Hello all, I just wanted to share some of the things that I have been going through, mostly because there might be others out there still in the learning process after having the band for awhile.

I have been really frustrated because I don't feel like I can eat anything, chicken gets suck, deli ham gets stuck no matter how moist It would get stuck. This is even after chewing the heck out of it. Soon as I swallowed I knew right away that I was going to get stuck.

This was really frustrating because I have never even reached my sweet spot yet.

I know this because every time that I went for a follow up to see if I wanted a fill, I didn't want one because I didn't feel like I could eat anything as it was. He would accept this answer and not give me a fill. He didn't ask me questions like are you taking small bites and chewing your food really good, even though at that point I would have said yes because I thought I was.

The last time I went in I told him the same thing except this time I told him that I can still chug Water with no problem, and he was like "aw ha". He said he doesn't know anybody who is at there sweet spot that could chug water. So he added a small fill and still felt like I couldn't eat anything "unless it was really soft like pudding, yogart, cottage cheese, cheese, re fried Beans ect... or I would get stuck and start slimming. This has been very frustrating for me because I could eat chips, candy, Cookies, ect with no problems at all but healthy stuff I needed to eat I couldn't...I can't even have a salad if I wanted one, and on top of all this my weight loss has been veeeerrrrry sloooow. Although I have lost over 50lbs and am very thankful to have done so.

I learned last week what small bites really meant. I have read on here forever that we must take small bites and chew chew chew. I knew this and told everyone else who was thinking about getting the band that they must do this as well. Well I really didn't know what a "small bite" meant. This is because the kind of bites I used to take were ginormous. So I am thinking a 4th of the size I normally eat as a small bite is a small bite. Now that I have realized what a SMALL bite is, I have been able to eat alot more things that I didn't think I could before.

I have to thank Ann "Spidey Mom" for my realization of what a small bite is. In one of her post that I read it said something like "teeny tiny bites" and that made me think maybe my tiny bites are still to big. (Thanks Ann!)

All this said to say if you get stuck a lot take smaller bites than you have been.

I used to take a bite of chicken that might have been a ¼” thick by a ¼ inch long and chew the heck out of it. Now I cut that ¼ of an inch piece of chicken into thirds and chew the heck out of that. I have been able to eat several things now that I couldn’t before. It takes me a lot longer to eat so even though I am not at my sweet spot I don’t eat that much because it takes me longer to eat.

I would like to hear from others if this is true, If you are at your sweet spot you can’t chug water.

Now that I am learning it eat (after 8 months of being banded) I’m trying to decide if I will want another fill or not. I will have to see what this next month brings me, I kinda enjoy still being able to chug water.

Sorry for such a long post, but I hope it may help someone else…

Thanks for posting about this ... how very true! I've been having issues with that as well - thinking I'm taking small bites but still getting stuck. My problem then carries into wondering why I can still eat chips/cookies - BAD things with no problems. It's not making sense to me - but at least now I see what is meant by tiny bites - not just small.

So far the small bites and chewing are working. I have not PB or upped anything since I started this. I can eat anything. I went to the surgeon yesterday and had fill no. 3. I now have 7cc in a 12 cc band. I am staying on liquids and mushie today. Just to be safe. I don't feel any diffrent and can still chug water this morning. According to my scales, I haven't lost an ounce in months. According to the surgeons scales I had lost 9 lbs since I was last there Nov 3rd. I will take that. He was pleased with that and told me that the lap band is just slow and that it would probably take 18 mos. to 2 yrs to lose all the weight. HUH? I don't remember hearing that before, but my slow loss is proof. He said that he thinks this fill will do me for 2-3 mos. He wants his patients to be able to eat regular food and the band to help with staying full for 3-4 hrs. with no or very little snacking. Sounds good to me. I wanted a fill because I was needing to snack and had started that old bad grazing habit again. We will see. HG did you ever go for another fill? How is the eating thing going for you ? Thanks for posting the low carb recipe site. I am going to check that out today. I also appreciate all the food finds and other helpful tips on protein foods. That has helped me alot. Thanks guys and keep up the good work.

Bmooney, congrats on the 9 lbs! :w00t: Glad to hear that things are going well for you. Keep up the good work!

BTW, my doc told me this was a 2 to 3 year process. Ugh. I was determined to prove him wrong. LOL :drool:

Hey bmooney, I have not had my fill yet but I do have an appointment on February 2nd.

I have not gotten stuck once myself once I discovered the teeny tiny bite thingy either, and am so happy, I hate getting stuck!!!

It looks like we are pretty much neck to neck in the weight loss department. My goal is 150 but 120lbs puts my bmi at 22.7 (right in the middle of the normal range)

When I was 30 I got down to 150 and felt wonderful and so if I get there I will be happy, I haven't weight 120 since I was in highschool, and I weighted 128. So my goal is 150, I think once I reach that I may change it to 120.

My doctor told me it would probably take me a year to get down to that, if I am one of the luckier ones. The closer we get to our goal weight the longer it will take to lose those last lbs.

sometimes I get really down about how slow it is taking me, but I just keep telling myself slow and steady wins the race. This is my new life now and just take it one day at a time, one meal at a time, and enjoy the fact that I am 50 lbs down and feeling better than I have in the last 10 years.

We have to stay positive and know we will succeed!

Bmooney, I go in for a fill on 2/2. I haven't had any problems with getting stuck either. I hate getting stuck and love that I haven't done so for awhile!!

Seems like you and are are neck to neck with our weight loss. Right now my goal is 150 but it really should be 120 because I am 5 1 and that would but my bmi at 22.7 which is right in the middle of normal.

I lost a bunch of weight in 1997 on phen-fen, and got down to 150 and loved it, I kept it off for a couple of years, but of course gained it all back and then some. So I really don't want to shoot to high only to be let down, but once I get to 150 I'll set a new goal for 120.

Ann is doing awesome and keeps me motivated. I think she has had the more typical weight loss with an average of 2lbs a week were I am more like 5 lbs a month, but I'll take it. I don't think I have ever reached my sweet spot which has a lot to do with that. My doctor told me to expect a year. He also said the closer you are to goal the slower your weight loss becomes. I am hoping that is not true. But I am happy with the way I look and feel right now I'm trying to be thankful for 50 lbs gone,

hopefully forever!!!

Congrats on your 9 lbs..I think I have lost 10 since 10/31 and don't forget we had the holidays in there too.

I also have to be honest and admit I have not excercized since fall, It's hard for me to get motivated in the winter, not to mention I HATE EXCERCISE!!!!!

I'm with you, Tammy, I hate to exercise! I walk my son to school every day, but since mid-November, I haven't done anything else besides that. I was getting in Water walking at the local rec center, but I haven't done it. I keep saying... this weekend, I'll do it, but then I don't. It has definitely slowed down my weight loss.

I also think I'm going to reassess my weight loss goal. My first goal is also to get to 150, but that puts me at the top of my healthy range. I'd rather be less than that so I have room to spare. I was 130-140 all through HS and college.

I'm still struggling with the small bites some days when I get overly hungry. *sigh*

Well HG you called me out on another thing I will have to admit. I know that alot of my slow loss problem is lack of exercise. I hate exercise and there is no other reason for my laziness. I have started ,but can only stay on the treadmill for 5 mins. I know I will just have to work up slowly. My goal is 160. If I ever get there, I may revise it, but at this time I will be satisfied with 160. I was that weight for a few months 2 yrs. ago, but gained it all back and more. My fill is doing good. I don't feel that I am restricted. Can still chug water and take large pills, but I am feeling full longer with less food, and not feeling the need to graze anymore. I am also learning that it takes alot less food if I stick to the solid protiens, like grilled meats.It is slow going,but looks like we will get there, eventually. I enjoy keepig up with everyone's progress on this forum esp. the Mayo Banditos

Hi Bandsters. I was relieved to see i am not the only one with issues. I did go thru 3 months of being too tight, and too mule headed to go back to teh doctor. When I did, he backed out 0.3 cc, and I felt so much better..

The reason fr my post now is I was amazed to read that your doctors were recommending 1 to 1.5 cups of food per meal. My doctor goes with about a half cup.. Lap Band Diets, Lap Band Dietary Information, Diets for Lap Band Success, Dietary Plans

Interesting differences. BTW, even when I was over filled/too tight and could not eat much, i could still chugg liquids.. Guess we all react differently.

Have a great week.

k

Hallelujah Girl - THANK YOU!!!! You're initial post was SO enlightening for me!!! It is almost exactly what I have been experiencing and feeling. However, I have felt adequate restriction for the past two months, and I think I am at my 'sweet spot' for now (6.5cc in a 10cc band). But I was going down a dark path - eating too quickly, too big of bites, not 'listening' to my body and then making myself throw up after almost every meal to relieve the pressure and 'stuck' feeling. And then I would go back and take another bite, 'cause I felt I deserved to eat more than the band was allowing me to. I started to give up on eating healthier choices, and selected the food items that I could tolerate (chips, cookies, ice cream, etc.) I have been unable to tolerate bread, pizza, tortillas, and many meats. I have a very limited list of what goes down easily. After a scare two weeks ago (I thought my band may have slipped due to throwing up), I stopped this self-destructive behavior and have slowed down when eating and 'listened' to my body's queues of when to stop. But I still haven't been able to tolerate a variety of foods. I can't wait to start with the small - teeny, tiny bites. I am very hopeful that will do the trick. Thank you, Ann, Hallelujah Girl, and all who have posted on this thread!!! This is definitely a learning experience that takes a while to perfect

Oh, yes. I agree with everything you said. I once read that 'small bites' mean bites the size of an eraser tip. That helped me to visualize how small of a bite I should be taking. Now, I don't have to go quite that small but I still use that as a frame of reference. Good luck to you!

I've told everybody that I'm almost 6 months into my surgery, and I'm STILL learning how to eat.

I think I really learned what TINY bites are when I was working a book fair at my son's school and pizza was ordered. I didn't have Breakfast and I was starving so I ate half a piece of pizza. I didn't want anything to get stuck in front of all the other moms, so I ate ever so tiny bites and I got through it...what do you know!

6 years, still learning. I have has it rough since my last fill 2 weeks ago. I cant chug anything. I see here the bite size may be too big that Im trying. Have to be more careful...Good post.

Thanks for posting this! I don't feel so alone with my issues. I get stuck often and sometimes - not often - it makes me throw up and it always is when I'm eating really healthy...but give me bad food - like chips and I have absolutely no problems. It's been a frustrating road for me so far. The weight loss has been so slow and I don't really feel any restriction. I'm stubborn and haven't been back to the dr since November. I know I need to go soon. I am exercising though - I have NEVER enjoyed it in my life but I joined a gym about 3 months ago and I love it!! I feel like I'm really doing something for myself when I go.

Anyways, thanks for the post!

I guess I'm wondering why some of you are even eating pizza, chips and Cookies to begin with. It seems counter productive and could fill u up with useless fat calories, that would cause you to gain weight.

Just because you can eat it, doesn't mean you should.

if you are too tight, drink warm liquids in the mornings to lossen band. Band tightens while we sleep because of lack of hydration.

this was the best tip I have ever rec'd online. It is amazing how much this helps.

I asked my PA yesterday what quantity my surgeon thinks I should be able to eat, and he said 1 to 1 1/2 cups of food.

When I told my PA that I can regularly eat 2+ cups of food before getting full, and that maybe I need a fill, she replied, maybe you need to exercise more. Huh? What happened to the LapBand is supposed to be a tool to keep you from getting hungry and eating too much? That frustrated me. But, I agreed to up my exercise this week and get back to her again next week to see if it changed anything for me. *sigh* I'm so frustrated. The past two months have been nothing but up and down the same two pounds or so. And I'm *this* close to hitting the 100 lb. mark. :confused: