Restriction battle - round 9 LOL

[top_kat]

Kat, excuse a newbies naïve comment ..but following your story...you have a band but have never felt restriction...How is that possible?
Im hoping at my age that this is the tool that will help me and finally be able to loose my weight..But I am hungry most of the time, well I fancy food all the time so really hoping the band will restrict me...is it common for bands not to help with appetite restriction??

Val,

It can take a while to find restriction, some people may find it after 2 or 3 fills, some take longer. It is most certainly possible to not feel restriction until you are at a level of it being right. Today is the first time, while having my diaphragmatic fill that I've been able to feel the bands capability.

I feel hungry constantly with my band, even after I've eaten, I still feel hungry. The weight I've lost has been down to my choosing what I eat, following the guidelines from my provider and a lot of hard work.

Different people produce different levels of ghrelin which will also affect their hunger levels. But I live by the motto "just because I can, doesn't mean I should" and it is that, and the fact I spent £7500 on my surgery which keeps me focused.

We are still working to find restriction from my band and while I'm quite ok with being able to eat anything and in whatever amount I want, but am hoping as we battle to find restriction that it will help with the hunger.

Some people eat half a chicken breast and cannot eat for hours, I've never had that feeling with my band.

The band only does a certain % of the work - the rest is down to you, the choices you make and following the guidelines post op and I'm hoping for a helping hand from mine at a time, and really the first time I've needed it

 

[Val]

Thank you Kat, well I for one wish you well xxxx

 

[Purple Sparkle]

Hi Kat

Really hoping that this fill is the one that finally does it for you.

What you have had done today, sitting up with needle in your port and drinking whilst the fill is taking place, is what I have had each time I have been for my 3 fills. It's a weird feeling when they first ask you to drink water and it goes down, then they put a bit more in and you can feel it sit on your chest and then go through.

Sending good thoughts of restriction your way Let us know how you get on

Justine x

 

[janeybec]

Tk, I wish u all the luck in the world with this fill. My god if anyone deserves it....its defo u! Yes I am one of those people who only has 5ml in my band and am having to go for a defill Sunday as I'm too tight, we are opposite ends of the scale...however we are all fighting the same battle, you have done amazingly well to lose that much weight without restriction and I take my hat off to u. Got my fingers crossed for u x x

 

[top_kat]

You're right Janey, it is a battle we all face to find that right spot. Thats what I was saying to the women in the waiting room - that regardless of where we find restriction or what works for them or for me, it is our own "battle" to find it, ultimately wanting to get to the end result.

I had a cup of coffee yesterday, and 2 milky chocolate drinks and that was it. And for the first time, no hunger. Normally after a fill when I'm just on liquids I'm already looking for things that I can "eat".

I woke this morning for the first time in many many months not actually feeling like I wanted to raid the fridge LOL

So, I bought a nice bottle of fresh orange juice, and as I had a few sips I can actually feel it not sitting heavily above the band, but being there while its going through, so it has slowed that down because I could still down a pint in gulps, but I know I wouldn't be able to do that now.

But, I've had a few sips of OJ and half a cup of coffee, and well, there's something feeling a bit different, so even if I'm not completely there yet, its certainly something I've not felt after 8 previous fills lol

 

[slaz]

Sounds like you are going to get some help from your band at last. x

 

[sarahrob]

Kat, I really hope this is the fill that gets you some restriction x

 

[Yvessa]

Crossing my fingers for you hun

 

[Banderbird]

Sounds like it might be lucky #9 for you, fingers crossed x

 

[moomoo1]

hows it going?

 

[Meggie moo]

All sounding really positive and very informative always wondered what restriction would feel like. I do get food stuck think its due to lack of chewing and not paying attention more than having restriction! Definatly don't get the sensation you described from liquid - fill for me a week tomorrow maybe this will be it for me x

At least thanks to all your info I know what to look for and can ask my nurse more.

Thank you x
Paula

 

[bichonbabies]

Top kat you really are an inspiration. To loose as much as you have with little restriction. You must have amazing will power. I love reading your posts and you offer everyone so much support.

I hope I can do half as well as you. I already know I'm pushing my luck eating too much volume. It's all low cal but too much and far more than I could a week ago.


I need to kick my own backside xx

 

[Purple Sparkle]

Hi Kat

How's is it going after the fill earlier this week? Are you back eating solids yet and more importantly can you feel any restriction? Hoping it has finally kicked in for you.

Justine x

 

[top_kat]

hi Justine

I could have started back on mush/purée yesterday but forgot so I've been on liquids only. I am noticing a difference in how I feel, but I don't know if it's because my mind is so focused or whether it is physical.

One difference I am thankful for is that where I was waking starving I don't feel hungry until afternoon, so that's a nice feeling.

I may venture onto mash today, but I do notice some restriction if I drink a thicker yoghurt drink and feel it sit above and then slowly pass through the band and I've never really felt that.

So it's definitely different to how it's been, and it will be interesting when I get back onto food. I've really used the liquid stage to get back on focus, more or less been following a pre-op milk diet to do that, and think I needed something to put me back in the starting blocks.

I feel a difference for certain, food will show me whether it's restriction or not and if it's the right level, but even if not, I'm in a much better place and on the losing track again.

Thanks for asking Hun - how are you doing again?

 

[Val]

Good luck Kat
I do hope the restriction works out for you..you have certainly persevered!!!!

 

[Purple Sparkle]

hi Justine

I could have started back on mush/purée yesterday but forgot so I've been on liquids only. I am noticing a difference in how I feel, but I don't know if it's because my mind is so focused or whether it is physical.

One difference I am thankful for is that where I was waking starving I don't feel hungry until afternoon, so that's a nice feeling.

I may venture onto mash today, but I do notice some restriction if I drink a thicker yoghurt drink and feel it sit above and then slowly pass through the band and I've never really felt that.

So it's definitely different to how it's been, and it will be interesting when I get back onto food. I've really used the liquid stage to get back on focus, more or less been following a pre-op milk diet to do that, and think I needed something to put me back in the starting blocks.

I feel a difference for certain, food will show me whether it's restriction or not and if it's the right level, but even if not, I'm in a much better place and on the losing track again.

Thanks for asking Hun - how are you doing again?

Evening Kat,

That is sounding really positive - I get the 'sitting above the band' feeling with most foods now and can feel it passing through. Isn't it strange how different providers have different rules though. Each time I have had a fill its liquid for 1 day, if the fill is in the morning it's just for rest of that day, then mushies for 1 day then back to normal day after that. Sounds like yours is a few days on each stage. But as I said, this is sounding really positive for you - restriction is finally yours!

I am doing ok thanks - been really focused this week, logged everything on MFP and have lost 3 pounds, so really pleased. Struggling to hit my daily calories whilst at work though - need to take more small pots of stuff to have every couple of hours - I find it easier to graze 5/6 times a day whilst at work as I am out of the house for 12 hours.

Am still finding my head is struggling to keep up with all the changes - but Yvessa pointed me in the direction of 'mindful eating' and that has been great, very insightful - also awaiting delivery of a book from Amazon I ordered which covers CBT for weight loss as well.

Getting there slowly but surely, and every step is a step in the right direction

Justine x

 

[top_kat]

3lbs is a great loss go you band when that focus is there many other things fall into place and that can be positive too!

With my provider after each fill we do 3 full days liquid, 3 full days puréed/ mash and then onto normal foods...I had a bit of egg and beans today mashed but not much else, stuck to milk and thick drinking yoghurt this evening. I'm not going to indulge while I don't feel like it but know I'm likely to do tomorrow as I'm hitting the gym and going for a run which I'm hoping to get a good 5k in

Be interested to know how you get on with the book

 

[moomoo1]

make sure you only spend a few days liquids hun although you may not feel like eating you need to to make sure your not to tight etc because you have had such poor restriction this is gona be a learning curve for you as it sounds like you finally have a good restriction fingers crossed for you x

 

[top_kat]

Thank you - the food is going down fine, not had any blockages or anything at all. But my provider always says, if you don't feel like eating - don't. I had a small amount, yes a SMALL amount lol of a cottage pie type bake last night and 2 spoons of mashed swede. And it all went through fine and no problems at all.

But, and here is the BUT, after that small amount of food, I actually felt FULL. Now that is something completely new to me, because before, I could eat a normal sized meal and still feel hungry and keep eating and not feel the band, feel its restriction or would it stop the hunger.

I'm really wondering why, they don't do the diaphragmatic fills as a matter of course, because all this time I've been going back and forth, having a measly 0.5mls put in, when I was a good 3 mls off any restriction.

The one thing I am really enjoying, is the not feeling hungry when I've eaten, after I've eaten or inbetween meals because that is something I've not had for 13 1/2 months!

I've just had a cup of soup cos I'm at work and I am just enjoying the fact that I feel satisfied from it. Seems something small but I can now finally FINALLY see just what should have been there from my band.

It will be interesting when I get onto the "normal" food stage which I can go to from today and it will be interesting to see what happens, not only with increased exercise and decreased food, but also in terms of the feeling "full" - I know it will take some work for my head to get used to the small portions now and being full from it, and I'm hoping that when I get back onto the protein based diet, that I will be able to start shifting the weight again.

It just frustrates me a little that for months I've been saying to my provider that I feel no restriction and they've given me 0.5mls, and back then I was actually a further 3 mls from having any restriction at all.

Still, getting there finally, but as I'm back on track mentally that I can get on track now too. If I have minimal restriction at this point I will be happy, I don't want too much and I don't want to be "tight" but just wanted it to do a bit of what it wasn't.

Namely dealing with the hunger. Maybe now I will be able to see what its like to eat half a chicken breast and a bit of brocolli and be full instead of eating a much bigger portion than that and still being hungry.

 

[sarahrob]

Yay! I hope at last your band will start to support your efforts. You've done so bloody well on your own, if anyone deserves that sweet spot it's you! x