I was banded on May 30, 2007. Weight loss has been VERY slow so far. Although I am now either overfilled or just not used to what it's supposed to feel like to have restriction.

It seems like if the food is something I can get down I can eat quite a bit of it. But if I can't get it down well I just quit and go hungry. Not sure if that's restriction or just overfill. Can experienced bandsters with restriction explain to me what it is supposed to feel like when you have restriction. And also exactly how much are you supposed to have to chew EVERY food. Even stuff that qualifies as mushies can go down hard for me even if I drink something warm beforehand.:think

Hi again... I should have introduced myself better. My name is Heather, I was banded on May 30, my lapband doc is Dr. Renee Wolff and I have lost 26 pounds... only 8 of which is post op. Most was from the pre op diet.

Hi there!

My doctor said to make sure not to drink anything 30 minutes before eating or 1 hour afterward if that helps at all. Sometimes it's difficult to eat dry Proteins. I've been sticking with things like 1/2 cup of Eggbeaters, cottage cheese, canned salmon with fat-free mayo, Morningstar Farms veggie burgers and refried Beans. I can eat pork, chicken, or beef if it is not dry and I chew it very well. I don't eat many carbs at all either--they tend to get "stuck" anyways, so I don't miss them!

To me, feeling restriction means that I get full after about 1/2 cup of food and I'm not starving all the time. If the band is too tight, you won't tolerate food well at all (makes you vomit).

Hope this helps!