I have been having problems with the side of my knee, finally went to the doctor yesterday and she told me to take 600mg of ibuprofen every 6-8 hours until i go see the orthopedic doctor on wednesday.

Now, since i started this regime, i havent felt full at ALL.. you think that all this ibuprofen to make the swelling in my leg go down has made my stomach swelling go back down to normal so i have like 0 restriction?

I am still keeping my portions small, but the full feeling is DEFINITELy not there anymore at all.

Well...hmm...I dont know about that. Maybe its because you've healed? I noticed today, that im drinking Water in larger gulps and more frequently and i havent noticed a thing.

It's almost like I didnt have surgery. Maybe its because we're healing and all that? I dont know...

This is part of the whole process. Many of us feel some mild restriction the first week to possibly the third week, as we lose weight the fat pad around the stomach shrinks and our bands get looser and we get hungrier. Swelling around the band following surgery goes down and that contributes to it as well.

Then we need our fill. Depending on our body in general and how much fill we get ( Dr's don;t want to over fill) we might get some restriction again until the band loosens once again and we repeat the process until we get to the right fill amount.

Read the post by Wendell on the Main Lap Band page on how the band works... it describes fills so well. that post made the light bulb go off in my head!

We all get so afraid, after so many failed attempts at other methods to lose weight that we are failing at this one, too. But the band is a process and for many of us, it takes time.

A few lucky ones never need a fill or get great restriction from one or two fills. Others need 5 to 7 fills!

We are the same impatient people who thought the microwave was taking too long to heat up our food! LOL!

Yeah, i knew i was gonna lose restriction before my first fill when i healed.

Just thought it ironic that i lost restriction the day i started the ibuprofen regime for my knee.

Ahh well, i go in for my first fill on the 22nd.

I feel your pain. I lost my restriction about the end of the second week I guess due to the swelling going down. I can basically eat what I want again but am trying to be good and follow a regiment.

I lost a lot of weight (for me) the first 2 weeks now I just pray I don't gain any back before my fill. I doubt there will be any additional weight loss until then:-(

Patience isn't one of my virtues either. . .

I feel the same way! I was banded 12/12 and I'm really getting hungry- frustrated with the mushies and thinking about eating again. I don't want to gain back any of the weight I lost; 10 pounds in the last three weeks and twenty before that... I really felt like I was cruising right along and now, just feel stagnant and hungry. But I know this will take time and I am not a patient person and like results, although I am trying to be patient! None of the mushies "turn me on" either. I am looking forward to my fill on January 24! Until then, maybe it'll get better when I go to solids on January 8! I know how to diet on solids; it's these mushies that confound me! Thanks for the support everyone!

kp

246/224/217/140

I would guess that the ibuprofen helped things along. When I asked my coordinator about taking it for the shoulder pain because I thought it might help with the swelling around that nerve everyone keeps talking about, she said it will help all swelling go down and to be careful. It also irritates the stomach so beware of that while it is healing. She suggested childrens liquid and to take the adult dose listed on the package. Said it would be easier on the stomach. I would guess that 600 mg is 600 mg whether you take it in pill form or liquid.

Between the anti-inflammitory and the healing process I would guess everything is back to "normal" and that is why you can no longer feel that fullness that you were. I'm 24 days out and there is absolutely nothing filling me up anymore. My nutrition packet (I reread last night) said not to worry and try to limit my meals to 1 cup of volume, not to sit in front of the tv to eat, and to make sure I'm not drinking Water for at least 30 mins after eating. All those can contribute to the problem.

Good Luck. Let us know how things are going.

Steph