What is good restriction/how much can you eat

[steveelea 61]

Hi all

I think that I may have finally reached my sweet spot with my most recent fill.

I was wondering out of interest how much other bandsters are able to eat when they feel like they are at the correct amount of fill in the band.

Another question is what does your restriction feel like???? Do you feel full after eating your food, does it feel like it is sitting in your throat when you have had enough?? OR does it get stuck often????

How different does it feel when you have reached that perfect fill, like my Nurse calls it 'my sweet spot'

Sorry for all the questions but I have found this forum to be fantastic and I love to hear about others experiences so I can get an idea of what others are going through.

Sometimes just talking to your Dr and Nurse isn't enough as they haven't had the band and dont know what it really all feels like themselves.

I have had non stop problems since I got my lap band (only 8 months ago) and have just recently had 2 port replacements within a couple of months of each other. My band/port has never worked properly (due to leaks etc) and to this stage and I thought that I would never get there....but I think I am close now maybe even there finally or very very close :ohmy:

By my Dr I have been told that I should be able to eat a plate the size of a bread and butter plate (5.5 inches sround the inside of the plate) The one my dr gave me is divided up into sections of Protein, carbs and vegetables (non starch) and at the moment I can eat just a little more than is on the plate and I am satisfied until my next meal.

I am not sure weather to risk them fiddling around and getting a little more fill or just to leave it so I am keen to hear others stories on how they knew they were there at the right fill level.

:present:

[Astrasmom 1]

Hi all

I think that I may have finally reached my sweet spot with my most recent fill.

I was wondering out of interest how much other bandsters are able to eat when they feel like they are at the correct amount of fill in the band.

Another question is what does your restriction feel like???? Do you feel full after eating your food, does it feel like it is sitting in your throat when you have had enough?? OR does it get stuck often????

How different does it feel when you have reached that perfect fill, like my Nurse calls it 'my sweet spot'

Sorry for all the questions but I have found this forum to be fantastic and I love to hear about others experiences so I can get an idea of what others are going through.

Sometimes just talking to your Dr and Nurse isn't enough as they haven't had the band and dont know what it really all feels like themselves.

I have had non stop problems since I got my LAP-BAND® (only 8 months ago) and have just recently had 2 port replacements within a couple of months of each other. My band/port has never worked properly (due to leaks etc) and to this stage and I thought that I would never get there....but I think I am close now maybe even there finally or very very close :thumbup:

By my Dr I have been told that I should be able to eat a plate the size of a bread and butter plate (5.5 inches sround the inside of the plate) The one my dr gave me is divided up into sections of Protein, carbs and vegetables (non starch) and at the moment I can eat just a little more than is on the plate and I am satisfied until my next meal.

I am not sure weather to risk them fiddling around and getting a little more fill or just to leave it so I am keen to hear others stories on how they knew they were there at the right fill level.

:smile2:

I have had 5 fills and a tiny bit removed. I am at the sweet spot and have been for a couple months now. I am able to eat anywhere for 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food at meals. I can go 4-5 hours between meals without feeling hungry. What it feels like to me is that I am full, I can not eat anymore. Good restriction shouldn't be uncomfortable and it shouldn't hurt. You shouldn't get stuck all of the time and if you are chances are it's because you aren't chewing good enough or your portion size is too large. When I am full I get the hicups. I know then that it's time to stop otherwise it WILL be sitting in my throat. Those are called soft signs of fullness. When I swallow without chewing my food, I really don't get stuck anymore. What does happen is that I will feel nausea and I have to fight the feeling back until my food goes down. SO the moral of my story is to chew my food better.

[steveelea 61]

Thank you so much for all of that info Astrasmom....thats what I thought it should feel like.

Since writing my first post on this about a week ago, I have slowly been able to eat more and more :smile2:

I am petrified that I have another leak (3rd time) but maybe its in my mind

Anyway I was getting everything stuck before this fill but now I am not and I just feel full after not so much food.< /p>

As far as portion sizes go I am eating way too much though.

I have to ask you Astrasmom....did you ever get food stuck, then after a fill it got better and went down easier but you just felt fuller quicker????

I have a 14cc (ml) band in and am supposed to have 8ml of fill in.....do you know what you have in your band and what its capacity is??

Sorry for the million and one questions :thumbup:

[Astrasmom 1]

Thank you so much for all of that info Astrasmom....thats what I thought it should feel like.

Since writing my first post on this about a week ago, I have slowly been able to eat more and more :smile2:

I am petrified that I have another leak (3rd time) but maybe its in my mind

Anyway I was getting everything stuck before this fill but now I am not and I just feel full after not so much food.

As far as portion sizes go I am eating way too much though.

I have to ask you Astrasmom....did you ever get food stuck, then after a fill it got better and went down easier but you just felt fuller quicker????

I have a 14cc (ml) band in and am supposed to have 8ml of fill in.....do you know what you have in your band and what its capacity is??

Sorry for the million and one questions :thumbup:

I have gotten food stuck a few times. I'm not sure if it's because of the fill though, it might be because you are making better choices and are aware of what will happen if you don't chew properly.

My doctor doesn't tell me how much he puts in. He doesn't want us focusing on the Fluid and then freaking out when we are at capacity and can't have anymore Fluid. I can tell you that I have a 10cc band though. And I have quiet a bit of fluid in there.

[steveelea 61]

Thanks again Astrasmom, and can I just say a huge CONGRATULATIONS to you for losing all of your weight and just about to hit your goal....you look fanstastic (I checked out your blog and its great) Well Done! :w00t:

Sad thing for me about reading it is that I was banded in November 09 and weighed 150kg (330 pounds) and now still weigh 126.5kg (278.3 pounds) because I have had to have 2 surgeries to correct a non working leaking port in that time, and havent ever been properly at the correct restrictions so basically, it hasnt been working for me yet and I am doing all of this on sheer will power!!!! Just imagine all of the weight I could have lost if it was working properly :w00t:

I definately have less restriction again so if I have less Fluid in my band than what is supposed to be in there when I go for my next appointment, which isnt for another week and a bit, I will be demanding that they check the band, tubing and port with the dye that I have heard of that shows leaks, and that I never ever get another blind fill that I am only ever to get my fills by fluroscopy.

My stomach looks like a war zone with all of the new scars they make in every surgery and I just don't know if I have the emotional strength to go through a 4th surgery for the same thing in such a short time again....sorry thats my vent and me wishing I could acheive what others have....On the upside at least I am not gaining :rolleyes2:

[Mel54 0]

Hi! I go in for my lapband next month so I'm curious reading this information. That is awful with all your bands leaking. Can you tell me that when they give you a fill with fluroscopy whether they can tell at that time if you have any leaks? Thank you :rolleyes2:

[steveelea 61]

Hi Mel54, As far as testing for a leak I think that they need to inject a contrast dye and then xray to see if its leaking but I am not 100% sure....my Dr just kept checking the level of Fluid in my band when I went for fills and he detected the leak in my port tubing that way, and by the fact that I was getting a little restriction and then all of a sudden I could eat anything and was starving. Those 2 things combined told him that there was a leak but I have never been tested so to speak with a dye injection.

I think that if you just have your fill done under fluro, they can see the port placement and gauge exactly where to insert the needle so they don't miss but I am certainly no expert as I have only had the 1 fill by fluro.

[Nean4488 1]

I think everyone is different when it comes to this answer. To me I am at perfect restriction with 6cc in 10cc band. I can eat normally, whatever I want, granted I cant take huge bites, but normal bites are fine for me, along with bread I can also eat with no problem. I eat every 3 hours so I dont really know how long I am hungry for. But im losing at about 2 pounds a week and I can eat normally but in small amounts. That to me is restriction to me. I could probably eat more then I am suppose to but I make my portions and eat only that.

[steveelea 61]

Thats fantastic Nean4488, sounds like its perfect for you.

2 pounds a week is so perfect you are going really well:thumbup:

When I posted this a week ago I thought I had hit my sweet spot as I was only eating 3 meals a day and small portion sizes, now I am hungry in between meals again and my portion sizes are getting bigger.....just cant wait till I get that 'full feeling' after only a small meal again and it stays with me instead of slowly dissapearing only for the hunger to come back.

1 more week today till I get to see my Dr and I will get him to do a check on how much fill I have in my band. I am supposed to have 8cc in a 14cc band.