nurseAMY11

I was banded 8/13/10. I have had 3 fills. I don't recall how much was put in each time, but I'm at 8cc in an 10cc band. My doctor tells me that my fill is "getting up there" but I still feel like I need more. I think. (?) It's not so much that I'm hungry all the time, but I feel like when I do eat I can eat portions that are way larer that what I'm supposed to be able to eat and my weight loss has been at a stand-still for several weeks. I feel great restriction after each fill, but the restriction goes away after a couple of weeks. Does this happen to anyone else? What are some of the signs that you guys use to determine if you need another fill? Does anyone ever fill the whole thing up??

I'm scared because this is the smallest I've been in as long as I can remember and I'm only 5 months out. Going farther is definitely uncharted territory... the unknown is always scary!!

Great advice everyone! I'm ready to get refocused and jump start this thing again. I've been very conscious of how I feel after I eat my measured portions and I do actually feel full for several hours. I just have to work on the fact that I enjoy eating. so, I'm going to stay where I am with the fills and increase my workouts. Thanks for giving me a little confidence! Congrats to you guys for meeting your goals, and Jachut good luck for a speedy recovery

Don't get me wrong, the large portions I can eat are definitely not the large portions I could eat before the band. I would definitely not be hungry after an 8 oz steak. I think like you said, I'm just going though a mind game right now. Just because I want to eat more doesn't mean that I actually need to. My plan for the next few days is to regulate my portions more carefully and actually pay attention to how I'm feeling after I eat and to the amount of time before I feel hungry again. It may just be that my "mind" is still hungry, not my body. I guess I'm turning into one of those people who wants the band to physically stop me from eating... I need to "re-boot" and get myself back to accountability! I really don't want to defeat myself Thanks guys, I think I needed to hear someone else say what I already knew about this!

thanks for your responses. and that's a great article. I understand that the band is supposed to control hunger, but doesn't it do that by the band being tight enough to hold a small amount of food in your pouch? I feel like if i'm able to eat large portions, food is going through too quickly and therefore not keeping me feeling full. I know that controlling portions is my responsibility... but this is why i needed the band in the first place. I feel like I'm back to regular dieting again... eating small portions and wishing I had more! I'm nervous because my regular diet self control always failed in the past

Hang in there, it gets better! I heard that people with a hernia repair have more gas pains. That was in deed the morst part! They found a hernia in me too. I think having that repaired was the best thing ever! The doctor always asked me if I had trouble with acid reflux and I said no. I thought I had a normal amount. I never knew how much heartburn I actually had until they fixed that hernia... I haven't had a single episode in almost 5 months! crazy!

Hi there! The liquids go right through the opening so it's normal to be able to drink a lot. I'm a stomach sleeper too, so I did that as soon as I could stand it. I didn't experience anything negative from doing it. Also, itching is a normal part or healing. as long as there's no excessive redness or discharge, you are most likely fine. But a doctor should see it if you have any concerns. I actually just figured out this ticker thing myslef! So... go to tickerfactory.com. It will ask you to pick the ticker you want and enter your stats. At the end, you highlight copy the URL they give you and paste in into the signature section of "edit my profile". pretty easy :-) Good luck!!

I have a jealous best friend who occasionally makes comments. Unfortunately she was the only one I told about the surgery because I thought she would be happy for me. She is supportive on the outside, but I can tell that she has some feelings that she doesn't really want me to succeed. The two of us were always chunky kids together, and up until recently we were always the same size. I think we both had comfort in knowing that the other one was in the same boat. Since I've lost weight, she's gotten more serious about dieting and we work out together sometimes. I can't say that I wouldn't have the same jealous feelings if our situations were reversed, but I have made the best decision for me and she needs to make the right decisions for her. The last thing we need is negativity, so if people aren't supportive they can pound sand!

I'm 14 days out. I don't know of it's the same thing you're describing, but sometimes I have the sensation of really strong stomach growling. It wasn't really painful, but definitely different. I was able to sleep on my stomach after 1 week, but could still feel "something" on my abdomen when walking around. not pain, just weird. I'm just now feeling completely normal. I'm concerned about it looking like a tennis ball in your belly... that's doesn't sound good. I'd see your surgeon.

Hi everyone, My name is Amy, I'm 26 years old. I am married, no kids. I was banded on August 13th. I'm officially 5 days post-op! I'm feeling pretty good- a little sore, but heading back to work. I have my first post-op recheck next week, so I'm nervous to find out how much weight I've lost with my 2 week optifast diet plus surgery. I'm having difficulty getting the nutrition I need because I don't feel hungry at all... It's like I need to set an alarm to remind myself to eat something. It's bizarre but I'm making the adjustment. I don't know anyone personally who has gone through this process, so I will probably be using this website a lot for guidance. My mother is scheduled for lap band surgery in Janurary, so I am for lack of a better word, her guinea pig! Good luck to everyone!!!!!!

Hi there! I guess I'm right behind you! I'm getting ready to start pureed food. Right now, I'm not even sure I want to make the change... I'm doing well with my shakes and soup. I still don't feel hungry at all, so I guess it doesn't bother me. But, obviously I'm going to have to eat normal food eventually, so the baby steps are necessary. The idea of puree-ing everything kinda grosses me out. let me know how it goes for you!

i wish i could help... i can't figure it out either!

Hi! My name is Amy, I was banded on August 13th... I'm 5 days out! I can tell it's going to be quite an adventure! It would be awesome to hear from some other August people to talk about progress.