I am curious as to how other people know when they are full. I think it's an important topic for newer bandsters to be aware of. I personally have learned that I feel it in my BACK in between my shoulder blades a lot of the time. It's uncomfortable there when I have eaten too much or too fast. Sometimes I feel a fullness in my chest. It can be hard to take deep breaths if I'm too full in my chest. Is this the case with other people? It is very hard to get used to feeling full "up high" in the body and not in the lower stomach. I think that is the one thing that I didn't realize at first (although it does make sense, since the food stops in the pouch). I do with this feeling would happen while I'm eating instead of a few minutes afterwards. I think that's one reason we are supposed to take 30 mins to eat the 4oz. but I eat much faster than that....still working on it!

you have to REALLY learn your body to recognize the new signs of feeling full.

to me, its not so much as a physical response but a mental one where i think to myself, "if i eat one more bite i'll throw up."

i do get short of breath or the hiccups are 2 physical responses i get.

I'm three weeks post op today and I'm still having a hard time. Some times of the day, in the mornings especially, I already feel some kind tightness in my chest. It's odd, I dont even have any fluid in my band. It's tough to recognize, though, hopefully it gets easier.

I never feel full. My band does not physically restrict how much I can eat. However, it does keep me from being constantly hungry, so I just measure out my meals, record everything in fitday.com and that's how I know I'm 'full'.

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My nose gets runny and I have a few hiccups. That is when I stop.

you have to REALLY learn your body to recognize the new signs of feeling full.

to me, its not so much as a physical response but a mental one where i think to myself, "if i eat one more bite i'll throw up."

i do get short of breath or the hiccups are 2 physical responses i get.

Kalipso: I think you just gave me an epiphany! It IS a mental thing. I have to tell myself that I'm satisfied/full and move on to the next task. It is so psychological to think you have to eat a huge portion to feel satisfaction. PHYSICALLY, after 4 oz. our pouches are full and we should need no more food for that meal. I've always been used to the physical sign of my stomach being very very full to signal me to stop eating (which is way too late). So I need to not even worry about trying to feel satisfied from my chest or back feeling full. I need to concentrate on being mentally satisfied and I may do a little better. Sounds like common sense...but I wasn't looking at it like that until I read your post. Thanks.

i'm glad i could help! it took me a long time before i got it too. you'll notice that it becomes a struggle between your band telling you to stop eating (an angel) and your brain telling you "one more bite" (a devil).

which one will YOU listen to?

I feel it in my stomach, but yes, it is higher up than before ... just not in my chest. After a few bites I should really stop. When I don't ... here it comes ... back up. LOL Yes, after all this time, I sometimes still struggle with stoppping, especially when it tastes REALLY good. LOL!

~Fran

I just got my band on 12/31 and I feel really tight in the chest too, even though all I've had is some pudding, a protein shake and water. There's a pain that comes and goes with it. as well. Did you experience this? I'm eating some gasx strips right now in case that's its just gas. I really cannot tell....

I am curious as to how other people know when they are full. I think it's an important topic for newer bandsters to be aware of. I personally have learned that I feel it in my BACK in between my shoulder blades a lot of the time. It's uncomfortable there when I have eaten too much or too fast. Sometimes I feel a fullness in my chest. It can be hard to take deep breaths if I'm too full in my chest. Is this the case with other people? It is very hard to get used to feeling full "up high" in the body and not in the lower stomach. I think that is the one thing that I didn't realize at first (although it does make sense, since the food stops in the pouch). I do with this feeling would happen while I'm eating instead of a few minutes afterwards. I think that's one reason we are supposed to take 30 mins to eat the 4oz. but I eat much faster than that....still working on it!

I never feel full and I miss that. Sometimes I drink a hot drink and enjoy the warmth in my tummy.

I rely on my eyes to tell me when I'm full; having eaten the measured serving.

It takes some getting used to. I even enjoy the emptiness now. And I definitely enjoy food! just in a much smaller package

One huge benefit Ive found is that I can buy all organic food now that I don't eat much. It now fits in my budget!

~hiddn

I never feel full. My band does not physically restrict how much I can eat. However, it does keep me from being constantly hungry, so I just measure out my meals, record everything in fitday.com and that's how I know I'm 'full'.

.

This. I'm never really "hungry" which is good. I feel like I'm eating enough food. I'm starting to think a lot of this journey is mental.

I'm gonna check out fitday.com

There are many signs you have eaten too much that is why you should always measure and those include shoulder pain, runny nose, sneezing, hiccups, excessive salivation, vomiting ( which you should never get to that point) Just eat 3 to 4 0z and thats all then you wont have to worry. If you are hungry later you can always drink a shake.

I just had this conversation with my hubs today...I am 5 months post op and im finally getting used to what full feels like post-band. It is higher up in the chest and I have learned to pay attention to my soft stops like hiccups, burps, and sometimes a little shoulder pain. The hardest thing to let go is that feeling of a stretched lower stomach...but what was that feeling doing for me other than making me fat and unhealthy!

you'll notice that it becomes a struggle between your band telling you to stop eating (an angel) and your brain telling you "one more bite" (a devil).

which one will YOU listen to?

This is going to be my new mantra! I know when I've had enough food, but sometimes continue to eat because I want "just a little bit more..." I know I WAY overfilled at lunch yesterday. And I do realize that it's mostly mental, but that realization is always much clearer when I'm not sitting at the table.

I do have a helpful hiccup/burp reaction when I'm full, also when I eat the right amount but too fast.

Ditto on the hiccups - and I've noticed that I get a headache almost instantly if I eat too quickly.

It's so weird to miss the feeling of the fullness and stretching in the lower belly. I can't count the number of times that I complained that my stomach HURT because I had overeaten so much that I was miserable. Why would I miss that? I agree that it's just habit, comfort, and how things always were. But not anymore. Eating to live instead of living to eat is so challenging for those of us here. I truly love the taste of some foods and just want to taste more of it and keep eating when I'm full. The band is definately helping me with that. Fortunately, I haven't vomited since being banded and I really don't want to. I have had pain in my lower chest (upper stomach) area though from eating too much or too fast. My concern is that this is my pouch stretching too far at this point. I've also had a hiccup at the last bite. I haven't noticed a runny nose (that is an interesting sign). That's one reason I started this topic was also to see if there are signs that others have (soft signs) that I may have missed as a sign for myself. Replies are always appreciated and helpful. Thanks.