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…

Oh, how frustrating!! Yes, what happened to it being a tool to help us stay full longer? I'm at the same point. I've been with no restriction since July and stuck gaining/losing about 5 lbs.

I'd be way more upset if were as close to onderland as you are.

You can do it though - you are so inspiring to all of us and if anyone can you can.

2 weeks ago I started tracking my food on The Daily Plate, making sure I stayed under 1200 calories, drowning my hunger with Water and I've lost 7 lbs. so far. Is there anyway for you to drink more water, or cut out any refined sugars? Those 2 things helped me the most. My body can not handle even a little sugar. It stalls me completely. (Maybe a side-effect of doing Atkins for so long - I don't know?)

Best Wishes and Thank you for all of the wonderful supportive comments. (((Hugs)))

Edited January 26, 201016 yr by Jennifer75

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 LAP-BAND® 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. :smile2:

Hi Ann - It really drives me crazy when a Doc or PA says - "Exercise more" instead of listening to the patient. You are basically telling the PA that the LB is loose and should be tightened a little as you can eat 2+ cups of food. Exercise will not stop you from eating 2+ cups of food. While we all can agree exercise is part of the solution , so is adjusting the band so that we eat 1-1/2 cups of food and we're satisfied for 4-6 hours.

I can honestly say the Docs at NYU really listen to the patient and adjust the band accordingly. I think if you feel an adjustment is necessary then the PA should listen to you and make the adjustment. :confused:

John, my daughter goes to Dr. Kurin who used to be or still is with NYU and you're absolutely right. She can go in and get just .25 cc if that's all she feels she needs or the one time that she overfilled, they didn't go crazy and then take out too much but again, took out just a very small amount. She let me go in with her one time for a fill, just so I could see what I was in for...what a difference between them and my doctor. it was such an absolutely breeze on doing the fill. Guess that's the difference in a doctor who has done a gazillion procedures as compared to mine who had done five...yes, five ...did I feel like the guinea pig or what.

But I'm also 8 months out and still learning what foods work or don't and exactly how frigging slow i must eat. So my iphone is always with me and I read the USA today while eating and it tends to slow me down.

Good luck to all.

Trisha

Jennifer, 7 lbs. in 2 weeks is awesome! :confused: I don't eat refined sugar or white carbs, so that's not it, but I probably could drink more Water.

John, I couldn't agree with you more. My doc is cool, but to get in to see him, I have to go through the PA. This is the first time she has acted like this with me. I don't know what's up with her, but I will give her one week before I put my foot down and insist on seeing the surgeon. I haven't come this far to let them say that I've done "well enough." Heck, I'm still in the overweight category, despite all the weight loss.

Thanks for listening, friends. You all are great support! :smile2:

Ann - You are so right.............Stay on top of the PA and push to see the surgeon. You're right. You didn't come this far not to have 100% success...........

Trisha - Dr. Kurin is still at NYU. The practice is so busy but what I really ike about the group is that they really pay attention to you and listen to you. Learning to eat slow is such a task for me as well. There are days I eat slow without thinking and then there are meals I start off taking a big bite and thank goodness I catch myself :smile2: so not to get stuck. I constantly remind myself to take small bites ( dime size) and eat slow. I try to get into the habit of putting my fork down in between bites. Even that is hard to do.........

OLD HABITS ARE HARD TO BREAK...........But we will change!:confused:

Good luck............

Hi HG!

I went through that exact same thing! didn't loose for like a month! It was so frustrating! They told me to eat bites no larger than an almond and chew it at least 20 times per bite! You're absolutely right...once you learn the right way to do it, things just work much better! I'm glad you got it all worked out! Enjoy that food that you can eat now! I know, I though that I'd never be able to eat chicken again! I was so bummed! :smile2: I love chicken! :confused: Good luck with everything!

I am glad to hear this post has helped some of you. It does feel great to be able to eat again, and being able to eat the right foods has jump started my weight loss again.

I have also started (again, fell of the wagon) keeping track of my calories on the daily plate and try to keep my calorie intake at just under 1200 calories. It is very surprising how fast things can add up.

Ann I hope you get things figured out with your PA, 2 cups of food seems like a lot of food. I don't get people sometimes, this is her job, you know taking care of patients with the "Lap Band" a tool that is SUPPOSED to keep you from eating too much. Duh!!! Give the woman a fill, while exercise is great it will not keep you from eating too much, that's the bands job.

I totally agree, HG. I was thinking about it more this morning as I was walking in the freezing cold. Back when I was losing 10 lbs. a month, the PA didn't question my need for a fill when I said I was hungry all the time and eating more than I should be able to. Now that I've lost a bunch of weight, she's questioning me. Yet, my weight loss has slowed to nothing. She has said several times, maybe your body is just plateauing where it wants to be. Well, maybe, but that's not the issue here. :thumbup: The issue is, I'm hungry and I'm eating 2-3 cups of food at a meal and still hungry in between! Ugh. I'm definitely calling back on Monday to make an appointment for a fill.

Thanks, everyone! :thumbup: