What on earth is happening?

[TheProfessor 378]

Can an experienced Bandster try to explain what on earth might be happening to me?

I was banded 14 months ago and have been making (in my mind) excellent progress. I am over 70+ pounds down, gone from a size 22 to a 14, and after 7 fills over the past year, have had reliable 'green zone' satiation between meals. Yay!

Three nights ago, HUNGER hits me after dinner. Not head hunger, but actual gnawing, empty, 'for real' hunger - the old kind of hunger before I was banded. Hunger like I haven't felt in 14 months.

I've ignored it and went to bed ravenous. Woke up the next day ravenous. I had my usual small Greek yoghurt and a coffee, went to work, at 10 am, I am once again HUNGRY. I inhale 2 ozs of cheese and a can of smoked mussels (this normally lasts me until dinner). At 3pm, I am once again painfully hungry.

Ate dinner last night - about 3ozs of beef and a salad. 40 minutes later, seriously hungry again.

After being in the green zone for months, I feel as though I am back to pre-banded hunger levels. So weird! Truth is I'm freaking out a little. What normally satiates me is doing NOTHING. It's as if the band has simply stopped working.

Has anyone had this happen? If so please advise.

[Julie norton 2,850]

Well, I'm many years out and my take is some weeks I'm way more hungry than others. Conversely sometimes I'm not hungry at all.

Water can be helpful... Hot tea... Exercise... Maybe a bit more Protein at mealtime.

Sometimes I just have to have hours of being hungry and being ok with it.

For me, it does change.... I just don't know when.

Let us know how you are coping[emoji93]

[TheProfessor 378]

@@Julie norton

Thanks you so much for responding. This is a little unnerving, feeling hungry so suddenly after such long periods of satiety. Today I've eaten very little and I'm feeling ok - not as ravenous as the past few days.

Good to know that you have been at this for years, and experience some weeks where you are hungrier than others. I wonder why that is?? My cycle just ended, so I'm left wondering if perhaps it might be something hormonal.

AS for eating more Protein at lunch, I've been eating SO much Protein - like almost nothing but! Smoked mussels, chicken salad, mixed greens, a tiny amount of dressing, no carbs, no sugars.

Thanks for checking in with me and offering our thoughts. Very helpful indeed!

[Dxx 0]

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Edited March 31, 2016 by Dxx

[mshaw 10]

Has the hunger gotten better? I haven't gotten banded yet. I hope you are doing well.

Sent from my HTCD200LVWPP using the BariatricPal App

[daniotra 298]

Sometimes I find I -need- carbs. If Protein doesn't fix my hunger, sometimes fruit or some grains are what the doctor ordered.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[B-52 7,113]

For me, being in the Green Zone also means my portions are controlled....early on, when I got an uncontrolled craving or hunger, I would give in only to find after one or two bites I really did not want it, or care to eat it anyway...

Example would be, every morning I would stop for a coffee and get tempted to buy a doughnut....which I would do, only to throw it in the garbage after taking that first bite and spitting it out.

Eventually, as cravings came, I became more and more aware how meaningless they really were and less and less I gave them any real thought knowing it would be wasting my time (and money) giving in to them.

Now, the thoughts are dismissed as fast as they come.

That's what I like about the band...