Wow!!!!! what is up with this new VG band? two weeks ago I would have killed flipper for a tuna sandwich. Even a bowl of lard with a hair in it was sounding good. But now........ Now I can eat anything and everything as if I never had the surgery. I had ribeye last night for goodness sake. Man do I need to get this thing filled or what? I am curious. do you folks with the older band feel any restriction when you band is empty? Because I gotta tell you I woke up wondering what the heck these scars were on my belly. Surely I don't have the band.:-)

Normal, normal, normal! You are wide open right now, and you will feel like you don't have a band. You haven't had a fill yet! Just make sure you follow your doctors orders on eating because you are still in the healing stages, and you don't want to damage your band.

And the answer to your question is that no, most people even with the smaller band do not feel any restriction before getting a fill. Sorry, dude, you're NORMAL!

Alexandra I have never been accused of THAT before. I don't know quite what to say.

:-)

i know it... i can eat less... but still WAY too much.

i had sushi today and teriyaki.... the whole lunch portion... sigh

i cant wait for my fill. im having cake today too since its my birthday... im still a piglet.

we must be patient for the fill.. i am ok with it... it makes me feel better to still be able to eat like a normal person.

Your definately not alone dude. No fill here and it's been 6 months. I sure hope you're not in this same boat as I am 6 months from now. *Thumb down*

Your definately not alone dude. No fill here and it's been 6 months. I sure hope you're not in this same boat as I am 6 months from now. *Thumb down*

why so long without a fill??? my doctor said i would be getting my first in about 4 weeks which will be around 6 weeks from my surgery date..i cant wait because i feel like i can eat anything and i am definatly hungry and trying to be good..but that is just like before ..i hope it changes with a fill or else i feel like i had this surgery for nothing!!

Kelly and some other people have had to wait due to some medical problems....SAFTEY FIRST!!!!!!! (it had nothing to do with her band) Hang in there Kelly!! We luv u!! And dont u get ur tests soon? Keep us updated on ur progress with ur lazy doctors(i remeber when we chatted u said it was taking them like a month to give u a freakin apt..... **rolling eyes**)

why so long without a fill??? my doctor said i would be getting my first in about 4 weeks which will be around 6 weeks from my surgery date..i cant wait because i feel like i can eat anything and i am definatly hungry and trying to be good..but that is just like before ..i hope it changes with a fill or else i feel like i had this surgery for nothing!!

Weren't you just banded on April 20th? Wow are you supposed to be eating steak yet? Just curious?

Yep. Bandit is right. My docs ARE wise to make me wait, but I'd like to get it done and over with. I see my new family doctor on the 12th, and she'll refer me to the Rheumatologist on that day. I already have the name of a Rheumie that I'd like to see (someone my mom works with strongly recommended him to me, as she sees him) so hopefully she'll give me the referral to him.

I can't believe it's been 6 months already since my surgery. Hopefully I'll have my diagnosis (Lupus or otherwise) by the end of June. That way I can devote all of my attention and focus to my son's birthday and sister's wedding, both in the first week of July. That's what I'm shooting for. Time will tell.

Anywho, everyone who gets at least one fill or more before they're 6 months out of surgey, please think of me before you whine.

Okay, I'm banded April 8th and have had SOOO much trouble, particularly in the fisrt weeks, with swelling and restriction. I have kept my menu very liquid for weeks now and maybe, just maybe??? I can complain about this wide open feeling? I hate to even say it out loud but, unlike you guys who are mortified, I am ecstatic, almost, not yet but hopeful that I will be ecstatic? Wide open is a VERY GOOD thing when you have NO fill, I promise!

Today, I ate the whole 12oz container of very mushy white meat chicken salad with celery, a whopping 26gm of Fat per serving. And the container was 3 servings!

Don't let me complain. I don't mind having to use a bit of self-control and food smarts to keep it under control, I'm just so relieved that the swelling and restriction that seemed unending may very well be ending? WHEW!

It really is a good problem to have.

and what the heck are you doing having steak at 2 weeks? Please at least say it was very tiny bites well-chewed and not big ole honker bites like pre-band!

I love your posts, Mark. You are very witty and well-spoken!

Im looking forward to a few last pig outs b4 a fill honestly.

Guitarman, I also have the Vanguard band. I had 3 fills before I felt a GOOD restriction.

Hang in there. I just had my 3rd fill last week and WOW do I have restriction!!!!!!!!!!!

It's great!!!!

I didn't have any restriction immediately after banding surgery for almost a month. Just as I was making plans to go down for a fill... whammo! There it was. I had lost initially for the week on liquids but even began to regain once I had returned to eating normal foods. I thought for sure I was gonna be the one person this band didn't work on... boy was I wrong. Aside from the initial fill at band placement, I haven't needed a fill yet. I have great restriction... sometimes a little too great... but my band is doing it's thing. I'm down 71 pounds from my highest weight ever, and - 59 from day of surgery... so yep I'm in agreement with the rest of the kids... no restriction at first is NORMAL... enjoy it while it lasts... there's something really sad about taking 3 bites of a praline sundae, then tossing the rest because your band says that's it...

Holy COW!! (pun intended) You are eating steak and you are only 3 weeks post op????? What the heck?

I hear ya though, I too can eat whatever, whenever. I am hoping my fill will cure that but I think it is going to be a super shock to my system as I really don't even have to chew all that well and can eat whatever I want right now. Gonna get a reality check soon!

well I figured if I took really small pea sized bites and chewed the dickens out of it I would OK and I was. I only ate about 1/3 of the steak cause I got tired of chewing. But boy was it good. but just because I can eat doesn't mean I do. My philosphy is that a body can exist on much less than what we are used to eating. I survived just fine while on Clear Liquids. So I am watching my caloric intake but I also subscribe to the carb addicts diet by Dr. Rachel Heller. So far I am down 40 lbs since surgery and do not want to gain it back.

Weren't you just banded on April 20th? Wow are you supposed to be eating steak yet? Just curious?