Hi everyone,

I'm new and considering lapband surgery. The reason why I've gained so much weight is because I eat non stop - even when I'm not hungry. I love food!

My biggest fear after surgery is still feeling hungry. How are you all getting full on 1 cup of food?? I can't wrap my head around it!

What does being full on lapband feel like? What can I realistically expect?

I have 100lbs to lose.

You said you eat even when you are not hungry, that is head hunger and no WLS is going to stop that. The band will help with your physical hunger but only you can change your head hunger habits. I eat when I'm bored so if I'm bored I have to find something to do. I go for walks, do some sewing, read, get online anything to distract the mind from thinking it is hungry.

Find out what your triggers are for the head hunger and address them. The band is a great tool for the physical but will not help with the head.

Good luck to you.

It is amazing how full u do get after 1 cup of food. If u think, typically you should only have about 4 oz of protein per sitting. That with 1/2 cup of veggies is a cup of food. I've been banded since feb 4 , go for my first fill. In 2 weeks. I'm looking forward to that. As right now with no restriction I do get hunger a bit quicker, but do feel full after 1 cup. Good luck your decision.

Well we're not supposed to eat until we're full, in fact, if we eat until we're full we're likely eating too much. Have a look at this, it explains it well: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

The band helps us to feel satisfied on a lot less food for a lot longer periods of time. Because I am in the Green Zone, yes, I can easily go more than 4 hours without hunger. More often than not, I don't even finish a whole cup of food. I just don't want or need that much anymore.

The important thing to keep in mind is the band goes around your stomach, not your head. You will have to learn the difference between head hunger and physical hunger. The band can and will control your hunger but it's not made to stop you from "eating non-stop".

Best wishes.

Again Mis you are the voice of reason and I totally agree with you. If you eat now when you are not hungry you need to know that the band does not stop you from eating. It will help you feel satisfied between meals but you have to learn to control the rest.

Hi everyone,

I'm new and considering lapband surgery. The reason why I've gained so much weight is because I eat non stop - even when I'm not hungry. I love food!

I have 100lbs to lose.

May I respectfully disagree with you? You aren't describing a love of food, you are describing a love of eating. IMHO, the band freed me from a love of eating, while not disturbing my love of food.

My I respectfully disagree with you? You aren't describing a love of food' date=' you are describing a love of eating. IMHO, the band freed me from a love of eating, while not disturbing my love of food.[/quote']

Hi Terry. I have NEVER thought of it that way but you hit the nail on the head. I am in love with eating and the instant gratification it gives me.

Another poster above says no WLS will help me with that but you are saying it freed you.

What are your thoughts?

I was a food addict....could not stop eating, all day....

The band took care of that for me...I CANNOT OVEREAT! Physically impossible without a lot of pain, discomfort, and probably spitting it all up.....like the Green Zone says, it gives you portion control.......besides, on top of that, with the band I am not hungry in the first place....like buying that doughnut with my coffee.....I've thrown quite a few away in that learning stage.......another characteristic of the Green Zone......so what I do eat is very little, and enjoyable....when I do eat......

Head hunger is under control......I may have a particular craving...all in my head, will go out of my way to get it, take one bite and wind up throwing it all away....sooner or later I started to ignore those silly head hunger cravings because I now know they will not go anywhere....thanks to the band......very different from traditional diets!

I'm an exception to the rule possibly but you never know what can happen. I have had the band for over 6 years and haven't been able to have even the smallest fill without severe shoulder, neck, back, ear, and headaches. Therefore, it is very easy to overeat without getting uncomfortable. If I want to eat or overeat I know that all I have to do is eat faster, and not follow the band rules! I can still eat any food I want without problems. I did this when my dad and niece passed away a year ago and gained back around 40 pounds. Emotional eating! Eating for comfort instead of hunger! However, prior to the band I think I would have gained more before I came to my scences! I'm doing better now and down 18 pounds since January but I have to fight the urges almost everyday! Not as strong as before the band, but still there. I think the best thing any of us could do for ourselves income to terms with why we eat like we do. Counting on just the band to do it could be very disappointing some day if for some reason we had to have it removed! I know we have all added exercise to our daily regimen, but trust me, that isn't enough when you start falling off the food cliff! I'm a perfect example! When you have no hunger at all it's easy to resist temptation. I am going to try at the beginning of next month to see if I can receive a fill yet, I haven't tried in the last 5 years. Hopefully I will be able to give you the same answer as some that I CAN'T overeat nor do I wish to! We will see! I guess my best advise is start working on yourself before and during and the band will be beneficial while you learn. Then if something were to happen to your band in the future you will not have to figure out something new, it will already been adressed and solved! Good luck on your decision! Even though my band doesn't work the same way as others I still feel it has given me the strenghth I needed to save my life!

Hi Terry. I have NEVER thought of it that way but you hit the nail on the head. I am in love with eating and the instant gratification it gives me.

Another poster above says no WLS will help me with that but you are saying it freed you.

What are your thoughts?

One of the things you are going to find is that the band interacts with each of us in an extremely individual manner, BUT there is a constant for most people, that if you follow the band rules, you will have a tool that will help you gain control of that aspect of your life.

I have eaten my dinner, I am not hungry and won't be for several hours, but believe me I want to eat. Before the band, my physical hunger, and my head hunger would gang up on me and whip my ass and I would be in the kitchen foraging. The band dampens my physical hunger, giving me the ability choose not to eat. For some people like B-52 (If I understand his situation correctly), the band physically keeps them from overeating, for others like myself it doesn't. The important part for me is that while I can eat anything, for the first time in my life, because of the band I have the ability not to.

I was a food addict....could not stop eating, all day....

The band took care of that for me...I CANNOT OVEREAT! Physically impossible without a lot of pain, discomfort, and probably spitting it all up.....like the Green Zone says, it gives you portion control.......besides, on top of that, with the band I am not hungry in the first place....like buying that doughnut with my coffee.....I've thrown quite a few away in that learning stage.......another characteristic of the Green Zone......so what I do eat is very little, and enjoyable....when I do eat......

Head hunger is under control......I may have a particular craving...all in my head, will go out of my way to get it, take one bite and wind up throwing it all away....sooner or later I started to ignore those silly head hunger cravings because I now know they will not go anywhere....thanks to the band......very different from traditional diets!

Thanks for your reply. This is one of the reasons why I want the lapband - so I can physically avoid overeating. If it won't allow me to do that, then should I even bother???

Thanks for your reply. This is one of the reasons why I want the lapband - so I can physically avoid overeating. If it won't allow me to do that, then should I even bother???

the band will assist with helping you stop from overeating but if you eat/drink slider foods (high calorie shakes, bisque Soups, ice cream) you wont lose either. one def needs to have a complete mind set change. to eat better quality foods in your allotted amount (just because you can eat more than you should does not mean one should).

i think people should find ways one can to make this work. its not magic. its not a cure all. you got to help it in order for it to help you.

Thanks for your reply. This is one of the reasons why I want the lapband - so I can physically avoid overeating. If it won't allow me to do that, then should I even bother???

The band is adjustable....different people take it to different levels...it's up to you and your Dr. where you want to go with it....

My Dr. realized I am aggressive, and he was willing to work with me as long as it does not produce negative results.....

The band does inhibit me from over eating.....If I try , if I can ignore the pain and discomfort ( which is ridiculous) it would still end up in very bad results....

many people do not want to take that far...they want to continue eating anything they want...as much as they like relying more upon their own will power and discipline....

I have no self discipline when it comes to eating and dieting...NONE....every diet I have ever tried, and there were many over the past 30+ years, I have started out good then failed miserably....therefore I depend upon the band, perhaps more than many, to be in control......it's not a tool...It's the BOSS!

Below is the chart on my Dr.'s wall.....the green Zone is where I am at....No Hunger, Good Portions, resulting in Steady weight Loss and of course, Patient satisfaction....

Keep in mind...there are many people here on this website who do not wish to go that far.......it's up to you....

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Thanks for your reply. This is one of the reasons why I want the lapband - so I can physically avoid overeating. If it won't allow me to do that, then should I even bother???

Well, you should bother because it will greatly dim your appetite which seriously stops the desire to eat and pre-occupation of food.

The band is adjustable, but keep in mind too often expect the band to physically stop them from eating and end up way too tight. A band too tight will and can lead to slips, in fact it's the main cause of band complications and slips.

Here's an exert from Dr. Simpson on the band, if you want to read the entire article you can find it in my signature:

"The Lap-band is NOT about Restriction

When talking about the band, some patients talk about restriction. Let's first be clear about one thing: the purpose of the band is not restriction; the purpose of the band is to lose weight by suppressing the appetite.

When band professionals talk about restriction we are talking about something totally different than "restricting what a person eats." In fact, many band surgeons avoid talking about restriction so as to not confuse patients. The band works by dimming the appetite, and this provides a conscious control and decision made by the patient, it does not work by "making" a person do something, or keep them from eating too much.

The Lap-band works by suppressing your appetite

As a result, you are less interested in food between meals, making it easier to resist temptation. The analogy is when you are near a vending machine when you are hungry-- what do you do? Probably find yourself with some junk food that is not a part of your plan. But, when you pass a vending machine when you are full, it may not even catch your eye. Having the appetite dimmed makes you less tempted by the many food choices modern living throws at you - -this is what the band does, by suppressing appetite you become less interested in food."

I totally agree with Missy above. For me, the lapband isn't about restriction. Although I wish it controlled my hunger better, I am so thankful to have this tool. Without it, I am sure I would 20 pounds heavier than I was 2 years ago when I had the surgery. When my band is filled to the point of restriction and allowing me to go 5 hours without being hungry, I have heartburn, get food stuck, and have a hard time even getting Water down. It's such a fine line of getting it right for me. I have had such minimal sizes of fills that we just can't find that happy spot for me.

So I choose to deal with the hunger rather than being too tight too many times. I don't ever want to have any problems with my band that would result in it being removed.

As far as eating one cup of food? Sure, I could eat more but 99% of the time I don't. It is enough to keep me satisfied long enough. One huge thing for me and the lapband is it has totally slowed my eating down. Where as before I could polish off a HUGE plate of food in under 10 minutes (no exaggeration!), I now take about 30 minutes or so for my meal which is at least 1/4 the size.

I love my food too, prob even more so now that I have to take my time eating it! So coming from a huge foodie like myself, If I can lose 100 pounds you can do it too!