shelley2b

Don't worry - it's the same for most of us. The reality is that other than the recovery from surgery, your band doesn't tend to provide any restriction at all until you've had fills. Some people are lucky, but most of us are in the same position. It's really critical though that you follow your doctor's advice about meal plans, because if you eat the wrong foods too early you can cause complications and issues... So hang on and bear with yourself through 'bandster hell' - it's not fun, and it sucks considering what you thought was going to happen - but it does end. Stay strong and try to distract yourself... Good luck.

I always carry around protein bars... I use either South Beach Living ones or the Zone bars - find the ones that you like, and I've used them in lots of situations instead of food. That being said, Austria is a wonderful country with lots of yummy food - you'll be able to eat exactly like you do at home... Good luck.

I'm not going to give you advice - but my surgeon had me on a protein and a few green veg's diet. He was concerned about the liver thing... and I did it religiously. That seemed to do the trick for me. Good luck.

It took me until I had 6.5cc's to feel anything at all - and I didn't have restriction in that I could eat a lot - the first thing I noticed is when I bit into a burrito and the tortilla got stuck! Then what I felt was that I could eat quantity but that I couldn't eat big mouthfuls - that in itself was helpful to cut down on eating, as I was more likely to feel full and took much smaller portions so that I could finish with everyone else. My advice? Try and eat as if you did have restriction - and see if maybe you feel fuller for longer. It might be that your band isn't tight enough to stop you, but it's tight enough to hold the food if you're not forcing it through. Also - don't drink Water with your meals!! that makes the biggest difference to feeling restricted. Have you been drinking water with food? You're meant to drink only before and 1 hour after eating.

For the poster who asked about Polycystic Ovaries - I don't know where I read about it. You've got to look at it online... they say that 1/2 women with Polycystic ovaries is overweight... one of my doctors explained that it's because of increased appetite due to the hormones. That's one of the reasons that I decided to get the band - it seems to help me with it... i can't eat as much when I'm hungry.

Hey guys - I was in the same place and so I haven't even told my mother. I guess the thing is that it's not a magic solution - ice cream will pass through any band and make you gain weight!! I find that it helps me not be hungry 24/7 - I used to want to eat all the time... I have polycystic ovaries and it makes you want to eat loads all the time... now i'm mostly full and i know what people mean when they say that you forget about food... that had never happened to me before. It doesn't mean I'm never hungry or that i never have ice cream, but it does mean that i'm more in control from my head than I've ever been.

I was told no more often than every 2 weeks - but the thing is that it took me a long time to feel restriction too... I prefer the slow and steady approach. I want to be able to eat - not have to throw everything up, and I went from no restriction to PB every meal. So just take it easy and take your time and I'm sure you'll get there.

One thing I would advise is just be careful... I'm one of those original eat until you burst folks too - we've got to watch trying to get that feeling and ultimately stretching the pouch. Measuring or only eating small portions regardless of 'feeling full' is probably a good idea for the first little while.

I've worked out with trainers and they've given me this advice. Start with intervals... say 30 seconds or 60 seconds (like they do on the Biggest Loser - these are really really good for increasing your fitness and for losing weight). Increase your speed to a jog - say to about 4 mph or 4.5 mph - and then build up until the point where you can do a 2 minute interval without too much problem. Then they say that you run for a longer period - say 5 minutes - at a slower speed, and start to do intervals at an even faster speed... just think about increasing by 30 seconds or .25 miles every time you get on the treadmill. I did this after my surgery, starting with walking, moving to a slow job, etc... and ended up at 4 miles a day - with running and stuff... Good luck.

Gosh - thank you all so much for sharing... sometime when the scale isn't moving it's so easy to get obsessed by it - and I agree with your point about scale-a-holics. I went in for a little top up fill today and the nurse pointed out that I've lost 3 lbs in the last 2 weeks - and that's not bad at all... here I was thinking that I had stalled, and I haven't!! focusing on my NSV's and yours really helps with motivation. I'm going to keep this thread and make sure that I keep thinking about it. Best of luck to everyone!

Hi everyone - glad to read about how you're all doing. I was also concerned about the pace of my loss, but I now see that i'm not the only one. I lost quite a bit before surgery and only 23 since - that was Dec 19th I think. Anyways I would still love to hear how others are doing... more news please! S

Definitely take some fluid out of the band - sounds like it's slipped or moved and if you do something quickly (ie. empty it out) it can go back to where it should be. If you wait, you could get in more trouble. Got to your doc now!!

Went in to have a little fill today - she's put in quite a bit - 4cc's on the first fill, then another 1 or 1.5cc's today she put in 0.3cc's but it was so tight I couldn't swallow the water, so she took out 0.15 cc's immediately.. thank god. I'm in that situation where I'm really tight in the morning - but then I can eat anything I want at night... it's really discouraging and I'm not controlling myself as well as I think I should. But get this! I lost about 5 lbs according to the doctors scale - only about 3 lbs according to mine, but that's great... it's taken longer than I would like, but maybe what I need to do is more like adjusting my expectations so that I can be happy with the progress I'm making. I've lost about 36.6 lbs total - probably about 20 since surgery... I've got to check on my signature. Funny how you forget.

Went in to have a little fill today - she's put in quite a bit - 4cc's on the first fill, then another 1 or 1.5cc's today she put in 0.3cc's but it was so tight I couldn't swallow the water, so she took out 0.15 cc's immediately.. thank god. I'm in that situation where I'm really tight in the morning - but then I can eat anything I want at night... it's really discouraging and I'm not controlling myself as well as I think I should. But get this! I lost about 5 lbs according to the doctors scale - only about 3 lbs according to mine, but that's great... it's taken longer than I would like, but maybe what I need to do is more like adjusting my expectations so that I can be happy with the progress I'm making. I've lost about 36.6 lbs total - probably about 20 since surgery... I've got to check on my signature. Funny how you forget.

Don't worry at all... the weight loss is very very slow... the slower the better. I did about 20lbs pre surgery on a normal diet. In the first week I lost about 5 lbs and then did about another 15 in the first 6 weeks-8 weeks post surgery. I went in today and they're happy with my progress. Slow is better - re-adjust your expectations.

My only advice was that you shouldn't eat when you're getting onto a plane - I did, and I ended up throwing up into an airsick bag while we were taking off... it was horrible. Nothing to do with the traveling, but because I wasn't allowed to get out of my seat to go to the toilet to PB.

I'm in the same place...I also had my surgery in Dec have lost 34lbs - so well done you 44!!! - but haven't seen any movement in the last 6 weeks or so... For me it's a lot more obvious as I've not been very good lately and I'm struggling to limit my calories. I've been on holiday and haven't been as strict as I should be. I think that your body gets used to less calories - try switching the calories up to about 1700 one day, then down for a day or two then up again... that seemed to work for me when I was losing the weight... it tricks your body into losing more I think. Good luck and stick with it!! I've got to get back in the gym - am going today! s xxx

Hi everyone, I had my surgery on the 19th Dec and have lost a total of 34lbs pre and post... it was all going really well until I started travelling loads for work and lost the plot... I started finding ways around the band - ice cream and m&m's seem to go down really well. Thankfully I haven't been able to binge too much due to my restriction, and I haven't gained any weight, but I'm certainly not losing. I've been at 210 for about 6 weeks... Has anyone else experienced this?? I think this is an example of the emotional and behavioural side of my weight problem - I can't eat the quantities that I used to, but I'm finding ways to feed my addiction despite the band. I'd love some suggestions on things to do to overcome the problem and kickstart my weight loss again. Shelli

I have 4.5cc in my band - I think it's an 11cc band - and similarly can still eat a lot of food. I do have the experience of things being 'stuck' or difficult to get down if I don't chew well enough - but the quantity is still the issue. Any advice would be most appreciated. S

Hi all - I was banded on the 19th Dec and have had 2 fills, one of 4cc's and one of 1.5cc's and I'm scheduled for another fill next week. Here's what I want to know... what does restriction - the sweet spot - feel like when you eat?? I've had a couple of minor 'stuck' episodes when I eat something too quickly or without chewing properly, but each time, I just wait a couple of minutes, and it goes down. I'm finding that I'm a little bit less hungry than I used to be, but I can still eat a big meal - I've had big huge salads, I've had sushi dinners with rice, I've eaten a 1/2 bagel with lots of tuna salad on it. My weight loss is slow - and only happens when I really focus on exercise and restricting my own food. Can you tell me what the sweet spot really feels like? What's the sensation you get when you eat? Does it stop you from eating a big meal?? Thanks in advance, I just need help deciding how much of a fill to get next week.

You're not meant to feel restriction post-op, but whatever you do, stick to you post-op diet... really important for proper healing.

You should wait... stop worrying about losing weight - it's only another 3 weeks... just relax and trust that it will start to happen once your fills come. It did for me... s

Hey - don't worry - it's a reaction to the anaesthetic - they don't tell you that!! It's proven that you get depressed for about 2 weeks after going under... it's a big drug cocktail after all... ever heard of the crash after you do drugs? Same thing.... I had that weepy feeling - as did all the other people who posted here. I also wondered what the f***k have I put into my body. I'm now 8 weeks out and feeling normal again. And remember... the best thing about this surgery is that it's always reversible. s

hi - i'm with you... totally know how you feel. i was banded in december, and until my first fill, i would have sworn to you that i didn't have anything there at all. In fact, the week before my first fill I had a massive chinese dinner. The only way that I lost weight during that time was to diet like I normally did before the band. Now I've had my first fill, I'm still not restricted at all, but as the ladies above say, I feel full for longer and my hunger isn't as....urgent. Just live through the next few weeks and wait until you get filled. s

If you were banded in Jan it's way too early - have you even had a fill yet??? I've found that I'll spend 2 weeks at a certain weight, and then drop 4 lbs in a day - it's just strange like that.... lots of water, good protein, you know the drill. Keep your chin up.