I wanted to reported this here as it seems we either say something when we panic or when we finally lost lots of weight. I have been banded August 2010 in UK (single incision surgery from my belly button). I was very much scared from the surgery but all was fast and ok. I got my belly button infected so it was my first disappointment but finally it went away and healed perfectly. I am on a 14 cc band and 1 cc was in the band when they placed it.

I got my first fill 1cc fill in October 2010. It did not effect my eating much except instead of 2 large pizza and 2-3 large coke, I was down to 1 large pizza and lots of coke. I was demotivated and asked myself if I did the right thing. Now there was something in my body and if I wanted it out I needed another surgery. After 1 month, there was almost no change in my weight. So I got another fill. again more chock episodes but everything was down one or other way and no weight loss at all. second fill, third fill, forth fill. etc. Imagine after each fill NO CHANGES. It was frustrating. I was reading here people having no fill and losing lots. Anyways as of Jan 2011, I got my fifth fill. Yes it works:)). I am at my sweet spot. I feel never hungry. I can not eat more than handful of whatever I want, soft mainly mushy. I can not drink fizzy drinks. And it feels different. I also started seeing many stretchmarks and started gym a month ago.

For those who are like me, after so many fills you haven't seen much difference. Just be patient and wait. You will definitely find your sweet spot. And one tip. never ever eat if you do not feel hungry, just because its dinner time and everyone in the family is around the table. My rules in losing weight:

- Do not eat anything in the morning till a moment you really really feel hungry.

- If you have a partner, let him/her prepare family meals. stay away from food, kitchen or supermarket.

- Wait till you will hit your sweet spot. You can definitely not eat a bowl of rice.

- Do enroll at a gym. Believe me even in 1 month, it does wonders. You will not lose weight as you wished because you are gaining muscles (for men and for those who are more into weight training like me). But you will lose inches.

- Remember it worked for soooo many people and will work for you.

- Ice creams, candies, anything you can suck or melts in your mouth is your enemy. Make a drastic change.

Kerim

Was 129 kg in Aug and now 110 KG: 19kg lost which is almost 40 pounds

I wanted to reported this here as it seems we either say something when we panic or when we finally lost lots of weight. I have been banded August 2010 in UK (single incision surgery from my belly button). I was very much scared from the surgery but all was fast and ok. I got my belly button infected so it was my first disappointment but finally it went away and healed perfectly. I am on a 14 cc band and 1 cc was in the band when they placed it.

I got my first fill 1cc fill in October 2010. It did not effect my eating much except instead of 2 large pizza and 2-3 large coke, I was down to 1 large pizza and lots of coke. I was demotivated and asked myself if I did the right thing. Now there was something in my body and if I wanted it out I needed another surgery. After 1 month, there was almost no change in my weight. So I got another fill. again more chock episodes but everything was down one or other way and no weight loss at all. second fill, third fill, forth fill. etc. Imagine after each fill NO CHANGES. It was frustrating. I was reading here people having no fill and losing lots. Anyways as of Jan 2011, I got my fifth fill. Yes it works:)). I am at my sweet spot. I feel never hungry. I can not eat more than handful of whatever I want, soft mainly mushy. I can not drink fizzy drinks. And it feels different. I also started seeing many stretchmarks and started gym a month ago.

For those who are like me, after so many fills you haven't seen much difference. Just be patient and wait. You will definitely find your sweet spot. And one tip. never ever eat if you do not feel hungry, just because its dinner time and everyone in the family is around the table. My rules in losing weight:

- Do not eat anything in the morning till a moment you really really feel hungry.

- If you have a partner, let him/her prepare family meals. stay away from food, kitchen or supermarket.

- Wait till you will hit your sweet spot. You can definitely not eat a bowl of rice.

- Do enroll at a gym. Believe me even in 1 month, it does wonders. You will not lose weight as you wished because you are gaining muscles (for men and for those who are more into weight training like me). But you will lose inches.

- Remember it worked for soooo many people and will work for you.

- Ice creams, candies, anything you can suck or melts in your mouth is your enemy. Make a drastic change.

Kerim

Was 129 kg in Aug and now 110 KG: 19kg lost which is almost 40 pounds

Congratulations on your success! The first few months are definitely difficult! Still have those old ingrained eating habits, not at proper restriction and going through the emotional side of having a band. But it does get better. Exercise is the key and changing what you eat also. Let's face it, if we can't eat very much, then it should at least (the majority of the time) eat healthy.

Keep rockin' the band!

I wanted to reported this here as it seems we either say something when we panic or when we finally lost lots of weight. I have been banded August 2010 in UK (single incision surgery from my belly button). I was very much scared from the surgery but all was fast and ok. I got my belly button infected so it was my first disappointment but finally it went away and healed perfectly. I am on a 14 cc band and 1 cc was in the band when they placed it.

I got my first fill 1cc fill in October 2010. It did not effect my eating much except instead of 2 large pizza and 2-3 large coke, I was down to 1 large pizza and lots of coke. I was demotivated and asked myself if I did the right thing. Now there was something in my body and if I wanted it out I needed another surgery. After 1 month, there was almost no change in my weight. So I got another fill. again more chock episodes but everything was down one or other way and no weight loss at all. second fill, third fill, forth fill. etc. Imagine after each fill NO CHANGES. It was frustrating. I was reading here people having no fill and losing lots. Anyways as of Jan 2011, I got my fifth fill. Yes it works:)). I am at my sweet spot. I feel never hungry. I can not eat more than handful of whatever I want, soft mainly mushy. I can not drink fizzy drinks. And it feels different. I also started seeing many stretchmarks and started gym a month ago.

For those who are like me, after so many fills you haven't seen much difference. Just be patient and wait. You will definitely find your sweet spot. And one tip. never ever eat if you do not feel hungry, just because its dinner time and everyone in the family is around the table. My rules in losing weight:

- Do not eat anything in the morning till a moment you really really feel hungry.

- If you have a partner, let him/her prepare family meals. stay away from food, kitchen or supermarket.

- Wait till you will hit your sweet spot. You can definitely not eat a bowl of rice.

- Do enroll at a gym. Believe me even in 1 month, it does wonders. You will not lose weight as you wished because you are gaining muscles (for men and for those who are more into weight training like me). But you will lose inches.

- Remember it worked for soooo many people and will work for you.

- Ice creams, candies, anything you can suck or melts in your mouth is your enemy. Make a drastic change.

Kerim

Was 129 kg in Aug and now 110 KG: 19kg lost which is almost 40 pound

Kudos to you on your success! When I first started reading I thought ...Duh...If you are eating a whole pizza and drinking lots of coke, you are sabbotaging yourself. I am happy to hear that you are now on the right track

I'm sure that now that you are motivated, you will be at your goal before you know it. Keep up the good work:)

It's hard to break old habits.... but I don't know that your advice is that great! You shouldn't be eating pizza and soda (soda will rot your band), and now you can only eat mushies and telling people it'll get better and they will lose weight. I know there is an emotional side, but YOU have to control what goes in or you won't lose weight.

It's hard to break old habits.... but I don't know that your advice is that great! You shouldn't be eating pizza and soda (soda will rot your band), and now you can only eat mushies and telling people it'll get better and they will lose weight.

I know that soda is something to stay far away from anyway, but how would soda inside your stomach rot your band, which is outside your stomach? That doesn't seem to make much sense to me.

- Do not eat anything in the morning till a moment you really really feel hungry.

- If you have a partner, let him/her prepare family meals. stay away from food, kitchen or supermarket.

- Wait till you will hit your sweet spot. You can definitely not eat a bowl of rice.

- Do enroll at a gym. Believe me even in 1 month, it does wonders. You will not lose weight as you wished because you are gaining muscles (for men and for those who are more into weight training like me). But you will lose inches.

- Remember it worked for soooo many people and will work for you.

- Ice creams, candies, anything you can suck or melts in your mouth is your enemy. Make a drastic change.

I'm very glad you finally found your way and are losing. However, I would disagree with you re: the sweet spot. I am at my sweet spot (cessation of hunger) and can still eat as much as I did preband. Even when I had almost 3cc more than I have now and overfilled, I could still eat as much as I did pre-band.

I would also disagree with waiting until you are "really really" hungry to eat first thing in the morning. If I waited until I was really really hungry, I wouldn't stop eating until I'd eaten enough for 3 people.

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I know that soda is something to stay far away from anyway, but how would soda inside your stomach rot your band, which is outside your stomach? That doesn't seem to make much sense to me.

Oh yea, but it expands your stomach doesn't it?

I'm very glad you finally found your way and are losing. However, I would disagree with you re: the sweet spot. I am at my sweet spot (cessation of hunger) and can still eat as much as I did preband. Even when I had almost 3cc more than I have now and overfilled, I could still eat as much as I did pre-band.

I would also disagree with waiting until you are "really really" hungry to eat first thing in the morning. If I waited until I was really really hungry, I wouldn't stop eating until I'd eaten enough for 3 people.

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Yea, my band is half full, I could still eat far more if I wanted to. Also I agree if I'm really hungry I end up eating more and eating too fast

I just had my first fill and the first few days I thot this is great..

and now I just want to eat and eat..

Sat and contemplated this morning..

and I don't think at work I'm drinking enough..

so I graze..

Do others have this problem??

I just had my first fill and the first few days I thot this is great..

and now I just want to eat and eat..

Sat and contemplated this morning..

and I don't think at work I'm drinking enough..

so I graze..

Do others have this problem??

Do you want to eat and eat because you're hungry...or just out of habit? The band won't help with the habit. It will help with the hunger. Be patient. Sometimes it takes several fills. Also, give your fill some time. I never feel anything after my first fill. It takes almost 2 weeks to kick in.

And yes, I find if I'm not drinking enough Water, I tend to 'graze'.

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Thanks for the messages. Answering or commenting on the few issues.

pizza and Soda: I have to be honest here. I was eating that and believe it was going down fine. You do not realize till (now) that it was woowww. Today we went to pizza hut with the family and all I could eat was top of a single slice in 30 minutes. What I wanted to show is that there are people like me here who do continue their old eating habits and portion size and after you finish your meal (unfortunately only after:))) you feel guilty and ask why you still do that after the band. I call this "magic pill phase" as many like me thought band will change things day 1.

Hunger and eating: After my visit to an experienced nutritionist, she in fact suggested that to me same did my doctor. Eat only when you are hungry. Not when you are starving. But do differentiate when you are really hungry or eating from other reasons such as socializing with a lunch with friends, family dinners, etc. I started using their advice. I did not cook or always prepared and eaten my food before I did enter the kitchen. Unfortunately I was not at the dining table for a while, etc. And immediately 10 kg (20 pounds) was gone. I was not hungry at all.

Sweet spot: ElfiePoo; sweet spot is the phase when you do not eat like before and you are very much restricted. If you can still eat like before or way too much than you might need another fill. At sweet spot hunger is almost diminished.

Purpose of my message is not start a discussion on eating habit but give hope to people. Cause I lost hope at one point.

I'm glad it's finally working for you OP! I'm sure there are lots of people who read this and felt some hope.

Sweet spot: ElfiePoo; sweet spot is the phase when you do not eat like before and you are very much restricted. If you can still eat like before or way too much than you might need another fill. At sweet spot hunger is almost diminished.

I know I need a fill now because the hunger is back, but for months prior to this, I'd eat my 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 cup vegies and (maybe) 1/4 cup rice or potatoes and not be hungry for 4 hours. That's the sweet spot. I never had physical restriction and could, if I chose, still overeat the way I did before. *Many* people don't get physical restriction without being overfilled (symptoms being frequent stuck and sliming episodes)...I speak from experience...and many of us still have the desire to eat even though we aren't hungry. The difference is that without that hunger driving us, we are better able to not give in to the 'desire'.

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ElfiePoo, thats true. I got to know from my physician that our sweet spots will never stay the same. Band will loosen up after few months and we might need another fill. That is also an indication (often) that we are overeating; he said.

the band doesnt rot eroid simply means tearing thru the stomach wall.. soda is fine in moderation but is best to avoid because the bubbles can be painful cause gas and may streach out ur pouch...

Several posters mention going 4 hours without eating my doctors office says 5 hours should be the goal. After my last fill I can usually go 4 hours, five is pushing it. Though the denser the protein the longer I can go.

I do find that even if I'm no longer "full"; I don't have the urge to nibble on things. My breakfast Kashi Go Lean can look mighty tempting at times.

I'm pretty jealous that some of you can drink carbonated drinks. I miss cola and beer and champagne! My doc said if I was craving it to take a sip and spit it out, and he's pretty insistant about it. I think his reasoning is that the carbonation will stretch out the pouch above the band, but I'm not sure. Since he feels so strongly about it, I'm going with it.

Im so jealous!!!