I had my first fill last week. After the fill I can still eat normal portions. The only difference is some things get stuck, which is to be expected , but once they dislodge , I can carry on eating . Does that mean I am full and should stop or that food got stuck and dislodged and I can carry on eating. Don't want to stretch the band too much and defeat it's purpose so really confused

I would probably say the bites you are taking maybe just a bit too big. Try taking much smaller bites, hopefully that will help your stuck issues. Each time we get a fill we get more and more restriction and even though we think we are taking small enough bites of food our band tells us they aren't small enough hence the stuck episodes. Also at about the 20 minute mark you should feel satiety which is different from bring full. Satiety is when you no longer feel hungry, so that means no more eating. If we keep eating beyond that point then we get that full feeling ( like pre band) which we are not aiming to do.

The bites I take are about the size of my thumb nail now and if I happen to get distracted and take a bite a bit bigger my band screams out in protest.

By taking much smaller bites I'm lucky enough to still be able to eat everything without getting stuck.

I would probably say the bites you are taking maybe just a bit too big. Try taking much smaller bites' date=' hopefully that will help your stuck issues. Each time we get a fill we get more and more restriction and even though we think we are taking small enough bites of food our band tells us they aren't small enough hence the stuck episodes. Also at about the 20 minute mark you should feel satiety which is different from bring full. Satiety is when you no longer feel hungry, so that means no more eating. If we keep eating beyond that point then we get that full feeling ( like pre band) which we are not aiming to do.

The bites I take are about the size of my thumb nail now and if I happen to get distracted and take a bite a bit bigger my band screams out in protest.

By taking much smaller bites I'm lucky enough to still be able to eat everything without getting stuck.[/quote']

Thank you so much. My husband told me the same thing but I won't tell him he was right though

Never admit to a male he is right even if he is!!! Women are always right lol.

I think the hardest thing in the begining is learning the difference between enough food I am not hungry and being full/stuffed. Preband I ate until I was full like don't take another bite you are stuffed. What I have learned with the band is it takes very little food to satisfy your stomache hunger. In the begining eat what they tell you and take small bites and chew chew chew take your time 20 mins was my time .Note I could have inhaled that amount in 2 mins before the band. Then ask yourself is my stomach full. If you say yes then stop eating. If your stomach says yes and your mouth says no then what you are missing is that party in your mouth.

Well thats one party you have gone to to many times so the party you want now is a celebration at the scale. The store where you get to shop now and the jeans you never thought you could wear. Now thats a party.

I think the hardest thing in the begining is learning the difference between enough food I am not hungry and being full/stuffed. Preband I ate until I was full like don't take another bite you are stuffed. What I have learned with the band is it takes very little food to satisfy your stomache hunger. In the begining eat what they tell you and take small bites and chew chew chew take your time 20 mins was my time .Note I could have inhaled that amount in 2 mins before the band. Then ask yourself is my stomach full. If you say yes then stop eating. If your stomach says yes and your mouth says no then what you are missing is that party in your mouth.

Well thats one party you have gone to to many times so the party you want now is a celebration at the scale. The store where you get to shop now and the jeans you never thought you could wear. Now thats a party.

Thanks for the motivation , I think I really needed those words. Will definitely try and distinguish between the parties xx

The band isn't supposed to stop you from eating anything, so don't rely on it for portion control. The band is simply supposed to satiate your hunger with smaller amounts of food for longer periods of time.

Here's an excellent link to explain it:

http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

I always serve the size of portion I should eat banded, but that doesn't always mean I eat it all. Eat slow, chew, chew, chew and stop eating before you "feel" full. You should be eating what you love so that you fulfill the "satisfaction" part of eating and a lot of times that eliminates the "hungry" feeling. Try different ways. Good luck!