Question:
EATING TOO MUCH?

I HAD NOT HAD MY FIRST FILL FOR THE BAND. I HAVE NOT LOST ANY WEIGHT THE PAST 2 WEEKS, IN FACT I HAVE GAINED 4 OF THE 15 LBS I LOST. I EAT MORE THAN ONE CUP OF FOOD SINCE IT DOES NOT FILL ME UP AT THIS TIME. IS MY HUNGER LEVEL GOING TO CHANGE AFTER I GET MY FIRST FILL? OR WHAT WAS THE POINT OF GETTING THE BAND IF I AM NOT LOSING WEIGHT.......    — ME.IN.AZ (posted on March 17, 2009)

March 17, 2009
The band is harder to use since it takes awhile for you to get a fill to the point it helps. Hunger does not go away like it does with the RNY. You need to measure and be careful with foods. Lots of veggies and protein. No carbs
   — trible

March 17, 2009
I am a month out and I felt the same way you did. I had my first fill 2 weeks after my surgery and i was okay. The following week i went back in for my 2nd fill because i was getting hungry again. That did it for me and i have no been hungry since. I dropped 10 pounds in a week and still losing. Maybe you need to get a fill and see if that helps, and im sure you will feel a lot better, i sure did.
   — sweet_flower_chic

March 17, 2009
With the band, in the beginning, once swelling goes down you will not feel restriction. You have to control the amount of food you eat manually until you do have restriction. 1 cup of food should be the maximum amount you eat. When you feel hungry and it isnt time to eat, drink water or another calorie free liquid to quell the hunger until it is time to eat. With the band, you need to use some self control until the point of restriction comes. I know it is difficult. It was for me in the beginning too. But I did it and did not gain back any of the 25 lbs that I lost. So it can be done. You must be tough for a while. The band isnt a magic bullet, nothing is. The band requires work on the part of whoever has it installed. Good luck!
   — ImanAbdulaziz

March 18, 2009
I had my band installed in August of 2008. My doctor would not do my first fill for 6 weeks. My first fill did not help much, but my second fill sure did! I started to regulate myself because overeating, not chewing my food well, and types of food caused me to regergitate my food. I eat more slowly and cut all my food in very small pieces. I don't feel real hunger anymore. Last check up lost 9lbs. in 6 weeks. Hang in there until you reach your sweet spot. Michael
   — aronermd

March 18, 2009
I had LapBand 1/19/09. First fill at 5 weeks produced minimal to no restriction. I feel I could eat whatever I want (I think, haven't tried.) Second fill was today, and I am feeling restriction, but time will tell. I, too, ate more than the one cup of food at times...and still felt hungry!! What I have been told by other bandsters and my surgeon is to be patient. Doc says the first month is for healing, not necessarily losing weight. It's tough though!!! :) Totally frustrated here, too, by not seeing that scale move as quickly as I had anticipated, but I am focusing on the other little victories I'm noticing. It's hard to wait those extra weeks/month, but after my fill today, I'm beginning to believe restriction comes to those who wait! When I was talking to the doc, she was praising me for following the rules and relying on willpower, but I reminded her I underwent surgery for a reason, not to rely on willpower! :) I am confident, though, that if I continue to eat properly and exercise, the restriction is going to come and the weight will begin to melt off. That is what I have been hearing from veterans, and I'm confident it will work. Hang in there and keep on keepin' on. It's frustrating, but I truly believe the more time that passes will bring us closer to that sweet spot and the more we will be able to use our new "tool" to our advantage. Good luck!
   — wenniewo

March 20, 2009
I've had about 5 fills already and I'm STILL not feeling the right amount of restriction. Talk about frustrating! I feel the same way as Wennie..."I underwent surgery for a reason, not to rely on willpower". I've been trying for the most part to do the best I can but I'm also going through a depression (I'm on meds) but it's VERY hard to say the least. The times when I just don't care really hurt me and I long to feel a good restriction to help me out. I never thought it would take this long to get settled. My doc says that sometimes it takes months to get it right. I lost 25-27 lbs since October and have kept it off so that's a good thing. When I read about some of you that feel a good restriction after your second fill, well, I'm so jealous. lol I'm hoping my next one will be "the one" but I've been saying that for three months now. After the next fill, if it's not successful, they said I'm going to have to have my band emptied and start all over again because my pouch is probably stretched out. Yikes, I hope that doesn't happen. I've decided to just be patient and positive. It will happen soon enough and there's nothing wrong with slow weightloss.
   — Elaine .