i really havent been hungry and today i am starving..i am still on full liquids(yogurt,pudding,soup).. i dont know why today i feel like i could just binge but i know i cant. HELP!!!! it is very frustrating!

Hey Nygrl, you probably had edema (swelling) around your stomach from the surgery, and now that the edema has gone you are hungry. Perfectly nomal.

I hope that answers your question.

so am i going to be starving like this from now on???when will i get thayt full feeling???

not sure.. i am still waiting for it.

i felt it once on the first day back with food...but since then i can eat my heart out..... kinda not what i expected.

not sure.. i am still waiting for it.

i felt it once on the first day back with food...but since then i can eat my heart out..... kinda not what i expected.

have you asked your doctor about this?? when you say eat your heart out what do you mean?? you can eat anything with no problems??

Ladies, ladies, ladies. Haven't you heard that maxim, that the hardest part of banding is the pre-fill stage???

Once you are healed from surgery, your regular signals will return. It's NORMAL to be hungry now! But you're still on liquids or eating mushies, so it's a little harder to keep satisfied than it will be when you can eat solid food. To my mind it's very important to try, though, so that you don't compromise your healing phase by going too quickly to solids.

IMO, postops should be encouraged to eat or drink as much as they need to stay satisfied. When you're back on normal food you may very well not feel much change from before your surgery with regard to how much you can eat--your band is not designed to be effective without any saline in it. Most people don't feel restriction until after a fill or two, although if you pay attention you will likely find that your capacity has dropped and it really does take somewhat less to make you feel full.

Patience. This is not a race and you will not suffer any long-term negative effects if you eat enough now to stave off the grumbly tummy. After you get adjustments is the time to be looking at whether you have restriction or not. At this point, you probably don't and that is NORMAL.

thank you so much Alex.. i really didnt know about this stage and i am glad to hear it will get better... i am really starving today... i just ate 2 small pieces of chicken from my sons chicken and broccli chinese food... i just need a little something other than my egg drop soup.. i amm still starving though... i guess i will have some more soup... thanks again.. i am just having a bad day today

Hey nygirl. I just ate a can of chili with beans. Well, not the whole thing but I feel utterly stuffed! It's sure not the best low-salt healthy meal but i was looking for a sick-to-my-ribs something, and that was it! I'm over 3 weeks post-op and you are 10 days, so make sure chili is Okay for you at this point. I have to chew it pretty well but it's soft and goes down fine. Even egg drop soup wasn't cutting it! Good luck!

i am not into solids every day.. more the mushies all the time with a venture here and there into solids.. but yes.. i can eat heartily.. as much as i want... pretty much all day... and i have no problems with anything... i hiccuped once... that was it. (tonite i had chicken and rice for dinner.. with the family... and i had a cheeseburger from mcdonalds a few days ago... bad bad.. i know i know.. but again.. no problems)

i know that i havent had a fill so this is normal.. but... its freaky.. i dont get full... its like the mushies just slide right on through my tummy. i am losin weight.. but... f r e a k y.

Kathy i go to the doc tomorrow and i will definatly ask about the chilli it sounds so good to me..did you have it with just beans or meat and beans??? dallasdoll a mcdonalds burger i wouldnt even think of doing that.. did you have the bun and all??? and no problems??? i still have the little bit of chicken i ate stuck in my throat!!

omg Id kill for a cheeseburger(not mcdonalds-ick)-yuuuummmmmmmmmm

Okay nygirl, you need to SLOOOW DOWN! or you will end up with problems. If you still have some chicken stuck, you didn't chew well enough and that is solid food and is off the list. Stick out your hand and let me slap it!! JK. Really though. I know you are hungry but you will learn quickly not to just stick stuff in your mouth for the heck of it. I don't know what's up with dallasdoll but to me, she is ODD!!! And I mean that in a good way. She is fortunate not to have experienced the swelling problems I have had (lucky girl! I'm so jealous and she knows it!) and is moving along nicely. You sound like me, and need to slow it down. I tried to do tuna but it's still too heavy for me. It went down okay, but not freely like dallasdoll eats, so I have backed up to VERY mushy.

Two more things you should do...get some liquid Vitamins (I just picked up Centrum at the store) and get you some Boost or some other Protein drink. It's more filling and helps keep you caloried-up. I got vanilla Boost and put it in the Magic Bullet blender thingy with a little ice, a half banana, some frozen blueberries...yummy! Great breakfast! That helps alot. keep me posted!

Totally agree on the shake thing. nygrl and dallasdoll you could try a protein shake. My favorite is Disigner Whey, just like Kathy I throw in a half a banana. It's sooo good! It always kept me full before band for at least 3-4 hours.

kathy, i know i should not have eaten that chicken..i havent tried boost i have been doing carnation instant breakfast..i am going to ask my doc today if i could start the mushy food then i could at least have some oatmeal to fill me up...thanks for the support i will keep you posted;)

keep in mind that you may be hungry but you don't have to act on it. Try doing something in the place of hunger. Walk, read, listen to music. Do the protein shakes, even if they don't taste so great. Try pastina. Believe it or not, it has a decent amount of protein. Also, homemade chicken broth is great for healing and has some fat in it for staying power. Just boil up some chicken parts with carrots, celery, turnips, dill, parsley, etc. and you have instant healing agent. It worked for me. Anyway, remember that even with restriction, the band will not prevent you from making bad choices so perhaps you shouldn't start now. Stay away from any fast food or anything that doesn't take time to prepare. Eventually, the band will help you eat less but it will not prevent you from eating too much of the types of foods that got us here in the first place. Hang in there, the hunger will pass. good luck.

just got back from the doctor and he said i could start mushey foods:laugh cottage cheese never tasted so good as it does right now LOL..i lost 12 pounds so far had my surgery april 21...he said everything was good and i can even start walking on the tradmill slowly..hopefully having some real food in me will fill me up more .. once again thanks for all the support!!

Qwinner where are you on long island ?? that is where i am..Dr Rubenstein is my surgeon.