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Advice needed - trying to understand body "signals"



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Hello all! this is my first post, but want to thank you all for the open and honest forum/discussion that has helped me so much. I am on my fourth week and able to eat all foods - haven't had first fill yet. Generally doing great, but have a couple questions I am hoping more experienced bandsters can help me with.

I am trying to learn to listen to my body, but need a little help to understand what it is telling me. Can you share some of your bodies decoder secrets? What do you feel when you eat too much? Have swallowed too big a bite (haven't chewed enough)? Drink fast or to much? What does the "slime" thing feel like? If you eat too much or too big of bite that would come back up (I have been fortunate not happened yet) do you get sick immediately or after some time passes? Is there warning?

In my "trying different things" and holidays, I have felt a painful twinge under my left ribcage sometimes when I eat - is that because ate too much? My stomach rumbles a lot, but I am not hungry - what is that about (lol)? Any other body sign/signals you wish you understood when first started eating?

Thanks again for forum and advice!

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Hello all! this is my first post, but want to thank you all for the open and honest forum/discussion that has helped me so much. I am on my fourth week and able to eat all foods - haven't had first fill yet. Generally doing great, but have a couple questions I am hoping more experienced bandsters can help me with.

I am trying to learn to listen to my body, but need a little help to understand what it is telling me. Can you share some of your bodies decoder secrets? What do you feel when you eat too much? Have swallowed too big a bite (haven't chewed enough)? Drink fast or to much? What does the "slime" thing feel like? If you eat too much or too big of bite that would come back up (I have been fortunate not happened yet) do you get sick immediately or after some time passes? Is there warning?

In my "trying different things" and holidays, I have felt a painful twinge under my left ribcage sometimes when I eat - is that because ate too much? My stomach rumbles a lot, but I am not hungry - what is that about (lol)? Any other body sign/signals you wish you understood when first started eating?

Thanks again for forum and advice!

I am four months out and can tell you that it has taken me this long to figure out my body's signals. I have had three fills so hopefully I can provide you some insight even though I am not as experienced as some others. Changing habits after 30 years isn't easy and I have learned some lessons the hard way. You will learn new things with each fill because the tighter it is, the more pronounced your signals will be. There is a BIG difference between having the band in and the first fill and between the first fill and the second fill.

When you don't chew enough or take too big of a bite, you WILL know it. It WILL hurt and feel like something is stuck in your chest. I also respond with severe hiccups if I eat too fast. I have learned to eat with baby utensils and to put my fork or spoon down after every bite. This has helped to significantly reduce discomfort. This is also important to do so you can recognize that you are full and to stop eating. If you do overeat because you didn't eat slow enough you may feel a sudden urge to vomit. That is how it feels for me anyway. It's important to remember this because you can eat quite a bit more now than you will be able to after your fills. After each fill it takes me about a week to be able to start eating more solid food. I have also learned that mornings are usually more difficult for me and I tend to stick to liquids, while dinner time is much easier. I have also learned that some foods are just not compatible with me.

Don't hesitate to ask any questions. We are all here to support each other. Take care and let us know how it goes.

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Hello all! this is my first post, but want to thank you all for the open and honest forum/discussion that has helped me so much. I am on my fourth week and able to eat all foods - haven't had first fill yet. Generally doing great, but have a couple questions I am hoping more experienced bandsters can help me with.

I am trying to learn to listen to my body, but need a little help to understand what it is telling me. Can you share some of your bodies decoder secrets? What do you feel when you eat too much? Have swallowed too big a bite (haven't chewed enough)? Drink fast or to much? What does the "slime" thing feel like? If you eat too much or too big of bite that would come back up (I have been fortunate not happened yet) do you get sick immediately or after some time passes? Is there warning?

In my "trying different things" and holidays, I have felt a painful twinge under my left ribcage sometimes when I eat - is that because ate too much? My stomach rumbles a lot, but I am not hungry - what is that about (lol)? Any other body sign/signals you wish you understood when first started eating?

Thanks again for forum and advice!

I am four months out and can tell you that it has taken me this long to figure out my body's signals. I have had three fills so hopefully I can provide you some insight even though I am not as experienced as some others. Changing habits after 30 years isn't easy and I have learned some lessons the hard way. You will learn new things with each fill because the tighter it is, the more pronounced your signals will be. There is a BIG difference between having the band in and the first fill and between the first fill and the second fill.

When you don't chew enough or take too big of a bite, you WILL know it. It WILL hurt and feel like something is stuck in your chest. I also respond with severe hiccups if I eat too fast. I have learned to eat with baby utensils and to put my fork or spoon down after every bite. This has helped to significantly reduce discomfort. This is also important to do so you can recognize that you are full and to stop eating. If you do overeat because you didn't eat slow enough you may feel a sudden urge to vomit. That is how it feels for me anyway. It's important to remember this because you can eat quite a bit more now than you will be able to after your fills. After each fill it takes me about a week to be able to start eating more solid food. I have also learned that mornings are usually more difficult for me and I tend to stick to liquids, while dinner time is much easier. I have also learned that some foods are just not compatible with me.

Don't hesitate to ask any questions. We are all here to support each other. Take care and let us know how it goes.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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