And I want it now! Lol I know there are other posts here about bandster hell but I needed to add my own complaint / needing support. I was banded on Dec 16. I've had my first fill about 4 weeks ago. I won't get my next fill for two more weeks. I want to eat everything. It doesn't help it's nearing that tom. I'm stressed at work so I want salty crunchy snacks and now I also want chocolate whatever. I called to see if they'd do a fill earlier and she said no... Per schedule for 1st and 2nd fill at 6 weeks and 12 weeks post op. I still feel like in strictly on a diet without 'much' help from the band. I'm feeling frustrated.

Edited February 25, 201412 yr by kimk1999

Gee...did you cut and paste one of my posts from 3 years ago????

As tough and frustrating as it can be, there is a reason they progress in stages.....in hindsight I can see that now....but in the beginning I could not see the Forrest due to the trees....

Just know...it does (can) get better and easier...and it does (can) work!

There are more successful, happy lap banders than you may think...it's just that they choose to move on and not be part of this forum anymore....not needing this type of support anymore (I'm speculating)

WOW your adjustments are moving slowly, hence the hunger pangs are driving you crazy. Some tips to cope with include:

1. Keep to solid dry food to maximize the effect of the band to trigger the receptor sites to trick the brain into making you feel fuller for longer
2. As your portions may be on the larger side of things at present, if medically able consider removing carbs from your diet dinner onwards.
3. Focus on Protein as a major part of your meal and lots of salads and vegetables as fillers with less carbs for now
4. If you consider using Protein powder etc to help control the hunger, I recommend the Protein Bars over shakes at this stage for you to trigger the receptor site as much as possible

Hang in there, the adjustments will catch up.

Good luck. By the way if you need help via support groups I can help From my perspective, that thing that really sends alarm bells off for me is your comment about "needing a another fill".

Please make sure that you do not make it too tight. If the band becomes too tight it will often hold you back from eating the ideal foods to lose weight.

If you wake up and begin to feel hungry about 3-4 hours later ,the band is likely to be very close to the ideal fill to control your interest in food.

From my experience when my clients make the band too tight, they can'teat sufficient quality food and then crave the sweeter foods as the body needs fuel from somewhere. So when cutting down on the treats/sugar also think about why am I eating them? Is it based on emotional reasons or requiring some fuel?

Hope this helps. I am a big fan of a food diary also to check in/clarify exactly what we are eating.

Also keep in mind that I do run monthly online support group meetings if interested. http://lapbanddiet.com.au/lap-band-support-group/

Good luck

Thanks, you two.

If I eat the 'proper' 4 oz of chicken and some veggies, I am hungry (stomach growling hunger) in less than two hours. If I eat bigger it'll last me the 3-4 hours but I am trying to be good and eat what I'm supposed to eat. I'm also waiting about 30 mins to 1 hour to start drinking Water again.

For the most part I've cut out my bad carbs. I can eat bread no problem. The only thing that I seem to have a bit of a problem with is steak and that's only if I don't cut it up small enough / chew enough. Other than that I can eat anything. I don't think I'm anywhere close to green or the red. I try to stay away from the shakes too. I've only had one in the past 4 weeks when I was stuck at work really late for a deadline and was avoiding the vending machine.

Dr Jessee is my doc and yeah they're sticklers for staying on their "Fill Schedules" but I think they're more aggressive with fills than some surgeons I've read about. This is when will power is key and until your band is optimally filled, it is still (sadly) just a diet, cause your band isn't working at it's fullest capacity. But it gets easier, believe me. I would say make sure you're drinking plenty of water in between meals, and eat small bites very slowly and make sure you wait between bites, it really makes a difference in feeling satisfied with less food. I know it takes a while to achieve slow eating, cause I still battle with it myself lol. My Fitness Pal is great too, it puts everything into perspective. Best wishes

Hi Kim,

We might be living the same life right now. I was going to make a post about this exact same thing until I saw yours. I was banded on Dec 18th. I had a fill on Jan 21st that didn't do much for me. I definitely have to eat slower, but it doesn't help control my hunger. I went for another fill yesterday and...no fill. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I was on the fence as to wether or not I needed one. Physically, do I think I'm in the green zone? No. Mentally? Yes, for the most part. But like you, I'm nearing that TOM, and my cravings are out of control. Downright obsessive. So far, I've been able to hold out, but it makes that fear creep back in. That fear of just completely falling off of the wagon and not being able to get back on. All that I work I did to free myself of carb and sugar cravings might go down the drain at any minute. White Castles and Baskin Robbins may ruin me.

My surgeon was thrilled with my weight loss, exercise, and mental involvement. He said I was a model patient. And that feels great. And most of the time, I'm OK with hunger. I've learned to ignore it. But, yes, like you, I feel like I've just been dieting. I try to see it as a lifestyle change. This is something me and the hubby are doing together. But it is soooo hard some days.

I'm thinking that may never change. The difficutly in making good choices. Or, maybe we haven't given ourslves enough time for it to really become habit. Which is what really makes a successful bander isn't it? Eating right, becomes habit. The permanent diet. And the band just helps us along the way?

And, first fill was supposed to be at 4 weeks but was really at 5 weeks b/c my surgeon was out of town. My second fill was five weeks from that. Yesterday, after my no-fill, he said come back in six weeks. I'm unnerved by that long period of time. I feel like Papa Bear is pushin this Baby Bear out the door. But, I'm trying to see it as a good thing.

And especially since we are friends on MyFitnessPal, I want to let you know that a lot of days that it looks like I ate really well and exercised....that a lot of suffering and mental anguish went into some of those days. lol.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling...I just wanted to say that you are not alone!

Dr Jessee is my doc and yeah they're sticklers for staying on their "Fill Schedules" but I think they're more aggressive with fills than some surgeons I've read about. This is when will power is key and until your band is optimally filled, it is still (sadly) just a diet, cause your band isn't working at it's fullest capacity. But it gets easier, believe me. I would say make sure you're drinking plenty of Water in between meals, and eat small bites very slowly and make sure you wait between bites, it really makes a difference in feeling satisfied with less food. I know it takes a while to achieve slow eating, cause I still battle with it myself lol. My Fitness Pal is great too, it puts everything into perspective. Best wishes

Dr. Ache and Juliet both said that they made the year for all follow up apps but if I need to see them sooner that's fine and to call them. So much for that. Yeah I use mfp for everything, the good and the bad. Overall I'm doing pretty well, but I'm starving. Then when I satisfy the hunger, I go way over.

Edited February 26, 201412 yr by kimk1999

Leepers - why did they not give you a fill? No worries about the rambling. I definitely appreciate the story. I needed it today.

Kimk, I said the same things a couple months ago, I was hungry and I ate more than 4 oz at a meal, and didn't stay satisfied for very long, but it really does pass... when I got to 7cc's I noticed a dramatic decrease in the quantity that I could eat. Then I got completely unfilled the day after Thanksgiving for gallbladder surgery, Ugh! And now I've made it back and have 7.5 cc's in my band and eat probably less than 4 oz's at most meals. The waiting to get to the green zone is the hardest part of the journey so far. But once you get there everything comes into perspective and becomes crystal clear. Hang in there girlie, you got this

Edited February 26, 201412 yr by WhispersOfAngel

Some doctors start off very slow and introduce a "fill" every so often. My doctor does not fill if I lose 8 pounds a month. He feels that is a good weight reduction and he wants to make sure that I am eating in proper fashion. Not too fast or not too slow. We all have to retrain our brains in what and how we eat for our healthy future. We can't live with our past eating habits or the Lapband will NOT work very well.

Hang in there and be patient with your band. It does work!

Best wishes and Keep the faith.

Leepers - why did they not give you a fill? No worries about the rambling. I definitely appreciate the story. I needed it today.

I guess because I've been doing so well with my weight loss. And we discussed the fact that I could tolerate almost all foods except bread and that it would be nice to stay that way. The band definitely makes me eat slower. So we decided to wait. I think the issues I'm having now don't really have much to do with the band. I'm having head hunger and strong desires to eat junk. I don't know if this is a fight that will ever go away. I can only hope...

Edited February 26, 201412 yr by Leepers