Hi everyone! I have been reading through the most recent posts, and the issue of hunger comes up a lot. I was just wondering what everyone's doctor have said about why hunger is worse after being banded.

I asked my ARNP who does my fills when I got my first fill last Friday about why the hunger had been so much more painful after the band, and why it was harder to control. I told her that in my experience, I had not really ever been hungry before the band, but afterwards, it was TERRIBLE. She didn't ever really give me a reason?

Has anyone heard from their doctor why we bandsters struggle so much with hunger post-band???

Just curious...

Well, I can answer for myself. I was a grazer, so although my meals weren't huge, I ate throughout the day, so I didn't really give myself an opportunity to be ravenously hungry. Now that I have great restriction with my band, hunger doesn't consume my day. With the discipline of three meals plus one healthy snack a day, and the hunger control the band provides, my munching habit is under control. Now, I only get true hunger after approx four hours or more after a meal. Before good restriction, and with trying to stay with the band meal plan, fighting true hunger was a battle, that's for sure. It does get better.

I was the same, I ate all the time and never got hungry. Now that I dont do that, I do get truly hungry at mealtime. But its normal hunger and you'd expect to feel that.

Hunger shouldnt be worse in that you're completely starving all the time, apart from that bandster hell period. If you're that hungry, its time for a fill!

I was banded October 7th and am 5 days post op. I have had a lot of "gas pain" and lack of energy, but NO hunger pains. My stomach gurgles, more from gas, but no hunger at all. I am on liquids and a protien shake a day but no hunger. From what I read most are starving. I must say, at this point I am happy about this.

I didn't have true hunger until recently. It's almost time for another fill and right now I could eat the dog if I had one. I hope my second fill will be more successful. I am more than ready to get this weight off me and on to a healthier life.

Perhaps some of your hunger is "head hunger" too. Find something to get you busy during those times. You can always drink a Protein shake between meals.

Hang in there.

I 12 days post op. I have not been hungry at all since the 2 week liquid prediet started. I hope that lasts. They say in some band patients the band presses the vagus nerve and causes a loss of appetite. I hope thats my case.

That being said there is no nerve for head hunger. You still know what certain foods taste like and want to experience that taste. That for me is the battle.

It is my opinion that some are undiagnosed pre-diabetics. When this is the case, and they are on liquids, they tend to choose juices and pop sickles etc. The sugar in these, causes a spike in blood sugar and then soon it drops a little too low. Both of these scenarios cause extreme hunger. Protein low carb liquids help this a lot. Also staying away from sugar helps.

Jojo...one of the things I learned at my last visit was when the nurse asked me if I'd been "getting into the carbs again" when we were talking about my hunger. Pretty much what you said is the explanation she gave me when I admitted my munching on carbs - that they end up making you feel more hungry...and then you think the band isn't tight enough because the hunger is real.

Of course, she said this as I was getting a fill. And now that I've had the fill, I'm not hungry. So maybe it wasn't exactly true in my case, but it does make sense