So - I had my band on August 10th. I've been very good about only eating soup and protein. I have noticed though that I can eat more than 1/2 a cup at a time before I feel "satisfied" - is that normal? If I didn't have the scars on my stomach I would think I had never been banded - not that i've tried to scarf down a cheeseburger or anything but I feel the way I did before. I'm losing weight - 18lbs so far but it is just strange - or maybe I am just crazy :-) VERY POSSIBLE!!!:thumbup:

Hello,

I was banded on Aug 6th and feel the same. Your band is not restrictive (no fill yet). Good job one only eating the amount you're suppose too. Over eating now can stetch the pouch and cause the band to slip. You will notice more when you have a fill. Right now we are in "bandster hell" We can only eat a little and with no restriction we are not full. Keep it up a few more weeks before your fill i assume :thumbup:

Was my third fill before I felt any restriction - lost no weight between months 1 and 2. You are doing great - keep it up, it will get easier.

Congrats on your surgery! This is totally normal. I had my surgery in January and I quickly got used to eating very small portions and feeling full thinking it was because of the band when really it was because of the surgery! As your body starts to heal from the surgery your appetite will come back because you don't actually have a fill yet. Though I did find my appetite was never as large as it was pre-op, I did have to pay attention to portions and hunger cravings. I think the hardest thing for me to deal with is head hunger. I might not physically be hungry, but my mind says I should be, so I start to crave foods. Pay attention to other triggers that might make you want to eat so you can differentiate.

Melis

Totally normal but this too shall pass. The hardest part is not overeating until your first fill. I weighed my food and it really helped. I also inventing things to do to keep my mind off of eating. And I put up really awful pics of myself on my fridge and pantry and cleaned out my pantry. That really helped too. Good Luck,

Yeah, you're doing good. This is the more difficult part people refer to as "bandster hell" but I hate to be so negative. It's a transition period when your body is healing and needs time. I stalled for 6 weeks after the first few weeks. It's normal and your md expects you to stay the same or VERY slowly lose. So don't get discouraged w/ your loss so far. After you get going w/ the fills it will get easier and easier. Good luck!

I hear all about this banster hell but I dont understand how it can possably be worse than a pre op liquid diet. Im on a 3 week liquid diet and Im starving. How will post op diet be worse? I dont understand how it could get any worse LOL. Please explain

I hear all about this banster hell but I dont understand how it can possably be worse than a pre op liquid diet. Im on a 3 week liquid diet and Im starving. How will post op diet be worse? I dont understand how it could get any worse LOL. Please explain

For me, post-op diet wasn't any worse than pre-op. I just focused on eating Proteins and staying away from the bad stuff and it was fine. I definitely was eating more than 3/4s of a cup, but it was solid Protein.

In my opinion it is worse because you have made a significant change to your body and at first right after surgery you don't really want to eat anything and you are thinking "Well, this isn't too bad" and all of the sudden Whammo! Your body begins to heal and your hunger returns two fold. That is why it is lovingly referred to as "Bandster Hell".

For me the two week post op liquid was worse after day 4 or 5, because then I was feeling better but still not great and I wanted to eat. Not cheeseburgers and pizza, but an egg or mashed potatos...anything. I was feeling hungry again and with no restriction and no food, I was very unhappy. I am heading into week 4 now and it is better, I am transitioning into soft foods and not feeling deprived. If it wasn't for my itching healing incisions I wouldn't even know I've had anything done. I get my first fill on the 9th....I'm ready for a little restriction.

I will be 3 weeks post op on 9/1/09. I still don't have much of an appetite. I just started mushies on 8/25/09. My recommended caloric intake for this phase is 400 - 600. I find I am eating more in the 800 to 900 calorie range, though. Pre-op I was tracking my intake and tended to be more in the 1400-1600 calorie range. The thing that boggles my mind is that during week 1 post op I dropped 8 pounds. during this second week (according to my scale this morning) I have lost only 2 pounds. I'm not stressing about it, though. I am still early in this journey. As many people have pointed out, these 1st few post-op weeks are about healing more than anything else. We have to be patient with ourselves.

Marmar....bandter hell is just frustrating, that's all! You survived the pre-op diet, had the surgery .... only to find that you can pretty much eat just as you did before undertaking this journey. Not what you wanted, at all! This is the hardest part of getting banded. with GB, the weight loss kicks in immediately but with the band, to lose in the beginning you really have to work at it. But as you get closer to your sweet spot, it does get easier!

Ahhh, y'all have made me feel almost normal, I'm so glad I found this thread!:biggrin:

I am nearly 5 weeks post op and I feel absolutely no restriction any more! I am looking forward to my first fill, because the first two weeks after my surgery I lost 12 pounds, only to gain 4 of them back. Very frustrating, but after reading the posts, glad to see it's normal.

Edited December 29, 200916 yr by Angiesue

Yes, Thanks all I am feeling normal myself now. This is so helpful.:biggrin:

Hey I just posted a thread just like this one. Good to see I am not a freak of nature LOL!!