I had my surgery on 6/9/09

I survived the liquid diet.

I have slowly introduced soft solids back in and I eat about 1/2C of Protein, 1/2C starch, 1/2C fruit/veggie.

My first fill is scheduled for 7/14/09 (5 wks post surgery)

I FEEL ZERO RESTRICTION.

Is this normal?

I can even eat and drink at the same time.

It's like nothing is there - like I never had the surgery.

I have lost 19 pounds. I was down 21 but last Tuesday's weigh in showed me up 2 pounds!! I am really worried that I am going to undo all I have done! YIKES

Have any of you experienced this?

What helped?

I had my surgery on 6/9/09

I survived the liquid diet.

I have slowly introduced soft solids back in and I eat about 1/2C of Protein, 1/2C starch, 1/2C fruit/veggie.

My first fill is scheduled for 7/14/09 (5 wks post surgery)

I FEEL ZERO RESTRICTION.

Is this normal?

I can even eat and drink at the same time.

It's like nothing is there - like I never had the surgery.

I have lost 19 pounds. I was down 21 but last Tuesday's weigh in showed me up 2 pounds!! I am really worried that I am going to undo all I have done! YIKES

Have any of you experienced this?

What helped?

hi ,

thought u might have had some answers as I got banded 29th june and am in the same predicament. cant wait to get filled!!!!! ASAP!!!!

I am hungry but am being good by haveing yoghurts and Soups.

What do u to to fend off the hunger???

I think we all go through that stage. I found that my intake was steadily going up. To fix it, I started keeping a very strict food diary. If it went in my mouth, I had to count the calories. It made me much more aware of the calories I was eating, one calorie at a time.

It takes a few fills(depending on how agressive your doctor is) before you feel any restriction or the hunger starts to calm down. The beginning is really rough because it is easy to eat as much as you did prebanded. That was a huge struggle for me. Wishing you all the best of luck on your journey. There are many ups and downs, but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel unlike before. Keep positive!

It is really difficult the first month or so. I am doing the same thing by counting everything I put in my mouth and I am really careful. I made a vow not to eat past 4:00pm and have done well with that. I also am down to eating twice a day now and that has helped a lot. I made sure I had stuff in my freezer that I could go to when the hunger pain strikes even if it isn't real hunger pain with sugar free stuff it doesn't matter. I love sugar free popsicles, sugar free fudge pops and sugar free Italian Ice. It makes me feel like I am cheating but I am really not. That has kept me sane. I have my first fill tomorrow. Yeah!

Banded 5 June 2009

SW: 125 Kilo

CW: 115 Kilo

GW: 75 Kilo

I am due to have my 1st fill on 13/7/09. I have really been hanging out for this. On most days I usually feel hungry a lot. Very unusual if I'm not checking the clock till it is "time" to eat something. I'm not even sure how the fill is done, is it as simple as inserting a needle into the port and putting in a certain amount of Fluid ? Seeing the Doc does it in his rooms, I assume it can't be too complicated.

I stop eating way before I feel full which is something I would never have done before (I'd be full and go back for 2nds). Now I wait and find that I feel a certain amount of fullness even after a small meal. But I always feel like eating more just for the sake of it and really have to stop myself. Hopefully after the fill I won't feel like that anymore.:thumbup:

Welcome to bandster hell! It's a little uncomfortable in BH but the good news is that it's a fairly short stay. Your first fill, depending on your doctor, could be as small as 1 cc which is just a start or it could be quite a bit more. My doc's first fill is 3cc-4cc, for example.

Until you get enough in the way of fills to be able to go 4 hours between meals without feeling hungry, snack on Protein. For your meals, EAT your protein. Don't drink Protein shakes. Put solid protein in your stomach. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs or fruits or veggies, so that means it's in your stomach longer and the longer something is in your stomach, the longer hunger is staved off. Until I hit my sweet spot, when I got hungry I ate a piece of low fat cheese, a little low fat cottage cheese or even some leftover meat or shrimp (leftover fish goes straight to the trash or to the cat's bowl because it isn't very good warmed over, LOL).

Just remember, you've only started the journey and you shouldn't beat yourself up for a wrong turn. Enjoy the ride as much as you can.

Thank you everyone. Great advice. I am trying to embrace it and eat when I am supposed to. I really appreciate all of your ideas and thoughts. I love knowing I am not alone!!

I have had 2 fills and feel no different than before banded. I struggle to eat the right foods in small portions and have started the treadmill. I have lost 31+ lbs. since banded on 3/17/09. But it has been all on my own. The band, so far, has done nothing physically. Mentally, I am determined to be patient and hope that some day I will finally have the help of the band. I have a very strict surgeon who belittles me each visit, telling me I am doing nothing and wasting everyone's time. I will have to see him next week for my next fill. However, in August, I have a fill appointment with another doctor. In the meantime... the forum and a handful of friends are a tremendous help!

I have a very strict surgeon who belittles me each visit, telling me I am doing nothing and wasting everyone's time.

What a jerk! That is just uncalled for.

Yes, he is a jerk and another name I will refrain from using. It's confusing. I understand the band won't do it all. It is up to me to make the right decisions regarding food. But if that's the case, why did I go through surgery? If I could do it on my own I would have done it a long time ago. Will having the band truly help someday? Is it a mental thing - I have the band therefore I think I can lose weight? Or someday will it be a physical thing and I truly will feel full and restricted? I am counting on the latter - combination of me and the band to lose and keep it off.

It may seem weird that I am answering this because I am waaaay behind you but my mom is a complete band success story.

Yes, you will reach a point where you KNOW the band is helping. I truly believe the band is already helping you whether you feel it or not. I am in the same position. My mom has reached her sweet spot and it's 100% the band that is keeping her from eating too much. I bet you start feeling it in this next fill or the next, for sure!! If not keep making your appointments with that new doctor you have in August!! Be done with this jerk!!

I had my surgery on 6/9/09

I survived the liquid diet.

I have slowly introduced soft solids back in and I eat about 1/2C of Protein, 1/2C starch, 1/2C fruit/veggie.

My first fill is scheduled for 7/14/09 (5 wks post surgery)

I FEEL ZERO RESTRICTION.

Is this normal?

I can even eat and drink at the same time.

It's like nothing is there - like I never had the surgery.

I have lost 19 pounds. I was down 21 but last Tuesday's weigh in showed me up 2 pounds!! I am really worried that I am going to undo all I have done! YIKES :thumbup:

Have any of you experienced this?

What helped?

I'm so glad you posted this thread....I was beginning to get a little down about the whole process! I'm going through the same exact thing!!! I was banded 06/04/09 and my first fill is 07/13/09. I too have been very conscious about everything that goes into my mouth. I really hope with my first fill I feel some restriction.....we'll see.......

Good luck everyone and hang in there....Like Cathy from Conyers said, It's just the beginning of our journey!

Thanks everyone!