Questions, questions, questions.....

How many fills have you guys had...... and how many cc do you have?

Me (in a 14 cc band):

First fill: 3 cc

Second fill: 2 cc

Third fill: 1.5 cc

Total so far: 6.5 cc

I still don't feel major restriction. I feel some but not a lot. I can certainly eat 1 - 1-1/2 cups of food per sitting if I wanted to.

I am using smaller portions, and a smaller plate.... but I have a hard time not drinking when I am eating. I'm working on it, and if I have to drink, I definitely just use tiny sips... but for how long afterward? I get THIRSY sometimes :thumbup:

I have been trying to drink a lot of Water / diet iced tea right before I eat, so that I won't be thirsty, and hopefully fill up the bottom of my stomach so that the pouch empties even slower. I do find that if I'm thirsty, I can still chug-a-lug water, tea or milk.

How's everyone else doing??

Karen

Karen, You are doing phenomenal! I have had 3 fills so far.

1st: 2CC

2nd: 2.5CC

3rd: 1cc

Toal 5.5CC's

I am feeling a lot of restriction, which I am surprised by. If i eat to fast or to much I slime, so I have learned the hard way to slow down my eating. I am down 33 lbs so far and feeling great! I haven't had any drinking issues with eating so far, the only time really is if i'm having wine with dinner, then I do drink while I eat, but thats not too often. :thumbup:

Total of 5.5cc's here, my dates and fills are in my signature.

I am definitely restricted now compared to my first fill. Is it the sweet spot? Time will tell.. it has been one week and I still have a lot of restriction.

I need to work on "the other things" that will make weight loss happen though, exercise, more Water, etc. I have had a tough last couple of weeks with work and taking care of an ailing mom so I haven't had time for me... soon though, soon!

I'm looking into personal training... might suck it up and do it!

Karen - you are doing so well!! Have you lost all of that weight since surgery? I've had three fills for a total of 6.25 cc's in a 10cc band. I have great restriction. Feel like I could use one more tiny fill and I should be at my sweet spot. I eat about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food and feel full. I've had one sliming experience...it was AWFUL! I find that if I eat slowly I'm good. In terms of the drinking thing, I find that if I suck on a tic tac or chew gum I can avoid drinking for the 30 mins I'm supposed to and that works well for me.

Hello there, you all seem to be doing so well. I am at 4cc in 10cc band. It has been a big change for me, some weeks I get to exercise everyday and then others 3 times. The time learning is a good experience for me because I did not gain all this weight overnight. Do you any of you have suggestions. I think I may be getting in to many carbs but I am going to work on this all week. I am so proud of you all, keep up the good work.:scared2:

Jenny.... I lost 35 pounds pre-op, and the rest post-op :scared2:

I got another fill on Friday, so now I am at 7.5cc.

I now have to eat ALL my words about restriction. I was saying that I never had any problems with any foods, and could eat as much as 2 cups per meal.

Not anymore.

I had my fill Friday morning, went to Old Navy for the big stuff n' save event, then picked up the kids, stood in line at the H1N1 clinic so the boys and I could be vaccinated, and then went to McDonalds, got them all their regular meals, and I got a cheeseburger and a small fry.

I ate one bite of cheeseburger, and 3 smallish fries..... and suddenly, I was in agony. My mouth filled up with saliva (thick... gooey saliva... nasty) and for about 1/2 hour, I was in fairly serious pain. It came in waves, and then with a hiccup, I was fine again.

I looked at my mom who was with me.... and she said I looked horrified. I tried to eat another french fry to be sure that I just didn't have an "episode" and it happened again. I gave my fries to one of the kids, and put the burger in the fridge for my husband.

Later I ate yogurt, no problem. I also have cottage cheese a few hours after that, no problem. Then I had a few cheddar cheese slices..... one got stuck for about 15 seconds... then I hiccuped, and I was fine.

The next day I essentially lived on liquids, yogurt and cottage cheese. We took the kids out trick or treating, and while having a small glass of wine, I opened a snack size bag of Sun chips that the kids got, and ate those.

For one entire hour, I was in the bathroom, my saliva coming out like a faucet, and these waves of agonizing pain. They came faster and faster... almost like labor pains.... and then finally, I hiccuped.

I think I can't PB because of the fundoplication surgery that I had in tandem with the Lap Band.

I hate to say that I've joined the "PB" club... since I can't really PB, but I certainly have all the other symptoms. I also hate to say, that I appreciate that it happens now... there's no better way of policing what I eat, than be faced with the fact that I will be in agonizing pain for up to an hour afterwards.

BTW...... once this whole episode passed, I was so exhausted, I fell asleep a few minutes later on the couch. WOW.

Hi gang - I have had 2 fills - 1st fill had 4 ccs, 2nd fill had 2cc's for a total of 6cc's in my 10cc band. I feel some restriction, but definetely will need one more (at least). From this point on the nurse said they will only put in 1 cc at a time, because the point of too much restriction can come pretty easy at this point. I'm very happy with the band so far. Its not drastic, but I have lost a total of 23 lbs, with about 25 more to go.

Karen.. I know what you went though cause I got a fill last wed. I am at 5cc and have a 10cc band. Every since I have had the fill, I have to eat slow, and nothin big. Tiny bites or I will slim. I had my WAKE UP CALL! I am excited to know that this band is gonna work. I have lost 5 lb in 5 days. I did have something happen to me last week, they found a blood clot in my left leg. I called my surgeon and he said that it is probally not from the surgery. I just have to take it easy and be on blood thinners for awhile.

Everyone take care!

Allison

I am up to 4.5cc in a 10 cc band. Last Thursday I had a fill that brought me to 5cc, which was a tad too tight, so I went back Friday and had 1/2cc removed. I do believe I am at my sweet spot :w00t: This morning I was 171 which means I have lost 4 lbs since last Thursday after weeks, and weeks of very slow progress!

I have about 8cc in a 10cc band. I had 8 12cc in after 3 fills but went back for an unfill of 1/2 a cc. I still think I need just a tad more, it's amazing how much just a little makes a difference.

I just got bumped up another cc...... I have 8.5cc's in a 14cc band

To mention again.... my Dr. will push 16cc in a 14cc band if necessary. He has a few bandsters at 16cc..... I do NOT plan on being on that list!)

My "weigh" time is coming in about an hour and 20 minutes (I try to weigh every day at around 3PM EST) and am VERY hopeful that I hit a milestone today...... you guys will be the first to know!

xxoo

K

I seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from most of you. I have some restriction but never seem to get to my "sweet spot". I have had six fills (seven if you count the 4cc he put in during the surgery) and am still not there. I have 11.5cc in a 10cc band. Last fill was 1cc on Friday the 13th and I thought it was the ONE but not so. Still can eat anything, including bread, and can eat quite a large amount at a time. I do get "stuck" every now and then but nothing extreme. I have lost 114 pounds but still need to lose another 30 or so. I have been at a standstill for a couple of months now and want to get things going again. I can be happy if I can just maintain but really want to lose more.

Leigh

Alabama

Wow Leigh...... losing 114 pounds and not feeling good restriction is quite a feat! It looks like you might have figured out how to eat right despite the band not being tight enough... I would say it's successful :thumbup: Only 30 pounds to go? Wow.... even if you lost 2 pounds a month, you'd be done in just over a year! You can do it!! Maybe bump up the exercise??

Yeah, exercise is where I fail. I try to walk a lot but not every day and not much of any other exercise. I know I would do even better if I could just commit to some regular exercise. Right now, I'm just excited I'm maintaining. That's something I've never done before no matter how much or how little I lost. And no meds is a great thing! Thanks for the encouragement.

Leigh

Wow Leigh...... losing 114 pounds and not feeling good restriction is quite a feat! It looks like you might have figured out how to eat right despite the band not being tight enough... I would say it's successful :thumbup: Only 30 pounds to go? Wow.... even if you lost 2 pounds a month, you'd be done in just over a year! You can do it!! Maybe bump up the exercise??

Hey Ladies,

I hope you all are doing well! I had my first fill this Tuesday. It was 2 CC' s. I still don't have much restriction. I am at 191/Size 14. My loss could have been greater, but my sweet tooth is a MONSTER! The fill was like a big pinch. I return in February for my 6 mth post-op and 2nd fill.