Hi. I am struggling. I had my band put in 3.5 years ago. In that time I have never felt full. I had a terrible doctor and eventually gave up. Then decided that was silly and sought a new doctor. I really like him and his staff. I started getting fills with the new staff and got pregnant. After my pregnancy I was down 30 pounds. Since then (Dec. 2011) I have gained 10 pounds. I got to full and had a dialation. I am now back up to 10.75cc in my band and I still don't feel full. I can eat a full Chipotle Bowl or a full meal. I am SO FRUSTRATED. What would you recommend I do????? This does not feel right.

I think part of the problem may be you're expecting the band to do things it's not meant to do. You say you don't feel "full" and can eat a lot. The band isn't supposed to physically stop you from eating anything and this is exactly why it's so important to stick to band sized portions. If you are getting fills trying to get the band to stop you from eating too much, you run the risk of accidentally ending up too tight. The other thing is, if you're eating until you're full, you're likely eating too much. The band is about satiety and hunger control not fullness.

What the band is supposed to do is allow you to be satisfied on less food for longer periods of time.

Here's a great link that explains it all. I really think it will help you. Having realistic expectations of the band will really help you to be successful: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Best wishes. Don't give up!

Hi. I am struggling. I had my band put in 3.5 years ago. In that time I have never felt full. I had a terrible doctor and eventually gave up. Then decided that was silly and sought a new doctor. I really like him and his staff. I started getting fills with the new staff and got pregnant. After my pregnancy I was down 30 pounds. Since then (Dec. 2011) I have gained 10 pounds. I got to full and had a dialation. I am now back up to 10.75cc in my band and I still don't feel full. I can eat a full Chipotle Bowl or a full meal. I am SO FRUSTRATED. What would you recommend I do????? This does not feel right.

Speaking for myself, I have never felt full...but the band DOES prevent me from overeating....I used to love Chipotle...would get the Burrito in a bowl because I cannot eat the tortillas anymore...I can no longer tolerate rice anymore either so it is goodbye to Chipotle....

I only have 7.5 cc in my band, and it is all I need to have the band Physically stop me from eating too much....

I'm not going to pretend to be an expert and tell you what you should and should not do....I'm only going to share what is true in my life...

And with 7.5cc's I am in the green Zone.....No Hunger, 24/7...., Cannot possibly overeat - portion sizes set by the band, and now at my ideal weight....

I know many people who thought they knew how much was in their band, only to find out they were way off for some reason and did not have near as much as they thought they did....

Many people on this forum rely on good old fashioned dieting techniques.....counting calories, measuring portions, food journals, etc...it seems to help them more than the band does....perhaps that is an area that would benefit you more at this this point.....

I'd go see your Doctor, make sure the band is OK, they can do a Fill under

Fluoroscopy or endoscopy, etc.. just to make sure.. It will give you peace of mind.

Hi. I am struggling. I had my band put in 3.5 years ago. In that time I have never felt full. I had a terrible doctor and eventually gave up. Then decided that was silly and sought a new doctor. I really like him and his staff. I started getting fills with the new staff and got pregnant. After my pregnancy I was down 30 pounds. Since then (Dec. 2011) I have gained 10 pounds. I got to full and had a dialation. I am now back up to 10.75cc in my band and I still don't feel full. I can eat a full Chipotle Bowl or a full meal. I am SO FRUSTRATED. What would you recommend I do????? This does not feel right.

Congratulations on starting over. I can understand your frustration. Some days I feel like I don't even have a band because I can eat a large meal without any problems. Some days, if I eat to much, my band will give me a soft stop sign (hiccups). That is when I know that it's time to stop eating. I discussed this with my surgeon last week and he said that this was normal because some days my band is tighter than other days. He said the band is not designed to stop me from eating but to help me feel satisfied. I had to realized that just because I could eat a large meal does not mean that I should!!!!!!! I had to stick to portion control and follow the rules of the band. I also had to realized that I had to get my head in the game. This is NOT a diet but a LIFE STYLE change. The band is only a tool and a tool is only as good as you work it. The most important thing is to discuss this with your doctor. Maybe have test done to make sure your band is working properly. I am proud of you. I know that starting over is not easy but YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!

All advice good my suggestion, counseling! Your head has to be in the right place to lose weight, our bands can be full, we can record our food, count every calorie, measure every morsel but if our minds are not reprogrammed to eat healthy and embrace this new life style no WLS will work. If you see yourself as a failure you will be a failure. I may have lost my weight with aid of my LB but the true champion was me, conquering my obstacles and learning what made me eat the way I ate. Never give up on yourself, you have one life and you have to own it.

Good luck to you, I congratuate you for trying again, never give up on yourself you are worth all the effort!

Thank you everyone for the encouragement. I am off work this week due to a mild surgery I had. I am going to get regrounded and start fresh! I am heading out for a walk right now! I signed my son (7) and myself up for a 5K for motivation and to encourage physical activity for him. I might need to see a counselor as well and never really thought about it. Thanks again.