Hi,

I had been very frustrated by the band because I had multiple fills and felt no restriction. I was at 8 cc's in an 11 cc band. Well, my doctor went up to 9.4 and I couldn't even keep down water! So, he removed .5 cc's. Now, I'm at 8.9. The week was going along fine until I had some salad and grilled chicken yesterday. after a few bites I felt I was getting stuck (pain in the sternum and back). And then boom - I had to throw up. But it was absolutely awful, because much of the time nothing came out, and when it did it was a bizarre foam/slime (sorry, gross). Last night, I was able to eat again --- just a very little bit of rice and tofu. And it was fine. Today I ate oatmeal and cottage cheese, and that too was fine. Just wondering how you know if you're 'too tight' or maybe, for the first time, I'm where I should be? I'd love your feedback! Thank you.

Hi,

I had been very frustrated by the band because I had multiple fills and felt no restriction. I was at 8 cc's in an 11 cc band. Well, my doctor went up to 9.4 and I couldn't even keep down water! So, he removed .5 cc's. Now, I'm at 8.9. The week was going along fine until I had some salad and grilled chicken yesterday. after a few bites I felt I was getting stuck (pain in the sternum and back). And then boom - I had to throw up. But it was absolutely awful, because much of the time nothing came out, and when it did it was a bizarre foam/slime (sorry, gross). Last night, I was able to eat again --- just a very little bit of rice and tofu. And it was fine. Today I ate oatmeal and cottage cheese, and that too was fine. Just wondering how you know if you're 'too tight' or maybe, for the first time, I'm where I should be? I'd love your feedback! Thank you.

By no means I am not an expert at this but from my experience if you are to tight you can not pass food and end up vomiting most of what you eat. The slime and foam you experienced is referred to as "sliming". Sliming can happen when your band does not allow food to pass because we eat to fast, fail to chew our food or take too large of a bite. When I had my fill I went through a few weeks of experience the grossness of sliming at least twice a week until I really learned to what I could eat and what I could not. Occassionaly my band feels very tight early in the morning and late at night so I have learn to drink something warm and it helps lossen things up. I have had a steady weight lost of about 1-2 lbs a week since surgery and I am satisfied after I eat.

Good Luck

Thank you so much for the reply. I'm glad I'm not alone! I'm kind of scared of eating out with friends now --- I will just have to take it very slow. I hope now, though, I'll be losing more wait (I've been stuck at 25 lbs. but have never felt restriction until now). I really appreciate you taking the time to write.

By no means I am not an expert at this but from my experience if you are to tight you can not pass food and end up vomiting most of what you eat. The slime and foam you experienced is referred to as "sliming". Sliming can happen when your band does not allow food to pass because we eat to fast, fail to chew our food or take too large of a bite. When I had my fill I went through a few weeks of experience the grossness of sliming at least twice a week until I really learned to what I could eat and what I could not. Occassionaly my band feels very tight early in the morning and late at night so I have learn to drink something warm and it helps lossen things up. I have had a steady weight lost of about 1-2 lbs a week since surgery and I am satisfied after I eat.

Good Luck

I just had my second fill and I am at 6cc in an 11cc band...For some reason I have trouble with salad. Be very careful with rice. If you do eat it try brown steamed rice.I would be very careful for the next xouple of days soft foods only...When you are eating your meats, cut it into erasrer sized piece band up. ..and chew chew chew until it is pulvarized. I always drink something before I eat to open the band up.. I find that sometimes when I eat too fast that I have the stuck feeling...Remember that when you have a problem of sticking that you need to give your GI tract a rest...

Hi,

I had been very frustrated by the band because I had multiple fills and felt no restriction. I was at 8 cc's in an 11 cc band. Well, my doctor went up to 9.4 and I couldn't even keep down water! So, he removed .5 cc's. Now, I'm at 8.9. The week was going along fine until I had some salad and grilled chicken yesterday. after a few bites I felt I was getting stuck (pain in the sternum and back). And then boom - I had to throw up. But it was absolutely awful, because much of the time nothing came out, and when it did it was a bizarre foam/slime (sorry, gross). Last night, I was able to eat again --- just a very little bit of rice and tofu. And it was fine. Today I ate oatmeal and cottage cheese, and that too was fine. Just wondering how you know if you're 'too tight' or maybe, for the first time, I'm where I should be? I'd love your feedback! Thank you.

Ross,

If you eat chicken make sure it had not been microwaved and make sure you have some type of dipping sauce. I had a short period of time where I could no longer eat chicken no matter how much I chewed. Try drinking a cup of coffee before you eat it will help open your band. If you go out to eat when you get there have a cup of coffee while you wait on food to be served. Always know where the men's room in as soon as you come in

Cheri

I can neither eat chicken breast or salad. May have to try other things. Karen

I can't eat chicken breast. So the Doc said eat the dark meat ! So on occasion,,, I do.

Bread, Beef also won't go down. Today I had 4 oz of Fillet Mignon, and I needed steak sauce to eat it with.

Anything Dry,,, I can't eat.

Thank you for the help and advice!

yep, totally normal to NOT be able to eat chickn...only occasionally can I eat it, and it has to be either in a salad (with lots of dressing) or as chicken salad (basically slathered in mayo)...there are LOTS of things i can't eat anymore, which from what i've read are quite common:

Chicken

Beef

Bread

raw veggis (so sad..i LOVED to snack on them..now only cooked)

most chips (if i have any, no more than a handful)

chocolate

I went thru phases where things bothered me (like ANY dairy) but they don't anymore. And you'll definately have days where you eat something you've had no problems with and suddenly that day your band is like "OH HELL NO..you're not eating this"....lol You'll figure it all out

Thank you for the help and advice!

Your Welcome! I hope you find some alternatives for the things you can't have. I do a lot of ground turkey, and I dip my meats in some kind of sauce.

It helps it go down. But dry is a problem.

Thank you soooo much. I can't figure out if I should get the band loosened. I get so nervous at restaurants. I am trying to figure it out --- very nervous. What do you do at restaurants?

yep, totally normal to NOT be able to eat chickn...only occasionally can I eat it, and it has to be either in a salad (with lots of dressing) or as chicken salad (basically slathered in mayo)...there are LOTS of things i can't eat anymore, which from what i've read are quite common:

Chicken

Beef

Bread

raw veggis (so sad..i LOVED to snack on them..now only cooked)

most chips (if i have any, no more than a handful)

chocolate

I went thru phases where things bothered me (like ANY dairy) but they don't anymore. And you'll definately have days where you eat something you've had no problems with and suddenly that day your band is like "OH HELL NO..you're not eating this"....lol You'll figure it all out

Thank you soooo much. I can't figure out if I should get the band loosened. I get so nervous at restaurants. I am trying to figure it out --- very nervous. What do you do at restaurants?

Honestly at restaruants I just go for food that i KNOW i can eat...soup, salad, mashed potatoes...things like that! I love salads anyways so that's not an issue for me....

I don't try to eat something that i'm not sure about unless I'm home...just in case....even at almost 2 years out, some foods can trick you...you try it...seems to go down just fine....and 20 minutes late, not so much

You're such an inspiration! You've lost so much weight. I'm only at 28 lbs in about 4 months. Weirdly, I got "stuck" on a salad. It was AWFUL. Lasted 2 hours. I just can't figure out if I'm 'too tight' or if this is what the band should be doing. Last night I went to dinner with friends and had noodles (only about a cup) because that was the only 'mushy' thing they had. I'd like to be eating more protein and less carbs but have become afraid since I've had 3 'stuck' incidents of throwing up in the last week!

I eat Soups and maybe cottage cheese at the salad bar.

Last time I went I slipt them my Bariatric Card, and told them what and how i wanted it done, and for a sensible price. They said sure not a problem. I had a Tuna Melt with no Bread. Just cooked in the pan, Swiss cheese added, and then $1.50 for it done that way.

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