Realize Band

I joined the "Lap-Banders" on May 11, 2009. I am just figuring out what is hunger pains and what is full pains with this band. I am eating pureed food, aka pintos and cheese, cottage cheese, soft eggs, etc. But am concerned as to how much feels like enough and not too much or too little, so that I am hungry again in a couple of hours. It seems to me that I "should" be full on a couple of tablespoons of those frijoles, but it also seems that I can consume twice that amount and more before I have a sense of feeling full.

Guess I am going to have to rely on portion and measurement until I get used to what a normal full feeling is.

I welcome any input. Don't want to mess this up.

Thanks,
Naomi

......... and we have a winner!

First 'bander to post =)


Nice to meet you thursday and I'm glad you found the forums and got logged in ok =)

My experience with the Realize Band has been so different it's hard to believe we had the same procedure.

Mike

Mike,
How has your experience been different? Perhaps you can shed some light for me. Now I have moved on and am on whole foods. Still feeling not full on the small amount I believed it should take. I have not had a band adjustment yet. I am still measuring and trying to figure out what exactly "full" is. Being screamingly hungry in the mean time. Afraid I will not get the proper amount of protein and afraid to not follow the food diary everyday. I so don't want to fail at this. But then I suppose that any success is worth counting.
Thanks,
Naomi

Maybe I misunderstood. If you haven't had the band "filled" why are you expecting constriction? I had zero constriction after the surgery and basically zero constriction until my third fill 4 months after surgery. It took a 7cc fill for me to feel the band. Until then I felt extreme hunger all the time. It was VERY frustrating but I stuck to the diet and weight poured off. As far as I'm concerned you are 99 percent on your own until that fill. But the bottom line is "so what". We made a commitment and they gave us a diet that makes the weight come off. Yes, it sucks and you're miserable for a few months. Tough. We don't get off free from the years of abuse that made us morbidly obese. The prize is, 6 months after surgery I'm down 104 lbs and am living a new life. Since the 7cc fill my hunger is much more under control BUT some days there is little constriction and severe hunger and some days I can hardly swallow. Again, tough. It's just a tool. Not a magic wand. Set your food out a day in advance. Don't put another thing in your mouth but the food that was set out the day before. Drink tap water - PERIOD. Make these changes for life and the weight will come off and stay off. Expect the band to do these things for you and you will be disappointed and obese.

Mike

Thank you. That was exactly what I needed to hear. I appreciate your candor and not sugar coating it for me. Okay so I just gotta be tough for now. Well it is what it is. Now it is up to me to make the best of it. Thanks again.

Naomi - You just won half the battle! Attitude is everything. The results are so worth it and it WILL change your life. It seems so hard but it goes by fast. I promise you, if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it!

Mike

Naomi, are you still around?
I'm curious to see how you are doing. I didn't see you at the last support group meeting. Hope you are doing well =)

Casey,
Good to know I was missed at the last support meeting. (LOL)
I am on vacation visiting with my sister in the Mid-West. I am doing fine and will see everyone next month. Hopefully looking a bit thinner.
Naomi