Have had up to 9cc's and no real difference

[mountainmomma 0]

That was one thing the nutritionist warned me about, he said if you go out to eat do not get a grilled chicken breast unless you know it will be soft, he said I would be better off eating a breaded chicken breast that is softer on the inside.

Also with steak I have learned that the more rare it is the easier it is to chew, Filet mignon for example medrare still tastes great but is not dry and card boardy. Practically melts in your mouth and much easier to chew.Of course I will have to share a meal now.LOL My hubby will be saving money..

[luvmy2dogs 2]

Yeah, the chicken breast is a challenge. It's ok warm the first night, it's left over cold the next day that is the challenge. Filet I can do just fine. Thankfully! :-) It's my favorite. Having it tonight as a matter of fact.

[msk1968 0]

Mine also said there was no difference, just read some have more restriction with the other. Like I said, my dad said he was NEVER hungry. I get hungry. It seems like you're having better luck with the original.

I thought I would weigh in. I have the Allergan band (which I assume is the "original") I got my band on Oct 3rd and the only time I had restriction was the first two weeks post op. I have 6.6 in a 10cc band and I don't have ANY restriction. I am going to demand to see my surgeon next visit (I haven't seen him since my surgery only nurse practioners). He has to check my band and tell me what's going on. I will keep you guys posted.

[ReadyInCT 0]

Hello All,

I was banded on 23 September 2008 and have had 8 fills...yup, eight fills. I felt NO restriction until this last fill. I am very lucky that the PA at my doctor's office is terrific. There is no wait time between fills. She wants me to get there and has always been willing to work with me. The problem with restriction is ya don't know you've got it until you can really test it out. Just like you don't know you are in labor until it starts! LOL!!!! I am thrilled that I finally have restriction! The PA 'primed' my tubing by taking out the fluids and then refilling / sucking the Fluid out until no air bubbles came out. Then she put in about 6.5cc. I was between 5 and 6 ccs before but this time it did the trick. My husband and I went to our local diner and I had coffee and greek yougurt. Well, after about 3 half teaspoons of yougurt I started to feel a little funny. My husband said I looked a little green! My 'brain' said I should be able to eat more / my band had other ideas! Nothing got stuck [it was yougurt!] but I learned what 'sliming' was and I had major pain in my upper, middle chest. Walking helped and spitting out the slime + a little yougurt made me feel better. I decided I was probably too tight and since I travel for work I didn't want to get stuck in another city a flight away not being able to keep anything down. So I called my PA, went right back and she took out .5cc.

Now I can eat small bites, slowly, and small portions. Drier meat like chicken does fight its way down but eventually all is well. I am so happy for these results that I sent my PA flowers on Monday! Now it's up to me and my band to get going and drop the weight. It does work but you've got to be patient...Cheers! :tongue:

[luvmy2dogs 2]

Hi Ready, Do you have the Realize band? Also, what size is your band? You're in CT? That's where I'm from originally. My dad had his lap surgery there. He's lost 180 lbs. He does not have the Realize band. He has the original lapband.

[kiz 1]

The Realize Band comes in one size only - 9cc.

I have 8.5cc in my Realize Band. My fill in December lasted one month (7.6cc), but I had very good restriction for the first two weeks, and then it tapered off. I had a 0.9cc fill last week, that brought me up to 8.5cc. Right now, I feel great restriction, but I don't seem to have trouble eating white bread (not that I do it often, but I had a small piece of roll at a restaurant), brown rice, or other foods that seem to be bad for banders. I've never had a PB, but I did have a little bit of a stuck episode the other day (no slime, just took a minute to get comfortable). However, I feel satisfied with 1/2 cup of food three times/day, and a couple of prunes or a small bit of a banana for a snack. This is where I want to be, I just hope it lasts for long time.

I was told that because I'm small (relatively speaking, that is) that it was going to take me longer to get to the sweet spot than others. I also carry my weight pretty evenly over my body, so I wonder if it could be that I don't have a lot of fat around my stomach, which makes band a little looser than those who carry most of their weight on their waist.

Edited January 21, 2009 by kiz

[luvmy2dogs 2]

Hi Kiz, your post made me feel a lot better, as I feel like we are in a similar place. My Dr. has been telling me the same thing, that I'm small on the "inside" so it takes more Fluid to put puressure on the stomach because there is more space in between. Also, when you lose more weight, it puts even more space. Why oh why does the restriction wear off? Is it because when you lose weight it puts more space there? I guess that makes sense. But.. what happens when we get to our max fill capacity? With the Realize I believe that's 9cc and my surgeon said they can push that a little further.

I have never felt like I can just eat 1/2 cup of food. That is why I feel like there is something wrong. Maybe when I get to my "Sweet Spot" that will happen. My loss has slowed down substantially. I know it's still within range, as I'm losing about a lb a week, maybe a little less. I'm happy it's not going up. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm just going to keep trugging along and see how my next fill goes, next week.

I've come way too far to go back, so I'm going to keep pushing forward. Thanks again!

Luv

[kiz 1]

It's been really helpful to me too, luv, to hear how you others are getting along. It's good to know that this is not abnormal. I bet once you get to 8cc's you'll see a big difference in your restriction.

[luvmy2dogs 2]

I am keeping my fingers crossed. Last night I had a melt down, and wanted to throw in the towel. This morning I got up and was down 1 1/2 lbs, so I felt better. It's sooo hard. I think what discourages me, is I see so many that say this is a piece of cake. It has not been for me. It is a struggle. I now know what they mean when they say "This is just a tool" It doesn't take your desire away for those bad foods you shouldn't eat, etc... I think it makes it easier, but I'm hoping for a little easier with my next fill. :tongue:

[leelee7 0]

Hi, my name is Jodi and I had my surgery July 2008. I have had 4 fills and am presently at 7cc's. I have never been told (and although I asked about it, I never pushed the issue further) just what is causing me to throw up so much. I have been reading your post today and now realize it is because I am simply full. I barely get a few bites of food in me and something seems to get caught, then the pain begins, then the slime...and you know the rest. I know if it happens after one or two bites, it is because of the type of food (too dry, or not chewed up enough, etc.), but now I know it is because I am not able to tolerate more than 1/2 cup of food. Good grief! It takes an anvil to fall on my head for me to catch on to things. I have lost a total of 59lbs but only 34 of those have been since the surgery. I really messed up during the holidays...I am paying for that now. I do think I will reach my first goal, but it takes a lot of dedication on your part. So many think the Lapban is the magic cureall, but it is a tool to aid you in your goal, and if you use it properly, it can work. It is slower than the gastric bypass, but we chose this route for various reasons and I for one will take this any day over the other option. One thing I have had a hard time getting across to my friend who had the surgery a month after me is that (she insist on drinking while she eats) she is defeating the purpose of her band if she doesn't wait until at least 30 minutes after her meal to drink. She cannot get it that she is just washing the food out of the pouch and therefore not having the feeling of being full very long. Ok, I have rambled enough. Thanks for dropping that anvil. Good luck with your fills. Jodi

[luvmy2dogs 2]

Hi Jodi, sounds like you're doing GREAT! Way to go! One girl I read was also drinking while she ate. That was until her Dr. told her flat out... If you do, you will fail! The food will wash right through your pouch and you will not be full. How is she doing with weight loss? I know it's hard not to drink with your band, but she needs to overcome this. Why spend all that money on the band and not follow the rules. I can understand some slip ups, but she is defeating the whole purpose of the band.

[luvmy2dogs 2]

The throwing up thing is hard for me to understand, as I have never thrown up, pb'd, or slimed. But.. I'm not to full restriction yet. I have had some trouble with dry chicken or ham leftover the next day and cold, but it just went down slow and hurt a little. No vomiting, etc...I have talked to people that have had this experience quite a bit though. Mr surgeon told me this is less so with Realize. That I guess it's a little more forgiving and you dont' throw up, pb as much. Who knows. I'm sure you're just full.

[hopeful93 0]

Hi! My name is nancy, i have been banded on 9-13-2007 with nothing but problems. I feel like a failure. Let me tell you about my bad experience.... After surgery my mom, dad, husband came to visit me in my room. Two hours later my husband came back to the hospital to tell me that my dad dropped dead of a massive heart attack and was down stairs in the e.r. So i am thinking this is a sign that the whole band thing is cursed. Because my father never wanted me to have surgery he said i was fine the way i was (he's my dad he has to say that). I did lose 7 lbs. 5 days post op so i guess the band curse was in my head. So i went for al fill ( 4cc band) in oct. Another fill in nov another in dec,jan,feb,march ... I never felt full or restricted still able to eat the same and no weight loss.( the curse is back) i am an x-ray tech so i would take pictures of my band before and after i would eat. With and without barium no food would stay above the band. I did have an ugi on the books and my radiologist said that the band wasn't working properly so 3 months later i was having my port replaced (? Leak )( alot easier than the orginal surgery) that was aug/08 still till this day i have no weight loss. I do know that the band is working i have to chew my food alot. But no full feeling. It's weird my stomach is still hungary but i have to take it real sloooow (30min) to eat a meal because the well chew food backs up in my throat.so kick me when i am down on 9-20-08 my mom dies of heart failure and diabetes . Oh by the way i have diabetes ( this is why i need to lose weight) so sometimes i wish i could just like myself the way i am but i know that i am following in the same footsteps as my mom just alot sooner. So now thinking about bypass??????? Your not alone i guess keep trying???? -------nancy

[luvmy2dogs 2]

OMG Nancy! That is all so horrible! I'm so sorry to hear you had such a rough time. What does your Dr say? Have you seen another? I'm so sorry to hear about your mom and dad. I can see why you are so frustrated and scared. Why does your Dr. say you are not losing the weight? Is there still a problem with your band/port? I know they do say, sometimes this does not work. There can be complications, but they are rare. I'm so sorry you have to be one of them with the complications. Again... what is your surgeon saying? Where are you located?

[mountainmomma 0]

OMG Nancy , I am so sorry! Prayers for you!

All the more readson for you to get help. Ok so I have a friend here in Texas, she had the band and every time she got a fill she would end up in the ER to get it all taken back out because she was too restricted and could get nothing down at all! So she did end up having it taken out and getting a bypass, since then she has lost 150 lbs and is very happy. She is also 5'9" and a large frame so she is a big girl but 150 is alot! Good Luck to you in whatever you decide but you need to not be afraid as you have our support!