It seems to me there is a lot of misunderstanding out there when it comes to restriction. Over and over, I read post after post of the following statements:

"I have had fills but can still eat whatever I want"

While some people do have issues eating certain foods, there is absolutely no truth that you shouldn't be able to eat foods like breads, Pasta, and rice. If you are following a low carb diet that's one thing, but being banded doesn't mean you shouldn't be physically able to eat them anymore. Many of us can still eat absolutely everything we ate before surgery.

"I have had fills but I can still eat more than 1 cup of food"

This may be true, however, just because you can eat more than a cup of food doesn't mean you should. More often than not, if you eat slowly and stop after eating no more than 1 cup of food, you will find that you are satisfied and no longer hungry despite the fact you could still physically eat more. Quit trying to test your band to see how much you can eat, because the only one that will fail the test is you, not the band.

"I have had fills but I don't feel full"

Big misconception- the band will make you feel full. Wrong. It's true some people do feel full but it's a different full sensation than we had before banded. In fact, it's almost uncomfortable. The band is not supposed to make you feel stuffed full, it's supposed to make you feel satisfied with less food for longer periods of time. If you keep getting fill after fill because you don't feel stuffed full, you are going to end up one of the many people who have bands too tight and slips as a result. Being satisfied means you are no longer hungry, not that you feel as though you just ate a seven course Thanksgiving dinner. Quit trying to feel full and start listening to your body because it will tell you when it's satisfied.

I encourage everyone to educate themselves on the Lap-Band, what it does, and what it doesn't do. Too many people are walking around banded completely ignorant to the facts and I fear many will have complications and slips because of it. It's your body, take responsibility for educating yourself on it.

Be well all

I totally agree with you. Too many people have not educated theirselves well enough on what the lap band is truly about.

Great post! The only meter I use for a fill is if I'm feeling hunger in between meals (4-6 hours).

Very true.

How often do we hear about someone who has a fill and then goes out straight afterwards and has a big mac/pizza/sub whatever because they want to test their band.

Very true.

How often do we hear about someone who has a fill and then goes out straight afterwards and has a big mac/pizza/sub whatever because they want to test their band.

Ugh yes, it always make me cringe too! I literally sit here thinking "well, there's the next candidate for a slip"

I agree with almost everything you have said . The exceptian being about the bread I can not ever eat bread with out getting stuck. I do wonder at folks eating pizzas, big Macs, and submarine sand, I just shake my head like you and wonder when they will post again about an unfill or a slip. Don't they get info from the Docs or at least the nutritionist. We say over and over it is a tool but some people want t he magic bullet to be honest we all wish it but it just ain't so..

I can't eat bread either and can't even fathom having enough room for a Big Mac, pizza or submarine sandwich. Of course they all have bread, so I couldn't eat them, but I wouldn't have room for any of it - even without the bread!

I agree in all this...but I am no longer able to get bread or pastas cooked a certain way and rice. Many people simply cannot get certain foods down. I've tried a nibble of bread and it did go through ( tiny tiny). But overall it doesn't feel good. I'm glad for this because these items are what got me here in the first place. Our goal is to stay in green zone, I definitely try not to "feel" like I've had thanksgiving. This is all a learning process for all. I certainly don't want to feel too "restricted" and the satisfied feeling is the goal. Surgeon told me eat three small meals, two healthy Snacks, 60 grams Protein overall...and plenty of low cal liquid no soda. Educating ourselves is so important.

I agree! I am able to eat anything I want I just don't. Big macs and pizza are what got me to needing the lap band in the first place.

Mis73 I couldn't agree more.

Remember Protein first!

WOW I was just thinking about posting something like this !! Thank you !! I just keep rolling my eyes as I read some of this stuff.they will be the band haters on the sleeve site.and then screw that up too Because they are not listening.I know that there are incompetent drs in the world but reading some of these posts makes you think half of the band doctors are ignorant !! I know it's not true , I think people hear what they Want to hear and if they look at the actual paper work it probably will say much of what u said.

Amen! Amen! Amen! Soooo glad you posted this..once again it amazes me how many people get the band and have no clue of what to expect...don't do any research and then whine that it doesn't work! Wow!

Amen! Amen! Amen! Soooo glad you posted this..once again it amazes me how many people get the band and have no clue of what to expect...don't do any research and then whine that it doesn't work! Wow!

It seems to me there is a lot of misunderstanding out there when it comes to restriction. Over and over' date=' I read post after post of the following statements:

"I have had fills but can still eat whatever I want"

While some people do have issues eating certain foods, there is absolutely no truth that you shouldn't be able to eat foods like breads, Pasta, and rice. If you are following a low carb diet that's one thing, but being banded doesn't mean you shouldn't be physically able to eat them anymore. Many of us can still eat absolutely everything we ate before surgery.

"I have had fills but I can still eat more than 1 cup of food"

This may be true, however, just because you can eat more than a cup of food doesn't mean you should. More often than not, if you eat slowly and stop after eating no more than 1 cup of food, you will find that you are satisfied and no longer hungry despite the fact you could still physically eat more. Quit trying to test your band to see how much you can eat, because the only one that will fail the test is you, not the band.

"I have had fills but I don't feel full"

Big misconception- the band will make you feel full. Wrong. It's true some people do feel full but it's a different full sensation than we had before banded. In fact, it's almost uncomfortable. The band is not supposed to make you feel stuffed full, it's supposed to make you feel satisfied with less food for longer periods of time. If you keep getting fill after fill because you don't feel stuffed full, you are going to end up one of the many people who have bands too tight and slips as a result. Being satisfied means you are no longer hungry, not that you feel as though you just ate a seven course Thanksgiving dinner. Quit trying to feel full and start listening to your body because it will tell you when it's satisfied.

I encourage everyone to educate themselves on the Lap-Band, what it does, and what it doesn't do. Too many people are walking around banded completely ignorant to the facts and I fear many will have complications and slips because of it. It's your body, take responsibility for educating yourself on it.

Be well all [/quote']

Thanks these are such great reminders for me!

You are so right! I am a real believer in the 6 month pre-surgery diet. It taught both me and my son how to eat before we had our surgery. We have both been successful both on the pre-surgery diet and afterwards. But, my surgeon has told us no bread, little pasta and rice. Most rice is a no-no because it does get stuck. I can eat, and do at times, hard bread, such as bread sticks when we go out to dinner. Never, eat soft breads or muffins, etc. They will cause you to get stuck! Best wishes folks! Karen

*** This may be true, however, just because you can eat more than a cup of food doesn't mean you should. More often than not, if you eat slowly and stop after eating no more than 1 cup of food, you will find that you are satisfied and no longer hungry despite the fact you could still physically eat more. Quit trying to test your band to see how much you can eat, because the only one that will fail the test is you, not the band.

Mis, you couldnt have said this any clearer or plainer than this.

This is 100% correct.