So, I am going for my 3rd fill tommorow and I am feeling confused and frustrated. I haven't lost any more weight since I started solids, but I haven't gained any either. So, that is good!

What I'm confused about is the restriciton, I'm not exactly sure what it is supposed to feel like. Does it feel like something is stuck, or is it just the feeling of getting full faster? Please help! When I eat, the food hurts going down, but it could be the first bite or it can be the last. I have tried different kinds of food, eating slower, etc. I can't find a constant, it is always different.

I would love for someone who is in the green zone to try and explain to me what it feels like and how you know you are there. I want to get more restriction, because I am not losing weight, but I am afraid of it hurting even more if I am too tight. I hope this makes sense to somebody that can help me.

Hello,

Congratulations on your weight loss, so far. I feel your pain, I had my surgery in Nov 2011 and ive only lost 35lbs. My band hold 10cc and its filled 8.25cc. I still dont feel restriction. I seem to only feel it when i first get it filled and then after not so much. Im still able to drink water without taking lttle sips and im still able to eat (not nearly as much as presurgery) but enough. My doctor said im getting close to my "greenzone" when and if that happens i will let you know. I know its suppost to feel like more tightness going down. But i truly dont know just quite yet. Good luck!!

I know that after my last fill I am full longer and do not have as much hunger as I used to. I had a "splurge day" last weekend but it wasn't much of a splurge since I couldn't eat much. I can tell you that if you do not chew your food enough you will have pressure in your chest and I feel like the food is at the back of my throat and no amount of swallowing will get it to go down. If this happens I do not feel better unless I get rid of just a little bit. I absolutely hate throwing up but sometimes it is the only thing that will make the hurt go away. However, most of the time it is my fault because I am not concentrating on eating and taking my time. I am usually trying to do something else as well as eating and not thinking about it. I have to concentrate and chew, chew, chew before swallowing or I definitely feel it pretty quick. I hope this helps a little.

Hello,

Congratulations on your weight loss, so far. I feel your pain, I had my surgery in Nov 2011 and ive only lost 35lbs. My band hold 10cc and its filled 8.25cc. I still dont feel restriction. I seem to only feel it when i first get it filled and then after not so much. Im still able to drink Water without taking lttle sips and im still able to eat (not nearly as much as presurgery) but enough. My doctor said im getting close to my "greenzone" when and if that happens i will let you know. I know its suppost to feel like more tightness going down. But i truly dont know just quite yet. Good luck!!

Thanks, and good luck to you too! I have a 10cc band filled 5.5cc, I am going for 3rd fill tomorrow. I hope I get to the greenzone after that. Keep in touch

I know that after my last fill I am full longer and do not have as much hunger as I used to. I had a "splurge day" last weekend but it wasn't much of a splurge since I couldn't eat much. I can tell you that if you do not chew your food enough you will have pressure in your chest and I feel like the food is at the back of my throat and no amount of swallowing will get it to go down. If this happens I do not feel better unless I get rid of just a little bit. I absolutely hate throwing up but sometimes it is the only thing that will make the hurt go away. However, most of the time it is my fault because I am not concentrating on eating and taking my time. I am usually trying to do something else as well as eating and not thinking about it. I have to concentrate and chew, chew, chew before swallowing or I definitely feel it pretty quick. I hope this helps a little.

Congrats on your weight loss! I think that my problem is the chewing also, I just had lunch and made sure I chewed enouth before swallowing and VOILA, no chest pain. Thanks so much for your info, and good luck on your weight loss journey.

Here is a link to a really decent article on restriction: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

I find personally I have to do a lot of internal talking between my brain and my stomach. You don't want that feeling of being stuffed but yet you want to feel satisfied so that your appetite is suppressed. As I eat I try to have that internal talk. Is it real hunger or is it head hunger. I also tell myself at times "OK, that's enough for now. I can always have more later".

If food hurts going down then you need to reevaluate the issue. Are you chewing food up small enough?, are you biting off more then you can chew? Are you eating slow enough? Or perhaps your band is already too tight.

Take a look at that article it's pretty good. I read it from time to time as a reminder I should only be eating enough to be satisfied and not stuffed. A lot re-training of the brain in the way I look at food will probably always be a work in progress.

Excessive vomiting can cause band slippage. So avoid that as much as possible. I have had a few stuck episodes because I ate too fast or didn't chew. It's not a pleasant feeling and actually hurts a bit.

Thanks' date=' and good luck to you too! I have a 10cc band filled 5.5cc, I am going for 3rd fill tomorrow. I hope I get to the greenzone after that. Keep in touch[/quote']

What does green zone mean?

Hello,

Congratulations on your weight loss, so far. I feel your pain, I had my surgery in Nov 2011 and ive only lost 35lbs. My band hold 10cc and its filled 8.25cc. I still dont feel restriction. I seem to only feel it when i first get it filled and then after not so much. Im still able to drink Water without taking lttle sips and im still able to eat (not nearly as much as presurgery) but enough. My doctor said im getting close to my "greenzone" when and if that happens i will let you know. I know its suppost to feel like more tightness going down. But i truly dont know just quite yet. Good luck!!

I'm definately with you there. I've got 9.5cc in an 11cc band and aside from the first few bites at every meal, i don't feel the restriction i'm supposed to feel cuz i can eat large portions.

I'm feeling very frustrated. Yes, i've vomited a few times but only because the first few bites were too fast, NOT because i ate too much.

My nutritionist explained that when i'm at the sweet spot, i should be able to get through my alloted meal but then feel like i can't eat another bite. I've not felt that way yet. I remember during preop classes, we were shown a plastic medicine cup and told that we were only going to be able to eat that amount (about 1/2 cup) at a sitting. NOT

jim1967, thanks for the link.

See, that's where i get very confused about what the band is supposed to do. Even with head hunger, shouldn't the band stop you from eating senseless? You say you have an internal conversation with yourself and having to decide whether what you feel is head hunger or actual hunger but i thought that no matter what, the band would stop me from eating once the pouch was filled.

Band will never ever stop you from putting food in your mouth. Only you can do that. Band is either going to allow the food to go down or its going to get stuck and lead to sliming and/or vomiting. That's is part of getting to know the band and working with it....figuring out the signals and stopping before it's too late and you have an episode.

Hopefully what I am saying is not coming off as preaching. Being just under two months in I don't pretend have all the answers.

I can totally relate to this topic. I have 7 cc's in a 10 cc band. Today I eat soft foods, filled yesterday. Before my fill yesterday I could eat about 2 cups but would stop myself because I know I shouldn't be able to eat that much. I'm hoping this fill works, but I already know that I do not have to sip my drinks, I hope that isn't a bad sign.

Band will never ever stop you from putting food in your mouth. Only you can do that. Band is either going to allow the food to go down or its going to get stuck and lead to sliming and/or vomiting. That's is part of getting to know the band and working with it....figuring out the signals and stopping before it's too late and you have an episode.

Hopefully what I am saying is not coming off as preaching. Being just under two months in I don't pretend have all the answers.

That's what i thought. When i put the food in my mouth, it goes down. The band should be stopping that extra head hunger food but it doesn't.

That's what i thought. When i put the food in my mouth, it goes down. The band should be stopping that extra head hunger food but it doesn't.

The band will NEVER stop head hunger, it is only meant to control physical hunger. Even if you're not physically hungry, you could mentally be.

Hi Claudiag...I'm just as confused. I was banded on 3/22. I lost 15lbs before my first fill. Nothing afterwards and starving. Last week I went for my 2nd fill. Only lost 1/2lb in 4 weeks. I'm confused as well on what the restriction should feel like. I have 5cc in a 10cc and I'm getting so depressed and frustrated. I wasp so excited to get the band knowin I was going to get my life back and nothing is happening..... Lapbanders any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!

I agree with you. It's very frustrating. I've not lost anything in the last 8 months and i was so excited to get the band.

I start off with eating the right foods but then i am still able to eat more, so i get seconds. When i weigh myself every week i'm so discouraged that i start eating the wrong foods as well. I'm afraid i may have stretched my pouch which is probably why i'm not feeling much restriction except when eating my first few bites. The doc isn't concerned just yet but as i get up there in cc's, we'll have to look into that possibility.

On a good note, i am exercising and getting in all my protein as well as liquids.

I was informed by the Dr. that u where in the Green Zone when you could last 4hours between meals. I can do that most day however I get head hunger about 4 clock everyday. Dr. said that I should shorten my time between 12 clock lunch and 6:30 dinner. Presently I'm not sure when I'm hungry or full. Most of the time I just know its time to eat, or when I eat I know I need to limit the amount. Not sure I'm hungry even when my stomach is making a lot of noise.