How should I handle my next fill visit?

[Deekel 0]

I have 6 cc's in a 9 cc band and feel no restriction. Last week I had my 3rd fill. I told the Dr. I thought I might need more than 1cc and he said, "Oh, yeah, I don't think this will take. You'll need more in you to feel full but I don't want you getting sick so we'll take it slow." He told me outright it was not enough to feel full. I told him that when I first got the band I had to avoid rice like the plague because it got stuck and hurt. I told him I eat rice on purpose 3 -4 times a week HOPING I will feel full and I still don't. He said to just try to avoid rice and all carbs anyway and come back in 4 more weeks. I'm not very good at being assertive. On my next visit when he asks me to drink Water to see how it feels going down, if I feel no restriction again, should I push to have more than 1 cc added or just keep letting him put 1cc in at a time? I'm getting nervous because I'm up to 6 cc's and still don't feel restriction. I'm afraid I'll hit the 9cc mark and never feel full. Since last week I'm eating as much Protein as I can and staying away from carbs. But I feel like my portions are too big. Months ago I would eat a small section off my husband's steak. Now I eat my own whole one. I feel like I'm talking to my Dr. but he's not listening to me if that makes sense.

[Rachel412 116]

How much would you say you eat at a meal, and how long is it until you feel hungry again? Like, not "I want to eat something" but HUNGRY?

[Acadia 20]

The band isn't supposed to provide restriction. It's supposed to provide a reminder to stop eating when you've had your 1-2 cups of food (amount depends on the food) and help you eat slower so your brain sees that you're full faster and will keep you feeling not hungry for 4-5 hours. Not hungry Is the key. You may still WANT to eat but if you're not hungry you shouldn't eat.

When you are physically restricted then you run into issues with sliming, pbing, vomitting, nausea, overeating sliders, etc. Which can all lead to weight gain and band slippage.

Are you eating more because you can or because you're hungry? If the former, then no amount of restriction will help. You'll still be able to eat sliders easily.

Write down what you eat, measure your food out and stop eating after the 1-2 cups. It's a tool, like a hammer, it can't actually do the work for you, it's going to sit there until you learn how to use it correctly.

[TheBandedPeach 3]

I have 6 cc's in a 9 cc band and feel no restriction. Last week I had my 3rd fill. I told the Dr. I thought I might need more than 1cc and he said, "Oh, yeah, I don't think this will take. You'll need more in you to feel full but I don't want you getting sick so we'll take it slow." He told me outright it was not enough to feel full. I told him that when I first got the band I had to avoid rice like the plague because it got stuck and hurt. I told him I eat rice on purpose 3 -4 times a week HOPING I will feel full and I still don't. He said to just try to avoid rice and all carbs anyway and come back in 4 more weeks. I'm not very good at being assertive. On my next visit when he asks me to drink Water to see how it feels going down, if I feel no restriction again, should I push to have more than 1 cc added or just keep letting him put 1cc in at a time? I'm getting nervous because I'm up to 6 cc's and still don't feel restriction. I'm afraid I'll hit the 9cc mark and never feel full. Since last week I'm eating as much Protein as I can and staying away from carbs. But I feel like my portions are too big. Months ago I would eat a small section off my husband's steak. Now I eat my own whole one. I feel like I'm talking to my Dr. but he's not listening to me if that makes sense.

I feel the same! I wonder how much they get payed for each fill?...

It's your body. We did this and put ourselves thru hell to get this surgery in hopes that we would start losing weight and getting healthy immediately. We made the decision to change our lives by doing this because we needed help. We needed a tool that works and does it's job, so we should be able to take control of what is done to our own bodies thereafter, as well. Unless they tell you that something terrible could happen to you, I would demand it be tighter along with more personal attention from the assigned psychologist and nutritionist. Explain how much your able to eat and how easily it is to eat it, if you haven't already. When I told mine that I was able to easily eat an entire 6" turkey sub LOADED with extra veggies and still did not feel full, she finally listened that it was too loose. If we had gotten our stomachs cut off with the gastric instead, our stomachs would be that small anyways right from the beginning!...right?...

[Deekel 0]

I think I became disheartened when the Dr. said to me that he didn't think I was filled enough but to come back in 4 more weeks. I know this is a tool and not a quick fix. I don't know how I'm supposed to use a tool I can't feel or be aware of. I feel like I'm still learning and figuring it out. I've asked twice to speak with the nutritionist on staff and they were unable to see me because they were busy counseling patients who were getting ready to have their surgeries. Which reminds me, I want to call today and tell them when my next appointment is and see if there's any way the nutritionist can see me then. I would say when I force myself to stop at 1 - 2 cups of food I'm genuinely hungry within the hour. Really I just don't get full at all from it and last about an hour before the "grazing" begins. When I eat 4 - 5 cups of food, I can last about 3 -4 hours. I add veggies to everything to bulk it up. I can't tell you how many pepper, onions and mushrooms I go through a week because I put that on top of chicken and steak to "bulk up" my Protein. Then I have veggies on the side of that and try to only eat carbs last, cous cous, rice, potato... My husband doesn't have a weight issue at all but he's very understanding in that I limit Pasta to only once a week. I eat protein and salad first then the pasta and I know this sounds sad, but I make him pack up the leftovers for his lunch the next day because I don't trust myself not to "pick" at it as I put it away. At least I know my own weakness, right? Thanks for any and all advice. I really appreciate it.

[Deekel 0]

Thank you, Mist. I appreciate the honesty. I haven't gained any weight on my band, but the weight loss is almost at a stand still so I have to try something different than what I'm doing. I guess I expected more of a restricted feeling from the band. I'll just try eating less and when I'm hungry an hour later, walk in the opposite direction of the kitchen. You are right, I do eat too fast. I find myself shoving food in at top speed sometimes in between taking care of the baby and getting her ready for bed and such. I'm still trying to find that balance of taking care of her and "me time" If I wait until she's asleep, I'll be eating dinner at 8:30 and that's too late for me. Maybe my husband and I can eat in shifts so one of us gets a relaxing dinner at a time.

[Noturningback15 45]

If you are not happy with your fills then I would consider switching to another doctor. Just make sure it's a very good Dr. that won't overfill you just because you want more but actually care and consider what's best for you. I wasted a little over 7 months with a doctor that treated my fills like a reward/punishment thing. I got a new doctor 8 months after being banded and he gave me good fills like .5 to 1 cc at at time and I started losing weight immediately. I lost more weight in the one month after my switch to a new doctor than I had lost in 4 months with the old Dr. I wish I would have not wasted time and switched a long time ago. I would be further along with my weight loss.

[Jess55 97]

One suggestion, not sure if oh works for everyone, but it seems to work for me. Sometes I eat my portion I'm still hungry, I wait half an hour then I drink. The drinking seems to fill me up. So try that it really can help

[AquarianCrab 8]

My doctor said if you eat until you feel restriction, you are stretching your pouch and making your band useless. He said to measure your portions (1/2 cup Protein, 1/4 cup veggies, 1/4 cup carb) and eat that and only that. Then 30 minutes later, drink a quart of Water. I had my surgery January 10th, and lost almost 50 pounds with an empty band. My doctor said as long as I am losing there is no need for a fill. He does fills only if the patient has gained or hasn't lost anything for a couple of months.

Also, keep in mind that this is a slow process. You're not supposed to be at your goal weight immediately. My doctor said losing more than 2 pounds per week is dangerous and unhealthy.

[Melissannde 41]

You may want to seriously consider cutting out the white carbs completely.. or at least cutting them way back. White carbs (white bread, white potatoes, rice, pasta) are high glycemic foods. They tend to spike our blood sugar, and make us feel really good while the sugar is high, then when it craters, we're hungry again. And possibly hungrier than we were before eating.

If you must have bread, use real whole wheat (read the labels) or Ezekiel type breads. Sweet potatoes are better for us than white potatoes.. or if you must have the "irish" potato type.. use red or purple potatoes. While still not a great choice, they're lower on the glycemic index than white 'taters. I don't eat rice hardly at all any more, but if I do, it's wild rice or brown rice. Quinoa (Keen-wah) is a south american grain that is full of Protein and can be used like rice in many recipes.

Use spaghetti squash in place of spaghetti noodles. Or look into the Dreamfields Pasta brand. I grate Zucchini and put meat sauce over it. Or slice it long ways to use like lasagna noodles. If you MUST have regular Pasta, try cooking it al dente. The more you cook pasta, the higher the glycemic index.

Learn more here: http://www.glycemicindex.com

[Melissannde 41]

Lap-band is not about restriction: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

[Deekel 0]

Thank you for the links. They were very interesting. I think I have to take a step back now and re- look at the band from a different perspective. It worked wonders in the beginning 'the honeymoon phase" and I had less in my band. I'm open to less "white carbs". It's just a matter of learning to cook differently. I have a lot to work with here and I really appreciate all of your comments.

[Acadia 20]

You're on the right track, you are aware about what you're doing, many people aren't and they mindlessly eat.

I used to do that. And when I got the band I thought it was to restrict me from eating more but when I was too full (too much fill that is) it was horrendous. I was in my green zone of being satiated without realizing it and had 1 cc (my last fill) removed. Now that I know it's up to me to stop eating I'm losing again. I could sit and eat 4-5 cups of some foods. But now I won't. I drink a big glass of crystal light 15 minutes before a meal, eat my meal slowly, pausing after each bite (you learn to eat things cold), and I stop when I know I'm eating because it tastes good.

There really is a difference between eating to be full and eating because it's good.

I think you're at the point where, if you switch to whole grains and snack on Fiber dense fruit and/or Protein between meals, you'll start dropping again. Eat like your baby does, small meals every few hours. Since your baby is keeping a schedule it may help you keep a schedule. Eat after your baby does when your baby is content and won't mind you taking time for you.

[THEgeorgiaPEACH 3]

I think I became disheartened when the Dr. said to me that he didn't think I was filled enough but to come back in 4 more weeks. I know this is a tool and not a quick fix. I don't know how I'm supposed to use a tool I can't feel or be aware of. I feel like I'm still learning and figuring it out. I've asked twice to speak with the nutritionist on staff and they were unable to see me because they were busy counseling patients who were getting ready to have their surgeries. Which reminds me, I want to call today and tell them when my next appointment is and see if there's any way the nutritionist can see me then. I would say when I force myself to stop at 1 - 2 cups of food I'm genuinely hungry within the hour. Really I just don't get full at all from it and last about an hour before the "grazing" begins. When I eat 4 - 5 cups of food, I can last about 3 -4 hours. I add veggies to everything to bulk it up. I can't tell you how many pepper, onions and mushrooms I go through a week because I put that on top of chicken and steak to "bulk up" my Protein. Then I have veggies on the side of that and try to only eat carbs last, cous cous, rice, potato... My husband doesn't have a weight issue at all but he's very understanding in that I limit Pasta to only once a week. I eat Protein and salad first then the Pasta and I know this sounds sad, but I make him pack up the leftovers for his lunch the next day because I don't trust myself not to "pick" at it as I put it away. At least I know my own weakness, right? Thanks for any and all advice. I really appreciate it.

I'm sorry, that sounds really frustrating. I would definitely be assertive and say "its my body and I know it better than you. If its too tight I can always come for an unfill. But at this point I'd rather it be too tight than have no restriction whats so ever."

Sometimes you just have to be that way!

Lets us know how it goes.

[Deekel 0]

I've started a journal. I never kept one in the past, but I think it's a good idea so there is no mindless eating and I can see where I need to tweak my diet. Adding more whole grains is a good place to start. I'll let you know how it goes when I go back in 3 weeks. Thanks again.