I have restriction for the first time in 18 mo

OMG.  Finally got the restriction everybody talks about.  Dang.  Now my band is working!  Went to Doc on 7/1 and he put 2 cc's in my band.  I hadn't had an adjustment in over a year and I'd put on about 30 lbs of the 50 I'd lost.  5 days in and I feel the weight loss.  This is fantastic!  Such a learning curve though.  I so clearly see my problem of eating with my head and not my hunger.  I consistently have the habit of overfilling.  It's a meal by meal struggle.  Last night I actually had another piece of chicken on my fork and said stop.  I gave the rest to my dog.  This is the first time that I've had restriction where it's painful to eat too much.  This is what I got the band for... negative consequences from overeating.  I am very excited.  I was starting to feel like "why did I even do this? I should have had RNY..."  Now I'm seeing that I just needed to follow the process and the band takes more time in lots of ways.  Mentally, physically, emotionally, intellectually.  I never realized how much relearning I would need to make my band successful.  But I feel like a success now.  I'm sipping protein drinks, I'm eating tiny bites of food.  All the stuff they told me I'd have to do... now it's happening.  I am grateful.  Today is my first day back to work since the adjustment, so I'm taking the remainder of my 1 egg, asparagus and tomato omelet from yesterday (seriously -- could only eat half of a 1 egg omelet) and 1/2 cup of the chicken lentil soup I made yesterday.  And OMG.  Cannot eat bread AT ALL anymore.  So that's more than cool -- bread is my death.  OK.  Just a blog to me and whoever else is interested.  I need to get back here.  This thursday is support group too.  I've never been.  I'm ready to commit fully to this process.  I'm going thursday.  Wish me luck... here I go off to work.

Work it!!!!
It sounds like you have your head in the right place and you are ready to see the numbers on the scale start to fall!
Remember to add some physical activitiy in there as well and drink all your water.
Congratulations!
Leslie

Thanks for the kind words.  I got up from my desk and walked for about 20 min today after lunch.  The added benefit was that it got my belches moving and relieved some after lunch pressure on my tummy.  Water is not a problem... Love it.  I'm crazy about Crystal Light Natural Cherry Pomegranate, have you tried it?  It's delicious.

Glad to read your posting!! This post has helped more people than you realize. CONGRATS !!

I think surgeons could help their band patients a lot by emphasizing that it can take quite a while to find the "sweet spot" and that during that period they will experience more hunger than they might expect and be able to eat larger quantities than they expect. I've had 3 fills so far and still have yet to experience real restriction. I'm trying very hard during this period to train myself to eat slowly, chew thoroughly, not drink before, during or after a meal, and ask myself every time "Is this head hunger or body hunger?" I'm confident that I will eventually find the "sweet spot" -- I've been attending support groups since before my surgery and have heard others go through the same experiences. It's just that, right now, I feel like I'm doing more work than my band is. It's too much like old-style "dieting." (always a dirty word to me)

My surgeon believes in filling bands slowly because he believes they are less likely to slip or have other post-op complications if they are filled slowly. I see him every 4-6 weeks and tell him whether or not I feel I need an additional fill. So far, the answer has always been "YES!" I can't wait for the day when I can say "nah, I'm good!"

Thanks for your post. It reminded me that this is a process, not an event. I need constant reminders that it really is one day at a time, one meal at a time.

I agree. 

I struggle with that not drinking after eating thing.  I love milk with my food, but my doctor cut me off at the knees and said "milk is for baby cows."  I haven't had any since. 

Good luck.  You're doing everything right and that's what works.

Hi -

I'm going in for surgery on tuesday.  I'm interested in what you meant when you wrote  "I never realized how much relearning I would need to make my band successful. "  Can you elaborate on that a little, like what things you were doing that were counter-productive?  I'm trying to gather as much information as I can!!!   Thank you so much!  And congrats on feeling the restriction!

I guess the best example of what I'm talking about is when I grab a handful of crackers.  There's a part of me that knows I can only eat those 4 or 5 already on my plate, but there's a BONE in my head that causes me to reach back in the bag for 2 or 3 more... even now when 2 or 3 more will cause me pain and discomfort. 

I've had to learn a type of integrity when it comes to food.  I've had to learn to be ok with briefly (and without gory details) explaining to friends why I no longer go to the Chinese Buffet.  I don't know about anyone else, but as an obese person since the age of 7 or 8, I've always said and told myself that I don't eat that much... it must be a faulty metabolism, genetics, etc. etc. etc. 

But now when I am full.  Completely NOT HUNGRY watching TV.  That bone in my head goes off and says "Eat something"  It's very similar to when I quit smoking and there was just this almost undefinable discomfort that something was missing.  So I'm having to learn to reassure myself that nothing is missing.  I'm ok.  That the compulsive eating I've participated in my whole life is a habit and NOW is the time to break the habit.   I'm learning what I'm really like around food.  What my addiction to food really looks like, feels like and my life long attitude of  "I want what I want when I want it" has seldom been denied successfully until now.

I had to give myself time.  Because there came a point where I'd go to that Chinese buffet and not be able to eat everything and as much as I wanted and I did not like that.  We think that's what we want, but when it happens, it messes with that bone in my head.  So I had to back off from the fills and let myself grow into this new place where I'm ready to make sacrifice to get to where I want to go.

I'm learning to breathe deep and let go of the frustration.  Frustration that if I eat, I'll be uncomfortable and if I don't eat, I'll be uncomfortable.  I've got to remember that this too shall pass and I will get to a place where I'm comfortable not eating compulsively.

Best of luck with your surgery.  I'm very grateful I have the band.  I researched WTS for years and I'm convinced I made the right decision for me.  So my best advise is give yourself time.  Relax.  It's a journey not a destination. 

OH... and one last thing that I did not find out until about 6 months after my surgery when I asked about "stomach erosion" and how it happens.  It was explained to me that your stomach forms a callous around the top of the band, so that's why they do the fills gradually so that callous can form and you don't get an erosion.  Your stomach has to toughen up at it's new bottleneck. 

I am almost one year out and have never had restriction....until Thursday, 7/8.  I went back in to the doctor on Friday thinking I had something wrong with me.  Nope, just the band doing what it's supposed to do.  Like you, I am finally feeling I made the right decision.  I need to get back on this site and post/read daily to keep my spirits and commitment up.  Congrats on that restriction and keep up the good work.