Hi everyone. I was banded on May 10th and haven't lost much weight (15lbs). I had 2 fills and going for my 3rd in a few days. I will have 5.4cc in 10cc band. I def eat a lot less than i use to and much more slowly.

My questions is: is there any sign or body signals that you are close to your greenzone? Do you have to feel slight restriction prior to being filled? Or Does a greenzone just happen unexpectedly following a fill? Would i know im in the green zone right away? I've heard rumors that people lose a lot of weight quickly once they feel restriction- anyone experience this?

You may lose a few lbs once you find the green zone but it's usually the 4-8 lbs/mo that we always mention.

For me, I started having stuck episodes in my 3rd fill. But, I would get stuck for 10 minutes and then be able to eat more than a cup of food and sometimes 2 cups(mostly I didn't).

Then with fills 4 and 5 I got more and more restriction. Fill #6 got me to what I consider the green zone. It did take some time for me to creep up on the green zone and I think the doctors and nutritionists understand that we bandsters learn how to communicate with our band with each fill. I think it would be difficult for many of us to reach restriction/green zone with only one or two fills. The learning curve on what to eat and how to eat is much longer than 3 months, at least for me it was.

Watch for stuck episodes and then try to learn how and why it happpened. Then make those corrections in your eating habits and keep getting fills till you feel like you are full or satiated with a cup of food. The operating word here is satiety, not restriction. Seek being satisfied with much less food.

tmf

I agree with 2muchfun. The green zone is different for all of us. I am 1 yr post op and I think I am almost there. I have experienced the sticking issue and the PB issue. 1 cup of food satisfies me (sometimes less) but I still can't go 4-5 hours without eating. Some of that is ME and MY Head and some is just being hungry. I'm hanging in there and not giving up. So just be patient and enjoy the ride.

Melinda in Florida

Short and chunky, I am right there with you! I don't go long before feeling hungry and have realized that I really HATE feeling hungry so it is a constant battle in my head. I reached the greenzone back in June about 3 weeks after my fill. It was nice not feeling hungry but then I was having a hard time getting protein down and all my water. So I had .2 of the .25 fill removed and food going down much better. Still wish hunger was controlled but what can I do?!!

I hit the green zone with my fourth fill. The first couple of weeks after that fill, I thought my band was too tight because I was having a lot of episodes of PB's. However, just like 2muchfun said, once I adjusted my eating habits, no more PB's. I also agree with his expected 4 to 8 pound loss a month. I average about 6 pounds a month now.

Toddy - agree 100% with you. I hit my green zone with my fourth fill also. 7.5cc in a 10cc band. it's only been two weeks and i too have wondered if i'm a little too restricted, but am so excited that i actually have restriction and the band is helping me that i wouldn't dare take any out. for the past few days i've been really concentrating on the small small bites and eating very slowly and it's been working great. i lost 2 pounds the first week and another 2 pounds this week so i'm very excited. 1-2 pounds a week means i will be at the weight the doctor's want me to be by Christmas - woohoo.

HelloDolly - I get the head hungry ! I wish they made a "lapband for the brain" too. Can you imagine the $$ you would make if you invented that?

Melinda in Florida

Even though I dont 'feel' hungry, I get the stomach growls SO loud. I usually drink a protein shake at 6am, have a small handful of peanuts at 10am, eat lunch at 12:30pm, and then go until 6ish before eating dinner. I am definitely at my green zone. I eat about 1/4 -1/2 cup of food and I'm done. I continue to drink my protein shakes at least every morning so I am sure I am getting a good amount of protein every day. It takes 2-3 weeks to actually feel my fill, and this last fill has just kicked in. I would say that I'm at the tight end of my green zone, I dont eat much at all and losing at a good pace. I'm happy where I am.