no offense to any one that these things really do happen to and if this is how it actually is for you , but i just want to share my personal experience so far with people that read this who are thinking about getting the band. its just me personally so please dont jump my guns and get all defensive. or say oh i am not tight enough because you dont want to be too tight any ways.or call me immature or what ever negative comments you have for me, but since ive had my band so far im starting to think some of the symptoms and feelings people talk about on here are a little bit of an exaggeration. i can eat and drink what ever i want. yes there is some discomfort but not to the point of me not wanting it any more. i have gotten stuck and had to puke but it wasnt anything to do with the type of food. just that i didnt chew enough.and it feels more of stuck in your throat then actual stomach. ive drank pop it doesnt hurt. no i dont sit there and slug bottles and cans on a regular basis but its my own choice not because of the band.i just stay away from it now because i want to. if i want something with flavor besides Water they now have arnold palmer (ice tea & lemonade mix) with no calories that i drink. i eat less but because i stop myself i feel full but could eat more if i wanted too. if you think the band will be an easy fix or the best route you may want to research and think more about it. yes its a great tool and yes im loosing weight but its more of will power then anything else you have to watch what you eat, you have to diet,exercise, deprive yourself of the foods you loved because its more mental then anything else if you go through a drive through and want that burger bad enough you will get it and you will be able to eat it and you will gain weight if you dont watch what you put into your body just like some one would with out a band. so far it seems like it does not work all the time either. some days i will feel full off of half of what i use to eat and say oh man this is great, then other days or a different meal i will be able to eat alot of it and if i dont watch myself i will eat the entire thing of whatever it was. you need to be dedicated and motivated to the whole process in order for the band to work for you. i know with me i am learning that its wasnt all about the amount of food and thats what the band focus's on. for me its that i like bad food too much and dont exercise enough, im lazy thats why i got fat and nothing can change that and im sure im not the only one and my metabolism and genetics dont help either but im trying to stop finding excuses these are just my thoughts like i said before i dont mean to offend anyone like i said im just realizing its more of a mental problem then my actual stomach and that the band will not help with that

no offense to any one that these things really do happen to and if this is how it actually is for you , but i just want to share my personal experience so far with people that read this who are thinking about getting the band. its just me personally so please dont jump my guns and get all defensive. or say oh i am not tight enough because you dont want to be too tight any ways.or call me immature or what ever negative comments you have for me, but since ive had my band so far im starting to think some of the symptoms and feelings people talk about on here are a little bit of an exaggeration. i can eat and drink what ever i want. yes there is some discomfort but not to the point of me not wanting it any more. i have gotten stuck and had to puke but it wasnt anything to do with the type of food. just that i didnt chew enough.and it feels more of stuck in your throat then actual stomach. ive drank pop it doesnt hurt. no i dont sit there and slug bottles and cans on a regular basis but its my own choice not because of the band.i just stay away from it now because i want to. if i want something with flavor besides Water they now have arnold palmer (ice tea & lemonade mix) with no calories that i drink. i eat less but because i stop myself i feel full but could eat more if i wanted too. if you think the band will be an easy fix or the best route you may want to research and think more about it. yes its a great tool and yes im loosing weight but its more of will power then anything else you have to watch what you eat, you have to diet,exercise, deprive yourself of the foods you loved because its more mental then anything else if you go through a drive through and want that burger bad enough you will get it and you will be able to eat it and you will gain weight if you dont watch what you put into your body just like some one would with out a band. so far it seems like it does not work all the time either. some days i will feel full off of half of what i use to eat and say oh man this is great, then other days or a different meal i will be able to eat alot of it and if i dont watch myself i will eat the entire thing of whatever it was. you need to be dedicated and motivated to the whole process in order for the band to work for you. i know with me i am learning that its wasnt all about the amount of food and thats what the band focus's on. for me its that i like bad food too much and dont exercise enough, im lazy thats why i got fat and nothing can change that and im sure im not the only one and my metabolism and genetics dont help either but im trying to stop finding excuses these are just my thoughts like i said before i dont mean to offend anyone like i said im just realizing its more of a mental problem then my actual stomach and that the band will not help with that

_{Seems like everyone's experience with the band is different. I am sorry the band hasn't been the tool you hoped it would. I feel the same way. My experience has been I'm either starving or getting sick. I would get the slightest fill and go from being very hungry to getting sick even on shakes. I did have a few weeks here and there where I was in a good place. That being said, I did loose all my excess weight-107 pounds. I was self pay and I think that was a huge motivator to succeed once and for all. I wish you the best in your weightloss journey.}

_{Seems like everyone's experience with the band is different. I am sorry the band hasn't been the tool you hoped it would. I feel the same way. My experience has been I'm either starving or getting sick. I would get the slightest fill and go from being very hungry to getting sick even on shakes. I did have a few weeks here and there where I was in a good place. That being said, I did loose all my excess weight-107 pounds. I was self pay and I think that was a huge motivator to succeed once and for all. I wish you the best in your weightloss journey.}

yes everyones experiences are really different with the band and i want people to realize that and understand that its not like the other major weight loss surgery's out there. im sorry your fills are so delicate that would be really tough to try and pin point a good spot to be in, but thats awesome you lost all that weight great job!!

I am exactly were you are on this. I can eat anything I want and as much of it as I want, I am almost 4month out and have had 3fills, I think I have about 4-5cc in my band, I have only lost 26lbs and I havent lost anything in the last month I have acually gained a pound or two. I have to watch what I eat, it is just like being on a diet and it gets frustrating. I am afraid this is not going to work for me, I have about 100 more lbs to go and I think it is going to be very hard for me to reach that goal.

I have 5.5 ccs and I can't really eat anything, but I can eat evil foods, and absolutely able to "graze" all day if I fell victim to my cravings. I have to agree, being self pay was a fantastic decision maker on if I eat grilled chicken or a mcdonalds shake! You really have to change your entire lifestyle, and the band absolutely treats everyone differently! Three people I know all have different experiences/advise to give, and I try to use their advise as a jumping point, not as gospel.

I still eat to fast and take in too much in one bite and make myself yak. Everyone says slow down, little bites blah blah, but I was eating a certain way for 34 yrs (hence why I am fat) and now I am expected to eat another way within 4 months... it takes time and effort. You have to be in it to win it!!!!! One day at a time, and enjoy the ride instead of worring about whats at the end of the road, and only you and your doctor know whats right for you, and there is never anything wrong with expressing the way you feel, espectially with something that is going on in your own body/mind.

I am exactly were you are on this. I can eat anything I want and as much of it as I want, I am almost 4month out and have had 3fills, I think I have about 4-5cc in my band, I have only lost 26lbs and I havent lost anything in the last month I have acually gained a pound or two. I have to watch what I eat, it is just like being on a diet and it gets frustrating. I am afraid this is not going to work for me, I have about 100 more lbs to go and I think it is going to be very hard for me to reach that goal.

yes it is frustrating but dont worry and just keep your head up the more frustrated and depressed you get the harder it is to stay focused just stick to your diet and exercise i know it sucks but thats what needs to be done u will feel more restriction the more fills you .im up to 8.5 ccs in a 10 cc band so you have plenty of room i noticed what works best for me is pick one bad or enjoyable food and take it completely out of your routine until you just dont crave it any more. my first take away was pop i loved pop so i focused on not drinking that, then it was pizza, now im trying to work on no more burgers. its just making the right choices and i have to retrain myself to make the better choice.

I totally agree that some days you can eat whatever, and some days you can not. It is good that you are getting your story out and how the band is working for you. Being informed is the biggest thing when trying to decide whether the band will work for you. I got my band over a year ago, and with it's "help" have lost over 87 lbs. I have gained 10lbs back due to quitting smoking but that I take in stride, for my lungs appreciate it. I lurk around here and post a little more as of late, but one thing that sticks in my mind, that I read from a bandster here a long time ago....is this. It is still a DIET. Just because I have a band, and restriction, I still must be mindful of what I put in my mouth. Some days you can eat a burger...and EVERYTHING can be enjoyed with moderation. Even a fastfood burger (although I cannot do burgers myself). I have puked on yogurt before..and shakes and burgers and chicken....etc. I think that everyday is a different experience with my band. Some days my band tolerates something that it did not yesterday. I can eat the hell out of cheetos or cheese puffs, and those "bad" slider foods. And sometimes I do. But one thing we must remember is that our band is a tool. Therefore it cannot "fail" me, if I first "fail" it. We work together. (THAT BEING SAID< YES>IT CAN FAIL YOU BY SLIPPING, LEAKING, ETC-That is not what I am saying) But remember, it is still a diet. Sharing our experiences and stories are exactly what we are all here for. Good luck!

*No offense is meant by my post*

yes it is frustrating but dont worry and just keep your head up the more frustrated and depressed you get the harder it is to stay focused just stick to your diet and exercise i know it sucks but thats what needs to be done u will feel more restriction the more fills you .im up to 8.5 ccs in a 10 cc band so you have plenty of room i noticed what works best for me is pick one bad or enjoyable food and take it completely out of your routine until you just dont crave it any more. my first take away was pop i loved pop so i focused on not drinking that, then it was pizza, now im trying to work on no more burgers. its just making the right choices and i have to retrain myself to make the better choice.

yes it is frustrating but dont worry and just keep your head up the more frustrated and depressed you get the harder it is to stay focused just stick to your diet and exercise i know it sucks but thats what needs to be done u will feel more restriction the more fills you .im up to 8.5 ccs in a 10 cc band so you have plenty of room i noticed what works best for me is pick one bad or enjoyable food and take it completely out of your routine until you just dont crave it any more. my first take away was pop i loved pop so i focused on not drinking that, then it was pizza, now im trying to work on no more burgers. its just making the right choices and i have to retrain myself to make the better choice.

That is such good advice with eliminating one bad food at a time, I think I'm going to try that. I am a major sweet junkie and having small children I dont buy so much of it because I know its not good for them. But their daddy however, he loves his sweets and Snacks, so its hard to get in the right mind frame-yes, I'm weak I am also a cash patient, just banded Aug 17th with my first fill yesterday, and had MAJOR misconceptions about the band. I would read things online, but until you are actually faced with setting your mind right, you dont really know that yes, its HARD work. Being a fatty sucks, I just have to keep reminding myself of that while I am sneaking bites of whatever I shouldnt be eating!

That is such good advice with eliminating one bad food at a time, I think I'm going to try that. I am a major sweet junkie and having small children I dont buy so much of it because I know its not good for them. But their daddy however, he loves his sweets and Snacks, so its hard to get in the right mind frame-yes, I'm weak I am also a cash patient, just banded Aug 17th with my first fill yesterday, and had MAJOR misconceptions about the band. I would read things online, but until you are actually faced with setting your mind right, you dont really know that yes, its HARD work. Being a fatty sucks, I just have to keep reminding myself of that while I am sneaking bites of whatever I shouldnt be eating!

thanks hopefully it goes good for you!, sweets are my down fall as well!! soo good haha, i know im going to try and get back on the horse and focus on dieting and exercising again ive been slacking so bad lately. back to Protein bars and shakes.... how boring