Hello all,

I had my surgery on June 18th. So I am 12 days out. For the first 6-7 days I felt some restriction. I could only eat a small amount. The most I ate was a can of cream of chicken soup for dinner, I did the slim fast morning and noon. I am starting to get REALLY hungry in between meals now.

Here is my diet as of now:

Morning: Carnation instant bfast - 375 calories, Two cups of 10 calorie jello

Afternoon: Cambells soup individual serving cup 120 calories, microwavable cup. 1 10 calorie jello cup

Dinner: Small saucer of taco meat, homemade, with two slices of pepper jack melted on top. total of 250 calories. Then I drink some light apple juice through out the night, 8fl 3-4 times at 50 calories a pop.

I am getting very hungry. I am losing weight. From the week before my surgery I followed the preop diet, except in the eveings when I would have a "normal meal." (If I did not do this I passed out once at work.) Then up to now following the post op diet exactly I have lost 20lbs.

Here is the problem. In order to acheive this goal I am bascially starving between meals, I was given the large band, I think it holds 14cc of fluid.

I have no restriction to speak of. I see my doc tomorrow and I am afraid he is going to see my progress and set me up for a fill date 8 weeks from now! I don't think I can keep going like this. I am getting light headed and everything else from hunger pangs. I don't want to lose my progress and start eating more however on the other hand I am afraid my doc will see that I am losing weight steadly and put off my first fill. You see I must weigh myself daily, that is how they calculate the fills. So do I tell the doctor the truth I am starving and get a lecture on how I should eat more, even though I am following the diet to a T! Or should I say nothing and hope I get a fill sooner than 8 weeks from now. I am confused and tore up. I have been treating this as a diet, when in fact I need to use my tool/band so I don't starve and I can't becuase it is not restricted. I am sorry if I am not making much sense I am confused and really worried. I want this to work, but I can't keep up this diet without the hunger pangs dwindling down via some restriction.

Any Advise.

Try going with more protein. Instaed of a slimfast (10g protein?) I was having these proforme protein shakes that were like 30g a serving. I would start it in the am and it really filled me up - would take a half day to finish. I was on mushees for at least two weeks after surgery, and had little hunger (I also walked a lot - is that helping you ?). Even when I ate mushee food and then regular food, the focus was on high protein (still is - I just had lunch - grilled chicken breast (2oz) and poached salmon (3oz)) . Juices/soups/instant breakfast all have lots of carbs and calories but are not high in protein. You may want to schedule some time with a nutritionist - they can help guide you as well.

I am in the exact same boat as you... Banded on the same day (June 18), and have lost 21 pounds since the week before surgery...

And I am getting hungry!

I wasn't too hungry last week. I don't think it was restriction from the band, just post operative stuff...

My routine is this...

Breakfast - Two scoops of this stuff, ice, Water and a banana, blended up in this monster.

lunch - varies... had a banana today... sometimes refried Beans, sometimes soup run through the same Vitamix blender...

dinner - same as lunch...

Daily calories averaging between 800-1000 or so...

Have been walking and going to the gym...

Losing weight just fine... Definitely in ketosis... Breath stinks, piss smells funky, etc...

Just scheduled my first follow up with Dr. Spivak for July 17... Hoping to get enough of a fill to feel something... And then progress out of the "mushies" (hate that term) into real food, so I can start working on new eating habits... No drinking with eating, small bites, chew a lot, etc... all that stuff I have never done before...

I will not be able to maintain this eating style for long... But I can give it until July 17...

Good luck to you, and me!

It's kind of a cliche, and you'll hear it approximately a million times, but be patient. You probably won't have restriction for awhile. Nemesis, your focus should be on healing your stomach sutures, not "losing weight", per se. That's why the diet is small and mostly liquids (so your stomach can heal, and not be distracted by having to digest things). If you're getting light headed and really hungry, eat a small snack (doc approved, of course). I have to echo what Mike said.....the higher protein shakes kept my appetite at bay better, until I was healed enough to start the fill process. Staying busy helps with the hunger pangs. next time you get hungry, try walking for 10 mins or so. If still hungry, eat a small healthy snack (say, 1/2 of a mushed up banana....or a protein shake). The other advice I have is to cut back on the apple juice and go full tilt with the water.

I am just afraid if I lose the apple juice things will really go to hell. I am barely making it as it is. Last night I ate a little more thant I should have. I was VERY hungry. I had 2 1/2 cups of hamburger helper. Now I did cook it VERY Long and it was soft, but still to much. I am taking protein powder as well, it was provided by my program. Low in everything except protein. And those EAS drinks have like 20g of protein. Also the slimfast I am drinking is LOW carb, low Cal. I mean it has like 2-4grams of carbs per drink. I just hope I have not hurt my band or my new stomach by overeating last night. I was not hurting from it but I was full. I am a little concerned that I was able to down that much, could I be really that unrestricted?? I had a few burps and was good the rest of the night. I really want to lose weight, but you guys are right I need to heal. But my weight is really hurting me, and I think my Dr. is one of those bastards that is conservitive with the fills. Also, I as well do not like the word mushies, its sounds kinda...welll...like a female word...lol

Edited July 1, 200818 yr by s1nemesis1s

My surgery was last October and I was very hungry up until my third band fill last month. Now my hunger is finally under control. Up until then I had lost about 30lbs but now it's really starting to come off (and finally below 200lbs). But it took 8 months to get a good "fit" with the band

eat vegetables if you feel hunger

As Plain says, you are in a healing phase now and need to be mindfull of what you are eating - and how much. Focus on getting your proteins in - do you know how many grams per day you are getting in total ? Rough target is your weight multiplied by 37%. Also, try to get away from the juices - they are what is generally reffered to as "empty calories" and even though they will not harm the healing process, they will effect weight loss. I am not surprised you were able to eat that much as you will most likely not have restriction yet - usually takes around 3 fills for most people. However, everything you are told now - eat less, eat slow, chew, chew, chew - will prep you for when you will have restriction. In my case, I did not have restriction until after the 3rd fill. However, I "followed the plan" beforehand. I will say, it was more of a mental challenge rather than a physical challenge in that if I ate too much, or too quick before my third fill, there were no consequences. Now I have to be carefull or there will be physical consequences (PB'ing). Again, I would encourage you to speak with a nutritionist who specializes in WLS - mine has been very helpfull. Good luck to you !

Hello,

I went to see my doctor today. He set up my first fill for july 22nd! Sweet! He told me that, meals were not CIB, Slim fast, and soup. LOL He said EAT! He wants me to eat three solid meals every day, cut out any juices and get rid of the cib, eas, and slimfast. So I am feeling better now about things, maybe he is not one of those very conseritive fill guys afterall. Only time will tell. For now I am happy.

I was going to say the same thing as your doc, only slightly differently. Jesus, man! How are you surviving on such a low intake??? I aim for 1200 - 1500 calories a day, but I'm a pretty big guy. You were/are barely cracking 1000! And I'm with plain on the apple juice - who cares if it's reduced calorie? It's still 200 cals with no nutritional benefit.

As far as feeling full, your doc is right that solid food gives you satiety. But I have to say that I differ about the other drinks. My breakfast every day is a shake I make with one ice cold can of low carb French vanilla Slimfast Optima (SFO), one frozen banana, three tablespoons of whey Protein powder and two tablespoons of powdered Peanut Butter (PB2, 75% less fat than real peanut butter, but ridiculously expensive - I think I'm going to try the reduced cal peanut butter when the powdered stuff runs out; the shake runs to about 350 - 375 cals, is loaded with nutrients, and has a good bit of protein. Best of all, it's DELICIOUS, like something you'd get at a milkshake shop!). I have that just about every day, and I'm good to go for a good 5 hours.

Now I understand your doctor wants you to fill up on solid food, but I love the convenience, flavour, and nutritional bang of my SFO Protein Shake. My surgeon also has one a day, and he's been banded for seven years.

I think your surgeon wants you to know that you CAN eat solid food, and that solid food helps keep you from being hungry. All's I'm saying is that I love my shakes, and I see myself having them for the rest of my life...

Congrats on the weight loss, and keep your protein up! I really like the Isopure clear Protein Drinks - fruit punch-like beverages I buy at GNC for the painful price of $3.50 or so. 20 ounces gives you 40 g of protein and maybe 180 or so cals, but its a great way of getting protein in, particularly during liquid stages. I still try to drink half of one a day. They're not delicious - you always know you're drinking protein - but they're no worse than most Gatorade-style drinks.

That shakes sounds great. I am going to move to the solid food soon, and I might try one of those shakes as well! Right now I have a weeks worth of soups in my desk drawer here at work. I am going to have to finsih them off, becuase I paid a bunch for them! I also have 8 EAS drinks at home along with 3 CIB. So I will finish off all that the rest of the week and into next week. Then I will start some small portions of solid food, and see where we go. I am excited. Today for instance, I was able to button a shirt up and wear it work. I bought this shirt to just be open and wear a tee underneath, AND NOW IT BUTTONS AND I CAN WEAR IT WORK!!! YEEHAW!!!

The journey really HAS begun!