This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band.

The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band.

Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band.

Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.

The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:

1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.

2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.

3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.

4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.

5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.

6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.

7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.

Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater.

It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

Thank you!!!! This is the best explanation I've seen/heard yet.

Thank you so much for posting!

Please help w/this ? I am about in tears trying to figure all this out. If you chew chew chew so the food does not get stuck then it must go through to the bigger part of your stomache, in this case u can still eat alot. I have had 5 fills I can eat tons still as long as I really chew and I do eat alot. I have only lost 20 pounds in 8 months I thought I understood how this works but I am know cofused.

Barney, Chewing is neccessary to keep from getting stuck. Yes, it will allow it to go through the band, but when your fill is just right, it will slow it down enough that you get the satiated feeling after eating a small amount.

I have not lost any since getting re-banded (long story found on other threads) except the initial 5 lbs. I just got my second fill, but the key to loosing for those of us who haven't quiet arrived at the sweet spot with our fills is to measure our food. :angry:Eat no more than a cup of food starting with protein 3-4 times a day. Keep your carbs low, avoid sugar, bread and pasta. Also potatoes and other soft foods should be last on the list. I am at 215 now and need to keep my calories less than 1200 and carbs less than 60 to loose. When I was 350 I lost like crazy on 1800 to 2000 cals per day. The band doesnt do it all for us, it just helps. I am so looking forward to getting to my sweet spot, but I am having to work harder at it right now to just maintain and I have not been willing enough to actually loose. :smile2: I started solid foods yesterday and realize that my restriction is not adequate as I am able to eat far too much, so I will have to measure and work harder to follow the rules of band eating another month, while I give my body a chance to see whether or not it will tighten up and not actually need more fill or if I have to go back for another.

There is a really wise bandster on Yahoo groups who says frequently, "Just because you can, don't mean you should!" :smile2: I have to remind myself of that often.

Good luck to you,

Corliss

It is very confusing because there is a fine line between being too tight and not tight enough - I was getting fills about once a month because I could eat too much - my last one was back in June - only .25 and that did it - I can barely drink my protein shake in the morning - can only eat a small amount of food and food still gets stuck if I don't chew it enough- the thing that still confuses me is that even with all this restriction and not eating much food at all compared to what I was eating before I am losing weight so slow - only 22 lbs in a year. I had 50 to lose so I guess I shouldn't complain but I thought I would be at my goal weight by now - I must not have any metabolism and yes I do exercise a lot.

The less you have to lose the slower you are going to lose, and you said yourself that you just got your fill right in June, okay, so now you will pick up a bit. Just think at this rate, you will be at goal in another year, or at least within 3 lbs of it! I have to remind myself of this too, lol! I need to loose 45 and it sure is major hard compared to loosing when I had over 200 to lose.

Good luck to you,

Corliss

There is a really wise bandster on Yahoo groups who says frequently, "Just because you can, don't mean you should!" :smile2: I have to remind myself of that often.

I've been telling myself this same thing for the last few days!

"Just because there are chocolate bars in the candy dish at work doesnt mean I have to eat them."

"Just because I made WAY too much dinner, doesnt mean I have to have seconds."

"Just because all there is in the fridge to drink is koolaid, beer and Water doesnt mean I skip the water and go for the other two."

"Just because the kids want ice cream doesnt mean I have to have some."

I hope this philosophy helps, because sometimes I feel I'm drowning in things I shouldnt have... if that makes sense.

i my fill back on 9-15-09 and i could not tell the differents. my start weight was 222 down to 207, back to 208, 209 back to 207. im really wondering is this going to work for me. i dont ever fill full, but i limit myself to what i eat. even though i feel like i can eat a whole hamburger but, i dont do it, i can control myslef. i have lose like 9 inch, but i want to lose weight. i also work out 4 days a week, about 1 hr. please e-mail back @enmu20@aol.com...thanks again

I feel stupid asking this question, but here goes. My PA that does my fills says my pouch should 4 oz's of food. My confusion is there is a big difference between 4 oz's on a scale and 4 oz's as in 1/4 of a cup. Can anyone tell me which one it is. In due for another fill Nov 10.

i my fill back on 9-15-09 and i could not tell the differents. my start weight was 222 down to 207, back to 208, 209 back to 207. im really wondering is this going to work for me. i dont ever fill full, but i limit myself to what i eat. even though i feel like i can eat a whole hamburger but, i dont do it, i can control myslef. i have lose like 9 inch, but i want to lose weight. i also work out 4 days a week, about 1 hr. please e-mail back @enmu20@aol.com...thanks again

Sounds like you are building muscle. Muscle weighs just as much as fat does but takes up WAY less room. My dietician told me that a person can weigh 150 lbs and wear a size 10 or weigh 150 lbs and wear a size 3. Which would you rather wear??? Ha! At this point, i'd be MORE than satisfied in a size 10! The size 3 sounds like a pipe dream! haha :confused:

Anyway, I went a whole month and didnt lose anything; in spite of the vigorous workouts, and was so disappointed. I decided to get measured and I had lost inches... so its all good. Keep up the good work and keep losing those inches!

Eventually, you should get to a spot where if you get any more fills, it will be hard to eat and you will be limited as to what you can eat.

Some people like a very tight band. I had some taken out, because I couldn't stand being so limited as to what I could eat.

Everyone says as long as you are losing, don't get another fill.

i think i have been over filled 1 spoon is enough and sometimes that comes up

I feel stupid asking this question, but here goes. My PA that does my fills says my pouch should 4 oz's of food. My confusion is there is a big difference between 4 oz's on a scale and 4 oz's as in 1/4 of a cup. Can anyone tell me which one it is. In due for another fill Nov 10.

It's measured in volume, not weight.

4 oz = 1/2 measuring cup.

i think i have been over filled 1 spoon is enough and sometimes that comes up

Absolutely, you're over filled. You're in danger of a band slip if you don't get some saline removed.

Yes, this was great, i had my first fill on 10/2/09 and really could not tell a difference; I feel something sometimes and sometimes, I dont, I just dont eat over a cup of food and I have stopped losing since banded on 8/17/09; I have requested another fill; but wont be able to get it until 11/4/09; hoping that I can maintain the discipline until then, so far, I have lost 27 pounds; but no more; any suggestions; intially, I got 2.5cc's. Help

Sounds like you are building muscle. Muscle weighs just as much as fat does but takes up WAY less room. My dietician told me that a person can weigh 150 lbs and wear a size 10 or weigh 150 lbs and wear a size 3. Which would you rather wear??? Ha! At this point, i'd be MORE than satisfied in a size 10! The size 3 sounds like a pipe dream! haha :thumbup::yikes:

Anyway, I went a whole month and didnt lose anything; in spite of the vigorous workouts, and was so disappointed. I decided to get measured and I had lost inches... so its all good. Keep up the good work and keep losing those inches!

Hi,

I am having the same problem right now; working out; not eating over; and have not lost any weight in two weeks and was becoming disappointed; I decied to try and exercise with weights this week. Stay enocuraged you're doing good. :biggrin:

It's measured in volume, not weight.

4 oz = 1/2 measuring cup.

Thanks Kiz, ive lost 42 lbs since getting my band in Nov of 08, but seem to be at a standstill. Guess ill be getting another fill, i can eat more then a half cup of food.

I am 25 months post op now. I ahve not lost any ral weight in a year now. I lost my first 100 pounds and then nothing more since then. I exercise daily and watch my diet as I call it. I ahve a 10 cc band with only now just over 4 ccs in it. I had 5 1/4 but I had to get an unfil for I swelled up after my lst fill and had to have some removed. It seems everytime I get 5ccs or more I run into problems with vomiting and I tend to swell up after my fill but not right away, sometimes two weeks after the fact and then I run into trouble. I regurtate, reflux in my sleep and I acnnot figure out why this happens all the time. I ahve had numerious upper GI's done and at times it shows me being too tight and then at other times i am not. I just don't get it. I am thinking about asking my surgeon about why I am failing all the time and how about a new band or bypass surgery. can you band become un cooperative after awhile? and needs to be replaced wit6ha new one. Right not my band looks normal, no bulgings, or anything else.