colderbythelake

It's taken me about 7 fills to reach my sweet spot. Here is the beauty of the band and the fills. With each fill, I've gotten tighter...... of course that doesn't last so you go for another fill. Stay on top of you fills. What happens is you eat less with each fill because you get full faster and stay fuller longer. The nice thing about his is you don't feel so deprived. You get used to eating less. You go for your next fill. You eat less, you don't feel deprived. You have a chance to slowly get into eating less so you don't feel deprived. I know some people who are banded who never needed a fill and then for myself, I've needed to filled to the max. My band will hold 5cc's most people who have a 4cc band (not the VG band) will say it holds 4cc's but my surgeon says it hold up to 5cc's. My band is now filled to 4.69cc's and it seems just right. OH also, I have been able to go further between fills as well. Kathleen

There are a several reasons for not just filling you up instantly. I've had 6 fills and even a .25cc unfill. Some people get restriction from a slight fill while others like me took more reach the "sweat spot". I didn't feel any restriction until my 3rd fill where but 3 weeks later I needed that slight unfill. My band will hold up to 5cc's. My Dr. says that when you get a fill it does irriate the stomach for a couple of days or so.......... the reason he has us do 2 days of liquids following a fill followed by 2 days of pureed, then 2 days of soft foods to make sure everything is going down ok. I have been very active with my Dr and PA and I go in every three to 4 weeks since my Oct 27, 2007 surgery. The other thing is that which each fill I have learned to eat slower and slower and chew even more and I eat even less and I'm now statisfied longer. It takes time to learn and make these adjustments mentally and physically. Just so you know even when you get fills it doesn't necessarily mean you will lose weight. I pretty much quit losing since Feb., literally losing and gaining the same three pounds up until today when I some how lost three. So since 10/27/07 I've lost 44 lbs. Your weight loss seems to very consistant. Remember you didn't put this weight on overnight it's not going to come off over night. The band can be fickle sometimes. Don't be too hard on your Dr. you're doing great! Slow is better and healthier!

Well.............. I was banded 10/27/06 and let me tell you the band can be very frustrating. I lost most of my weight between being on the liquid diet and Dec. Then it all came to a screaching hault. I keep adding exercise and trying to change up how, what and when I eat.......... I started out at 239 and by Feb 12th I was down to 199 my weight would go up and down the same 3 lbs for weeks. Finally two and a half weeks ago I hit 195 only to go up and down the same 3 lbs. Last week it settle itself on 198 and didn't move once until today. Another weigh in...... so today I weigh 199 and for 10 weeks (2 1/2 months) I've basically lost nada.......... I exercise, I count calories (they want me between 1200 and 1400 so the body does not go into starvation mode), I watch my carbs, fats and Proteins and sodium. I told them I was disappointed, depressed and discouraged. They tried to tell me I'm one of their better patients................ I thought I'd be down about 55lbs by now... such is life with the band. btw.... I'm on my 6th fill and my band hold 5cc's I'm at 3.15cc's as of today. I wasn't until about my 4th fill that I noticed the hunger getting to be less, but everyone is different. Kathleen