i am in the end of my first week post op and there doesnt seem to be a limit to what i can eat (dont worry about how i found that out), but anyways, right now the band isnt doing anything different than if i were just on a diet without the band.... whats going on? wheres the restriction and feeling of fullness and satiety i am supposed to feel?

mbl

Sounds like you've lucked out a little with how fast you've healed and the swelling gone down. Believe me, once you've healed and before you're filled you do feel about 99% as you used to. I find all that it's doing for me right now is that I cant eat fast and I can eat less, but not a helluva lot less. However I pretty much got a six week easy ride where the weight just fell off and I didnt have to make an effort at all.

You're just going to have to grit your teeth and hang on because it's very important for the next month that you dont deviate from your post-op instructions.

If you're very hungry, I found proper home made Soups really helped out, blend them up but I could tolerate thicker liquids easily enough and it did feel way better than juice, milk etc. And mushies isnt really hard, you can eat loads of variety.

Hiyas Max.. Grats on your band!

My doc told me that right now I physically should be able to just like I did before being banded. (Jan 9, 06) He assured me that right now is the time to take things easily, stick to the liquid and mushie phases without thinking about weightloss. Let your tummy and your body recover from surgery. After you get your first fill, then you will start feeling restriction. And you may need to have more than one to get just the right amount for you (the sweetspot). Until then, you are "wide open".

Rest and follow your Doc's orders to get the best results from your band.

so after my first fill i will be full easily and not still be hungery all the time?

It might take several fills. My first fill has made no difference to me in that way. I'm dieting, the old fashioned way.

...or lack thereof.

I was banded 11/28/05 and have had one fill. I, too, rarely if ever feel full. The restriction (or golf-ball-in-chest feeling) happens once in a while, when I eat too fast. But the satiety isn’t there, and I have to say it bums me out since that is what I need the most. Anyway, I still seem to be losing a little weight, and because of that my doctor wouldn’t give me a second fill 3 weeks after the first. I am realizing this will be a slow process....

It’s just that the only support groups and nutritional classes I can find in my area are full of gastric bypass people, and that’s a whole different thing. It’s hard to sit there and hear them say they’ve lost 30, 40, 50 pounds when they’re only 2 to 4 weeks out of surgery; and there I am 9 weeks out, having lost only 33 lbs. and pretty much staying at that for the past week.

Sorry.... I don’t mean to discourage you. I just know how you feel.

Doc gave the wife a 6cc fill in an 11 cc band last Thursday, her first. She's been able to get down liquids but her one attempt at mushies caused her to think of it as coming back up after the 4th or 5th bite. I guess you would call that restriction. And with the liquids she gets down about 6 spoonfuls of soup and she's done for THAT meal.

...or lack thereof.

I was banded 11/28/05 and have had one fill. I, too, rarely if ever feel full. The restriction (or golf-ball-in-chest feeling) happens once in a while, when I eat too fast. But the satiety isn’t there, and I have to say it bums me out since that is what I need the most. Anyway, I still seem to be losing a little weight, and because of that my doctor wouldn’t give me a second fill 3 weeks after the first. I am realizing this will be a slow process....

It’s just that the only support groups and nutritional classes I can find in my area are full of gastric bypass people, and that’s a whole different thing. It’s hard to sit there and hear them say they’ve lost 30, 40, 50 pounds when they’re only 2 to 4 weeks out of surgery; and there I am 9 weeks out, having lost only 33 lbs. and pretty much staying at that for the past week.

Sorry.... I don’t mean to discourage you. I just know how you feel.

You've ONLY LOST 33 pounds in 9 weeks....... GGGGGRRRRRRR I wish I could say that! I hope to be banded in April. Don't get discouraged, you are doing great!!

From your research you should know that any weight loss prior to achieving proper restriction is a bonus. ANY surgeon will tell you the first six weeks are strictly for healing. Proper restriction takes 3 to 5 fills, on average. Some times more. You will in all likelihood NOT experience significant restriction after your first fill. Please be patient, let your body heal and then be realistic about your fills. You WILL get there, so just hang on!!