Hello Fellow Bansters:

How much were ya'll able to eat before you got your first fill? How long did the full feeling last? How was your hunger level?

I am still on the full liquids portion of this diet (for one more day then, I go to pureed food and such) but I will admit, I will occasionally have a small portion of something that I am not supposed to have. It won't be anything dramatic like ice cream or hamburgers or steak or solid food or anything..but stuff that I can tolerate that is not truly on the liquids list.

How is everyone doing? I hope everyone is doing well.

Hi Brina,

I was banded 3/5 and just starting to feel somewhat normal, except my incision areas. I have to admit, I was starving after the first week. I started eating puree tunafish and beans about 4 days ago--too early according to my doctor but I saw many others on here doing it & I have been ok. I eat slow and stop when I feel satisfied so I'm not eating too much, but definitely more than 2 tablespoons worth. I can stay satisfied with the puree food for about 3 hours but I also start drinking my water an hour after eating. I'm having a hard time getting my water in. Mostly at night is when my hunger kicks in but I think it's all in my head b/c my habits were to snack at night in front of the tv when my boys went to bed. I've picked up a hobby in beading so now I do that in front of the tv--keeps my mind busy as well as my hands. I've lost 19 lbs so far but that includes the 7 I lost on the pre-op diet. I have not gown down any in the last 3 days so that is discouraging.

I see that you have BCBS Federal and I have it also. I'm a nervous wreck that my claims won't get paid. About what did you have to pay out of pocket? So far I'm out $100 ded to hospital, $189 to complete my year ded to the surgeon and now I'm waiting on the bills to come in.

Hi Flowergurl,

You talked about the bills for your surgery ready to come in. I'm just curious. Didn't you get your surgery approved before hand and didn't they tell you what your out of pocket expenses would be? I have So Cal Blue Cross.

Angelface, my insurance does not pre-authorize procedures. My hospital stay was pre-certified but the actual procedure is not approved. My insurance states that if I meet qualification then the claims will be paid. So far, my insurance is the only one that I know of that does not give pre-auth to procedures such as the LapBand. I know my policy...like I am responsible for 10% coinsurance, but that is with the hope that this procedure gets approved & my insurance company pays up. Then I will pay 10% of the usual & customary fee. What I am bracing (afraid of) for is that my claims are not denied. I have BCBS Federal program, which is entirely different than the other policies within BCBS...from what I was told anyway.

Hi,

I was banded on 2/28/08 and I am able to eat about anything. I have no restriction. I had my 2 week checkup on 3/13/08. and get my first fill after 5 weeks on 4/3/08.

Hi,

I was banded on 2/28/08 and I am able to eat about anything. I have no restriction. I had my 2 week checkup on 3/13/08. and get my first fill after 5 weeks on 4/3/08.

I feel the same way, keep thinking i will feel something different but I havent yet.I have my first fill right around the same time you do I hope it makes a difference!

I could eat a lot before my first fill - the same as before I was banded. That's because, technically, the band isn't doing anything but sitting there around your stomach. It hasn't been filled yet. Once the swelling went down after surgery (2 weeks or so) I was basically back to normal. Don't expect restriction without a fill. Some people are lucky enough to not be hungry for a much longer time after surgery. It just depends on how your body responds. The thing you have to remember is it is normal to get hungry again and you shouldn't have a fill at all unless you are hungry. Hunger is a sign that you're healed and back to normal. Don't fear it! I know it's hard to wait for that fill, but be glad you are hungry! It means you are doing great!

I know that you can still eat alot before your firts fill. But I feel really bad because I'm back to over eating and have gained 3lbs back. I go for my first fill 3/26/08 can't wait. Have anyone else over eaten before their fill? Can you stretch your new stomach? I'm worried about all of this.

I just got banded Monday and I can't imagine eating like a ate before. I know it's too early for me to start feeling hungry but I'm sticking to this program EXACTLY like I have been instructed to. I only get three 8 oz bottles of Boost per day and at least 64 oz of Water for 16 days. My diet will advance to mushies on April 2nd. I don't intend to eat anything at all until they tell me to. How do any of you expect this to work for you if you aren't willing to do what you are told? This band is only going to work the way it's supposed to if WE do what we are supposed to. So you feel a little hungry....deal with it. Find a distraction. I preached about this before I was banded on Monday and people told me I needed to wait until after I was banded to give an opinion. I admit...I would love some warm Soup but it's not going to happen. If my doctor wants me to have it...then he will order it. Otherwise I'm sticking to the program and will be successful at it. It's only been 2 days and I plan on going for a walk tomorrow. I wish you all the best of luck but don't start doing things you aren't supposed to do so early on...you are setting yourself up for failure.

Janet:wub:

Before my first fill I could hardly eat anything and then about 2.5 weeks before the day I got a ravenous hunger. As soon as I had the fill it went away. About 2 weeks before my second fill I started getting more and more hungrier but it went away after that fill. Same thing before my third fill but this time I wasn't nearly as hungry and not for as long. My fills are spaced 7 weeks apart and I had the first one 8 weeks after the banding.

I just got banded Monday and I can't imagine eating like a ate before. I know it's too early for me to start feeling hungry but I'm sticking to this program EXACTLY like I have been instructed to. I only get three 8 oz bottles of Boost per day and at least 64 oz of Water for 16 days. My diet will advance to mushies on April 2nd. I don't intend to eat anything at all until they tell me to. How do any of you expect this to work for you if you aren't willing to do what you are told? This band is only going to work the way it's supposed to if WE do what we are supposed to. So you feel a little hungry....deal with it. Find a distraction. I preached about this before I was banded on Monday and people told me I needed to wait until after I was banded to give an opinion. I admit...I would love some warm Soup but it's not going to happen. If my doctor wants me to have it...then he will order it. Otherwise I'm sticking to the program and will be successful at it. It's only been 2 days and I plan on going for a walk tomorrow. I wish you all the best of luck but don't start doing things you aren't supposed to do so early on...you are setting yourself up for failure.

Janet:wub:

Janet,

I agree with a lot of what you are saying but don't be so hard on others. Everyone is different and their bodies react in different ways to losing weight. I also stuck to what my Dr. and his team told me to do. And I didn't find it too hard. The nice thing about the band is that there is negative feedback if you eat the wrong things. :biggrin2: Dr. Pavlov would have loved this.

Seems like lots of debate on what to eat/drink, how much and how soon. Every doctor has a different plan and every person has a different need.

I was banded 10 days ago and can basically have any thick liquid, but I go to solids March 31st. I seemed to be really hungry today at dinner, so I mushed up a few ravoli's and sauce, got full quick and figure I had about 200 calories for dinner. Before the band, 200 calories may have covered the drink portion of dinner. So my two cents, eat what makes you satisfied. Remember, if you don't, we usually eat something much worse.

My next doctor appt isn't until April 21st, but the doctor said if once I started solids and if I wasn't getting full, to come in for a fill. Not to wait until the next appt.

Michelle

350/330/175

Janet, I think you mean well, But you are coming off as aggresive and argumentative. The original poster simply asked a question. She wanted to know how everyone's appetite was before their first fill. Not asking for a lecture or a negative response as to what she should and should not be doing. Being 2 days out, I applaud your motivation and good intentions...But trust me, as the time goes on and your body heals and you still have no restriction, it gets harder and harder to follow the plan. I have been 9 weeks since surgery and my 1st fill isn't until April 8th (12 weeks out) I have a very large appetite and per my Dr's plan I'm on solid foods and I can eat anything I can tolerate. He "RECCOMENDS" staying under 1200 calories. It gets very hard to avoid temptation. Same as always...That's why we are all here...Poor self control. So while I can appreciate your complete devotion to staying 100% within the guidelines of the post-op diet, I think you may be dissapointed when the realization sets in and temptation takes over.

Seems like lots of debate on what to eat/drink, how much and how soon. Every doctor has a different plan and every person has a different need.

I was banded 10 days ago and can basically have any thick liquid, but I go to solids March 31st. I seemed to be really hungry today at dinner, so I mushed up a few ravoli's and sauce, got full quick and figure I had about 200 calories for dinner. Before the band, 200 calories may have covered the drink portion of dinner. So my two cents, eat what makes you satisfied. Remember, if you don't, we usually eat something much worse.

My next doctor appt isn't until April 21st, but the doctor said if once I started solids and if I wasn't getting full, to come in for a fill. Not to wait until the next appt.

Michelle

350/330/175

How's it going so far? How long ago did you have it and are you feeling like you are dying to eat but know if you do, you'll get sick, or what? Can you feel the port? Can you feel that you have a foreign substance inside you? Thanks.

Curious, I can only speak for myself...I'm 9 weeks out still no fill. I can eat almost anything. I don't (most of the time), not for fear of being sick, but because I want to be successful. I have not been sick at all, and all foods taste just as good as they did before. I can feel my port if I press my hand deeply into my abdomin, but otherwise I feel nothing...You should aske people in different stages of post-op...It seems people have a hard time at first because they still have an appetite and weight loss is slow (this is how I feel at the moment) but people who have had a few more fills and have been doing this a bit longer have had great success and seemed to really make a lifestyle change for the better...You will read about good and bad experiences...I believe this tool does work...So do some extensive research, and if it seems like something you think you are ready for, It certainly is worth the consideration. Good Luck whatever you decide.