I was banded on March 8th and have lost about 20 pounds since.

I have a large band and have been filled to about 5.5 cc. I do get stuck from time to time, if I don't chew well. However, I can still eat quite a bit and not feel uncomfortably full. For me the point of the band was to force me stop eating and this is not happening.

Any words of wisdom?

Thanks,

Yes! Don't give up! Restriction is just around the corner.

I had a little restriction after surgery, and a bit more after the first fill. Now I have 7 CCs in a 10 CC band and, for me, it is perfect. It is like the difference between night and day.

NOW I feel like I actually have a Lap-Band.

Now I don't think I should stop eating. I simply can't eat anymore. After, for example, half a sandwich I'm full.

I chew pretty thoroughly and I start to slow down between bites about halfway through my 1/2 sandwich (or whatever). In that waiting time between bites, I can feel whether or not it's okay to take another bite.

When it's time to stop I can tell. If I don't stop at that point, I will get a very sharp pain in my chest. If I go past that (which has only happened once or twice), then it gets really gross. Sliming, etc. You can read all about that on this forum.

But the big deal for me is that it's not hard to stop eating when it's time. I'm full, I feel good. I'm done. That old drive to overeat no matter what the cost doesn't come into play. It's a different sensation, and for me, right now anyway, it's working great. I've had good restriction for about 5 weeks and I couldn't be happier with it.

Good luck to you!

Hi! I was banded May 17,2010. I now have 5.6cc. I now feel restricted. I have to sip water or it will make me sick.:cursing: I also have to chew my food very good. Portions definitely smaller. It will happen. Good luck. Shawna~

Perhaps what you could try a different way of thinking about hunger signals.

The trick is to eat until we aren't hungry any more, then quit. Feeling unhungry is different from feeling full and we certainly don't want to eat until we feel uncomfortably full. :cursing:

I agree with pixistix - you're probably not at full restriction yet. It took 3 fills to get me there, and she's right, if I try to force another bite down after feelnig full, I will vomit- so I know when to push my plate away. AQnd yet, I keep trying to get another bite in - when will I learn?

Resriction will come - I promise. I thought for the first 4 mths after getting the band, I would be the only one that the band didn't work for. I ate burgers, tacos, burritos, Pasta, evrything. Now I eat whatever I want, just smaller amts - and it makes me satisfied.

Good luck to you!

Marci

I wish I could do as you suggested. So much of my eating is emotional that it overpowers the actual feeling of hunger. It is really sad.

Thank you all for your responses. I truly appreciate it.

Keep the faith! I am six months out and my last fill put me at 7cc in a 10 cc band and it was the first time I felt what a restriction was like. Up until then I was experiencing exactly what your describing. I just had my 4th fill, now at 7.5 cc and this is what I believe the band is suppose to feel like. I am now unable to eat a full sandwhich no matter how much I want to (only half now). I am now begining to see a weight loss which I have impatiently been waiting for... I lost 22lbs presurgery and now I am only 14lbs under my surgery weight, but I am confident this is the begining of the help I have been waiting for. Hang in there and try and be patient, it's coming!