Banded 1/9/08, first adjustment not until March!!!

[AlisaH 1]

So I was banded on the 9th and yesterday was my two week check-up and things seem to be going really well, I am excited about the changes! I am kind of bummed out though that my first scheduled fill isn't until March!

When I came home I really felt some restriction when I drank, which was anticipated, but now I'm sure the swelling has gone down and I've lost 17 pounds and am feeling almost completely unrestricted and I'm concerned that my hunger will get the best of me if I have to wait another 2 months for my first fill!

Do others have a similar experience and how do you keep the hunger at bay! I was so excited by not being so hungry, this change worries me! :rolleyes2:

[Chrisann 0]

I am starting to get the hungry feeling all the time now, in fact feel it now, but I am at work. Hopefully by the time I get home it will pass.

I am getting my first fill on Wednesday, and it can't come too soon for me. I haven't gained yet, but want to desperately eat sometimes.

My doctor does the fill from 4-5 weeks after surgery. Do you have a long post opt plan to follow that you are waiting 8 weeks?

[tuszak 0]

I was banned 1/8/08 I have not had my first check up after surgery yet, they said if Im doing fine, there is no need. I did not have a pre op diet, so the only change of food took place after I had the surgery. At this time I am not getting too hungry. At my normal eating time, Breakfast, lunch, dinner, but other then that I'm ok. Im on muchies/soft foods and so far I have lost 8 lbs, not much, but this is suppose to go slowly so I guess Im doin okay. Got to call to see when I get to eat solids ......

good luck!!

[ch4251 0]

well dont feel roo bad i have to wait three months after banding for first fill :hurray:...but my dr assured me in the long run it will all even out, and i will lose the smae inthe forst year either way!!

i hope he's right

but i also feel very litle restriction, so i know what you mean...it definelty is called bandster hell for a reason!!!

[Laurinda 1]

I was banded on Jan 16th. At first things were tight but BOOM not so much now and I am HUNGRY. Doc said I would most likely gain weight waitng on my first fill. This makes me sad. I get my first fill Feb 21!

[nadean 0]

Did they tell you why you had to wait until March? I got banded on the 16th and I am scheduled for my 1st fill on February 11th. I'm doing okay right now so I don't know if I will need a fill but they told me at my pre-op appt to call asap after my surgery to schedule my fill because they get full fast and then you have to wait longer. I guess some doctors are more conservative than others with their fills.

[citygirl4616 2]

I was banded on 1/10 and am currently feeling little restriction. Although I get hungry, I definitely am eating much smaller quantities of food than before. Before banding, for lunch I could eat a 12 inch Subway sandwich and an entire bag of microwave popcorn. Now, I could probably eat half of the 6 inch (although I am on mushies, so I am just guessing), and be stuffed.

My doctor doesn't do fills until 6 weeks post-op. That gives me until at least 2/21 before a fill. In the meantime, my initial rapid weight loss has sort of reached a plateau.

I find that eating as much Protein as possible helps with the hunger. Breakfast is a fruit smoothie with Protein powder, or eggs, lunch is cottage cheese pancakes, or mushy tuna salad, snack is ricotta cheese, and dinner is hummus, or mashed refried Beans. I snack on string cheese when possible and yogurt. The more Protein I eat, the less hungry I feel.

[RedTulips3 0]

Hey Alisa! We were banded on the same day! My first fill was scheduled 2/28, 7 weeks after surgery, but the doc had to move it to a week later in March so it will be 2 months post-op, so we're in the same boat! Congrats on losing 17lbs, that's great!

I also got that hunger feeling back, which I was aware would happen. I did low-carb before surgery and I'm just starting to go back to it because the Protein is what keeps you the full the longest, like citygirl said. Now that I can eat pureed tuna, chicken and tofu and eggs, I am moving away from the baby food, which was a life saver during the first 2 weeks. I'm hoping that will help the hunger, and the weight loss!

[adorkbl 156]

I was banded on the 17th. I haven't even scheduled a fill nor am I worried about it right now. Your stomach is still healing. I agree waiting til March seems like a long time, but maybe that is for the best. My surgeon told me I could have a fill 1 month out, but the surgeon I am going to for fills is more conservative and won't do it before 6 weeks out.

[AlisaH 1]

Thank you to all who have posted! I am unsure why it is taking so long for them to schedule the appointment. They actually called and left me a message on the day of my surgery with the appointment day for the first adjustment. I live in Southwest, Virginia and in this area there is a very limited number of surgeons and the fills have to be coordinated with the hospital as they do them in radiology so I am thinking that has something to do with it too. They did tell me if they get cancellations they will move my appointment up.

I don't think I have gained any of my initial loss back, although my scale at home seems way off so I am thinking that I need to get a new one so I can really see what's going on. I decided to start journaling all of my food so I can track the Protein content and the calories. So far I haven't been eating over 1000 calories and the total amount is less than I was eating before, but I certainly don't feel full like I did.

I think I will take your advice though and call my doc to find out if there is a more involved post-op diet plan that I can use while waiting for the first adjustment.

Thanks RedTulip and Citygirl for the Protein suggestion, I have certainly been trying to concentrate on the protein and it has helped so I will keep on that for now too! tuna seems to have become my best friend!

Thanks to all for the support, it really helps to know that there are many variations in fill timeframes, but the assurances that in the end it will all even out makes me feel lots better!