went on vacation and gained 6 lbs!!!!

I had lost about 27 lbs, but I went on vacation and gained about 6 lbs.  I have 3 ccs in my band and I don't feel any restriction.  I go next Friday for another fill.  When should I start to feel restriction, I can eat large portions of food at a time.  Thanks for any advice...

 Gosh, I hate to quote the masses "just because you can eat large portions doesn't mean you should. The lap band is a tool, but you still need to work at your part" Or something like that. I lost 2 lbs on my vacation. I could have eaten and drank more, and my restriction has been unchanged for 5 years, but I avoided the deep dish pizza, limited myself to one glass of wine, and shared dessert AND got lots of physical activity. It is a lifestyle change, and that comes from you, not the band. 

The best advice is don't do it just cause u can.  There will always be times with the band that you can overeat.  Start now restaining yourself and you will be successful.  Restriction helps but there is no set time to start feeling it.  That's why you hear the term fickle band.  It may be tighter today than tomorrow.  Your restriction may kick in a couple of days after fill.  Just work with it and be responsible. 
Best wishes on losing the 6 from vacation and the remaining that you are trying to lose. 
Take care, Z 

I know your frustration.  It's really easy to talk about diet changes and life style changes but it's hard when your tool isn't helping.  For people that were able to work their band right from the beginning can't understand the frustration of going in fill after fill and not feel a damn thing.  Here's what I mean...

I got my band in 2009.  It took me 9 fills before I felt satisfied with the amount of food the nutritionist had instructed me to eat.  Before that 9th fill I felt almost nothing.  I tried, I really tried to stick to 4-6 oz of protein but it wasn't enough.  I was still hungry.  Day after day of not getting enough food to satisfy my hunger...I admit I would end up cheating.  I'm not good at dieting...that's why I got surgery.  It's was hard and after awhile I thought the band wasn't going to work for me.  Then I got the magical 9th fill.  I was able to eat exactly what my NUT wanted me to and no more.  I was satisfied and I wasn't hungry again for 3-4 hours.  And I don't get hungry like before.  I don't get stomach grumbling...it's more like my brain is thinking...hey it's 6pm it's time for dinner and I want dinner.  If you haven't reached your ideal fill don't worry some of us take longer than others.  

By the way even though I started off on the wrong foot...I did finally get in to the lifestyle change and eat healthy foods and exercise 6 days a week.  I have lost 150 lbs so far!!!!   

thanks for your advice, I know I need to do my part, I need to excersise more and make healthier eating decisions, it's just not easy for me sometimes.....

No, it's not easy.  Please don't beat yourself up about the weight gain, it's over and done with.  Today is a new day, an opportunity to make healthy choices in terms of excersise and diet.  You can do it!

Hey there,
I'm going to reiterate the two posts before mine.  it's so easy to beat ourselves up on stuff like this.  If we were good at dieting and controlling portions on our own - we probably would not have been in the spot where we needed WLS.  Yes.  We do need to take responsibility for our actions & it sounds like you have.  Now stop the flogging & get to the gym.

Myself, I just got back from a short vacation to the Carolina's.  I absolutely loved it there  my hat is off to all who live there and have WLS.  I screwed myself up on the eating by nibbling on almost everything our hosts put in front of me.  When I got back home and weighed myself, I held a pity party for about a day; took responsibility in that I could have exercised more while I was there; and then started increasing my exercise.  Added to my vacation was that two weeks before the trip I had to have a partial unfill.  So I was flippin' hungry.  Aside from the hunger, I was not controlling my portions.

So it was up to me and I screwed up.  Luckily those times are far and few between.  My doctor is going start replacing the fluid in my band again.  I can't wait to feel some restriction again.  

There is no set time on when you'll start feeling restriction.  There were some in my support group who had it as soon as they started getting fills.  For me, I started getting a little restriction about the 3rd or 4th fill.  That was some restriction.  It was really about 6 mos out that I had nailed it.  Once it hits, you're gonna feel the rest of the wait time was well worth while.  Hang in there... try to measure your portions.  That really helps.  Wait a 1/2 hour after you eat that & then do the same again if your belly is hungry.  If it's your head that is hungry, hit the veggies.  Take care! 

The band isn't about restriction.. it's about dimming the appetite.

You may find it helpful to read this:

http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-rest riction/lap-band-and-restriction.html