I had my third fill on 12/30 and have definately noticed a difference in how and what i can eat. I have to eat much slower, take smaller bites, etc...i've been slacking on workouts (until the past 2 days so yay for me for that) so i haven't seen much loss...

BUT, here's my question....the past few days i've noticed a LOT more restriction. I know it can take a few days to really feel good restriction after a fill but almost 3 weeks? Has this happened to anyone else?

It's nothing i'm nervous about..i'm THRILLED actually...i just want to know if anyone else has experienced this...

I'm supposed to go back in for another (SMALL) fill in a week and a half...i'm going to try something different w/calories this week and if i start really losing i'll change my appointment...if not i'll go in for the next fill....i want to make sure i keep good restriction!

I'm not sure......I had my surgery 11/16/09 and had a very small fill (1 1/2cc) at 1st check-up. And I was restricted some what - but not really - I actually managed to gain 2 pounds over the holidays. Had my first "real" fill last week (3cc) and boy can I tell the difference - I"ve lost 5 lbs already. I wish I had been this restricted all along. I'm now 9 weeks post surgery and just now really feeling the restriction. Before I could eat just about anything, but in very small quantities - but not now! I keep track of my calorie intake and fitness on Livestrong.com and basically I'm down to 200 calories per day after exercise. I'm really working at getting my protein in!

My last fill seemed to take about a month to really "kick in." I got it in mid November and about mid December I felt like I was fighting my band. I would try to eat what had been a normal meal before and would end up only eating half - with the bite too many syndrome or not chewing well enough and sliming. I'm really struggling mentally to "accept" the smaller portions and to realize I'm done eating sooner than I used to be. That may sound bizarre, but I had just gotten used to the smaller portions I was eating (what I call diet portions) and now suddenly my meals are about 3-4 ounces max, sometimes 2 ounces.

Part of the delay in my feeling the restriction could have been due to the holidays and eating different foods than I normally would (lets face it those sweets were slider foods). I'm glad the holidays are over. Time to get busy and get reacquainted with my band and my new restriction.

This is very interesting. I was just thinking the same thing. I got a fill on 1/14 and was so hungry all last week (made an appointment for first available fill which isn't until FEBRUARY 25!) and now it feels different. I never ever get that chest pain people speak of when they're full, but I do feel satisfied (not full) around 9 ounces or so for the past 2 days, which is very odd, since I got my first fill almost 2 weeks ago!

I'm still keeping my appointment for my second fill though. I long for the day when I am guaranteed to be full on no more than a cup....

so just an update...i still have been eating slower and some foods were a little harder to get down...but i could still eat almost 2 cups of food...SOMETIMES 1 1/2 cups...so i went for my 4th fill today...and i'm at 8.2cc's in a 14cc band! :smile2:

I can already feel the difference...i truly truly think i am at my sweet spot with this fill...fingers crossed for no more than 1/2 - 1c. of food per meal and seeing that scale MOVE DOWN! :tongue:

Hi - just wanted to share my surgeons thoughts on eating - he restricts our eating time to 15min. Prepare your meal - anything you can eat, but every meal must contain some protein - then sit down, look at the clock and eat slowly and chew carefully, but stop after 15min. I have already lost 45kg, and am back on track (after an unrelated medical condition put my weightloss on hold for 20 months) - I had a fill last Thursday and have lost 2.7kgs this week.