I can see how this stage can very discouraging

[LJM 1]

I now understand why some get discouraged at this stage. I am now three weeks post op and I dont feel very different. I am on full will power at this moment. . I started solids , thank goodness, because I was starving. Its strange but I almost feel like I am more hungry now between meals? is this possible? I feel really discouraged, and fearful. Two weeks after sx and I had lost close to 20 lbs ( this includes my two weeks of liquid preop), now I have gained!! I know that its normal because I am having more calories, and well it is solid food..but ... it sucks!

Please someone tell me its normal and once I get a fill I will feel restriction and not be this hungry. Like others have posted.. I feel like Im on a diet!! lol..

Dont get me wrong, I know I have to make health choices, and I am more than willing. But i would like to eat a health meal and it last until my next healty meal. Not get hungry and have to resort to snacking. I know my body, and if I had restriction or the stuck feeling at least once, I know I wouldnt eat those foods again.

[Mommysmen 0]

It gets better with every fill. You have to work out and since you can eat solids just make sure that they are healthy choices

[NJGirl32 43]

You have officially entered "Bandster Hell" and this is a very difficult stage because you are hungry, sometimes very hungry and you start to wonder why you even went through with surgery. You wonder if you are goingto be one of the few who don't lose weight even with the band!

This was my experience-my weight was almost at a standstill and I was just so glad that I didn't tell anyone about the surgery because they would be wondering why I wasn't losing weight!

It took me 4 fills to feel a difference and it was a dramatic difference!! I can only eat small amounts of food and the weight has starting to come off again!

My advice is to use this time to learn Portion Control, getting use to taking Vitamins and drinking Water, doing some sort of exercise-consider lapband bootcamp. Each fill you get will help get you closer to the "green zone" and you'll know it when you reach it.

Good luck you can do it!!!

[fluffyfae 0]

I now understand why some get discouraged at this stage. I am now three weeks post op and I dont feel very different. I am on full will power at this moment. . I started solids , thank goodness, because I was starving. Its strange but I almost feel like I am more hungry now between meals? is this possible? I feel really discouraged, and fearful. Two weeks after sx and I had lost close to 20 lbs ( this includes my two weeks of liquid preop), now I have gained!! I know that its normal because I am having more calories, and well it is solid food..but ... it sucks!

Please someone tell me its normal and once I get a fill I will feel restriction and not be this hungry. Like others have posted.. I feel like Im on a diet!! lol..

Dont get me wrong, I know I have to make health choices, and I am more than willing. But i would like to eat a health meal and it last until my next healty meal. Not get hungry and have to resort to snacking. I know my body, and if I had restriction or the stuck feeling at least once, I know I wouldnt eat those foods again.

[fluffyfae 0]

I am with u...It's now 3 weeks for me and all I ever think about is food...I never feel like I get enough and I am hungry....ok, so I have not had my first fill yet, so I hope this helps..... in the meantime I am so confused what to eat...how in the heck does anyone stand the taste of those disgusting Protein shakes? I love chicken, but one cannot live on chicken alone.... I want a real meal...help...what are u 3 week folks out there doing? I know this has got to get better.... and I find it impossible to get all the Protein I am supposed to have... allergic to fish, so someone...help, I am discourage and need some advice and support...please..... btw...I am losing about 24 lbs, but so hungryyyyyyyyy

[us plus 3 0]

I am right there with ya. Banded on Aug 17th, lost 10 lbs in the first 3 weeks (2 being preop). I actually gained 2-3lbs and was thinking "OH NO! I'm one of those that it wont work!!" I got my first fill on Thursday and for the first day didnt feel that hungry. But now, I can eat like I was before, maybe just a tad bit less. I've lost 2 lbs and hoping they wont return within the next couple of weeks. I plan on waiting about 2 weeks before I make another appointment for fill again. Hope everything works out well for you and keep me posted! I'd love to see how you are fairing after your first fill.

[ms.lady 3]

I am at the 4 week post-op mark and feel the same exact way. If I allowed myself I could eat as I did pre-surgery. But I still feel as though I am eating to much. So far at my weekly weigh-in (Thursdays) I have not gained weigh, but fear that it is soon coming. My plates for dinner are almost (a tad less) the same as before surgery(I be sooooo hungry), however I don't go back for seconds as I usually would. I agree that this can be consider the ever so famous "Bandster Hell". I don't want to fail!!!

[Jess527 0]

I am on week 3 and I am unable to eat anything close to what I was eating before. I actually know what it is like to feel satisfied (FINALLY) I don't eat until I am full anymore. I know my weight loss has slowed down, but I feel good. On ideas of things to eat, I like the Hungry Jack instant potatoes and I add fat free sour cream, and just a tiny bit of fat free cheddar cheese...it is so yummy! For real food, I haven't really had a real meal (I did have a 1/4 cup serving of mac and cheese and didn't eat it all). I guess I am a little afraid to try regular food. Has anyone at this stage eaten chicken? Any problems getting it down without Water?

LJM stick in there, I am told it will all be worth it after the first fill! I walk 30 minutes a day during the weekdays with some girls at work, this probably isn't hurting. Are you doing any exercise?

[Cindy C 150]

I now understand why some get discouraged at this stage. I am now three weeks post op and I dont feel very different. I am on full will power at this moment. . I started solids , thank goodness, because I was starving. Its strange but I almost feel like I am more hungry now between meals? is this possible? I feel really discouraged, and fearful. Two weeks after sx and I had lost close to 20 lbs ( this includes my two weeks of liquid preop), now I have gained!! I know that its normal because I am having more calories, and well it is solid food..but ... it sucks!

Please someone tell me its normal and once I get a fill I will feel restriction and not be this hungry. Like others have posted.. I feel like Im on a diet!! lol..

Dont get me wrong, I know I have to make health choices, and I am more than willing. But i would like to eat a health meal and it last until my next healty meal. Not get hungry and have to resort to snacking. I know my body, and if I had restriction or the stuck feeling at least once, I know I wouldnt eat those foods again.

Everything you're going through is perfectly normal. Moving from liquids to mushies or mushies to solids will cause a little bit of gain...also normal. After you get a fill (I hate to tell you) you probably won't feel much, if any, restriction. For most of us it takes about 3. It's a process that we all had to go through. It gets better...it gets easier. Until you get good restriction (and you will) whenever you think you're hungry stop and ask yourself is it my belly or my head that's hungry. Find something to keep yourself (body and brain) occupied for about 20 minutes. If your still hungry it probably was your belly. If you forget to check the clock, it was your head!

[ms.lady 3]

I just made week 4 and have not run into any problems with any food I have eaten chicken, fish, ground beef, and today had beef fajita meat for the first time. That's what scares me I can eat anything and I feel if I allow myself the same amount prior to surgery.

I am on week 3 and I am unable to eat anything close to what I was eating before. I actually know what it is like to feel satisfied (FINALLY) I don't eat until I am full anymore. I know my weight loss has slowed down, but I feel good. On ideas of things to eat, I like the Hungry Jack instant potatoes and I add fat free sour cream, and just a tiny bit of fat free cheddar cheese...it is so yummy! For real food, I haven't really had a real meal (I did have a 1/4 cup serving of mac and cheese and didn't eat it all). I guess I am a little afraid to try regular food. Has anyone at this stage eaten chicken? Any problems getting it down without Water?

LJM stick in there, I am told it will all be worth it after the first fill! I walk 30 minutes a day during the weekdays with some girls at work, this probably isn't hurting. Are you doing any exercise?

[54Shirley 105]

This is a fill after fill process ! That's how the band works,,,,,, depending on you, could be 3 or 4 fills before you feel restriction.

So,,, if you could get to that filled point in one fill ? would you do it ?

Thats called Fluoroscopy . It's like a X-RAY machine for Organs, and the Lapband.

They can put you under this machine, and see everything. (you will see it to), then they look for your FILL LINE. Yes ! you have one.

They fill you to that line, and your done ! It's that simple..... You have to tell your Dr., that that's what you want to do.

No more starving, or Dissapointment. Just straight to the point of feeling success.

It was done for me that way, and I have no regrets at all....

This can be done. Insist with your Dr., that, that is what you want.

Otherwise you have to be patient, and understand, that it will take quite a few fills before you feel restriction.

In the meantime.... I would go to myfitnesspal.com and sign up.. It's free ! It will tell you how many calories a day you should be eating acording to your weight.

Calories, Protein, Journal, Exercise, etc. it's all recorded, and it's all there. so it does the work for you. You just enter what you had to eat.

I belong to it, a lot of us do. I think it is a true life saver.. It will even tell you how much weight you will lose in 5 weeks if you stay within the numbers, and your numbers are right there.

Give it a shot.. It's a good site.

[ms.lady 3]

Hi Shirley,

I am on MFP and I see that you refer a lot of the people there. I have a question. When I initally enrolled in, the calculation were like 500 calories over with my stats. Isn't most lapband patient between 900-1200 calories a day? It gave me like 1700 (give or take), but I changed it to reflect a max. of 1200, was the a good thing to do?

This is a fill after fill process ! That's how the band works,,,,,, depending on you, could be 3 or 4 fills before you feel restriction.

So,,, if you could get to that filled point in one fill ? would you do it ?

Thats called Fluoroscopy . It's like a X-RAY machine for Organs, and the Lapband.

They can put you under this machine, and see everything. (you will see it to), then they look for your FILL LINE. Yes ! you have one.

They fill you to that line, and your done ! It's that simple..... You have to tell your Dr., that that's what you want to do.

No more starving, or Dissapointment. Just straight to the point of feeling success.

It was done for me that way, and I have no regrets at all....

This can be done. Insist with your Dr., that, that is what you want.

Otherwise you have to be patient, and understand, that it will take quite a few fills before you feel restriction.

In the meantime.... I would go to myfitnesspal.com and sign up.. It's free ! It will tell you how many calories a day you should be eating acording to your weight.

Calories, Protein, Journal, Exercise, etc. it's all recorded, and it's all there. so it does the work for you. You just enter what you had to eat.

I belong to it, a lot of us do. I think it is a true life saver.. It will even tell you how much weight you will lose in 5 weeks if you stay within the numbers, and your numbers are right there.

Give it a shot.. It's a good site.

[54Shirley 105]

Hi Shirley,

I am on MFP and I see that you refer a lot of the people there. I have a question. When I initally enrolled in, the calculation were like 500 calories over with my stats. Isn't most lapband patient between 900-1200 calories a day? It gave me like 1700 (give or take), but I changed it to reflect a max. of 1200, was the a good thing to do?

That's calculated, and figured by your current weight.

Myself, I have set goals of 800-1200 calories a day, and 60-80G. of Protein a day. But that is my choice.

You can do the same, and stay low if you choose, and use the site for adding everything up, viewing diets, exercise etc...

I don't think that doing what your doing is wrong. It's a slow go, and that's what it is geared to.

Friend me in,,, I am Losingintime over there.

[Jess527 0]

Ms. Lady, thanks, I think I am going to try some chicken tomorrow.

[LJM 1]

Hi guys .. thanks for all your responses. I am currently not working ( not to make excuses) I work two jobs full time and sometimes thats a work out in its own. I also feel sometimes my port pulling? I dont know? maybe still healing.

I am really interesting in the information that 54Shirley gave about the fill under fluroscopy. I would really like to just get straight to the point and find my fill line!! I will defenetly talk to my doctor at my first fill appt on the 29th !!

I have joined myfitness I love it as it does a lot of the work for me . I really need to focuse and remind myself why I wanted this surgery. Push myself to be better and really give it my all.

There was something that some member said, and it was that she was so glad she had not shared her surgery with anyone else because so far she had seen no results. I also opted not tell anyone ( only my hubby and my mom know) for the simple reason of being afraid of failure and of people saying '' I told you so" . now its not about letting those people down , but about letting myself down.

Thank your sharing your experiences and your struggles.