I was banded Oct. 14, 2010 and have lost 25 lbs and had 2 fills. Was getting good restriction until last week and all of a sudden I have none........what happened? I go in Monday to get a fill.......can they do an x-ray or something? I have NO restriction whatsoever......I could eat a horse. I feel like something has gone wrong. Has anyone had this happen? I have also been stuck at 25 lbs for over a month now. Thanks........Pat

I was banded Oct. 14, 2010 and have lost 25 lbs and had 2 fills. Was getting good restriction until last week and all of a sudden I have none........what happened? I go in Monday to get a fill.......can they do an x-ray or something? I have NO restriction whatsoever......I could eat a horse. I feel like something has gone wrong. Has anyone had this happen? I have also been stuck at 25 lbs for over a month now. Thanks........Pat

First of all, breathe. You are only 21\2 months out of surgery and are entering what is known as "Bandster Hell." As your doctor slowly fills your band, restriction will come back. It has taken me almost 6 months to finally feel steady, full time restriction. In the past after a fill, I would feel restriction for a couple of days to a week, and then it would go away. Then i would feel it again at my next fill for a little longer. Just make sure you are eating the right things, Protein first, and not drinking while you eat. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. You'll get there. Good luck.

Relax it happens all the time. You will find the right spot eventually. Try to eat a whole begal lol you will know you still have restriction just kidding

boy I just haven't had a bagel for years now. I probably could carefully eat part of a toasted bagel....but just don't care for them lately.

When I feel I lose restriction, I go on a liquid and soup diet for a few days and I get it right back.

Have you noticed any changes in the sensation of actually being hungry vs 'being restricted'?

Have you noticed any changes in the sensation of actually being hungry vs 'being restricted'?

I think this is what happened to me. Feb 15 I had an aggressive fill that significantly reduced my intake. I was vomiting regularly and started tapering off my meal size. Then all of a sudden there was no vomiting at all. I want to eat allthe time. I thought my band slipped from the vomiting.

What I realized is that I am not hungry. I just want to eat. A small meal is great but I am still accustomed to eating more.

Still I having am endoscopy and other tests just to make sure I didn't hurt something in there.

Here's to 94 lbs. Goal is 100 lbs by my banderversary on April 27.

"What I realized is that I am not hungry. I just want to eat. A small meal is great but I am still accustomed to eating more" that is a truth many Bandster eventually realize. Hunger is different than 'habit', yet both conspire to make our lives more complex than we need. Cheers on your wonderful victory!!!!

Stress has always been hard for me and the way of coping was to eat. With the band I really do not have the option to eat large meals. The problem that I must watch is those comfort foods that will just slide down. Seems to me that I never have a problem eating chocolate or ice cream.

Trying to keep an awareness of when we are hungry or do we just want to eat just to eat is very difficult.

Good point.

It came eventually even to me as a 'slow learner' that none of these 'comfort foods' actually were!

And becoming aware of my own emotional responses finally helped me train myself to not *have to* respond to stress by overeating. What a relief!

The key though, that helped the most, was to finally be able to recognize the simple difference between 'hunger' and 'not hunger'.

The simplest rule I could invent for myself was "if Not hunger active.....Don't eat"!!!

After a while it gets to seem natural, because along with that comes the 'when hungry....EAT' Then STOP. It's a beautiful system I had never really used much preOp.

All of the information given is very helpful. I had immediate success when I got banded in Dec. 2009. I lost about two pounds a week with a caloric intake of under 1000 and very high protein. After losing 70 pounds with only two fills. I felt great developed a sweet tooth but keep it at bay. I changed careers and started driving a truck. For a while was able to stay on a strict diet with exercise for over 8 months. Lost my restriction and lost the time to exercise. I've sense gained 25 lbs. I don't eat at truck stops but have increased my calories to 1500. Everyday I struggle with the weight gain and will have to get another fill soon. I guess with the quick success I was doomed to gain some back. I look at this as a minor setback and have started being more intentional with walking at least three times a week. I'm sure I'll find success again soon. Good luck to all!

All of the information given is very helpful. I had immediate success when I got banded in Dec. 2009. I lost about two pounds a week with a caloric intake of under 1000 and very high Protein. After losing 70 pounds with only two fills. I felt great developed a sweet tooth but keep it at bay. I changed careers and started driving a truck. For a while was able to stay on a strict diet with exercise for over 8 months. Lost my restriction and lost the time to exercise. I've sense gained 25 lbs. I don't eat at truck stops but have increased my calories to 1500. Everyday I struggle with the weight gain and will have to get another fill soon. I guess with the quick success I was doomed to gain some back. I look at this as a minor setback and have started being more intentional with walking at least three times a week. I'm sure I'll find success again soon. Good luck to all!

OK so I'm not banded yet but this scares me and opens up a new question... at 1500 calories a day you're gaining weight? So then my question is to all you guys... what's considered normal caloric intake after banding? At 6'5", can I expect to feel full on 1500 calories? Serious question.... please don't get me wrong; not trying to be a smart-ass, it's just that eating three times that is what got me here, so... seriously... how much is a normal caloric intake for you all out there?

Thanks!

Stan

Stan,

I lost a lot of Weight really fast. Now I sit on my butt all day for 10 hrs then ride for 10 hrs with very strange sleep patterns. I have stopped gaining after 27lbs. But having a hard time with losing the weight I gained back. Im sure a lot my issue is my new life style and incorporating exercise in my day.