Hi all,

I was banded in Belgium at the start of March this year and to date have lost nothing! I have been for 4 fills and am up to 6 ml in a 9ml band.

I have not been overeating although I haven't been getting this feeling of satiety either. I was eating some slider foods but have since changed my eating and admit, sometimes, I am eating more without thinking as that is what I used to do. I'm getting quite depressed, upset, and angry as I seem to have no restriction at all.

I am still able to eat muffins, bread, Pasta, meats and seafood.

The last time I had my fill he said the Fluid was tight going in so there is no leak, but still, I should be feeling some restriction???

I feel like we wasted all this money for nothing!

Does anyone else have this? Do certain people take more to fill than others with the same band?

Help!....

I'm sorry you're so frustrated.

It takes some people more fills than others to feel restriction with the band. It actually has very little to do with the size of your band and everything to do with the size of your stomach. It's entirely possibly you simply haven't hit that perfect fill amount yet.

As far as muffins, bread, Pasta, meats and seafood- there is no reason you shouldn't be able to eat them. The band is supposed to make feel satisfied with less food for longer periods of time, not restrict what you can and cannot eat.

A couple points and questions:

- Are you eating a cup of food or less per meal? If not, you should be sticking to the band sized portions. Even if you can eat more than a cup of food it doesn't mean you should be.

- Please realize the band is not supposed to make you feel stuffed full. If you are searching for a feeling of fullness you're going to end up with a band too tight and potential complications. The band is supposed to make you feel satisfied (aka not hungry) with less food for longer periods of time. So when you're eating your cup or less of food, focus on a feeling of satiety not fullness.

- Know the difference between head hunger and physical hunger. Very often we mistaken head hunger for being physically hungry when that's not the case.

- Have you seen a nutritionist? If not, I highly recommend doing so. A nutritionist familiar with the needs of bariatric patients can help you set up realistic eating guidelines for a lifetime.

- Do you log your food and calories? If not, I recommend doing so for awhile. This way you can see exactly what you're eating and where you need to make some changes. People who don't log food and calories are usually shocked how much they're actually consuming once they do.

Best wishes.

Hi

I'm eating slowly, and filling my soup cup, not bowl with food, no more than that. I have started logging my food on my phone and was at 1200 calories a day ( and yes I was surprised by how many calories I was eating or are in some foods), then took myself down to 1000. I had been sticking to this and also doing a bit of exercise.

I am not feeling either full or happy with the amount of food I have been eating, but I do notice I am hungry, and food hungry a lot. If this happens I will drink water or cordial and if I need to eat between meals, have been having a carrot, cucumber or the likes with a lo fat dip like hommus or plain mashed avocado.

I have been in contact with the surgeon and he said my next fill is free which makes it easier to handle as we have spent all this money, couldnt afford to have the 2 fills a month like they suggest, and am feeling pretty crap about getting the thing now.

Hi

I'm eating slowly, and filling my soup cup, not bowl with food, no more than that. I have started logging my food on my phone and was at 1200 calories a day ( and yes I was surprised by how many calories I was eating or are in some foods), then took myself down to 1000. I had been sticking to this and also doing a bit of exercise.

I am not feeling either full or happy with the amount of food I have been eating, but I do notice I am hungry, and food hungry a lot. If this happens I will drink Water or cordial and if I need to eat between meals, have been having a carrot, cucumber or the likes with a lo fat dip like hommus or plain mashed avocado.

I have been in contact with the surgeon and he said my next fill is free which makes it easier to handle as we have spent all this money, couldnt afford to have the 2 fills a month like they suggest, and am feeling pretty crap about getting the thing now.

It sounds like you're doing what you should be doing.

How long have you been logging calories? I am wondering if it was recent and the loss just hasn't caught up with you yet. Mathematically speaking, if you're only consuming 1000 calories a day you will lose weight regardless of the band.

If you're still physically hungry on a cup of food then I think it's a matter of needing another fill. I know it's so frustrating but hang in there, it's so worth it once you do finally have the right amount of Fluid in your band.

I have been logging a few weeks now, and yep, I should have been losing weight with the calories being controlled but found it hard to get a balance, plus we were away for a week and I put on weight. Felt like I wasn't full or feeling happy bandy full.

2 eggs on toast for breakfast eg

I really hope this next fill works. It;s been 5 months and I cant believe I am still the same!

Oh I bet that's it then. The calorie tracking being so new and the week away with the gain totally explains it.

You have a good plan in place now, stick to it and the weight will come off.

Good luck on your next fill, I'll keep my fingers crossed it helps!

It took me 4 months and 3 fills to feel any restriction. Then another 2 months and 3 fills to finally get to the green zone. Still, I was a little too tight so I had to go back around my 7th month to take some out. It's a learning process as to how to eat. If you're eating slider foods, it's not going to work. It does sound like you're ready for another fill. Be careful what you ask for, one fill can take you right to the zone or beyond.

Like it or not, this is the way of the band. I never gave up and always kept a good attitude towards the band. If you've been reading this forum there are many who post similar stories to mine. It takes time and you have to be patient. Get that fill done asap and meet the next stage in your journey.

BTW-I understand the frustration. Most of us were never told it would take months beyond surgery to start losing fat. I too wanted my fat losing journey to start 30 days after my surgery. But it didn't and now I'm well on my way.

Like forum member B-52 says: "Until there's restriction...It's just another diet!"

tmf

Thanks for that. The problem with one of the doctors that comes and does the fill will only put the minimal amount in. Not only is this annoying but costly. I personally think the fills cost way to much money for the few minutes your in there.

This time I'll be asking for one ml and no less. If it's to tight I can go back but don't want to be heading back all time time to get more.

Does anyone know of any sites or what forum has foods that are good to eat with band and slider foods?

Thanks