NY Bandster

Hi all, I was banded on 9/1 and have 4cc's in my 10cc band. I am scheduled for a fill this Weds. My doc usually does 1cc every 2 weeks. I had to wait 3 weeks because my doc was on vacation and will have to wait another 3 weeks because of Thanksgiving. When I spoke to the PA 2 weeks ago on the phone and told him I had absolutely NO restriction(mini breakdown!), he said he would talk to the doc about getting a bit more aggressive with the next fill. I really want to get this thing working but I'm also nervous about an overfill so I'm not sure if I should push the issue of more than 1cc. Any advice from you guys? I know a lot of you have been here. I'm thinking that with absolutely NO restriction, how much of a problem can an extra cc be, but you never know. Thanks!

Thanks Shirley! I will ask them!

Thanks ladies! I'm excited about feeling some restriction..hopefully tomorrow!!!!

Thanks Kis and Sage. @ Kis - I cannot go back for 3 weeks.....

I know that almost all of you have experienced this bandster hell but I'm wondering if any of you found yourself getting extremely depressed. I only have 4cc's in a 10cc band and my doctor will only fill 1cc at a time, 2 weeks apart. I have absolutely no restriction and am gaining back the small amount of weight that I have lost. I have been crying every day since my last fill on Friday. I was really hoping for some restriction but NONE yet. I know this is going to take a while!! I am so discouraged and disappointed! I have been coming home from work and vegging on the couch watching tv and feeling sorry for myself. Not what I pictured after making the decision to do this. I think I just wasn't ready to deal with this disappointment, I had such high hopes. Has anyone else experienced this?? I don't know what to do to get through this. I am an emotional eater, hence my weight problem and without the help from the band that I need so badly, I am eating my feelings even more than I did before. HELP!!!

Thanks again!

Thanks Cheri. I know thatI am not clinically depressed, just super disappointed and upset. I'm sure it will pass. It's just a horrible place to be. I'm really worried that I may not get to restriction. I am on the low side of the BMI spectrum[. With 4cc's in my band I don't feel anything. I really hope that a fill or two will work, but there's that part of me that is scared that I did all of this for nothing and will remain fat! Ugh!!! Horrble thought! My family and friends have been really supportive, but they can't really understand what I am going through. That is why I am here getting great advice from all of you!!! Thanks so much for your help!! quote name=123crod' timestamp='1319766121' post='1679127] Great Blog! Thanks for posting it! It is slow going at first for some but you have to look at your life, nobody is the same. So many factors come into play as to how fast or slow we lose weight. Age, gender, medications, amount of normal movement during the day and so much more. Don't compare yourself to others. I would consider myself a slow loser, but I sit at a desk all day (if was a postman/women I would be more active before adding the workouts), I am almost 51 years old and take some meds that have been known to slow weight lose or work against it. I only had 3.4 ccs in my Band for the first year and a half and that is when I lost the best, my doctor gave me nothing during surgery (fill) and only ½cc every month or longer as he thought it was good to go slow. I still lost maybe not as fast as some other people but it was pounds gone that I hope to never see again. If you keep feeling really depressed talk to your regular Dr. about maybe something to help take the edge off. Depression is a real thing and can be treated. But I also know depression can be caused when we feel sorry for ourselves that could be your case only you know, but that can be fixed: see a counselor, join a support group, make a new Band buddy and talk to them or e-mail them all the time (thats what I did). I am the first one to admit that even though I have clinical depression I also know how to feel sorry for myself to make something so tiny into something so big and I can carry it on for days and shed many tears. You are gonna do great just believe in yourself. Find ways to encourage yourself and if it takes you longer than you thought it would so what it is gonna happen! Cheri

Thanks for posting! It is very ispirational!! Haven't cried today (yet)...hoping for the best!!

Thanks Yolanda!!

Thanks! Typed in the search but didn't get it. What am I doing wrong? Thanks again?? I'll take all the inspiration I can get!

I'm a lower BMI person and I don't relly believe that has everything to do with how you heal. I didn't have any complications from the surgery, just some of the uncomfortable stuff that follows surgery and I wasn't ready to go back to work for a week and a half. The anesthesia really knocked me out and I felt sleepy for a week, aside from the other stuff. Good luck to you!! Give yourself the time you need to heal!

Wish I knew the answer to that myself. I was banded on 9/1 and have lost a total of 9 pounds. How can this be? I'm suffering with terrible hunger as well! I know that I am eating more than I expected because I have no restriction, but for the first few weeks I was eating between 800 and 1000 calories. I don't expect to eat less than that for the rest of my life, so if I can't lose weight with that caloric intake, when do I lose the weight?? I fel your pain!! I really expected a better outcome. I write in and everyone tells me to be patient, so I guess that would be my advice to you. It soundslike you are doing the right thing with your portions and with the expercide...keep up the good work!! Can you be gaining muscle?

Hi, I need to vent and I knew you guys would understand. I was banded on 9/1 and have not been losing any weight even though I pretty much starved myself for the first 3 weeks and followed the diet to the letter for the next 2 weeks. Now I am starving all the time and am having a hard time staying on such small portions. I had my first fill of 3cc's at my 5 week check up and then another 1cc last Fri. I was told that they will only fill 1cc at a time, every 2 weeks. I figure at this rate it will take until the new year to feel any restriction. As of now I don't have any!! Today I called to make the 2 week appointment for my next fill and was told that the Doctor will be on vacation and I can't come for another 3 1/2 weeks. I just about lost it on the phone. I begged them to let me come in this Fri before she goes away and they said that it is too soon. I only lost 11 pounds and gained back 2 already for a net of 9 pounds in 7 1/2 weeks. Now if I continue to gain weight I will be right back where I started. I know this is only a tool, but there is a reason why I had this surgery. I need HELP!!! Now without any restriction I don't have any help. I don't know what else to do!!! I'm completely frustrated and upset!!! I'm starting to feel like this is never going to happen for me. It was difficult just to get to this point and now to have to deal with this. I'm sitting at my desk at work crying!! Has anyone else had a similar experience? If so, how long did it take you to start feeling some restriction and lose some weight?? Thanks all!!!

Thanks again!!

Thanks all! I knew you would understand! I do know the difference between head hunger and real belly hunger and trust me this is belly hunger! Without the restriction everything is going right down into the big belly and nothing is staying up there in the new pouch. Eating these smaller portions while it is all going right through is not keeping me full for very long. I do try to drink first when I am hungry, but that doesn't last long! Again, everything is going right down!! I know this is a process that requires patience and learning, but it is hard not to feel this way when I have cut into my body to fix this problem and I don't feel any different and don't have any help. I read all of your posts and see that sometimes it can take a while and then you are successful; I can only hope for the same success!!! Thanks for sharing your experiences and knowledge with me!!

I feel your pain!! Was banded on 9/1 and had my first fill last week. I don't feel any restriction at all! They put 3cc's in my 10cc band. It is so discouraging!! I just want to have the tool that I thought I would have. I'm hungry all the time and really have to scrape up all the will power I can find. I have another fill scheduled on Fri because I called the office and begged! I hope this does something!! My BMI was only 36 so I'm wondering if being on the lower side of the BMI spectrum has something to do with how the band fits(works). Anyone else with a lower BMI have the same experience?

Pugzs I feel your pain! I was banded on Sept 1st and am hungry when I wake up until I go to sleep. I was hoping that my first fill would help, but it hasn't. This past Weds I had 3cc's put into my 10cc band - NOTHING!! I don't feel any different and now I don't have another appointment until 11/30. I don't think I can stay this hungry for another 7 weeks! I'm trying not to eat too much, but it is a real struggle! I didn't think the band would be MAGIC but I did think it would help with my appetite while I dieted. Ugh!! This could take a while to find that sweet spot! I'm trying not to get discouraged but it's hard. I also feel like people are watching me and wondering why I am not losing weight. It's so uncomfortable!!! I really want this and I feel like it is taking FOREVER!!!

Hi everyone, I had my first fill today. Tomorrow is 6 weeks since surgery. I have been absolutely starving and was really hoping that the fill would help. For all of you that have been in this "bandster hell",I have a question. When does the hunger stop?? I have to be on liquid for 48 hours so I have had a Protein shake and some Fluid, but as I sit here my stomach is grumbling with hunger. Do you start to feel the restriction of the fill when you start to eat food? I can't take this hunger anymore! I'm really getting discouraged. I needed the band as a tool to help me on my journey and it hasn't been helping me yet. It's frustrating and disappointing. Anyone have any encouraging information for me? I got 3 cc's today and don't have another appointment until Nov 30th. I can't stay hungry until then!! Thanks for your help!!!

Thanks Marci. You post was very inspiring. This is such a terrible feeling! To do all of this and feel hungry all the time... Unfortunately it will take a while because my doctor will only see me every 6 weeks. It's gonna be a while!!!!! Congrats on your success!!! I feel your pain - hunger pangs at least. I got my band 2 yrs ago and was hungry the first day of my 4 wk liquid diet. I cheated and added tomato soup after the first week cuz I couldn't stand it. I was sposed to be on clear liquids and Protein shakes only. My first real meal was a Burger King cheeseburger. It didn;t fill me up. It took 3 fills before I would get full on a tiny amt of food. The first 4 mths of my band, I thought I would fail for sure. I remember my first meal after getting restriction - it was a grilled chicken breast and a baked potato. I literally ate about 3 bites of each and was so full - like Thanksgiving full. Yeah. I was finally there. I've now lost 103 lbs and I've got about 12 to go. I understand your hunger. Everytime I'd go into Albertsons to get my soup or Jello, I'd smell the fried chicken in the deli and it almost sent me over the edge. It's called "Bandster Hell" and you're in it. You have the band and you can't yet feel it working. Be patient, it will eventually work for you. Good luck! Marci

I have Aetna EPO. It took about 5 days and that was because they needed more info from the doctor. I would have had an answer in 2 days if they didn't need this info! Good luck to you!

Hi, Expect less pain than a C-Section or a tummy tuck!! This isn't as invasive. I had my surgery almost 5 weeks ago and it wasn't bad at all. The incisions are small and pain is minimal. When I came out of surgery I was already hooked up to a morphine pump for my overnight observation stay. I used it as much as I could because I was afraid of having pain. I was nervous in the morning when they disconnected me and discharged me. I was sent home with Vicodin. I never used it! The worst of it was the gas and even that was bearable! Don't stress! It's not that bad! You have had worse and lived to tell the story!!! Good luck tomorrow and with the rest of your journey!!

Hi, I am also on the low side of the BMI range. I started at about 36. I'm 4 weeks post surgery and have absolutely no restriction. Do you think that lower BMI patients may need more fills than larger people? How long did it take you to reach your green zone? Thanks! I started at 74kg(163lb). I am only 5 foot so although that doesn't sound huge it was. I looked about 11 months pregnant as all the excess weight was around my middle. I now weigh 50kg(110lb).So I am well within a normal BMI. I look great , feel great and don't regret get banded at all. I have found the whole process relatively easy. The weight came off slower than if I was heavier but it was still steady. I got to 52kg within about 6 months. I am now 2 years out and seem to be maintaining quite easily. I have been on holidays and eaten "fairly normally" and come back without having gained. I don't count calories, track, or do any special diets that exclude specific food groups. I just eat smaller portions of what I consider to be normal healthy foods.

I have Aetna EPO. 1 week!