I know everyone is different but I'd like to hear about everyone's different "methods" or "signs", etc. for knowing when they should STOP eating?

Is it a tightness in your chest? Something in your throat? In your tummy? Psychological (e.g., you KNOW you should be full after eating a cup of food and so you ARE full)? PBing??

How do YOU know when you've had enough? And how do YOU stop yourself from eating some more?

Heyas Xann.. Have you ever been drinking Water quicky and "swallowed an air bubble" that gets stuck right in the center of your chest, just behind the breastplate? Well, that's what it feels like for me. It's not the typical stuffed belly feeling that we are used to. The stomach is actually up under the ribcage and the band is very close to the chestplate. Anyway, some people say that when they feel that pressure, they know that if they take one more bite they will be in trouble. They call that the soft stop, I believe. If they take that one more bite, they hit the hard stop when the pressure turns into pain or they PB.

It's taking me some time to realize this. I mean, I know it in my head.. but when it happens, my body is still telling me to keep going, as if it's wanting that old feeling before it's satisfied. The only way I've found to avoid it is by measuring out my food and not serving myself more than 3/4 to 1Cup of food. I find that if I have it in front of me, I'll eat it. If there is only the amount I should eat (which typically takes me right to that pressure feeling), I can accept that new feeling of full and not want more.

Hope this helped.

Have you ever been drinking Water quicky and "swallowed an air bubble" that gets stuck right in the center of your chest, just behind the breastplate? Well, that's what it feels like for me.

They call that the soft stop, I believe. If they take that one more bite, they hit the hard stop when the pressure turns into pain or they PB.

That's what it's like for me too. If I take that next bite/sip (not on solids yet) it doesn't feel good, not pain exactly, but I know if I take another bite/sip it IS going to hurt so I stop. I wait a few minutes and if I still feel hungry I try a small bite. If the food goes down easily, I know I was just eating too fast and I slow down. If that pressure happens again, I'm done. (If the pressure IS still there I concede that I'm really not hungry in my tummy but only hungry in my head and that's a whole 'nuther' post!)

Thanks DonnaB and Susan -- just for my info, how much fill do you guys have in your band right now? I just got my first fill of 1.3 on Friday and it's a *little* different but I don't think I'm getting the sensations you guys are talking about. You've both done so well with losing! I feel like I'm constantly losing and regaining the same 15 Hope the band goes to work soon!!

I was wondering the same thing...I don't feel full where I think my pouch is, but lower down in my abdomen below where the pouch would be. I have only 1cc in a 4cc band, so maybe it goes through fairly quickly still...

Emily

I have 1cc in a 4cc (10cm) band. Remember though, that everyone's stomach is different. What restricts one may not restrict another. Sometimes I can eat more than I think I should be eating, but I only eat three meals a day (about 4 hours apart) and I'm not hungry in between. I'm also eating between 750 to 1,100 calories per day. That varies a lot and is usually on the higher end if I've eaten red meat.

Also, I sometimes do feel full in my lower stomach too. Especially if I've eaten a bit too much. But I usually don't feel this until after I've finished eating and it's settled a bit. The pressure thing is my first signal to let me know my pouch is full and that it's time to stop eating.

My, my Jack -- you have such a way with words!! Definitely making me laugh in my office!!

I must admit... I love Jack... AARRRRRR

I just had the band placed on March 16th and all I feel is full. I've lost 10 pounds in 5 days and feel tight in the center of my chest all the time. IS that normal? When will I feel hungry?

Lucky you pjpatty! I think that's probably pretty normal. you're only a few days you so you should really just enjoy it! The tightness totally went away for me after 2 weeks. Good luck!

YES, I have the same exaxt question since I'm a new bandster and don't know how having eaten enough food is being felt. Sometimes I feel a some pressure (could be arritating sometimes) so I think I'm full, but few seconds later, I feel the bite that casued me the pain had made its way through the band, so itsn't a true sign of having eaten enough food. becuase sometimes I feel this pressure/pain thing during the first bite I take, so i don't think its a very clear indication to stop eating....could you please explain this more.

Magic, I saw you mention on your other post that you have been drinking fluids with your meals. This, as you know now, could be why you're able to get around that 'stop signal'. Also, if you are like me, it's not easy to remember to take small bites, eat slowly, chew your food till it's goo, and concentrate on your meal. Don't eat with distractions around you like the tv or the computer, etc. When we are distracted, or in a hurry, we can easily eat too much.

Before your first fill, you are basically 'wide open' with no restriction except the stomach swelling. If your swelling has subsided, you will feel normal again and probably will eat as you did prior to banding because you don't have the restriction which keeps food from passing through the smaller pouch as quickly. Once you have that restriction, your pouch will fill up and the food will begin to put pressure on your breastplate as described above. In the meantime, there are some things to remember. Your stomach and esophogus are healing from surgery and irritation of the band being around the swollen tissue. The sutures in your stomach, which are holding the outter wall of the stomach around the band to keep it in place, are very fragile right now. If you over stuff yourself and put pressure on the band as the food passes through, as you described in your post, you could cause tearing of the sutures and band slippage. So, while you CAN eat as much as you did prior to surgery, you SHOULDN'T! Yes, this is going to take some self control, but you aren't expected to maintain this self control for a long period of time - only until the healing process is complete and the internal swelling is gone so your Dr. can determine how much fill is enough. I see some people freak out over the idea of having to use self control. But everyone needs to realize that you will have to use self control during your entire lapband journey. While the band does provide some assistance by limiting the quantity of food we can eat, it will not stop us from putting high sugar, easily dissolved foods in our mouths, which in turn will bypass the very usefullness of the band by slipping huge amounts of calories through it.

I saw a quote today by Martin Luther King Jr. that I thought was very appropriate. It went something like this: Though we all arrived on different ships, we are now all in the same boat. I pray that you all find peace in yourselves and the strength to take control of your lives. The first step to that will be to stop telling yourself you cannot control yourself. Every moment of every day we are faced with choices, and the choices of our past brought us to where we are today. Where you are tomorrow, depends on the next choice you make.

Stop and think about it before you place a bite of any food in your mouth. Give yourselves time to make the choice, and believe that you have the ability to make one good choice at a time.

Susan,

Honest to god, THIS IS THE BEST ANSWER I got about my never ending question, which is why I can eat too much?

See as I said before, I never had the privilage to sit with someone who could answer all of my question after the surgery. Doc not around and no local support group.

You are very knowledgeable:) , thanks a lot:)

But now you got me VERY worried about the fragile sutures in my stomach... Do you think I have done any harm to it? as in the past few days I was stuffing myself big time....

Maybe there is a good sign, that I think that I healed well and all the swells went away, before I start eating like crazy. So does it mean sutures are fine and safe? plus I don't feel anything weird now, so does that suggest my sutures are fine?

I wish I heard your words before I put myself in this bad situation.

Thanks a lot

And I think that I am probably healing very well as I feel very little restriction....I do not allow myself to eat anything MORE than my full liquids at this time..but I could....well I think I could...I could eat a sandwich I think with NO problems........I worry constantly...I MEAN ALLLLL THE TIME that I am going to do something that is going to pull out my stitches or cause my band to slip..so MAGIC...I understand exactly what you are saying....but surely undoubtedly the band is NOT that easy to slip right???? at least I hope its not......if it is..then I will worry myself into an ulcer!

Magic - I have no idea what all you've eaten or how hard you've pushed your band. And even if I did, I wouldn't be able to tell you if you've done yourself any damage. That is something only your Dr. can tell you.

If I were you, I would just be very kind to your tummy and your band from now on. When you go in for your post op check up, or your first fill.. if you're still concerened about your band, ask them check the position of your band by fluoroscopy, which is a moving xray that lets the Dr watch the flow of a contrast through your band. You may have done a barium swallow in the hospital - this is the same thing.

I'm sure you're fine. Don't stress over it.. just love and treasure your band now and be patient. It will all come together soon.

Carla - How are you doing now? Enjoying those fulls? *grins*

Jack, I enjoy your posts immensely. I hope you use your power of poetry often on your DW. I imagine you light up her day. You gift for prose amazes and delights me. Don't ever stop posting here...promise!! You are a diamond in the rough, and a very intelligent one too. You have a way with words that no one can compare to.:update: You are the BOMB.