restriction after first fill? I didn't think I was either, but now, after two weeks, I am continually getting food stuck. I haven't PB'd or anything, just get the major stuck feeling that goes away after 15-20 minutes. This has cut WAY back on my eating. I think I'm scared to eat a lot. I don't necessarily get full, but just quit eating after 3-4 ozs protein, veggies and a little carbs. I know I could use another fill so that I can get full and not have to depend on will power or being scared to eat, but.... LOL......I'm scared to. I am scheduled to go back July 6 (4 weeks away), but the Doc's ofice called to see if I wanted to change it to sometime in June......ya think I should or just wait?

Talk it over with your doc! He/She is the best resource as to your specific case! Best of luck with the band! I know you will grow to love as much as the rest of us! Terri

Use whatever word you want but yes I had restriction and did not need a fill for a good while after I got banded. I am about a year out and only had 2 fills. If you have restriction you don't need a fill yet but if you are not losing and you can eat too much then yes you might want to get a fill.

I had NO restriction after being banded. I wasn't even sure I had a band until a few days ago. I don't get full per say....I could most definitely eat more, but I'm scared of getting that yucky feeling so much that I quit eating.

Miper,

You and I seem to be on the same schedule. I had my first fill on 6/25 and have the second one scheduled for 7/6 as well. Unlike you, I did not get restriction from the first fill but I am working to get my eating under control and have been doing better the last two weeks. At this point, I am losing weight and have decided to not move the second fill time up. I was told it could take 1-2 weeks before a fill "kicked in" and it appears that may have happened with you.

As long as you're doing OK and eating well and losing weight, I would not rush into a second fill.

There are a good number or people who don't feel restriction with just the band, and still don't have much after the first fill... or two... or more. But there are also a number of people who either don't need a first fill for a long time, or don't need a second fill for a long time.

That's awesome for you!

I think a lot of it depends on the person and on the type of band they have. I didn't feel a whole lot of restriction until after my 3rd fill. Don't get me wrong, I was definitly eating less, but still felt like I ate more than other people were. And there are some who have restriction with no fills at all. Not a lot of help, I know, but you pretty much have to go by what your body tells you.

Oh good lord yes, I had restriction after the first fill. In fact, I'm still at the same level, 1.2 cc's. I did get a fill up to 1.5 but was WAY too tight so came back to 1.2.

For some, one fill is all it takes. For others, they need a ton of adjusting.

Hi all,

:cool:

I have read (on these groups/threads) that we do not feel restriction until after the first fill. Now, I know that I am not very hungry right now and I was banded 3 weeks ago today. Am I not hungry because my body is still healing and the surgery trauma around my stomach makes me feel full, also making some people PB or slime?

We have created a pouch, put a band around our stomachs and that has to have something to do with how much we can and can't eat and how quickly we get full even without a fill, right?

I truly did my research before being banded and right now, as my first fill is looming in the not-too-distant future, I feel like I don't know anything! I guess research can't tell you what a fill actually feels like!

Miper - I'm not sure the objective is to feel full, so much as it should be to feel not hungry. If you can eat your meal and stop before feeling full, then that's great! Don't be in a big hurry to get cinched down tight. That can cause serious problems in the long run.

Some of you may have already read this but I'll post it again for those who haven't.

<TT>How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted

You are losing 1-2 pounds per week.

If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week:

A. You may need an eating adjustment

1. Are you eating 60 grams of protein a day

2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber

3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories

a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome”

b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram

(1) It’s also a stomach irritant

c. Fruit juice is just sugar water

4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of

foods?

a. Are you avoiding soft foods

b. You can’t just eat what’s easy

c. Cheese is glorified fat

5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals

6. Are you eating too much junk

a. Chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, cookies and other highly

processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a

healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you

feel deprived.

b. Stay out of fast food places

7. Are you getting in two servings of calcium daily

8. Do you always eat the protein first

9. Then the vegetables or fruits

a. Five servings a day

b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable

10. Is your portion size appropriate?

a. Meat or fish

(1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards

b. Vegetables

(1) ½ cup – the size of your fist

c. Starch

(1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need

much

(2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta

11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners

a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the

appetite

b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar

c. They teach you to like things too sweet

d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner

than people who don’t

12. Avoid most diet foods

a. Real food usually tastes better

b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes

c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not

that great

(1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet

margarine

(2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats

a. They may go into permanent storage

b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove

hydrolyzed fats from the body

</TT>

<TT>B. You may need a behavior adjustment</TT>

<TT>1. Are you eating only when you are hungry?

a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait.

2. Are you eating three meals a day?

a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks

3. Are you sitting down to eat?

4. Are you eating consciously?

a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper

away, pay attention to your food and your companions

5. Are you eating slowly?

a. Put the fork down between bites

b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal

c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying

6. Are you taking small bites?

a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork

7. Are you chewing well?

8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals?

a. Practice water loading between meals

b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal

9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness?

a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough

b. Hard stop versus soft stop

10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing.

11. Do not eat when you are not hungry</TT>

<TT></TT>

<TT>C. You may need an activity adjustment</TT>

<TT>1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3

times a week?

a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day

b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week?

c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes?

2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your

physical activity?

a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators

b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding

c. Parking your car further away from the entrance

d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through

e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination

f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash

g. Playing with your kids</TT>

<TT></TT>

<TT>D. You may need an attitude adjustment</TT>

<TT>1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey?

2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are

eating and exercising?

a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days

3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional

issues?

a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your

eating?

b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those

emotions?

c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor?

4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings?

5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends?

6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically?

7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss

journey?

8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating?

a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts

(1) Obsess about something else

b. Perfectionism

(1) All or none, black and white thinking

c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss

9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards?

10. Have you learned how to take a compliment?

11. Are you giving up diet mentality?

a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day

b. Stop dieting

c. Stop depriving yourself

d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad”

e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food

12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?</TT>

<TT></TT>

<TT>E. You may need a band adjustment</TT>

<TT>1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate

portion sizes but getting hungry between meals?

2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large

portions.

3. You are having to struggle to lose

4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and

having a good mind set.</TT>

<TT></TT>

<TT>F. You may need your band loosened</TT>

<TT>1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down

2. You are vomiting too much

a. How much is too much?

3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night?

a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating

b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime

c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime

d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux:

(1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods

(2) Chocolate

(3) Caffeine

(4) Alcohol

(5) Some fruits and vegetables

a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers

(6) Peppermint

a. Baking soda toothpaste

(7) Carbonated drinks

e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals

f. If you smoke, quit smoking

g. Reduce stress

h. Exercise promotes digestion

i. Raise the head of your bed

j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist

k. Stress increases reflux

l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning

m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime

(1) Tylenol is OK

n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring

o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications

p. See your health care provider

4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if

a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest,

especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is

accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast

heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise.

c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you

also have nausea or fever

d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee

grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar

in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention.</TT>

<TT>(Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your

stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.)

e. If your pain is severe</TT>

restriction after first fill? I didn't think I was either, but now, after two weeks, I am continually getting food stuck. I haven't PB'd or anything, just get the major stuck feeling that goes away after 15-20 minutes. This has cut WAY back on my eating. I think I'm scared to eat a lot. I don't necessarily get full, but just quit eating after 3-4 ozs Protein, veggies and a little carbs. I know I could use another fill so that I can get full and not have to depend on will power or being scared to eat, but.... LOL......I'm scared to. I am scheduled to go back July 6 (4 weeks away), but the Doc's ofice called to see if I wanted to change it to sometime in June......ya think I should or just wait?

I can't speak for anyone else but ever single one of my fills have always TIGHTENED up for me about two weeks after a fill. If you are getting stuck on food now then I highly suggest you not get another fill or if you do only have your doc "tweak" it a little bit.