2nd Fill today...... what I learned

Feb 04, 2010

Hi All,

Had my second fill today, I am at 10 weeks post op. According to Dr 's scale I had lost 6lbs in the last 4 weeks since my first fill.  He was very pleased  and said that I am building a good foundation for steady weight loss once I reach the elusive sweet spot.  His estimation and experience indicates that on average, his patients typically get to  or near their sweet spots between fills 4 - 6.

He reminded me that until you get to the sweet spot, the weight loss is a bit slower than we may like but to be patient, because the success rate of keeping it off is much better.

As for the actual fill, he put some in and then asked me to drink about 6oz of water  in ten seconds.  A couple of swallows and "ouch, whooly shit, so this is TIGHT !! I get it and it's not fun!! He took a bit out, and things were much better.

So this led to a conversation about restriction, I told him that I thought I was eating too much per meal (between a cup & a cup and half, that I was having no trouble with foods and that I could easily eat my portion steadily with good chewing in about 5-10 minutes.) (I have always been a fast eater). 

The Dr. stated that with sweet spot restriction, I should not be able nor want to eat more than a cup of food, and it will take a minimum of 20-30 minutes to eat solid / soft non liquid foods.

He also emphasised that most people who struggle with the band do so because they are drinking calories.  He specifically pointed to cappachino, juices, soups, yogurts etc. He is a firm beliver in the "chew" approach regarding food choices.  If you can't chew it, you probably don't need it. (Obviously this applies once you reach the solid food stage post - op)

We also talked about my frustration issues about the weight loss slowing down ( My surgeon said:  slowdowns at about the 2 to 3 month period are very common and many patients give in and derail their efforts, often times never really getting back into the swing of things and never really having given the band a chance to work.)

I mentioned that I blog here at OH and there are many who have lost around 100 lbs in approx 10 -14 months.  He stated that if you are going to compare (something that is inevitable although not recommended) , that you should take into consideration that a greater percentage of those losses probably occurred once the patient had reached good restriction.  

So for those of us that are just starting out the recommendation is to stay the course and practice making the good food choices.  Higher monthly weight loss totals are easier to achieve with proper restriction. (DUH).

Therefore I take from todays fill and consult with my Dr the following: 
 
       -  I should be pleased with my progress, it will only get better as I move closer to
          the sweet spot.
       -  Patience and realistic loss goals in the first few months post-op are the key to
          staying on track.
       -  My calories and food choices are accceptable and I am building a foundation
          that will serve my weight loss and long term goals best.

Have a great day,

FatGuy(shrinking)inNC     

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