I would recommend pre-making your food or having it easily accessible so there is no excuse not to eat healthier foods.

Hi NWgirl. I eat healthier foods, just probably too much. This week, I have caught myself eating until I get the full feeling, however, it's way more than what we should be eating.

Unfortunately, you're in bandster hell. That time when the band is placed (most likely empty) and the time you get your fills. Food intake is going to be all on you until you get some fills in you. I wish I had more suggestions for you. Make sure you're taking in a lot of fluid it may help with the hunger and hopefully you can avoid over eating.

Good Luck....

Can you not use appetite suppressants while waitin for your first fill?

So I take it you only have to make it through this weekend, since you're getting filled on Monday. Hmmm.. I guess a lot of it would have to do whether you are going with a low carb or a low cal diet after restriction.

Get back to practicing all the chewing you are going to have to do and finalize the idea of not having certain foods anymore since the restriction will be officially in place. Prepare yourself by stocking up on the high protein liquids/meal replacements for the first part of the week after the fill.

Practice sipping your water through out the day.

Buy that sugar free gum that supposedly tastes like dessert, I like the choc chip mint, but the strawberry shortcake tastes like cardboard.

Figure out which plates, bowls and cups you will be your go to's since your portions will decrease, no reason to put that chicken breast on a huge dinner plate when a salad or bread plate will do.

Have patience with yourself and remember that you didnt gain overnight so you wont lose overnight.

Good Luck- hope to be in your place real soon!

Sorry, but my advice for this kind of situation is along the lines of suck it up, etc. I feel kind of like the sorority & fraternity members who used to enjoy razing new pledges because after enduring their own razing, it felt only fair to inflict it on others. So my bratty inner bandster is saying, "Heck, if I survived Bandster Hell, so can NettaRue."

Regarding the discomfort under your left rib cage - did you by any chance have a hiatal hernia repaired when your band was placed? Because I have an untreated hiatal hernia, and when it bothers me, I feel the discomfort right under my left rib cage.

Hi Guys, I've had my band in for 10 years so I thought I would just throw in some of my experiences. The first 6 months are the hardest. I did not lose any weight the first 3 months and finally went in for a fill. Wow..after I had my fill I was sick for about a week, couldn't keep any food down, dehydrated feeling horrible. I decided to suck it up got throught it. Drank gatorade, stayed away from water it made me feel very heavy and would cause me to throw up. I drank protein drinks, yogurt, the typical "slide down" food until my band felt like it eased up from the fill. I was starving, but you have to learn to get over that feeling and concentrate on something else. During the next six months after my fill I lost 30 lbs, my fill loosened and I was able to eat better foods. Oatmeal for breakfast, soups, small amounts of meat. The only thing is I have to eat 6-7 times per day. Do not try to consume everything at one time like a regular meal. Its not going to work. Sometimes I'm hungry but only eat maybe 3-4 pieces of watermelon, an hour later I'll eat some protein and my whole day will go like this. You have to find what works for you.

I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one that's hungry. I had my surgery on 6/25 and I've already been eating soups, etc. The hunger was driving me crazy the first week. I'm thinking at this point, there is no restriction. Knock on wood, I haven't had any problems. I've got an appt. for my first fill on 7/25. I've read alot of horror stories about throwing up, etc. And also about band slippage and stretching the small stomach pouch. I hope this is going to be a little easier than some people make it sound. lol