I am recently banded 8/6. I am trying to figure out what exactly restriction feels like. Do you feel the fluid ( I am on liquids still) go through? Or when you drink too much at a time it kinda hurts in the breastbone? I also have a lot of gurgling in my stomach and colon. Gas pain. I named my band Tony because it sounds like I have a tiger in my belly. Anyway if someone could give me some idea of what it feels like for them I'd really appreciate it. Thanks you guys are awesome.

I am recently banded 8/6. I am trying to figure out what exactly restriction feels like. Do you feel the fluid ( I am on liquids still) go through? Or when you drink too much at a time it kinda hurts in the breastbone? I also have a lot of gurgling in my stomach and colon. Gas pain. I named my band Tony because it sounds like I have a tiger in my belly. Anyway if someone could give me some idea of what it feels like for them I'd really appreciate it. Thanks you guys are awesome.

Hi backpacking. Welcome to banded life. I'm not a veteran bandster but have been banded for 7 months so I can at least tell you what restriction feels like to me. I am not at all aware of the band or a feeling of restriction as food goes down. What restriction feels like to me is the feeling of satiety after eating my band sized portions. Even if I still feel a little hungry after I eat, the satiety kicks in shortly and I usually am good for several hours until the next meal. I am one of the few who is having success without any fills so I can't give you feedback that those with fills can but I at least wanted to let you know my definition of restriction. Good luck on your weight loss journey!

my hub asked me this one and i told him this.

you know how you are just now recent surgery

how you are full after sipping (because you are swollen) and you feel (like you just cant eat).......that to me, as i see it, is restriction......i am probably wrong, but that is my opinion/view of your question.....it varies with each person though.

i am lucky i guess, i have had that feeling from day 1

because of my band/plication, i cant eat more than my allotted amount.....very uncomfy so i stop.

For me I define restriction as being just tight enough that I cannot comfortably sit and eat a cheeseburger with the bun. When I eat I feel each bite pass through my band. If I eat too fast it backs up and I get stuck. Fortunately, I eat slow and haven't been stuck in over a year. As for liquids, I can take big mouthfuls of liquid and drink that way but I can't tilt my head back and chug like in a Coke commercial. If I did that the liquid would come right back out quickly. I made this mistake once with water and it was embarrassing. Lol.

Thank you everyone that is the answers I am looking for. I know everyone is different and I was wondering what each is experiencing. Keep them coming.

I can actually feel the liquids going down more than ever. Especially cold Water. Rare times I eat ice cream I can feel that slide right on through as well from top to bottom.

Here is a good description on restriction and what to expect. I love reading this often as it is a good reminder.

http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Thanks for the link jim1967. I'm going to print that and reread it often. I am having a tremendous amount of gas pains and at first i thought it was hunger growls. It definitely isn't because these are very painful and I would drink more to try get them to ease up but only made it worse. Hence my question about restriction. Even sipping water was starting to hurt under my breastbone.

Gas pain for me was pretty bad for the first 4 or 5 days. Just make sure you stay hydrated and sip. Do not ever gulp especially this early on. Walk as often as you can cause that will help reduce the gas pain quicker. As for restriction seeing that you are newly banded chances are you are feeling like you are because of all of the swelling. So it is quite possible you are feeling restriction but it is also possible this feeling may not last as the swelling decreases.

Spend this next month concentrating on healing and staying hydrated and the weight drop will come. Patience was really difficult for me during what is called Bandster Hell. Bandster hell is that time between having surgery and finding the green zone (optimum restriction) to maintain a more steady weight loss.

Not sure if you have had children or not but I remember asking what does it feel like when the baby kicks and people would say "you will know" same goes for restriction...I think it is a different feeling for everyone. I have had my band for 5 years and it took several fills before I really knew what it felt like but the first time I felt it I knew exactly what it was!