2nd fill, not sure if the bands works for me ?

[pjrugby 1]

Hi everyone

well i had my op at the end of may.. and found it very easy to go back to eating solids about 1.5 to 2 weeks after. I then found it really easy to eat just as i did pre-op , i was hungry etc just as before. (big dissapointment). I had my first fill about 6 weeks ago .. major disappointment, as i felt nothing !!! again i could eat just as i have all my life, a big plate full of 'normal food'. So have felt pretty fed up with the band, and thinking 'its just me' and 'it won't work' and has been a waste of time and money.

I had my second fill 2 days ago (with fluro), my hospital didn't give me a special diet at all afterwards, no recommendation to have liquid, mushy or anything. I didn't eat for about 24 hours, just had milk and then back onto food. It was only 2 days ago. but not really feeling any different in my stomach at all, i ate half a tuna sandwich (1 round of bread) and thought i could eat the other half without effort, but i waited about 2 hours before having it. Today i had a jacket potatoe and Beans, i stopped myself from eating it all, but i reckon i could of pretty easily ( i worry about stretching my pouch, but then I can't really see how i have a pouch as it can hold so much food ?) - or does the food just slip through the hole as i eat it ? I just don't know. I have had both of my fills under fluoro, so if it had fell off the doctor would of seen.

I do so worry this band has been a waste of time and £ !

I don't have the feelings you guys seem to have. I don't chew my food any special way.. just chew normally like i did pre op. I have not experienced anything close to a PB.

Since the 2 nd band fill i do have more difficulty swallowing stodgy food, ie bread and potatoe, its not painful just feels a bit harder to slide down ?? Do you think this is a good sign ? I am not sure ? Once things go down, then i feel just like i did pre-op (i mean i don't feel restricted). Since the second fill i appear to have a tighter feeling right down in my throat when i swallow . Does anyone else experience this..its not an awful feeling and not painful, just kinda tighter than before and a bit uncomfortable for a second or two.

Gosh this waffles a bit ? sorry its hard to explain.

I just want to have another band fill asap? its tough to stay motivated,, and i go very up and down, i dont' feel like i want to be patient ... which i know may sound silly. I just didn't know it could be like this, no one told me it may not work for me ? i so want to feel full up on a small plate of food.

If i feel no restriction, why is that ? how come some people do straight away and others (like me) don't.

Thanks for all your support.

[TallgirlTX 0]

Waving hello from Texas...

Paula,

hang in there... your band will work for you. Don't give up yet. Keep getting fills and it will make all the difference. You are on your way. You have already noticed some small differences, that is restriction creeping up on you. One thing.... you must learn now how to take smaller bites and chew correctly because after you get your 3rd or 4th fill you will be PBing all the time or get something stuck.

A band without a fill is like a car without petrol... it gets you no where.

Self pay 3.30.07

The Man, The Myth, the Legend... Dr Spivak

310/262/210

[Iluvharleys 15]

It took me 6 fills before I got much restriction. Just be patient, you'll get there. Sometimes my fills tighten up after 2-3 weeks too!

[ragdollx19 1]

I am right there with you. I was banded 5/23/07 and a week or two later was able to eat as much as before surgery except I was too scared to so I didnt. I only lost 2 lbs this last month which is very sad but I can honestly eat almost anything i want so long as i chew it well. bread is another issue, some days i can some days i cant.

Lately I have been wondering a lot if this is going to work for me? I guess I am discouraged and disapointed in myself. I havent been giving it my all and wish I had of been. But at the same time my band leaves me physically hungry. The restriction comes and goes. I get my 3rd fill Monday and am hoping this will make a bigger difference than the last.

[leedorr 0]

It takes sometimes 3 or even 4 fills to feel the retrictionand not feel hungry. I was restricted immediately after surgery because I had a hiatal hernia I didn't even know about. I have only had 4 fills in a year. I lost 100 in this past year. I am almost at goal. You definitely need to get enough Protein in first of all and stay away from carbs like bread rice potatoes and noodles. Get moving! exercixe and get your mind off food. alo, drink that Water you will see results! Good luck

[rdbiles@sbcglob 0]

You may have the bigger band and it takes a few fills to get that restriction. I agree you need to start practicing your 1-1/2 cups food, smaller bites and eating slower. Take in some Protein when you get hungry between meals. You're eventually going to feel the restriction. Don't lose hope, it's coming!

[gink54 1]

I, myself and a friend have had the Lapband.She is further ahead in the journey. She says it took her til the 4th fil before she felt restricted. I've only had 1. Though I don't FEEL restriction when I eat. I don't have much of an appetite. I continue to eat small portions, have 1 Protein Shake (Body Fortress vanilla 23g of pro) or mix it in my coffee or chai tea, drink plenty of water(fluids) and exercise every day even if it isn't always apparent that I am losing weight. I have lost 23 lbs since my surgery at the end of May 07.

[Jennifer4118 0]

I was banded 7/31/07 and also could eat as you about 4-5 days out. I have the same questions running threw my brain. Hopefully things will get better with some feels for both of us.

~Jennifer

[serenity 1]

Today I had my second Fill. The first fill was on 7/6/07, done under the fluoroscope. I was told that 1.5 cc were put in. I was expecting great restriction and was very disappointed when it did not come. Today, I had the fill performed by my surgeon and he advised that I barely had .25cc in and stated it may have been an air pocket that led the radiologist to believe he put in more. So, for the last month, I was feeling bad that I was still so out of control, eating pretty much what I wanted, when in fact I had no restriction.:faint:

Today, I think, I went up to 1 cc. I do not know what to expect, but I know I no longer place emphasis on the amount of the fill, but will go by how I feel. If there is no restriction in a week, I will call my surgeon back to ask for another fill. Eventually, I am sure I will hit the "sweet spot" and will have a ballpark as for how many cc's caused that effect. Moral of the story.....don't get hung up on the amount that is entered or compare it to how others react, go by how you feel. I am on liquids for the next two days and I really hope to feel a difference when I return to solids, but if not, I 'll be knowing on the doctor's door.

[colderbythelake 0]

It's taken me about 7 fills to reach my sweet spot. Here is the beauty of the band and the fills. With each fill, I've gotten tighter...... of course that doesn't last so you go for another fill. Stay on top of you fills. What happens is you eat less with each fill because you get full faster and stay fuller longer. The nice thing about his is you don't feel so deprived. You get used to eating less. You go for your next fill. You eat less, you don't feel deprived. You have a chance to slowly get into eating less so you don't feel deprived.

I know some people who are banded who never needed a fill and then for myself, I've needed to filled to the max. My band will hold 5cc's most people who have a 4cc band (not the VG band) will say it holds 4cc's but my surgeon says it hold up to 5cc's. My band is now filled to 4.69cc's and it seems just right. OH also, I have been able to go further between fills as well.

Kathleen

[rdbiles@sbcglob 0]

You are doing fantastic with your weight loss! You're within 1-2 lbs a week and that is great.

[smyly 0]

I was banded on April 30th and have lost 57.9 pounds. I have only had two fills. The first one was for 1cc and the second one was for .5cc. How long does a normal fill stay restricted? I only felt that way for about two weeks now and my next fill isn't until September 15th. They said they would only fill me .5cc at a time, is this normal? Should I call to try and get in sooner? or does it take more than 3 fills to feel more restricted? Anyone can yo help me? Thanks so much.

[serenity 1]

Hi Smyly:

58 lbs lost in less than four months.....that is phenomenal. I do not think you could lose any faster and remain healthy. That' s almost 15 lbs per month. I wish, I could drop at that rate.

How are you eating?

Congratulations on the success of your band.

[Sweet_heart 4]

I found these post to be very incouraging! I thought something was wrong with me. I had my lap band done 6/26/07 with in two weaks I lost over twenty pounds I couldnt believe it! Then I was able to eat solids and i noticed i could eat more and more. I had two adjustments since and no weight lost and I can eat just about anything like before. i was unable to see my surgent for a couple if months due to no insurance with staring a new job. Now I have insurane and plan to get an adjustment next week. I was fearful of seeing my surgent cause I felt like I failed and want back to old habits. I know what i am suppose to do but its hard when you dont feel restricted. I put a lot if money time and affort to get this done and I was starting to feel like it wasnt worth it until I read some of these post. Also with being able to eat a lot I worry about doing damage to myself like slippage. Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated!

[cj033185 0]

I just had my second fill (1 week ago) and I am totally experiencing restriction. So much so that air is getting caught in the pouch and I am experiencing pain in my back between my shoulder blades. Called the doctor yesterday and they confirmed this info to be correct. The pain is getting less with each day and the GREAT news is I got on the scale today, and I have lost a total of 30 lbs!!!!!!!! I DO NOT believe I could have done this without the band.