5 weeks, 3 fills, NO restriction! Is my band a dud?

[LiseSeattle 0]

i'm 5 weeks out, have had 3 fills (6.5cc's in a 10cc band) and i have no restriction, always hungry - no pb-ing...nada. I can eat just about anything - all Proteins including steak. I have not yet tested Pasta, rice or bread but yesterday I went out for thai and ate an entire order of red curry chicken and two spring rolls with no problem and afterwards was still hungry so had a few pieces of sugarfree candy and was STILL hungry!!!

i really wonder if i got a "dud" band...but then I have hope that "maybe" my next fill will put me at restriction.

i really am a bit scared that i'll max out my band and not feel restriction and there goes $17.5K (self-pay) down the drain. Ugh. Does everyone go through this? I keep reading about folks who have restriction at 3 or 4cc's in their 10cc band. I am so jealous!

[viviananna 0]

I feel the same way, but you keep losing don't you. Yesterday for dinner i had mashed patatoes, meatloaf, rice pudding, and a moca lattie light at star bucks, and a hand full of starbust.

no resteiction either so feel just like you I want sooooooooo bad to have the chest pain when i eat too much.

I had my frist fill 4/8 total of 5cc in a 14cc band.

[Just Banded 0]

Lise- I am so shocked to hear this! I thought you were feeling restricted after your first fill! I would ask that restaurant if they made the sauce with sugar or msg-or perhaps its hormones? I always get ravenous around my TOM. Or the stress of worrying can make you hungry. It's emotional. One last thought- for me eating in public is so different than eating alone. I cannot fully concentrate on my meal when people are around. I am sitting there on my first bite chewing chewing chewing, and they are alreday done. I feel pressured. I feel like people are watching me and wondering how much I am going to eat. I get very nervous and all that craziness distracts my brain from feeling relaxed and full. I could make a psychologist a millionaire one day-ha. We are a week apart from being banded and as much as it feels like an eternity- it's only been a short time. We need to give it a chance. Examine what we are eating throughout the day. Nourish our bodies with food that has nutritional value. It is very hard. These are new changes. It is like we have to arm wrestle from old habits. I am so desperate to be thin, but being hungry trumps that desire sometimes. Damn stomach! or damn head! Whichever it is! It's uncomfortable and it sucks! Do as best you can to distract yourself from feeling that hunger. I am a person that wanted to be in a coma so I wouldn't eat and get fatter! So please know that I am in your boat and understand everything you are going through.

[girlie2shooz 0]

lise, you rock girl! you have said what we all want to say when it just seems like "it ain't working for me." I am the most impatient girlie in the whole world and part of my learning and changing is realizing that time takes care of everything. you ate more than normal, haven't we all? Again we can't change the world but we can change ourselves, go to lunch but go somewhere that YOU know has what YOU should eat. Sometimes we all just want to go with the flow, when people ask me where should we eat, I say I need to go to "X" because they have what is good for me. Make the decision for you and no one else. That is taking control, and it doesn't mean we are being a B!&^%. It means we are taking care of ourselves as we should. Go girl, you have done great, and remember fills are not a science (wish they were). I have my first fill 4/17 and from my understanding they aren't real liberal with fills, but every little bit helps right? This is a learning period for me, i will go with it. Doesn't mean i like it, but there is a lesson to be learned and my awareness of the whole eating process is changing in the mean time. You really have done well and believe me, your posts/blog are an inspiration. what really matters is never the easy target. g2s

[LiseSeattle 0]

Hey Y'all! Thank you for your posts. Definitely making me feel better. I am just so frustrated with myself. Grrrrr...not TOM time - just had that but I really think I'm just impatient with the fact that I think I had some restriction after the first fill and now it's gone...so I wanted to "test" the band and since I didn't feel anything...I just kept on eating, and eating and eating! I'm going to ask the nurse to give me a "big fill" on Thursday when I go in. Not sure they will - but doesn't hurt to ask!!! Thank you all - your support means the world to me!

[shortgal 5]

Lise: I've had eight ( yes EIGHT fills) have 8cc's in a 10cc band and don;t feel enough restricttion. I can eat steak, apples, bread ( i only eat whole grain but can eat it untoasted), Pasta and rice. The last two I dont eat often of course and if I do the quantity is small by choice, I could eat more. I think some of us just take more fill than others. I'm thinking .5 cc's at next fill and I should (better) be there!

Talk about patience, it's been over four and 1/2 months for me. But I am still losing so I know the band works and I am happy that I can eat most foods. I would like a stronger feeling of being full after eating and I know it's possible as I've had that a few times right after a fill, when I get some swelling.

Next appt is May 5th after my vacation. Didn't want to risk being too tight while away.

[andielmt 0]

shortgal, you had your surgery soon after me. i had my surgery on the 19th of nov and have lost around 35-36pounds. i go for my third fill next tuesday. i seem to lose a few then gain a few. i have to say the other day i had 2 pieces of pizza and it didnt faze me. ever since that ive given myself permission to try more food. i know that isnt good but now that i know i can handle more food sometimes i push my limit. talk about a mental thing. i hope that when i go for my next fill ill get my act back together and eat less even if it doesnt work on the third fill. i had someone say to me just because you can eat alot doesnt mean you should. i am very disappointed in myself for eating to much and making some bad choices like fast food. i know that my old habits arent going away over night but i chose surgery because i couldnt do it on my own. why am i blowing it now?

andrea

[shortgal 5]

Andrea, A couple years before being banded, I was following weight watchers and counting points ( not going to meetings, just doing it myself) it took me 10 months to lose thirty pounds, but I did learn a better sense of Portion Control. I tended to eat too much on weekends at that time, so I lost very slowly. I am also older, menopausal and not active at all, the last one is the one that makes me lose slowly. I also gained back 15 pounds of the thirty I had lost. At that point I knew I needed the band and fought to keep the remaining fifteen pounds off until I had surgery. It was just too hard to get it off, to put it all back on. So NO last supper syndrome before surgery for me!

I have lost weight slowly but steadily except for a few weeks where I stalled a bit.

I count my calories almost every day and track my Protein.( following the weight watchers for so long makes that a habit). Since being banded I've had one piece of pizza and I did not eat the crust. We were visiting people and that's what they served. I just keep food I know I shouldn't eat out of the house. I wait one hour after eating and then drink a bottle of Water after every meal and then another bottle later at night, so around four bottles a day.

It's truly a combination of the head getting in sync with the band. For me, my eyes try to tell my stomach that the small amount I am eating isn't enough. But I eat the weight watcher portion and then stop and wait the hour and most times I can feel my stomach saying it's enough but I don't get that signal while I'm eating it. And I do get hungry again between meals. That's when the bottle of Water helps!

The other thing that helped me for the first couple months was FEAR! Fear of getting stuck etc.

I don't have that fear too much right now, I pretty much know what goes down ok. But after each fill, the fear comes back as I retry food all over again. I've also had a lot of fills and after each one, I'm on liquids for a couple days and that helps me lose a pound or two.

You've lost about the same amount of weight I have, so don't beat yourself up. You just have to get your brain/head to catch up to your band. Try starting with just one step like counting calories. And get those fills! Are you in our November group challenge?

[JBY 0]

Had my surgery on Feb 25th and I just recieved my first fill three days ago. The Doc shot me up with only 4 cc and I still never fill full. I can also eat anything rice, pizza, bread, you name it.... I am begining to think I wasted my time with this.

[Penelope 0]

Hi Lise,

I'm Penny from Gresham, Oregon. I was so happy to read your post because I am so disgusted with myself. If I didn't have these little scars on my belly you would never know I have had surgery (3/11/08) I am scheduled for my first follow-up appt. with the nutritionist, my upper GI and (hopefully) my first fill on Monday but I am terrified to go because I have only lost 7# since my surgery. Yesterday, I went back over the eating guidelines, you know, the one that says to only sip liquids, puree everything etc. I can chug a 20 oz. crystal light with no problem at all. I have eaten steak, chicken breast, taco bell and everything I wanted. I had decided that the band isn't working but then I think that maybe after I have a fill or two surely it will. I don't know what size my band is, I will ask Dr. Jan on Monday but it must be awfully loose because I have absolutely no restriction at all, yet I have all of the same hunger I had before surgery.

Will someone please tell me that this will go away after I get my fills and hopefully hit my sweet spot? I am so discouraged!

Penny

[LiseSeattle 0]

Hi Penny - I wish I could tell you that it went away for me after my fills - but I've had 3...and I'm still in the same boat as you are (I type this as I chug my crystal light)! But - I hope you are different and that after 1 fill you are restricted as restriction can be! I have my next fill on thursday and my fingers are crossed!

Hi Lise,

Will someone please tell me that this will go away after I get my fills and hopefully hit my sweet spot? I am so discouraged!

Penny

[shortgal 5]

So many of you ready to give up on your bands so quickly? You did know before that it's not a cure, right? You did know you have to work with your band, right?

The time between surgery and getting good restriction is called "bandster hell" for a reason. It's hard! It's the time that requires YOU do more work than the band. After restriction, the band will work harder for you.

In the meantime, I decided that NOT losing weight during that time, was not an option. So I just decided to follow the regular weight watchers counting points plan and that's what I do. The band helps with a little extra willpower that I didn't have before and I let it help me.

You've been on diets before, right? So just do it again for a few months until the band works to it's full potential.

If not you'll just be angry with yourself for the wasted months between surgery and your sweet spot.

I know it sucks. I've been moaning about not having good restriction for over four months, so I know it's not easy, but it's your choice. Wait until restriction to lose more weight or start counting those calories.

Start a thread so you can band together during this time to support each other.

[Penelope 0]

Lise,

Do you realize that we got our bands just a week apart and you've had three fills, where I have had none? I guess everything is so individual that there will never be a "norm" And shortgal, I'm nearly the same age as you and I get a cold chill from your response. People with the compassion that you show are the reason I stay away from these boards! Thanks for the commiseration. It really made me feel better!

[shortgal 5]

Lise,

Do you realize that we got our bands just a week apart and you've had three fills, where I have had none? I guess everything is so individual that there will never be a "norm" And shortgal, I'm nearly the same age as you and I get a cold chill from your response. People with the compassion that you show are the reason I stay away from these boards! Thanks for the commiseration. It really made me feel better!

Sorry, I tend to try to be more of a solution person. Not sure what our age has to do with it.

What I was trying to say is, I am in the same place of little restriction, so while I understand it completely, I was just not ready to accept it.

If you're ok with waiting until restriction, I understand that, too.

If that were my choice then I'd accept the consequences. There are plenty of hand holders on here, but occassionally we all need a little kick in the butt, to get back on track. It's called motivation. Works for some people, obviously it's not your type of motivation.

[Graycie 0]

Prior to banding (3/21), I heard that many banders felt satisfied eating less. That's why I got banded. I want to feel satisfied with less food.

So back in Feb. I started practicing the new eating habits. Smaller portions, eating off dessert plates, no Water with meal, small bites, and putting fork down between bites. Just by doing this I lost 10 pounds in a month.

But being banded is more than Portion Control. For years I ate till I was stuffed. Every meal...ate till stuffed. I have forgotten what it means to eat till I was satisfied. I don't know what that means! I have to re-learn what it means to be full. Do you know it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full? Usually by then I was beached on the couch watching tv.

And since being banded I am slowly learning about food, about bad habits and about listening to my body. I admit there have been times when I knew I ate just a little too much. All in all tho, I think I'm doing pretty good at following the program. I continue to lose and I am definitely eating a lot less than I use to. I make a conscious decision to push my plate away (with food still on it!) and I feel good doing it! And as I wait 10 to 15 minutes later I know it was the right decision cause I feel satisfied!

So there is more to being banded than thinking it is a miracle cure for being overweight. It is a program, just like any other weight loss program. Approaching banding with the idea you can continue eating exactly like you did prior to being banded is setting you up for failure. You need a different mind set. You need to follow the program (liquids/mushy/healthy and small portions). And exercise. How many of you are exercising? I am not doing as good in that area as I should. I've made a decision that starting today I was going to get more active. My yard needs raking. Why hire someone when I could get a good workout doing that? So I raked three bags of leaves. Yippee!! I need to repaint some walls....again, a good workout. And soon it will be lawn mowing, gutter cleaning, window cleaning, etc. (can u tell I live alone?).

I made a committment when I said yes to banding. I am not going to tempt the band and find out if I can stuff myself. I am going to learn to be satisfied with smaller portions of good healthy food. And when I get tempted to try out that delicious chocolate cake at Bennigins, I'll take my Mom, buy it and have one bite and let her eat the rest and feel satisfied! This is working for me!