Thrillrod

Had my first fill 3 weeks ago. 2cc. Scheduled next week for another 2. Is this normal? I feel no restriction and can't imagine 4cc will get me any. I know everyone's been though it, I just feel like this is too conservative. Thoughts?

Hello, I am in exactly the same boat as you. I am super depressed about it actually. I am starting to wonder if there is something wrong with me and that this just won't work. My nurse is very encouraging so I am trying to stay hopeful, but again it has been months and I haven't even lost any weight yet. Good luck to you!

Fills
0.25 fourth fill 07.50
0.25 third fill 07.25
2.50 second fill 07.00
4.50 first fill 04.50

Completely normal. In fact some on this board would say aggressive. No one knows how YOU will react - or not , to the fill, so they do what is average and customize you along the way. It gives you a chance to change your habits and behaviors along the way, it is after all, an adjustable band. Be patient, we. All have been there done that, and.. The weight will come off. This is a lifestyle change.. Not an instant fix. Your gonna do fine.... Trust it.

"Will I ever be normal?" Why start now? Sounds funny, but for me, I've never eaten normally. Always, my whole life, I wanted more, the most, the best, the most delicious, seconds, thirds, an extra secret meal at home late at night, etc., etc., ... That was normal for me.
I just want a new normal. I am thrilled to trade what was for my new normal. As of yesterday I've been on solid food for a week. Today I went to Subway and bought a six-inch sandwich. I came home, cut it in HALF, sat down and took ten minutes to eat that half. And miracle of miracles, I was done. And satisfied. I almost cried.
I want this new normal so bad. I go out to eat with my normie BFF once a week. I eat slowly, and by the time she's done, I'm nearing the end of my meal, having consumed about half of the amount she ate, and about a third of what I used to sock away. And it's all good. Take out containers are my friends.
I truly feared missing my old pal, food. Guess what? Food is still my friend. But I'm happy - HAPPY - with way less of it.
Don't despair, it starts to turn around soon. At least it did for me. Stay connected to the feelings that come up, but don't eat over them. We all have to learn how to live a "new normal".

I had my first fill a month out. My surgeon looks for being satisfied after a tennis-ball sized portion and not hungry again for 4-5 hours. I had one but not the other -- would feel hungry again after a couple of hours. We kept going with small fills until I has both. As TMF says, each surgeon has their own protocol. Some people have primed bands (some Fluid at time of placement), other people -- especially those with band plus Plication -- never need a fill. I was lucky post-op not to be ravenous but by a month out I knew I needed a fill. Glad I kept at it to find the green zone as it's so much easier with the appetite really dimmed. You will get there -- persevere, keep all your appointments and practice mindfulness. Most of us will say that even though it was frustrating at times to have to go through the process rather than just being there, it was actually very good to have the staged approach so that we could address behavior modification. Learning to chew and paying attention to portions, listening to the body, etc. all required a learning curve. But looking back it was no time at all, really. I wanted to get the show on the road and now I realize it was on the road -- the road to success. Pat yourself on the back because you are, too!

Depends on your doctor? Mine just went by how hungry I was. He didn't even ask if I was keeping to a 1 cup per meal program. In fact, I never adhered to that policy. I tried, but dieting was always failure for me so I just tried to eat healthy foods and I probably kept my calorie intake to around 2000/day and my metabolic rate is 2000/day. So after the initial 12 lbs lost the first 2 weeks I didn't lose anything till my 3rd fill.
Don't mean to scare you but some surgeons bow out of the fill sequence and allow a NP(nurse practitioner) or PA to give fills. Usually they're quite easy to work with but I've read of many who are petty little despots(control freaks) and are stingy with fills.

I didn't get any fills till a month after surgery , but after when I could do solids again I did feel I could eat like I did , but I chose not to become I thought to myself I paid much for this to go wrong and I didn't want to have surgery again , I had already put my body through enough by over eating everyday all day .

my doctor didn't go by how much weight I lost but how hungry I was. I had my first fill about 6 weeks after surgery.

For me, it was six weeks of full liquids after surgery. Then my first fill two days later. I lost a lot of weight but I won't lie, it was basically a liquid diet. I eased into foods that two days, got a fill, and went back on liquids for 48 hours. Not easy, but I lost a lot of weight. Once foods were in my diet, I followed 800-900 calories for a long time per my doctor's instructions. Now I have around 1000. Not sure if I could have eaten more that early. I was pretty compliant. I went to Italy 17 days after my first fill. I watched my intake but didn't deprive myself. Two weeks later I weighed the same as when I left, and resumed weight loss that week. Good luck.

Better today. Thanks for the comments.

I had that same issue. Part of the issue is that you've not learned yet how to drink without taking in air. for the next week or so, you will begin to realize exactly HOW much air you swallow when you talk, cough, hiccup, sneeze, yawn, eat, and drink. I've started using the Gas-X dissolving strips to help with it because it HURTS.
*hugs* It'll get better.