As my first fill on Monday of this week. I'm trying to get back on normal food, but I'm having the hardest time. I am getting stuck everytime I eat!

How small of bites do I really need to be taking and how long do I really need to be chewing?

I dont think I am too tight because he did my fill under flouro. I started out with one cc, Monday he added 1.6 ccs.

I really think the reason I am getting stuck is user error, so my question is exactly how do you eat to avoid getting stuck?

I eat really tiny bites, chew it until it's mush, and pause between bites.

Here is the size bites I take. I put my finger next to it for size comparison,

Oh my, no wonder in getting stuck! I guess I just didn't realize how small small is. Thanks so much!

Oh my, no wonder in getting stuck! I guess I just didn't realize how small small is. Thanks so much!

You're very welcome. I found out the hard way, too. After my last fill in May I was constantly stuck for a week before I realized my idea of a small bite wasn't nearly small enough, switched to bites the size of the pic, and have been fine ever since.

I actually took that pic the day I figured it out, it was my "ah ha!" moment LOL.

Hang in there, the band has a definite learning curve

Yes I am finding that out! I dont know how many times I've read, take small bites, eat slowly, chew chew chew while preparing for surgery. But you can read that a thousand times and have no idea what it means until your getting stuck every time you eat!

I was told to use a babyspoon. If it is to big for the spoon, it is to big for your band. Also, a magazine article on this site gave me my aha moment when it said to picture your upper stomach as a funnel, not a small pouch. Made more sense to me after that and I have not had to many problems after that. Be aware of dried out meat also! Overcooked dry meat is just an invitation to pain!

BTW, Before my surgery, steak was my favorite, now it takes me 45 minutes to eat 3oz of steak. It is cold as an ice cube, but to get my Protein and have a little variety, because I am burnt out on ground meats, I will eat cold steak. I also get stuck very easily on BS chicken. My dr told me to try BS thigh meat. Wow, what a difference!

I really need to get some baby spoons! That's a good mental picture of a funnel. I havnt even tried any solid protien with this fill yet... I need to get it figured out so I can try some!

What is BS chicken?

Boneless skinless

Thanks

Wow Mis73!!!!! How long does it take you to eat 3oz of protein? I am definately in the green zone ( NO HUNGER, can go all day without eating if I want to), and My small bites are at least 15 times what your pictire showed. I NEVER get stuck either. Just goes to show just how different we all are!! Btw I hVe 7.6cc in my 10cc band. Absolutely not critisizing......just WOW!!!! lol

You really do need to be careful with over cooked and/or too dry meats and poultry. Reheating any meat in the microwave makes it too dry for me to eat it. Especially be careful with skinless chicken...watch it constantly while cooking it so it does not get overdone. I've had some close calls with getting stuck with "BS chicken"...so I just stay with the dark meat for the time being.

Great information!!! I am taking way to big of bites!!! I am 7.5cc in my 10cc and have a hard time getting my food down. I don't think I'm too tight because I still get hungry a lot I just eat too fast too big. I need to invest in this baby spoon thing and take small bites like mis73!!

Wow Mis73!!!!! How long does it take you to eat 3oz of Protein? I am definately in the green zone ( NO HUNGER, can go all day without eating if I want to), and My small bites are at least 15 times what your pictire showed. I NEVER get stuck either. Just goes to show just how different we all are!! Btw I hVe 7.6cc in my 10cc band. Absolutely not critisizing......just WOW!!!! lol

It takes me 20-30 minutes to eat my meals, I'm always the last one sitting at the table all alone lol

Thank you all for all the info, a learned a lot tonight, definily smaller bites...

Ty for the visual mis73, I had my first stuck episode three nights ago with broccoli, my own fault and wasn't cooked soft enough but even though I take small bites compared to your pic mine are still too big so going to take smaller bites from now on.

Mis73 would you happen to have a blog, if so I'd love to read it.