I had my band dond in Feb. I have lost only 21 lbs so far. My dr. says that is about average. The quetsion I have to you guys is after 3 fills, 5.5 ccs in a 10 cc band, I still don't feel full when I eat. I am wondering if I am mistaking some other sensation like a sight pain that i think is eating to quickly sometimes for being full. I am really getting confused and discouraged with my band. Can anyone help me figure this out?

Thanks!!

I understand how you feel. I had my surgery on April 8. I have a 10cc band that started out with 4cc's on the day of surgery. I had my first fill on Tuesday, the 20th, an additional 1cc. I didn't think I felt restriction or full until Friday night. We went to dinner and I only had 1 c of creamy onion Soup and 1 crabcake of two on the appetizer plate. I felt uncomfortable the rest of the evening. Yesterday, I never felt full, so I was confused. Now today, I had dinner at 5 p.m. - 1 slice of meatloaf (Boston Market), 1/3 c. of mashed potatoes and a few bites of steamed vegetables. I didn't feel it while I was eating, but it hit me later that I have this full feeling right up into my chest and I still have it 3 hours later.

This is a real trial and error thing. I think I have to learn to use the tips for eating better. Eating very slowly and taking at least 30 minutes to finish my meal. Also, not drinking any liquids for an hour before or after (how you get adequate Water intake in this case is beyond me).

I have lost 23 lbs thus far, but 11 was in the first week, nothing in week 2, 6.5 in weeks 3 and 4, nothing in week 5 and 6 more in week 6 and almost 7. I think with my struggle finding the right amount, I will most likely gain in this coming week and don't plan on looking at the scale for 10 days or so. I just have to learn to listen to my body and eat the right foods. We are all different, but as long as you keep losing, hang in there. My doctor said everyone loses at a different rate. They are actually looking for an average of 5 to 8 lbs a month.

Good luck!

Alice

271/248/150

Surgery April 8, 2008

For me, the sensation of "full" with the band is nothing like it was pre-banding. It's more of a "I've had enough" feeling. And at my current restriction, the signal is pretty strong, but it wasn't prior to this last fill.

Still, I guess the big question is: if you eat the portion you should be eating, can you walk away and not be physically hungry again for at least 3-4 hrs? If not, then you probably need another fill.

I'm with you! I had my surgery 2-5-08 and am down 18 pounds. I've had 4 fills and am going in again on 6-2. I have 4.5 in my 9cc band. I eat less but get hungry about 1-2 hours after eating. The weight I've lost is all willpower. I guess we don't have real restriction yet. Sucks so bad! I thought I'd be down 40 pounds by now. Hopefully when we get to our sweet spot we will not be hungry all the time. Good luck! Chrissie

Thank you guys. I don't feel so crazy now. I'm with you Chrissie, I thought I would be along further than I am. I guess I had to high of an expectation so soon. I guess I just need to learn more patience, haha!

I have noticed this feeling of "I"m done". It's curious. So different from "full". I think "I should finish this, it's good, I measured it" or etc. But I just don't feel like putting the spoon in my mouth anymore. I wasn't sure what it was, but heeded it. Wow, is this was "normal" people feel like?

Now tonight, I made a very focused effort to do all the right things. I put 3 oz of broiled salmon, 1/2 c of mashed potatoes and 1/2 c. of cooked carrots on my plate. I ate very slowly, taking at least 30 minutes and taking small bites, putting my fork down occasionally for a break and I made sure that I ate my salmon all up because of the Protein. I ate the carrots all up and had some of the potatoes (maybe half). I thought about it and really did not feel full, but I did not really feel hungry either. I didn't have this urge to keep eating, so I stopped.

But......an hour later I was hungry!!! This is definitely a learning experience and I am going to have to study harder to read my bodies signals better. Of course, I've only had one fill and I'm sure I haven't reached my sweet spot yet. Hopefully that will help.

Good luck to everyone working on this very difficult stage in our journey. We will make it.

Alice

Banded 4/8/08

271/248/150

Alice

I'm having similar things going on. I happened to see my doctor tonight at a monthly support group and told him I have to eat real slow to keep food down, but tht I don't feel full (just tired from chewing and cold food) and that 2 hours later I could eat He said sounds like I need a fill. Just figured I share because it is a learning curve and a journey . I hear even if you find a good spot, that when you lose weight, you lose inside the band also and have to start over with more fills. So it is a jouney, so what I have to do is hang in there. It can be tough for me I get frustrated so easy. oh well

Jack - thanks for your post, those are excellent points for me to think about. I am going to copy and paste it into a document that I can print out and put on my refrigerator!

Northwest Nance, I Was Banded On May 14th,2008 I Was Down 16 Lbs But Since Going To Mushies I Have Gained Back 4 Lbs. It Scares Me. I Really Do Not Feel Any Restriction But I Know Until I Get A Fill I Maynot. I Am Eating Very Small Portions Like 4 Ozs And 1/2 Cup Veggies. But It Really Concerns Me That I Have Gained. I Really Want This To Work.

Down

Newme10

What Jack says is really how we're to begin to allow the band to work for us. All of our pre-op training is diff. I've learned that I will have to make the band work for me first. I'm ready to retrain my stomach and mind to know when I'm satisfied on the littlest portion possible. Thinking of eating 1 to 1 and 1/2cups of food only 3wks out already makes me sick to my stomach! We only have a new pouch the size of an egg above our band. Are you going to eat more than that then wonder why you're not losing as fast as you think you should be? Or wonder why you don't feel restriction? An egg is 2ozs...so imagine how stretched your pouch gets. Another good help for me, and I can't stress it anough as you may have read on my other thread entries...protein!! If you can't tolerate the hunger after you eat a limited amt, and you can't get a handle on the mind-game of it, then increase your protein intake. That is, if you're not already getting at least 60gms in per day. Even more won't hurt.

Newme, I was banded on the same day and am in the same boat. Before the surgery and in the weeks following that I was on liquids, I had lost about 18 lbs. now, I have gained back around 5. AND, my first fill isn't until June18th! I have no restriction at all. I can eat anything and am hungry again within a couple of hours. With all the preparation that I did for the surgery, I wasn't ready for this time between surgery and the first fill. Just using will power and hoping for the best now.

Karin