Ok I just got my consult today and I had done my research, they carefully explained stuff to me. I am motivated and already whittling my calories down trying to get to 1200, hoping that after banding it will just seem like normal eating. My thing is trying to take small bites and chew, and the no fluids thing. This is my homework that I am working on because these are major issues for me. While I don't eat fast I do take big bites and I don't always chew it up as much as I should. Now I am working on that, my problem is that I am going to be sitting at the table eating for at least 20 mins after everyone else is done, maybe with the exception of my 5 year old cause he is the slowest eater ever in history. But he had choking issues when he was small and we drummed it in his head to take small bites and chew, chew, chew. So maybe he can just hang out with me and we will chew together.

The fluids one is a big thing with me. I have started getting back in the habit of drinking a glass of Water before a meal and then I sip a drink with my food. I know the physiological reasons for not doing this with the band but....psychologically I feel if I don't have a drink when I'm eating that I will choke or something..yeah I know I'm weird but this is a big one for me. My question is how did all you that are banded overcome this? I would really like some tips to help out with this issue.

Im a big drinker when i eat so i was curious aswell i have to drink lots of water for my kidneys! Im nervous about this as well!

I was a total failure at trying to prepare for the band eating habits before, but seem to be doing ok now that I have it. So do your best, but don't make it something you use to beat yourself up about if you can't seem to make yourself get it right. You won't know what it feels like till you know what it feels like.

Regarding drinking, I haven't solved this yet. I try and try, but I seem to always have to have a little sip... FWIW, drinking before isn't a big deal, you just want it down before you start eating... But drinking after is a bigger deal because it washes the food down. It's totally not intuitive, and I have yet to have a perfect meal. But I'm not doing so bad either...

The hardest thing for me is sitting alone at the table when everyone is done. But they r waiting longer and I am trying to get used to the alone thing when they do get bored. Drinking is a challenge to. I had to not even sit down w a drink cause I was doing it without thinking.

I was banded 6 weeks ago and so far it hasn't been too hard. If you have a set schedule try to think about what time you need to stop drinking before your lunch and what time after your lunch you can start again. This has helped me. I work in an elementary school and I plan my drinks - when I can have them and when I have to stop before lunch - into my schedule. Right now it works perfectly for me most days. When school is out and I start another job for the summer I think it will be tougher for me.

The not drinking when eating is concerning me also. If i don't drink when I eat I get heartburn and am wondering if that will continue after the surgery. I have my consult on June 22 but I have been doing alot of research.

I am okay with not eating and drinking provided I don't have a drink at the table with me, otherwise I will forget and pick up the drink. It is a learned behaviour and therefore one that we can change with patience and persistence.

I am usually okay with not drinking unless I am eating an especially dry meal (which does not happen often). I also am able to drink plently of fluids throughout the rest of the day (80oz+) without any problems.

Chewing slowly will happen after you've gotten stuck a time or two. Aversion therapy truly works!

Taking a few sips while you eat isn't going to hurt anything. The thing you don't want to happen is putting so much liquid into your pouch that you aid your stomach in emulsifying the food so that it empties quickly. However, with a band, the food empties pretty fast anyway, as our pouches grind.

My surgeon doesn't have a problem with me having a bit of liquid with a meal. He did say that I might not have room for it, and once I got to good restriction was he ever right! If I drink with a meal now, it is likely to cause me to get stuck and urp. So, even if I have a glass of something sitting there, I tend to avoid it due to the countless times that I have taken a drink only to immediately regret the decision.

About 10 minutes after a meal I can tell that my pouch has cleared and I can safely sip something without tragic consequence.

It's hard, I know when I go out to eat I struggle with it particularly. Waitresses get real sketchy when you don't even order a glass of Water and will repeatedly keep offering me one *chuckles*

Because Fluid goes right through the band anyway, my surgeon told me drinking before meals is fine. So I will usually have some water before I am ready to eat, then when it's time to eat I push the water away. 30 minutes after I'm done eating, I have some more water.

As for chewing and small bites, as Denise said above me, it's like aversion therapy once you have restriction. Sliming is so gross, getting stuck is uncomfortable at best and painful at worse, and no one wants to PB their food back up. You'd be shocked how fast tiny bites becomes second nature when you've experienced one or more of these things a time or two.

The waitress thing really peeves me. I have found now that I just order a glass of water or else they will continue to pester me. It's really kind of ridiculous.

The waitress thing really peeves me. I have found now that I just order a glass of Water or else they will continue to pester me. It's really kind of ridiculous.

I have done that before too, but I still try not to because when the water is just sitting there by my plate it's so easy to start drinking while I eat out of habit. Once, I was in a rare snarky mood while out with my daughter having lunch. This waitress would NOT let it go! She was literally forcing a drink on me and one point brought me a glass of water that I'd already denied saying "Oh I figured you'd change your mind so I'll leave this here". I finally just glared at her snarled "Just like you changed your mind on wanting a tip? I have said no over and over because I have a Lap-Band and I can't drink while eating. Learn to respect your customers wishes, even if you don't understand them".