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Elphie, I wish you the best of luck on your journey. We are all very different and the band is not the perfect answer for anyone. You've been working very hard and I think you're very brave! Hang in there and keep us posted on your progress! :blushing:

Hi Miss Gypsy, I had the fill at 9:00 am, so the nurse told me to have liquids for lunch, mushies for dinner and breakfast the next morning, and regular food at lunchtime. I can finally feel like the band is doing what it's meant to do. I am full with less food and stay satisfied longer. Sweet!!

I had my second fill this morning. It was 3 cc's the first time, and today was an additional 1.5 cc's. I'm trying a little Greek yogurt, and I think I do feel a difference. Going back in a month for another visit, so we'll see. Patience is a virtue I could use! Hope you all are doing well...

Thanks very much for the article. Everyone has posted good thoughts and valuable insight. I don't know if this doctor is 100% correct, but he sure did give me pause on how I've been viewing the band. I probably fall somewhere in the middle -- I want some restriction, but I also recognize that it's only a tool and a lot of this is up to me. I'm pretty sure my portions have not been following the guidelines I was given, but I also never expected to be as hungry as I am. As I've said before, not "head" hungry, but real stomach-growling noisy rumblings. I hope I can get myself use to smaller portions, or this is going to be miserable. Staying focused on my goal - working out, and planning my food. I'll add portion control to the list and try to incorporate it. :wink2:

My first fill experience has not been a good experience -- I feel no different than when the band was empty. The PA told me that the fills would be gradual, because they don't want to have to fill and unfill over and over again. So I had 3cc's and I'm due for another fill on November 2. Hoping that will make a difference; however, he told me that finding the "green zone" or sweet spot is very, very different for each patient. I complained to one of the nurses and we chatted for a few minutes on Tuesday. She thinks I wasn't eating enough (big laugh!), but it turns out that she may be right. For the last 3 days, I've had my three meals, but I'm now including a mid-morning protein shake and a mid-afternoon protein shake, PLUS the 64 oz of water. I may not drop weight as fast as I want to, but I do find myself more satisfied and not thinking about being hungry all the time. "One day at a time..."

Thanks to both of you for your responses! :laugh:

It's tough to get use to drinking that much each day, so the best thing to do is build up gradually. Guzzling water is not the way to go either. If you can keep water with you at all times, that'll help. Seeing it will remind you to take a sip or two, which leads to another sip or two, etc. I would say that after about 4-6 weeks, you'll be able to take in close to 64 oz each day. One of the side benefits that I noticed was how smooth and soft my complextion became as I stayed on the habit of drinking water each day. With all the diets I've tried in my life, drinking water was one habit I was able to keep doing for several years. After surgery, I was only able to drink 8-16 oz a day, but I slowly got back to the full 64 again. You can do it!! :laugh:

So I noticed that I'm not being compliant with the rules of banding. I know what I should be eating and for the most part, I'm doing ok; however, with only 3cc in my band, I don't feel satisfied and keep looking for more to eat. I'm exercising 6-7 times a week for 50-60 minutes each session. Is the exercise upping my appetite? With all I've been through to this point, I don't want to play the old games and sabotage my hard work. Maybe I need a shrink who specializes in eating issues...? Anyone have some advice or thoughts or similar experiences? :laugh:

Every day! Mondays and Wednesdays I work with a personal trainer (aka The Velvet Hammer!) for an hour +, and the other 5 days I walk/jog for about 45 minutes and stretch out for 5 minutes at the end to cool down. Building muscle is hard work and very slow, but I'm beginning to understand how important it is along with eating healthy. The muscle strength raises your metabolism level, so fat will come off a little faster than sitting in front of the TV for hours at a time. "The Biggest Loser" is an extreme example. My trainer told me that there is a HUGE medical staff just off the camera view in case these folks get into physical trouble. Also they get massages and their workout space is very similar to a pro football team locker room. They work really hard, no doubt about that, but when I'm done with my training session and I'm wiping the sweat off my body, I know that I'm working hard, too. I built up my exercise program from short walks around the block. Some days I so hated it, but I kept going. Now I still have mornings that I don't want to get out of bed, but once I'm done, I'm very proud of myself. If I can do it -- ANYONE can!! :thumbup:

So I had my first fill -- 3cc in a 10cc band. Now that it's Thursday, I have to say it doesn't feel any different. I'm not feeling restriction and I'm not getting that feeling of being satisfied with my meals. The doctor said that most of his patients really feel a difference by the 3rd fill. I guess they prefer to be conservative with the fills instead of rushing patients through the process. I have lost 32 lbs total since mid-August, and I know it's pounds I'll never have to lose again, so the process works, just not the way I thought it would. Want to get to the "sweet spot" green zone! Thanks for your responses. It really makes a difference! :thumbup: