I will be getting my first soon.I wonder do I have to? Im losing weight. I was banded a week and a half ago. I can eat bread and drink with my food. I been dieting since january. I just cant stand the thought of only eating meat and dairy. and those awful protien drinks.What have i gotten into.I have never met a banded person to even talk to about any of this. if you can only eat 3 bites of food at each meal how can you stay alive??? can i get unfilled if i ever want and go back to like i have it right now? someone please explain all this.

First of all congrats! Please know that just because you can eat something does not mean you should same with drinking with eating. I don't really understand did you not learn about the band before you got it? Didnt your doctor explain the process along with what to eat? If you get a fill and are too tight you can get an unfill. That is the purpose of having a band and not getting another surgery like bypass. Each doctor has their own guidlelines. I eat 3 half cup meals and sometimes I have a snack. A lot of people eat more about a cup. The band is there to help keep you satisfied between meals, but for most people it does not stop them from eating. I wish you the best of luck and hope you stick around the forum, but I strongly urge you to sit down with your doctor to discuss all your questions. Also do some reasearch on the internet.

I met my Dr the first time the day of surgery.I just wanted to hear from someone that knows what its like mentally to go through the changes that a fill gives. Is it a good fealing or did you get depressed because you couldnt eat like a normal human being any longer. was it a drastic difference? Ater I reach a happy weight can i get unfilled? And if I start to gain go get filled again ?

Allie, you sound so anxious my first suggestion is just breath!

Now you don't get a fill unless YOU and your doc think you need one.

If you are losing at a good rate then you probably don't need one.

Done the road that may change and you'll want a fill.

Not everyone gets that huge restriction with a fill. It can take several . I am one of those people.

You also can relax because it doesn't hurt at all. Just a skin poke.

You don't need to only get your protein through shakes. Meat, poultry, eggs, protein bars, peanutbutter, etc. are good sources.

I hope this helped. Pm me anytime if you have questions or worries. Glad to defuse your concerns. Good luck!! : )

Allie It sounds like perhaps you need to not only talk to a nutritionist in the office, but also go to support meetings. I like you when banded didn't receive very much information prior.

I will be getting my first soon.I wonder do I have to? Im losing weight. I was banded a week and a half ago.The fact that your getting a fill after a week and a half isn't NORMAL. Most are banded, then first fill is at least 6 weeks after. I can eat bread and drink with my meal.This too is normal at this point, until your fill. I been dieting since january. I just cant stand the thought of only eating meat and dairy. and those awful protien drinks Protein in all FORMS, meat, dairy, Fish, Eggs, nuts,Grains, beans,soy, are all good sources of protein, Most protein drinks are used only preoperative. What have i gotten into.I have never met a banded person to even talk to about any of this. if you can only eat 3 bites of food at each meal how can you stay alive? The band is only restricting the amount of food eaten at one period of time, helping to learn better habits of eating less, and making healthier food choices. I was told protein first, then veg's, then fruits. can i get unfilled if i ever want and go back to like i have it right now? someone please explain all of this to me. When you get a fill they are increasing the pressure in the band to restrict or close the stomach opening so that it takes longer for food to go from the BAND created "pouch" into your stomach.

Here is a good link to another post about fills and unfills http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/40496-how-the-lap-band-actually-works-fills-and-refills/

Also Feel Free to send me a private message about any other questions that you have.

I have never found any thing I could not eat. I just know the things I should eat now. I want to lose weight and keep it off this time. I have had three fills and although I have some restriction I have never gotten sick and only had two stuck episodes. I love my band!

It sounds as though you have been banded without proper education from your surgical team! That is really disappointing and frustrating for you.

At a week and a half post op, I was still on liquids, not even mushies. And I didn't get my first fill until six weeks post-op.

I suggest that you draw up a list of questions before your appointment and insist that your dr answer them all to your satisfaction before you leave.

A fill adds saline to your band and can be removed if you get too tight.

You can eat like a normal person with a band but you definitely need to get more information to help you along this journey.

Take advantage of the offers of help you have been given here and demand information from your medical team. It is NEVER too late to learn more about living with your band.

Thanks everyone for your imformation.I read on here people saying they cant waite to get another fill. Im wondering how did it feal mentally to leave with your fill.was the amount you could eat drastically different than before you went in for the fill that day? Were you happy and satisfied or were you like omg i cant eat abything this is awful?Did you feal depressed or deprived or happy and relieved? was it what you expected?

Jackie and Banjo thanks so much for your answers. I have my first fill today and am a little anxious just wondering about the process and the change it may bring. Allie I am almost 7 weeks post op, my first appt back with my surgeon last month was just a weight check, a look a the stitch sites and a quick talk to let me go from soft to stage 3. Met with the nutritionist last week and was surprised to be told to limit the shakes and use real food instead. I am looking forward to a little more help with from the band with this fill as my hunger does show up between meals again. Thanks for posting the question as I had it as well and still don't know how to post ones to the forum. Good luck.

thanks and let me know what happened today getting your first fill.

Thanks everyone for your imformation.I read on here people saying they cant waite to get another fill Most wanting another fill is because they don't have enough restriction and feel they are still able to eat too much, OR they are feeling hungry too soon after eating. Im wondering how did it feal mentally to leave with your fill. The entire process of having a Band which is only a TOOL to help you lose weight is a MENTAL challenge, one that you need to be prepared to cope with. The MIND is a powerful tool in and of itself in regards to losing weight, unfortunately that is why most of us have WLS we can't or don't do it alone. was the amount you could eat drastically different than before you went in for the fill that day After fills yes you eat less, eventually (weeks out) you will start to have those feelings of less restriction and probably be able to eat more. That is why most people want to have another Fill. It's all about restriction and feeling satisfied with less food consumed. Were you happy and satisfied or were you like omg i cant eat abything this is awful?, Normally your never filled to the point of not being able to eat anything, that is called being TOO TIGHT, at which point fluid is removed from the band. Did you feal depressed or deprived or happy and relieved? In most cases your going to feel better about not eating as the weight is lost, you might feel depressed at times, depends on the relationship that you have with food? Talking to a therapist is also helpful, a specialist in eating disorders would be best. was it what you expected?Yes, because I had a friend that experienced it first.

I wouldn't say it's not normal to have a fill that quickly, my doctor gives 4 cc in band at surgery and first fill 2 weeks after and more every 2 weeks until you reach green, I am with true results austin, and my pre op conference had 40 ppl in it, so lots of patients here. My doctor also told us we could drink while eating, just wait 90 seconds after a bite to do it. Follow your doctors advice, and ask questions! Read a lot too!

Well that seems to be the biggest issue that I have personally with the LB is the LACK OF CONSISTENT INFORMATION FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY

Your doctor will work with you in developing a new diet plan. Some of the important guidelines for eating with the LAP-BAND® are:

• Eat only three small meals a day - this is all you need. Do not snack between meals.
  
• Eat only solid foods at mealtime - this is how the LAP-BAND® works to restrict food.
  
• Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly, about 15-20 times a bite, until it reaches a liquid consistency - this will help to create the feeling of fullness and make it less likely for food to get stuck in the LAP-BAND® pouch.
  
• Stop eating when you feel full - eating too much can result in pain, nausea and vomiting. It can also stretch the LAP-BAND® pouch.
  
• Choose healthy foods - make sure you are getting enough Protein and nutrients.
  
• Do not drink while you eat - this will wash down the food and you will not reach the feeling of fullness, defeating the purpose of the LAP-BAND®. Do not drink for 30 to 45 minutes before or after meals.
  
• http://www.lapband.u...-band-diet.html
  
• A Lap-Band fill is painless and can be done as an in-office procedure in a few minutes. The first fill is generally 6-8 weeks after surgery. Going forward, patients may need to visit their surgeon every six weeks for the first year and every three months during the second year post-surgery.
  A fill may not be necessary at every visit, but it is important that the surgeon continually monitor the speed and amount of weight loss to determine whether or not an adjustment is needed. (The band can also be loosened by removing saline to address any negative side effects, such as nausea and vomiting.)