I just wanted to offer a few words of encouragement.

I have a 10 cc Realize band and have had numerous fills. I got my first fill and felt nothing. 2nd and 3rd fill, the same. I honestly don't remember how many I've had. Each time after a fill, I would play by the rules for a little while and give up because I was eating much, much more than the 1/4 cup my doc said I would be able to eat. I was eating as much as my husband, who has never had surgery.

This went on for a long time because my doc forced me to wait 8 weeks between fills. I became very depressed and felt like I failed, which was reinforced every time I went in to his office. The nurse would question me about my eating habits, and I would explain I would follow all the rules for 2-3 weeks after a fill with no results, and then eventually revert back to my old ways when I saw no change in my appetite. She would act as if the band would work if I just ate right all the time, and I would always leave wondering, "Why did I get this surgery if I have to stay on a strict diet with the same appetite I had before?" Even my mom seemed to blame me. I ended up going on antidepressants because I was crying so much over little things that shouldn't bother me.

Finally, I got to 9 ccs. The doc said there was only one other patient of his that had that much, and he's never filled beyond 9.5 ccs. He was thinking there was something wrong with the band and scheduled an EKG. I went home and stayed on liquids for a while, like I always do. I started out strictly adhering to my diet, but I expected the same thing... failure. However, suddenly I felt like I had a band. I felt the restriction. Things were getting stuck sometimes... bread and scrambled eggs were tricky for me, whereas before I could eat anything in almost any portion size.

That was on 3/9. Since then, I've lost over 20 pounds. I canceled that EKG. Encouraged by the fact that I could feel restriction, I ramped up my exercising at the gym to speed up weight loss. I am pretty good with my food most of the time but allow myself little treats (like a little bit of chocolate or some chips) perhaps once a week so I won't feel deprived. I just got an adjustment because I started feeling a little less restriction after my weight loss, and now I'm up to 9.5 ccs.

I don't know why it's taken so long, but it was so awesome for me to finally go into his office and feel successful. It was great not to have the nurse grill me like I'm lying about what I'm doing. It's also nice that I'm not "perfect" with my eating habits 100% of the time but I'm still losing at a satisfactory pace. My clothes are falling off of me... it's time to get out my skinnier clothes, FINALLY!

I just wanted to share this with anyone in my position, because the question that was bothering me was, is there any chance that, 8 months after surgery, the band will start working like it should after it seemed to fail so long? The answer is YES, it can.

Edited April 17, 200917 yr by zillyanne

Thanks Zillyanne for sharing your story. It is heartening to read that restriction really will come...

Hi zillyanne. Thank you for sharing. I've felt many of the things you talked about in your post. I think I'm getting closer to my sweet spot - I do know there is hope.... I can just feel it. It hasn't been easy, but it has been worth all the ups and downs that I've been through. Your post gives me renewed hope that I will make it to my goal - and I can tell that you will too!!! Congratulations on getting to that wonderful place where you are right now. Keep up the good work. Take care!! Becky

Hi, thanks for sharing your story with us. I am going through some difficult time lossing weight after my first fill. I don't feel restriction at all. On top of that I feel could eat more than before the fill. I am still making healthy food choices, but I am definitley eating probably more than 2 cups of food at lunch and dinner.

Thanks so much for your encouraging words!!! I have 3 cc's in a 10 cc lapband. My surgery was on 05/06/08 and I lost 20 lbs in the first month and then another 50 the following 6 months at a steady pace. In November I went to my MD, he was happy about the weight loss but I told him I was beginning to get hungry, so he did a 1cc fill...at the time I only had 2cc in....for the next week I could not eat anything so I went back to his office and he did a 1cc unfill...well I have not lost anything since then despite another 1cc fill in February. Also I had to take 10 days of steroids for poison oak and gained 3 lbs back. I did not know about this site at the time or I would have realized that in November I had just gotten something stuck!! Until reading on this site I have been a little scared about getting fills because I thought you just needed a fill because you had stretched out your pouch....now I realize that is not true and I cannot hardly wait to go for a fill on Tuesday. I hope to get some restriction then and drop the remaining 23 lbs to get me to my goal and maybe a little more. This site has helped me so much!

Nursejess

Surgery 05/06/08

Weight 278

Current 211

Goal 188 or less

I got the band less than two months ago and I have had two fills for a total of 2.25cc in a 10cc band and I feel the same way...I can eat anything without problems and I keep telling my doc that I am starving and can eat all day if I chose too....but she is not concerned since I have lost 43 pds, thats only because since I spent so much money I have been trying very hard not to eat alot however I did gain 4 pounds in the last week and a half and don't go for another fill for 4 weeks. It is very fusterating cause i can eat the same amount I did before the only difference is now I try to eat it over hours instead of one sitting....but somedays I just eat and eat. It drives me crazy...cause I am sooo hungry all the time!

I promise i had to check to make sure that i was not reading something that i had wrote... you are so right... i was kind of loosing hope i was taking diet pills because i was so hungry. I think i have about 9.25 or either 9.5cc in my band and i shouldnt need another fill for a long time from now.....lol i lost 6lbs in less than 5days my last fill was on tuesday i will say hold on to anyone you will see the light...

WOW! Thank you so much Zillyanne! I think I needed to read your post today! I've had success, but it has been diet and exercise and little to no restriction. I might as well not have a band. I finally got fill #3 last Wednesday to 5cc (had to be put off because of a complication), followed the liquid diet, but am back to regular eating today. My surgeon will only fill every 2 weeks, so I have another 10 days before I can fill again. Frustrating, but your post gives me hope that I'm worried prematurely!

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for your words of encouragement!!!

Thanks for your post Zilly, and all the replies. I got banded on 2/25/9 and up until recently was aggravated at myself for not staying on a stricter diet to lose weight and upset because I have had to wait 6 weeks for 1st fill and 5 weeks till next fill and I am in a HURRY to get down to the next size in my closet. I have come to realize from reading post from others with more experience that I have to do my part and dont have to do it perfectly, and for most of us the restriction will come and the band will do the work for which it was made -later if not sooner. I am a little more patient now, grateful I can not binge like I used to, although I can eat enough to keep from loosing weight. Thank God I stay around the same weight while I am waiting for the next fill. I can see how finally feeling enough restriction is very helpful in becoming more motivated to exercise and eat better. I am not where I want to be, but i AM NOT where I was before the surgery and I am so grateful for that.

Keep on trudging the road of happy destiny!

Luchay

Thanks! I needed to hear this. And I am very happy for you!

I think I have found my twin. I was banded the day after you, I have had a terrible time waiting for restriction! Two weeks ago I lost it when the scale went up again. Miserable crying, self pity, this is never going to work. Dreading going back in and asking for another fill. Every fill was the same, I would feel a little for a week, eat super, lose a few pounds. Then I would feel nothing and those few pounds would return. In 9 months my weight loss has just moved from 10 to 15 pounds, back and forth, over and over again.

Well I forced myself to go in on Tuesday. Amazingly enough no one lectured me. They added 1cc and wow! I never thought it would happen, but I am tight! On Wed morning it took me an hour to drink an 8oz protein shake. I almost gave up! I was so close to never going back into that office again because I could not stand feeling like such a failure.

So I agree, don't give up! Nine months ago today I had my surgery. I never dreamed it would take so long to get the band working. And even if it does loosen up some, I have now at least had a taste of what true restriction is.

Good luck everyone! Thanks Zillyanne!

Congratulations! I needed some inspiration and good news today! Good luck, keep up the good work!

congrats on finally feeling it. I know how frustrating waiting for restriction can be!