I went in to get my third fill recently. I was at 6.0cc in a 10cc AP Lapband and eating 1 cup of food or just a hair more than that at each meal plus Snacks in between. However, I was still losing 2.3 pounds per week average according to them although I could SWEAR they have my previous weight down wrong.

I was denied a fill since I was still losing, although that's due to me exercising myself crazy so I will keep losing. While I agree that that's a better way to lose than restricting eating, I'm burning out hardcore and cannot sustain this level of activity. It needs to go down a notch. I just hate to stop losing before I get the fill.

I'm now eating about a cup and 1/3 at every meal plus snacks. Right after my second fill I was down to half a cup. This now seems like SO much food. It also makes it very difficult to keep my calorie intake low since the food quantity isn't terribly small. Any slip-ups and I'm done for.

I know the band is a tool and all but it sure seems like I'm not getting to use my tool terribly well right now.

At the beginning of talking to my doctor, I told them I wasn't getting hungry between meals but that was wrong. I mis-spoke since I was thinking of my in-between snacks as meals. When I pointed that out to my doctor she said "Oh now you're changing your story. why do you want a fill so much?" and she got very mean like I was lying to her. I just mis-spoke. I eat three meals a day plus 2 to 3 snacks. I tried to explain it to her and that I just felt that a small fill would help it from being so on edge with being too much. She said that even a small fill would make me have malnutrition. Does a small fill when you're eating a cup to a hair over a cup really make you go below half a cup?

I remember having restriction after my second fill and I was doing great. That's gone now though but my doctor doesn't seem to believe me.

I'm very frustrated that my doctor thinks I'm a liar and was very rude to me. She isn't my surgeon. I think she is his assistant or something.

I will probably try to wait a couple of weeks and call in to get a fill appointment and hopefully I can get one then. My weight loss is slowing down quickly. I do still have restriction but it's so so so much less than it used to be.

So back to the topic title. I'm curious how much food you guys eat when at your sweet spot. My doctor says 1/2 cup to a cup is the sweet spot. I was under the impression that it was closer to 1/2 cup.

I just really feel from the way she got hateful and rude that she thinks I'm mis-representing my food intake to get tighter. I dread going back now and I'm really unhappy that I have to feel dread going to get fills like I'm being interrogated and like they are looking for me to slip up in what I say.

I'd love to hear from you guy's experience. I'm new to the band and have only had good restriction for a couple of weeks so far. I need some more fill or I'm gonna poop out on exercising. I'm doing far more than my doctor even suggests. Just a little fill is all I want! I want to use my tool combined with exercise like it's intended to be... or so I thought.

Thank you guys for any input. It's great here! :eek:

this is semi off subject, but goes along a little with the previous post..i'm still not at my sweet spot, but my 7 year old eat 3 times more than me...and he does not have a weight problem.

this is semi off subject, but goes along a little with the previous post..i'm still not at my sweet spot, but my 7 year old eat 3 times more than me...and he does not have a weight problem.

Your 3 year old has a different metabolic rate to yours. If you could get your metabolism to go like a runaway train like his does, you wouldn't need any help shedding the pounds. :frown:

Your 3 year old has a different metabolic rate to yours. If you could get your metabolism to go like a runaway train like his does, you wouldn't need any help shedding the pounds. :frown:

amen to that!!! actually if i could get my butt to move like his (he's 7) then i wouldn't need any help with shedding the pounds. he never stops moving!!!!

Why are doctor's so afraid of patients making decisions like this? Do they think we are completely stupid? Why would we want to be overfilled? How much fun is PB'ing and pain? Why can't they trust us to determine what our sweet spot is and when we need another fill? Geesh, they act like we are all out to get away with something. I very much feel for you, dustout.

Why are doctor's so afraid of patients making decisions like this? Do they think we are completely stupid? Why would we want to be overfilled? How much fun is PB'ing and pain? Why can't they trust us to determine what our sweet spot is and when we need another fill? Geesh, they act like we are all out to get away with something. I very much feel for you, dustout.

each doctor is totally different, but my doctor puts it in our hands, and gives us a little guide to go by: if you can eat more than 10 bites of solid food; if you can eat more than 1/2 sandwich with white bread; if you are hungry between meals & you are not eating soft foods; if you feel the desire to snack; if you are consuming more than 800 calories..............it might be time for a fill.

if you have night cough or acid reflux at all it IS time for an unfill. if you cannot swallow liquids for more than 24 hours it IS time for an unfill. if you can not swallow your own spit it IS time for the emergency room :smile:.

amen to that!!! actually if i could get my butt to move like his (he's 7) then i wouldn't need any help with shedding the pounds. he never stops moving!!!!

My mistake there, I got his age mixed up with the amount of food he was eating . I wish I had my son's energy level too. There's only one of him, but I swear he can run in 3 different directions at once when I'm trying to round him up for something. :smile:

yeah isn't it great...he can't even be still for me to comb his hair.. he literally climbs our walls (literally..in the hall all the way to the ceiling)....

maybe one day after this 100 lbs isn't weighing me down, then i will have some energy too.

You're the customer TELL them what you want. Everything is negoitiable, so maybe they say they will only give you .2cc's and you say .5 and call it a deal at .4 or something.

For me, I am still struggling to figure out my "sweet spot". I have had 4 fills and can eat about 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time, depending on the food. My issue is snacking, which I have to find other ways to deal with stress that drives me to snack.

What we need is a HeadBand. I am working on it.

Come on folks I have been at this for 200+ lbs now and I can tell you that the psychological reasons you got heavy will be in your face as you lose weight.

FACE them!! Embrace them.

Then when they are not looking gather them all up, put them in a weighted suitcase and throw them deep and far into the ocean.

Then put up a sign that says NO FISHING!

Move on and make it permanent. (as much as you can).

Couch sessions available upon request..

HI Everyone,

TulipStar, I agree with you when coming to some agreement with the doctor with how much fill you want. My last fill we settled on .3cc. Lo and behold that did the trick. I had my second restriction with 5 tries. I still can eat a nice portion of food; 4oz of Protein, 4oz of veggies, 2 - 3oz of carbs. My next fill is 2/6, I want a .2cc fill which should put me at a restriction where I hope I can eat 1/2 - 1 cup of food. Since that is what they say we should only be able to eat. For I am not losing the 2lbs a week like they say I should.

I've already felt the sliming, saliva and PB'ing. Horrible, horrible feeling. Someone suggested to me to drink hot tea or eat a small bite of food about 10 minutes before a meal. The hot tea did help. So I've been doing that first thing in the morning.

Just Tuesday past, I was able to eat a pastrami sandwich on whole wheat bread. And I wasn't really hungry. I should not of been able to eat 1/2 of that sandwich. So, I know I'm not at my sweet spot.

Lost only 5lbs since 1/2. So hope this next fill is it for a long while.

As for the doctors givning small fills, it's a $$$$ thing. It's $350 a visit that's billed to my insurance co. But, also to get you to a retriction slowly. But, preventive medicine compared to the illness get if we didn't have the band.

Well, hope everyone have a successful weekend.

Just my 2 cents worth but:

There are many places you can get a fill, just like other companies the Dr. has to earn and compete for your business. I would sit down or write a letter to the Dr. and tell them you are looking to find another place to get your fills, NOT because of him., but because....share your experience and how it made you feel. Explain that it is a hard enough journey for you and it is upsetting to have the added stress by rude comments like you received and you find it insulting. Were your fills included with your band placement? If so you might just go directly to the Dr. tell your experience, and request someone else give your fills.

Everyone is different and one person may require more fills then another does. I think it is understandable what your saying about Snacks and meals. You were just thinking how long between when you eat.

Sorry you are having this experience. Keep us posted how things turn out and do not let this lady bring you down.

Sweet spot?

To me the "sweet spot" is where you have the best of both worlds. That is you lose weight by following the eating program but are not so tight you have discomfort.

I think you are doing what I call testing your band. I mean really a sandwhich?A pastrami no less!! I sugest you go back to liquids for a couple days then start back eating the bandster way and get your mind completely around eating as you know you should. There is just no place for a pastrami sandwhich. You should never had even tried it. The band will not work for you if you dont "work it" .. If you continue to eat sandwhiches and non band friendly food you will stretch your esophagus and develop a second tummy no a pouch. You should be eating around 900 - 1000 calories a day. Are you? Keep a diary of what and when you eat. Do you drink the water you are supposed to be drinking? Do you get all your protien 50 - 75 grams a day? Stop testing your band and get back on track. The band won't do it by itself.....

My doctor won't give me more than .3cc fill at a time. And it's always my doctor that gives my fill. The asst. only takes the basic info. b/p, weight and intake info of food intake since the previous fill. That info usually determine how much of a fill he'll give me.

That's the first time and the last time I'll test the band like that. My fill last December put me closer to a restriction than I've been since being banded. It was scary to of gotten that far with that sandwich. Of course I was too full for dinner. It was just Water for the balance of the day.

My next fill is 2/6 so, I won't dare test the band like that. For I've already experienced what PBing is and everything else that goes with overeating.

So as you said, that sweet spot, where you have the best of both worlds... a good restriction . Then I can see that 8 - 10 lb per month weight loss that's suppose to take place when you're restricted.

I've learned my lesson with that test. Didn't come this far to just mess up on a test like that. It's not worth it.

I am getting a little upset as well with my dr. he only give .5cc at a time I tried last time and the asst. talked me out of it so when I call sometime next wk. I am going to try and insist on more I have free fills for 90 days at this rate it will take more then the 90 days to hit my sweet spot I only have 1.5 cc in now in a 10cc band.I think I would rather be a little over filled and have to get an unfill this to cont. on with this .5cc crap at a time, I can eat as much as I want w/ no problems though I don't I stop myself thank God himself. just needed to vent on this subject thanks