I am 9 days post-op and I am really suffering for hunger. I have NO restriction at all and it really feels like touture. I have another 3 weeks on this liquid diet (for a total of 4 weeks) and it seems so hopeless. I have already cheated by taking a few chips out my sons plate today, just a couple but I still know its wrong. I have no restriction so it went down quite easy. I am constantly drinking like every 3hours and alot (Water and juice).

Does anyone else feel this and if you do .....what did you do or eat for it? Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks, Nic xx

Are you on clear liquids or full liquids? If you can have full liquids, try some pureed soups and a nice thick protein shake sure does help me. I also had some cream of rice cereal and some oatmeal thinned with milk (and with some added baby food fruit for flavor) until it was very thin and I can also have pureed chicken, turkey or fish thinned with broth.

At this point, besides the creamy soups you should also be able to have mashed potatoes, FF pudding and SF jello. It will help fill your stomach more.

Hey! I am four days post op and I know exactly how you feel. I have been having the worst hunger pangs of my entire life! It really does feel like torture. But I hear it gets much better.

What I would definetly suggest are PROTIEN SHAKES! DO NOT try to have all those carbs from mashed potatoes and crap like that. It will just make you gain weight. Although it's OKAY to have those things, it's just not as effective as having a low carb protien shake. If you can't handle that many protien shakes, mix it up with soups. But try not to go and liquify carbs or whatever, because that's how people gain the weight back. (Not that you ARE, just saying.)

Protien shakes literally make the difference.

But if you are on a CLEAR liquid diet like me right now, I would do lots of broth, Jello, and gatorade! Yummy!

I was banded 12/4 and I am experiencing the same thing! I feel sooooo hungry and the scary part is I have no restriction either. My doctor allowed me to do some mushy food starting today but I too am so worried I will gain back the 12lbs I lost eating Mashed Potatoes and cream soups all day!!! When does this hunger stop?? and why do some patients never get hungry??

OMG! I can totally relate to you!. I am 5 days post and last night I was SOOO hungry I had a few bites of oatmeal. But then today I have cheated again a couple of times. I don't want to cheat. I just DON'T want to be hungry. I feel bad about what I have done but I will get back on track. Having liquids for a solid week just drove me crazy. I am suppose to still be on liquids for another 8 days. Please some one tell me that when I go back to the doctor he will give me a fill and I will ba able to make it through????? Is thats whats wrong? I just have the band in place and its empty allowing food to pass with out a problem? :biggrin:

I am so glad I am allowed to have chicken salad and tuna salad week 3 along with other soft foods. I even ate meat loaf at dinner last night and have had baked beans. I was getting very tired of protein drinks and soup and all that stuff for two weeks and the appetite has been coming back. Some Dr's are very strict, but my Dr absolutely won't give a fill until 6 weeks post op because he said I would not want to have any adhesions in the port area left unhealed or something like that soooooo he said I probably won't lose anymore weight the next month and will most likely gain a couple pounds, but not to worry because we are in it for the long haul and in a year it will all be gone!!!!!! I hope he's right!

I feel your pain, and from responses I've gotten to various posts, this is pretty common. The protein drinks really helped, but not as much as when you can switch to mushy stuff. Call your doctor or nutritionist. But be warned, after a few days on mushy stuff, it stops working too. It only gets better after a fill, and I'm told it may take 3 or 4 fills. So, protein is the most filling and lasts longest. The ones I used at that point were by premier nutrition. I found it thicker than the rest so more filling and fairly good when cold. Plus, 30g protein, 1g sugar, no saturated fat and 160 calories.

Thank you guys for all the advise. I am defo gonna invest in a good Protein shake...I have some SlimFast at home, do you guys think it will be ok??

I cant wait to go on to mushys but thats not until just under 2 weeks away!! I think I will call the doctor tomorrow so to ask whether or not I can go on to mushys earlier because alot of people only do the liquid diet for 1-2 weeks so why do I have to do it for 4??? (although the nurse said 3 would also be ok)

I had the same problem. I drank low carb Slim-fast and had sugar free- pudding pops it helped alot.

What you're experiencing is bandster hell! It is VERY NORMAL and most all of us experienced it. Your band is fine and you havn't down anything wrong. You have the band, but there's nothing in it. So once the surgery swelling is gone, you essentially have little to no restriction, and your appetite is screaming back. Most surgeons during this period focus on healing and not weight loss. Some people even gain weight before their first fill.

The fact that the swelling has subsided suggests your healing is going well. Call your doctor and see if they will allow you more food choices.

My surgeon does fills after the first 4 weeks and then every subsequent 4 weeks. I was lucky that my first fill was scheduled over labor day so I was able to get in 1 week early. Nonetheless, it may take 2,3,4 or even more fills to achieve satisfactory restriction. This means months down the road. To get through this period with a weight loss requires a lot of will power and exercise (when your doc tells you you're able to). Keep fighting and keep moving.

Brad

Thank you so much Brad!! I am glad to have a name for the period that I am going through and that it is normal. I will try to keep in mind that I am healing and hopefully that will be enough to keep me straight. I called my docs surgery and he said that I can drink anything as long as it could go through a straw so that helps!!

Best wishes to you xx

Good Luck! It will get much easier once you get restriction - I promise!

"Anything that will go through a straw :eek:" That ought to get a few responses around here.... LOL :smile2:

Brad

It's crazy how every surgeon is different. I am 2 weeks out and was told I can go on solids (soft) It feels like a year! So strange...I guess because you go through a lot of changes in that time. Nothing felt as good as that post op restriction from swelling. I lost so much water weight and felt great. Today I'm going to walk the Mall for hours just to stay out of the house. Not working now doesn't help either. Also going to drink water constantly and hope these 3 weeks doesn't cause too much damage.

Welcome to Bandster hell newbie bandsters...... It totally sucks. But most all of us go thru it so you've come to the right place. This is the time when you want to eat and can't and realize what hunger is---not just craving.... I know for me it made me realize the difference. Have you noticed that like every 2 commecials are for food? Crazy! I wanted to bash my head against the wall for weeks out due to the TV.

For me--warm tea with lemon only got me thru. Warm liquids are SO much better at calming the "hunger". I still drink it all day long.

Switching up the flavors helps. And pudding helps too. I felt really full from tomato soup w/low fat milk.

EAT SLOW. Train yourself now. Believe me--even if you think you're eating slow-- eat slower. Helps you feel full too.

Welcome to band-land!

Surgery 12/12/08 It have been real hard not to eat nothing I am so use to eating with eveyone else.It have been five days since I had surgery it's like to kill me not to anything to eat. I will be gald when I can eat something.I hsve to go to the doctor tomorrow for a follow up appt. I am still sore from surgery how long do it take for the soress to go away.