Hi all. I was banded 7 months ago & have lost 9 kilo so far. Not bad but not as much as I would have hoped. Anyway about 6 weeks ago my surgeon agreed to fortnightly visits and we have been increasing my fill as I could eat a cup of food & be hungry again in an hour or 2. 3 weeks ago I was up to 8ml & over the week I got so tight I couldn't eat more than 1/4 of a cup twice a day & I couldn't keep my water intake up. I lost 2kg in a week very happy about that but couldnt sustain how tight I felt when eating or drinking. I had .2ml out & now I feel I am back to where I was before. I can eat a cup & drink normally again but I just don't get a "full" signal & am starting to feel hungry after a few hours. How wiill I know when I have it right?

Great screen name!!

XOXO,

For one thing, part of your hunger is head hunger and this is something the band will never be able to fix and takes time. A couple of things, that may help is having a protein snack between your 3 meals a day. This should be low in calories but high in protein. Sometimes this will help you get past this hunger feeling between meals. I would also suggest that you meet with a nutritionist and review what you are eating with them and ask for suggestions. I know they told the majority of us to eat only 3 small meals a day but this is very hard and requires discipline and most of us have to have a snack. I get hungry sometimes but I drink more water or a beverage or drink a protein shake, eat a piece of fruit or some peanut butter. Your calorie in take and your protein intake is still very important to consisitant weight loss with the band. Sorry no miricle answers.

Lovethenewme

Awesome reply and very educating!

Also.. watch for what I call the pre-cursers to being full.

Hiccups

Runny nose (Seriously)

Coughing

Chest pressure!

Thank you Cheznoel. I found it! One little hiccup thing. So that is when I'm full? Time to stop? X

Yes, listen to the signs... Hiccups are what I get... First one and I stop

I get a a gentle hiccup as a stop signal too. Sometimes I will also sneeze.

For those times where I *want* something, but I am not really hungry, I fix a mug of herbal tea. 90% of the time, the tea satisfies me.

I a a hicup person too..my friends know my signal too.lol

Keep in mind you shouldn't be looked for that "stuffed full" feeling you ate 'til before you had the band. If you're eating to that point, you're likely eating too much. This is a big reason most surgeons say to limit meals to a cup or less of food, so you don't accidentally over-eat.

Look for your feeling of physical hunger to be satisfied, then you'll know you had enough. As others stated, sometimes there's little physical signs that come with it. I also get the hiccups. My kids and I call them "hiccurps" because they're an odd little combination of hiccups and burps lol.

Here's a great link that better explains it: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Best wishes to you.

I get a a gentle hiccup as a stop signal too. Sometimes I will also sneeze.

For those times where I *want* something' date=' but I am not really hungry, I fix a mug of herbal tea. 90% of the time, the tea satisfies me.[/quote']

That is what I do too! The tea is so wonderful, I drink it first thing in the morning to " wake my band up" and in the evening to sooth any hunger I may have!