Hi Everyone, I need some more help. I'm just at 2 weeks after surgery and I can't stop eating. I started on soft foods and it just spiraled out of control. I just had a bowl of popcorn an hour ago. I know I'm not supposed to eat but I'm hungry and I have no problem with eating and digesting. The nurse told me to just wait until I got my first fill but I don't have willpower. That's why I got this surgery! I know I won't be able to eat after my fill but until then I can't seem to stop. I'm dreaming of food. And worse yet I put 10 lbs back on just this weekend! Help!!!!

I am doing the same, except I am 4 weeks out. Have not tried popcorn, kinda nervious about that. I told my doctor how I have been eating, he just seemed to be concerned with any bread products because they can expand. He said remember you can drink as much as you want. The dietian said if you chew reaaly good, then that is soft food!!! Help---I am an eating machine. Yes, I seem to eat slightly less but still.

I was banded on 4/16... and now starving!!! I'm in the same boat as you, eating alot more!!! I get my first fill on Thursday, which I cant wait. Cuz I feel i'm over eating, even though my husband says i'm not, it's mental!!! But please tell me what the heck did you eat that you put on 10lbs in 1 Weekend! That is Un heard of!!! Somethings gotta be wrong w/ your scale!!!!

Hi Everyone, I need some more help. I'm just at 2 weeks after surgery and I can't stop eating. I started on soft foods and it just spiraled out of control. I just had a bowl of popcorn an hour ago. I know I'm not supposed to eat but I'm hungry and I have no problem with eating and digesting. The nurse told me to just wait until I got my first fill but I don't have willpower. That's why I got this surgery! I know I won't be able to eat after my fill but until then I can't seem to stop. I'm dreaming of food. And worse yet I put 10 lbs back on just this weekend! Help!!!!

I am sorry for your struggles but even with the band you do need will power - the band doesn't make your food choice - you/your brain does - they banded your tummy not your brain.

The band is only a tool - it is not the cure all to our issues with food which are mostly mental IMHO.

Even after your 1st fill you may be able to eat - most people aren't at their sweet spot after their 1st fill.

I would say that you have some work to do - to find out why you are sabotaging yourself.

You may want to consider seeing someone about your issue with food, My doctor didn't allow popcorn 2 weeks out - but all doc's are diff.

Just cuz you can eat - why are you - you just had major surgery to have the tool to help you lose the weight - but the key word is help - you gotta make up your mind to change your eating to healthy low fat sugar free - You gotta follow the banding rules.

Good Luck..

Half of the battle is will power, I don't even have my band yet and I am controlling what and how much I eat for this 6 month diet. You have to want to not eat the wrong foods or eat too much along with the tool. I'd get some emotional support somewhere.

I am also two weeks post op and feel a little more hungry.. however, i would imagine that if you are going to eat, you should eat foods that are more beneficial to you.. instead of popcorn. get a low call protein bar.. they have some really great flavors at Walmart.. for my sweet tooth, sugar free fruit bars and i have eaten more liver and onions than the law allows, but it is high in protein. i feel as though my choices are OK. but i am worried about stretching the pouch.. I do not get my first fill until mid June so I am really being conscious not to eat the wrong things.

I would avoid rough foods for sure - beef, lettuce, popcorn, nuts, seeds etc. That's asking your stmach to work way to hard, dangerously hard. You're just two weeks out. Call your doc and get his/her advice and be careful!

Okpunkinpie- Just stop! Stop eating and start doing something else. Anything else. Walk, watch a movie, read....do anything but eat. It's a difficult phase, but it will pass. The important thing is to allow your stomach to heal, and to not stretch out the pouch by eating too much. Drink a lot of Water. I know it's hard, but you have to mind the rules, or all your hard work and money will be for nothing.

The good news: It's not too late to turn it around. You can do it!!

I'm 2.5 weeks out and about 3 days ago hunger hit with a vengence. Once I started to eat something other than Soup it seems I have gotten really hungary really quickly. I'm worried I am over eating just like you but my DH says no. For example, yesterday for lunch I had a 1/4 of a rot. chicken breast and about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of rice a roni. All went down fine but I read about folks being full on 2 tbls of food and I just am not. I am trying hard to control the portions and think after yesterday I will only put on my plate the portion I can have but everything goes down super easy.

I also haven't had the "full" feeling or the "Stuck" feeling or anything. If it were not for the port pain healing I would not even know I had surgery.

Anybody else experiencing this?

Here are some soup recipes that you can try that are quite hearty. YOU CAN'T EAT! There is a reason your doc says not to eat!

Soup recipes

Roasted Tomato with Roasted Garlic

This recipe yielded about 1 cup.

Ingredients:

½ container of grape tomatoes

4-6 cloves of garlic (depends on size and strength of garlic desired)

4 oz of silken tofu

2 TBSP of fresh basil (2-3 tsp of dried basil)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peal the garlic and wrap in a small piece of aluminum foil.

2. Place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and spray with PAM, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Put the tomatoes and garlic in a 350 degree oven until done.

a. Tomatoes will burst and shrivel a bit

b. Garlic will be soft and mash easily with a fork

c. Tomatoes will probably finish before the garlic

4. Place the tomatoes and garlic in a food processor (or blender)

5. Add the tofu and blend until almost smooth.

6. Heat through and add the finely chopped basil at the end.

7. Simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors blend.

8. If necessary thin out with FF evaporated milk.

Grilled Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

¼ pound or more of asparagus

2-3 cloves of garlic (depends on size and strength of garlic desired)

4 oz of silken tofu

¼ small onion (more or less depending on taste)

¼ -1/3 cup of LF shredded cheese.

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Either boil grill on BBQ (much better!) the asparagus until just undercooked.

a. To grill on BBQ spray with PAM and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in aluminum foil if you do not have a flat grill on BBQ.

2. Sautee garlic, onions and cooked asparagus

3. Place veggies in a food processor (or blender)

4. Add the tofu and blend until smooth.

5. Add FF evaporated milk until correct texture.

6. Heat to desired temperature

Sautéed Mushroom and Tuna Soup

(This was my way of eating tuna noodle casserole…soup style!)

Ingredients:

½ pound or more of mushrooms (any kind will work)

2-3 cloves of garlic (depends on size and strength of garlic desired)

4 oz of silken tofu or white beans

¼ small onion (more or less depending on taste)

1 can of tuna fish

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Sautee mushrooms, garlic and onions until desired texture.

2. Add to food processor or blender.

3. Add 4oz of silken tofu or ½ can of white beans (depending on your taste!)

4. Add drained tuna fish (or any other canned fish)

5. Puree to desired texture.

6. Heat and add FF evaporated milk to thin if needed

So as you can see, the base for these soups is pretty much the same. If you don’t like tofu I would assume that white canned beans would work just as well. Experiment with different spices, add a little parmesan cheese, or different veggies. Right now you shouldn’t be worrying as much about calories, but rather about healing. If you would like add meat to any of these it would work just fine. Ground chicken, hamburger, and ground turkey all pulverize very well. You will most likely just have to thin it out with the FF evaporated milk. That one ingredient has changed my way of cooking. Once you graduate to real foods you can have chicken Alfredo for VERY few calories by using this one ingredient.

Another soup that has good flavor is to just take some refried beans and beef stock. It has a lot of flavor and a lot of protein to keep you fuller longer. Also take some spaghetti sauce and add some pulverized veggies to it and it makes it better. Adding some pureed white beans also helps it feel like more food.

Thank goodness I am not alone. I have been so hungry. I really have stuck to the liquids, though. It has been hard and I am only a week out!

Salsa1877, those recipes look good. I think I will try them tomorrow.

This is so hard. I just hope once I get my first fill (May 20th) that it will help a little more. Yes, everyone is correct about the healing part. I guess some of us just need to learn to use the band as a tool.

I am scared of this stage. I am a week out and I have been hungry already. However I have discovered, late today, that I am just not drinking enough. It is hard to be hungry with 60 oz of fluids.

I will say I have discovered a Protein shake recipe I made up that works great for me. Another thing is that someone said not to blend the shakes because they get too much air..but to just hit and stop in bursts til ice is crushed.

Anyway...I out in one cup of ice, a cup of coffee and a scoop of choc protein pwder. A splash of milk is good too...it tastes like a Dunkin DOnuts mochachino....delish..and VERY FILLING.

I will be sending positive thoughts into the universe for all of you.

the ting that is hard is when people keep saying to HAVE WILLPOWER. SHOOOOOOOTTTTT if weall had willpower we wouldn't have needed to be banded.

Cindi

Those Soups look yummy karri!!

You do need to get creative. I love Thai, so I add a little light unsweetened coconut milk to chicken boullion, some curry paste or powder, a touch of splenda, fresh basil leaves and a couple of chili flakes if you like some kick! In a couple of weeks I can't wait to pour this over a piece of broiled halibut, Yummy!

I am scared of this stage. I am a week out and I have been hungry already. However I have discovered, late today, that I am just not drinking enough. It is hard to be hungry with 60 oz of fluids.

I will say I have discovered a Protein shake recipe I made up that works great for me. Another thing is that someone said not to blend the shakes because they get too much air..but to just hit and stop in bursts til ice is crushed.

Anyway...I out in one cup of ice, a cup of coffee and a scoop of choc protein pwder. A splash of milk is good too...it tastes like a Dunkin DOnuts mochachino....delish..and VERY FILLING.

I will be sending positive thoughts into the universe for all of you.

the ting that is hard is when people keep saying to HAVE WILLPOWER. SHOOOOOOOTTTTT if weall had willpower we wouldn't have needed to be banded.

Cindi

Will power is essential. Learning how to use it is a POWERFUL tool. I have found that the band gave me the courage to use my will power. To not give in to EVERY whim my brain wanted. Right now my brain wants more food, but my tummy is NOT hungry. So I tell myself NO. Once you learn to do that, you can easily start telling others NO, and I think that more than the weight loss that ability to tell myself and others no is the most powerful thing I GAINED in this process. I am not going to tell you it is easy. I have cried myself to sleep more than once, but when I wake up, I feel more powerful than ever. You are a living, breathing, wonderful human being...that piece of food is nothing more than a bunch of chemical bonds(yes I am a chemistry teacher!)...who do you think is more powerful. Will POWER is not about not eating something, will POWER is about making you a better and strong person. If you look at it that way, I think that phrase is certainly something I want to embrace.

Good luck and it does get easier!

I was wondering if anyone else struggles on the weekends? I do great during the week but the weekend I feel hungry and grab things I should not. I know it is partly from being bored. But old habits die hard. Pre-banding this was my way as well - diet during the week and do great - the wknd would come and I would blow it. How do you retrain your mind? If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them. Tips, tricks - anything... I didn't go thru all this to continually blow it on the wknds... I am 4 wks post op and have lost 25lbs... I love this forum... I found it prior to my surgery and have checked it daily since.... thanks everyone for the great thoughts, encouragement and information.