Question:
I am going to have the lapband surgical procedure no date yet

One of my biggest concerns is not feeling full after i eat my meals, and i would like to hear from some of you if you feel full and satisfied after meals.    — Beckel (posted on July 24, 2008)

July 24, 2008
Hey there and congrats on your decision to have LapBand. I am 2 weeks shy of my 2nd "surgiversary" and have lost well over 100#. It could have been much more had I made better choices everyday. The word "full" has really gone from my vocabulary. Me and my surgeon prefer to use the word "satisfied" or "satiety". Those are the terms you should become best friends with. You eat until you are satisfied. I completely know where you are coming from though. Eating large portions and the need to feel full were a huge thing for me other than medicating/anesthetizing myself with the food. Food was my best friend and of course I wanted to be full of it at all times. Initially, the surgeon can only fill so much at a time and it is very important that fills happen slowly over a period of visits. A little more restriction each time and slowly reaching that elusive "sweet spot" is where it is at. I know you want restriction quickly to lose the weight quickly, but your stoma will swell after each fill and needs time to heal. If too much saline is injected into your port at one time, your stoma will swell shut and you won't even be able to swallow your own saliva. It is no fun, believe me. Also, you need to remember this.... the surgery is done on your stomach, not your brain. LapBand surgery is 45 minutes of one day of your life.... it is just a tool as I'm sure you've heard a thousand times by now. Dealing with the emotional issues of obesity and making the lifelong comittment to eat healthy and exercise is up to you. My surgeon says the LapBand is 5-10% of the deal, the rest is up to you. It truly is a wonderful feeling to eat a very small portion and be completely satisfied. My mother saw me smiling at Thanksgiving last year and asked what was up? I had eaten off of a teacup plate, chose to eat healthy and was completely satisfied and proud of myself for not making the holiday about the food and making it about being with family and friends. The non-scale victories are just as satisfying as the weight loss. Clothes falling off of me, people giving me compliments, being able to walk up a flight of stairs, being off all blood pressure and blood sugar meds....I could go on and on. As you can tell... I absolutely love my band. I have nicknamed him Oscar for the round "O" shape and for the days when he is grouchy and acts up which really isn't that often. Go to support group meetings, get the junk out of the house, you have already had plenty of "last meals", start exercising now even if it is just walking in place... it will all make your surgery go smoother and healing will be quicker. I started at 2 minutes on the treadmill and thought I was going to die. The next day 3 minutes, and so on. Small changes add up to big results. Start now! Good luck to you, I'm here if you need to chat, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

July 24, 2008
Hi Brian, I was banded 4 months ago (ok well almost 4). I've lost close to 30 lbs (post) and have approx 25 more to go... I agree with the previous post about not feeling full but satisfied. My doctor calls it the green zone. It took me 3 or 4 I forget how many fills to reach this point but everyone is different. I think you are making a great choice to have this procedure. If you have any questions don't hesitate to post. People on here have been a wealth of support and information for me so far.
   — Danielle T.

July 25, 2008
I was banded 4/19/07. I have lost 95lbs. Your feeling of fullness will vary from when you are filled to less filled (so you lose weight) and even day to day changes can occur regarding what you can or cannot tolerate. There is also the few months post op until you have restriction which can take several fills. This was the hardest time to deal with as there is often little to no weight loss
   — Donna O.