ABLOND

Everyone reacts to fills differently. Usually there will be immediate restriction due to the "trauma" of the fill on the stomach. This is just the stomach swelling due to what it senses is irritation.
However, if you just got a small or initial fill, you probably wouldn't feel this because you'd still have a largish stoma, so any reactive swelling isn't going to be felt.
In any case, your sense of restriction will always vary, day by day, as long as you are banded. Sometimes it will vary hourly! Most bandsters notice the band is tighter in the morning, and will loosen as the day progresses.
Personally, my fills take two weeks to set up, in terms of judging the real fill level. Right after my fill I'm always restricted, but that's just the irritation and not the actual saline level. Two weeks later, the irritation was calmed down and that's when the fill level reveals itself to me.

Hello,
Just curious if anyone finds that their band gets tighter a few days after their fill. I seem to see no difference right after my fill but about 3 or 4 days later I am not hungry at all. I would think you would feel the tightest right after a fill. Just wondering if anyone else is having the same results.

I've only had one fill so far but it was a big one. They put 3cc's in my 10cc band and I could feel it going in and then I got this weird feeling of pressure in my throat. But the liquids and mushy foods I ate the first few days after went down just fine. I was hungrier than I had ever been, in fact. It took me about a week to feel like I had gotten a fill. I still don't feel as though there is much restriction, since anything gets through, but I did get that not hungry feeling you mentioned! I like that part

I got really concerned once I finally had the opportunity to see a dietitian...because I am still a little bit unstable on my legs to exercise vigoriously...she wanted me to eat a daily calorie intake of 1200. When I started to journal what I was eating in My Fitness Pal...I realized that was alot of food...LOL!!! Major freakout!!! So I analyzed what types of food I was eating, what set well with me and what doesn't and tried to use some of the meals she had printed out for me. then more concerns she told me to eat "the big no-no according to everyone on this green earth that has had WLS" "BREAD", I was so freaked out and no one responded to my plea's when I posted on this forum!!! So I called her back, she said YES you do need to eat good breads when you do eat them. so I chose one day to try it...I can manage bread...but don't eat it much because I am a breadaholic...the fear of eating it and can't stop...LOLRH!!! but I tried it and it went down fine, but it is something I will only be doing when I have to not when I want too. so getting back to my journalling...I do eat pretty good food choices and was proud of myself for that...but was still stuck (stalled-plateaued, whatever you call it) since I had my last fill. so I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong...the thing that I feel got me moving again was the fact that I ordered myself a trike to get some exercising in and my doctor (primary) also gave me to go ahead to head back to the pool for exercise too (knee replacements-no balance at all-due to my weight issues). it just seems that I am walking more around my job...making myself get up and move during the day and just thinking about my new exercising seems to have leveled me out...only down 1 lb and some ounces, but I am finally down again. so I hope everyone keeps up the good work (for I see all of you on these posts all the time) and we are all moving in the same directions "down" and getting to our goals. I know I am eating way healthier than I ever did before (even on WW) and on occasion allow myself a treat or two during the month...but am happy that soon I will be able to work those extra calories off either on the trike or in the pool!!! Happy Band Day to you ALL

I was keeping track, but kind of stopped asking. I only have about 3.2 ccs in my band right now.
When I was first banded, right after the operation, I could not hold down Water. So they removed all of the 3.5 cc they put in the band during the operation. I was ok and went home, but continued to swell until I was swollen shut and could not even hold down my own spit - not a drop, it just keep coming back up. I went to emergency the next day and was put on IV Fluids and cortisone for the swelling for 3 days and finally the swelling went down. It was scary and I thought I might lose my band, which really upset me because I am self paid.
My first fill was 2 cc's and it was a dozie, I really felt it. They have been adding about .2 cc's ever since.
So bottom line, my band is pretty tight to begin with. And since I had problems, they are going slower then molasses to fill me. I am losing about 1 pound per month for a total of 20 since pre-op. Not good, but better then the weight I was gaining like wildfire before I had the band. I hope it will get better once I get to my optimum fill!

Congrats. How much total do you have in your band? I'm on my 2nd fill, go for another next week...hoping to feel quiet a bit more restriction with this one...I'm ready to get this show on the road..lol

what did they disconnect you from? You can still post in the forum...what is it you cant do now?

My nutritionist organized a shopping trip with her patients. We found this dip and she gave a hearty approval for it. I bought the onion flavored one as well. Yummy. I eat it with a couple of multi grain crackers or some crunchy veggies.

2muchfun....literally cracking up right now.
I dip my cauliflouer in it and use it in my turkey rollups....yummo. Im thinking about putting it on my chicken breasts as a marinade before baking or maybe ill just spoon it..lol.
You should really give it another try. I've only tried the FO so I can't vouch for the others;)
Ill check back with you next week for your review.

Okios Greek Yogurt Dip. That's right, before surgery I was a big dip junkie, I ate it on almost anything:-) Obviosuly it was something I had to give up because well it's not very nutritious BUT recently I discovered Okios greek yogurt dip. I think it's been our for a while but I told myself that stuff can't be any good until the other day when I was at the store and had a craving I just couldn't kick so I broke down and bought some of the french onion and for comparrison (for my husband's sake) I also bought the Dean's french onion and to both of our suprise...WE BOTH perferred the Okios to the Deans A serving is 2Tlbs. and only only contains 25cal, 1g fat, 2 carbs, 1g sugar and 2 g Protein.....Yipppeee I never thought I would be so excited about something as silly as this but it's just another little thing that keeps me on track for the long haul of a lifestyle change:-) I thought I would share with everyone just in case you're a dip junkie like me:-) I know I'm a nerd:-) Enjoy.
Check it out for yourself
http://www.oikosyogurt.com/greek-yogurt/oikos-greek-yogurt-dips/french-onion

THANK YOU each for your stories, suggestions, and sharing your battles and experiences with me.
We are ALL in this together and it is SO TRUE....maybe my thoughts were the band was a MAGICAL tool that would STOP the insanity. IT doesn't - IT IS ALLLLLL MENTAL &*%*$#!!

Is there a such thing as being satisfied when eating or maybe it's like soem of you say...JUST STOP and PUSH BACK!

However...with THAT being said I've heard that the closer you get to green the smaller the fill. That mayeb 1.4 or even 1/2 can make a world of difference. I don't even feel restriction in the am and I think I should. This thread and site will be my first beginning of the day as to gather my witts and remind me of the logn term goal.

Keep the tricks of the trade coming y'all.... have a wonderful day and push back at 1 cup of healthy foods.

No, you aren't crazy. I'm still working very hard to figure that out myself. I think there's a fine line between feeling satiety and feeling full and it's difficult for us to distinguish the difference because we're so used to continuing to eat until we feel full. I know for me, personally, if I stop when I no longer feel hungry but don't feel full yet, I have this overwhelming fear that I'm going to be hungry again in just a few hours so I eat more. I'm working hard to find the right place and the right feeling but it's difficult. After my last fill, I was getting what I recognized as a "soft stop" when eating my meals but since the fill settled and the swelling from that fill has gone down, I am not experiencing that as much. I think I may need another fill but I'm pretty sure I'm very close to the green zone at this point. Just keep working on it and paying attention to your body. You will figure it out as will I.

No one is supposed to feel the "full" sensation. You're supposed to look for the satiety signals. If you're full, you've eaten too much. I went back and read some of your past posts. Jean McMillan is one of the magazine contributors here and this is what she wrote:
"I just had another thought, about something that might help you find your very own Green Zone. One of the biggest jobs for any WLS patient, no matter what surgical procedure they have, is learning how to recognize satiety. That's something I managed to completely ignore for 54 years before my band surgery, mainly because I was eating for a lot of reasons that had nothing to do with physical hunger, good nutrition, health, or any of that good stuff.
Satiety is the feeling of having eaten enough food for now. For someone like me who had a gaping void inside that no amount of food could ever fill, learning to recognize satiety wasn't just hard - it was scary. Deprivation was one of my worst fears. I think that fear exists to some extent in every living creature. If we don't eat, we eventually die - every single one of us. A morbidly obese, middle-class, middle-aged woman with a job and a home and loving friends and family is not likely to starve to death, but that fear haunted me for a long time.
Fortunately, I made lots of friends on online WLS sites like Bariatricpal who helped me by sharing their own satiety signals. The work of paying attention to and heeding those signals was all up to me. I got better at it as time went on. My conscious behavior and the effect of more saline in my band helped a great deal. Now that my beloved band is gone, that work is much harder, but like it or not, it's my job for life.
Other members have shared some of their "stop eating" signals on this thread, but please don't kick yourself (or blame your band) if all those signals don't happen to you on the magical, mythical day that your band is filled to an optimal level. Even if and when that day arrives, those signals and that optimal fill level are probably going to change. One of the best - and hardest to handle - consequences of my WLS has been learning to pay attention to and take good care of my body. It's the only one I have, and I plan to make it last a long, long time.
Jean"

I've got 6.8 CC in my band now. I'm feeling restriction now but still eating too much to get there. The 3ozs of meat and half a cup of veggies is not doing it for me yet. Looks like I will still have to have another one. How much does your doctor give you at a time in your band?

OMG Countrysweet you just took the words out of my mouth..."I have this overwhelming fear that I'm going to be hungry again in just a few hours so I eat more"...that's what I find myself doing over and over.....and I know I have to stop the madness....

Went to the doc for my 7th fill today! Because I admitted to starting to feel restriction she only gave me .3CC (maddening!) Also because I've been so bad for the last two weeks - (va-ca and no workouts due to injuries to both my feet); I checked in and weighted two pounds more than my last visit !
I'm over it and ready to hit it hard and get back on track and be harder on myself than I've been being. My workouts are good but I'm still eating too much.
My goal this month is to cut back to 3 ozs of meat and 1/2 cup of veggies and see if I can get by on that. Anybody out there not in the green zone yet getting by on that amount of food?
I'm optimistic that this last fill is going to get me to the green zone. I've been hovering around it for 6-8 weeks now, just wish my doc wasn't so stingy with the fills.

It's interesting that there are 72 views here and only one post and that post was the "no-duh" answer (no offense 2muchfun) - I think what we're needing here is ideas of WHAT exactly successful lapbanders are eating... I like to have a plan, that's why I really liked Jenny Craig, because it was all written out, eat what was on the menu (and nothing else) and you lost 2lbs a week. No brainer... but here it's different, especially if you are not in the green zone yet where your band is doing a lot of the work preventing you from over eating - b/c even the good food, non-slider food, adds up and if you eat more than you should well you aren't losing any weight.
In fact I've been debating if I should go back to JC until my band is adjusted b/c it's a plan that I know works - but I do NOT like eating out of box all of the time.
I'm looking for (and perhaps Christy Z) a written out menu plan - like a month of choices meaning 30 breakfasts, 30 lunches, 30 dinners and 30 Snacks - recipes and nutrition information - something to follow - that encompasses the "no brainer" foods but is written out... anyone have any suggestions here?
I'd place a bet that I'm not the only one looking for some kind of a plan...

I recently purchased a bunch of Taste of Home cookbooks for $3 each from our local dollar store. They have some beautiful recipes in them. I have marked quite a few to try. The cooks books were likely sold so cheaply because they are from 2011 and 2012 but I didn't care about that.
If you google the recipes, you can will find them on the internet & then you can see how others rated the recipe & their suggested improvements.
I'm always looking for new recipes. I find that variety of food is key to sucess in any weight loss program. I also believe that we only get to eat a small quantity of food so it should be full, flavorful, delicious food. If something is mediocre, I don't want it. I only get 1000 - 1200 calories a day - I want them to be yummy calories.

My thought is you may be trying to be a girlfriend rather than taking care of YOU. Boyfriends come and go. This is about you, not what he wants. You went through a lot to get where you are, so please don't give up on yourself. Make your children happier and healthier! Stick to easy foods, boiled eggs, yogurt, chicken cooked in the crockpot with lowfat Soup, steamed vegetables. It is so easy to eat healthier and harder and more expensive to get up and take your kids to McDonalds. Kids love salad when they get a dipping sauce (lowfat ranch dressing). I think you posted this here to get this feedback from us, and you want to be encouraged - so this is your encouragement to get on the right track LOL! I have gone through a 5 week stall recently, shedding a little hair, but nothing compares to looking in the mirror and smiling!

Hello everybody,
I have worked extensively to produce the following video to show to the world my success with LAP BAND.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
If you you like my video, I appreciate if you click and leave a comment... The more support I have and more views, the more I can keep contributing to a local support group and people who watch me.
Thank you and God Bless you.
Maria.
https://plus.google.com/115997421400295293801/posts/W3eDzj2uQag

Evidently "slider" food is not what I was thinking slider food was...lol

Anything that can slip past the band like, shakes, mashed potatoes, Soup, junk food like chips (weird but true) What else? apple sauce, pudding, ICE CREAM…
Pretty much all the stuff I lived on when I was too tight! Except the potato chips those scared me….

ABlond what I have been told:
Typically a slider food is one that can easily slip through the narrow stoma passage created by the band's restriction. It is important to avoid slider foods as much as possible, because they slide right through where they are supposed to be restricted for awhile.
Slider foods don't help you feel full and can be full of calories, too, so they really defeat the purpose of your lapband.

I too suffer the "first bite" stuck feeling quiet often...thanks for the tip Parisshel...

Once again, can someone tell me what "slider foods" consist of?