I just wanted to share my good news! I have restriction! I haven't had consistent restriction since surgery...my choosing. This whole time I have eaten normal portions of food and would feel satisfied but never "restricted" in the sense that I physically couldn't eat another bite.

But now at 11cc's in my VG band I can say that I am restricted! I can eat perfectly fine but once I hit that 1-1 1/2 cup mark I actually get the sensation to STOP. It's amazing. I HOPE it stays and doesn't loosen up again.

Now I feel like a real member of the club! The interesting part is trying to get used to it. I went out to dinner tonight and actually took home a doggie bag!

Woo Hoo!

Congratulations on finally getting some restriction. Although looking at your stats you have done an amazing job already. Way to go!

Self pay 3.30.07

The Man, The Myth, The Legend... Dr Spivak

310/257/210

Congrats!!! I'm happy for you and jealous at the same time!! I had my first fill the 23rd of this month. I don't have any restriction at all and I always seem to be hungry. I'm doing pretty good through it though, keeping myself busy mostly. How do you know fow many CCs you get? I guess I never asked him, do they normally just tell you? Also one more question,,Since I am having no restriction do I just wait the month out before I see him again,,or give them a call? Thanks in advance to any info from anyone : )

Thanks for sharing in my joy!!

My doctor reviewed my fill history to see how much should be in my band then he verified the correct amount was still present when he withdrew all the Fluid just prior to the fill. (This is a quick way to make sure there's no band leak as well.)

As far as deciding whether or not to call earlier regarding your fill. Unfortunately this has to be your decision. If you can stay on track until your next scheduled appointment then that's probably easier. But, if you are worried that you'll really struggle until then you might want to call and see if they can push up your appointment.

Good luck!

Hi Lapbandit,

I just wanted to say thanks for your post. I am only at fill # 1 and get restriction for a while, buy it is falling off. Your description helps me to know what it will feel like. Also you are the first bandster that had a comperable starting point to mine. It is nice to see someone I can relate to a little more here.:whoo:

Again, thanks for the post...the support from this forum is wonderful.

Happy banding,

MMT

I got my first fill last Fri. The book they gave me said we're supposed to eat 1/4 cup of food per meal! Please tell me where you got your information as to how much food you're supposed to take in at each meal.

Hi mmcbelle...wow we really did start at the same place! You look like you're doing awesome for just being banded last month! WOW!

Char, it seems almost all docs have their own estimation of how much we should be eating. Luckily my doctor is OK with whatever amount I can eat as long as it's a healthy food. Everyone can make up their own mind on how they feel about this, but 1/4 cup of food at a time is absolutely not enough for me to live on. Not that it's wrong...just wrong for me.

I've been banded for over a year now and have just recently been satisfied on a cup or so at a time. Before this fill I could easily eat a grilled chicken breast, some steamed veggies and a whole-grain carb like brown rice at one sitting. It was a lot more than one cup but nutrionally it was very balanced and healthy so I didn't worry about it. (I was not eating beyond my capacity because that is NOT good for your band...you need to stop when you feel satisfied, not full.) But, for me I was able to do this regularly. My doctor doesn't like us to talk in terms of "how much" or "how many calories"...instead we are supposed to focus on nutrition and listening to the cues our bodies make to let us know we are satisfied. He always said it was his job to let us know if we were eating too much based on what we told him we could eat and how our weight loss was going.

Any way, I hear a lot of other bandsters talking about the 1 cup range which never seemed possible to me until recently, so that's the only reason I think it's cool that "I'm with everyone else" in that regard!

I hope that all made sense!

Hi Char,

Let me echo what LapBandit has stated. My istruction from the after care center is 1 cup, but I can't do three meals a day. My doctor says eat when you are hungry and don't when you are not. So between the two centers, I get conflict. I like my Dr.'s advice better, so I stick with him:-). My band is much more restricted in the AM and I can't keep food down, so I have a Protein drink in the AM. Then at lunch it is about a cup and at dinner, it can be 1 -2 cups, but I do a lean protein first, then a veggie and a starch if I can tolerate it. I don't figure calories, just try to ensure I get 50-60 grams of protein (my hair is stayig in and my wounds are healing so I think the protein it sufficient). I hope it helps.

Happy banding,

MMT

I envy you. I'm two months post surgery, one fill and awaiting another, and I still don't feel like I had the procedure done. No restriction. None. If I didn't force myself to stop eating while still hungry, I'd down half a cow.

Hi Ilene62,

Hang in there, it will come:girl_hug:. I have just begun reading many of the posts out here. It seems that everyone really is different and some folks have restriciton at the second fill and many are the the third, fourth and so on. The important thing is that you have taken the first steps and it will come. You can do this!

Keep at it and keep going in for your fills:clap2:

Best of luck to you,

MMT

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question! After several days with the new fill, I began feeling restricted, mostly at breakfast and lunch. I'm lucky to get 6 oz of yogurt down at bkfst and less at lunch. Come dinner time, I'm hungry, so that's when I have to put the brakes on. Also, I drink A LOT of coffee with lite cream. Thank God for Starbucks! That's probably why I'm not hungry; also during this time I'm taking in a lot of water. Is there anyone else out there who is a coffee addict, and has it been a problem for you. I've been at the same weight for two weeks now.

Well, false alarm. I had restriction for a week but now it's gone again. I guess I'll continue the search for the mystical "sweet spot"! Darn!