22lbs gone and...

[cullychick 46]

Now I'm at a stand still. I was banded on 3/12. Also, I've noticed at night I'll eat dinner and be hungry like 1 1/2-2 hours after. I wasn't like that before. I was suppose to get a fill today but I had to change my appointment because I got a new position at work and was out of town today as well as next week. So Im frustrated!

[2muchfun 8,927]

So, you've been banded for 5 weeks? Most of the bandsters would love to have your success(22 lbs). This is a phase of the journey my doc and apparently most docs skip over. It's called bandster hell and you'll be here until you get a fill that gives you enough restriction to feel a higher level of satiety for a longer period time. Go ahead and b***h and moan as most of us did too. Won't do any good but use this time to learn to eat healthy foods and practice eating like a bandster.

[parisshel 1,892]

Agree with tmf above. I'm almost 4 weeks postop. My postop loss stablized about 1.5 weeks ago; hunger started rearing its head. My portions started creeping "just a tad larger" (but nothing like before).

I did not want to wait until my first fill to start the weight loss back up again. So I made a deliberate decision to eat "as if" I had my initial postop restriction, (or as if I was already in the green zone). I had reader of other LBT members doing this very thing.

And the scale starting moving southward as of two days ago.

Be strong. You can survive these bandster hell days. Ride out the hunger, especially the night hunger which I find easier to ride out because I can just put myself in bed (away from the kitchen!). Seeing the scale move down is very motivating and can help us make it thru Bandster Hell.

[Jenny Hinson Dodson 13]

Now I'm at a stand still. I was banded on 3/12. Also, I've noticed at night I'll eat dinner and be hungry like 1 1/2-2 hours after. I wasn't like that before. I was suppose to get a fill today but I had to change my appointment because I got a new position at work and was out of town today as well as next week. So Im frustrated!

I am so in the same boat with you. I had my surgery also on 3/12 and have lost about 22 lbs. I have been so hungry the last week and am so ready for my next fill. My first fill on 4/2 they only did 2/5 cc's not really enough to do anything. The only difference I have seen is the inability to eat most meat and bread. Veggies have become my friend. I was thinking of trying the pre-op diet again for a few days until my next fill and asking them to go a little more on the fill this time. I am so ready to see something come of all of this. I am leaving for a trip to California in 5 weeks and would really like to see another 20 lbs gone. Crossing my fingers!!!

[2muchfun 8,927]

You guys are putting far too much pressure on yourselves. This is going to be a slow process. You will probably average 5-6 lbs a month and some months 0 lbs.

I was like you and was impatient to launch this rocket but it took me 4 months in Bandster Hell before I got enough restriction to feel some semblance of satiety. I can show you posts of my own where I whined and cursed that I was so hungry. I too was angry but there were people around here to calm and comfort me.

I now know that getting restriction is not the holy grail. It's just the beginning of learning how to live with this piece of plastic in my body. You have to relearn eating habits, how to eat, how long to eat, what foods your band will tolerate and how fickle that little plastic prick is?

If you're feeling any restriction to meats or breads you need to slow down, eat like a bandster and look for satiety signals. You already have the beginning signal that you are near the green zone so big fills should be out of the question? These satiety signals are not going to knock you in the head like a bell. They're subtle and ambiguous. Liquids/fluids will not give you any kind of signal unless you drink 24 ozs of the stuff and then it's a full feeling which is not what you want. Good luck.

tmf

[dearlh 92]

Hi cullychick! Good to hear from you! I too was banded day before you an am still down around 20-22 lbs. since. No fill yet. Go back 5/2. Maybe then? Good Luck! Your doing good!

[cullychick 46]

I appreciate the words of advice. I mean...that is why we're all here! I know that 22lbs is a great success for just being banded 5 weeks and 1 day ago! I'm not by any means saying I'm not proud of that I couldn't be happier! I am looking forward to getting some restriction and seeing how that goes. Thanks for everyone's input!!!

Jenny- I haven't experienced a fill yet. Something I am looking forward too. Good luck on your journey! You can do it!

dearlh- Nice to hear from you as well! Glad things are going good for you too! Yes, I am looking forward to a fill.

[SWChitown 46]

You are doing great! I've lost 13 lbs, banded as u know the same day as u, 4 lbs to "onderland" we got this girl!