3 1/2 weeks out from surgery and I can eat like I used to. I don't chew slow, I drink with meals and I know I eat too much. I am not doing it on purpose, it is old habits coming back...I am not scheduled for a first fill for two more weeks and my weight loss has stopped. I am so afraid of gaining it back. Also, my incisions are healed but my port is sore. Is that normal?:cool:

Hi. Sorry to hear about your troubles. Being hungry is pretty normal. Some people come out of surgery with restriction. Others do not. I had some decent restriction until about 4 weeks after surgery and spent the next two eating too much. No I didn't eat like I did before surgery, but that was probably out of fear of doing damage to my band. But I did eat a lot.

The best thing I can tell you is to go to your band basics. Make sure you are taking your time eating. CHEW everything. I know some people cut their food up into pencil eraser sized bites. This does not work for me. I find that I chew less when I do that. I take mediumish bites. Not regular ones, but certainly not pencil eraser sized either. I also put my fork down between bites, and give myself a bit before picking it up. You may not feel anything now, but when you get some restriction, you'll want to make sure you're alright before taking the next bite.

I also have to be sure I'm not doing mindless activities when I eat. IE I do not let myself eat in the car unless absolutely necessary. I do not surf the internet or watch tv when I eat. That's where I get in trouble. I eat too much and too fast and make myself sick. I sit down and I eat. No distractions.

Do NOT put a drink out with you when you eat. I did this. I drank and drank while I ate and had no trouble until I hit some restriction. Now I know better. Trust me, it HURTS. I wish I had started the habit of not drinking with my meals sooner. It is a hard habit to break! I am finally there but only because of the negative side effects of drinking while eating now that I have some restriction.

The time between your surgery and your first fill is a time to heal. While you shouldn't be out gorging yourself, you also shouldn't freak out if you're eating more than a cup of food per meal.

Take this time to practice your new eating and drinking habits. Trust me, it's a good idea. Take the time to chew and pay attention to if you're full or not. You don't need to be stuffed to the gills. You have to pay a lot of attention to notice when you're satisfied opposed to stuffed. I thought full was being unable to move until I got this band. Now I know better.

I see a lot of people on here that say they are not sticking to their diet, so they aren't loosing weight. Well diets never worked for me, or maybe I didn't work for them. That's why I got the band. I do not count calories or panic about eating something "naughty" every so often. I'd go batty if I did that. I just make a conscious effort to cook and eat foods that are good for me. You can't go wrong there.

You aren't far from your fill. Please don't stress yourself out. Trust me, it won't do any good. Practice chewing and taking your time and keep the drink in the fridge for later, and make good food choices.

3 1/2 weeks out from surgery and I can eat like I used to. I don't chew slow' date=' I drink with meals and I know I eat too much. I am not doing it on purpose, it is old habits coming back...I am not scheduled for a first fill for two more weeks and my weight loss has stopped. I am so afraid of gaining it back. Also, my incisions are healed but my port is sore. Is that normal?:cool:[/quote']

It was for me. I STILL feel my port, sometimes more, sometimes less. Your eating situation is also common. You are still in a healing mode. As to the old habits coming back, I'm wondering if you could switch to some juicing or something less like what you used to do. Make a conscious decision to change you eating style. Of course, Cookies, pies, ice cream, breads, candy, wonderful things like that just aren't going to point you in the right direction. Forget them for a long long time. Not saying you can't go back to them -- sliver sizes -- but for now, that's all over. You MUST slow down on the eating and take small bites or you'll hurt and puke your food back up. So sit down with yourself and decide how you are going to let the band help you. Did your doctor give you a post surgery diet? Follow it until you get your fill and then do what the post-fill diet is.

It's a learn-as-you-go-along process. Your best friends are self-forgiveness and patience.

The calorie amount on my diet since I got the band has been right around 800/per day. Sometimes that feels like too much. Sometimes it isn't enough and the total daily count varies each day but not by much. I track my food in-take and my exercise on a program I bought at FitDay.com

Keeep us posted on your progress. This IS where people care.

Thank You so much for answering me. It feels much better to know that I am not alone in this. I have been beating myself up for so many years that I can't help but do it again. I feel like everyone else is doing better than me and I am the only one who can't manage food after surgery. I definitly don't binge anymore, but I could do better. The office told me that most people are "begging" for their first fill when the time comes. I guess I am going to fit into that group.

I was banded Feb 16 and didn't even weigh myself unless I had a doctor's appointment. My first follow up was in late March. I had only lost 15 lbs at that point and knew it bc I couldn't eat as much as I did pre-band but could eat whatever I wanted and more than anyone that would/should be dieting. I wanted to let the band do the work. I don't eat much junk food anyway but I really wanted to let the band do it. It wasn't until the first of May that I got an aggressive fill and it started to work where I could feel restriction. I lost another 10 lbs in less than two weeks and since then it's been a battle and struggle but definitley coming off better. I am at about 50 lbs lost now and trust me I wish it was more. I am a slow loser compared to others. My weight also can fluctuate 5 lbs up and down depending upon the time of day that I weigh myself. The morning it's 216 and in the evening with work clothes and shoes it can be 220. Crazy I know but my clothes are finally getting too big. I am so freaking fat and need to lose at least 100 lbs total that people can hardly notice hopefully that means they haven't noticed how much I had gained. NOT! Also getting to this point has not been easy...fills...unfills...even the dreaded ER visit bc I was throwing up hourly but it was all saliva. Awful. It has been a battle and it's a tool. I used to think about doing this as the easy way out. It is so not the easy way out. Try to stick to healthy food choices and relax. It'll kick in and then you will have to work with it. I kept searching this site for clues, answers and support. I am addicted to it and appreciate all I have read about. I don't have a support group - this is it. I hope this helps you too.

thank you so much for posting this and for all the support that has followed. i have been feeling VERY discouraged today. just a little over 2 weeks out and i guess the *honeymoon* is over. i think my greatest fear was not losing any weight and i am not losing any weight!

i am hungry alot, but am sticking to eating as healthy as possible. for example, for dinner tonight, I had a Protein shake, a bowl of vegetable Soup and a half a sandwish. I feel comfortable full. BUT the hospital told me I should never eat more than a 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of food at one time. when i do that, i end up so HUNGRY by the end of the day that i eat too much when i do eat. so i am going to just TRY to listen to my body and not the "others" and eat what feels right.

i am soooooooo thankful for this board as my medical team has not been very helpful to say the least. thank you, dyanna

Hi Phoebe,

I am six weeks out with no fill and can eat at will. I do know that drinking while you eat allows you to eat more and not feel as full. This is because the liquid helps food pass into the lower stoma. I have better luck staying full longer if I don't drink while eating.

Also, it is pretty normal for the port incision to be tender. The port is "tacked" into place into the muscle. Any time the muscle is involved, it can take longer for the soreness to go away.

Good luck!

My surgeon gave me a dietary guideline for each stage after surgery. There are sample menus in it. I use it more for following how many meals I'm allowed to have every day and how much food at each meal. I measure everything that I eat. I know that it's a pain to do, but it's so important at this stage. Your pouch is new and you don't want to slip your band and you sure don't want to stretch out your pouch. You are still healing from surgery. Also, do you have your first fill yet? If not, then you don't have any restriction in your band yet to slow you down. Once you get that, you will have do that. Have you tried to eat with baby spoons? My surgeon told me that half a baby spoon full of food is the proper bite size. Even though you don't have a restriction yet, it's important to train your mind to do this. The band is only a tool. It only works as well as you let it.

I am so glad i found this thread. Phoebe, I, too, have been struggling so much, and beating myself up over it as well. I was banded on July 15th and the first two weeks, healing part aside, it was easy because i wasn't hungry AT ALL!! These final two weeks before my fill, my hunger has come back with a vengeance. I have really struggled not to overeat. I was so excited to get my band, I truly thought i wouldn't have problems following the guidelines (yes, i may have been in a bit of denial about my relationship with food ).

What I've discovered is that addiction to food is one tough battle to fight. I have been overeating, albeit nothing like before surgery, but overeating nonetheless.

I've beenfeeling ashamed and awful about it. I was a picture perfect patient the first two weeks and now I feel like all my hard work has gone out the door. My weight loss has stopped and I feel defeated. I have also been so worried I may have stretched out my pouch and now, even with my upcoming fill in five days, my band may not work. Am I being irrational??? I hope so.

My doctors office hasn't been very supportive and I don't really have a strict diet to follow, which i think has been my downfall.

Not that I want anyone else struggling like this, but it is comforting to know i'm not alone. For the last two weeks, I've kindof shut down and not reached out for help. I realize now that having support is a key factor in success and I need to reach out more.

Thanks for listening

I'm glad Im not the only one!!! I am 8 days out and feeling great, however, I have NO restriction and find myself taking a bite of this or that that I know I shouldnt be eating. My first fill is in four weeks and I cannot wait.. I wish it were sooner lol. But.. I know I am still healing and my time will come.

You are not alone.. I told my doc that I have been starving and need to eat something more than yogurt.. he said to go ahead to the next stage of food and keeps reminding me to not worry about losing weight this first month, just heal. He just does not want to me overeat or get sick, which I havent, not even close. Ive been chewing well and drinking my Protein shakes like Im supposed to so I guess Im ok. I was discouraged before I talked to him because I thought.. oh gosh, I just had surgery and Im starving already!!! But, I guess my surgery was one of the easiest he has done and said I probably do not have any restriction at this time. My weight loss has stopped already as well.. so you are not alone, you lasted longer than me!

Yayyyy Im not the only one!! I was banded July 20th and do not have my first fill untill August 27th. I do not eat as much as I did prior to surgery, but I am eating significantly more than I was my first two weeks. I dropped about 24 lbs and it has stopped since I started on soft foods. I no joke-lay awake at night beating myself up over it. I am eating healthy food and topping off around 800 calories a day, but I still feel bad about it. I have never had anything stuck, nor feel nautious after eating. I do not drink with my meals and Im not STARVING-but I know I eat more than 1/2 -1 cup of food at dinner. I can't wait for my fill and feel much better in that I'm not the only one feeling this way! Good luck to you all! We can do this

I'm so glad this post is here! I feel the same way, I'm three weeks post band and I can eat anyting! I feel like my body is full and my head is still hungry! Is that possible? I've got to start listening to my body and not my head!! I can't wait for my fill next Wednesday! It had better give me some restiction!!

Wow I'm glad I clicked on this thread! I am almost 2 weeks out of surgery and really struggling maintaining my all liquid diet. I am totally desperate for solids and I sneak certain ones in here and there and make sure I chew the heck out of them before swallowing. I've also been really stressing myself out because it feels like I'm overeating and I'm so worried about stretching my pouch out. After some radical lifestyle changes I rarely had problems with self control but now that I'm on all liquids I'm having a really hard time controlling my urges. I'm stress eating like a fiend!

It's a learn-as-you-go-along process. Your best friends are self-forgiveness and patience.

Canary1, what an amazing mantra to remember. I need to print that out and post it on my wall: Self-Forgiveness and Patience!

Amazing!! I was coming on here to post the same two questions. Glad I read your thread before I started a new one on the same exact topics.

First the change in restriction about two weeks after surgery, in no nicer terms, freaked me out. The nurse explained that after surgery your stomach is swollen so gives the feeling of restriction but once you start healing until you have your first fill you will lose that restriction. I want it back because I feel like I could eat anything!! One more week until my fill so hoping to feel that tightness and full sensation.

Second, the port issue. My port felt like it was nice and healed until the past few days. All of a sudden I was experiencing pain in that area like the first day of surgery. They just told me as you do more and more it may act up a bit again. Glad to read the posts and see in the future it could act up again so I am not alarmed.

You all are so wonderful and give such good info!!! I am so glad to have this board to come too. Some reason when you hear something from the doctor it just isnt as strong a testament as hearing you all who are in the same boat give advice.

Good luck all!! have a good night

I am so happy to have found this thread, i've had one fill which doesnt' seem to have made me feel at all restricted and have been eating what feels like way too much . . . even though i concede that it's much less than i ate pre-surgery i'm still so disappointed and frustrated with myself.

i have my second fill next week so i'm hoping i will feel something mroe and the restrictions on what i can eat will be more visible to me.

meanwhile i'm trying to deal with my food problems in a different way, i went to hte gp who prescribed me medication to help calm my anxiety (which I usually medicate with pizza and kfc) and referred me to a psychologist who specialises in eating disorders so hopefully that will be a good path to head down while the band slowly helps me manage the physical problems of my eating issues.

Oh thank god its not just me!!! None of the people we hang around with have or will ever have wls, much less the band. So while i eat so much better than before the surgery, its not as good as it should be. But still, I try and commend myself for taking baby steps in getting better. I do have some restriction, but I have been noticing I can eat just a little more than I did last week when I started eating. Not sure what to do about that. Definately got the tight band in the morning, it takes about 2 hours before i can eat Breakfast. I struggle with getting my Water in and thats part of my problem. The other part is I was pretty much let loose on food, soft foods, not mushies. So i cant eat hard stuff like celery, nuts and corn. Gee, a month of not eating and now i can pretty much eat whatever. God help me please! But I have lost a pound and a half this week, so maybe I getting to where i need to be...

My biggest struggle? Figuring out what hungry is. I spend a fair amount of time trying to decide am i hungry or do I just want to eat? I know not to wait until my tummy is growling hungry, but jeez, this is tough!

But that said, love my band!!!!!