To be full or not to be....

mrlddst · May 16, 2005

As many of you know I am researching the surgery, and I have read several(100+) bandster profiles, websites, messageboards(my congrats to those who love it and my sadness to those who don't) over the weekend. There seems to be some varying opinion about feeling full. Can you plz clarify your experiences?

*You have no restriction after surgery, so you don't feel full at all and you go back to eating what you want??

*You don't start PBing until you get a fill or is it right away?

*How long does it take to get back to hard foods?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide in advance.

the best me · May 16, 2005

I had LOTS of restriction after surgery due to swelling. It was awful. I had TOO much restriction! But I got through it and now, at 5 weeks out, I can eat almost anything very well chewed, but there are many foods I haven't tried, to be sure.

I guess it's important to distinguish the healing period (6 weeks according to my doc) where the purpose of your eating is to get your calories and protien in so that you are nourished, AND NOT to disturb the band while it's healing in. This is the reason for the Clear liquids, then full liquids, then soft mushies, then full mushies food stages. But no matter which stage you are in, it's important to NOT make your stomach churn alot to digest your food. Any weight loss you have during this phase is a bonus. Many people take this opportunity to lose like mad if possible by choosing their foods well and watching their quantities.

I have NO fill and I'm very restricted. Everyone is different. And I can PB with the best of them.

After Friday (6 weeks out) I will start eating the Big Girl Bandster way but starting with well-chewed hard protiens (ie: chicken) then veggies, then starches, if any. I'll let you know how full I feel. I can tell already though, that it won't take much to make me feel full...I anticipate the normal 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups max of food per meal, three meals a day and plenty of Water in between, but NOT with meals. This makes the full feeling last longer (the no Water with meals thing).

The varying opinion is really just a matter of perspective, I think. What I think is eating alot is to another, eating very little as compared to pre-band. And it's a matter of your healing experience. Some folks heal quickly, and others, like me, take a while.

vinesqueen · May 16, 2005

I'm 9 weeks out, had great restriction after surgery. I started on solid foods 4 weeks out, as per Drs orders. I've had the "suck" feeling on several occasions, but mostly that has been from medications, and only a few times from food.

I've yet to have a PB, but I've had the excessive salivation thing -- usually more than an hour after I've eaten.

Good luck on your research!

dallasdoll · May 17, 2005

here is an honest blurb from someone on the other side... i am one of the "unlucky" folks who get the band and can eat exactly everything i could pre-band... now i get my first fill tomorrow, so i will post how that affects my intake...i am upbeat and still psyched at my band.... even though its been a month and i am back up a few pounds.. only lost a total of 4 pounds as of today... i havent updated my info yet..

i dont want to discourage because i think i am in the minority here... (i had 2 hot dogs for dinner.. and last nite had a full enchilada dinner plus a beer at the astros game).. but i can eat mcdonalds and full meal portions.. sushi... bread and buns...

people say its a tool.. and it is... for me it just hasnt quite worked yet and i havent done my part.. but again.. if i could do my part i wouldnt have needed the band in the first place.. lets just be honest here... i need it to help me feel full earlier and allow me to eat less.. unsure why i can eat full portions with no full feeling.... i am assuming its cuz i havent had the fill.

so... this is just to illustrate the other side of the coin... i love the band and i am eager for my fill... no regrets yet.. but... i cant wait till i lose some weight.

QWINNER · May 17, 2005

I had my surgery 4 months ago and I have had goods and bads. The good thing is that the band works for our stomachs but not our brains. People are overweight for a reason and that is because we over eat - even when our brains whisper "you are full" but we don't always stop there. With the band, your brain has to be retrained to stop eating when you are full. Personally, I have had an emotional problem of feeling like I had eaten too much because I've felt so full but in reality, feeling full doesn't always mean you have eaten too much. Pre-band maybe, but post band, it doesn't take that much to make me feel full. Also, there are days when I can eat too much even though it hurts a bit. Those times are often related to emotional eating. Making the wrong choices doesn't go away when you get weight loss surgery of any kind. You have to change your way of life and always be prepared for healthy eating. The band will curb your appetite that is for sure but it is just as hard to lose weight with the band as without it. I think it is important to keep reality close by when considering WLS as we are still the same person before and after the surgery. Make sure you are prepared for a life style change and have a realistic idea of how you have to eat to lose the weight and feel good about your choice. Good luck

onmyway · May 19, 2005

here is an honest blurb from someone on the other side... i am one of the "unlucky" folks who get the band and can eat exactly everything i could pre-band... now i get my first fill tomorrow, so i will post how that affects my intake...i am upbeat and still psyched at my band.... even though its been a month and i am back up a few pounds.. only lost a total of 4 pounds as of today... i havent updated my info yet..
i dont want to discourage because i think i am in the minority here... (i had 2 hot dogs for dinner.. and last nite had a full enchilada dinner plus a beer at the astros game).. but i can eat mcdonalds and full meal portions.. sushi... bread and buns...

people say its a tool.. and it is... for me it just hasnt quite worked yet and i havent done my part.. but again.. if i could do my part i wouldnt have needed the band in the first place.. lets just be honest here... i need it to help me feel full earlier and allow me to eat less.. unsure why i can eat full portions with no full feeling.... i am assuming its cuz i havent had the fill.

so... this is just to illustrate the other side of the coin... i love the band and i am eager for my fill... no regrets yet.. but... i cant wait till i lose some weight.

I felt exactly the same way you do. I was convinced after surgery that this also was not going to work for me. I had my surgery on Feb. 28 and went for my first fill about six weeks later - nothing, went for a second fill about 4 weeks later- still able to eat a lot and dropped only 1 pound. So I went in yesterday and wanted him to fill me up more (only 2 weeks went by since my previous fill). The nurse or whoever she was came in and sat down, I guess they felt the need to lecture me on how "the lap band is a tool and what are you eating and you should be doing this and that, etc. etc. I felt really annoyed by that - I mean come on- you are talking to someone who has done the research a million times - has tried everything to lose weight and you're gonna sit there and try and tell me something I don't already know! The bottom line was - I got this surgery so that I could limit my intake of food - If it isn't working then fill me up so it does! If I could do it myself - I wouldn't have spent 15,000 to get it done!! Boy was I angry. Anyway - they did fill me up to 2 cc's and I am feeling it now. I think this one is going to kick me into weight loss - plus now that I feel it working, I'm motivated to get moving and really make it work for me. Just be careful after your fill and stick to liquids for a while and carefully move to solids. I had a horrible pb today and some mushy's.

Good luck!

Jeanette