Hi everybody, just signed up and looking forward to finding "magic" in your messages. I was banded 2 days before Thanksgiving (gotta love that liquid turkey!) and been finding my way a little at a time.

For my official 1st post I'd like to ask you a question... aren't you still hungry? :hungry: I am! I've only officially had 1 fill (1 fill, 1 unfill, and 1 re-fill) but I've read about how people just -- stop -- feeling the need to go for 2nd's. Does that really happen?

Doug

Yep----it happens! For me the change come about following my 2nd fill---I have seen signatures with up to 8 fills (I believe that was the larger band tho). My first fill was most aggresive, it was 1.25cc.'s, and I could feel a slight difference---I had to chew like I was supposed to! And I had to slow down---but I could still eat, and was still feeling hunger. So a month later, I had my 2nd fill which was only .50cc.'s, and wham---I have restriction! That was back in July, and I can really say, I have not been hungry since. I am able to eat more now than I was 6 months ago---but still in a range that I feel this is still working, so I have no intentions of scheduling another fill any time soon.

The nerves that signal fullness are located at the top of your stomach, in order to trigger them, and cut off the hunger signals, you have to reach them. When you get restriction, and food hits them quickly...you do not need much food. I believe as the stomach is pulled to aid in restriction, it affects those same nerves, because even when I have an empty pouch, I am not hungry.

It is a powerful change---one you will find when you reach restriction. Just work with your Dr. adjusting the band as needed, and follow his aftercare instructions!!! I go onto 1-2 days of liquids following an adjustment, to help with any swelling.

Hang in there---you will find that spot.....it usually takes more than 1 fill.

Kat

Great to know how that happens. Can't wait for it to kick in. Hard to wrap my mind around it while I'm still chowing but I can relate to the whole slowing down thing. Sometimes now I feel like I must have just been opening my mouth and throwing stuff down my throat whole! That's why I had to get unfilled - tried to eat a little steak and swallowed some gristle without thinking or trying to chew it like I'm supposed to.

I think you need to be able to differentiate between head hunger and actual belly hunger. I am not banded yet, but I know that I will sometimes go back for seconds or even thirds even though I am not really hungry anymore. My head and body just think they should be hungry, so I eat. I'm not an expert, but that may be what people talk about when they say that they no longer feel hungry for seconds. They've figured out that most of the time when they thought they were hungry for seconds, that it was just their head telling them that they were still hungry and not their stomach.

The head hunger is a definite issue to deal with, but unfortunately the band does not help with it---it is something you must overcome, a habit you must break. What I am refering to with not being hungry, is the twisting feeling inside my stomach, that it wants food, and by damned it wants it NOW!!!! I no longer get that! I forget to eat if I get busy---my stomach no longer reminds me, I have to remember on my own.

As for your steak---ouch!!! There are some things they recommend if you do get something stuck. You may have tried these I don't know. Personally, when I get to a point it just feels like nothing is going through, but I would hesitate to say I was fully "stuck" yet, I can drink a little pineapple juice, and it sends it through for me. You can also go to GNC and buy Papaya Enzyme, and it works well I am told. I have my bottle, but have yet to have to use it! And the grossest by far....liquid meat tenderizer! A man who spoke at the seminar I went to pre banding, said he was snacking on grapes, and one of the skins, just blocked his stoma completely---and he ended up drinking some meat tenderizer, and it worked like a charm he said. Would definitely make you remember!!! YUCK!!! At least the pineapple juice tastes good!!!

Kat

BTW----welcome to LBT---we are glad to have you here!!!

Hunger is going to happen with the band, its natural to be hungry. However, when you eat a little, it takes the hunger away for 4 or more hours. That is the key, if your not hungry for 4 or 5 hours, the band is working, the fill is the right amount.

Hi Doug, if you are still hungry it is okay to get another fill. That should help with the hunger. 1 cc isn't very much. What size band do you have?

Do any of you ever feel like you are so hungry you get the shakes? If I let myself go too long w/out food, I get the shakes.

...my head's hungry even when my body's not! No I get it - it's just a habit to go back for 2nd's and 3rd's (and dessert) every time I eat. So really there is nothing that keeps us from going back for more at first -- until the restriction effect becomes so great it overrides the head impulse thing?

As far as what size band I have I'm not sure. Dr Hart said he put in 1.7(cc's?) on this first fill (and same back in on refill). He said it seemed like he wouldn't have to put in much more for me. That suprised me since at this point it seems like it's still about the size of a laundry chute. When I take the first bite of a meal it takes a couple minutes but once that first bite is down it's game on! Only that first bite really takes a minute.

I was told years ago, pre band, that if I was getting shaky when I was hungry it was time to check my blood sugar. Sure enough for me at the time, it was when I would let it get way too low, I would get shaky and light headed. Maybe see if that is a problem---you can adjust it with snack foods if it is not a constant problem.

Good Luck!!

Kat

I'm also waiting for the hunger to go away. My first fill is tomorrow. I've noticed that since being banded my hunger pains are different than they were before. It used to be that a growling stomach was just uncomfortable and annoying. Now, when my stomach growls, it is physically painful. And the pain seems to radiate all the up into my esophagus, making it feel like chest pain. Anyone else have this? Will it go away eventually?

enterprise

i have the opposite experience from you. Before when i was hungry it would be very painful and i had to eat ASAP! Now the hunger is more like an annoyance and it can wait a little while.

I am on day 7 post-op and already starting to feel hungry. My stomach growls and I just ignore it if I had proper nutrition. The first 3 days I got very weak and light-headed. I also had the shakes because my blood sugar dropped to 67. I have been drinking 1/3 of a cup of fat free milk or fat free soy milk and that brings my blood sugar back to normal, calms down my stomach until the next meal. I am not able to eat more than 1/3 of food yet. I am not counting my calories but i am probably eating about 600 calories a day.

Hunger is going to happen with the band, its natural to be hungry. However, when you eat a little, it takes the hunger away for 4 or more hours. That is the key, if your not hungry for 4 or 5 hours, the band is working, the fill is the right amount.

Hello Sunshine,

I'm from Oklahoma City where the girls are pretty!!:mad: I was banded on Feb. 9th by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico (best band Dr. in the world....to me) and I am doing well on the post op diet. Head hunger is always an issue for me especially when I smell food. However, day by day I am learning to cope with it. I really feel great and think this is going to work for me. I won't be able to eat/chew food until March 2nd. I hope these new habits of watching what I put in my mouth carry over to that new phase.

I just wanted to say "hello" to one Okie from another. :mad:

Hello Pamela, glad to meet another okie! I've heard wonderful stuf about Dr. Ortiz, I recently bought his book off Amazon, I can't wait to read it.

Yes, the smell of food can get to you, and its hard to cope with, but the longer you have the band, the easier it will get.

Congratulations on your band! I get to have real food tomorrow!

Tonya,

Where are you going for your fills? I want to go back to Dr. Ortiz for my first fill but I need some other options. Please advise.