I had my 1st fill on 1/4/08, and did the 2 days of liquids afterwards. I lost 2.5 lbs while on liquids. Then by Wed. of the next week, I was down another 1 lb. But by Friday am the scale said I'm up again 2 lbs. What is up with this? Does everyone weigh themselves daily? Ok, I must admit, last night was pizza night. I could eat three 4x4 pieces of pizza comfortably, and since I love pizza, I even managed to eat one more piece. Am I losing it? I would think after eating 2 pieces I would be full, but I wasn't. I have not experienced anything I am not able to eat, why is that? I wouldn't think after 1 week of my 1st fill I could eat that much. Can anyone tell me what is going on? I hate to think I need another restriction, but is that possible? Help, I really want this to work, and I know eating the pizza was wrong, and it should have been baked fish, but I LOVE PIZZA. That is how I got myself in this mess I'm sure. Its seems like since the banding I'm just eating less. I do stop when I'm full and have not experienced vomiting or getting anything stuck yet. I'm really looking to see if I am the only one experiencing this. If this applies to you, please reply.:eek:

you more and likely need another fill. usually with your first fill you get restriction more in the morning and afternoon and less at night. youll probably go thru a couple fills before you get the perfect restriction.

and remember just cause you can eat something right now doesnt mean you should. cause that wont help if ya do .lol

I too had my first fill on 1/2/08. It was 1.5 cc on a 4 cc band. I am watching my food intake and only eating 1/3 of what I used to eat. I'm eating solid protein first and very little carbs. But I've gained a pound!! I also never seem to be full. Occasionally if I don't chew things up enough or if I take too big a bite, I get that stuck feeling, but I never seem to be full. I need some helpful suggestions too.

Please reply.

Well, remember 1st and foremost that you will go through phases and hormonal changes monthly can cause weight gain. I tried to keep this in mind when I saw the scale go up a pound or two....just wait it out.

Having a fill doesn't mean you are adjusted to the correct amount. You may have to go back for another fill. We all hope we can be lucky enough to not have even 1 fill! Or hoping the first fill does the trick...but often times it does not.

Just enjoy yourself these next four weeks before you see your doc again for another adjustment. Meantime, try to re-learn how to eat. Get a jump on a new way of eating for nutrition and wellness.

pizza is a tough one...was my toughest. I would eat a bite...and then rationalize I could eat more/alot more and just slime it up. Yep, my children hated it when I ate pizza!

I got my fill of 5 cc (I think) on 12/28 and followed the 2 day liquids, 1 day mushies and thenfood. I can eat anything. I can swallow pills (large ones) I get hungry but I eat reasonably. I had to remind myself what I was trying to do (lose weight) For breakfast I may have a sausage biscuit or a slim fast and a banana or a shake. For lunch, I have a lean cuisine or a healthy choice frozen dinner. I snack on sugar free puddings in between all meals and then for dinner I eat tuna or a turkey burger (with bread) or a lean cuisine meal. And sugar free pudding for desert. I try to stay under a 1000 calories a day. I dont get on the scale daily but my clothes are getting looser and looser. I guess I will feel better when I have more restriction and not have to psych myself out not to eat too much. Because sometimes I slip. Now if I can only get on that tread mill 20 minutes a day (I am working on that)

It can take several fills before you feel adequate restriction to prevent hunger between meals. I just had my 2nd fill (have 2 cc in a 4 cc band) and can definitely tell the difference - have to eat smaller bites, chew more, eat more slowly - but am still getting hungry between meals. I deal with that by having Protein Snacks like LF cottage cheese, string cheese, SF/FF yogurt, or a Protein shake made with skim milk. Protein snacks keep me going longer than carb snacks.

My surgeon & nutritionist emphasized before surgery that I would have to make major changes to my eating and lifestyle in order to succeed, and they were right. I went through a lot to have this surgery and am determined to make it work, so I'm following my nutritionist's plan to the letter, exercising every day, and losing 1-2 lbs/week.

The band is only a tool. It won't solve all your problems - like food addiction and head hunger. I see a counselor every other week to deal with the emotional side of my eating. And I don't keep "bad" food in my house any more so I'm not tempted to eat the wrong things.

Jean

Jean,

Thanks for the output, and everyone else too. Maybe I should try getting rid of all the stuff in the house too. Good idea. And it wouldn't hurt me to exercise. I have Parkinsons Disease which limits my mobility, but I can walk. I'll have to start! I also think I will contact the doctor in a few weeks for another fill as suggested.

Thanks to all. P.S. Check out the recipie section, I've posted 2 good ones under low fat enchiladas. Try them, yummy!

Debbie, its gonna sound wierd, but you may get more restriction in a week or so. Mine takes 2 weeks to tighten up and then its "game on".

It will be hard, but pizza isnt a good food choice. LOL

I make a generic version out of whole wheat pita and sauce from the lo-carb connection. You can add turkey pepperoni, onions, green peppers and stuff like that. I've only had this once since being banded, but its pretty good.

The band is like an invisible belt around our stomach. It is like an XL with notches and when placed during surgery is at the biggest notch. At first the "belt" might be tight due to swelling from the surgery. The swelling goes down and the belt isn't tight anymore.

Now the surgeon can't "see" the belt inside you, so when they do the first fill, ( lets say it's like moving the belt one notch over) they can;t tell if it's too tight or not. so they wait and see by how much you can eat etc.

So the next fill, your belt gets moved another Notch and the same process continue unitl you get restriction or your belt fits. Then you lose some weight from getting the right restriction and the belt gets loose, just like your real belt, so you fill it again. Eventually, you remain at one final size and your belt fits everyday!

That's the way I like to visualize my band inside of me and I am also waiting and getting fills until I get the one that starts to feel tight.

Like a real belt, if you cinched it all the way to the tightest notch right away and your stomach isn't small enough, you'd barely be able to breath ( in this case, even keep liquids down).

This is how I explain my band to people that don't understand how it works.

The band is like an invisible belt around our stomach. It is like an XL with notches and when placed during surgery is at the biggest notch. At first the "belt" might be tight due to swelling from the surgery. The swelling goes down and the belt isn't tight anymore.

Now the surgeon can't "see" the belt inside you, so when they do the first fill, ( lets say it's like moving the belt one notch over) they can;t tell if it's too tight or not. so they wait and see by how much you can eat etc.

So the next fill, your belt gets moved another Notch and the same process continue unitl you get restriction or your belt fits. Then you lose some weight from getting the right restriction and the belt gets loose, just like your real belt, so you fill it again. Eventually, you remain at one final size and your belt fits everyday!

That's the way I like to visualize my band inside of me and I am also waiting and getting fills until I get the one that starts to feel tight.

Like a real belt, if you cinched it all the way to the tightest notch right away and your stomach isn't small enough, you'd barely be able to breath ( in this case, even keep liquids down).

This is how I explain my band to people that don't understand how it works.