drowsydad

I just had my 9th or 10th fill. I have sort of lost track. They say I have 10cc filled on a 14cc band. Restriction has been barely noticeable the last few visits. The last two weeks, I actually wondered if they took fluid out, as I was eating everything I wanted and then some with no problems or fullness. Today, I was told my pouch and restriction looked excellent on the x-ray, but they have said that everytime I visit. I really think they are milking me for my money every two weeks. Each fill is $75, so it seems they never fill more than .5cc at a time. Keeps the cash coming in, when they could have filled 2cc-4cc each visit. When I first started going they gave me a few at 1cc. Several of the last visits they have only given .25cc. It is taking forever! Is this normal? I can still eat anything I want. My only limitations appear to be early in the morning when I am most tight. By lunch, it all goes down fine. Hmmm....

It will go fast. Congratulations!

Great news! Thanks for posting this.

I have felt the same way. I had 9cc filled on a 14cc band and the x-ray folks insisted 4 weeks ago I should be able to feel strong restriction and not need additional fills. I left feeling bullied. That being said, I can eat anything I want with no problem. Occasionly I feel light restriction that passes in 1-2 minutes if I eat rice or swallow big bites without chewing. Most of the time, I cannot tell the band is there. I scheduled another fill next week. Hoping it makes a difference.

I have been adding bannana to my shakes in the morning. Any honorable mention for something healthier?

Wonderful! Sometimes it just takes the right people to spark the fire inside of us. Glad you found someone you like.

It is a struggle. The mind games you have with yourself sometimes are the hardest part. Hang in there. Honesty may be the only way we get through this. Best of luck!

It takes time. Hang in there. It could be a few more visits before you have the right restriction. Awesome though that you are on your way!

So...some of you out there not losing the weight as fast as you hoped after the surgery and several fills? Feeling like a failure? Given up and started eating under your old habits? Gobbling up your favorite foods and binge eating? Ice cream in the fridge or Oreos in the pantry? Soda even in the house? Maybe you stopped getting fills and enjoy being able to eat what you want with light restriction I thought you might be out there...silently struggling...thinking all is well on your part, but the banding support system or LAP-BAND® itself is to blame and has failed you. Sure, let's blame the fills or the people who sold us on this program. Maybe even your doctor or friends. They should of convinced you to go the gastric bypass route for better results. Let's be honest with one another. No one is going to know. Just you and the words on the screen. Ask yourself these questions. You following your recommended diet? That's right...Remember....Protein shakes and healthy meals in between. Smaller portions? No bad high carb foods, eliminating potato chips, ice cream, milk shakes, cheeseburgers, french fries, pizza, Chinese food, spagetti and fatty Mexican food? You just made a funny face. Uh-oh. You eating fast food? How many times a week are you eating out? No, you can't have it both ways. Answer the question. Going to the gym each morning or after work? We are talking real workouts 3-5 days a week. Not just walking around the track once then saying goodbye. You know... real goals and eventually even weights? Seeking help from gym staff to get you started. No, you don't have time for that kind of thing? Just going to eat well and lose it without excercise? Oh...okay. Family buying you food you can't eat if you want to lose weight? Eating it anyway? Just too hard to cook for kids and eat healthy? Spouse doesn't want you to succeed? Or perhaps you do not want to succeed because you are afraid of being faithful if skinny? Or how it might make your spouse feel because they are not changing their habits? Just tired of being on a diet? Can't find motivation? Lack of energy? Depressed because others know you are not losing the weight after surgery? So the final question...why are you finding ways to sabotage your success? You knew what this surgery was about. Now it's time for you to do your part. You are not a miracle person who can lose weight by eating whatever you want and not excercising. You have to put your effort in if you want to lose the weight. It takes you. Look at your lifestyle and make changes. THIS IS NOT A DIET. A diet is something you do for a little while then stop. This is a lifestyle change.This is how you will live the rest of your life to be around healthy and strong. So, set the example for your family and children. Quit blaming others or yourself. It's time to be honest. Face facts. If this is not working for you...are you really working for it? PS: I do not have it figured out. I am struggling. I am failing. I am making poor choices that stack up to cause negative outcomes in weight loss. Most of these questions are to myself, and I know why things have not been working for me. However I know that if I make enough positive choices back to back, they are going to add up to weight loss. I am very grateful for the medical staff who don't give up on me. Thanks to them and a powerful support group tonight, I think I am getting back on track. Feel like joining me if you are in the same place?

You lost 3.8 lbs in one week? Well, that is wonderful news!!! What am I missing? More importantly...what are you missing? I think you may be mentally setting yourself up for failure. We do this sometimes. Gives us a reason to give up, because this is so hard. We are not comfortable and facing the challenge is so much harder than eating whatever we want. Think about the progress you have made. You are winning the battle. PLEASE! You must stop being so hard on yourself. Learn how to love yourself again and allow this transformation in your life. You are worth it, and you are doing amazing! Acknowledge this and keep losing that weight! Great job! You are a winner.

Can you feel any restriction with 4cc? My Lap Band Fill technician will only give me 1cc per visit now. I can only go once every two weeks for a fill. I am also impatient because every fill sort of leaves me dissapointed when I hope it will be the one. They say that one day you will go in and after the fill, everything will change and eating will be difficult. The restriction just appears suddenly and the benefits begin. I am very curious at what point this will happen with a 14cc band. Best of luck! Let me know when it starts working for you.

I had band fill number four yesterday. Every visit so far I have made sure not to look down. I do not like needles, and seeing them only makes things worse. However this time, I found my eyes focusing on what the technician was doing. When she took the plastic cover off I about screamed. That needle is HUGE! I never feel it thanks to the Lidocaine, but the visual appears to represent a medically approved stabbing. If you are weak in the knees when it comes to big needles, do not watch or attempt to look. I now have a total of 7cc in the 14cc band. I can eat anything I want. No issues with bread. I had some trouble with rice a few weeks back, but no issue since. My weight during the last visit showed I lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks. I was amazed by that. Fill number five is scheduled in two more weeks. I wonder how many cc's it will take. I am guessing around 10cc I should be getting close to the green spot. Anyone with a 14cc band need more than 10cc? -Chris