ok guys i am not sure but... i dont think my band is working.

I got it on the 15th.... and i have had NO problems.. I feel bad saying that since some people are just having the worst time since getting the band. I am blessed with no problems... but it isnt just that i have no problems... i can eat ANYTHING.

I tried some solids with no problems.. i am just sampling some things at this point.. i mostly live on baked potatoes and other assorted mushies..but i managed to eat a piece of chicken and some rice the other nite with my family.. yesterday i had baked lays...today i had half of a sandwich from jason's deli.. the club royale (with croissant and all!!!).... then had a brownie... plus the little bag o chips...

i mean i could only eat half of it... so that is better than before surgery.. but... i dont have to take small bites..i dont even have to chew well...

is this thing working? i thought i was supposed to have to chew chew chew.. and take tiny bites... and i wouldnt be able to eat any of this stuff... i know the band is just a tool.. but i thought it was more of a tool than what it is currently.. maybe i need a fill?? i am just not sure what i am supposed to feel? is it workign because i could only eat half the sandwich? i do feel full for an awefully long time.. another noticeable benefit.. .but... im unsure what is going on here.

somebody help.... what am i supposed to feel?

you probably are due for a fill. You see even though the band is on you can still over eat. If you do this enough it will put a lot of tension on the band and will cause it to erode into your stomach (which is not a good thing). You should not try to push what you eat to the point that you can eat no more, eat what you know you can eat (portion and healthily). Remember you did not have gastric bypass, you had lapband so you can still eat anything you want, as far as digestion goes, but remember the less calories you put in the less you have to burn to lose weight. The lap-band can only work as well as you do. If I were you I would go see my doctor for a fill and ask him if this is normal.

Dallasdoll, you are one of the lucky ones who heal quickly! The downside of that (which I hesitate to call a downside) is that your hunger will return and you will be able to eat pretty much normally before you get a fill. You have another three or so weeks yet before you can get one, probably, so why not just enjoy this period of freedom? You say it is already letting you eat less and feel satisfied, which is just exactly what it's supposed to do! If you're taking in fewer calories than you were pre-band, you will likely continue losing weight, albeit slowly.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with you or with your band--you just don't have any restriction! After your first fill or two you'll start to understand what restriction feels like, and then you'll want to be very careful about how you chew and how quickly you eat.

Enjoy! You're in your honeymoon period!!

Jodie, I just wanted to comment that overeating or pouchpacking is not necessarily going to cause erosion. From everything I've heard there's no specific cause. That behavior can certainly damage the effectiveness of the band by stretching the pouch or esophagus, but I don't think it's safe to say it will necessarily lead to erosion. That's a whole different animal.

I agree with Alex. I was one of those people too that healed very quickly. I was hungry from the word go after surgery, and could eat things very easily.

I am still that way because I haven't had a fill yet, but still only eat half of what I used to eat. (But I just need to say that I haven't had a fill due to non band related medical issues. Nothing to do with the band at all.)

So enjoy it for now, because from what I've heard, after having a fill it gets harder to eat.

The doctor that I am using said that overeating will cause erosion of the band, although it has to be done constantly.

Forgive me for asking, but it is still only 10 days out from surgery. Isn't this a bit early for solids? It is very normal to be wide open before your first fill. Good luck!

you know.. i really dont know... i wasnt given any instruction on this.. and i have many different food schedules in my hands that i got from all sorts of sources..

so i dont know if it is too early.

what should i be doing right now? mushies? i have been doing mushies since day 3 after surgery... and i have been on solids since day 5.

what is the appropriate schedule of eating after the band?

this is where i need advice.

thanks

You have to follow YOUR doctors orders babe. I was on liquids for TWO weeks after surgery and mushies for TWO weeks. I wasnt allowed solids until the 5th week. I have just had my first fill and am BACK on liquids/mushies for a week. I think that we can all give you an idea of what to do, but you really have to do what your doctor tells you to do. Just give him a call, you will be glad that you did.

AND I swear it will get better!! You are still healing, let your body take care of that first~

Kara

The most used term on this board I think is "Everyone's different" That is the truth! I am like you, I have had no complications. I can eat or drink anything I want(well I haven't tried sodas but I don't want to!) I was eating mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes from Boston Market on day 3 and solids followed soon after because I had no discomfort eating. I don't endorse my method to anyone but myself, "Everyone's different" Do what works for you. How has it worked for me? Well, today is my 2 month Band anniversary and I've lost 57 pounds! 13 since my first fill on April 14.

I don't know if this helps.

DANG B&T! You are doing GREAT! I thought that I was one of the lucky ones... I am 7 weeks out tomorrow and have lost 42lbs! You are really Rocking along!!

SO SO true about everyone being different!

Dallasdoll, you have only been banded for 10 days?

Lucky you, Iwas not onto solids until I was banded for 6 weeks.

The band is designed to be filled with saline to work at it's best potential. Since you have not had a fill yet, this could be why you feel the band is not working. Once you start getting your fills, you will notice a difference and you will be greatful for all the practice you have gotten in with small bites and chew chew chew. The tigher you are filled the more you need to chew and the tinier bites you need to take.

What you are experiencing is normal for a new bandster, just hang in there and you will see that the band does work once it is filled, it may take 1-3 fills before you notice a huge difference but it will happen

you know.. i really dont know... i wasnt given any instruction on this.. and i have many different food schedules in my hands that i got from all sorts of sources..

so i dont know if it is too early.

what should i be doing right now? mushies? i have been doing mushies since day 3 after surgery... and i have been on solids since day 5.

what is the appropriate schedule of eating after the band?

this is where i need advice.

thanks

Lets see, each surgeon has their own set of post-op instructions. I suggest you calling your surgeons office and asking them.

The 'normal' rule is..... (give or take a few details)

week 1 - Clear liquids (Water, tea, broth)

week 2 - full liquids (milk shakes, creamy Soups - thicker liquids, anything that goes through a straw)

week 3 - mushy stuff (pudding, cream potatoes, thicker soups - soft stuff)

week 4 - another week of mushy foods

week 5 - solids

Hope this helps.

Let me add that most of us here strongly discourage solids at 10 days post op. Please be careful.

Just because you can, doesnt mean you should!

Dallasdoll, I know how you feel. i was banded about 5 weeks ago and started eating solids at 3 weeks. I healed very quickly and probably could have handled solids a day after surgery. I haven't had my first fill yet and I can eat anything I want. I find myself taking large bites and everything goes down with no problems. Reading some of the posts on this board that say to cut your food into pencil eraser size pieces and to chew 30 times I wondered if my doctor forgot to buckle my band! But then once in a while when I eat too fast or take too many large bites in a row I'm reminded that my band is still down there.

Hi Dallas Doll,

I was one of those folks that had 0 restriction until my second fill. So dont be discouraged. I wish that someone would have told me how hungry I would be post op. At least nowadays people are more informed. I am so ancient that the boards were barely around for support! LOL. Trust me when I say that this is normal.

Babs in TX

334/180/170

You are normal! I have had 4 fills and still am not very restricted. Hang tight, it will work for you!

I am also one of those that healed quickly and have had no problems. I can eat anything I want. However..... you were only banded 10 days ago!!! Are you on solids already??? I hear ya on the hunger factor though. Try and just concentrate on "dieting" until 6 week fill time.