Just wondering if anyone can tell me if you feel restriction immediately after surgery. I don't think my doc puts any fluid in band at time of surgery. Has anyone else just had the band and no fluid and still felt restriction and if so for how long. Do most people end up in "Bandster Hell?" Thanks, I am trying to be prepared.

Just wondering if anyone can tell me if you feel restriction immediately after surgery. I don't think my doc puts any Fluid in band at time of surgery. Has anyone else just had the band and no fluid and still felt restriction and if so for how long. Do most people end up in "Bandster Hell?" Thanks, I am trying to be prepared.

My doctor placed 3cc in my band at the time of surgery. And let me tell you the day after surgery I was starving. I could have ate a steak if they would have let me. I did not feel any restriction until my second fill in December and then that only lasted for two weeks.

Restriction takes time, but you will get there. Good luck!

I had 3cc put in at surgery time and had restriction from the get go. Everyone is different in how they react to fills.

Hi. I had 2 cc's put in at the time of surgery, but I didn't know that until I went in for my first fill. I had NO restriction after surgery, none after my first fill and none after my second fill. Yes, I was living in bandster hell. Things really started to change after my third fill. I've now had 4 fills, have 6.4 cc's in my 10 cc band and I have LOTS of restriction. Still learning how to eat/live with this restriction. Everyone is so different. I've read about people who have so much restriction after surgery that they don't even need a fill, or don't need one for a long time. And then you read about people who have had 8 to 10 fills (or even more) who still don't have good restriction. All our bands are different, all our bodies are different, and all of our reactions to fills are different. Good luck to you!!! Take care. Becky

My doctor places the band with no fill. I had no restriction what so ever. Each person does react differently. Most times, the restriction is based on swelling of the stomach (if no fill was put into the band at surgery). If you don't swell much, you may not feel much restriction. Good luck to you either way!

I was banded 3/23 with the Realize Band, and I haven't noticed much restriction. I have no clue how many cc's are in my band, if any yet. I haven't pushed the envelope with trying things like steak or bread. I can eat crackers with no problems. I get my first fill 5/4, and I'm hoping to get some restriction then. I do feel fuller sooner, just not much restriction with things going down. I guess you could say I'm in semi bandster hell

I was banded without a fill and felt restriction right away. My stomach is very sensitive with being messed with. I am 9 months post surgery and still only have had 2 fills of 1cc each in my 11cc band. Everyone is different.

My Dr. said I was a big guy with the smaller band, he like that band better. I don't know if I'd say I felt restriction but during the baruim swallow I drank it to fast and it took a bit of swallowing to get it down. I'm still on liquids but it seemed like the first few days it was like a funnel you know hoe you put liquid in and kind of have to wait for some air to come out befroe the liquid could go down. My first week I wasn't really hungry now I'm starting to feel hungry and hope that I can at least start on soup after my visit tomorrow, I've been clear liquids since 4/8 and my surgery was 4/10.

My band had only "primer" in it (as my doc called it) I came to in recovery hungry (yes really hungry not "head" or emotional hunger) I didn't have restriction until my 4th fill. AND I'm still not in the "green zone" but I'm getting there.

The morning after surgery I was hungry, but overall, I had a dream run.

I had no Fluid in my band but I had absolutely superb restriction for about 10 weeks following surgery - superb in that I was full quickly, with half a cup or so, and stayed that way for hours and had a complete absence of appetite, without any nausea or feeling unwell. I just couldnt care less about food at all.

If only I could have replicated that later on! I did well with my band and reached a normal weight, which I have maintained, but boy it would have been SO fast and easy with restriction like I had post surgery. However, my natural appetite returned and it became more of a matter of balancing head hunger and physical hunger with my body's new ability to cope with food. The band has never stopped me getting hungry - but then its NORMAL to get hungry and to eat in response to that. What the band does for me is slows me down to the point where I have to think about what I'm eating and whether or not I've had enough. Appetite control and lack of hunger are not a part of it for me. I get that only briefly post fill, but it dissipates and I become normal again within 2 weeks.

However, I didnt take lots of fills to get restriction, I found EVERY fill gave me adequate restriction, the main difference came with getting tighter - then the restriction would last longer. Like, my first 2 fills were only 6 weeks apart, my 5th and 6th fills over a year apart.

Although I've had great results, I would DEARLY love to be another 14lb lighter or so, it would be a really spectacular result for me. And I am seriously tempted to go for a tight fill (which I've never really had) to get me there, just to try to dampen my natural inclination to always want to be eating. But with that will come super tight restriction and that I dont particularly want, in this sense I'd say I've had more bandster hell later on in my journey than early on. Not that I'd call it hell, what a problem, to have a BMI of 22 and want one of 20! Hardly worth getting too upset about.

Edited April 21, 200917 yr by Jachut

Thanks for all the info. It kind of helps me to know what to expect even though everyone is different

Jaqui, I think we all know what it feels like to just want to lose a little more even after a big weight loss, but you have done awesome. You are a real inspiration to those of us just starting this journey.

Holly