I just got my first fill yesterday, I was banded on 4/23/2008. They only filled me to 4 cc's and I am still not feeling any restriction. I keep reading people say that I shouldn't feel restriction or see weight loss until my second fill. That is not until July 21, 2008. My doc said to come back in if I don't feel restriction but is it just me or do they need to make it tighter?

My mom said something to me that I have to keep reminding my self of " It didn't take you over night to get this big, it's not going to take you over night to get skinny." But I want to be skinny NOW! Does anyone else feel like it's taking too long? I've lost 17 lbs and I know more is to come, but I just need to know when I'll start to see a dramatic difference??

Thanks:confused2:

Dear SDgirl,I was also banded on April 23rd & I got my 1st fill June5 of 1.5cc. I don't have my 2nd fill till July 30 & everyone tells me our doc only gives 1/2 cc from 2nd fill on. I called his nurse today to see if I could move it up cause I don't have any restriction & she said the doc won't do it cause he wants to make sure I'm healed up good. OMG how much time do I need to heal up. Anyway good luck to you.

I know it's hard to be patient, but........be patient. Now is the time for you to work on your habits of eating very slowly and chew,chew,chew. Also, it's important to eat only until you feel "not hungry" (as opposed to "full"). Hang in there, it'll get better.

I'm with you guys all the way, I was banded April 11 th. and had my fill 11 days. I still don't feel any restriction, everyone says be patient. I'm starting to feel like the weight loss won't really ever happen. I have lost 22lbs. but it has slowed down dramantically. I guess we have to wait and see. Good Luck we can win this battle with weight we have the tool.

You have to be patient!! It's a tool not a miracle fat killer! You have to eat healthy and exercise daily! Your mom is right.......it takes time. It's not going to make you skinny by itself, you have to work at it!!! If you are determined it will work!! Good luck!!

-Dawn

It appears your doctor is fairly aggressive if 4CC's was your first fill. call him and talk to him you may need to be adjusted sooner. And becareful what you wish for you may want to take this time to learn how to chew, and it's only been a couple days give it time you may find going forward that there are somethings you can't eat anymore :0)

It's all going to depend on you. Remember it is a tool, it only does and gives what you put into it. If you don't put anything in to it, you may not get skinny. Remember too that the band is to help you get to a healthy weight, not necessarily skinny. As for seeing a difference for yourself, everyone around will see it before you do. At least that how it is for me. Sure I see a difference because of my clothing size, how i feel, but when I look in the mirror, I still see me. The brain is tricky!

Do you have the realize band? I do and was also filled on the 23rd of April. I got my first fill at the end of May and it was also 4cc. My doc said that 4cc is the standard first fill for the realize band if you don't feel any restriction from the band itself. If you do, he gives 3cc. Anyway, I got 4cc and didn't really notice it until about a week later. I'm not sure why it took a week but that is when I found I did have some restriction. Right now I would say I have 'light' restriction. I am full quicker than before but I still can eat more than I am supposed to. I eat about 1 1/2 cups of food at each meal. Bread, fresh pineapple and anything not chewed well enough cause a brief pressure in my chest. I suspect that when I am properly filled, I won't be able to eat bread or fresh pineapple at all.

It is hard to wait though. I too just want all of the weight OFF!! Are you exercising? I am doing cardio 3 days a week for 45 minutes and weight training with a trainer(and 20 min cardio) 2 days a week. The two days that I do with my trainer BUST MY A$$!!!!!! It is hardwork(and a little pricey) but so worth it. I feel very strong and confident.

My next fill is on the 8th of July and I can't wait!

I too was banded 4-23, and just had 2cc's put in my band last week. I feel more restriction a week later, weird huh? But I guess we are all at about the same weight loss so far, 20lbs. for me, I thought I was lagging behind but it seems I'm doing ok after reading your posts. It's frustrating I know! I'm like OK, when is this going to happen???? I think people at work look at me like, "why isn't she losing more?" And i have to keep reminding myself that this is diff. than bypass and it's not going to fall off. Hang in there, we can do this!

I just got my first fill yesterday, I was banded on 4/23/2008. They only filled me to 4 cc's and I am still not feeling any restriction. I keep reading people say that I shouldn't feel restriction or see weight loss until my second fill. That is not until July 21, 2008. My doc said to come back in if I don't feel restriction but is it just me or do they need to make it tighter?

My mom said something to me that I have to keep reminding my self of " It didn't take you over night to get this big, it's not going to take you over night to get skinny." But I want to be skinny NOW! Does anyone else feel like it's taking too long? I've lost 17 lbs and I know more is to come, but I just need to know when I'll start to see a dramatic difference??

Thanks:confused2:

SDGirl - Please slow down before you sabotage yourself with your unrealistic expectations. Your Mom is right - you didn't get overweight over night - it was a process and the band is a process.

I was a skeptic too in the beginning - I never thought I would get to 170 but I did get there (that was my original goal) so then I moved my goal to 160 (again didn't think I would get there) now -9 under goal - 99 lbs gone in 11 months.

The band works as long as you do the work - even without proper restriction you need to make healthy food choices and exercise - if you do these thing - the weight will come off.

I know today's generations wants everything now - immediately but take a page from us oldies - you will be rewarded in time from your hard work - but the work has to be done to get what you want.

Good Luck on your journey... I wish you the best.

Unfortunately patience is going to be your friend in this adventure.

I too was banded on 4/23 so I am now all knowing. I think I have been on the forums though long enough to realize unrealistic expectations. I too was extremely impatient and wanted everything to happen very quickly. I think being at a plateau for 4 weeks humbled me. I am not losing weight! I started working out more and logging my food with daily plate and I was able to see where I was going wrong.

In the meantime while you're waiting on fills I would find something productive to do related to weight loss. Start logging your meals religously, watch the Water intake, exercise more, just get out and move in general. If you have something to focus on it will help the time pass much quicker.

Hiya hun, boy do I understand your frustrations:confused2:. I was banded 4-11-08, got my first fill 5-1-08. I believe the made it 3 or 4cc's. I didn't feel it right away it took a few weeks and then it was like nothing. I could eat everything and anything I wanted, plus could chug Water. Sucked. So I was back to sheer will power to not over eat or act moronic in my food choices. I have a 15month old who feels I should be eating everything he eats which makes it even harder some days.

I have a few friends who go this done and they dropped mad weight from the start and here I am busting my butt like always just to lose a lb here and a lb there. :thumbup:

Well I finally was able to see my doc and this time they moved me up to 7cc's. OMG its freaking night and day. Though I know I probably shouldn't have but with in days of my first fill I could eat very carefully mind you (i chew till its liquefied) but could eat small bites of chicken. With the new fill I finally understand why we are taught to sip water. Even slim fast is a bit much for me.

So I'm hoping that this was not to tight a fill but, wow I think its going to be an awesome tool now that its easier to use being so tight. I'm hoping to be able to eat right and work out to lose some mad weight by Aug 15th.... It'll be my birthday gift to my ex-husband. I'll drop off my son with him and his girlfriend looking so much better and healthier (I like to stir up trouble with him and that harlot when ever I can...hehe... shes small than me now but watch out!!!)

I am apparently in "bandster hell" right now where my swelling has gone down, but I have just about no fill (2ccs in a 10 cc band), so I'm hungry and pretty much have a wide-open band. Well, it put me into a plateau because I was losing weight like mad on liquids.

So . . . I decided to get aggressive on my own. I decided to log my calories on thedailyplate.com, log my exercise, step up the cardio a bit, and increase my protein/water intakes. No, the scale still hasn't moved . . . but I'm determined. Yeah, I could sit around and wait for the fill in 2 weeks, then another 4, then another 4 or whatever it will take to get me to my sweet spot . . . . but I don't have patience. I just don't. So, in my downtime, I have to use it to my advantage and just know that the hunger will only be for a short time until I to proper restriction. That knowledge (a forseeable future) is the only thing that is helping me to not scarf up anything and everything in my presence.

So, I guess you're like me . . . kind of at a crossroads and trying to decide how much work you're going to put into it or how much you are going to rely on the band. I decided to put in the work because I know the waiting would kill me . . .

HTH

All of these posts have helped me so much! It's nice to know I'm not the only person who is going through this!

So I'm hoping that this was not to tight a fill but, wow I think its going to be an awesome tool now that its easier to use being so tight. I'm hoping to be able to eat right and work out to lose some mad weight by Aug 15th.... It'll be my birthday gift to my ex-husband. I'll drop off my son with him and his girlfriend looking so much better and healthier :thumbs_up: (I like to stir up trouble with him and that harlot when ever I can...hehe... shes small than me now but watch out!!!)

LMAO!!!!! :thumbs_up:

That was great! You GO girl, show him what he's missing out on! :w00t: Let us know how that goes.

Kristi