Hello out there! This may sound like the dumbest question in the world, but how do i know when i'm full? Pre-band i was so used to eating and eating, that i dont really know what its like to be "normal" full and not "thanksgiving day" full. I got my first fill on Sunday and i'm thinking i didnt get enough because i can still eat over a cup of food at a time. Is that normal? Should i go back for an adjustment?

My doctor and nurse discouraged the full feeling. Mainly because of the time it takes the brain to say I'm full. By then I've eatan to much. That's why they encourage only eating the 1/2 cup protein and 1/2 cup veggies. Waiting 10 -15 minutes then see if you are actually hungry. Not thinking you haven't eaten enough. That's my problem it just doesn't seem like it's enough but that's the brain talking not the stomach. I'm trying to stop when I'm satisfied rather than full. Good luck to you.

Hello,

lucky for you, I'm one of the dumbest people here. I can honestly say I've fought every battle with this little band around my stomach.

That's a great question. I had posted the same question on different boards. The only answer I got was

"everyone is different"

I didn't feel restriction until my second fill. It was night and day. You will know restriction! If you can eat a cup of food within 20min your not at the sweet spot. Wait a couple of weeks, and go back. Don't rush the fill process. Remember were not born with bands around our stomach, luckily our body adapts. Give your body time to adapt!!

As for the feeling full part. I choose the "not so hungry" feeling when I eat. Remember that one extra bite can be the difference between vomiting and irritating your stomach or looking for the old feeling of full. Don't walk that fence. I'm staying with the "not so hungry" feeling. We all vomit at one point, learn that lesson quick!!!! I dont want anyone to take the "dumbest person here" title from me.

Pete

Now looking back on my experience I can say I had the exact same concerns. I had minimal restriction from surgery date 11/12 until my second month visit. So 2-3 months into this journey I had "full" restriction. I think it worked better for me to get gradual restriction, because i think if I went from having no restriction to having to eat 1/4 cup servings, I would have been freaking out!

My band is currently around half full and I eat until my body tells me its full. Sometimes it can be a hiccup, sometimes it is a fullness in my upper belly, sometimes i just feel full. Im 40 and have never felt full prior to my lap-band. I can eat child size meals and have never experienced stuck, vomiting or sliming(knock on wood). I pinky promise you that you will get there and if you work the tool you have, you will be very successful!!!!! Best of Luck to you!

I know I'm full when mu CHEST gets full and feels tight. It's weird that its my chest, and not my stomach. Brcause of this, I never really get a Satisfied full feeling.

ANyone else??????

When I get that tight chest feeling, for me that usually means I ate one bite too many. One of my stop signs or 'full' signs is this weird hitchy deep breath. Hard to explain.

In general, I've been better off sticking with a 1/2- 3/4 cup of food, then stopping. If I wait to feel full, many times I still take that one bite too many, and I'd rather avoid the uncomfortable feelings that come with that.

I am with you. I don't know what full is, I kept telling my doc that, how will I know? I got my third fill last Monday and at first I thought I was too tight. Until then I could pretty much eat normally except for that really thin packaged lunch meat which was the first food I had to give up after my first fill. It wouldn't go down and I learned what slimming and a PB was. But if you stuck a steak infront of me I could eat it. I hadn't lost any weight since my surgury but my doc was okay with it cause I didn't gain any either because I didn't have any restriction. Anyway back to the third fill last Monday. After two days of liquids I tried to eat a lean quisine type meal at work I was okay the first two bites then on the third bite I thought that if I took another bite I was going to lose it. I lost it anyway, did that with everything I ate on Wed so I called the doc office on Thursday. They said I could come in for an unfil but I decided that I would press on through the weekend and adjust my eating habits (which I didn't have to do until now). So after puting into practice the chew chew chew and slowing down by Monday I was able to eat between 1/4 to 1/2 cut food and it is getting better every day. Trust me you will know when to stop when you finally get restriction. Trust me you will think if I take one more bite I will lose it and you just might a few times before you lean how to live with this. But you know what I know what full feels like with this now. Not what I thought it was going to feel like but but full is full. Drop me a line if you need any more help.

The advice you have been given is right on the money. You should never get to the point of a physical sign that you have over eaten. However, it does happen time-to-time. I have two levels of stupid:

Level one: A hicup. This tells me I should give up and quit, but the tricky part is I get this sign 2 minutes after I have finished my plate. Darn it.

Level 2: Chest pains. This sigh tells me that I'm still addicted to the taste of food, and I didn't stop when I should've.

At first when I got my band I thought getting these signs were awesome, but now I avoid them at all cost. I just trust that my band does it's job properly, and I keep my brain out of it. I stop eating based on 'feeling full' (without a sign.) or eating a small portion.

My motto is: If I am still hungry in an hour there will still be food in the fridge. The cool part is I am almost never hungry in an hour!

You will eventually get that full feeling. I had several fills and I then realized okay this is what it means to feel full. I have lost almost 100 pounds in a year and now feel like an old timer. However ,if you eat to fast or get to full you will vomit. I still do this about once every week. It has caused my esophagas to erode. I have had alot of problems with my band including tubing wrapped around my intestine, tubing attaching to scar tissue causing blockages and now an eroded esophasgas and tubing stuck under my ribs. I am so sick of being in the hospital with complications. I wish you all better luck than i've had. You will know as time goes by how much you can eat and if you need more fill. Good Luck

Edited March 23, 201016 yr by ForMyBoys

Thanks so much for all the posts, its such awesome advice! I had my second fill and i'm deftly eating less then before but it still seems like a lot. The weight loss has slowed significantly and i think i'm just getting impatient.

Edited March 29, 201016 yr by dulcemelis
wrong message

For me it depends on what I am eating. Some times I get the "full" feeling other times I dont eat a lot for fear of over eating- BUT what I have noticed is that I cough when I am full. Sort of my body's way of saying no more- SO it is sort of my chest and my gut acting together...