How the band work?

Hi everyone, its been a while since my last visit to the forums. Well I had the band in 2005 with no success. I really need some advice or I need to refresh my mind in what to do. I lost some weight at the beginning of the whole process. I only had like 4 fill. My doctor moved out of state. I was thinking on revision, but I will like to give my band another chance. How it been everyone experience? Please I need some advice. I am conscious of what I am doing wrong, but is not easy for me specially eat and don't drink. When I eat with no drink  I get full fast, but then I get hungry within 2 hours. I am very confused. Please help! Thank you for your time.

I had my band in 2009 and lost about 125 pounds in 18 mo ths.

I think the major factor to my success was cocsistent follow up with my surgeon.

I saw him every 4 weeks, then every 6 weeks .... And even. NOw, I see him at least once a year, just to stay In touch and get a little fill.

Some people say it is ok to drink while we eat, but I know from my won trial and error, that I stay satisfied longer if I wait at least 30 mi utes after eating to drink.

I eat more if I drink while eating.

I eat protein first and then some starch or carbs if I have space when I am most successful.

Keeping away from sugary foods is the biggest challenge I face.  I have not had a cookie or cake in over 5 years because I can t eat that stuff moderately.

Thank Kathbed I admired your willpower, I really need to go back to a doctor and get a fill. Is being years since my last fill. But as I explained my doctor moved. I really appreciate all your experience and advice it really motivated me to continue my journey. I need to loose approx 100 pounds, yeah I know is a big number! Lets see how I do all this again. Thanks! 

You ask how it works. The knowledge about this has changed since 2005 when you were banded (I was banded in 2006). We were originally taught we needed to retain food above the band for up to 20minutes to signal to the brain that we had eaten enough to make us feel full. Research (much of it carried out in Australia) showed that not only is this not what happens, it is actually dangerous if it does. Retaining food above the band leads to complications and damage to the oesophagus.

Well chewed food passes through a well-adjusted band in about a minute. Because of the narrowing, food which would normally pass through with just one push of the oesophageal walls may take three pushes to go through. This is not, I emphasise, with th band being tight enough for the oesophageal walls to have to work harder, just work more! The brain is aware of the number of movements during this process and so thinks we have eaten more than we have. So th band does not stop the progress of food, just makes it slower. This also links in to the fact that studies show that people who eat more slowly, even without wls, feel less hunger.

My  first question is, do you need a fill?  Assuming you don't, here are my tips -how it row for me.

i never eat if not hungry. If I think I am hungry, I do something to make myself busy and then, if I still feel hungry, I eat! To me the notion of head hunger is irrelevant. Whatever the cause of hunger, I think of food and want it. So if I keep thinking of food, I have a small meal. Some days, I might have five small meals. For me a mela mans something substantial not just a few nuts. Depending on where I am, I might have two eggs, rice crackers and cold meat, fish fingers (think you call them fish sticks?).

i don't count anything but I avoid all processed foods. Every meal starts with dense proteins, then crunchy veg, then carbs if I still feel hunger.

Thank you so much for your time and for explaining the purpose of the band. I am going to find a doctor to follow up with my band. I  haven't had a fill since 2007. As I mentioned before my doctor moved his practice out of State. I am in the process of finding a doctor who will be willing to follow up with me. It is not easy because doctors don't like to get involve if they were not the one who perform the surgery. I really don't have my records. The entire practice moved. I really want to give my band another chance, because I was thinking to revise to gastric sleeve but I am littler afraid of complications. Your advice help me enormously. Thank you again!!