Bullwinkle

Nealy two years after being banded, I finally have restriction! I was banded 05-05-07 with a 10cc band. I've had 6 fills and, although I knew the band was there because I frequently got stuck, I never got full from eating. In fact, the only reason I ever stopped eating was (a) because I guilted myself into stopping, or (:thumbdown: because I was so miserably stuck that I would throw up, and then was scared to eat anything else. I even went to the doc last July for an unfill, but he didn't do that and, instead, had me swallow that white stuff to check my opening, and I was told that I had plenty more room for more fills and that I was eating too big of bites. So, since July, I worked on eating more slowly, chewing more thoroughly, and not getting stuck. It worked for a few weeks, but I just found myself being able to eat more food. I gained a few pounds, lost a few pounds, regained those pounds -- I was the poster child for the yoyo effect. I came to this forum nearly every week and read of others' success -- success that eluded me. I reasoned, "Well, I've got 7cc in my 10cc band, so I should have restriction and feel full." But, I didn't. So, I simply resigned myself to the fact that the band didn't work for me. It happens. I guessed that I was just one of the statistics. I mean, I could eat nearly 4 or 5 cups of food at a meal....easy. I would get stuck because I didn't chew my meat well enough. But, if I chewed really well, I could eat 2 hamburger patties, a large salad with ham bits and shredded cheese and dressing, and 2 cups of yogurt...at one meal...and still had room for 6 or 7 sugar-free Cookies without getting stuck or, more importantly, without getting full. But, guess what? I made an appointment and went to the doc yesterday to discuss it. The nurse checked what I had in there and discovered that I had lost some Fluid from my band, refilled everything to 8cc's, and......drumroll, please..... I HAVE RESTRICTION! I went to work after the appointment and drank a cup of coffee with Splenda and cream. I immediately noticed a difference. I was belching a little after a few sips. When I had my clear broth for lunch, I felt myself getting full....on broth...I was amazed! For dinner, I had 1/2 cup of sugar-free yogurt and 1/2 cup of egg salad with celery and onion bits...and for the first time since I was banded, I was full. Hones-to-goodness comfortably full. Not that "I ate too much Thanksgiving dinner" miserably full, but I knew that if I had eaten any more, that I would be miserable. Do you know what this MEANS to me?! This means that I am FINALLY at the stage where I am eating 3/4 to 1 cup of food at a meal, and feeling full! I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN FOR ME! In fact, I told my husband this morning that I might be too tight now because I experienced a wee bit of heartburn last night when I laid down to sleep. But I know that the band will ease a bit in the coming weeks, and it will be okay. And now that I know how to use this tool implanted inside of me, and now that it's working at proper restriction, I can get down to losing this weight properly. I've already been exercising four times a week, and now I FINALLY have the help I've been yearning for. When I got on the wii balance board this morning to exercise and get my BMI and weight, I had lost 1.8 pounds since yesterday morning! Instead of seeing the chart line go UP, it had gone DOWN. I weigh 248 this morning. I was 292 when I was banded 2 years ago. So, take heart, mates......if you think that you'll never hit that sweet spot, YOU WILL. If I can, then anyone can! PS: I was admonished by the doc to come back every six months -- on my anniversary date, and 6 months later. So, I have another appointment for another fill on May 5th, if I need it. And another appointment in November to reassess the situation. For anyone who is discouraged about never hitting that sweet spot, I hope this post helps. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Talk with your doc, follow the lap band rules, keep getting fills/unfills, and just keep going forward. You'll get there.

Thank you, Lady J, for your response!! I WAS eating vegetables instead of meats, but when I had my last fill on Tuesday, I was told to eat meats/proteins before anything else, to make a good layer of that, and THEN eat vegetables if I'm still hungry. That's why I ate the low-fat Boca Burger and low-fat cheese.

Well, I'm just downright confused. I've been reading these boards for the majority of the afternoon and am just shaking my head because the more I read, the more confused I become. And I'm not a stupid person. You people in this thread seem to be very knowledgeable, so perhaps you can help me. I had my fifth fill yesterday and am utterly amazed that I can still eat the amount of food I’ve already eaten today, which is this: Breakfast at 10:00am: 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese 2 cups of coffee with Sweet-n-Low and low fat half-n-half lunch at 12:30pm: 1 Boca Burger with 1 slice cheddar cheese melted on top 1 slice of cheddar cheese Snack at 2:25pm (because I was so hungry again): 2 slices of cheddar cheese 5 Armour Brown-n-Serve sausage links I've also been drinking flavored Water all day so far, but not 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after eating. I need to learn to eat correctly so that I can lose weight. I was told during my fill yesterday that I've been "eating around the band" with soft foods and Soups, so I've stopped that, as of today. I hadn't realized that that is what was going on with me not losing optimally. But -- and here's where I need help -- I've read many many threads here today and people are listing what they eat during one day, and it's WAY less than what I eat, and most people only have 2 fills. I've had FIVE fills in my VG10cc band and was told that I have "a good 8ccs" in my band now. Why is it that I can eat more than 3 cups of food a day still? I was told not to come back for a month, and that I "should" be at my sweet spot now. What the hell? Why or what am I doing wrong?

I removed this post and put it in the right thread..........sorry.........

I had my fifth fill yesterday and was told that I have been “eating around” my band, because I’ve been eating soft foods – soups, cottage cheese, yogurt – and, instead, need to eat Protein and THEN have the vegetables and other foods. But I was strictly told to eat solid protein so that I wouldn’t be hungry. Further, I was told that 5 fills “should” have me at my sweet spot. I hope like Hell that she was right. So, I need help from you people. I am going to post what I eat and then I need someone to tell me if it’s okay and, if not, what I should be doing to make it right. Breakfast at 10:00am: ¾ cup of low fat cottage cheese coffee with Sweet-n-Low and low fat half-n-half lunch at 12:45pm: 1 Boca Burger 2 slices cheddar cheese Snack at 2:25pm: 5 Armour Brown-n-Serve sausage links 2 slices cheddar cheese After 5 fills, I can’t believe that I can still eat that much food, but I can. I’m trying not to be upset about it, but I can’t ignore that fact and pretend like I’m full when I’m not. Any and all comments are appreciated. Just don’t yell at me, please.

Actually, Speed Racer, I appreciate DebLPN's reply in that she listed very good information regarding Protein, and I refer to her post quite often. The only thing that upset me was her tone in shaming me. She apologized and everything's okay now, so let's move on. I went for my fifth fill and the doctor reiterated what DebLPN said about the protein. My problem is, I don't know what protein to eat. She told me that I'm eating around the band by eating soft foods and that I need to eat protein. I'm still struggling here and getting very frustrated about what protein I should eat. I mean, should I eat a hamburger pattie? A chicken breast? A can of tuna? I dunno.... I ate cottage cheese last night and I know that's protein, but I also know it's a soft food so I guess I shouldn't eat it any more. Again.........I dunno.......

I'm glad to hear that there ARE other people who don't have proper restriction after X-number of fills. Well -- not GLAD that they don't have restriction, but glad to hear that I'm not the ONLY one who doesn't... I had my fourth fill 07-31-07, as stated earlier. Although I do feel more restriction than before, I am still able to eat more than 1 cup of solid food at a meal. I've do eat slow, putting my fork down between bites, and make sure that I eat tiny bites. For example, we went to eat at a Chinese restaurant and instead of the three platefuls of food, as was my norm, I ate a total of half a plateful -- albeit very slowly. But, still -- that's more than 1 cup of solid food. And I have discovered that I cannot eat a Little Debbie orange cupcake without it nearly getting completely stuck if I eat it too fast, so that's a good thing. I'll never eat another! So, I am going for my 5th fill today. I want to be able to say that I am losing the recommended 1 to 2 pounds per week, and that I am only physically able to eat 1 cup of solid food at a meal. Perhaps this will do the trick and find me at my sweet spot -- finally!

Robgoblin - I'm so glad to read your post, because I feel exactly the same way you do. In fact, you and I were banded the same day -- May 4, 2007. On the two-week pre-op diet, I lost 19 pounds. Since then, I've gone down then back up -- myriad times. I've had 4 fills, and am contemplating making an appointment for another next week (which will make two weeks since my last one). I have a little more restriction and PB'd for the second time since I've been banded -- this time the culprit was breaded chicken. Yet, I contend that I still haven't hit that "sweet spot" because I can eat way more than 1 cup of food at a sitting. In fact, I ate about 2 cups of salad with cheese and diced ham and cherry tomatoes for dinner, as well as three slices of hard Swiss cheese, and then 1 cup of yogurt. And I could have continued to eat. So.........I guess the best reply to your post is this: don't feel that you are abnormal. Everybody and every body are different. Just keep getting fills until you can no longer eat more than 1 cup of food in a sitting, talk with you doc, and eat what he/she tells you to eat. I hope this helps.

I got my 4th fill yesterday morning. But before that, I asked how much I have in my 10cc band and was told: 1st fill = 4cc 2nd fill = 2cc 3rd fill = 1cc Then she said, "But since the tubing holds some saline, you've probably got 5ccs actualy IN the band." So, she pumped another 1cc in and then said, "Now you've got a good 6ccs in there." She also reassured me that restriction and the "sweet spot" WILL happen for me. Since I was on liquids yesterday, and mushies today, I'll not find out how good my restriction is until tomorrow.

I'll reiterate: My point in posting was to state just that -- that I shouldn't be able to eat that much food in one sitting. TRANSLATION: I don't have restriction even after 3 fills. I wasn't asking to be raked over the coils for not eating Protein, et al, and I certainly don't need to be shamed into "eating right", and you did just that when you said: Don't you ever wag your finger at me again. I troll these boards looking for posters who experience the same problems I do after being banded, and I glean hope and support from their answers. Perhaps someone else out there who has had 3 fills without restriction will gain hope and support from my posts, and perhaps will think, "Well, see there? THAT person has had 3 fills and still has no restriction. I'm not a lost cause after all." After I have my 4th fill tomorrow, I will report about my level of restriction, if any.

I got my first fill 4 weeks after surgery. I got my 2nd fill two weeks later, and my 3rd fill two weeks after that. I am having my 4th fill on Tuesday.....2 weeks since my last one. I was upset at my last fill and asked the dietician (who is also banded) if I would EVER hit that elusive "sweet spot".....she said, "Don't worry. It will happen for you!" So, I'm hoping that fill #4 for find me at the sweet spot. If not, I'll go back in two more weeks for another.