how many fills does it take...one,two,three..?

[justicenyce 0]

Hi guys,

So its been three months since being banded and i am starting to worry. According to my doc i have 7.5 in a 10 band but i can still eat more than a half a cup of food. I have been eating Soup alot and i know that isnt as filling but even when i eat solid food (like a salad) i get hungry shortly after

i dont want to get too tight to fast becouse i have only lost 30 pounds (give or take) and want to lose more weight before getting tighter but maybe thats the wrong way to look at it. Should i go up to 8cc now?

and when did you guys reach your sweet spot?

Thanks

Justice

[stevegoad 32]

Well, I just had my third fill. At 6.1 now. I have been told it might be 4 5 or even 6. So with three, I am currently feeling a difference, though day one is hard to say if it will stick.

Just hang in and don't worry. The "sweet spot" will most likely change as you lose weight anyway.

[Vikki 2]

The longer I have lived with my band and met Lap Band people the more I learn that everyone's body is very different. Some are feeling too tight at 5cc and others are at 10cc and still don't feel super tight. Plus it does change as your weight changes. I am reaching my 2 year anniversary in Nov and I am at 4.5cc which is a good level for me. I had to actually get an unfil because I was just feeling so tight and my insides where damaged from PBing every day. I got to a point where I was pbing my own saliva. It was miserable so I got some taken out which opened me right up................off to the fast food drive threw I went right back into my old habits and ate everything in sight. I have a problem with binge eating and that is how I gained the weight. So back to my DR. I went to get restriction again because I did not trust myself and gained 12 pounds practically over night. When you get the restiction that is good for you it is what I call the STOP button. You take a few bites and start feeling the tight sensation in your chest which makes that light bulb pop above your head to say STOP or Pain will occur. Pain is a big deterent to change you bad habits and change the way you used to think of food. I have not lost as much as I would have hoped at this point and have 30 pounds to go but I have to keep reminding myself and I am not at the weight I started with and I can get to my goal. It is a tool for me that has changed my head not just my body. It has been a journey that only us bandsters go threw. We have to keep our eye on the goal of being healthy not skinny. Happy with who we are not just skinny. It is something we all struggle on a daily basis. If you don't feel the restriction then go get a fill. Everyone has different sweet spots and your sweet spot might be completely full in your band. You know when you get there because what you used to eat does not go down anymore. So you HAVE TO chew chew and take tiny bites. Most of the time that small cup of Soup is such a challenge to get down that you just feel like forget it to try anymore. It is a good feeling when you finally get to a point with feeling okay with just that cup of soup and watching everyone else eat that HUGE portion they ordered and complain they are so full they want to barf. It took me a long time to really be okay with that and not feel resentment or just jealous that I couldn't eat that huge meal. It is my choice to have this band and I have to except what comes along with it. Good luck with the sweet spot but don't be discouraged because you will get there bandster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[afw 0]

I just had my fourth fill this morning. I was feeling great after my second one, then it started to fade... got a third, had almost no effect at all. Got my fourth today. I now have 6.0 cc's in my 10cc band. It feels pretty tight so far - I've had to slow down my drinking - although I haven't tried any solid food yet.

I think the surgery is a science, but fills are an art. You just try it until it feels right.

[laurigee 545]

Before I would get another fill I would go back to basics. I would make sure that I am not drinking 1hour before meals, with meals, and not at least 1 hour after a meal. Am I eating slowly, am I eating the foods that will stay the longest in my stomach (protiens, definately not soup). Am I head hungry or really hungry. It is okay to feel hungry. It's not the enemy, we just have to change our habits of what we do about it. Use a scale of 1-10, if you get to a 7 between meals it is okay to grab a healthy snack(apple, banana, nuts, grapes). These only nurish your body and help your body perform better. I would do this first and see if a fill is what you need. Good Luck, I hope this helps.

[amonroy 0]

Im also 3 months post op and have had 4 fills and i'm up to 6.0 in a 10cc band, I can still eat about a cup a food at a time and I do get full with that but my doctors says approx 1/2 cup of food. I havn't had any problems with anything getting stuck or havn't gotten sick on anything so I'm happy with that but I think i'd like a little more restriction. I've lost 40 lbs so im happy with that so far but often wonder if I only at just the 1/2 cup if I would lose more weight faster??

[labba 0]

to the last post- my doctor says 1 cup of food.. sounds to me like you are in a good place.

[luluc 6]

Should i go up to 8cc now?

and when did you guys reach your sweet spot?

Thanks

Justice

:biggrin:

took 8 fills to 8.5cc's before restriction for me.....i'm back down to 7.2 & it seems to be a good place.

[justicenyce 0]

Thanks for your advise! Lauri I am going to go back to basics. I am going to eat more filling foods with Protein bc honestly i have been eating foods thats the easiest and cheapest to pass through the band (soup, Soup, and more soup) i just had fish and chips for lunch (not the best choice i know) i didnt eat the fries much but it toke me awhile to eat one medium fillet of fish, i had to throw the other one away. I finally felt like i had a band. i probally ate more than i am suppose to so i am going to work on making better food choices before i rush to get another fill

btw AFW...i love what you said "surgery is a science but fills are an art" - awesome

Edited October 30, 2008 by justicenyce