Gail

I was banded June 28, 2004. I received my first fill of 1.5cc on Aug. 9. My band holds 4 cc. I am very confused about the way my band is working. Sometimes I take my very first bite of food, chew exceptionally well as always, and I feel like I have a golf ball in my chest that won't go down. It takes me forever to eat a very small amount. Because I have been restricting myself to 4 oz. to 6 oz. of food at a time and counting calories, as my dietician recommends, I am finding this past week that when I come home from work and eat dinner I am suddenly shamefully famished and would binge all at once. The food seems to slide right down into a "bottomless pit" without that "golf ball" feeling in my chest. I can eat endless amounts of food if I don't force myself to stop. I don't know if I need more restriction or what is going on. I am guessing that if I eat faster and stuff myself that maybe the band is forced open by the volume of food and therefore bypasses restriction??? I had been losing about 2 1/2 lbs. a week. I have gained back 2 to 3 lbs. this week. I am having a real hard time maintaining a strict diet. I have been doing so well for two months and never was able to find this type of willpower before. I can not seem to deny myself anymore. The willpower is disappearing quickly. I don't like feeling that constant growling in my stomach. I seem to be feeling painfully hungry every 2 to 2 1/2 hrs. now. A hard sugar free sucking candy seems to help extend my hunger by 1/2 hr. I am drowning in Water. Water doesn't seem to help fill me up when I am really hungry. It just makes me feel uncomfortable. I also don't know what a full pouch is supposed to feel like. Is it that "golf ball" feeling??? Has anyone ever experienced the same phenomenon? Does anyone know the answer to this mystery? Gail

I was banded June 28, 2004. I received my first fill of 1.5cc on Aug. 9. My band holds 4 cc. I am very confused about the way my band is working. Sometimes I take my very first bite of food, chew exceptionally well as always, and I feel like I have a golf ball in my chest that won't go down. It takes me forever to eat a very small amount. Because I have been restricting myself to 4 oz. to 6 oz. of food at a time and counting calories, as my dietician recommends, I am finding this past week that when I come home from work and eat dinner I am suddenly shamefully famished and would binge all at once. The food seems to slide right down into a "bottomless pit" without that "golf ball" feeling in my chest. I can eat endless amounts of food if I don't force myself to stop. I don't know if I need more restriction or what is going on. I am guessing that if I eat faster and stuff myself that maybe the band is forced open by the volume of food and therefore bypasses restriction??? I had been losing about 2 1/2 lbs. a week. I have gained back 2 to 3 lbs. this week. I am having a real hard time maintaining a strict diet. I have been doing so well for two months and never was able to find this type of willpower before. I can not seem to deny myself anymore. The willpower is disappearing quickly. I don't like feeling that constant growling in my stomach. I seem to be feeling painfully hungry every 2 to 2 1/2 hrs. now. A hard sugar free sucking candy seems to help extend my hunger by 1/2 hr. I am drowning in Water. Water doesn't seem to help fill me up when I am really hungry. It just makes me feel uncomfortable. I also don't know what a full pouch is supposed to feel like. Is it that "golf ball" feeling??? Has anyone ever experienced the same phenomenon? Does anyone know the answer to this mystery? Gail

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been drinking 4 protein shakes a day and an occasional sugar free/fat free Jello pudding or gelatin. Today my stomach is growling terribly. I was having a very hard time coping. I reread the dietician's instructions about having a meal every 3 hours and I think I didn't realize that the snacks can be eaten in between the 3 hr. intervals. One more day of holding on and my first meal will be scrambled eggs on Tuesday. I can't wait!!! I am so happy that I found this website and others I can share with. I congratulate each and everyone of you. Anymone who may think that banding is an easy way out has no clue as to how much work it is. Love to all, Gail

Hi, My surgery was 2 weeks ago. It was much easier than I anticipated. I found the liquid diet one week before and two weeks after to be more of an inconvenience than the discomfort of surgery. Hang in there. It will be worth it.

Hi, My name is Gail. I'm new to the forum. I was just banded 6/28/04. I'm struggling survival on the liquid diet. Only two days left and counting. I lost 13 lbs. since liquids. I'm taking it one day at a time because I am finding it pure torture, especially when I have to be around people who can eat real food. Any tips for the transition, if any, when starting soft foods?