I am 3 weeks out and starting to feel like I can eat more without feeling full. Everything goes down even if I dont chew well. Will things totally change once I get fills?

What you're dealing with is really common as the swelling from surgery goes down. If you stick to measuring out your meals and finishing the food when your plate is empty, not when you feel full, you'll be doing yourself a favor. Most people don't have any restriction from just the band alone-- they need to get fills to start feeling restriction. Also, most people have no problems swallowing stuff before they've had fills. Continue taking small bites so you'll be used it it when your fills start!

What you're dealing with is really common as the swelling from surgery goes down. If you stick to measuring out your meals and finishing the food when your plate is empty, not when you feel full, you'll be doing yourself a favor. Most people don't have any restriction from just the band alone-- they need to get fills to start feeling restriction. Also, most people have no problems swallowing stuff before they've had fills. Continue taking small bites so you'll be used it it when your fills start!

Thank you, you always have such great advice. I want you to be my mentor????

I am in the same exact boat and had asked the same question! It sucks right now, doesn't it! Rachel412 gave me some good advice too, and I am trying to measure out my portions and not eat like I used to, even if I am hungry (or at least I think I am anyway). Good luck to you, I know exactly how you are feeling!

I am also noticing I can eat more the last few days and get hungry quicker.. I have my first fill coming up on the June 6th. I guess this will be my bandster hell for the next few weeks.

My situation is the opposite! I was banded on 4-18-11 and my first fill is scheduled for 6-7-11, I am just getting back on solid foods but I CANNOT eat just anything i want. My food actually gets stuck if I don't chew it well, no throwing up though, just an uncomfortable feeling. I am too terrified to try any type of bread, toasted or not. Pasta and rice is fine, but I do get a full feeling after just about 1-2 cups of food. So I guess everybody's situation is different.

i was banded on 05-05-11 and wont get my first fill till mid june and I've noticed that in the past week or so I've been as you described:-Getting hungry quicker and feeling as if i have no real restriction. I've actually been a bit naughty this week and tested this theory with solid foods such as Pasta and even the odd crouton (i have a bit of a thing for croutons) and so far have yet to come up against any blockasge related to hurdles.

What I have noticed, however, is even though in theory I can eat what I like, I become fuller much quicker and after much less then i ever have done before. I mean, lets face it, I didn't become this big by being sastified easily, but now I am. I felt very stuffed (the normal feeling of stuffed-not a stuck feeling) after 1 tin of Soup, 1 Protein shake, 1 tin of tuna (drained) and a bag of crisps. This kind of portion would have been laughable pre-op as a means of satisfying me. Especially since the above is what i ate over a full day, not in one sitting. By the end of the day I was concerned I had pushed myself too far but at no stage did I feel i might be sick.

Unfortunatly this doesn't help with the desire to eat as I've noticed that even after feeling full, i need only wait an hour or so before I want to graze again but then if i did eat a bit of whatever, it would take mere seconds to feel very full once more, whereas in the past i've had leway at this point.

So i think the question of whether or we newbies have restriction can be answered by both Yes and No.

Or, at least, this is all how I've so far encountered it and I guess it's all trial and error before it all works out in the end.