Here is info will come in handy when thinking about fills/adjustments. Great information. I have seen this information before and it is really good.

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

B. You may need a behavior adjustment

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

C. You may need an activity adjustment

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

D. You may need an attitude adjustment

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?

E. You may need a band adjustment

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.

F. You may need your band loosened

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.

(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

Wow who did your band may I ask? My Dr. askes me all the time if I need a fill or not or if I am hungry or not. I had a fill on March 18, 2008 and then had to get some taken out a week later because I got the flu real bad and my stomach swelled around the band causing all sorts of trouble but he told me that he will re fill me on April 2, 2008. I have one question?? does your Insurance cover your fills? See all my Dr.s services are for one year that is how the Insurance company paid them. Everything is included for the first year then my Co-payment will be 50.00 each time I visit him and then fills are all included. Sounds like you need more fills to meet your goals. I wish you all the best my friend

Sharon

Are you unaware of the dangers of band slippage? Throwing up is not a real good thing to do when you have the Lap Band. You should ask your doctor about it. Does he know how hard it is for you to consume liquids after you get a fill?

My doctor is very concerned with me getting enough protein so that my hair doesn't fall out and that I lose muscle tissue instead of fat. There are a whole host of problems nutritionally when you lose weight that quickly.

I am no doctor, I only know what I've read and been told. I hope you will be very frank with your doctor about exactly how you have lost the weight. I haven't talked to anyone who believes that it is healthy to lose weight that fast.

I believe that they say that a 1 to 2 pound weight loss per week is what is healthy and produces the most beneficial results.

I have to tell you that I am jealous that you are only 15 lbs. from your goal weight. I am concerned for your health though.

Hi Bjean! Thank you for your concern! I am getting adjusted tomorrow in manila. I have called my Doctor about the acid feeling or the burn, 3 days after the fill, its because I have a hard time making food stay put.

So far, no band slippage and yes I am aware. But my Doctor always checks the placement of my band when we do the fills. I have not had any problems with hair fall. The only problem that I have is my saggy tummy which I am seriously thinking of tucking and my inner thighs! (gross!!!)

Wow who did your band may I ask? My Dr. askes me all the time if I need a fill or not or if I am hungry or not. I had a fill on March 18, 2008 and then had to get some taken out a week later because I got the flu real bad and my stomach swelled around the band causing all sorts of trouble but he told me that he will re fill me on April 2, 2008. I have one question?? does your Insurance cover your fills? See all my Dr.s services are for one year that is how the Insurance company paid them. Everything is included for the first year then my Co-payment will be 50.00 each time I visit him and then fills are all included. Sounds like you need more fills to meet your goals. I wish you all the best my friend

Sharon

My fills cost $75 a visit. No My insurance does not pay for it. I think I am up to par with the scheduling of my fills which is once every two months. I got banded last January 18,2007 and last December 2008, I had my picture taken with my Doctor for a national paper lap band release. They splashed my before and after pictures with my consent of course. So far a lot of people have called and asked about lap band.

My Dr. is aware on how I am losing my weight. Through determination for one and exercise for the other and then I watch what I eat and how much. I stay away from all starches, sodas, coffee, unless it is de caf. I am not bothered by sweets but I will have something now and then and in moderation. I don't PB all that much other than when I was sick, but I do get slimmed up more than I would like and that happens no matter what i do eat slow little bites or take in water too quickly like with my meds. He tells me that I am doing great. I take all my suppliments and well I ahve to order more protein, he said to stay away from the muscle milk until I have lost 100 pounds for that could add some weight. I get another fill tommorow. I should be at 4 1/2 cc's in my band. Before i got sick I had that much and I could feel the restriction. He told me the more I exercise especially in the stomach area the more the band will loosen up, he said that it is the fatty tissue on the inside around the band that is getting leaner.

lani: I feel much better. I was really worried about you. It sounds like you are in good hands and you know exactly what you're doing. Congratulations on your fantastic success!

Had my surgery on 1/31/08. Am due for my first fill on 4/7/08. Am a little scared after all this reading. I have lost 42 pounds to date and am feeling wonderful. East three meals per day and do not usually find myself hungry. My question? Will the fill change my routine that i am doing so well with? Thanks for all the support!

I have had my band since 4/3/06. Its the 4 cc band. I was told in February 2008 that I had 3.5 ccs. I was getting restriction for about 2 weeks, then I lost it. Went to my doctor on 4/4/08 where he pulled out the saline and told me I had only 2 ccs. He didn't seemed that concerned. He put back a full 3 ccs. Now I feel that even water is hard to swallow. I feel like I have a lump in my throat. I am on liquids for 2 days and soft food for 2 days. I am afraid to try solids because of the restriction I feel. Is this normal, I have never felt this before. Is this what the sweet spot feels like or am I a little to tight? Should I just give it some time to adjust or call my doctor? What I want to know is will it loosen up on its own after a while? Any thoughts ?

I have had my band since 4/3/06. Its the 4 cc band. I was told in February 2008 that I had 3.5 ccs. I was getting restriction for about 2 weeks, then I lost it. Went to my doctor on 4/4/08 where he pulled out the saline and told me I had only 2 ccs. He didn't seemed that concerned. He put back a full 3 ccs. Now I feel that even water is hard to swallow. I feel like I have a lump in my throat. I am on liquids for 2 days and soft food for 2 days. I am afraid to try solids because of the restriction I feel. Is this normal, I have never felt this before. Is this what the sweet spot feels like or am I a little to tight? Should I just give it some time to adjust or call my doctor? What I want to know is will it loosen up on its own after a while? Any thoughts ?

falloutgal, what you are experiencing is really normal! In two weeks time, you will be back to your normal self. Just make sure that you are taking vitamins. That lump in your throat when drinking liquids, just shows you how tight your band is, it will loosen up in time, thats why when they do fills in the clinic, they make you drink water to see how tight the band is, according to my doctor, if it was too tight, water would've gone out of your nose right away. The lump on your throat is pretty normal. Smile and good luck to your weight loss journey...

I have had my band since 4/3/06. Its the 4 cc band. I was told in February 2008 that I had 3.5 ccs. I was getting restriction for about 2 weeks, then I lost it. Went to my doctor on 4/4/08 where he pulled out the saline and told me I had only 2 ccs. He didn't seemed that concerned. He put back a full 3 ccs. Now I feel that even water is hard to swallow. I feel like I have a lump in my throat. I am on liquids for 2 days and soft food for 2 days. I am afraid to try solids because of the restriction I feel. Is this normal, I have never felt this before. Is this what the sweet spot feels like or am I a little to tight? Should I just give it some time to adjust or call my doctor? What I want to know is will it loosen up on its own after a while? Any thoughts ?

I know exactly what your going threw as I just had an unfill from 4.5 to 2.0cc. I had the fill of 4.5 last Sept and then felt tight but not super tight for about a month then I would have weeks were nothing would go down and others eat everything in site no problem. Then by Feb I felt so tight and was PBing so much that I went threw a few weeks of not even barly getting water down and just couldn't take it anymore. As soon as he took out 2.5cc I felt a million times better. I have only 2cc right now and have very little restriction so already wanting to go get a small fill because when you haven't been able to eat bread for so long and now I can even eat a sandwich I feel like a kid in a candy store. Really having to rely on will power which is a struggle for me. I gained back 8 pounds since the unfil and I know it is from the EVIL carbs I have eaten. So I would wait it out but if you just keep PBing you will make your insides get really swollen and it will be very painful. Just read your body and everyone is completely different. I have a girlfriend that has 10cc in her 10cc band and can still eat and I had 4.5 in my 10cc band and was very very tight. My advice on those days your body just rejects everything go on liquids for a couple of days. I just kept trying to eat because I was so starving when I was just making matters worse. Good luck and if you want to send me a message we could chat.

Hi Everyone. That lump you're experiencing is also a sign telling you that you need to pay close attention to what you're eating and drinking. This is the time when you will experience PBing. Which is a sensatition of food being hard to go down/stuck. Take small bites the size you would give a baby/child and chew, chew, and chew some more. And for water sip small amounts. And if you're having a protein drink or yogurt take small amounts. There's more but you're soon discover them.

I've been at my restriction for two months and I'm still sexpeiencing something new most times. Right now it's learning what foods I can and cannot tolerate right now. Continue reading what others wrote and keep a food diary and pay close attention to what you eat. You're still learning a new way of eating. Don't get discouraged or give up. We're all in the same boat and still learning.

Stay the course.

I went for my first fill this past Monday. I had gained 4 pounds since my previous visit two weeks prior (17lbs since surgery, 30lbs total). Anyway...the nurse practitioner nonchalantly asked me why I wanted the surgery and I told her the usual answer, "I want to be healthy, feel better, look better" and so on. All of a sudden she just tore into me. She berated me in such a harsh way I felt like a piece of garbage. She implied I made a mistake having the surgery, that she can't help me if I am not willing to make the effort. She continued for a good five minutes. I forgot to mention I had an audience, she was training another practitioner at the time. Then all of a sudden she said "well, you don't have any restriction right now, it is as if you never had the surgery, it isn't totally your fault." I'm not sure how to deal with this situation. It has been almost a week and I am still obsessing over it. Do I complain to someone at the office? do I give her another shot? Should i request a different practitioner? Should I just get over it and focus on my weight loss? Was she trying to scare me straight, I have lost the 4lbs I gained since that day? I was given 2cc and have a tiny bit of restriction. I have to go back soon for more of a fill I think.

jenlev67; by all means, yes, report. Especially since she a witness to this abuse. There are time when it's not what you say, but how you say it. And for you to still be osbessing over this is not good for you. It's bad enough you're having to deal with losing the weight steadly. And if this is her way of scaring you to take this surgery more seriously, it's not the way to go.

If you are the first she has done this to, there will be others. If you don't do something or ask for someone else, and there may not be, you'll be tense and harbor an intense dislike for her. Either verbally mention this or in writing, this behavior needs to be brought to the attention of the administration office. Even if she was having a bad day, those statements were out of line. And she, a person dealing with such a populaton as ours. Or any others as well.

But, on the up swing, it sure got you to lose those pounds. Keep up the good work and Stay The Course.

I just had my 2nd fill on Saturday, April 26. As of today, I can't feel any difference in my restriction. I have heard that it can take up to 4 weeks for the restriction to start, why is that? I am so nervous about gaining any weight back.

I had my third fill about 8 weeks ago. The restriction was fine till about three weeks ago. It was like I had no restriction. I could eat anything. I gained four pounds. Because I knew I could eat more, my head was eat eat eat. It was tough. About a week ago my band all the sudden became tighter again. I lost three of the pounds already..Thank goodness. How can my band be tight for three weeks then loosen up for three weeks and get tight again this past week?

The only thing I have been more aware of is sleeping on my right side instead of the left. Now I try to sleep on my right side all the time and sometimes my back. Can that affect the tightness of the band?

Thanks,

Sonya

What does a good fill feel like versus being too tight?

I can swallow water pretty good and eat mashed potatoes REAL slow...about a teaspoon or two.

I had my 2nd fill yesterday and am now at 3.8cc in a 10ccband.

Eating super slow on the potatoes or else, "Here they come again!"

Im thinking its because I just had it done and am probably pretty tight, but not sure. Drank warm cocoa this morning and last nite. Just have to drink REAL slow