First Fill-NOT feeling it

Fanny Adams · February 1, 2008

It WILL get better when you get more fills - have faith and believe in yourself! In the meantime, the only thing I can suggest is to make sure that the meals that you eat are full of Protein and bulky. Avoid carbohydrates at all costs!! I've really noticed that eating carbs is a guaranteed sure-fire way for me to be starving hungry again within an hour. You mentioned that you were snacking all night - most snack type foods are high in carbs and this could be why you are feeling so hungry.

From what I can tell, it takes about 2-3 days of cutting out carbs to really notice the difference but once you do, that hunger daemon is much easier to tame. Unfortunately, it only takes one "cheat" with carbs to break the cycle. If I start my day with toast, I can guarantee I'll be hungry all day, but if I go for eggs, I don't have the problem. A typical day's meal for me:

Breakfast: Scrambled egg (1 egg, 1 slice FF cheese crumbled in, 1tbsp FF milk, shake of chicken herbs & salt)

Lunch: 2 oz lean ham, chopped into chunks, 1 raw Tomato chopped, 2" cucumber chopped, 1/2 tbsp FF salad dressing - toss all in a bowl & enjoy!

Dinner: 2 oz any lean meat, 1 cup steamed veges

If I'm hungry between meals, I have a Protein Drink or Optifast shake.< /p>

Here's a link to the Atkins meal plan: Atkins - Two-Week Induction meal plan

I know we've all tried similar diets in the past and you may have tried Atkins before, but now you have the secret weapon of the band to help you to stick to it. The Atkins meal plan is a lot more than we are meant to eat on the band, but while you're still waiting for restriction, you may find that you can eat it all quite easily. If you have to eat more than what is on their plan, make sure you snack with Protein, not carbs. I know that isn't easy because so many snack foods are high carbs but maybe try something like having some beef Jerky strips around that you can chew on for those gotta-munch-something-NOW moments?

Good luck!

Fanny Adams · February 1, 2008

PS: Just noticed that you have lost 17lb! That's great going! Don't discount that as nothing just because others have lost more in the same time. I've only lost 23lb myself and almost all of that was in the first 15 days. Still, I know this is going to work for me in the long run and it will work for you too! Chin up, mate!

mrskrzyz · February 1, 2008

I totally agree with the carb info she gave!!! Carbs are the biggest enemy out there!! I crash from them every time!!!!

HeatherA · February 1, 2008

At this point, I wish I had gotten the bypass. I have had one fill, nothing. I can eat anything and everything. There is absolutely no difference since before the surgery. I feel like this is never gonna work for me, another weight loss failure....I have already called to make another appointment to get another fill.....so we will see what happens there...
It seems like everyone on this site has lost so much in between the surg and first fill. I feel like I am just never gonna see all this nasty fat off of my body. This is the most frustrating process ever!

I asked the doc how much i should be eating at a sitting and he said, eat till u are full.....no real help there, I could eat thanksgiving dinner. I try to eat the way i am supposed to, but after work i am so weak from hunger that i end up snacking all night long....once i start i can hardly stop, and no restriction does not help.....i know it will be work from me too but i didnt get this thing to do it all on my own.....

im just praying now that this thing will actually work for me. im so sick of this waiting thing.......any advice/help/words of wisdom out there????

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::frown::thumbup::thumbup::party::thumbup:

The best thing my doctor told me was once I left the hospital I would have to diet until my 2nd or 3rd fill. I of course had already known that from these boards. So that's what I've been doing. I've been dieting and exercising. I was banded on 12/17/07 (a week after you) and I'm just today at the 17 pound loss post-surgery. Tuesday makes 8 weeks and that gives me an average of 2 pounds a week since surgery. That's exactly what I was told to expect from the band. I believe you too are right on at about 2 pounds a week. Don't worry what others are losing. Just make sure you are doing what you need to do to get through bandster hell.

I'm sure we'd all just love to have the weight fall off like it does with GB patients, but that's not something that was ever advertised with this surgery. The upside to that, is after GB patients stop shedding the pounds they have to start doing the work to keep it off. We have a tool that will always be available to us that can be adjusted to keep us on the right track.

Hang in there! You're doing just great!!!!!

Cerrin · February 1, 2008

I am in the same boat as you are. I feel like I could eat as much as I did before. But when I look at it I dont eat as MUCH as I did before or as BAD as I did before the surgery. I may of lost 34 total but only about 10 of that has been since the surgery. I just keep working on it. I have to keep telling myself at least I am not gaining.

I go to the gym 5 days a week. And I try to track my food intake on Fitday.com just so I know about how many calories I eat every day. I had spagetti last night. I didnt finish the small bowl I made for myself but I did have toast with it. I loged it down because I ate it. I felt guilty for having such a high carb meal. but then I think about what my Dr told me. He said dont worry about eatting low anything. he said watch the portions. And so I do. I would of, in the past ate a plate full of spagetti and bread. Then gone for the tub of ice cream. But I didnt, Last night I had a small bowl with toast. No ice cream. I was full. no need to keep going.

It is sometimes a battel for me to understand when I am not hungry and when I just want to keep eatting.

Good luck and know your not alone.

janiehokie · February 8, 2008

Hey, it looks like you and I were banded on the same day...and guess what? You are definitely NOT the only one feeling this way. I have only lost 25 lbs and 100% of that was from post surgical diet. Since I've started eating "regular" foods, I can eat whatever I want, with no restriction. I have had one fill, so I have 3.5 cc's in a 10 cc band....still nothing...nothing at all. The only proof I have that I even had the surgery is when I eat bread I have a little bit of pain when it slips through the band. Otherwise, I would think that they had cut me open on the 11th, and then stitched me right back up without doing anything in there. So, everyone has told me not to worry, it will happen. Just wanted to let you know that you are not the only one feeling what you're feeling. It's normal!

Cerrin · February 13, 2008

I finally got a call from my dr's assistant!

I get my 2nd fill next wednesday. Whew! I was starting to worry they were just putting me off. I had to get a little firm with her yesterday. She kept telling me my fill would have to be approved by my dr. when he was the one to tell me It is up to me to know if I need a fill. So I told her. I have only had one fill my surgery was in december it was not like I have had the band for a year I have only had one fill and I have not had any ANY restriction. he said it was common to not have restriction after the first fill and to call to make an apointment BEFORE my 25th office visit so we didnt have an unnecessary office visit with out a fill.

After all of that she was like...ok I will get back with you tomorrow...ugg always tomorrow with her...but she DID call today so I guess I have to just be firm with her.

Woo hoo Fill #2 comming up. I hope it works.