Hi, All~

I had my first fill a few weeks ago--3.5 in Realize. I've lost 26 pounds total and about 2-3 pounds weekly since banding. I've been regimented regarding the food intake....until the past few days. I have had moments of feeling ravenous.

Also, I have consistently been able to eat more than suggested. My nutrition handbook says each of the three meals should total only 2-4 ounces, ie 1/4-1/2 cup of food. But I can consume twice that amount.

I chew small bites very thoroughly and slowly and find that I can eat twice that, ie 3/4- 1 cup of food before feeling full.

I thought this suggested I need more restriction, but the nutritionist said the soft foods pass through faster and when I begin adding more Fiber, I will feel full on less food.

I am eating apples and toast, had my first Lean Cuisine yesterday (chicken medallions and creamy spinach).

I've never had a blockage or PB.

When I feel full, I feel "short-winded," like my diaphragm might be impacted. I am struggling with WHEN TO STOP EATING, ie what fullness feels like.

Meeting with nutritionist next week and wondring if I should request an additional fill.

Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

Best!

D

You seem very in tune with whatyou are feeling as you approach the "full" point.

What has been more difficult for me, and yet has proven to be a serious difference----is not working to become full, but rather to stop when the hunger is gone.

Most of us live in a manner that if we do this and find ourselves starving in 2 hours, we can find something to eat then. We are not limited to grabbing that handful of food or doing without.

If I stop before feeling FULL---then I find my hunger is eased for just as long, as if I eat til I am at capacity. I have found I get a little sniffly when I get to that point. It is not serious, and if I am not paying attention---like if eating with others--I will miss it. So when I am with other people, I will section off some of my food, and figure that is about what I usually eat to get sated, then after I eat that....I just put my fork down, and visit for awhile, and see how I feel. I usually feel no need to keep eating. If I don't make a concious decision to do that though, I keep taking tiny bites, and easily end up eating another 1/2 cup of food, that I obviously don't need.

Like I said in the beginning, you seem very attuned to your own body and how you react--discuss this with both the nutritionist and your Dr. They are much better at deciding if you are ready for more restriction than I am.....I was just sharing my way of slowing the amount I actually take in.

You are doing remarkable!! Well on your way to goal!!!

Kat

It sounds like you need a fill. If you can consume 3/4 to 1 cup of food that is too much. Go get another fill and keep going back until you can only eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food. However, if you are losing on 3/4 to 1 cup it will be up to you whether you want more restriction. You are doing very well on that level. Good luck.

Hi there,

Sounds as though we are in the same boat, I had my first fill

on the 3 March,

And have felt no restriction at all, At first I thought it was all in my head, so I gave it a week and now heading back in

on tuesday to get another fill,

My doc was great as he said this may happen and not to be scared

to come back in, thats what it is all about listening to your

body, I too can easy eat a steak with no retriction

I'm eating heaps less though.

Good luck :eek:

Banded 22 Jan 2008

Lost 10kg

Well, I met with the nutritionist and client advocate (banded 5 years ago and has kept off <100 lbs). they were not concerned about the quantity of food I'm eating.

When I weighed, I'd lost 8 pounds over the past two weeks....and not exercised yet.

I've been very cautious about broadening the list of foods and was reminded to begin avoiding the soft foods now ....to start chewing more. I even tried a little untoasted bread today.

I return in two weeks. If I'm ravenous before then or don't lose weight, I'll ask for a fill.

Otherwise, if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?

Maybe I just have a more active metabolism. I was extremely active for 3 of the past 4 years--training hard 2-3x week, hiking a LOT (like sometimes 13 hours), and bellydanced for a year.

Maybe, just maybe, my metabolism is still on the more active side, and that's why I could lose weight eating more food.

My foods also were healthy. I eat a lot of fish and steamed veggies. The only processed foods are string cheese, canned turkey chili, and refried Beans.

Well, we shall see...it's a process I've just begun.

Happy,

Deneicy

ps. And thank you all again for the great tips and king words.

Kat, that's funny how you described your sensation just before fullness--"feeling sniffly." I notice I feel kind of short-winded. Maybe that's what some call "pressure." I just feel it in my breath.

Ahhhh, the breath... :blushing:

Ommmmm, I'm full. ; )

DeNeice

ps And, Kat, I appreciated what you said about eating until sated rather than stuffed. That makes sense, and if we don't get hungry sooner....why not consume fewer calories....unless the body actually NEEDS more.

I am getting down. I can eat and eat and eat. I have had 3 fills, conservative ones. I feel no restriction. I had been eating to soft of foods and now have tried more solid foods but still do not have the full feeling after small amounts. It is as if my head is not telling me I am full. I know I should not eat anymore but yet I continue. Thinking I will feel full and know to stop but no I do not.

OK, so I hear what you are saying - you aren't experiencing restriction and you are disappointed and I can truly empathise and sympathise with you.

But....

There are lots of things what we can do but choose not to do. Before you were banded your surgeon probably told you to lose some weight, and almost certainly required you to follow a set restrictive or even liquid diet for anything from 10 days to 3 weeks before surgery. To follow that regime took will-power and dedication - and you did it. You CAN do it. you can resist the possibililty of excesssive consumption.

The band will not do the weight loss thing for you. You know that, right? Those of us who have lost significant amou nts of weight and kept it off through judicious use of the band will all tell you that there are ways around the bands restriction - even the most restricted people can still scoff ice cream and chocolate and stuff like that cos it passes through the restriction so easily.

Even those of us who have lost more than half of our body weight still have to exercise our most functional organ in order to keep our new, slim figures - and by that I mean use our brains. Exercise will power.

The band is a fantastic tool but it can only help - it can't do the work for you. You have to make it work for you AND YOU CAN DO IT.

I truly believe that you have it within your ability to make the band work for you. You have lived a good life. There have been times when it would have been easier to take the easy way out and by doing that allow people to be hurt, but you didn't. You can exercise strength of character and will power to look after the feelings of others. This time, my dear, you are the one who needs your own consideration. Just for once put yourself first. Give yourself the right to put your own health and beauty and appearance first. Decide that you will not do what you can do (i.e. eat the whole house) just because you can.

There are lots of things we could do but most of us don't. We could take drugs. We could steal. We could be violent. We could be selfish. We could allow others to suffer rather than exert ourselves to prevent suffering. You don't have to do something just because you are able to do it.

Look after yourself. Think of yourself first, just for once. Decide to put yourself first and eat the right food in the right amounts. See your doctor, get the restriction right and et all the help you need. Take some exercise, get out of the house, see friends, socialise - get away from food.

You are worth the effort. Good luck.

Thank you. I need the encouragment.

I think some of my problem too is evey time I have tried to lose weight and I get to the 25 to 30 pounds down mark, you know when people actually start to notice you are losing weight. When people are telling you how they can tell you are losing weight and how you look so good. I just do not know what to do, I am like a deer in the head lights. I am so not used to attention. I have always been the person who tried to blend in with the wall, so no one would notice me because of my weight. Maybe I am self sabatoging myself to keep from being noticed???? Why would I do such a thing. I should be eating up compliments and people noticing. I am just messed up.

I do apprecite your words of encouragement. They help me to realize I have let myself slack and that I know I can do this.

OK, so I hear what you are saying - you aren't experiencing restriction and you are disappointed and I can truly empathise and sympathise with you.

But....

There are lots of things what we can do but choose not to do. Before you were banded your surgeon probably told you to lose some weight, and almost certainly required you to follow a set restrictive or even liquid diet for anything from 10 days to 3 weeks before surgery. To follow that regime took will-power and dedication - and you did it. You CAN do it. you can resist the possibililty of excesssive consumption.

The band will not do the weight loss thing for you. You know that, right? Those of us who have lost significant amou nts of weight and kept it off through judicious use of the band will all tell you that there are ways around the bands restriction - even the most restricted people can still scoff ice cream and chocolate and stuff like that cos it passes through the restriction so easily.

Even those of us who have lost more than half of our body weight still have to exercise our most functional organ in order to keep our new, slim figures - and by that I mean use our brains. Exercise will power.

The band is a fantastic tool but it can only help - it can't do the work for you. You have to make it work for you AND YOU CAN DO IT.

I truly believe that you have it within your ability to make the band work for you. You have lived a good life. There have been times when it would have been easier to take the easy way out and by doing that allow people to be hurt, but you didn't. You can exercise strength of character and will power to look after the feelings of others. This time, my dear, you are the one who needs your own consideration. Just for once put yourself first. Give yourself the right to put your own health and beauty and appearance first. Decide that you will not do what you can do (i.e. eat the whole house) just because you can.

There are lots of things we could do but most of us don't. We could take drugs. We could steal. We could be violent. We could be selfish. We could allow others to suffer rather than exert ourselves to prevent suffering. You don't have to do something just because you are able to do it.

Look after yourself. Think of yourself first, just for once. Decide to put yourself first and eat the right food in the right amounts. See your doctor, get the restriction right and et all the help you need. Take some exercise, get out of the house, see friends, socialise - get away from food.

You are worth the effort. Good luck.

Try not to put yourself down. YOu didn't let yourself slack off - you have been an overeater for a long time (I wsa one all my life). It was the habit of a lifetime to eat if you could. There are few things harder to break than habits.

We have all been there. Some of us struggle with this on a daily basis (guilty as charged) - which is where the band comes in. The band doesn't stop me eating - I could still scoff everything in sight - boy would I regret it afterwards (I'd be in agony) but I could still do it.

You ahve taken the important step. It's not easy getting a band. It has BIG costs in terms of time and convincing the doctor (and the insurance company) that you need it. In order to get a band you have to go through the pre-op diet regimes and follow doctors orders and jum p through hoops. It isn't easy just GETTING a band.

Well, you got through that. And now the hard bit is still to come. BUT YOU CAN DO IT. Lots of us here have done it. None of us are natural skinnies - even now I'm not a skinny, but I'm a healthy size and a normal size - and you can get there too.

We are all here for you. Every one of us has an individual experience and while our experience may vary a bit, they are all much of a muchness. There will be someone in this forum who has had exactly the same experience as you. And we all want to support you. You are worth the effort. Hold on to that.

xx

Thank you again.

You are making me feel better already.

I made a bunch of post-its up last night and went around sticking them in places I see everyday. Things like; You are amazing, you can do it, drink more Water, no snacking, find the real you stop hiding behind the weight, think positive, etc. I had forgot about them of course until I went to brush my teeth and opened the mirror and saw one, making me smile. Then when I went to get my meds out there was one. Then when I got my lunch out of fridge, and again when I was at the sink getting my water. So I left the house in a good mood.

Silly little thing but make me feel good and the one in the fridge says you can do it and no snacking drink your water.

Post its are good. They can be helpful, but try to make them positive rather than negative.

Just a few suggestions. I think

"good feelings don't require snacks"

is better than

"no snacking".

"I'm worth treating myself better"

"SOLID GOLD" is a good one.

"I can do it"

"Worth the effort"

"The best of everything"

Good luck

I have not yet had a fill - I was banded on Feb 12th.. I am starting to get hungry sooner and can eat just about anything - getting nervous - do your fills really help out?

I am so where some of you are and SO SO SO pleased to hear that I am not the only one!!

Since 2 weeks after banding (Jan 19th) I have been able to eat whatever I please and, although the amounts I am eating are smaller, I am able to eat at least 2 cups or more of food at a meal and STILL don't FEEL full. I had 2mls put in 6 weeks post op and that made absolutely NO difference. I asked the specialist when I had the fill if I could come back earlier if I felt it wasn't enough and he said I had to wait 8 weeks. Now my weight loss as stopped dead. 19 pounds in the first 6 weeks and only 2 pounds since. I am eating fairly healthy, but I know I could do better, however the more disheartened I get by watching myself eat more than I am meant to be able to reduces my confidence and I start emotional eating...

I am terrified this isn't going to work.

I saw the nutritionist and she has told be to ring the specialist and insist on another fill.... so Monday, that is what I am going to do. Fingers crossed I can get the restriction I so desperately need.

Edited March 21, 201016 yr by Avril67
updated my ticker... it was out of date