My banding was 11/6/07 and I've yet to feel hungry. I can tell there is a "presence" in my stomach area but mostly I feel a mild indigestion when I've not "eaten" one of the Protein shakes in a timely manner. Ive felt a little hickup thing some time so I've quit eating at that point though I've not eaten all my "meal".

I have the smaller AP band and Dr. Montgomery told me there would be a liitle restriction but not much. I was able to swallow Water after my surgery so they said I didn't need an x-ray. I just wonder when I'll feel hungry.

Tomorrow will be a challenge because I return to work. I hope I can find enough energy to do that because I seem to be wearing out quickly.

I'm just wondering how "normal" I am because I feel no hunger.

I've been eating "normal" food for a week now. I was banded on the 5th of November. I had the clear liquids the 1st week, mushies the 2nd. I have oatmeal and a piece of toast for breakfast with peanut butter. Lunch is like a soup and some protein. Dinner last night was spare ribs and butternut squash. I cut the rib meat in very small pieces and chewed, chewed, chewed. I have about 1/4 of the amount of food i was having before the banding. My first fill will be on Dec. 12th. I'm sure the toast may have to go with the peanut butter, hopefully not though. I really feel for everyone who have to be on the mushies for a month or more. I'm planning on asking the doc to give my fill in a small amount. I want to take it slow so I can feel the "full" sensation without overdoing it. Right now the full feeling is like having a dry hiccup. It's a little weird but I know when to stop for the time being. The hiccup stage is what I call it. :-) Good luck to everyone!! Dianne

It is interesting to see how different people are responding to this question. My banding was 11/06 and I am still not feeling hungry. HOWEVER, my stomach does start to growl when it's time to eat...but I don't FEEL hungry. The best thing is that I'm loosing weight and feeling SO MUCH BETTER. After I complained bitterly about my pain, three days later it went away. I slept in my bed for the first time last night. I've had to sleep in a recliner or on the really soft couch to protect my stomach.

Take care and have a great Thanksgiving all!!

It is interesting to see how different people are responding to this question. My banding was 11/06 and I am still not feeling hungry. HOWEVER, my stomach does start to growl when it's time to eat...but I don't FEEL hungry. The best thing is that I'm loosing weight and feeling SO MUCH BETTER. After I complained bitterly about my pain, three days later it went away. I slept in my bed for the first time last night. I've had to sleep in a recliner or on the really soft couch to protect my stomach.

Take care and have a great Thanksgiving all!!

Same with me about the hunger. Sometimes I feel a little weak and/or queasy and since the feeling goes away if I have something to eat, I'm assuming that's what hunger feels like. I almost don't WANT to eat when I get that feeling because food doesn't seem very appetising but I do anyway and then I'm glad I did because I feel better afterwards. But that gnawing, difficult-to-ignore kind of hunger that I used to get, even when I wasn't really hungry, has not returned.

So glad you're feeling better!

I think I am just starting to feel hunger now. This is 13 days after surgery, and my stomach growls and I can feel what I think might be hunger. But I am feeling the tired more than anything......That is what clues me in to it it is time to eat again.

I am trying to remember to eat slowly, this is also hard for me. When eating such a small amount...LOL

I have a horrible time getting the liquid in between meals, I am full so it is not appealing to sit and sip liquid. I hope this gets better because I know how important that Fluid is. It is what will help with the weight coming off.

I experienced hunger this morning on my way home from work. It HURT! Yeah...my tummy growled (contracted) so hard that it gave me physical pain. And I had had my full amount of protein required and had not deprived myself with liquids. So...here I am 6 days post op and if I wait longer than 4 hours to put my "food" liquid in there, it tells me so! LOL

I was banded on Nov. 5. I am really surprised that I am not hungry at all! I have been following my Dr's diet plan to a T and believe me it is not much. I finally got moved to mushies today and it is surprising how full I got. I couldn't even eat 4oz of food. I'm glad I feel restricted, because I am also losing. I know a gal that has been banded by my Dr. this July and she is just now scheduling her first fill!

I was banded on Nov 12 and haven't been mentally hungry at all. My stomach makes a LOTof growly noises. Baby, that is music to my ears, because I know it is my body checking the old pink pantry and finding out that it needs to raid the fat storage area instead to get the calories it needs. WhooHoo!!

I track my calories and nutritian on FitDay and have been averaging between 400 to 700 cal/day. Higher when I know I have to do something like shovel snow (I live in Montana). So far, I am completely indifferent to food. I still love the taste on my tongue, but am happy with one to two spoonfuls of something, Before, I would have wolfed down a whole plateful without setting down the fork. Now, I am supposed to wait 3 minutes between each spoonful. New pureed favorite - half a cup of homemade tamales, eggs, and salsa. Nummmmmy!

My stomach makes a LOTof growly noises. Baby, that is music to my ears, because I know it is my body checking the old pink pantry and finding out that it needs to raid the fat storage area instead to get the calories it needs. WhooHoo!!

Great quote! That's exactly how I feel when my stomach growls but I never thought of it quite that way! :whoo:

I love it Foofy! I will have to remember that next time I think I am hungry. I was banded on the 14th, and started to feel hungry about day 5 or 6. I still don't feel starving. I did however forget to eat breakfast the other day due to a minor crisis at home (quickly averted). I started feeling weak and shaky about 11:00 and realized it was because I hadn't eaten all day. I too have a hard time getting in my liquids between meals. My surgeon has me on soft foods now, but I only get 4 tbsp (2 oz) at a meal, three times a day. I'm not supposed to be "drinking my calories", especially not in between meals. I haven't counted calories, just portion sizes, but I bet I am also around 400-700 calories a day. Holy Cow! An average day for me before was about 2200+. I have however had a couple moments of "mental hunger" where I wanted to stress eat! It was actually nice that it wasn't an option, because it forced me to do some cleaning I was neglecting to cope instead!

Hi. I was banded on the 16th and I am starving! I'm only eight days out right now, but man, I get hungry. That bums me out. I was really hoping I'd be one of those people who never feels hungry.

I was on Clear Liquids until yesterday, now I'm on full liquids for three weeks. I really needed the Protein. In fact, I think that's what I feel more than actual hunger (which hurts! Weird!). I feel more of an energy lag and then I have some Soup. I have a Protein shake in the morning.

What kind of protein power do y'all mix into your Soups? The ones I have make my soup taste disgusting! I'm trying to get as much protein as I can, so I'm mixing it into everything I can, but I'm not a sweets person, so I don't enjoy that many shakes and smoothies. I much prefer warm foods.

Hopefully I won't be so hungry now that I'm eating more substantial foods.

Hey Everyone! You know, my Dad and I were talking right around my Post-Op Day 8 - the day I got my "hunger pangs" back. I was so discouraged and frustrated because the thought of having yet ANOTHER Protein shake was disgusting! He reminded me of something: I'm a very creative cook and I know what I can and can't eat and what I should and shouldn't eat. I need to give my body the chance to decide if it can tolerate certain things and that's when I decided to take the plunge into trying new things like mashed potatoes with cottage cheese or pureed beef stew over a half a piece of dry toast. After I tried these things, I realized I was ready to start eating actual food again.

There was a posting that I read a week or so ago. This person was expressing the very same frustration that I was - needing to feel like they were EATING again and not just slurping some new cup of pureed "baby food". Their suggestion was this: when you're finally allowed mushies or soft foods, try eating something real - healthy, but real and just chew the hell out of it before you swallow it. For example: 1 scrambled egg on a piece of wheat toast w/ lowfat margarine. Take SMALL bites and chew each bite like crazy. Have some fluids on hand in case it feels like it's not quite moving smoothly. Wait a few minutes and try another bite. Do this until your hunger is gone. If you FEEL like you're full, DON'T take another bite because it could be that "one more bite" that harms you, overfills your pouch, etc.

Once you start easing yourself back into real food, remembering the whole time to chew, chew, chew, it makes SUCH a difference.

Since my surger on 11/9, I've lost 14 lbs. I've been back on real food since, oh, I'd say 11/19/07.

These are obviously just my findings for myself. Don't go against the advice of your doctors, but DO listen to your own body. Stay in tune to how you're feeling and take care of your needs.

Good luck everyone!!

Although I truly have not been tormented by "hunger", I have had some occasional POWERFUL cravings that I had to deal with. The othernight, DH (who is great cook) was eating antelope stroganoff. Sigh. The smell was overwhelming.

Here's what happened. He gave me a big piece of antelope. I smelled it, licked it, rolled it around in my mouth, chewed it lighty, and then promptly spat it out and gave it to the overjoyed dog. I got every bit of pleasure that antelope could offer, with none of the pain. I felt completely satisfied, and happily polished off my dinner - 3 ounces of pureed cottage cheese with a little salsa.

Pre-band, I would have snarfed down the whole plate of stroganoff, licked the dish, and then pondered what to have for dessert. Post-surgery, I felt like my band let me face temptation, devise a reasonable soution that WORKED FOR ME, and move on. I feel POWERFUL!! Roar!!!

LOL, on my third week post op I did the same smelled it, licked it, rolled it around in my mouth, chewed it lighty, and then promptly spat it out , with the best homemade dumplings I've ever made. I thought it was such a gross thing to do that I'd be the only one. You made me feel alot better about it.

Although I truly have not been tormented by "hunger", I have had some occasional POWERFUL cravings that I had to deal with. The othernight, DH (who is great cook) was eating antelope stroganoff. Sigh. The smell was overwhelming.

Here's what happened. He gave me a big piece of antelope. I smelled it, licked it, rolled it around in my mouth, chewed it lighty, and then promptly spat it out and gave it to the overjoyed dog. I got every bit of pleasure that antelope could offer, with none of the pain. I felt completely satisfied, and happily polished off my dinner - 3 ounces of pureed cottage cheese with a little salsa.

Pre-band, I would have snarfed down the whole plate of stroganoff, licked the dish, and then pondered what to have for dessert. Post-surgery, I felt like my band let me face temptation, devise a reasonable soution that WORKED FOR ME, and move on. I feel POWERFUL!! Roar!!!

ANTELOPE???? Whoa! Ok, so I have to ask: where do you live that you're able to eat antelope? That's SO interesting!!! I think the most unusual meat I've eaten is ostrich, but that was when I was working in a fine dining restaurant years ago.

I haven't done the chew and spit it out technique, but that would have definitely been my action too if I hadn't been able to tolerate regular food. I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with doing that. LOL! It gets the temptation out of the way and the craving out of your head. Very cool!!

The only interesting things I've ever eating are buffalo and alligator.