I was banded 01/23 and had my first fill 3/9 (currently down 34 lbs) I can still eat fairly large portions (which scares me!!) and find I'm getting hungry pretty often. Is this normal? I currently have 3cc in my band. I'm supposed to go back in 4 weeks for an adjustment. How many fills before you get to the right level?

Thanks!

that is a question that has no specific answer. every person has a differrent "sweet spot". the "sweet spot" if when your band is full just right. i had surgery 8-11-08 and still in the process of getting fills. i think i have had 5 with 1 unfill.

Hi, trish, and welcome.

There's no set amount of fills or fill level to get you to the right restriction. It depends on your doctor, how much saline he puts in each time and your body's reaction to the fill level.

My first fill was under fluoro at six weeks (I think it was 4.2 cc). I went in two weeks later for an in office fill, and I think it was around 1.9 cc. Two weeks later, the restriction I was feeling started to wear off again, so I asked for another fill under fluoro. They took an x-ray before they did the fill, and the barium went down in a swoosh, so it was obvious I could use another fill. That one lasted a month, got another, month later got another, and had another one two or three weeks later. This last fill took me to 8.4 cc in a 9 cc band, and it's going strong at almost a month. This seems to be the one that's going to stick for awhile. I have great restriction, but I'm still able to eat all types of foods w/o issues and stay full a good four hours (sometimes less and sometimes more).

I have exactly the same issue. I have 4cc in a 10cc band

and I have no restriction. I can still have large portions of food at a time (3 meatballs, rice, beans and a tortilla) I love my mexican food. Its a bit disappointing that I can still eat all that. I am loosing weight (surgery on 11/03/08; lost 40 pounds) so I am not sure about "fills" and "restriction".

This whole experience is not what they make it out to be

when you go to the pre-surgery seminars. I have yet to get full on 1 or 2 ounces of food.

hey everyone, was banded 3/5/08 and have perfect restriction from my last fill which took place 3/3/09. 7cc in a 10 cc band. i thought i had restriction but the weight just wasn't moving as it should be. now i know that .25 to .50 of a cup of food really does fill me up. i thought i had restriction but the weight wasn't coming off, but i wasn't gaining. if you aren't losing at least 1.5 lbs a week, get a fill and make sure your food choices are smart choices. some of us need more restricted caloric intake than others. it works and it is great, don't get discouraged, just think you aren't gaining!!!

I was banded on 7/8/08 and have had a few fills. I think I am at 7cc in a 10cc band. I am not at my sweet spot yet, but I am getting close. Going back in a week or two for another fill.

I am deathly afraid of getting sick so I am not pushing too fast. I would rather have it come off slow an steady than to have issues with food.

Good luck everyone!

Thanks everyone!

I had my fourth fill two weeks ago, 7 cc's in a 10 cc band. I got stuck and went three days with major problems. I had an unfill and am now at 6.4 ccs. I can eat more and I am hungry every three hours which has me very disappointed. But I am keeping track of my food intake and being careful, because I would rather do that then experience the three awful days of pain before the unfill. I am confident though that next fill will make a difference.

I was banded on 2-24 and scheduled for 1st refill on 4-13; I really think I need to go sooner than I am scheduled. I am hungry every hour on the hour now. I can eat maybe the same amount as if I did not have the band. I am trying to watch what I eat, but the hunger is really bad. Do you guys think I should get an earlier fill appointment if possible or should I continue watching what I eat and keep the scheduled appointment.

It is getting hard not to eat enough to kill the hunger, HELP :smile2: