RESTRICTION IS HERE! 14ml band, M, 25

Trinity · January 24, 2011

So i finally am experiencing restriction on what i eat. Here's my story.

I was banded 08/13/10. Lost 20 lbs pre and post op. After the after surgery feelings went away my appetite came right back and i felt absolutley nothing. I couldn't tell that i had a surgery. I was slightly better at dieting but my portions were still pretty large. I never really gained or lost, and stayed right around 20 lbs lost.

My doc is rediculously busy, and the closest he could schedule fills were usually 7 weeks apart. he told me that he would like to do fills every three weeks, but he never had enough appointments to do that. He was also conservative on how much saline he put in. That was frustrating because i just wanted it to go faster and it was taking forever.

so now 5 months later i am finally feeling restriction!!!! :wacko: Its a crazy feeling.

As soon as i take bites i feel like it is hard to swallow. I feel like i can feel the food going all the way down, and i feel like i need to eat really slow and chew a lot. Sometimes it almost feels like im choking on my food, but when i sit for a minute the feeling goes away and i can eat more. But depending on what i eat i feel like i cant eat any more, and wouldn't enjoy it if i did eat more.

For the last 5 days i have only ate like 700 calories a day, and i haven't had the awful torture feelings that i did when i use to diet.

Im so excited for the future, and just wanted others in "bandster hell" to see that it will eventually work with time and patience.

Dave_NW · January 24, 2011

So i finally am experiencing restriction on what i eat. Here's my story.

I was banded 08/13/10. Lost 20 lbs pre and post op. After the after surgery feelings went away my appetite came right back and i felt absolutley nothing. I couldn't tell that i had a surgery. I was slightly better at dieting but my portions were still pretty large. I never really gained or lost, and stayed right around 20 lbs lost.

My doc is rediculously busy, and the closest he could schedule fills were usually 7 weeks apart. he told me that he would like to do fills every three weeks, but he never had enough appointments to do that. He was also conservative on how much saline he put in. That was frustrating because i just wanted it to go faster and it was taking forever.

so now 5 months later i am finally feeling restriction!!!! Its a crazy feeling.

As soon as i take bites i feel like it is hard to swallow. I feel like i can feel the food going all the way down, and i feel like i need to eat really slow and chew a lot. Sometimes it almost feels like im choking on my food, but when i sit for a minute the feeling goes away and i can eat more. But depending on what i eat i feel like i cant eat any more, and wouldn't enjoy it if i did eat more.

For the last 5 days i have only ate like 700 calories a day, and i haven't had the awful torture feelings that i did when i use to diet.

Im so excited for the future, and just wanted others in "bandster hell" to see that it will eventually work with time and patience.

Congratulations on achieving what you've been seeking. But I have a question: I've always been told eating too few calories puts your body into "starvation mode" where it hangs onto every ounce, and weight loss slows or stops. Similarly, eating too many calories causes the body to gain weight. So after five days of eating less, are you seeing a weight change?

Dave

jayeljay613 · January 24, 2011

Congrasts on finally getting some restriction! I hope that I will be feeling that way soon too. I agree wtih Dave about the calories though, I have read a lot on here about people having major stalls in their weight loss because of not getting enough calories. My doctor recommends 1,000 which I am trying to reach at this point.

Congrats again. Let us know how you are doing.

honk · January 24, 2011

How long ago was your fill. It sounds to me like you may need a slight until; it should'nt hurt to eat. I was banded the same day and did not start to get restriction until my 5 th fill which took me to 9.4. Today I got an additional .6. Still on liquids so it's hard to tell.

Trinity · January 25, 2011

Yeah, i too have heard of starvation mode.

i have definitely lost a couple pounds so i don't think that is a problem with myself right now.

I had always imagined that was for people eating 300-500 calories.

I was eating pretty bad before getting the fill, so i was up a couple pounds, and i have lost those and cruising lower.

Congratulations on achieving what you've been seeking. But I have a question: I've always been told eating too few calories puts your body into "starvation mode" where it hangs onto every ounce, and weight loss slows or stops. Similarly, eating too many calories causes the body to gain weight. So after five days of eating less, are you seeing a weight change?

Dave

Trinity · January 25, 2011

Thanks, yeah i do worry about eating enough Protein and other stuff. I must admit that im sort of in a dilema because i just dont want to eat much more quantity than i am. I feel like if i wanted to get in the 1000-1200 calorie range i would have to start eating foods that get their calories from fat, instead of Protein like i have been trying.

Congrasts on finally getting some restriction! I hope that I will be feeling that way soon too. I agree wtih Dave about the calories though, I have read a lot on here about people having major stalls in their weight loss because of not getting enough calories. My doctor recommends 1,000 which I am trying to reach at this point.

Congrats again. Let us know how you are doing.

Trinity · January 25, 2011

Yeah, i wouldn't say it hurts to eat, but it does feel uncomfortable.

But its weird because the uncomfortableness happens as soon as i swallow my first bite. Its like food is having a problem getting down my throat.

I was only filled on wednesday night(5 days ago) so maybe my problems are still from swelling or just that the fills sometimes take 2 weeks to really adjust.

Before my last fill i was at 7.75 on a 14ml band, and i explained to the surgeon how i could eat anything and everything i wanted, so he said "lets give you a good fill this time and hopefully get some restriction" . He never said what i was filled to. Like i said earlier, he is really conservative, and i cant imagine that he gave me more than 1.5

I will watch how i feel and let the surgeon know if the strange swallowing sensation keeps happening.

How long ago was your fill. It sounds to me like you may need a slight until; it should'nt hurt to eat. I was banded the same day and did not start to get restriction until my 5 th fill which took me to 9.4. Today I got an additional .6. Still on liquids so it's hard to tell.