Well I have been waiting to feel "restriction" like a lot of others have been. I was banded on June 11th and thus far have lost 48 pounds. I have a 14cc band and after my fourth fill I am at 9cc as of last Monday. Well let me tell you....Yesterday I was questioning how this was going to be since I had such a hard time getting food down. What I mean by that is I was taking smaller bites (but not that small) and it was hurting. After I was done eating lunch yesterday I felt like I was going to vomit, but talked myself down from that episode. Well today I decided to go really slow and listen to all the previous advice out there and take SMALL BITES. I was able to eat a yougart for breakfast without too much trouble, and at lunch fixed a lean cusine. I took bites small enough like you are feeding a baby and it worked. There was no hurting, nothing getting stuck and though I wasn't able to eat a whole lot of it, I was able to get it down with no problems. I think the key is besides all the chewing, is to take small, small, small bites. I've never thrown up since surgery and I don't plan on doing it now or PBing...so it will be baby bites for me from now on and I'm done with fills for quite a while. Let the weight loss kick in!!!!!!

Sounds like you are doing great, I have the same band as you, just had my 3rd fill for a total of 7cc. Since I have more resitriction now, I REALLY have to be careful of how quickly I tend to eat, and slow down! lol. Good Luck!

I envy you - I have NO RESTRICTION at all!!! I was banded on 8/20 - so I'm still healing - but I swear, I can take huge bites, without chewing, swallow them down - no sticking, no PB's, no upset stomach - nothing - it's like I was never banded. If it wasn't for the port pain - I would think I wasn't.

I think when I finally do get any restriction - it is going to take a lot of re-learning how to eat.

I'm slowly losing weight - so I no real complaints - but, I am just ready to lose it faster.

Don't envy me quite too soon! LOL I was in the same position as you until I got this fourth fill on Monday and boy have things changed. I remember thinking about "when am I going to be restricted" the same as when I was waiting to go into labor with my son years ago and everyone kept telling me "you'll KNOW it" when it happens. Well..yeah...I know it now! LOL....hang in there...just this past weekend I ate two pieces of pizza (I don't restrict what I eat as long as I stay within my calories and eat healthy the majority of the time) and now I wouldn't think of trying a piece! Baby bites are working for me now....Good luck and it will come to you soon and you will know it when it does. Loving it so far....

I am using this time to "teach" myself to slow down, take smaller bites, not to gulp, use a smaller plate/fork/etc. and mainly NOT to drink anything with my meals. Maybe when I get restriction, I'll be ready. I too don't plan on having PBs, vomitting, or anything else, if I can help it.

Have not yet been banded -- but wondering how many fills are "normal"??

I've never thrown up since surgery and I don't plan on doing it now or PBing

I didn't either and I'm sure most banded people don't. Unfortunately because its such a big learning curve its easier to do than you think. Since my last fill I have got stuck/PB'd a couple of times.

It can happen because the bite that was small enough the day before isn't quite small enough today, or you didn't chew quite as well as you thought or maybe for some reason food that went down fine yesterday for some reason won't go down today!

So here's hoping you are lucky and never have to experience it but if you do then don't beat yourself up over it!

Have not yet been banded -- but wondering how many fills are "normal"??

There is no normal. Everyone is different.

Well, i hope to feel "restriction" soon..I got an 11cc band..and went for my first fill on 8/19, which was 5cc's. (He started with 6, but i had trouble getting Water down, so he unfilled 1cc). Now..i still feel like i eat too much..i never feel a "full" feeling....and i'm only having basically Soups and cottage cheese...and i'l playing up and down with the same 2 to 3 lbs. If i ate more solid food..i know it would go up up up. I'll admit, i'm frustrated already. I have to wait 4 more weeks for another fill....and be "in limbo" ....I have lost about 33 lbs since my pre op (6/23) - so thats 33 lbs in 11 weeks, but...i guess i thought after my first solid fill, i would feel SOMETHING.

I have had 3 instances of food getting stuck...so i do know a least there IS a band there....

enlighten me -- what are PB's ???

PB's = Productive Burps

Just remember that restriction and "feeling full" do not necessarily happen together. Sometimes the restriction from the band will not allow a piece of chewed food to pass through as we think it should. When I was in between fills one time, and had no feeling of restriction, I had overeaten and I knew I had ate too much. It is now a miserable "full" feeling. You do not get the satisfaction of that "old full feeling" such as before the band. I have had 9 fills with 8.6 in a 10 cc band 18 months out. I now know that feeling will never happen again. So physically it is better to just step away from that last bite or two left on that plate. let it go!! I will not be worth it. Good luck to all our new bandsters..:biggrin: