is this normal... or am I wierd?

[chubbychops 0]

Hi, I Have been banded since 5th April 2009. I has an empty band until my first fill on May 7th, when I got 4mls put in under x-ray. Result..... no percetable difference. Second fill was 19th May (3ms more), thing is......... I can feel foods goiung down and if I do not chew enough is a bit painful. I have been stuck once on a dryish mothful of sea bass ( not nice) BUT I do not seem to have any restriction as to the amount I feel I can eat. I could (but really do try not too) eat plates full of food and do not feel any different. Am I resticted or not? Do I need another fill or not? Will another fill just mean it is harder to get down some foods like the sea bass story, or will I start to recognise fullness before I have eaten a full plate of food?

Anyone else felt like this, or am I a lap band freak?

Chubby

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

One important fact you failed to note....You have 7ccs in what size band? 7ccs in a 10cc band you should certainly be feeling restriction BUT 7ccs in a 14cc band, not necessarily.

[FangDoc 1]

Yes, in my (limited) experience, if you were restricted by your latest fill you would feel it.

I had my first fill on Thursday 5/21, and I can't get over the difference. Before my fill I could pretty much eat the same quantities of food as I could pre-op. Since then, I get a high, firm feeling of fullness after about 1/2 cup of food.< /p>

Now, that's solid food with no beverage with the meal. I could probably eat just as much of a non-chunky Soup, or mashed potatoes, or ice cream, or any of those bad-news "slider" foods as ever. But firm-consistency foods, well chewed, fill me up really well and keep me full for hours. I'm thrilled. I hope you can get the same results soon -- talk to your surgeon!

[chubbychops 0]

Sorry for the omission. The band is a 14mls band.

I have an appointment for a 3rd fill on 4th June, hopefully that will sort out my confused feelings then

Thanks for your replies

Chubby

[SusanMTaylor 0]

Hi!! my name is Susan!! i am SO GLAD that i came across your thread!! i thought that i was going crazy before i read your question today!! i had my Lapband surgery on 4/13/2009 - by 4/22 i noticed no feeling of restriction at all!! i felt since then (today is 6 weeks post op) that i could eat platefulls of food like before - i noticed that if i didn't chew my food thoroughly enough that i could feel it go all the way down my esophagus - this is painful, isn't it!!?? my doctor won't give me my first fill until 2 more weeks (8 weeks post op) because they tell me that the port site has to be healed thoroughly so it won't turn or flip when the needle is inserted -

i think that because i started out with a BMI of less than 40, and that i have a slender build around my tummy (i'm shaped like an hour glass) that the band is very loose around my stomach and the diameter of the hole that food falls through is pretty big - i got to see a band and touch it, and i noticed that the hole is pretty big - i'm guessing like the size of a 50 cent piece?

Is the needle very painful for a fill?? i'm worried a little about it -

anyways, i hope that you will feel more restriction as you get more fills - Thanks for your question because i thought i was the only one who had this issue - i'm hungry all the time!! but i'm not taking in any more than 1000 calories a day, so i'm losing weight, i'm just not enjoying the benefit yet of having a fill -

Susan

[brohncofan 0]

I don't know if what you are feeling is normal or weird, but I am having the same feelings too!! I was banded January 5th w/ a 10cc band. After a couple of fills, I'm now at 3.5cc and I still am feeling no restriction in the amount of food I can eat. I try not to test it because I really want to lose weight, but if I had the will power to push myself away from the table before I was satisfied, I wouldn't have needed the surgery in the first place. When I talked to my surgeon about it, he said that the band isn't supposed to stop you from eating, but instead will help control your hunger by keeping you full longer. Based on what I've been reading online, that isn't necessarily true. It sounds to me like we should be feeling restricted in the amount of food we can eat if the band is filled correctly. I'm going to talk to my surgeon again and I think you should too.

Good luck!

[chubbychops 0]

Susan and Bro,

Thank you so much for the replies. I am so relieved not to be the only one feeling like this. Sounds like it could be quite normal then lol.

I have an appt for my third fill on June 4th so fingers crossed it will get better. I must admit I am less hungry than I was before my second fill so there is some merit in what your Dr said Bro. However like you also said........ I would not have needed this band if I could control my portion sizes to begin with.

Susan, please do not worry or be afraid about the fills. They are so easy and virtually pain free. I have felt more discomfort when having a routine blood test, therefore you need worry no more. The fills are what will lead us to success, on that ground I embrace them and actually look forwads to each one..... it means I am getting to where I need to be.

I know the band is a tool I must work with but I am hopeless at DIY lol, hoping it all falls into place soon.

Thanks again

Chubby

[queenbeev 0]

I had my surgery Wed 5/20/09 and I feel disgusted with ever food and I am even confused as to whether or not I am hungry, lost 10lbs in 5 days...I hope I feel my band restriction and get to eat some solid foods soon!

[chubbychops 0]

Queenie,

You are in the healing phase at the moment, Your tummy is confused and inflammed and irritated so it is giving you conflicting messages. The main thing to remember is not to put any strain on the band or your stitches until healing has taken place. This means following your Dr's instructions faithfully even though it will be difficult to do so at times.

You will get to where you want to be, but it does take a bit of time too. Hang on in there and you will truely be a queen bee!

Best of luck

Chubby

[SusanMTaylor 0]

Hi!! Thanks for the encouraging message!! I saw my dietician yesterday and she indicated that my first fill will be for 3cc's of saline - I am worried that I won't see ANY kind of difference, but she said to ask them to fill it up as much as possible because I live 1 1/2 hours away and each fill will cost me $100 - Also, I have to wait a minimum of 4 weeks between fills so that the port site doesn't get irritated - So my first fill will be June 5th and I hope I get a good one!!

Susan

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

Hi, I Have been banded since 5th April 2009. I has an empty band until my first fill on May 7th, when I got 4mls put in under x-ray. Result..... no percetable difference. Second fill was 19th May (3ms more), thing is......... I can feel foods goiung down and if I do not chew enough is a bit painful. I have been stuck once on a dryish mothful of sea bass ( not nice) BUT I do not seem to have any restriction as to the amount I feel I can eat. I could (but really do try not too) eat plates full of food and do not feel any different. Am I resticted or not? Do I need another fill or not? Will another fill just mean it is harder to get down some foods like the sea bass story, or will I start to recognise fullness before I have eaten a full plate of food?

Anyone else felt like this, or am I a lap band freak?

Chubby

Hi Chubby,

Sounds to me like you are feeling good restriction. One thing I do with myself is, if I have to wonder if I need another fill then likely I don't.

If you really NEED a fill, there would be no question about it. You would feel hunger quickly after eating and you would be able to eat most anything without recourse.

Don't over-do it. Our bands are fickle and temperamental. Wait it out awhile before getting another fill. This isn't like buying a car, you don't need to keep up with the Jones's to fit in. We are all different. In fact, some bandsters never even need their first fill.

HTH

ETA: I don't think you are weird for feeling your food go down or through your band. I feel it too. Not sure how common this is, but just know you are not the only one.

Edited May 28, 2009 by LilMissDiva