Salutations Gentlemen,

This seems to be a very confusing topic. I've read all I could find on the subject here in the forum and 2 theme's seem to be prevalent.

1- Everyone is different.

2- It takes a few fills (2-4 seems to be the average) before you start feeling restriction.

That doesn't make much sense to me. Why should it take a couple of fills to feel restriction. Is it so the fill Dr.'s can make more money? I've just started to eat food since my surgery 16 days ago. So I was a bit curious as to what and how much I could eat. I have a 10cc band with nothing added to it so far. As far as I can tell there is absolutely no difference then before I was banded. If it really does take a few more fills before the band starts working how do I continue to lose weight? I do plan on eating sensibly by getting on a calorie reduced diet but that seems to defeat the whole reason for getting the band in the first place! I would very much like to hear your experiences in this matter. Thanks so much!!

mr b; welcome to the band wagon. The reason they don't fill your band to restriction at surgery is the same reason they told you to do liquids at first then mushies. Your stomach has been aggrevated by the procedure, let it heal up and then restrict it. You have fat around your stomach, the band cinches down around fat and all, when you lose some of the fat your pouch expands to fit the band and you don't feel as much restriction. You get another fill and the process starts all over. My first 2 fills didn't last very long but my third fill has lasted nearly 6 months. I guess I got to the sweet spot and the weight melted off.

Good luck

db

Thanks Cowboy,

That makes sense. It looks like I missed the most informative info of all in a thread called: "How the Lap-Band actually works, fills and refills"

In it it says:

"Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap Band."

So my new question is what have you guys done to continue to lose weight during this "search for the sweet spot" period?

Thanks again..........

So my new question is what have you guys done to continue to lose weight during this "search for the sweet spot" period?

Practice your new rules until they become habits:

Take small portions unto your plate

Eat sloooooooooowly

Chew throughly

no liquids w/ meals

eat until not hungry (as opposed to "full")

yep, what Plain said. and i'll add - start exercising !

The period after surgery swelling subsides and getting good restriction from the fills is a very very tough period. It takes a lot of will power because most people still have the ability to eat about anything they want. It took me until my 4th fill to get good consistent restriction.

One thing I've noticed on these boards is that some doctors make fill decisions based on the scale rather than the patients' hunger. I'm glad they are not my doctor. Mine is more aggressive with fills and I got my first one just 3 weeks post op.

I would find it quite demoralizing if I was asserting myself with will power and exercise and then have the doc make me suffer through the hunger. Taking a bite out of the hunger is the whole point of the band.

Mike has the main key to success IMO. Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. I'm convinced that success rests upon 1) using the band to control the hunger and 2) use exercise to burn the fat off. One without the other is pointless.

Brad

Okay - so now I understand the difficulty with finding the sweet spot. Can someone offer a description of what "restriction" actually feels like? I am assuming it is just a tightness in the upper abdomen. Also - I have been told that I will absolutely throw up if I over eat. The nutritionist told me that it would be sort of like how a baby chucks up - not alot of drama - just food coming right back up unexpectedly. This is causing me a little nervousness about business meetings and dinners ). I am just a few days post-op, still dealing with gas and not eating mushies yet. Any insight would be appreciated.

Okay - so now I understand the difficulty with finding the sweet spot. Can someone offer a description of what "restriction" actually feels like? I am assuming it is just a tightness in the upper abdomen. Also - I have been told that I will absolutely throw up if I over eat. The nutritionist told me that it would be sort of like how a baby chucks up - not alot of drama - just food coming right back up unexpectedly. This is causing me a little nervousness about business meetings and dinners ). I am just a few days post-op, still dealing with gas and not eating mushies yet. Any insight would be appreciated.

Hey Jed-

That sounds like a pretty accurate description- at least for me. I just had my first fill about a week ago. I start feeling full at about a 1/2 a sandwich. If I eat more than that it could come back up. If I drink Water with it it comes back up, kindof just like you said- suddenly and with little drama.

Thanks Mr. Boswell,

It sounds like you are definitely dialing in on the right formula for success. Half a sandwich... that sounds like a reasonable amount of food to lose weight on. Curious - are you actually eating bread? I was told that bread was probably not ever going to be possible. In fact, my docs have said try to eat an almost exclusive solid diet of Protein, a little dark veggie (but not too fibrous) and a minute amount of starchy veggie (mashed potato?). Probably very healthy but a little boring I am sure.

Last question - when you feel full, do you feel satisfied? Are you taking a long time to eat?

Well, let me back up a little bit.

My lap-band experience has been nothing like I expected it to be. I had spent a month on this forum prior to being banded and so I had heard a lot of thing like what you are saying. No bread, meat would be very hard to eat, chew every bite an hour before swallowing! ect. What I've learned most is that no 2 people seem to have the same experience. I saw the results many have had in this "Men's Room" and wanted the same. Their success seems to boil down to 2 things....diet and exercise. So that's what I have focused on. After being banded I did the 2 weeks on liquid and then mostly soup, yogurt and soft stuff the next 2 weeks. After that I realized I had absolutly no restriction, I could eat whatever I wanted, so I put myself on a 1700 calorie diet. After my 1st fill on 12/18 I felt a little tight for a couple of days but then I was back to pretty much normal. The couple of times food came back up was because I ate to fast and tried to wash it down with water. However, it does feel like my appitite has deminished a little bit. So I may be the wrong person to ask. I hired one of those personal fitness consultants and they map everything out for me. What exactly to eat, when and how much to exercise, what suppliments to take, ect. So anyway- don't know if any of that helps but that's what my experience has been so far. Good Luck!!