I had my first fill today! I'm so excited. He gave me a rather aggressive fill and put 3cc's in my 9cc Realize band. I'm thrilled! He usually doesn't give more than 2cc's on a first fill for his patients, but since I'm struggling and I've gained 5 pounds, he was a bit more aggressive with me.

I really hope I feel some restriction. I have no idea what restriction feels like. I've not had a bit of any restriction yet since I had my surgery. It's very disappointing.

My beef is that if I could have done this on my own without the band, then I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place. So far, I've convinced myself that the band is merely a placebo, and all band patients are just dieting like the pre-band days. Not sure what the big deal is about this band stuff anymore. I'm really nervous that I've fallen victim to some sort of scam by getting this band. I know that's not true, but that's how I feel. I just don't get how this thing is supposed to work.

So, I'm hoping I'll get a taste of this band stuff SOON now that I've been filled a pretty good amount for the first time. I'm excited and a bit scared that I'll be one of those who needs like 4 fills before restriction...and then I'll be angry because what in the heck was the point in getting this thing then? Aaarrgh!!! I'm frustrated, but I'm not angry. I'm not band-bashing, so don't get upset with me. I'm just confused and I'm just typing out my thoughts as they enter my head.

Give me some reassurance. Will this really work?

I finished out my day on purees, and I'll stick to soft foods tomorrow. Wednesday I hope to try regular foods and I'll post back to let you all know how things are going.

I had my first fill today! I'm so excited. He gave me a rather aggressive fill and put 3cc's in my 9cc Realize band. I'm thrilled! He usually doesn't give more than 2cc's on a first fill for his patients, but since I'm struggling and I've gained 5 pounds, he was a bit more aggressive with me.

I really hope I feel some restriction. I have no idea what restriction feels like. I've not had a bit of any restriction yet since I had my surgery. It's very disappointing.

Yay, grats on getting your fill. That's exciting, I hope you find it works better for you now. I understand your frustration - I too have had absolutely no restriction whatsoever with my band. Nothing. I don't get my first fill until March 13 (my surgery was Jan 23 ) so I have a ways to go before I get to have that feeling.

what no more post on this subject i feel the same way about this band shit and i self paid.

I had my second fill today and she put in 2cc for a total of 5 in a 10cc band. I can already tell a difference just with the liquids! I am doing pretty well and am excited because over the last week I felt NOTHING. I was eating everything in sight and before was doing fine. I wasn't really craving anything up until last week and then it was a free-for-all! Good luck and stick with it! I think that once you get close even those .1 adjustments make a difference!

getting my first fill in a few hours...nervous!

Congrats on your first fill! I have my first fill this afternoon, and I cannot wait. Since about 3 weeks after surgery, I have had little to no restriction! My doctor doesn't do fills until 6 weeks post-op, so I had to wait until this week. I lost about 18 pounds in the 3 weeks right after surgery...then NOTHING! I don't think I have gained, but then again, I have been scared to get on the scale! My jeans feel loose, so I will go by that.

I am expecting it to take 3-4 fills before I reach full, proper restriction. I am not in any rush. This is a lifestyle change. It took me 14 years to gain the weight, I will be happy to take a year to lose it.

what no more post on this subject i feel the same way about this band shit and i self paid.

That's not a very positive attitude. Did you do a lot of research before you had the surgery? Did you know they are put in EMPTY? You have to let your body heal before they can start filling it and giving you restriction. I'm sure you don't want it to slip!

Hang in there!

I am feeling it too, had 1cc put in on Friday for a total of 5cc's in the 10cc band.

I just can't believe I'm feeling restriction after my first fill! At first I thought it was a fluke, but it's not. Every food I eat, I can feel it. I just had oatmeal for lunch and I ate 3/4 of a cup before I stopped and I thought "Oh my god, I'm full". I know 3/4 of a cup sounds like a lot, but that's so much less than what I was eating pre-band. Also, I realize now that I definitely ate too much. I feel a bit too packed in there. I'll surely stop earlier at my next meal. It's all a learning process, right?

I'm just dancing over here! I'm so excited for this to finally be happening for me.

Hi Krista,

I am in the same boat as you. I have been so frustrated with my weight loss and no restriction. I see on the boards people are only eating a cup of food and they are starving after 2 hours but they won't eat anything because you are supposed to wait until 4. I think that is bull because if you are truly hungry then have a tblspn of PB or an egg just to fill you up. If I wanted to be anorexic I wouldn't of gotten the band.

I have had one fill so far and I felt somewhat restricted for the first week or two but now I am back to eating normal again. It is very frustrating but at the same time I know I am eating less than what I was before.

I am glad I have the band and I know it will work eventually. I just have to keep reminding myself that it will work and it is a tool not a lifestyle change.

Good Luck and keep going! You can do it!

I'm happy you posted this

I was banded on Jan 30th - first fill tomorrow.....

I agree - I feel it's just me telling myself to stop.... I dont feel any restriction....

Let us know how it works out....

Mamajava, I'm at just about the same place as you are (in more ways than one--I'm from Tecumseh, MI also. I was banded on 1-21-08 and for 3-1/2 weeks I had some sort of restriction, probably from the swelling. Hunger was minimal. Then, all of a sudden I was starving. Instead of eating 800 calories I quickly went to 1600 calories, although I was able to eat only healthy food during that spell. After my first fill yesterday (5cc in a 9cc Realize band) I felt some restriction right away, even with water. But, today there seems to be less restriction. Perhaps that is because I'm on pureed food today and the food slips through easily. Should know in a couple of days if I have 'real' restriction as you seem to have at this point. If you should want to meet and talk "bands" just PM me and I'll give you my email address.

getting my first fill in a few hours...nervous!

Hello SJK, can you advise where in trinidad do you get the fill (dr/hospital details). Thanks

I had my first fill yesterday. My band had 3cc at surgery and he put in 2cc yesterday for a total of 5cc. I did have alot of restriction after surgery, but find I can eat more now. I guess it was from swelling. I am loosing 1-2# a week, but I feel it's more from diet and exercise. When I had my fill yesterday I thought I would feel restriction right away, but I didn't. I asked him if he was sure he was in the port because I thought I felt pressure when he injected the saline and did not expect I would feel pressure if he was in my port and not under my skin. He says he knows he was in the port becuase he could feel the resistance of the rubber. So, I'm not sure what it's supposed to feel like. I guess I am able to go 4 hours between meals. I'm not really a morning eater. I usually have a small lunch and dinner. I have not had anything sweet since my surgery for fear I will crave sweets all over again. So basically I guess I am dieting. I do get full quicker, and I cannot eat red meat. So I guess that's restriction. I don't want to be so tight I can't swallow vitamins. How do you know that the fluid is in the port and not your abdomen. My doc does not use fluro when he does the fill? Am I the only one who wonders if its going into the band and not you abdomen? Diane

Hi Diane~

We are really similar....almost same height (I'm 5'6"); almost same starting weight (me~229); almost same surgery date (me~1/17/08). I had my first fill yesterday 2/28. He did not use floro to do my fill but used a sonogram/ultrasound machine to find the exact location of my port....marked in with pen on my belly. I was amazed to find that I had 2.4 cc put in at surgery (didn't have a clue)....and yesterday he put me at an even 5 cc in my 10 cc band. I will be on full liquids today and can really feel the restriction with each drink.....it's pretty cool! I'm happy to finally feel what restriction is like. Are you feeling the same as you did before your fill? I would think that this morning you'd be able to really notice a difference. If you are not sure or have some concerns....than don't hesitate to call your surgeon. This is an expensive tool....so make sure you are happy with it and getting the benefits of it working correctly. Keep us posted!!

Hi Tweenwaters'

I'm not sure. I definitely feel something, when I had lunch today I had a feeling midsternum that could have been restriction so I stopped eating after a small amount of salad. I will wait until Monday and she what happens. I am not over eating, but feel I am doing it on my own. He did not tell me to go on liquids after the fill, so last night I has a small dinner. But I am still happy I did this. It is holding me accountable and I think I will eventually feel restriction if I am not already. But when your Dr did the fill did you feel pressure at the port when he injected the saline? I asked my Dr. if he pulled back the syringe and got fluid back to know if he was in the port and he said you can't always do that with the new bands. But then how would you remove fluid if you had to? So, I'm not real sure, but I guess he knows what he doing:) Diane