went right through me, so I would only use these to supplement if your protein is lacking for the day (I do myself, but it's usually an afternoon snack). I also suggest looking up bandster hell on here, you are going through it. You have to heal and through this stage you will be hungry, your body is going through a big adjustment, but you will get there. And water will help like stated above, drink lots of it in between and make yourself stick to your docs instructions on eating as far as how much, you need to develop the habit now before you start getting the restriction to get used to it. Hope this helps.

I guess I could cut out the Protein shake in the morning and maybe do 2 eggs instead of 1. . .the only thing is, is that I struggle with waiting until lunch to eat after I eat the eggs (hungry)! I do the second protein shake for sustainability before a workout, but I could try and cut that out, too! Hope this works!

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

By the looks of your menu, I would think that you have enough calories in your day to add a morning snack (protein - yogurt, almonds, cottage cheese) and an afternoon snack.........Most aim for about 1200 calories/day. You are only a month out, stop at a cup/8oz and drink your way to your next snack or meal............bandster hell.

Thanks for all of your input! Bandster Hell is. . . Well hell!

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

Thanks for all of your input! Bandster Hell is. . . Well hell!

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

I'm there with you sister! I think the above posters gave you great advice.

I use MyFitnessPal and track my solid Protein to 60gr and stay at 1000 cal.

You might want to work it out that you eat smaller amounts every couple hrs. You'll be eating all day, but staying within calorie limit & protein requirements. It does take some finessing.

Best wishes!

My next fill Jan 6

You're definitely in bandster hell, I don't miss that all. Ugh.

A couple things struck me about your post. Don't expect the band to restrict your food intake. You mentioned in more than place how you could eat large quantities without being stuck or vomiting. That isn't abnormal. In fact, that's exactly why it's so important to stick to a cup or less of food per meal to make sure we don't accidentally over-eat. The band is supposed to control our hunger, not control our portions.

Here's a really good link I think may help you: http://drsimpson.net...estriction.html

Now as far as the hunger, that IS the band's job to help you control. Being early in your journey, I'm not surprised right now it's a struggle. The only way I was able to lose weight without starving to death during bandster hell was by concentrating on calories rather than meals. There was no way in heck I was going to be able to make it on just 3 meals a day. So, I spread my calories out throughout the day to allow me to eat every 2 hours. It wasn't always easy, but it did work.

Best wishes to you!

I don't think that True Results is unconcerned and asked you to wait for a couple of things. Fills are done 6 weeks apart and that is because a fill causes your stomach to swell and it takes a while to go back to normal. Second, it sometimes takes up to 3-4 weeks before you get the full affect of a fill, but, because we are all different it's hard to say. You may need a few more fills before you get to the "green zone" restriction, which is called bandster's hell until you get there. Hang in there, be patient, it will happen. jake

demand a they work for you not the other way around I had a very hard time until my 10 cc band was filled to 6.5cc really plead with them for a fill this is a hard time of year you don't need the added pressur when help is a 5 mintues appointment.

I don't think you need a fill based on you sample menu. You went 4 hours between meals when you ate real food. Try no protein drink and add some dived ham and cheese to that scrambled egg and a half slice of wheat toast. I was the same way until I went off the protein drinks. I am nearly 11 months out and one fill. Base your hunger on eating real food. No matter how many fills you keep having, liquid is going to go right through unless you are too filled and that is when you have other problems.

Straight off my surgeon's instructions: "if you are on good solid foods like a Subway sandwich and are hungry a couple of hours later, well, then you just need a fill! Keeping your band tight is so very critical to your success!"

You're definitely in bandster hell' date=' I don't miss that all. Ugh.

A couple things struck me about your post. Don't expect the band to restrict your food intake. You mentioned in more than place how you could eat large quantities without being stuck or vomiting. That isn't abnormal. In fact, that's exactly why it's so important to stick to a cup or less of food per meal to make sure we don't accidentally over-eat. The band is supposed to control our hunger, not control our portions.

Here's a really good link I think may help you: http://drsimpson.net...estriction.html

Now as far as the hunger, that IS the band's job to help you control. Being early in your journey, I'm not surprised right now it's a struggle. The only way I was able to lose weight without starving to death during bandster hell was by concentrating on calories rather than meals. There was no way in heck I was going to be able to make it on just 3 meals a day. So, I spread my calories out throughout the day to allow me to eat every 2 hours. It wasn't always easy, but it did work.

Best wishes to you!

When I say that I can eat large portions, it's when I eat my measured 1 cup portion and then 30 minutes later I'm still hungry! It wasn't like this weeks ago. . .it just started.

I'll try the calorie counting thing, hope it works!

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff

I don't think you need a fill based on you sample menu. You went 4 hours between meals when you ate real food. Try no Protein drink and add some dived ham and cheese to that scrambled egg and a half slice of wheat toast. I was the same way until I went off the protein drinks. I am nearly 11 months out and one fill. Base your hunger on eating real food. No matter how many fills you keep having' date=' liquid is going to go right through unless you are too filled and that is when you have other problems.[/quote']

Ok, thanks!

Watch Me Shrink BandiTiff