Need fill advice please!

Hi all, I had my first fill last Thursday.  Liquids and mushies go down very easily, but I seem to have restriction with solid foods.  Should I ask for a tighter fill??  How do you know when to get another fill? Thanks! John

I have my fills scheduled out every 6 weeks or so.  The Dr. will know whether or not to give you a fill..it depends on feedback from you as well as how much weight you have lost. I would give it more time...be careful with your foods, and just wait and see.

Yep, she's right.  You'll know and your doc will know.  It will likely take about 3 fills to get you to optimum restriction.  My third fill lasted me 8 or 9 weeks.  Then I was overfilled.  Trust me...take the underfill right now, use common sense, let your stomach heal and enjoy the little things you can eat right now that you might not be able to eat later!

John, liquids and mushes always go down easily, as they are not good band foods. the band only restricts SOLID foods, so only THEY are a good test of a fill. Never get more fill based on abilityt to eat soft, mushy, or lquids foods!  THis is always a major mistake, and the docs should be carefully asking about our intake before considering more fill. Give each fill at least 3-4 weeks to test it. Make needed Adjustments in your eating, be sure you are eating only solid foods (or , if not, you will need to SELF-restrict) , be sure you're getting good exercise and enough fluids, know the amts of nutrients you need (protein, good carbs, good fats, calcium, fiber), and then see how your weight loss is over the next month. The primary way to tell if you need more fill is how you are losing! It's not needed to "feel" restriction. You can simply be full and satisfied on less, and that is the ideal. Sandy r at goal x 3.5 yrs

Liquids and mushies will always go down easily, no matter how much fill you get.  Think of your band like a funnel -- you can always get soft stuff down it.   Your band SHOULD restrict solid food.   That's how it works. Give it a month.  If you aren't losing 1-2 pounds a week average, then go in and talk to your team about another fill.    But eating liquids and mushies is what you need to stop doing, to lose weight iwth the band.  Stick to solid food and see how thing go in a few weeks. Donna b

Liquids and mushies will always go down well, even when you are too tight.  My fills don't kick in for a week or two, so I recommend having fills every 4-6 weeks until you get restriction.  Restriction is not be "full", and it is not being so tight that you can't eat - you should always be able to eat solid foods, although in smaller amounts and with really small bites and chewing well.  I have been unfilled 3 times, so I am really careful now about fills.  Being too tight is the worst!!! Congrats on starting your fills - you are on your way now!

Sounds like you might be good with your fill level.  Mushies and liquids usually always go down...if they don't go down easily then you're too tight.  Solid foods should give more restriction and not go down as well but you should still be able to eat them and not get sick/stuck/vomit/etc.  I'd say give this fill a shot for a few weeks and see if you are losing.  Also, keep track of what you are eating, how much, etc. Good luck! Malia

Restriction is not about how easily or not easily food goes down. You shouldn't be feeling much "overt" sensation to begin with. Proper restriction is not really a feeling...this is a common mistake new bandsters often make. Proper restriction simply is getting to "full/not physically hungry anymore" on a properly portioned (real dietary portions, not this 1/2 cup meal nonsense...3-4 oz solid protein, 1 serving (1/2 cup) nonstarchy veggies and up to 1 serving (1/4-1/2 cup) starch if still physically hungry) meal and not having actual physical hunger return for 3-4 hours after the meal. You cannot tell a thing in terms of hunger/satiety on liquids/mushies...solid food is required for this purpose.  If you're eating to the point of feeling pressure/stuck, you're doing something wrong such as overeating and ignoring your soft stop (which will be something like a burp, hiccup, sneeze, runny nose, a little sigh, an involuntary moment where you sit back and pause) or eating too quickly or not chewing properly. Remember to take very small bites, chew to mush, put your fork down between bites (this serves 2 purposes...prevents having the next bite ready to go and gives you enough pause between bites to assess satiety) and don't allow meals to go on longer than 30 minutes or you'll be training yourself to eat around your band. You need a fill if: 1. you're not losing and you know you're doing everything you're supposed to be doing; and/or 2. your sensible bandster meals aren't making you "not physically hungry anymore"; 3. and/or hunger is returning too quickly after a meal. Nancy

Thanks for all the great advice!  Solid food seems to be keeping me full for 3-4 hours.  I'll see how it goes, continue to excercise (I rody my bike for 70 minutes today!), and keep you all updated. THANK YOU!!