I am 5 weeks post op. Had my 1st fill nothing changed could still eat anything. Had my 2nd fill on 2/2. Here's my dilemma. I am having trouble eating most stuff. I'm trying to determine the difference between being stuck and having restriction.

So, at first bite of chicken (size of dime chewed a lot) I am still getting stuck. So obviously this does not mean restriction because it's my first bite. So in my trial and error testing I found I could eat Chili. So last night I wanted to see if I ate a cup of chili would I get full. I didn't. It seemed as though I could have eaten three cups.

So, today I tried eating a piece of chicken again and each piece got stuck. So it's taking me an hour to eat a piece of chicken, but I never seem to get full. Maybe because it takes me so long to eat it or maybe because there is no restriction.

So my question is there really seems to be no restriction but everything is getting stuck. I feel like I need another fill so I can have restriction but with another fill Im not sure I could eat any real Protein.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great!

I agree dime size may be a bit too bit, but also suggest you try to dip your chicken in a sauce of some type. The person that does my fills suggests to try this as it helps the meat go down. I sometimes do fat free ranch dressing as a dip, sometimes I do cranberry sauce.

Is your chicken reheated? I can not do left over chicken, it is way too dry after its been reheated, no matter how I cook it or reheat it.

Finally I can't do eggs either, I never thought I could miss eggs.

Seems like I was doing great until my 3rd fill. I have one day of getting something stuck and after that I cannot even do soft/mushy foods. My band is not too tight. I was perfectly fine the first week after my fill. I think after a day or two of sliming I may not be letting my stomach rest long enough (I was told it may swell after sliming). I had my surgery the 1st of Sept. and have lost 53 pounds (and my goal is another 25)BUT I'm afraid that I may reach my goal in a VERY unhealthy way.....starvation or complete liquid diet a little too soon. I almost dread trying to eat each day and am sick to death of soup.....HELP!!!!!!

Hi Majacw,

You might consider a slight unfill for a while until things calm down. I had to do that after a fill. I was OK for a few days then started having problems and could barely get liquids down. After a week of that I gave up and went in to have half of that fill removed. I'd had 1 cc added. I got 0.5 cc removed. A month later I was able to get another 1 cc added back in.

So, it might seem like a step backwards, but sometimes we really need to give our stomachs a break.

When I got stuck on mashed potatoes and a piece of string cheese I knew I was in trouble. It sounds to me as if your band is a bit too tight. Think about a slight unfill, you don't have to get ALL the fill removed. Being able to eat is way better than hoping to keep soup down.

Best wishes.

Dear Cocoabean,

I am taking your advice. I am going to have some liquid removed on Monday. I now do think I am filled too much. I woke up this morning and had my first drink of coffee for the day w/ that funky stuck feeling as it went down. I don't mind eating less but not being able to eat anything is horrible. THANKS!!!!

I think it has to do with the moisture content of the food you eat. Chicken breasts are awfully dry (thats why they tell you to eat them - low fat= non oily= non slippery in GI tract) Chile on the other hand is both oily and watery. It should pass the band easier. That said, as others have commented, there will be some foods you do well with, and others you will not. The choice then becomes; do you break the no liquids with meals rule, or do you avoid those foods. I still dont do well with chicken breasts, and dry scrambled eggs. It kinda comes down to making a choice. Good luck.

Dear Cocoabean,

I am taking your advice. I am going to have some liquid removed on Monday. I now do think I am filled too much. I woke up this morning and had my first drink of coffee for the day w/ that funky stuck feeling as it went down. I don't mind eating less but not being able to eat anything is horrible. THANKS!!!!

Hi Majacw,

I think you will be much happier with a bit taken out. You just gotta love it when liquid gets stuck, eh?

You can go back in after things calm down and get another fill. But not being able to eat really sucks! Give your stomach time to heal after this.

It was amazing after I had my unfill. What a relief! I had 0.5 cc taken out after a 1.0 cc fill. About a month later I went back in and had another 1.0 cc put in. So I ended up with double in of what I had removed a month earlier. Weird. Since then I have added another 0.5 cc more.

My doctor said he prefers his band patients to have their bands looser and exercise more control. To which my husband replied, "if she had any control she'd not have needed a band!" :scared2: Thanks, Honey!

Anway, I hope you are feeling better soon and able to eat a meal with ease and control!