I'm beginning to become very, very discouraged. I've heard and read so many stories of people needing 3-6 fills before ever having any restriction. That could take months! I'm really hoping I'll have restriction earlier, but now I'm getting the impression that it's not very common for that to happen. I'm worried it will be 6 months or more before I ever get any restriction and really begin losing weight. Please vote in this poll, and if you've had restriction very quickly after 1-2 fills, please tell your story so some of us have hope that we may be as lucky as you!

Don't despair. It will come. I had ZERO restriction after the first fill (so much so they let me come back the next week). I felt a little restriction for #2 but it waned by the end of the month. But I was ACTIVELY losing almost 2 pounds a week and that is a LOT. It was hard for the band to keep up. Your fill will dissipate faster while you are really losing the weight because the fat around your stomach where the band is will continue shrinking. Third fill was THE turning point. 4th Fill was the topper to the sweet spot. Don't fret. You have the rest of your LIFE to do this! It's not a race. Actually, if you got 100% restriction right out of the gate you might freak. This gives you the opportunity to train yourself during the process.

I was lucky to get some restriction from the first fill. Everyone is different. I agree with Kacee though. It may require some patience to get to your sweet spot, but it will come. You can also lose weight before you get restriction. It will be hard and requires the same kind of self discipline that an old fashioned diet requires. I know, we aren't very good at those, but I'm just saying, you can follow the band rules and still lose weight while you are waiting on restriction. (I see you have already lost 12 pounds! yeah!) When you do get some restriction it will be easier. I would say that most people do lose weight from the time they start their preop diet until they get restriction. If you're following the rules, it is hard not to start losing. Don't worry. I was bummed because my doc made me wait 8 weeks for my first fill and I was hungry alot. I stuck it out and that is all a distant memory now. Don't get discouraged. You have done a great thing for yourself and the results will begin to show before you know it.

Once you get some restriction, it can disappear again. As you lose weight the band will get looser and you'll need another fill. I just had my third fill. First two did nothing. I am just starting soft food again after two days of liquids aftet the third fill, so I am just starting to see if I have any restriction with this fill. I know even if I do have some, it won't last. As I lose weight, I'll need another. I have been getting fills about every two weeks and I hope I can start stretching them out to every month.

Until we get some restriction, we must really just diet like we used to and use some willpower.

i have a little restriction after my first fill. i think that i will need my second one though because somedays i can eat more. but i have to say that if i stick to how much they tell me to eat i usually stay full depending on what it is. for example i had a protein shake for lunch and i was really full for two hours then bam i was starving. my nutrionist also told me today to eat a small snack in between meals because i sometimes crash after i eat a meal which may be hyperglycemia.

andrea