For those of you who are farther along this journey, what does it feel like to be unfilled vs. unbanded? I have had my band placed about 1.5 weeks ago and I'm just wondering will I feel any restriction once the healing is complete. My question is "does being unfilled feel like being unbanded"?

Maryum

For me, being unfilled was not like being unbanded. Even when unfilled, there is the consciousness of a port and the reality of a silicone band creating a bottleneck in the stomach where non exists in nature. It helped me immensely in moderating my intake, even if the influence it has was primarily motivational.

Unbanded there is nothing, nothing between me and my behavior.

Even though i could eat as much as pre band,

The size of the bites is considerably smaller.

Mark:)

I think that once you are banded, you can't eat the way you did pre-band--your body just won't allow it. I mean, taking large bites, or not chewing well enough. Even without a fill, there is that bottleneck like Alexandra said, and it just isn't feasible. You will be able to eat a little more than you will after you get a fill, but still, not like before. Although, I had good restriction even before I got my first fill, and never really felt that roaring hunger a lot of people talk about--guess I was lucky.