Hello everyone!

Can someone describe what it feels like when you are restricted? And are you always aware that the band is there, even when you don't feel full? I'm having a hard time trying to picture what it even looks like, because I can't see it. I can hardly wait to ask if maybe I can actually touch one.

Thanks in advance.

Debbie

Edited April 13, 200818 yr by serenity55

google lap band and take a look at their website, it is a wealth of info.

g2s

Hi Debbie,

You asked:

Hello everyone!

Can someone describe what it feels like when you are restricted? And are you always aware that the band is there, even when you don't feel full?

I can't help with the first part of your question because I don't have a restriction yet. I was banded 4 weeks ago and have 2 more weeks before my first fill.

Un-restricted, I can tell you that I can't feel the band at all. I don't even know it's there.

I'm having a hard time trying to picture what it even looks like, because I can't see it.

Here is a picture of one

I can hardly wait to ask if maybe I can actually touch one.

At my informational seminar, the surgeon passed around a life-sized plastic model stomach with a band-in place. Along with this, he also passed around a real lap-band.

I'm sure your surgeon would let you examine one.

Good luck,

Mike

I dont feel restriction until I eat something and mostly I don't REALLY feel it (unless I don't chew my food well and then my restriction bites me back) until I am full. When I am full and know I need to stop it almost feels like there is food backed up all the way to my throat- there isn't but it feels that way- my 'full' feelings after being banded are not like being full pre-band- I dont have that stuffed feeling in my 'stomach' so to speak- I feel it underneath my ribcage and pressure on my chest and usually this means I've eaten too much. I just now have 7.5 ccs in my 10cc band and I've never had restriction up until now, so I'm slowly having to learn to chew chew chew and eat slow because before I never really had to- I tried my very best to eat slow and chew well but the times that I didn't the food still went down very easily, now I KNOW when I didn't chew something wel enough. You will know the difference dont you worry.

Thank you everyone. I guess I should have made myself clearer. I appreciate the pictures, but I am totally blind, so I really am looking forward to a hands-on experience! :-) Mike and Mia, your descriptions were very helpfull. I'm feeling just a little scared of it all, but I'm going to stay on the path.

Thanks to you all again.

Debbie

I don't think there are any US surgeons that wouldn't have a lap band available for you to touch and feel (probably Mexican surgeons too, but I don't have experience with them), even if they don't pass one around at the informational seminar. My surgeon passed it around at the pre op classes and let me see it in the office. If they don't offer it, just ask in person, I'm sure they will have one for you to handle.

As for restriction, people have different opinions about it. Some people feel that "restriction" is when they can only eat a tiny amount of food before the band forces them to stop, or barf it back up. But from what I have read about band complications and successful bandsters, that is actually past restriction, and into the territory of "too tight". Some people like that, but over time your stomach can revolt against a band that is so tight. A better gauge, in my opinion, is that you start to feel satisfied after about 1 cup of food, or less, depending, and that small amount of food keeps you satisfied (i.e. not hungry) for at least 3-4 hours. The band should act more like an appetite suppressant, if you want to think of it that way, than something that makes you barf if you eat more than a little bit. In other words, you really shouldn't "feel" anything, except not hungry.

But like I said, a lot of people swear by tight restriction. Down the road, many of those people experience complications, so I would caution you to work with your surgeon closely to make sure they don't get your band any tighter than you need. The hard part is learning your new "full" signals--they are more subtle than before banding. You don't want to be eating until you feel stuffed, that is way too much food. It's hard to learn how to know when to stop before you get there, and sometimes I still miss it and get more full than I wanted to, even after over a year. And this can be especially hard to learn since most of us are used to eating until we are FULL, pre-band. Full is different from satisfied!

Hope this helps, and good luck to you!

Thank you, Gwen. Your post is very helpful, and I'll be rereading it to remind myself.

Debbie

I have really really good restriction (gulp). I can feel it anytime I swallow something. If I eat and the food is still there hours later, I can tell. If I haven't eaten, I don't notice the band is there.

Hi, just wanted to share my experience with you. I know I have restriction when I take a drink of something and I get a little return of very small belches (sp) They are like little bubbles that come back up. I also feel restriction at the top of my stomach area just above my rib cage when I eat. Mostly during the morning and daytime, I consume liquids and then by the evening I feel like I want to eat food. Also someone else said it best. The best thing we feel when we have restriction is no appetite. What a blessing that is!!!!! I have lost 44 lbs since the end of sept 06. A little more than 6 months is not bad in my opinion. The best news is that this time I do not have the impending doom of it coming back, and as long as I have my band, I believe the weight will not come back. The band (when you have restriction) will almost not let you overeat. You can however override the band by consuming things that go down very easily such as icecream and potato chips, but once you start to see the results and feel lighter who wants to do that? Best of luck to you and keep us posted.:rolleyes2:

Restriction is a different thing for everyone.

For me restriction is very evident when I eat small bites and I can feel it go down slowly. I have to be cognizant of my eating and take it slow or else it will try to come back up. Liquids should go down easy and fast.

I don't feel the band unless I am eating or I am full.

You can also search Emmi Lap Band this will show step by step what takes place when you get the lapband. It is VERY informative!

Thank you everyone! At least now I'll know that when it happens, it won't be a reason for me to panic. :-)

I see my doctor Thursday to get things started. I find myself going from excited to scared to doubtful. But this is the highest weight I've ever been and the thought of gaining more doesn't make me happy.

Debbie