before my first fill i could eat anything and thought how was i ever going to loose weight .well the fill really works and it is taking time to get use to .so far i have had a couple of problems with food getting stuck my brain still thinks i can eat what ever i want but the band lets me no other wise!! and have been sick a couple of times then i get a real pain in my shoulder has anyone else had this problem

OMG!!!! the left shoulder pain is crazy, when you eat too much, I experience it from time to time.i could eat chicken breast from kfc with no problem, but after my 4th fill i no longer can eat it.

All good signs that your band is working. Now you just need to adjust your eating to live with the band. Smaller bites, chewed to death and smaller portions. I get the shoulder pain if I over eat, and sometimes I get hiccups as well!

I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one who can eat anything right now. I have been feeling like such a failure. I exercise between 30-40 minutes a day and I am still not losing. My first fill is Jan. 13th and I can't wait. I have only lost 7lbs post-surgery and am hoping this does the trick.

before my first fill i could eat anything and thought how was i ever going to loose weight .well the fill really works and it is taking time to get use to .so far i have had a couple of problems with food getting stuck my brain still thinks i can eat what ever i want but the band lets me no other wise!! and have been sick a couple of times then i get a real pain in my shoulder has anyone else had this problem

yep, that's pretty much it. The learning process is to re-adjust your eating habits, and the type of foods you eat. For me it was trial and error, and I had to learn "The Hard Way" But I never blamed the band, instead I was me who needed to adjust to this new life.

When you start to get restriction, learn to "Listen" to your band. That is, learn to differentiate between your band curbing your appetite, and head hunger (what you desire to eat, but really don't need)

Also keep in mind, that it is you're first fill, and what you are now experiencing may go away. That's normal. And you will have to return for a additional fill - re-adjustment.

But congratulations, You're well on your way!!!

My first fill will be tomorrow YAY! I have a question about grinding meds. If a pill is small like Claritan do you still grind it. Do you take small chunks or ground to a powder? I am excited to get fill. I have been eating and my family says are you supposed to eat that. I know they are trying to help but I get mad at them.

Had my surgery on May 28th 2011, I was able to eat anything until my first fill in August. Since my 1st and only fill, I have lost 25 pounds and I have good restriction. I can not eat anything between two pieces of bread, I can barely eat meat, if i do it has to be a very small piece chewed very well. When I eat too much, I get a pain in the middle of my back and I get hiccups. I love fried rice but can not eat rice at all now. Not far from my goal weight and I am thinking of going to get a slight unfill. I miss eating foods I like. I think due to the restrictions I currently have, I am able to eat smaller portions and feel satisfied. I will get a slight unfill and the good thing about having the band, I can always go and get a fill. thats why I am soooooo happy i made the decision to get a lap band.

Had my surgery on May 28th 2011, I was able to eat anything until my first fill in August. Since my 1st and only fill, I have lost 25 pounds and I have good restriction. I can not eat anything between two pieces of bread, I can barely eat meat, if i do it has to be a very small piece chewed very well. When I eat too much, I get a pain in the middle of my back and I get hiccups. I love fried rice but can not eat rice at all now. Not far from my goal weight and I am thinking of going to get a slight unfill. I miss eating foods I like. I think due to the restrictions I currently have, I am able to eat smaller portions and feel satisfied. I will get a slight unfill and the good thing about having the band, I can always go and get a fill. thats why I am soooooo happy i made the decision to get a lap band.

I no longer eat bread, have a hard time with meat, (about to give that up) and as far as rice, I need to mix it up real good with something, but cannot eat it straight.

There are other things I have given up.

But I eat more fish than ever before, and chicken. More vegetables.

I suppose I could get a slight unfill to enjoy more foods, but to the contrary I can't wait till my next appointment in Feb so I can get a slight fill because weight gain has slowed way down, plateaued.

My first fill will be tomorrow YAY! I have a question about grinding meds. If a pill is small like Claritan do you still grind it. Do you take small chunks or ground to a powder?

Check with your doctor/on the package for this- some meds specifically indicate that that must be taken whole, not ground, crushed or broken into piece. I was recently looking at some different cold medicine and I wanted to make sure it was OK to do that and I noticed that packaged read NOT to do it, so I went with a liquid.