I was banded April 15th, 2008. I had my first fill the end of May which put me to 3 cc in my 10 cc band. No restriction yet! I am scheduled for a second fill the end of June and I am hoping that I will have some restriction with that one.

My question is how many cc does it take to feel some restriction? I am not losing any weight and I can eat anything still.

Thanks,

Chilly

Hello Chilly,

I was banded on 3/17/08 and are having the same problem had my first fill three weeks ago and no restrictions. I called the nutritionist two days ago and given her a list of what I am eating and what she thought she told me to change a few things. 1) Don't drink after you eat for 30 minutes 2) replace my yogarts and puddings with cheese and Peanut Butter for Snacks.

I tried it this morning for my morning snack and I finally can feel the restrictions after Breakfast for the first time in weeks. I use whole food peanut butter an four crackers after breakfast for snack in the morning. I hope this helps but I am going to my second fill in two weeks. BEST!

My first fill was 2.5 cc, second fill 1.5cc, third fill 1 cc. My third feel gave me too much restriction. I couldn't eat or drink so I had to get unfilled .8cc. My next fill will probably be .5cc and I'm hoping that will be my sweet spot.

There really isnt a fill level that works for everybody. There are many different types of bands and capacities and our anatomys are all different. as sisterc said... if you are still eating just very mushy stuff (yogert,pudding,soup), your restriction may be limited as that kind of stuff just goes right thru the band.

I was banded on April 18th and I go for my third fill next week. So far, I've gained 20lbs. and I have absolutely no restriction. Right after my second fill, I went away for the weekend and experienced slimies and PB'ing for the first time... at the table.... with my fiance's work colleagues all around... first thing in the morning... in a hoittie toightie restaurant... I can keep going, but I assume you get the level of embarrassment I had at the time. Of course, my fiance and I couldn't stop laughing about it for the entire day.

Anyways, not the point...

So, yeah, going on my third fill, eating normal hard food, not liquids and mushies, and feeling NO restriction. Oh, and gaining weight rapidly... that's the worst part. When I go in next week, I'm absolutely going to ask if they can check my innards and make sure the thing is still connected... I just have a feeling something's wrong. Right now, I have 5cc's in a 10cc band and everyone I know that has the same amount as me, feels something.

I'm quite worried about it and depressed beyond beliefe. Stupid me, I signed up for a motorcycle course this weekend (signed up before I got the surgery), thinking I'd be down at least 40 or 50 pounds by now... well, I'm up 20 and having to take the course tonight!

The emotional battle has been SO sucky... I really need a positive result soon.

Bettybboop,

You gained 20 pounds? What are you eating? Are you exercising? If you are sliming, then isn't that restriction? I'm confused!!

Hi everyone,

I was banded on 4/22 and for the most part I am doing well..losing slowly so I decided to increase my exercise to help the cause. I have had three fills since being banded and can honestly say I feel very good. I have never PB or slimed but have gotten real tight on occasion.

My biggest problem is that I am still getting hungry sooner than every 4 hours and worry I am over eating or even worse "eating around the band". I can still eat everything I did prior to surgery just slower and in some rare cases less of it. I know that this is what has been hindering my weight loss. For the most part, I do make much better choices as to what I eat but..sometimes I don't. Does anyone else feel this way or had the same problem?

I go back for my 4th fill after the 4th of July. I am looking forward to it and hoping, anticipating, that I can lose another 3 or 4 pounds prior to it. Wish me luck!!!

Hope everyone is well with my April Avenger Family!! Take care and we will talk soon!!!

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Hi everyone,

I was banded on 4/22 and for the most part I am doing well..losing slowly so I decided to increase my exercise to help the cause. I have had three fills since being banded and can honestly say I feel very good. I have never PB or slimed but have gotten real tight on occasion.

My biggest problem is that I am still getting hungry sooner than every 4 hours and worry I am over eating or even worse "eating around the band". I can still eat everything I did prior to surgery just slower and in some rare cases less of it. I know that this is what has been hindering my weight loss. For the most part, I do make much better choices as to what I eat but..sometimes I don't. Does anyone else feel this way or had the same problem?

I go back for my 4th fill after the 4th of July. I am looking forward to it and hoping, anticipating, that I can lose another 3 or 4 pounds prior to it. Wish me luck!!!

Hope everyone is well with my April Avenger Family!! Take care and we will talk soon!!!

__________________

Hang in there CT... It takes a while to dial it in correctly. A couple weeks ago I was crying for an unfill (which I got) and am now ready to have that 1cc back.

I know that when I was doing research pre-op I read that the average number of fills before hitting the sweet spot is 6-7. Everyone is different. Try not to compare yourself. Keep following the program your doctor gave you and give yourself time. Remember that the band should have a loss of 1-2 lbs/week. It does go slower, but it's still worth it in my eyes. Good luck!

It's really different for everyone I am sure. I don't know if I hit my sweet spot but I have restriction after 1 fill. I can only eat 1/2 cup of food max and I wouldd have to really work hard to get more than 900 calories in on any given day. I lost 3 pounds last week... Hoping I can keep my band right where it's at but im sure it will loosen and I will need more fills.

So it can take 1 fill or 10 you just have to hang in there

You're so right Brandy. My provider does pretty agressive fills. I've got 6cc in a 10 cc band over 3 fills. I'm pretty much at my sweet spot right now.

I went in and got my second fill and I am at 5 cc in a 10 cc band. Still no restriction and not feeling full. I am at the same weight which I guess is good because I haven't lost or gained anything.

I was curious to see how much fill do people need to feel full. I am going back this month and get another fill and hope that will be the last one.

Thanks for your responses.

Chilly

I am at 6cc in a 10cc band. NO RESTRICTION...

I go for a 3rd fill on June 23. It's taking tons of will power to not over eat. I'm also starting to wonder if there may be something wrong with my band. How can I be at 6cc and still not feel restriction or even getting a "stuck" feeling.

I am down 29 pounds since my surgery (in April), so I guess that's a good thing. But I am having to really really work hard at that loss.

I am at 6cc in a 10cc band. NO RESTRICTION...

I go for a 3rd fill on June 23. It's taking tons of will power to not over eat. I'm also starting to wonder if there may be something wrong with my band. How can I be at 6cc and still not feel restriction or even getting a "stuck" feeling.

I am down 29 pounds since my surgery (in April), so I guess that's a good thing. But I am having to really really work hard at that loss.

It took 8cc in my band to get a 'stuck' situation.

THANK YOU sooooooo very much for telling me that! I guess I need to be patient and see how this next fill goes. I'm just nervous that I only have 4cc left to fill before I'm at max. I'm afraid that I won't ever have the restriction I am looking for.

Maybe 3rd time will be a charm for me. I do know that when I got my second fill of 2cc, the doctor watched in on x-ray and commented to the lab tech that he felt I could get more of a fill. She stopped him and told him NO. Said that 2ccs at a second fill is the norm (4cc for the first, 2cc for the second). I wanted to punch her right then and there. If the doc felt I could take a bit more, he should have been able to give that to me. Now I have to wait several more weeks to get that.

But, you have given me hope that I will eventually get to a restriction fill!

Help! If you read this and can advise me, I'd appreciate it. I have a LG VG Allergan band (doc told me 12 cc) and so far I'm filled to 6.5 cc. I am not hungry between meals, and I'm losing (but not quickly) and wonder if I need the fill that's scheduled for next week. Some days, my band is tight and I can feel full fast. Other days, I can eat whatever I want and more than I should. I'm trying to avoid the yogurts, puddings, Soups (even though they are easy and quick to eat) and limiting the 'junk food' to very small servings/amounts. How do you know that you're feeling restriction and if you were me, would you get another fill? Help me, please and all advice appreciated.

~ Liz