Could you guys tell me when did you quit getting fills when can you tell that this is enough what is the defining factor I have gotten I think 4-5 fills and am scheduled for another one I feel tight but how do I know it could be better please help

I remember asking the exact same question. I have the big VG band and I was getting fill after fill wondering when I was ever going to find decent restriction and how would I know if I had it and when to stop. Well my opinion is you will know, you cant miss it. You will eat small quantities and be satisfied with it for 4 or so hours. Food will no longer be on your mind all the time. Dont get me wrong at times I still struggle...with things like chocolate. It doesnt matter how tight you get you will always be able to eat as much chocolate ice cream etc as you want, so it take a little will power but....when you hit your sweet spot it is so much easier. You will know when you get there. I found mine on my 9th fill, each fill before that I would feel nothing, or only feel restricted a week or 2 before it waned. On the last fill I had the sweet restriction and it lasted. I am now 5 mths since my last fill and still have restriction.

Good Luck

That is good to know..I posted something similar to that earlier and was curious as well..thanks for the advice I too have a VG band

Much love

Carla

Not to hijack the thread, but I just had to say this:

Kelly you are my inspiration! I'm going for my sixth fill tomorrow, I've never had restriction that lasted more than a week, but stories like yours keep me going back!

I still struggle...with things like chocolate. It doesnt matter how tight you get you will always be able to eat as much chocolate ice cream etc as you want, so it take a little will power but....when you hit your sweet spot it is so much easier.

That's why they call this a thinking person WLS.

I look at everything that goes into my mouth as a bank account...

Kryssa, wishing you the best

I feel like I can work with what I have, that its a good balance of eating and lifestyle freedom and not having to try too hard to eat well enough to continue losing.

I can eat enough and enough variety to completely halt my weight loss if I choose (and have had a few weeks where I ate like this) as I can still get in 1800 calories a day if I make the effort. However I can also stick on 1200 or so without hunger and cravings. It seems like a good tradeoff to me, make some effort and make sensible decisions and I still get to include foods like bread, red meat and the occasional meal out, with no need to panic if we end up on the spur of the moment choosing to have a pizza or something.

I could go tighter, lose weight faster and with less effort but their would be a price to pay for that - I couldnt eat certain foods, would be much more restricted in my lifestyle and would be risking PB's and discomfort.

Therefore I think the "right" restriction is a purely individual thing. Some individuals need to be much more reigned in with their food choices and quantities than others do.

I just had my eighth fill last Friday. I'm pretty sure this will be my last for awhile, but who knows!

Megan