Where is the Sweet Spot?

[gottaluvave 1]

Hey guys - I got banded in October of 2006 and I have already had 2 fills because I can still eat loads!!

How many fills does it take the average person to get to their Sweet Spot? I am beginning to think I spent $15,000 on a surgery that cannot help me, so I am sortof frustrated.

:hungry: ~Always HUNGRY!

[juliegeraci 7]

What size band do you have? I have a 10cc band and I'm at 3ccs and my 4th fill. I feel good but I think I am up for another one soon.

[gottaluvave 1]

I have a 4 cc band - and I have 1.8 cc in it already. Maybe I am just a big eater! Isn't that what got me here in the first place?

[lisah25 3]

I'm on my fourth fill, and I think this might do it.

[cinward2001 0]

The number of fills needed can vary a LOT...not only due to the individual, but the doc doing the fills. My first fill was 2.4 ccs in a 4 cc band. My doc doesn't feel the need to "creep" up on restriction. But even so, about a week after that first fill, I couldn't tell any difference. So a month later, I went for another. He bumped it up to 2.6 ccs. I stayed there for 2 months or so, then had a 3rd fill, and finally a 4th fill. I think I'm at about 2.7 or 2.8 ccs...I know that, this last time, he barely added anything (0.1 ccs).

The number of fills OR the amount of a fill really doesn't matter. It's how it affects YOU that's important. If you feel great restriction with 1 cc in your band, then that's what you need. If it takes 3 ccs to feel good restriction, then, it takes 3. As long as you're not too tight, you need to keep "tweaking" it until you're tight enough.

Cindy

[JDru 0]

I was banded on October too and have had 2 fills totaling 1.5 cc in a 4 cc band. I have yet to really feel restriction. I've never been stuck on anything or had a PB. I'm going in tomorrow for another fill. I think it's really just an individual thing...

[Poodles 0]

Fills are definately an individual thing. Too loose? Too tight? It varies from person to person, and for me day to day.

Just try to measure out things. If you stretch your pouch (restriction or not) that can cause problems.

Also, remember it takes 30 minutes to feel full, so eating loads in 10 minutes flat will only hurt your pouch in the long run.

Good luck.

[gottaluvave 1]

How do you know if you are too tight?? Solids cannot go down?

I have thrown up 5 times in the past week because things couldn't go down, yet the bottom of my stomach is STARVED - I can tell...is this normal?

[ReneBean 3]

Throwing up or PB's are never "Normal"

It happens rarely, if ever, in a banded person with proper restriction and who is following the eating rules - taking very small bites and chewing to goo.

That being said - having a PB can cause a viscious cycle - you have a PB, it irritates your esophagus and that causes swelling - which causes more PB's which causes more swelling... you see how that could happen?

So - when you have a PB - go to liquids for the rest of the day - and maybe for the next day, also. Then gradually move back up to solids just like to do after a fill and like you did after surgery.

Also - Pre-menstrual cycles cause all your body tissues to swell - which makes your band tighter. It could be that and that would be temporary.

Flying causes swelling/band tightening too - something about pressure changes and altitude.

Stress or illness can cause swelling/band tightening - I had a fever for two weeks and lost 5 lbs...

First - give your throat time to recover

Second - follow the rules of eating solid foods - small bites - think microscopic - and chew.

If that doesn't work - then get an unfill. Being too tight and constantly throwing up is BAD. It damages your throat - and forces you to eat liquid or mushy food - which is generally much higher in calories than good solid Protein and veggies. Being too tight generally doesn't help weightloss as much as we would like to think it would.

Take care of yourself. Losing slower is better than losing your band.

[gottaluvave 1]

Thank you very much for the informative information, but what on earth is a PB?

[ReneBean 3]

A PB is throwing up - but without all that stomach acid you get when food has been all the way through to your lower stomach.

:]

[gottaluvave 1]

Thank you again for the info - I have had alot of PBs and sometimes I force them on myself because the food hurts in the pouch. Is this normal?

My friend is about to be banded with Dr. Fox tomorrow!!!

[Surby 1]

I was banded in August, and I still don't have very much restriction after 3 fills and over 3 cc's in a 4 cc band! Tomorrow is my 4th fill. I just know that that'll do the trick! The moral of the story is, hang in there and be patient because there's apparently no magic number of fills!!!

[kefirchick 0]

How do you know if you are too tight?? Solids cannot go down?

I have thrown up 5 times in the past week because things couldn't go down, yet the bottom of my stomach is STARVED - I can tell...is this normal?

I definitely can relate! If I am eating white meat chicken, hard boiled eggs, or even scrambled eggs, my upper pouch can get painfully full after just a few bites, while my "bottom" stomach is still starving. They say this doesn't happen because the "I-am-full" receptors are supposed to be in the upper stomach. For me, that is NOT the case. Because of the restriction I have, I do think I am at my sweet spot(6 ml in a 10 ml band).

It is kind of a catch 22. Ground beef goes down much easier than chicken, but is not as healthy. So I have to use a LOT of willpower when eating foods that go down easy-and I don't mean ice cream, which I avoid like the plague. I am talking about foods like chili-pie, tuna salad, egg salad etc.

I have a sort of love-hate relationship with my band. I hate how I feel when I eat one bite too many, but I love the fact that it is there to keep me in line. It was either the band or having someone slap my face every time I ate too much. And the band is much more socially acceptable than having Guido monitor my food intake! :thumbup:

[Bandana 0]

Rene Bean

Thanks for the information, it will come in handy, How are you doing with your lapband