First off, I'm a newbie, been banded since 1/31.

When I was on liquids and then mushies. I was freaking out because everything was going down without any effort, as though I did not have the surgery at all!

I was still taking shakes, because I was gaining weight.

Well what I learned is that, in my case anyway, I was always feeling hungry because mushies and liquids pass right through the band. Duh..... It's only when I began eating solid food did I feel as though anything was working.

I started solid foods yesterday.

Today, at work we went to a food court and I ordered stir fry chicken with veggies and chinese noodles (Lo-Mein)

Forget pasta! No matter how much you chew it is too doughy and goes down like a ball. I've been stuck once or twice before and this felt like it would do the same. But I did eat very little, like one noodle at a time.

So I picked at the chicken. Again, found that large bites, no matter how much you chew, will feel like it will get stuck. So I learned to take smaller mouthfuls.

After I finished off the chicken, I picked at the veggies. Had no problem with them, other than I wasn't hungry! I would have normally cleaned the plate and look for more, but this time I ate maybe a 3rd of what was there.

I was satisfied, and was not hungry all afternoon.

So if this is the way it's supposed to go, I can live with that. And I have not had a fill yet (next week)

I'm going to lay off the shakes as Meal Replacements. They may be beneficial nutritonaly, on the go, but they do not leave you with the feeling that you ate anything, leaving you hungry.

I am figuring out the same thing. I learned quickly that it is not worth the uncomfortable stuck feelin to try to eat stuff I know is on the "no" list. Dis eat one teeny bite I'd thin crust pizza today that my husband was eating and did ok but to scared to push it. Doing well with chicken and lean ground meat. Turkey sausage seems to be tolerable too. And it is great anything of day. Have had chicken fajitas too just without the tortillas. I think a lot of it is just trial and error. Learning to eat all over again

Liquids and mushies are sucky. I have two thoughts about your issue with solids. I wonder if you are having troubles because your progression to solids was to fast (Yes understand you are following your doctors orders). Three weeks out I was only being allowed shredding chicken. It was like week 5 before I got solids. Also you mentioned gettig stuck with mushies. I have only had stuck instances from raw carrots (those suckers are hard!). Did you doctor give you a fill at surgery? If so that could explain your problems with mushies and now solids. Once you've progressed to solids you need to be able to eat dense Proteins. As you mentioned liquids slide through but solids stay around to keep you full.

It is bad for you to be too tight; so I would call the office to see if you've any fill you may need a small unfill.

I still don't feel anything honestly! I mean I'm never hungry, which means it's working, but I can get any food down, and I don't particularly eat teeny tiny bites.

Yea maybe you are still healing a little bit? I know for me it was 28 days before solids. Try it again in a few weeks. I was really careful when I started solids, I didn't have bread, or noodles, or things I heard get stuck.

I still don't feel anything honestly! I mean I'm never hungry, which means it's working, but I can get any food down, and I don't particularly eat teeny tiny bites.

Yea maybe you are still healing a little bit? I know for me it was 28 days before solids. Try it again in a few weeks. I was really careful when I started solids, I didn't have bread, or noodles, or things I heard get stuck.

Heather, I'm kind of the same way; I haven't had problems eating ANYTHING other than the fact certain foods upset my stomach or I just don't like them anymore. Pasta, carrots, you name it; nothing's gotten stuck (thank God). Had my first fill today and was SHOCKED to find out I've had 2cc's in since surgery! Yes, I wasn't able to eat as much as before, but I definately feel I should've had more restriction with that much Fluid in. Just once again proves that the band only does so much and diligence will get us the rest of the way...