My 4month band anniversary is tomorrow and I so happen to have my 3rd fill tomorrow. I still do not have good restriction and I am really hoping this fill does the trick. I have lost 41lbs since my surgery but the last 20 feels like it has taken forever! especially over the past 2 months...I have only lost a couple pounds and the scale keeps going back and forth. I am finding it harder to stick to the band rules since I dont have good restriction. I have never gotten sick, pb'd, slimed or gotten stuck. I do try to eat slower, smaller portions and smaller bites but since not doing that doesn't impact me I dont do as as much as I should. I have 6cc's in my band as of right now and not sure how much the dr. will put in tomorrow. I work out at the gym 4 x a week and that has helped me from gaining. I am just ready to have that restriction everyone talks about. I can still eat large portion sizes before I feel full and even though I dont eat quite as much as I did pre surgery I still can eat a good bit of food at a sitting. How many fills did it take you to really feel restriction? for those who have had the surgery 5+ months ago did you take a while to really feel like the band was working like it was supppose to??

I was banded on 7/29/10 and have been lucky to have excellent restriction since day one. My first fill wasn't until 12 weeks and I have yet to have another fill and I'm down 69 pounds. I had about 2cc's put in on surgery day and another 2cc's put in at 12 weeks.

I really wish it was black and white for all of us. I've asked my Dr why it seems that I've had such good restriction when I've read about many people not having it right away. He just told me that is the way it is.

I know of one person who has been banded for a good couple years, has never had a fill, excellent restriction, he has lost all his weight and has maintained goal for a year I believe. Now wouldn't that be great!

Nicole,

I've been banded for over a year (about 13 months) and even when I was overfilled and getting stuck constantly, I had no restriction (in the sense of being limited by quantity) and still never felt 'full'. I was on the verge of getting a revision to the gastric sleeve and, due to the phrenic nerve pain I was dealing with, had the doctor remove my fill. I figured why not...it certainly wasn't helping me by eliminating the hunger or restricting the quantity I could eat.

Major learning experience and so glad I did! For the week following that unfill I was constantly, ravenously hungry. I'd forgotten what I dealt with prior to the band. So I went back in and had them give me my fill back. Obviously they couldn't give me back all 8cc but they did give me back 6cc and within minutes that roaring hunger was gone.

For the last year I have been 'waiting' for this band to do its job...not realizing that it already was because I was looking for the wrong thing. I was waiting for it to limit my quantity. What I understand now is that it doesn't limit my quantity by physically restricting how much I can eat. It limits my quantity by making me feel 'satisfied' on less by putting pressure on the vagus nerves which control the production of ghrelin (the hunger hormone). I can still eat as much as I could prior to being banded. The difference is that I'm not driven by my hunger to do so. I'm 'satisfied' with less.

Yes, there are some people who get physical restriction...but I'm beginning to wonder how many of the banded who have failed have done so because they're one of those who are waiting for that physical restriction...and will never have it. So I'd stop 'waiting' for that feeling of fullness and actual physical restriction and start paying attention to how you 'feel' when you're eating.

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Elfiepoo,

It's kinda like "you don't know what you got till it's gone" thingy.

I would be scared to death to loose my band...of course I am only 4 months out, but the pre-band hunger is still a pretty fresh memory. Gosh I just never want to go there again!

Elfiepoo,

It's kinda like "you don't know what you got till it's gone" thingy.

I would be scared to death to loose my band...of course I am only 4 months out, but the pre-band hunger is still a pretty fresh memory. Gosh I just never want to go there again!

You can say that again. I'm actually glad it happened though because I really had forgotten that prior to the band I dealt with a hunger that drove me to eat constantly. Five minutes after eating, my stomach was telling me to eat again and it wasn't head hunger. With that reminder, I've been far more successful in the last 2 weeks (in controlling my eating) than I have been in months. I think when I went in for my unfill 2 weeks ago, I was at 228 and as of this morning I'm at 219.

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You can say that again. I'm actually glad it happened though because I really had forgotten that prior to the band I dealt with a hunger that drove me to eat constantly. Five minutes after eating, my stomach was telling me to eat again and it wasn't head hunger. With that reminder, I've been far more successful in the last 2 weeks (in controlling my eating) than I have been in months. I think when I went in for my unfill 2 weeks ago, I was at 228 and as of this morning I'm at 219.

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Wow 9 pounds in two weeks....that rocks! Keep up the good work..you have lost a lot more that me, but we have about the same amount to go..we can keep tabs on each other!

I had my surgery Sept 29 and have lost 31 lbs, the dr. put 2.5 cc my first fill in Nov. 16. I am eating a little more than before, but not sure how much weight I am losing after the fill. I have been slowly walking and trying to take the steps at least once a day. But I lost the 31 before the fill. I do feel full, and I can tell when I have had enough. Although I have never got sick but once. That was at the beginning, and then I just coughed.

Hi,

I'm bad about chugging too! That's good to know, my surgery is Monday for lab band. I have a bad habit of chugging Water after working in the yard or working out. Does it make you vomit if you drink fast?

I did notice right away, because I had to take tiny sips of water....no more chugging! I have always had a bad habit of chugging, but now at 49 years of age I am learning to sip! my mom will be so proud lol!

I hope you reach your sweet spot!

Max 123 you won't vomit from chugging, it is after a couple of fills, or are at your sweet spot do you notice you can't chug....sipping just feels better.

Hey guys. Wanted to update you that my 3rd fill has really helped me! Im on week 2 since that fill and can really tell a difference. I get full alot quicker and now I HAVE to chew my food really well and take smaller bites. I have a total of 7cc's now in the band. I really hope this restriction lasts a while. I really try to pay attention to my eating to avoid bringing it back up. I havnt had that happen yet but I have gotten a couple short stuck episodes..not too bad but it happened with a chicken wing last night and the other day a bite of a bagel. it only lasted a few minutes, thank God, but it keeps me on my toes. I have lost 8lbs in a week already! Im slowly learning how to change my behavior. I still have a long way to go and Im not even half way to my goal after losing 47lbs but I am so happy I finally feel like I have restriction...it does make all the difference but you still have to watch what you eat, make good decisions and exercise for it all to fall into place. I went from 302 on surgery day 7/30 to 254 as of this morning! My goal is 180! I cant even imagine being under 200!

Glad to hear you finally got restriction!

Doesn't it feel great? I just had my 4 month bandiversary yesterday.....down 42 pounds with 80 more to go. And do you know what I got for a present? My period,,,after not having one in a year..OMG! I really was not missing them at ALL! I read somewhere that when you loose a bunch (I guess 42 is enough) your hormones go crazy! Well I guess so,,,,anyway glad your doing great!:Banane04: