Ok so i am newly banded only 6 weeks post-op. I had my first fill on June 15 and have been losing weight i have lost about 24lbs so i am very happy with that but i am so confused on some things. The band has given me very good appetite control and will power. Before getting my first fill i dieted and messured my food so i didn't go over a cup. When i got my first fill he put 2cc in (had 4.25 at surgery) and i couldn't get the water down so he backed to 1.5cc. So you would think if that is all he could have gotten in then i would have great restriction. I can stay full for hrs but i still can fit about a cup in my band. Why is that? Is everyone different? The doctor told me during my first semimar that i won't beable to fit more then 3/4 cup in my band. Do i not have enough fill? but how could that be if he couldn't fit anymore in? SO CONFUSED!!! I am afraid that if i can fit a lot in my band that in the long run i will lose my will power. Will i stretch my pouch eating a cup of food i don't have anypain i just fill full when i am done? Sorry for the long post

I'm no expert, but I think that certain foods can slip righ through the band. My dodctor stressed to me to make sure I get the protein rich foods such as chicken in first because it takes longer to digest. When I do eat chicken which I really don't like to do. I can eat around 3/4 of a cup, and usually I am not able to eat anything else with it, and I'm full for hours. Now when I eat fish if I wanted to i could actually get 3 times the amount of fish down, and I could eat dinner or a snack later on.

Now this is my experience, I don't know if this makes since for you but I think it depends on the food. For me I found that it's better for me to eat a small amount of chicken, and what few vegetables I can tolerate, and remain full the rest of the day.

Ok so i am newly banded only 6 weeks post-op. I had my first fill on June 15 and have been losing weight i have lost about 24lbs so i am very happy with that but i am so confused on some things. The band has given me very good appetite control and will power. Before getting my first fill i dieted and messured my food so i didn't go over a cup. When i got my first fill he put 2cc in (had 4.25 at surgery) and i couldn't get the Water down so he backed to 1.5cc. So you would think if that is all he could have gotten in then i would have great restriction. I can stay full for hrs but i still can fit about a cup in my band. Why is that? Is everyone different? The doctor told me during my first semimar that i won't beable to fit more then 3/4 cup in my band. Do i not have enough fill? but how could that be if he couldn't fit anymore in? SO CONFUSED!!! I am afraid that if i can fit a lot in my band that in the long run i will lose my will power. Will i stretch my pouch eating a cup of food i don't have anypain i just fill full when i am done? Sorry for the long post

For me it is WHAT i eat. If I eat chicken breast or a pork chop then 3/4 to one cup would fill me up. However, if I eat a couple bites of chicken, a some green Beans, a nibble of cornbread, etc...I eat over a cup.

Thats why you are supposed to focus on Protein first. If you get full and stay full for several hours that is pretty good restriction (even at 1 cup). Some people want more restriction...its just depends!

Is that any help?

Amy

I am very happy with 1 cup since i am losing and feel full after one cup and stay full it was just confusing to hear that you shouldn't be able to fit more then 3/4 cup from the doctors i started to worry about stretching. Thanks Amy least i am not alone on the one cup and it does make since what you said about eating all protein and eating protein with other things. I guess as long as i am not overstuffing and not having pain and just feel full then i should not be stretching the pouch. Hey 1 cup at meal is way less then i ever eat before.

I've read various things over the past nearly one year when I started researching the band....1 cup, 1/4 cup and everything in between. My doctor didn't put a measurement like that as the main guide. I was told to eat 3 oz. of Protein FIRST (looks to be about the size of a deck of cards, which helps when you eat out). THEN I could have steamed or raw veggies (taking into consideration if I eat salad, that you can eat a lot of salad without it being all that fillilng since it's mostly water). Then, if I wait 15 minutes and I still feel hungry, I can have a serving of whole grain carbs.

I think those instructions are also to help me not eat past the "full" signal. I don't really know what I though that "signal" would be, but I have realized that I simply don't care if I eat anything else. It may look good sitting on my plate but I don't feel the need to keep eating. I will say that I usually eat between 3/4 and 1 cup of food. My weight loss is very acceptable ( 4-1/2 months = 68 pounds).

I guess you learn as you go. My doctor handed me this form with it highlighted no more the 1/4 to 3/4 cup in you band. And you are right Kathy those instructions do help you not eat past the the full signal. I am the same way i don't care to eat anymore. I still have the problem of overloading my plate (mind thing looks better full) then only eating my cup of food because i don't care to eat anymore.

ParrotheadCathy,

Wow, you have had a great loss so far! What are your favorite Protein sources? In the 4 1/2 months, have you eaten many of the whole grain carbs?

I've been banded since June 1st and have really just been eating protein: ground turkey, boca burgers, cottage cheese. I have had fruit a few times, and veggies only once. I'm sure as I progress I'll be able to eat more veggies, but wonder about the carbs. I can't say I miss them, which, I suppose is a good thing!

I feel like I have a lot more energy since being banded and I do believe it has to do with the lower amount of sugar in my diet.

Keep up your great work, I hope to have such success!

T-bonz

I am 2.5 weeks post op....I am having one of those days where I can't seem to eat enough! I know I am supposed to be on mushies...but everything I try goes down good. I am still trying to be mindful of what I eat and make good choices...but I am still eating things not on the mushie list. I had some chicken today...chewed it really well. I had a whole can of tuna...some watermelon, protein shake...and a few other things. Now I feel pretty full. This food has been stretched out over the course of the day...but I still feel like I ate alot! I have no restriction of course, so i guess everything is just sliding right on through. I hear of those that say they are at the same stage as me and are only eating 2 or 3 ounces at a time. I would be starving if that's all I ate!

I am 2.5 weeks post op....I am having one of those days where I can't seem to eat enough! I know I am supposed to be on mushies...but everything I try goes down good. I am still trying to be mindful of what I eat and make good choices...but I am still eating things not on the mushie list. I had some chicken today...chewed it really well. I had a whole can of tuna...some watermelon, protein shake...and a few other things. Now I feel pretty full. This food has been stretched out over the course of the day...but I still feel like I ate alot! I have no restriction of course, so i guess everything is just sliding right on through. I hear of those that say they are at the same stage as me and are only eating 2 or 3 ounces at a time. I would be starving if that's all I ate!

I am 2.5 weeks post-op. I feel like I could eat anything and everything. I've been pretty good, but today was one of those days where I felt like I couldn't eat enough! I am supposed to be on mushies, but everything I eat goes down good. I have strayed some over the past few days. Today I ate a whole can of tuna! I read posts where people can only eat a few spoonfuls. I realize I don't have restriction now and I guess everything is just sliding right on down. I am still trying to make good choices and eat healthy food. I am just able to eat quite a bit. I don't get the mushie part anyway. Isn't it the same if you just eat soft foods and chew the heck out of them? Does anyone else feel like they are able to hold more than they thought? I am drinking 2 to 3 protein drinks a day also. I don't feel like I am stuffing myself or anything...I just am eating more than what others say they can eat at this point I guess.

sorry...my posts are messing up! When I try to send them..it freezes then seems to post later.

My doc says 1 - 1 1/2 Cups per meal...just goes to show there are lots of different rules on this just like everything else here LOL. I have some restriction, but can still eat more than a cup at a time of some things.

now that I can do! That sounds like a reasonable amount.