phizbam

Thanks for your help and advice. I think I'm still figuring out what that "full" feeling really is to me. It's very different from being "full" before the band. Based on the information you provided, I think I am probably not restricted enough and need a fill. I'm going to ask my surgeon about this. Thanks for the tip about the papaya enzymes. Where do you get them?

So, I was banded just 2 months ago and had my first "fill" 3 weeks ago. I've been trying to figure out exactly how much I should be chewing my food before swallowing. The dietitian and the surgeon are telling me that I should chew well, but not to paste/pureed consistency. They want the food to stay in my pouch longer so that I feel full longer. However, when I do not chew my food to paste consistency, I sometimes get that "stuck" feeling and a horrible tightness in my chest and sometimes have to throw up -- I believe it's called a PB (productive burp). I have no problem at all eating any type of food if I chew it really well, but I find that I can eat much more than I should be able to eat. It also seems like my full feeling (which is not really a full feeling) doesn't last as long as I would like it to last. I'm usually hungry again within a couple of hours. I know everyone is different, but I would appreciate any comments you experienced banders might have. Should I stop chewing my food to a paste consistency and risk the pain of the "stuck" feeling? Should I chew my food to a paste consistency, but get a fill to make me tighter? I've lost 52 lbs in the 2 months since the surgery, but things are really slowing down now -- and I know it's because I can eat more than I should be able to eat.