But I just finished watching some informative videos (EMMI) on the Lap Band system and how it works. It goes on to talk about the small pouch and stoma that are formed when the band is placed. Where I'm confused is the emphasis on small bites and chewing well, so that food can pass easily through the stoma without getting stuck. I thought the purpose of this smaller pouch was to hold the food (and slowly release it to the lower stomach) so that you feel feel sooner, and for longer?

If not, then what is the difference between swallowing your well chewed Protein, and say ice cream (other than the nutritional content) if they are just going to pass through the stoma anyway and make their way to the lower stomach?

Is there something I'm missing?????:bored:

But I just finished watching some informative videos (EMMI) on the LAP-BAND® system and how it works. It goes on to talk about the small pouch and stoma that are formed when the band is placed. Where I'm confused is the emphasis on small bites and chewing well, so that food can pass easily through the stoma without getting stuck. I thought the purpose of this smaller pouch was to hold the food (and slowly release it to the lower stomach) so that you feel feel sooner, and for longer?

If not, then what is the difference between swallowing your well chewed Protein, and say ice cream (other than the nutritional content) if they are just going to pass through the stoma anyway and make their way to the lower stomach?

Is there something I'm missing?????:bored:

It's not a stupid question at all. You are correct about food staying in your pouch to make you have a fuller feeling. Food that goes down too easily such as Ice cream,yogurt, smoothies, etc. is called a slider food. It won't stay in your pouch for very long at all. And you will find yourself being hungry sooner then with a non-slider food. Where as normal food that you have to chew chew chew to keep in your pouch, it actually will start the decay process in your pouch before moving down into your stomach. It's because of the texture of the food that keeps it from going down faster.

Hope this helps.

I can see how this might confuse you. The purpose of carefully chewing each bite is so that it may EVENTUALLY pass through the banded area, not so it will while you're eating. The banded area is a temporary storage that will hold the food before releasing it, making you feel full. From what I understand, if you don't chew carefully, the food will become lodged at the band site and cause problems digesting and your esophagus will then feel clogged and force you to regurgitate it

My surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday so I'm speaking more from theory than practice. If I'm mistaken, I hope somebody corrects me.