So it has been just over a week since I had my first fill! And while I know I will need another one for sure I do feel that I have some restriction from that fill.

However, now I really need to get back on track. While I can still seemingly eat anything (I don't have problems getting anything down) I do get the fuller feeling so I don't eat nearly as much but I am not measuring my food or counting my calories and I know that I really need to start. I also admit to besides my moving day I have not done any exercise this month.

I want sooooo badly to make this work - WHY am I having such a hard time doing the things I need to so that it does? I KNOW I need to measure servings, count calories, not eat chocolate or starbucks, or treats and I need to exercise otherwise I am wasting this $14,000 tool inside me. WTF is wrong with my brain that I am not doing these things? It has almost been two month since my surgery... ARGH. Why do I have to be a lazy procrastinator? Geeez.

Carry a small pad with you and write down what you eat, as close to size as possible, worry about the calories later if you don't know them. That way you will see what is going in your mouth when you are feeling the way you do.

Make sure there are none of your triggers in the house. Portion size the meat and fish before you freeze it so you take out the right size, even if you don't feel like measuring that night.

Your brain will eventually kick in. I lost 6 pounds on vacation, and nothing in the 10 days I have been home, so I started charting the food again.

I had my fill 2 weeks ago and lost my way on this winding road of weight loss too. I had a long talk with myself and went back to basics.

I have not lost anything in the 2 weeks since that fill and can eat anything!

I went back to liquids for 2 days, mushie proteins for 2 days and then weigh, measure and log everything. I have anouther fill scheduled in 2 weeks so I KNOW I can do this. Decent restriction is coming soon and until then.......

WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!

I know how you feel Ang....I finally made an appointment yesterday for a fill. I was going back and forth with it because if I eat too fast or don't chew my food I DEFINITELY know it, but I am still getting really hungry in between meals. I am hoping one more fill will put me at my sweet spot and I will be on the losing side of things again. I just keep gaining and losing the same 2 pounds. I can tell a difference in my clothes, though, they are certainly fitting better! I also signed up to do Tae Kwon Do with my kids--hope I don't look like Chris Farley doing it!!! LOL

Hang in there Ang, I too are going through the same thing,

It really does your head in,

My first fill 3/3 my doctor said to me if I didn't feel any restriction

not to be afraid to come back in, I gave it a week and then

rang up for another fill which I had on 11/3. so that was my

second fill I feel a little restriction but not much so I'm due

to go back in on the 31 March for a 3rd fill,

I too are not measuring my food or counting my calories

when I first got banded I lost 20lbs, I thought wow:tongue2:

this is great and that was just in one week but then when I went back on solids I managed to put on 2lbs, boy did I start

stressing even when I had my first fill I didn't lose any thing

plus I hadn't been sticking to the rules,

But I have started going to the gym which I really hate,:biggrin:

but once I get there I'm ok, I just took it nice and easy at the

begining,

I too worry about failing too, since I had my second fill I have

manage to drop those 2lbs,

When I see my doctor I throw him heaps of questions, well ?we payed enough aye, why shouldn't we, plus my doctor pretty good anyway, and I have asked him some pretty dumb

questions, but hey I needed to know for myself,

He told me my trouble was since I lost the 20lbs so quick in the first week, I want that to happen ever week which is so

true:blush: He reckon's it should take about three fill to really feel

the restriction but each person different,

Go back to your doctor and get another fill even if it before your 4 weeks.

Look at the postives you have lost 27lbs and your are eating

way less food, just give it time you will get your head around

it, as I'm still trying too:blush:

Your be fine

Edited March 19, 200818 yr by skythelimit

Thanks for all the support ladies! Hang in there we can do it. I've decided to start trying to track all my food as much as I can for the next little bit to see if that helps with things. I have given myself a calorie goal of not wanting to go past 1200 calories a day. Also, yesterday I made myself go back to Curves for the first time in... many many months. So I will make a point to go at least 4 times a week to Curves. I know I am definitely in need of another fill but at least I do feel a bit of restriction right now so I am looking forward to my fill appointment on April 4 (I booked it on my first fill appointment which was Mar 10, that was the soonest I could get in).

He told me my trouble was since I lost the 20lbs so quick in the first week, I want that to happen ever week which is so

true:blush: He reckon's it should take about three fill to really feel

the restriction but each person different,

Go back to your doctor and get another fill even if it before your 4 weeks.

Hehe, I know what you mean I feel the same way. How awesome would that be if it did work that way :biggrin:

Look at the postives you have lost 27lbs and your are eating

way less food, just give it time you will get your head around

it, as I'm still trying too:blush:

Your be fine

Thanks! We are all doing great and I do remind myself that I wouldn't have lost that 27lbs as easily and quickly as before and that this time I know it's not coming back and bringing revenge lbs with it!

I don't like weighing and measuring either. I do, however, attend weight watchers and follow the core plan. The groups are wonderful and help with hints and strategies on how to handle eating the right things. Just remember the pain that we had after the surgery!!!!!!

Lady--was your surgery really in 07? Just wondering bc I have a terrible time remembering to put 08 on things and we are 3 months into this year...LOL. I just had a fill today and am hoping it goes well. She put in 1 cc and then had me drink, but it was kind of stuck in my throat, so she took out .4 and now I have a total of 5.6cc in my band! How exciting to finally have some restriction--now to follow the rules!:shades_smile:

Hi Ang,

I am frustrated too. I just got back from vacation and I don't think I gained anything, but I'm not sure if I lost either. I'll have to weigh at work to be sure. But I can tell you this. I have not allowed myself anything sweet since I had the surgery. No cake, cookies, ice cream, puddings, sweet drinks because I know I am like an alcoholic and if I start, I am afraid I will not be able to stop. This is really hard. I get full quicker, but no restriction yet. But then the other dayI was eating half a sandwich and I didn't chew really well and it got stuck and I had to wait a few minutes for it to go down. I was happy to know the band was there. I am not really hungry between meals, but have to work at not eating in the evening which has always been the hardest time for me. I think becuase in the beginning, right after we had surgery when we were all on liquids and mushies, it was easy. Now it gets harder. I hope when I go in for a fill on April 9th I will get more restriction. But I would not want so much that everything feels stuck if I forget to chew well. It definately makes you slow down and eat slower. I guess we have to remember this is a tool, not magic. And we still have to change our behaviors that got us here in the first place. I want it to come off fast too. But if it comes off too fast our skin will really sag. So, we just have to hang in there. Keep trying and support each other. Happy Easter. Diane

Good discussion here. I get my first fill tomorrow. I hope it helps. I have had no restriction since 1 1/2 weeks ago when my swelling went down. I am going back to weight watchers again tomorrow. I have to make this work. I appreciate the advice given of getting with the doc soon if there is no restriction. Good luck to everyone!

I'm getting my first fill April 3. I still feel the restriction, but not as much as when I first had my surgery.

Hello 2008 Cuties! I have had my 2nd fill, and still not restricted! My doc says sometimes it take up to 6 or more fills to really get the right restriction and no doctor likes to be aggressive with the fills because it can be downright ugly--cannot swallow your own saliva! So we must prevail SLOWLY together. My next fill is in three weeks and I have promised myself I will be at the gym walking this week.

We have made the commitment, now we just have to go the distance with this process. Good Luck to ALL and Happy Easter!

Ugh, I think I really need to give up the sugar/sweets too because like diane I think that I get a taste and just need to have more and obsess about it. I know I need to have more restriction and can't wait for my fill on the 4th of April (fill #2) as I can currently eat whatever I want still - I do find that I get fuller faster but the only thing stopping me from eating more is me telling myself to stop. I have started back at Curves as of last week and got to go 3x (started on Tuesday and was out of town from Friday for the weekend). So back I will go today and try to go 4x a week. I hate it, I get there and I hate it and I count the time until I leave and then when I'm done I don't feel great cuz I went and exercised I just feel like I could have been doing something else for that 1/2 hr so I think that it will always be a struggle for me. I REALLY REALLY want to make this work so badly. Not just because I self paid $14000 for it and will be paying it off the next 5 years but because I want to finally be healthier and happier. I want to be 100+ lbs less when I get married in May 2009 and wear the dress of my dreams. Man this gets frustrating.

I miss my sweets too ...and feel the frustration on not having the restriction that I thought I would I go for my second fill on the 4th of april and hope that will make a difference the only real notice I have had is with bread which I love ...hope the second fill helps if only the want would go away...haha if it did I wouldnt have been banded right ...Good Luck to all ........

My problem is this. I was banded on Jan 22nd, and lost a total of 38 pounds so far. that was in the3 first 2 weeks since the operation, and the 2 weeks prior to the operation. I went in for my fill, and was given 5 cc's in my 9 cc band, and i still don't feel any restriction. I am scheduled for my next fill the 25th, but what happens if that doesn't work? I am worried the band isnt working for me. Suggestions to my predicament if you would please.

I eat less, but the scale hasn't moved since the middle of February. What should I do?

Mike

My problem is this. I was banded on Jan 22nd, and lost a total of 38 pounds so far. that was in the3 first 2 weeks since the operation, and the 2 weeks prior to the operation. I went in for my fill, and was given 5 cc's in my 9 cc band, and i still don't feel any restriction. I am scheduled for my next fill the 25th, but what happens if that doesn't work? I am worried the band isnt working for me. Suggestions to my predicament if you would please.

I eat less, but the scale hasn't moved since the middle of February. What should I do?

Mike

Hey Mike, hang in there. Have you done any measurements rather than just relying on the scale? I noticed when there was a period my scale wasn't really moving that my measurements were actually changing a bit. I have had my 2nd fill now and will need another one for sure as I don't really have a whole lot of restriction either - I have to remind myself to not eat. Other than that - maybe journal your food for a week or so - see where you are at with what you are consuming calorie/fat wise. The Daily Plate is a great site for that. Have you started exercising at all? *hugs!*