I'm new here...I looked in to being banded a few years ago but then got pregnant before my first appt with a doctor. Now I'm refocussed and ready to gain control of my life (And my tubes are tied, so no more unexpected pregnancies!)

I'm reading all of the posts trying to make SURE this is what I want to do but am having some problems with terms used. Can anyone help?!?! Maybe there's a super-newbie thread I should read that I've looked past?

-Green zone

-stuck

Those are the main ones I keep hearing that have me confused.

thanks

Green zone is that wonderful place where your band is neither too tight or too loose but just right! It can be hard to achieve but you know when you are there- you can go 3-4 hours without hunger or even thinking of food. You can keep down solid protein- meat- & veggies without vomiting or sliming or pain. 1 cup of food is satisfying- I am NOT saying "stuffed"- you are satisfied.

Stuck is what happens when you don't show your band respect- you eat too fast, bite is too big, or it's a difficult food to process like pizza or dry meat. It starts to hurt, feels like you swallowed a rock or need to burp. As it progresses it makes you sweaty, stomach churns, mouth fills with saliva, chest pressure, sharp pain & nausea. Sometimes it will pass on its own. Sometimes you will vomit suddenly & unexpectedly. It's awful but it teaches you to slow down & pay attention to your food.

Hope this helps. Good luck! :-)

Both terms make perfect sense now...Thank you!

Green is GOOD, stuck sucks

Green zone is that wonderful place where your band is neither too tight or too loose but just right! It can be hard to achieve but you know when you are there- you can go 3-4 hours without hunger or even thinking of food. You can keep down solid protein- meat- & veggies without vomiting or sliming or pain. 1 cup of food is satisfying- I am NOT saying "stuffed"- you are satisfied.

Stuck is what happens when you don't show your band respect- you eat too fast, bite is too big, or it's a difficult food to process like pizza or dry meat. It starts to hurt, feels like you swallowed a rock or need to burp. As it progresses it makes you sweaty, stomach churns, mouth fills with saliva, chest pressure, sharp pain & nausea. Sometimes it will pass on its own. Sometimes you will vomit suddenly & unexpectedly. It's awful but it teaches you to slow down & pay attention to your food.

Hope this helps. Good luck! :-)

What is "sliming"

I'm new here...I looked in to being banded a few years ago but then got pregnant before my first appt with a doctor. Now I'm refocussed and ready to gain control of my life (And my tubes are tied, so no more unexpected pregnancies!)

I'm reading all of the posts trying to make SURE this is what I want to do but am having some problems with terms used. Can anyone help?!?! Maybe there's a super-newbie thread I should read that I've looked past?

-Green zone

-stuck

Those are the main ones I keep hearing that have me confused.

thanks

The "green zone" is achieving a level of restriction in your band that allows you to be satiated with less food and for a longer length of time without not feeling physical hunger. My surgeon has shared that his goals with fills are to allow the patient to still be able to tolerate meat, and to not get physically hungry for 3-4 hours.

Stuck episodes are usually caused by the bandster eating food either too quickly, taking too large of a bite, or not chewing every bite enough. Making poor food choices with the wrong type of food (I.E. soft white bread) can also cause a stuck episode.

"Sliming" happens when you have food that is really stuck, and your digestive system creates additional saliva and "foam" (I'm certain it's related to saliva, but have not researched it) in an effort to lubricate the esophagus so that the stuck food will pass through the band.

Everyone does experience some variation regarding the length of time a stuck episode will take to resolve, the amount of pain they feel, and how many times (I know...TMI) they will have to "throw up" before the offending food is no longer stuck.

I've been able to avoid all but one stuck episode...as I immediately heed my early warning signal of feeling too tight in my chest that lets me know I need to slow down or take smaller bites.

I hope this information helps...the best way to learn is to ask questions!

Sliming is when your GI tract starts producing lots of saliva in order to help pass the food that is stuck. Your mouth waters like a faucet.

Also - Lyndeboo - one that took me a bit to figure out was "PB" - productive burping. What you can do when you're stuck to get the food up. Different than vomiting, you're just producing what is stuck above the band. Some peoples "stuck" episodes require a PB. I've been stuck a handful of times and not needed to PB at all. I just try to relax, breathe, walk around, and let it pass.

I'm with Sojourner - if it's one thing I've learned it's just to listen to your body. Learn to read your signals. My "soft" warning that I'm getting full is a gurgle that goes from my stomach to my throat. Once I have that, I can get about 1 more bite before I'm full. If I feel full, and try one more bite, I will without a doubt feel sick or get stuck.