I was banded at the end of August and really haven't felt any restriction. I just had my first fill last week of 1 cc. How many ccs does it take to really feel full? I am working on listening to my body and my fullness but it is seriously hard. I am worried I am not losing weight fast enough.

It takes a bit to get to that sweet spot and everyone is different! It took me until about the 3rd or 4th fill where I was convienced I was different, but everyone is not the same!

This part of bandster living is not fun, waiting to find the sweet spot sucks, but you can find it and make it worth with paitence!

I was banded almost 2 years ago. My doc puts in very little every time. I've goe for 6 fills and the 6th one was the charm. I was loosing about 4lbs every 6 or so weeks - pretty slow but after the 6th "fill" I've been averaging 1-2 lbs per week. Eating is getting pretty difficult but the weight is coming off pretty good. Hang in there - you will be able to tell the difference after the 3 days of liquid. Believe me - do the 3 days or you could be VERY sick. Hang in there....remember, the turtle still made it to the finish line even if it took him a long time.

Sort of like asking, How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop. I am getting ready to go in for fill 11 I think and I am still not to the sweet spot. As you lose your body changes and you have fat in places you wouldn't think. So as you lose the fat around your stomach you made need more fills.

I just keep saying at least the hard part of the surgery is over. Now it is just a shot in the stomach to keep fine tuning it. I know it can seem to take a while but when it hits you, it hits!

This is just a guess, but I'm guessing some doctors are more aggressive with some patients than others, and doctors that don't do flouro are less likely to give a big fill, as they aren't sure when the stoma is closed. From my appointment this morning, I watched my doctor block all liquid getting through my band and then crank it back a "couple of notches" so some liquid made it through...not a lot though. I know this is my first fill and I've got a lot of experience to go, but I don't honestly see how he could fill my band much further (although he said he could restrict me more, if I wanted).

I was banded at the end of August and really haven't felt any restriction. I just had my first fill last week of 1 cc. How many ccs does it take to really feel full? I am working on listening to my body and my fullness but it is seriously hard. I am worried I am not losing weight fast enough.

Nobody knows because everybody is different.

I am with you bergdorfblonde....I was banded in August and haven't lost too much either yet...about 16lbs so far. God I hope i am not one of those extremely slow losers. Right after my fill there was no way I would even attempt anything with bread involved. It has been two weeks now and it is much loser. I still won't pick up a roll, but anything toasted is okay. I have already figured out how to eat around the band......bad, bad, very bad. I need to not do that. I am going to be my own worst enemy with this.....Regardless though I am still eating less than I could before the surgery and that is bound to cause me to lose weight, we just have to hang in there until we find that sweet spot too. Its tough, I feel like I have waited so long to get the darn thing, I want results overnight

I am with you bergdorfblonde....I was banded in August and haven't lost too much either yet...about 16lbs so far. God I hope i am not one of those extremely slow losers. Right after my fill there was no way I would even attempt anything with bread involved. It has been two weeks now and it is much loser. I still won't pick up a roll, but anything toasted is okay. I have already figured out how to eat around the band......bad, bad, very bad. I need to not do that. I am going to be my own worst enemy with this.....Regardless though I am still eating less than I could before the surgery and that is bound to cause me to lose weight, we just have to hang in there until we find that sweet spot too. Its tough, I feel like I have waited so long to get the darn thing, I want results overnight

Being at your sweet spot does not equate to weight loss if you are eating around your band - If you are going to do that - why did you get banded - You must learn to change your eating habits or the band will be a failure like all the other diets you have been on before - this is not the magic cure to your weight loss issues... You have to do some of the work too...

If you would make healthy food choices and exercise - the weight will come off - I was banded in July and am down 39 lbs - and i am almost twice your age - but i am working at this with a little help from my band as I am not at my sweet spot yet....

I spent alot of $$$ and had tons of preop test - I want a healthly life so I am doing the work to get there...

It all depends on how much you really want it (weight loss) but it's not going to happen over night - and it won't happen until you are committed to a healthlier lifestyle...

indiogirl you are right. Absolutely. It is extremely hard to change old habits, but it has to be done. I thank god that I have the band and I know it is going to work for me. Maybe I just needed someone to tell me like it is and to knock it off.....thanks for that! I think I am back on track....

It took me 5 fills to finally get restriction.

My question is.. my first fill is in 2 days.. what is the difference between now, where I am eating way less than I used to about 900 cal a day-without restriction and when restriction is reached? I feel like I should be losing at least 1-2 lbs a week and I am not losing anything right now- everyone says the loss will start after the fill- I am just trying to visualize the why?? besides the obvious you eat less.. any input??

Fill question - when your doctor does your fill, are you actually under the floroscope while he's doing it? My doctor does a fill, and then I have to go to another office in the building and drink fluid under the floroscope to see if the liquid goes through OK.

my doc fills under floro, so we both get to watch the barium go down. It's pretty darn cool.

Hello,

I got banded on 09/17 and got my 1st fill on 10/15 they put 1.5 cc, so altogether as of now i have 5.5 cc in my band. The strange thing is i am eating more than before the fill..Any reasons why that could be??

First fill was ZIP. Second fill was "HO HUM". Third fill was 2.8...."Uh, wait a minute....let's think about this for a second. Is it...could it be? Could THIS be what it is supposed to be like? I feel so CLOSE!" and 4th fill was "Thanks Doc, just a light top off please....we're right THERE!" and it has been heaven ever since. I have a 4cc band and I think I am around 2.9 or something. Everyone is totally different. I am envious of those folks who have had their bands for a long time and NEVER needed ANY fill....wow, what a bonus! My biggest fear was that I'd get filled right up to 4 and nothing would happen. HA! Not so! When you start to get close to your sweet spot, it takes just a SKOSH to get a perfect constriction.

Kacee can you describe what it feels like for you, how do you know you are at perfect restriction? I know it is different for everyone, but I am just trying to get a feel for what to expect. I have had 1 fill so far, I have some restriction, not much but enough that I wouldn't try to eat for example a tuna fish sandwich instead of just the tuna fish. I go for my second fill on Friday and am just wondering what to expect with the next fills.