Hey Banders, I have 9ccs in my 11cc band and I still do not have restriction! is there anyone out there haveing this problem? This is so frustrating to me! I dont know what to do....HELP

When you say you have no restriction, can you explain more?

Can you still eat as much as you did before? The same amounts? the same foods?

Yes I can eat just as much if I allow myself to do it - I can still eat anything i mean anything and honestly just as much and like I said I have 9ccs in a 11cc band

I have 7cc in a 10cc band and feel the same way. Actually I am a little confused. I really thought I would feel something physically when I ate. NOPE! NOTHING! I am trying to consume less than normal. I guess my biggest fear is that I have stretched out my band or if there is something wrong with it. I guess time will tell. From what I have read it takes a while for the restriction so I am still waiting! Good luck and hang in there

It's really not terribly unusual to be close to the upper "limit" (in parentheses because there really is leeway above that limit) for your band and not yet experience restriction.

As you get a greater volume of saline in the band, you may find that tiny increments make a big difference. So, you may go up to 9 cc feeling next to nothing, but find that 0.5 cc (or even less) makes a big difference.

Just keep your appointments with the doctor, communicate your needs, and you will get there. It's frustrating--but eventually, you will have restriction.

I'm at 9cc's in a 10 cc band and still don't feel like I have the restriction I should have by now. I haven't found that "sweet spot" everyone talks about. I go for my last fill this coming Tuesday and hope that helps. I try to keep my food down to a cup or 4 oz's. I don't drink before, during, or for an hour after I eat. I keep up with my protein, watch my calories, exercise and have only lost 16 lbs since Sept when I had surgery. So I don't know what is going on. I feel like I could eat a steak dinner and still have room for dessert sometimes and it gets so frustrating. I feel like the band is never going to work like it should. My mom lost 140 lbs in a year and a half with the band and I'm struggling to just lose 10. Something isn't right here. I feel like I got screwed.

i have the same concerns as you. I go on the 28th for a upper gi i hope they dont have to go back in but i just try to exercise and eat less on my own but its so far because i am stressed about this.

thanks for the encouragement, im really trying to hang in there.

I dont have restriction either and my doctor uses the floro imagining and he says I look tight, the only thing I notice is longer periods between my hunger. Now I still occassionally get the head hunger and it is usually at events or parties. I wonder what restriction is as well but I just look at it this way, the band is like a diet pill without all the heart racing. I dont feel as hungry but i could still eat a ton if I wanted. I am not sure this helps but maybe your just looking at it all wrong and should eat your 4 oz and wait to see if you are still really hungry.

Hi, okay I had surgery 7/23/08, I have lost 80lbs but I have another 15lbs I'm at 7ccs and plan to see my doc on 5/27 hopefully he will give me another fill. I was at 8cc's and had to get an unfill.

So I hope he will give me a fill now because I have no restriction, I have sort of lost my way so I need the help to get back on track.

Hey Slim - where do you go for your fills. I go to Bluepoint Surgical group in Woodbridge. I have only lost about 30lbs since Sept. and I work out on a regular and I try to watch what I eat but its hard when you can eat with out restriction.

Hang in there everyone. Betsy really is so informative and encouraging.

There is an allowance over the band volume you state. I have the 14cc band and know we can overfill it if I do not have restriction at that point.

I am still new to the band but have learned more about what it feels like. I had some chicken salad and the chicken was a little dry and I certainly filled up quick on that. 4 bites and I was done. Had I opted for the cream of chicken Soup I could have had a huge bowl.

To help you with this difficult time, maybe you could try eating more filling/thicker foods. My dietician reccomends calling her if we are having trouble with meal planning or with our food choices not working with the band.

I go to the Bariactric Center at Providence Hospital Dr. Marc Rickford he is an excellent surgeon and very personable physician a bit conservative with fills but I think that's just his way of looking out for the best interest of his patients. I understand about how hard it is to keep focus without restriction that's why we got the band in the first place to help us stay on track, if I could have done it on my own there wouldn't have been a need for the surgery. Sometime I think my Doc forget that when I'm begging for a fill.

In the same boat here--9.2 ml in an 11 ml band. I must admit, though because I've been hungry, I often fail to follow the guidelines. Going for another fill at the end of next week. I've heard that even a fraction of a ml can make a big difference at this point. Don't lose hope!

Definitely don't think that they can only fill the band to your band amount (whether it's 10 or 14, etc) - it doesn't work that way. They can continue filling past that amount.

These posts have been so helpful to me! I thought I was all alone i this. I have 9.5cc's in an 11cc band and also have no restriction. Knowing there are others out there experiencing this is a relief, but doesn't make me any happier about our problem!

I have some pain or getting stuck when I eat too fast or don't chew enough. But as long as I follow all the the "rules" I can just keep eating and remain hungry.

If anyone has any advice that would be great!