is restriction simply feeling full sooner?

[susandavis 0]

Hi, guys- I was banded a couple months ago and just had my first fill. 2cc in a 10 band. Anyway, while more things are getting "stuck" I can still eat and eat. I mean, I do feel full, but honestly, that feeling never stopped me from eating before. I thought the band would actually restrict, make it very difficult to eat past a certain point, but so far I don't have that. Was I wrong in my thinking? Is restriction just feeling full sooner and do I need to just keep on dieting to lose? I really thought there was more to this...

Any feedback would be great!

Thanks!

[Wheetsin 714]

I've had my band going on 11 months and honestly, except for when I was too tight, have never felt that the band was controlling my portion sizes. It helps me feel full fast, but if I wanted to eat beyond that point of fullness, I could. I attribute this to my "moderate" restriction, and believe that when I get "good" restriction, this will not be the case. I went from "moderate" to "too much" restriction in one fill, and now need to go back for the fine tuning that will get me to my sweet spot.

I would suspect the same could be true for you, and that you're not adequately filled. WHen properly restricted, based on my experiences so far, I'd expect that it's as painful to eat too much as it is to get something stuck. And I know from observing banded friends that too much down means something has to come up.

[Jachut 487]

That's exactly what it is like for me, only I am not prepared to try for "good" restriction. Due to being more able to stop easily when I've had sufficient, I've almost lost all my weight and see no need to go tighter to the point where I cant eat bread or other foods. I think long term, the more variety I can eat, the healthier my diet will be.

I just think the lap band, to work effectively takes a very large dose of sensible management on the part of the user. I too can eat past satisfied, but I definitely cannot eat what I used to. In a year I've only once or twice eaten just too much and I've felt very uncomfortable and sick afterwards - not something I want to repeat.

Some behaviours are just impossible, I simply cannot get down a McDonalds meal in 10 minutes in the car anymore, and that's a good thing.

[JulieNYC 4]

Get another fill. It will make the difference between feeling full and feeling sick when you eat too much -- it sounds like that's what you want and expect, so go for it.

At MY sweet spot (not as tight as some people's), I feel full first. If I keep eating at all (even one bite), I'll feel sick. I won't actually get sick, but I'll really, really wish I hadn't eated that one extra bite. So much so that now I don't eat that bite. The feeling is worse than the bite is good. Now I stop when I'm full, which is what I wanted all along out of this process.

Love my band.

[juliegeraci 7]

Susan, it sounds like you might need another fill. I read on another post that her first fill in a 10cc band was 4ccs and she now has restriction. Some doctors gradually fill others are more agressive. Good luck.

[Tamiko 0]

I too have the same thing happen I can eat more if I wanted to but my doctor told me to stop eating "safe foods" as he called and that is food that is easy to go down and try to eat more meats. I can only eat so much meat and I am full less than a cup. That leaves little room for anything else. Only thing is I have to take metamucil (i think that's how it's spelled) for fear of being clogged up with all that meat. It works but I do not like to eat a lot of meat. I thought I needed a fill but my doctor wouldn"t do it so I have to eat the meat and things that I know I get full from fast in order to feel full and have a full feeling for a long time. Did I mention that I don't like meat(red meat).

[serious 2]

If I follow the bandster rules with eating: solid Protein first, then veggies, then carb, I get full fast on a few bites. I have not had my first fill yet. I define full as slightly uncomfortable and unable to eat any more solids. If I wanted to, I could probably eat some ice cream, (soft foods), after that, but not because I would still be hungry, but because I know there is some in my fridge. If you read the "instruction manual" for the band it is designed to give a feeling of satiation when you eat "bandster meals." It works best for volume eaters who follow the rules most of the time. It doesn't stop you from eating around it nor does it make decisions for you on what you decide to put in your mouth. A friend of mine decided against the band for that reason, she has decided to get the gastric sleeve. I would rather follow the rules and do the work required to make my lapband successful than have 95% of my stomach removed.