4 weeks post op, not getting full

[Darlyn Dwan Rottkamp DeVoe 10]

Hi all, hate to be asking so many questions but I don't get full. No matter what I eat or drink, I can keep going. I haven't of course but last night I just couldn't be satisfied. I'm starting to miss eating pretzels and Snacks. I only lost 9 lbs since surgery. I thought it would come off quicker. Also, what is the green zone? Thanks for helping this newbie out!

[gowalking 10,790]

Forget full sweetie. Full means you've gone too far. What you want is satiety. Meaning, not hungry but not full. You are in bandster hell. It can take months and multiple fills before you are in the green. Being in the green means you can go 4-5 hours between meals without being hungry. It also means that the appetite is tamped down just enough to allow you to make good food choices.

Just keep doing what you are doing...it's a diet right now and you just have to get through this part. Don't get discouraged. There are a number of vets on this forum who have been very successful even though they gained weight during bandster hell. You have to remember that none of us gained the weight overnight, and we won't lose it that way either. This is a lifetime change....regardless of how long it takes to lose the weight. Good luck...come see us when you are feeling low. We'll help you stay on track.

[SandyM 1,956]

Looks like your surgery was in August and this is September. 9 lbs is right on track. Bandsters usually lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. I did my whole journey at 1 lb a week. You can't hurry progress and at least you're moving in the right direction.

[2muchfun 8,927]

Welcome to Bandster Hell. I was in BH for 4 months. This is the part your surgeon forgets to tell you about. There's very little, if any, saline in your band now so the hole between your 2 oz pouch and lower stomach is pretty much wide open. Therefore you can still eat just like you did before surgery. You won't feel satiety and eat less till you get enough fills to give you this feeling.

I managed to not gain weight by eating healthy foods as much as possible and working out as much as I could. I lost 12 lbs the first two weeks and then nothing for the next 3.5 months. Focus on eating healthy foods and stay away from slider foods like sugar drinks, chocolate, Soups, ice cream, chips, crackers and high fat drinks like latte.

[Lady VS 1,147]

9 lbs in 4 weeks is great. It is going to take a few adjustments before you receive satiety. As tmf said, welcome to bandster hell. Hang in there.

[MarieMarie 346]

My surgeon believes 7 weeks until my first fill. 5 weeks post op now

[B-52 7,113]

To this day I have never felt full....that only happens when someone eats to much...which will result in pain (stretching the pouch) before anything else. So you learn to stop when nit's time to stop.

For me, being in the Green Zone is something much, much different that a physical feeling....

And it took me to 4-5 months after surgery, with a few fill adjustments, and then adjustments to myself as to what and how I eat to balance out with the restriction before I could say this thing was working.

But after that it has been a dream! Easy-Peasy once you get it all in harmony...but it does not happen overnight, or even in that first phase after surgery.....