Okay, It has been 4 weeks since my first fill and I have lost no more weight. I really cannot tell the band is there except for occasionally when I do not chew something well.

So my question is How do you know when you hit your "sweet spot," what changes?

I am disappointed that my appetite seems exactly the same. I thought I would be getting a sensation of being fuller sooner.

I don't want to be so tight that I have to drink liquids forever, but right now I am just back to the same old diets that didn't work in the past.

Help!

Hi Jennifer,

Yup, I think you might need another slight adjustment. It's a tough one, I know. But if you haven't lost anything in a few weeks, I would consider a top-up!

Let us know what you decide!

Be patient. Attaning proper restriction is a completely individual thing. You might need another small fill, or it might take a couple before you get to the "sweet spot." I think you'll be amazed when you get there though!

So it sounds like you have found your sweet spot. How did you know you were there? Are you having to "diet" or are you just satisfied with less?

Can anyone explain to me exactly what the band is doing to keep us from eating too much. Is it supposed to slow down the food so that it stays in the upper pouch longer? Even if I get the PB's if a few moments I am able and wanting to finish eating.

I am just so disappointed that it is all coming back down to dieting and will power for me. I was never able to do that before and I know it won't work now.

It is NOT all about dieting. If you are hungry, and not feeling full/satisfied on a smaller amount of food, then you need another fill.

How will you know if you're at the right fill level? When it feels right to you. It doesn't feel "right" to you right now, so you need another fill.

I believe the "sweet spot" is different for everyone, and even different for the same person at different times.

Trust me when I tell you that there is a point where your band can COMPLETELY close off anything from going through the stoma - where you CANNOT eat OR drink ANYTHING. If you accept this fact, then you KNOW that somewhere between where you are now, and being totally closed off, is your "sweet spot".

How does the band work to help you lose weight? It creates a barrier very high on your stomach that slows food from passing through. When you eat faster than the food passes, it backs up in the stoma and stretches the nerves, giving a "full" feeling. If you continue to eat past that point, the food backs up into your esophagus (or tries to) resulting in a very painful feeling, like you swallowed a golfball and it's stuck before it reaches your stomach. That's generally a precurser to the infamous PB, although sometimes if you relax and STOP eating/drinking, walk around a little, the stoma has time to empty a little and relieve the pressure without bringing anything back up.

We are not making this stuff up - you've already felt the stuck feeling and PB'd. You're stoma is very, very tiny. You don't know that, because most of what you're eating is slipping through with little slowing.

At your next fill, ask your doc to show you what it feels like to be totally closed off. Have a little barium, and you will see that your stoma is only a swallow or two big. Once the doc lets up on the restriction and lets the barium trickle out a little, you will see how you still feel full as the barium trickles out. Once enough has gone through to release the pressure in your stoma, you will feel like you could take another swallow.

Having that "I couldn't possibly take one more bite, there is no where for it to go" feeling is what you're looking for from your fills. The only question is, how many bites do you want to have before you get that feeling? Some people want it in 3 bites, some in 10, some in one. Your "sweet spot" is the number of bites you want to feel full at.

Restriction is the key, and fills are what get you there.

Donali,

Oh, wise one! How smart to have the Dr. close the stoma off and then work backword. Brilliant! I will make my appointment for next week.

Thanks so much for taking the time to clear things up. I can't wait for my next fill.