This may be a stupid question but . . . why wouldn't a band being placed around your stomach cause restriction even without any Fluid?????

I have 3 cc's and have NO RESTRICTION so I know it is possible to have a band and no restriction :tongue2: but it doesn't make sense to me?????? Anyone know the answer?

I dont have a scientific answer for you but all I can say is that everyone is different. There are some people that all they get is the band with no saline and that is enough restriction for them. I know someone who is like that. She had some saline put in and she was sooo sick that she had it taken right back out and never got any more put in. She has lost all her weight and went from I think a size 18 to a size 2.....go figure. I was hoping that would be me since I have a needle phobia, but no such luck ...LOL

In many cases it DOES provide some restriction, just not a lot.

But the point at which they place the band on your stomach is actually not that big. I dont think it would be medically sound practice to place a device like that round your stomach that cant be un-restricted! The band is purposely designed so that it can be unfilled when it needs to be and the size of it is part of that. Otherwise there'd be way more emergency surgeries to remove it than there are!

I have the Realize band and my doctor told me that there is no fluid in my band but I might feel some restriction because of my own anatomy. Everyone one is different, he said. Some feel it and some don't. I can tell I have some restriction late at night or early in the morning. A little something warm helps me.

Thanks all for the replies/support. Your comments make sense to me. I have 3cc's in a 10 cc band and have zero restriction and that just seems odd to me, but I guess its normal.

I am a perfect example that everyone is different.. I was banded on May 19, 2009 and I had my 3rd fill last week. I have 3.5 CC's in a 10CC band and right now, I have a LOT of restriction... I had 2.5 CC's in before last week and I really had NO restriction.. I know of people who have more in their band then me and don't feel much restriction... and I started this journey I was over 350 lbs... so everyone is different... good luck!!

Thanks all for the replies/support. Your comments make sense to me. I have 3cc's in a 10 cc band and have zero restriction and that just seems odd to me, but I guess its normal.

In many cases it DOES provide some restriction, just not a lot.!

I think that is a fair statement. I have read where people vary quite a bit in several ways, but I think I lost nearly 40 pounds before my first fill. If I wasn't careful in how I ate, you know the restriction is there. Two bites from a thick chicken breasts with little chewing put me in a world of hurt. It was an early lesson I will never forget.

Edited September 14, 200917 yr by BillOh

This may be a stupid question but . . . why wouldn't a band being placed around your stomach cause restriction even without any Fluid?????

I have 3 cc's and have NO RESTRICTION so I know it is possible to have a band and no restriction but it doesn't make sense to me?????? Anyone know the answer?

My understanding is that the first bands in the U.S. several years ago were non-adjustable, and weren't very successful for most people.

Everyone seems to get restriction at different sizes. The adjustable ones take that into account. Also, as we lose weight, we often lose fat where the band is placed, so it gets looser, and needs to be tightened again.

I just got my first fill and felt a lot of restriction the first few days, but now it seems like there's less (but I just got back to solids). I have seen on other posts on this board that some people don't feel much more restriction when they get a fill, but it seems to kicked in a few weeks later.

So as they say in the TV news biz, only time will tell.

Good luck!

I have not yet had a fill. However, I have not been hungry since getting my band and it has been about 4 weeks. Even without a fill, I must be getting some restriction from the band itself. I know this from eating a carrot and not chewing well enough--the pain going down was excruciating! My surgeon told me that there are those who never need a fill or just have one fill and lose weight. He did admit that this was rare.

Some surgeons also prefill the band at the time of surgery. This would obviously give restriction without needing further fills. But prefilling can also be associated with all sorts of problems.

I think that is a fair statement. I have read where people vary quite a bit in several ways, but I think I lost nearly 40 pounds before my first fill. If I wasn't careful in how I ate, you know the restriction is there. Two bites from a thick chicken breasts with little chewing put me in a world of hurt. It was an early lesson I will never forget.

Sounds exactly like me. I was banded in May, and didn't get my first fill until last week. But, I've lost 40 lbs and have had several painful incidents of being stuck, mostly chicken, but once it was my first bite of a soft, flaky talapia filet. I learned to really chew, but had those stuck episodes when I'd let myself get hungry and let my appetite overrule my brain. I definitely felt the restriction, but do want more.