Any Advice For Me....Newly Banded and WIDE OPEN

[Clovermeg]

Ok, so I'm on the last stage of foods (moist foods, tuna, meatloaf, egg salad, etc...) prescribed by my doctor before I can eat normally prepared food. ANYWAY....I am wide open, have no restriction and am having a difficult time following bandster rules (3 meals a day, 1/2 cup each meal) liquids (protein, water, crystal light) in between.

:confused: I am HUNGRY. I take small bites and chew 20 times each bite, doing this takes me about 30-45 minutes. Then, about 30 minutes after I eat I'm hungry, my stomach is growling so loudly other people here at work can hear me, and I want to eat something, but I'm afraid I'm going to 1)cause dialatation (sp?) because I don't feel restriction OR 2) completely blow the weight I've lost so far.

I've mentioned this to my doctor and he thinks it's just gastritis, :ohwell: he said many people get this after banding. I don't agree, I don't feel nauseaus, don't have reflux and I've been taking Carafate and Protonix since October 13th.

Can any of you AWESOME :nod: people help me? Give any suggestions or ideas? I'm getting depressed, and I'm an emotional eater and I'm afraid I'll sabatoge myself!!!!! :(

[503-250]

DRINK...lots of water, work your jello (sugar free) 10 or so for 100 calories.

That wide open hungry feeling sucks (check my post history, wide open for 8 months or so), but...you have to stick to your guns and wait for your fills to catch up.

[M_Montes]

I've mentioned this to my doctor and he thinks it's just gastritis, :ohwell: he said many people get this after banding. I don't agree, I don't feel nauseaus, don't have reflux and I've been taking Carafate and Protonix since October 13th.

I had gastritis and I had ZERO symptoms. I was diagnosed with it only because of an endoscopy.

You are noraml to feel hungry at this stage. You have no fill so it is normal to not have restriction. Only thing that I can suggest is more protein. Protein helps to curb hunger. Dont worrytoo much, once you start to get your fills things will change for you. Hang in there :)

[Kathy]

Meg, up your food quantity to a full cup each meal. Don't feel bad about this! Just choose well. Montes is right, keep it higher protien foods, much like your meatloaf, egg salad, tuna. Any baked fish is great. Keep it moist.

Have you logged your food? Type in what you eat and see how many calories you are gettting. You might have every reason to be hungry!

fitday.com or sparkpeople.com are both good sites, and free! I prefer sparkpeople myself. Once you get set up, it's easy and you get a ton of good info about what you NEED to be eating.

Perhaps at this point, following a reasonable "diet" with adjustments to your band needs is a better plan. If you are wide open and hungry, you are at risk of blowing it much easier than if you were getting better quantities of a healthy diet.

[Clovermeg]

Thank you guys SO MUCH!!!

503-I'm going to add in a bit more jello, much to my dismay...

Montes - I'm definitely going to try more protein, and take it to work with me for my afternoon crash which always seems to occur.

Kathy - so you think if I go to 1 cup it will be okay, I won't stretch out my pouch? I'm so worried because I can't feel anything with the band, everything just seems to go down. I will be thrilled when I get my 1st fill on Dec 4th. I think you're right about logging food, and if I constantly feel hungry, I'll constantly think about food, which will cause me to sabatoge.

Thank you all so much!!! :)

[Kathy]

Meg, just eat slowly, chew well, and stop at the first hiccup or little burp. You can stretch out your meal for 1/2 hour if needed. Wait, I just re-read and it takes you 1/2 hour or more to eat a 1/2 cup! Good! Or maybe you could just add in some healthy mushie snacks if you are worried about packing it in? Eat more often, know what I mean? Dont' be hungry. If you are getting in less than 1000 calories a day you should find a way to "up" that. You need nutrition!

[JDru]

Meg we're getting our fills on the same day!! Have you tried adding protein powder to your pudding? I find this is an easy way to get in extra protein. I hope you're doing better!