Restriction after 1st Fill?

[kat03]

Hello Friends,

I was banded on Nov 20, and thought I was a weight-loss superstar when I lost 12 pounds after just 2 weeks. Then, my appetite started to increase, and now I can eat as much as I did before. I've maintained the weight loss, but am hoping to hear that I will feel restriction again after the first fill - scheduled on Jan 6. I've read many of you say you don't really start feeling restriction until the 3rd fill. Is this true? If not, how long will I feel restriction after the 1st fill???

Thanks for any advice,

Kat

[bogiesmom]

Hello Friends,

I was banded on Nov 20, and thought I was a weight-loss superstar when I lost 12 pounds after just 2 weeks. Then, my appetite started to increase, and now I can eat as much as I did before. I've maintained the weight loss, but am hoping to hear that I will feel restriction again after the first fill - scheduled on Jan 6. I've read many of you say you don't really start feeling restriction until the 3rd fill. Is this true? If not, how long will I feel restriction after the 1st fill???

Thanks for any advice,

Kat

Hi Kat, what size band do you have? I have the 11cc Johnson and Johnson Realize band and was banded on 11/13/09. I had my first fill at the OCC on 12/17/09 for a total of 3cc. I have almost no restriction whatsoever. Right now it's just me and Weight Watchers. I estimate that I probably will not have restriction until my 3rd fill at best. So we are talking in February or March at the soonest.

[MargieK]

Hello,

I did not have restriction after my 1st fill, but I definitely had it after my second, with only .8 cc additional. I had my 1st fill with fluoro, but not the second or third. It was funny because the fill doctor (Dr. Fitzpatrick - who I love btw) was fully ready to put in 3 or 4 ccs when she heard I only had 4 ccs in an 11 cc band. She had to keep taking it out, and it took so long that she had to get me another glass of water. FYI - she measured restriction by having me take a sip of cold water and then listening for a little gurgle when the water emptied my pouch. She has had a lot of experience with lap band patients and I think she's the next bext thing to going back to the OCC for my fills.

Anyway, my point is that you just don't know when you will get restriction or how much. I got a third fill because if I didn't do it this month then I'd probably have to wait until February because my schedule is too busy in January. I almost cancelled my 3rd fill appt. because I was stressed the week before and I started feeling like I was too tight. I knew I wouldn't need much more (only had .5 cc added) but I wanted to do it because I'd like to lose weight a little faster. I have been losing inches because all my clothes are loose, but it has been a slow process. I'm a low bmi bandster, so I kind of knew it would come off slowly. I haven't had any stuck or pb experiences yet, but I'm pretty good about eating only 1 to 2 cups of food at a time. I get a really big burp about an hour after I finish eating and I'm guessing that's when my pouch empties out.

Also, what I found with real restriction is not only do I feel very full after 1 cup of food, but I'm also not hungry for hours later. I was roasting veggies one afternoon and I started snacking on this sweet potato that just came out of the oven. Usually my 3:30 'snack' is 4 oz of juice with a tsp. of benefiber. But the sweet potato was so good I just kept eating it. My usual portion is 1/4 of it with my 4 oz of protein. I ended up eating the whole potato (which felt like a huge amount of food) and then I found I wasn't hungry for the rest of the night. My danger eating time is after dinner, so for this to keep me full for 8 hours was amazing. And this was 3 weeks after my 2nd fill.

I haven't had quite a week yet on my 3rd fill, so I don't really know if this is my sweet spot because I haven't been eating that much food at one time.

Hope this helps. Restriction really does make a huge difference. I 'd recommend eating as though you did have restriction now, because it will be good practice when it does happen.

Margie

[Lindsay]

i only started feeling restriction after my 3rd fill ... before then, they were too minimal, which made adjusting my eating & lifestyle to the band easy.

[determination]

i only started feeling restriction after my 3rd fill ... before then, they were too minimal, which made adjusting my eating & lifestyle to the band easy.

Are you from Oregon? I really appreciated hearing

how you receive your fills and would be interested in knowing how much they cost. I live on the very east side of the state but would be willing to drive the distance to have good care.

[FarmGirlinNC]

I received my first fill Dec 10th, it really took the edge off my hunger for about two weeks and then it was like someone flipped a switch.... I'm starving!!! Hoping the second fill does the trick. Debating whether to go back to OCC or find a local doctor????

[JaniceBlack]

Hello Friends,

I was banded on Nov 20, and thought I was a weight-loss superstar when I lost 12 pounds after just 2 weeks. Then, my appetite started to increase, and now I can eat as much as I did before. I've maintained the weight loss, but am hoping to hear that I will feel restriction again after the first fill - scheduled on Jan 6. I've read many of you say you don't really start feeling restriction until the 3rd fill. Is this true? If not, how long will I feel restriction after the 1st fill???

Thanks for any advice,

Kat

I'm having my first fill Jan. 5th. I hope that I have more restriction. I have only felt restriction when eating turkey lunch meat. I stopped eating it because I would only eat a small piece and would feel sick.

[Lindsay]

Are you from Oregon? I really appreciated hearing

how you receive your fills and would be interested in knowing how much they cost. I live on the very east side of the state but would be willing to drive the distance to have good care.

I'm in Toronto

And my fills are paid out of pocket too, $150cdn per fill.

[aSpen]

I received my first fill in April at OCC and I could really tell a difference, it lasted for awhile and I kept the weight off but I wasn't really losing any. I just got my 2nd fill at FCUSA and now I can really feel a difference. I can't speak for a 3rd fill I haven't made it that far. I think each person is different and you will start getting used to your band and figure out what is right for you. Good luck!!