I was Banded on July 7 at 4pm and was up walking and drinking at 11:30pm. By 3 in the morning I wanted to go home. They let me leave for home at 7am, I felt fantastic. I cruised through the next 2 weeks and even cheated a little and my little pouch punished me for that. I went for my 2 week post-op last wednesday and had lost 17 pounds and they were very impressed at my progress. I was told to start on 4oz of soft solid foods 3 times a day. I am starved all the time and feel like I haven't had surgery. I can eat almost anything and could easily consume more than 4 oz and not feel full at all. I have been eating about 5 -6 times a day. This doesn't seem right. My next appt to have my band adjusted for the 1st time isn't for 3 weeks. Do you think I should tell my Doctor what I'm going through.

By the way, I am so happy I found this Forum.

You are perfectly normal! You don't have any restiction yet, and your stomach is healing up nicely, I'm sure. In the beginning, it is just like you have nothing there. Some people are lucky to come out of surgery with instant restriction...but that is the minority, not the majority. Now is a time to let your stomach heal fully, not loose weight. You may even gain a little during this time. Once again, YOU ARE NORMAL!

A few tips to curb that hunger- drink lots of Water, eat whatever kind of Protein is listed on the stuff you got from your doctor- protein fills you up faster and holds you for longer. You might try drinking protein shakes- I add a half a banana and some Peanut Butter to my vanilla one and it's so good.

I'm sure there are others out there that have better ideas for curbing the hunger during this time... I just remember eating a lot of cottage cheese.

Good luck, and know we are here to help!

Megan

Hello,

I am glad to meet you also. I remember I was prescribed eggs as a soft food in any way shape or form. Another favorite was purchasing one of those nice already cooked rotisserie chickens throw it in the food processor and chop till pretty smooth. Not creamy but very small chunks. Seperately chop a little onion in the food processor, olives, celery, or whatever. Remember NOT TOO fine but small little tiny chunks. Mix that with the chicken and add a little mayo and mustard and viola' you have chicken pate/salad. It really is pretty good and sticks to you a little better. For some reason crackers were on my list of foods that I could have pretty early on. So I really enjoyed the chicken stuff on saltines. Initially I ate it just plain and enjoyed it then too. Cream of wheat works too. Very heavy cream Soups, or slightly blended chunky soups work good too. I remember being hungry a lot during that phase too, but now the weight loss won't quit and the hunger problem improved dramatically once I was on solid foods. Needless to say I am 10 1/2 weeks out and haven't felt a need for a fill yet at all. Best wishes and good luck, Teresa

If there is one thing I wish doctors would mention to newbies, it's that HUNGER WILL RETURN pre-fill. Why is it such a surprise to people when they're healing up and they get hungry?

You are NORMAL. Hunger is a perfectly normal way for a body to respond to limited caloric intake. Your stomach is healing and now you just have to tough it out until you can eat solid food again. This is frequently referred to as the hardest part of being banded, but the good news is that it's temporary and PERFECTLY NORMAL.

My favorite food at this point was egg drop Soup. Full of Protein, and, since it was liquid, I could have a lot of it. There's also lots of interesting pates and spreads available that helped me get through the mushy foods stage.

Good luck, and please come back and let us know how you're doing!

Your replies have given me much comfort. An emotional weight has been lifted. I am so glad I found this forum, everyone is very supportive.

Thank you everyone

Hi There,

Not to worry...we have all been where you are at. It is NORMAL

Pre fill is the phase to heal and adjust to your new band. Once you get your first fill you will see a difference at least I did with my first fill..Pre fill stage is not really for weight loss it is after you start getting fills that you will ove your band and see it working for you. Hang in there it's SO worth it !

Hi there! We were banded around the same time together, mine was July 5th.

This is obviously a VERY commen problem. And I agree with Alex that this is something we shouldve all known about pre-surgery. I was banded around 2pm and by 7pm I was asking the nurse what I could eat.... imagine what she was thinking! :cool:

I was starving!

Anyhow, I lost 12 lbs (from starvation) the first week and nothing since. And now that Im week three and eating everything, Im worried about gaining that 12 lbs...... so, Ive resorted to the old diet pills till my first fill.

(gosh, I hope its not taboo to tell others this)

I did my first diet pill today and its MUCH better. From what Ive heard, alot of times the doc prescribes them pre-fill.

Good luck and keep me posted on any other ideas you find that works!

I've heard some band doctors prescribe diet pills when you are first banded, because the very beginning is not for losing weight, it's only for healing and letting the band anchor properly around your stomach. I wasn't told that before my surgery either, so I didn't know what restriction felt like for quite awhile. But be careful with what you wish for, because one day I had no restriction, then BOOM, the next day major restriction.

We have funny little bands that surprise us with restriction even when you least expect it.

I haven't had a fill yet and I suppose I am one of those lucky ones who band has a mind of its own... In the morning not hungry at all...in the afternoon when my stomic is growling I can only eat half a sandwich but in the evening I can eat almost anything and it is pure will power and Propel water that keeps me from the fridge. I can't wait until August 13th.... 3cc Yea me!

Well I hooked my anchor to my first fill taking care of my appetite, but I want to eat all the time. I read several posts about the restriction coming days after the fill, and I think I feel a little tighter today, but I go back an hour after my meal to get more!

The first pounds after surgery just fell off, and I had no hunger to speak of. I was lulled into thinking the band would do it all for me, but I'm realizing I gotta get with the program here. Tomorrow I will make excellent choices and stay out of that damn refrigerator!

Neicy,

Log on to fitday.com...It helped me a lot. :cool:

Rica, your band and my band must be from the same batch! I'm exactly the same with not being able to eat in the morning, being able to eat a small lunch, then a small dinner.. but at night I get hungry again and can eat almost anything.

I had my port removed in June, but they gave me a fill before taking it out. It took almost a full month before gettting major restriction from my fill. I got my fill in June and had my first PB last week because I had too much restriction but ate anyway.

What's in Propel? Will any of the ingredients keep me awake at night?

Bushbaby..

Im the same way...seems at night time I get a ravishing sweet tooth so I fill up my 24oz Water bottle with ice cold water and come here to read and post so I don't raid the fridge or candry drawer my hubby has:)

My nightime water bottle is my best friend

and Lisa Propel will not keep you up at night, it is just a sweet tasting water with some Vitamins & such, they are good!

unfortunately it took me about 5 months to feel restriction and I gained 14 lbs before I found it. I was beginning to feel like a failure. But we finally got it going and I did lose. You will too. Jesse Ahroni told me this and it made me mad..."Terry what makes you so special that you will be the only one hungry, or to not lose with a band? Quit rushing it, You will lose" What she didn't understand was I wasn't rushing it, but I was hungry. I when I am hungry I eat. My doc wasn't to good at explaining the aftercare and I didn't know about the waiting for the tummy to heal, etc. but I do now, and it was heaven when restriction finally happened. Try to eat high protein food and drinks until you get some restriction. It seemed to help me.

I still have the evening hungry monster. :think

I live alone - so it's easier not to have certain foods around, but it's also much more quiet and makes me worse about eating out boredom.

I am so sorry I did not see your post earlier. Yes propel is water and it's yummy. It has replaced my starbucks habit and it cost about the same for 6 as for 1 chi tea latte. This morning I forgot to eat and by lunch I was starved..(I am a school teacher so I don't get a lunch break until 11:45, Well I went to el pollo loco had thigh and mac and cheese and while the mac went down fine the chicken was horrid. I know, I know proten first yadda yadda yadda but I never had problems before... today the rules won! I wonder if it has to do with the weather...you hold more water when it's hot so maybe you feel more restricted...nope that therory doesn't work it's usually cool in the morning? Well who knows?