I was banded on 8/18, have had 2 fills so far (I'm up to just over 6cc's) and still don't have alot of restriction. I'm definitely eating less but still more than I should be able to. Now I do realize there's a certain amount of personal resonsibilty I need to display as well as use my new tool, but the tool's not doing much for me yet. Anyone else experience this? Frustrating!

I honestly don't feel the restriction, never have. Can't remember how much is in my band, but I know when I've had to much. Last summer I found that my band gets tighter when it's hot. I had a couple of bad "stuck" incidents and I just kept trying to eat. This made my stomach swell and the problem got worse. I ended up having an unfill to get relief. If I get in enough fluids and my protein I loose weight, if I don't nothing happens. I rarely feel hungry, so I guess it's working like it should. The biggest thing is to get in front of and maintain your protions, because this is why the band works. My doc says that if I follow the rules of amounts, I won't fill full but satisfied. If I take my time eating and chew well I won't get stuck. It was wonderful for me, I got my 3/9 as a size 22, in May I got size 14 jeans for Mothers Day. Now 2 years later I am a 12/14 and happy to still be there, but I do treat myself a little to often. Cold weather, I want hot soup, it's easy to eat to much and I don't get enough water. Hot, well I am sliding back into southern sweet tea; this is my biggest downfall. It can be done. Just look closely at your amounts of food, get the protein in first. I think they told me 2 bites of protein for 1 of veggies or whatever. It does work, just stick with it.

I was banded on 8/18, have had 2 fills so far (I'm up to just over 6cc's) and still don't have alot of restriction. I'm definitely eating less but still more than I should be able to. Now I do realize there's a certain amount of personal resonsibilty I need to display as well as use my new tool, but the tool's not doing much for me yet. Anyone else experience this? Frustrating!

Hello,

Just a little curious as to why you have only had 2 fills? Seems like you were banded almost a year ago and you only have had two. I was banded 5/19/11 and I am on schedule to have a fill each month. My first one was 6/20. I have not had any restriction yet. I did notice this a.m. that I felt a little restriction. Yet, the a.m. is not typically when I have problems controlling my eating. So, the tool is not working for me yet. I have another fill in two weeks. I hope it starts working!!! And, best wishes to you. I hope you get to where you want to be soon!!!

Vu

I reached my sweet spot with the fluid they put in during surgery and 2 fills. I was good and stayed at that sweet spot for 9 or 10 months. This is when I dropped 100 pounds in the first year. Keep in mind these were all sort of large fills. It sounds like it would be going better for you if you went for another fill.

I do understand your frustration. I find it frustrating when I am eating what I am suppose to eat, in the portion I am suppose to and exercising regularly - that's where I find myself. Restriction is just as important to me as what I eat and how much I eat. The purpose of the surgery was to help me get the restriction needed so that I wouldn't be hungry all day. If I was able to stop myself every time I wouldn't be overweight or in need of surgery.

I am glad I have this forum because we all have been in the same situation at one time or another.

I had my surgery lasy august and I have had 3fills and im filled to a 7 and I still dont fill restrictions. The only thing I feel is sometimes if I take a big bite I can feel like going down. Nothing has ever gotten stuck and I try really hard to eat what im supposed to and the amounts but its not enough so im still hungrary and I start eating the wrong foods and end up eating way more then I should. I see my suefeon in august hopefully I can lose some weight because the weight I dropped at first I have put back on. Hopefully he can fill me and rhen that will be that sweet spot everybody is talking about.....

It is not about restriction it is about not being hungry there is no restriction. Vu why are you getting fills every single month. What happens when you cant get another fill. Use your fills sparingly. Fills will not stop you from eating, or make you lose weight. You have to have some contraint on your food intake. The band will not do that for you. It has a hole in it and as soon as you start eating the food starts moving through. Its about not being hungry but some people never have their hunger relieved.

Hi, Mist:

Many doctors schedule their patients for an appointment every month during the first year. Early on, those are often fills, but later, they might just be a chance to check in. Studies have shown that lap-band patients who meet regularly with their doctors lose more weight than those who do not. Having a regularly scheduled "fill" appointment allows patients to discuss their band experience with their doctors. In my opinion, advising people to "use your fills sparingly" assumes that everyone's band experience is the same. I don't think we should discourage people from seeking help from their doctors, in the form of fills or consultations about fills (and the band's "10cc" or "14cc" limit is actually a misnomer--the bands will hold more than that, actually).

That said, I also think that your advice about working on consciously limiting food intake is excellent and important to remember--the band is just a tool; we have to decide what and how much we put in our mouths.

~Lizzy

It is not about restriction it is about not being hungry there is no restriction. Vu why are you getting fills every single month. What happens when you cant get another fill. Use your fills sparingly. Fills will not stop you from eating, or make you lose weight. You have to have some contraint on your food intake. The band will not do that for you. It has a hole in it and as soon as you start eating the food starts moving through. Its about not being hungry but some people never have their hunger relieved.

I guess we would have to agree to disagree on this one. For me, it has always been about restriction. Fills sure have stopped me from eating. If they filled me up to 6cc in my 10 cc band there would no longer be a hole for things to move through. I know this from experience. If they fill to capacity, then maybe they used the wrong size band.

From day one I have not counted calories or anything else. I got the magic band and tightened the sucker up and dropped well over 100 pounds...... easy as that ..... it's all about restriction. I have not "worked" at it at all. I think many bandsters make it so much harder than it has to be.

I just want restriction......and im not there yet. I have to make myself stop eating the band doesnt tell me.

If you're eating more just because you can then it's your fault that it's not working - sounds harsh but it's true. Even with restriction you can still overeat sliders.

Measure out your food and make the mindful decision to not eat more. If you aren't happy with how much you're eating - don't eat so much. If you find you're not full and that you're hungry every hour, mind what you're eating. Are you eating whole grains and complex carbs and Protein? Or white crap?

If you're still not happy, go for another fill. The band is there to help you - not to do all the work.

Monthly Dr appointments may also help make you more accountable and may help your Dr realise you need more help. And ask your Dr to pull out all of your fill to measure it, it's possible you have a leak and that the 6 ccs you think have you may not actually have, which means that while you may have been trying you were no better off than prior to surgery and using will power. There are a lot of factors and while I may sound very harsh - consider yourself first then the band. It's like with computers, errors are usually user generated - but if not, then the machine must be fixed before it can be effectively used.

It is not about restriction it is about not being hungry there is no restriction. Vu why are you getting fills every single month. What happens when you cant get another fill. Use your fills sparingly. Fills will not stop you from eating, or make you lose weight. You have to have some contraint on your food intake. The band will not do that for you. It has a hole in it and as soon as you start eating the food starts moving through. Its about not being hungry but some people never have their hunger relieved.

At this point, I have had 1 fill. I have no restriction and I am hungry. There is no change from before surgery. A large part of my understanding of the band before surgery was restriction. So, yeah I am kinda of expecting restriction.

Hope it works soon!!!!

If you're eating more just because you can then it's your fault that it's not working - sounds harsh but it's true.

If this were a true statement, then none of us would need a band. We would simply not overeat, 'just because you can.' I am a compulsive eater and food addict. That is how I got to be 64 pounds overweight. I got the band to offer restriction and to suppress appetite as the band manufacturers state as the role of the band in an overall program. For me, six weeks after surgery, I have no restriction or appetite suppression. So, my compulsion to overeat has not been abated, at this point, by the tool, my band. Up to about a week after surgery, I had no appetite and did not think about food. I did not overeat during that time. So, I think once the tool starts working, I will be able to follow the program. I just wanted restriction to start immediately. Though, I do realize that restriction may come until several fills. That was not a surprise to me. I was just hoping I would be one of those who got restriction immediately following surgery and it continued. But, it hasn't so I need to just deal with it as it comes.

Vu

I am an over-eater and that is how I got to be obese. If I was able to control my portions on my own, I would not have gotten the band. I live in New Brunswick and my problem is the doctor in my area is swamped with surgeries and fill appointments and cannot provide fills as often as needed.

I was re-banded April 5 of this year. There was no fill in the band after surgery and I had my first fill at 9 weeks out (4 cc) and I got a call last week for my next fill-- September 28th! That is SIXTEEN weeks between fills! I am so depressed.

(Newsflash: I just called again and there was a cancellation and I go the day after tomorrow! Woo hooo!)

The band works when the fill is at the correct amount between feeling full and being so full you feel sick (and are sick)--which is not a place you want to be. That is why it is so important to chew much and eat slowly.

After my band failed (slipped, or whatever--never did determine what went wrong) I gained back about 70 of the 110 pounds I lost with the first band. I hate myself AGAIN. I wish I COULD do this on my own. Feeling like a failure over this is something I don't need. I want success.

So, here we go again. I know this tool works for me when it is filled appropriately!

I was banded 6 months ago and have had 4 fills to about 4.8cc I guess. I feel zero "restriction" and I am not losing weight right now, just staying the same since the first few months weight loss.

I got a bill recently from the doc's office which included fees for the last 3 fills and I'm getting a little bit upset that I am paying $100 each time and my insurance is paying an additional $200 each time. A lot of d@mn money for a mere 1 cc each time. Starting to seem like the rest of the medical profession that milks you for all they can get$. If some people get 5 cc right off the bat then paying for 10 fills to finally get restriction is a rip off if you ask me.

when it is filled appropriately!

BINGO ! "when it is filled appropriately"

I don't think some people get it. It takes very little "work" when the restriction is at the proper amount.

I was banded on 5/27 primed with 3cc and just received my first fill of 1.5cc on 7/11, restriction is what I think every bander wants. As I read different forums, I am suprised at some of the responses that ppl give about the band being a tool and that we are responsible for our own actions. If I had the ability to control what I consume and to make those smart choices than I would have never been banned to begin with. Sometime I feel like being banned (weight loss) is like child birth, after you have lost some weight and are able to have more self control and use your band to your advantage than ppl forget about the struggles and frustrations that they encountered in the beginning of their journey. Anyway, Good Luck to all!!