Am I normal??? I am losing weight with out any thing everyonoe talks about.......no PBing, No Slimming, No getting stuff Stuck. I can eat anything and I do mean ANYTHING with no problems. I can eat an entire Mcdonald's salad including the grilled chicken that comes on the top with no problems.

I go next Thursday to get a fill if needed.........I'm going to say I need a fill just because I can eat alot and I fill like I shouldn't be since everyone else says they can't eat but a bite or two, but my head tells me "Hey your losing weight so leave it all alone".

Anyone else not have any problems like myself and can eat a whole salad and still losing weight??? I do keep my calories around 1300 to 1400 a day.

Need your input PLEASE

If you're losing weight and you are happy with how fast you're losing, you could wait to get a fill. People get fills because they are eating too much and not losing weight. Just because it's time for a fill doesn't necessarily

you need one. When you hit a plateau, you will probably want a fill.

I believe that how tight you are is a personal choice. Some prefer to stay a little loose and eat a little more and others choose to be tight and eat less. As long as you are losing weight and happy with your rate of weight loss, I don't think you should compare yourself to others and do something because they do. This is your life and you get to decide what is right for you.

Please do yourself a favor, leave well enough alone. You, IMO should only get a fill when you stop losing weight. Believe me when you first feel any one of the things you mentioned, you will regret that fill. I have been through each thing you are talking about and it it NOT pleasant. You learn very quickly, what not to do. However, each food as well as the particular time of day it is presents different results. I've had my band for 9 months approx and every day is a learning experience. I'm still trying to figure this thing out. The good news is that I have lost over 50 lbs and it is not coming back. This has been a roller coaster for me. Things like being to tight, pbing, sliming, and let's face it real pain at times. So, if you are still losing weight, leave well enough alone. Get your fill when you really need it. Hope this helps you make up your mind. Me, I'm the one who has to learn things the hard way. I wish that wasn't my truth, but it is.

Lundy Lane,

I am just like you. I was banded on April 8, I have had 1 fill on May 19 and I have never really experienced pb'ing or sliming. I am losing weight too. At 6 weeks the doctor gave me a fill because I lost most of the weight in the first 3 weeks. I went back 5 weeks later on June 24 and I had lost 10 more lbs. I wanted a fill because I felt that I was eating too much and I didn't think I was getting any message from the band. He wouldn't do it. He will not give fills if you've lost more than 5 lbs in a month. I am watching what I eat, keeping track of calories most days and exercising. I feel like I am losing weight in spite of the band. If having this surgery is what helped me make these choices, I am fine with that. I am going to keep going like I have and if I don't need a fill for a couple of more months, so be it.

I started out on the day of surgery with 4cc's in a 10cc band and then had 1cc added on May 19. I want to take my time with this because my band is already 50% filled. My doctor feels the same way. He's very conservative, but until I am not losing weight, I won't complain.

Good luck.

Alice

Banded April 8, 2008

271/242/150

I haven't had any issues either. As of today I am down 28lbs and was banded on May 16th. I keep my caloric intake between 800 and 1000 calories and don't really have any problems doing so. However, I'm scheduled or another fill next friday and I'm going to take it. My Dr. shoots for the maximum amount of weightloss without any side effects, as I'm sure most Drs. do, but he also believes in a consistent schedule. My Dr. also believes in eating when you are hungry...and would like to see me consume as low as 600-800 calories a day. There isn't anyway that I could do that on the 2cc's that I have in my band now...so...I'll keep getting fills every 3-4 weeks until that happens.

Yes Lundy, I'm experiencing the same thing. I am losing 2 pounds a week, can eat anything I want, have never slimed or PB'd or thrown up. I love that McDonald's salad with the grilled chicken and I can eat it all, too. I'd love to be losing weight faster, but I know that slower is the healthier way and at my age, this is more about health for me than about looks and cute clothes (although they count too).

I'm finally starting to experience some of the things I've been reading on this forum from long time bandsters..... especially the part about learning to listen to my body and recognize when I am satisfied (not full). Also I'm recognizing just how much of my hunger is head hunger and I'm seeing just how bad my compulsive eating and/or addiction has been for so long. I'm not going to be "cured" of those issues overnight but the band is proving to be an excellent tool to help me fight it.

Am I normal??? I am losing weight with out any thing everyonoe talks about.......no PBing, No Slimming, No getting stuff Stuck. I can eat anything and I do mean ANYTHING with no problems. I can eat an entire Mcdonald's salad including the grilled chicken that comes on the top with no problems.

I go next Thursday to get a fill if needed.........I'm going to say I need a fill just because I can eat alot and I fill like I shouldn't be since everyone else says they can't eat but a bite or two, but my head tells me "Hey your losing weight so leave it all alone".

Anyone else not have any problems like myself and can eat a whole salad and still losing weight??? I do keep my calories around 1300 to 1400 a day.

Need your input PLEASE

Of course you would still lose weight with 1400 calories a day. If you weight 200 pounds for example anything less then 2300 a day and you will lose. Is the band keeping you at the lower calorie level? I am curious, I see your BMI is 35, how did you qualify for the surgery?

Congratulations, seems like you are doing well.

I have never opted to have real tight restriction. The only time I knew I had a band was when I did not chew well, or ate too much too fast, and it would feel tight in my chest kind of. I can count the # of PB's I have had in 2+ years..........2---and I remember what both of them were, and why!!!

I had 2 fills over that period of time, and one total unfill back in May for my Tummy Tuck.

Band PLACEMENT plays a much bigger role my fill Dr. believes that formerly thought it did.

Filling too much and becoming too tight, can lead to cycles of swelling and PB's--if you are losing I would leave it alone, until this phase ends, and then let them tighten you down.

Since my TT, I have not felt hunger, so I have opted not to refill at this point. I have no fill at all. When I begin feeling hungry or gaining weight, I will go without a doubt!!! Til then......if it ain't broke....I ain't gonna try to fix it!!!

Kat

I am curious, I see your BMI is 35, how did you qualify for the surgery?

Thanks for your reply! How did I qualify.......Well I hate to say it but it was easy. I was one pound shy of having a BMI of 35 and I started the process in Feb 08 so it was cold outside and I wore heavy clothes to my first doctor's appointment and made it to the 35 mark. I also had high blood pressure for about a year. It only took United Health Care 2.5 weeks to send the approval letter.

I have heard that it has alot to do with your employer (I work for GE) as to if they will pay for it or not. I know someone who is a nurse at the hospital that I had my surgery and needs it way more than me because of health issues and having a BMI of 44 and the hospital has United Health Care as well but the hospital does not cover the surgery. I spoke to my Doctor about it and told him it did not seem right to be the hospital that promotes the surgery but yet won't pay for it for the people who work for them........he agreed and said they are trying to get them to change.

I wanted a fill because I felt that I was eating too much and I didn't think I was getting any message from the band. He wouldn't do it. He will not give fills if you've lost more than 5 lbs in a month. I am watching what I eat, keeping track of calories most days and exercising. I feel like I am losing weight in spite of the band. If having this surgery is what helped me make these choices, I am fine with that. I am going to keep going like I have and if I don't need a fill for a couple of more months, so be it.

I TOTALLY FEEL THE SAME!!!!! I think I will leave well enough alone!

I wouldn't worry about it. I too, have been very lucky with my band. I had surgery in Nov. and I didn't get my first fill until Feb. I feel I have had great success. I also was able to eat pretty much anything within reason. I also have been exercising like crazy so that has really helped me.

Just recently I was finding it hard to keep eating like I was. I was able to eat pizza, bread, Pasta, anything, but I was starting to see the scale go the wrong way or not move at all, so I finally have gotten my second fill on Monday. I am now losing again in fact this morning I saw a great number, but I don't want to post it until I am certain. Since my fill I've had to do the liquids, mushies, regular food progression again and it has helped me remember my rules and how to eat like a bandster, but so far so good.

I have not had ANY PB's since I've been banded. I was really nervous about getting my fill because I didn't want to wreck a good thing but I was ready to lose again and hopefully very soon I'll be under 200!

a few times since my surgery I would get a really tight feeling in my chest (golf ball) but no sliming or PB so I also feel lucky.

keep up the great work!

LundyLane,

I have been blessed as well to lose weight with no problems.

I have had only one fill. I felt great at the doctors office a few weeks back. I felt wonderful restriction. Two weeks later, I have started to slow down on the weight loss and am starting to be a little more hungry. My appointment is not until the end of August. UGGh.

I plan on waiting it out a few more weeks. I don't want the band to do all of the work. But, if I start gaining, or get to hungry I will call for a fill.

Good Luck and enjoy your journey.

How wonderful! Seems you are doing everything right!

Me, I slime almost every day. I'm an overeater...have been for 30 years.

Been banded 1 year. So, as you can see....it's gonna take more than 1 year for me to NOT be an overeater. But I don't mind if it stays this way for the rest of my life. Sliming doesn't bother me a bit.

I am all for not being too tight also. At this point, I can eat anything I want, and don't have to chew like crazy anymore. The great thing is I still get full very fast and hardly ever get hungry.

I love my band and I am really happy to be at my sweet spot. For the longest time, I thought I would never find it.

As the weight loss sort of slowed and I needed to be tighter, the pb's and sliming did start but they are NOT a part of my daily, or even weekly existence. They're very few and far between. You are indeed normal and probably a tad lucky.

My early journey for the first year was just like that, I hardly needed any fill and I lost weight steadily (albeit a bit slower than others).

Enjoy it! You can always get a fill when you need it and yes, that may bring on a few episodes but they dont need to happen frequently!