I'm on a little over month 2 since being banded.

I've list about 32 total since Dec 20.

I have had 3 fills and last full brought me to 7 ccs. I have a 14 cc band (so I was told.)

I have yet to feel any restriction.

I was really good at first about my eating habits. I know I need to be more strict about my bite size and/or food mechanics. I am working harder at that now but I still need to be sure at all times to eat slow, and chew thoroughly, etc.

I'm a little worried after 3 fills. Still having no restriction at all.

Have I stretched out the pouch?

Should I feel restriction at 7 ccs?

Should I try going back to a liquid diet for awhile?

Ha anyone ever had their band or pouch checked because of lack of restriction?

Just want to use my band properly and feel like I'm failing.

Diona

You have done well so far with losing. Don't think of restriction, if you are eating dense protein, how long can you go before you "have" to eat, not "want" to eat. The head hunger is very hard to deal with the first several months. Are you logging your food? What are you eating each day?

Nobody can tell you how many ccs you will need for restriction. Everybody is different. I have a 14cc band with 11 ccs in it and I am in the green zone. You may get there sooner. Some people never need a fill. It's a gamble.

I think the best advice I can give you is two things:

First, forget about how many cc's are in your band, it's irrelevant. Everyone's anatomy is different and everyone needs different amounts to have adequate Fluid in their band. All that matters is how you feel, not how much is (or isn't) in your band.

The second is, be sure what you're calling "restriction" is the sensation you are looking for. Too often people use the word restriction thinking the band is supposed to physically stop you from eating or "restrict" what you eat and that's not the case. This link by Dr. Simpson does an excellent job explaining it: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Be patient. You've only been banded a couple months and a lot of people need multiple fills before they actually feel the benefits of the band. It will come.

Best wishes on your journey.

I agree with missy and view the link itis helpful.

Staying full for 4 hrs and try eating slower and chew you may see a difference.

wendy

For what it's worth I am nowhere restriction. But it's OK because I'm still managing to lose. over 50 lbs in 6 months. This weds I will go in for another fill

Don't worry, it takes time. Someone once posted that it took a year to get to the green zone. Just keep following the rules and you will see results.

The balance point where you're not sure vs KNOW you are "restricted" may appear suddenly 2 or 3 days after the tiniest fill.

In my antique 4cc band, even .1cc makes a BIG difference and the jump between "not quite enough" at 1.5 vs "whoa.....this is TOO much at 1.6cc" isn't the way you really want to spend your time.

The transition where I could begin to enjoy the subtle differences of being absolutely over focused on being afraid not of hunger, but becoming hungry, was a joy of new experience I could never have anticipated.

You likely will suddenly realize that you actually no longer lust after gulping incessantly large helping rapidly, and come to recognize there IS a considerable difference between "being HUNGRY" and "being SATIATED"......it was shocking for me to realize I could be "not hungry" while being "not full".

My discovery was absent the physical "restriction" anticipated, I discovered the world of "satiety" which is far more helpful. I hope this little post may you find your answer.

I had my second fill today, after the Dr. was done I asked him how much was in my band and he said it did not matter. The only thing that mattered is how I feel. Makes since to me. If you are still losing and watching what you eat then its working. It was nice not to see 200 on the scale any longer.

I have a 14cc band as well and I was up to 7cc's before I felt any kind of restriction at all, I was getting close to my green zone. Unfortunately, I got an bad infection in my port and they had to remove it for the time being, they took all the Fluid out of my band, so now I feel like its not even there. However, keep logging your food and watch what you eat. I'm down 87lbs and don't want to go back, now its a game of will.

You will find your green zone....give it time.

Oh....great online food tracker... www.myfitnesspal.com, you can download it on a smart phone as well, its a BIG help.

Diona,

I hear you girl. I have 8cc in an 11cc band and although with every fill, I feel like Im getting closer to understand what the band is doing for me. At the same time, I have only lost 20 lbs. It's hard but we will get there. I keep thinking OMG i have 8cc am I going to get to the point where I start to loose weight. I have been at a plateau for months and can't seem to break it. Tomorrow is my day 1 again. To shake things up and get that scale moving. I go for a fill on Wednesday and hoping that pushes me in the right direction.

We got this!

I was band on nov 2 12 and I'm just geting a fill today does it hurt

Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

HI LBT Addict.

You will only feel a little prick of the needle. Other than that you don't actually feel the band getting tighter. Make sure you stay on liquids for 48 hours and move to solids slowly. good luck

I'm nervous to post this... So please bear with me. I guess my hope for "restriction" was that my band would also serve to remind me when I was eating too fast or too large of bites. Maybe that's not what the band is for, but I guess that's what I expected. I am still training myself to follow all the rules, but without the band I tried to follow rules and didn't succeed so the band is supposed to IMO pick up the slack so to speak and when I fail it helps me out. Even in the most unpleasant way...i.e. sending food back out. I don't want to appear band ignorant, but doesn't the band serve in that capacity as well as helping to control hunger? Please be kind...

Oh..your band will remind you when you are eating too fast. Mine did before they had to remove the fluid. Get distracted and take too big a bite and BOOM...you get that chokey feeling. Luckily I did not throw it back up, but my band does help me to slow down and eat properly. Chew...chew....chew your bites.

Restriction isn't determined by how you feel WHEN you eat, but how you don't feel AFTER you eat. The band won't stop you from eating too much, too often or too fast. That's up to you. You really need to just measure and weigh your food 1/2 to 1 cup of dense protein and healthy carbs, eat that amount taking 20-30 min to complete your meal and see if you're hungry (physically) in less than 4 hours. If you're not hungry less than 4 hours after your meal, your band is doing its job. No fill needed.

My band was emptied almost 9 months ago and I still go 4-5 hours between meals and often forget to eat.

Restriction isn't determined by how you feel WHEN you eat, but how you don't feel AFTER you eat. The band won't stop you from eating too much, too often or too fast. That's up to you. You really need to just measure and weigh your food 1/2 to 1 cup of dense Protein and healthy carbs, eat that amount taking 20-30 min to complete your meal and see if you're hungry (physically) in less than 4 hours. If you're not hungry less than 4 hours after your meal, your band is doing its job. No fill needed.

My band was emptied almost 9 months ago and I still go 4-5 hours between meals and often forget to eat.

Perfectly said! You totally nailed it!