Hunger???

shirlee276 · September 5, 2007

I am 34 years old 5'6" and weigh 220 pounds. I am prediabetic. Both parents have had strokes, hbp, chf and many other medical problems. I have tried everything to lose weight and keep gaining and gaining. I can not enjoy my life, or being a mother to my children. I am seriously contemplating the lap band and know that it will be alot of work. My question is this: Does your hunger decrease after surgery with your stomach being so small or do you feel hungry all the time because you cant eat very much. I am trying to mentally prepare myself for all that I will go through. I have read about the post op diet and I can do that I am just wondering if you stay hungry feeling all the time.

Thanks, Shirlee

DonHoll1 · September 5, 2007

Having the band has really helped to cut my hunger, a lot. I have only had one fill, so i do not have much restriction, but i am still just not very hungry. I love it. Donna

losingjusme · September 7, 2007

hi, welcome.

to be honest, right after surgery i wasnt hungry at all and the thought of eating / drinking made my nauseous. about 2-3 weeks later, i did get hungry and was in 'bandster hell' ... not HUNGRY, but hungrier than i thought i should be and was worried that the surgery didnt work.

once i was allowed on mushies and solids, it helped, but i was still hungrier than i thought i should be. i did go in for my fills as i needed and have finally reached very good restriction (i will be banded 11 months very soon).

good luck

tsunami1967 · September 7, 2007

I was banded 8/31/07and I am pretty much miserable I am so hungry. NOTHING helps!!!

losingjusme · September 8, 2007

everyone is different. try searching for "Bandster Hell" and you'll find lots of threads and suggestions.

Jachut · September 8, 2007

I've had a little bit of both. I get hungry normally, like when its meal time and I havent eaten for quite a while, I get hungry. That's fine, thats what our bodies are supposed to do. But I never suffered from inappropriate hunger, I ate a lot but I wasnt physically hungry when I did it, in fact I get hungrier more often now that I'm not eating all the darn time.

But with the band, you get hungry, you eat a little bit, the hunger goes away. You are able to respond to normal hunger appropriately. And I dont know how it does it but the band does cut your appetite, you stop thinking about food all the time, well that's how its been for me. Exactly like the Tenuate my parents put me on way back in the 80's. Aside from physical sensations of hunger, the hyperinterest in food just evaporated.

Sometimes, when I have just had a fill and am very tight for a few days and can only eat half a cup or less, I do find I'm starving all day long but cant eat to satisfy it. I eat a bit, I can feel the fullness in my pouch and that I cant eat more, but my stomach is still grumbling and crying out for food kind of thing. But that never lasts, once the fill settles I'm OK.