What are the tell-tell signs you are full?

What does this "sweet" restrictin feel like?

I have read a few things here and there about it, but I am a little confused.

MelAnne,

I remember liquid food stage to soft food stage and by then I knew my swelling had gone down. About my fourth week post surgery I realized that I could consume more than the amounts on the menu given to me. I did sometimes have a little more here and there because I had no problem whatsoever. Just remember that the menus given to you along with your food options are given to help you also visualize what should be enough to satisfy your hunger. It took some practice to visualize the 1/3 cup this and 1/2 cup that without actually measuring the food but I got it. In my experience feeling satisfied and feeling full were not the same. I hope this helps some along the way.

I still can't always tell when I'm full, and if I over-eat, I get to re-visit my dinner. It can be a real pain in the keester, too.

Sometimes I hiccup, but not always. Most of the time I just visually measure my food and stop when my portion is gone. It has made eating a lot less fun, but maybe that's not a bad thing.

For me.....I just have no interest in taking another bite. It isnt that I am stuffed, or that it no longer tastes good...I just dont want anymore.

Hey MelAnne, I am l still learning the hard way to tell when I'm full. This feeling for me is a "screech of tires" kind of feeling. That for me is when I feel a definate tightness around my band and I am learning to stop at that point no matter how delicous the food may be. This is so incredibly hard for me! Soooo many times I will keep eating "just a few more bites" and regret it immediately. I have thrown up in the finest restrooms in town. Seriously! I'ts not like regular vomiting, but instead it comes back up pretty much on it's own. It is painful and sometimes embarrassing in a public restroom. I have gotten some very strange looks. The women always look me up and down in puzzlement because they assume that I must be bulimic and are'nt bulimics supposed to be thin? Ha! If only they knew that I already tried that in the past and moved on to other self-destructive behavior. I can be far more self-destructive than mere bulimia! Just kidding. Back to your question, feeling full is relevent to an overeater is'nt it? For me it means learning to actually listen to my body, something I have'nt done for a long time. You'll get the hang of it, just give yourself some time. I hope I was of some help to you, take care and see ya!

full is when you are more thatn satifified. so different than normal. or mayabe when you get 1 bite or golf ball issue it is then either way full is full and learn to enjoy the one or 2 bites instead of whole cake. i cant believe how your brain and stomach is involved. once you find restriction it took me 3 fills but when it happens you will know and i hope i can use this tool as long as it will let me

good success

donna texas

My signal is a deep breath, which means I have filled my pouch. This used to happen before I'd eaten as much as my head or eyes wanted, but I've learned that it means I am really and truly satisfied on a physical level. The hard part was accepting that mentally, but that's what the band is for--I wasn't able to sense being physically satisfied before on my own. Now I am, and it's amazing!

I generally eat to satisfaction, not fullness. I was used to eating till I was stuffed so this has taken some doing but to me feeling full feels like it always does, that side stretching feeling. Only its really unpleasant now because there's a sensation from within like a geyser about to blow, lol. It never has and I do my best to avoid it but sometimes it does sneak up on me and I'm a mouthful or two over where I should have stopped. Luckily I've never actually vomited but boy, tonight it REALLY hurt to feed my 3 year old 2/3 of a very expensive and very delicious salmon fillet. I so wanted to keep eating.

Pre-op, full meant stuffed & really full meant groaning, painfully stuffed.

Post-op but pre-fill, I struggled with the measurements. I was angry at having to give up my love affair with food. (I'm still fighting that anger daily.) I ate as much as my band would allow.

If you're eating until it hurts, I don't think it's good on the band or your body (just my opinion). The band did tell me when I couldn't go any further... I'd get mild pressure "behind my breastbone" (best I've been able to describe it). I burp a couple of times -- not "real" burps, just small, almost "large hiccups". Then, if I continue to eat, that pressure becomes pain -- like a golf-ball stuck behind my sternum. And if I continue, that pain becomes an "incident" -- sliming or PB.

After several weeks of fighting myself... of trying to get that "stuffed" feeling even with a band... of trying to get what I remember full to feel like... I've given up.

Post-op "full" is not pre-op "full". We're aiming for "not hungry"... for "satiety".

In another thread someone (I think Jack), suggested the following:

1. Start with a one cup portion

2. Take a small bite...

3. Chew to goo

4. Swallow & sit for 30-60 seconds with your mouth empty (watch a 2nd hand!)

5. Ask yourself, "Am I still hungry?" (Hungry = growling stomach or other physical symptoms. PHYSICAL, not mental!)

6. AS SOON as you can answer, "No, I'm no longer hungry." Stop eating.

My doctor suggested I limit my portions to one cup... then if I'm still hungry in an hour, eat again. 9 times out of 10 I'm not hungry in an hour, so the cup full works. Now I just have to get over being angry about that! :bananadoggywow:

Wow!!! Thank you all!!!

I have decided to carry measureing cups with me. I am going to carry a cup a half a cup and a fourth cup. Then I can put my food in it and eat from it.

Thanks you guys!!!!

For me this is the strugle. I use a small plate and small utensils. I time myself between WELL chewed bites. I try to catch that first bit of satiety and stop (even if there is more on my small plate - and the food tastes really really good). This more band friendly form of eating is very new, as I have been fighting the band til now. I just know that eating to my old form of full is not good for me. Now I eat to not being hungry and try to avoid that full feeling.

This must be my problem! I was banded 1/18/06 and have only lost about 12-15lbs!!! I feel like I'm hungry ALL the time it seems, and although I eat much smaller portions and make better choices, I feel like I'm eating too much. I'm sure it's my head not agreeing w/ my body but not sure how to make the two agree! I don't throw up, have only done that one time when I ate something I knew better than to try anyway! I've had incidents of pain/pb'ing/slimeing/hicups.....but no vomiting! (Thank GOD!) As you can imagine w/ such a small amount of loss (and after two fills) I'm wondering if this is going to 'work'. I can and do eat more than a cup at a time. At a cup I am still hungry! I'll keep reading.....good to know I'm not alone out here in bandland!

Everyone's "soft stop" is different. You really must learn for yourself, unfortunately. Some have hiccups, some have a heavy sigh, some just feel satisfied and don't want anymore.

I personally know to start looking for the "soft stop" when my nose starts running. It may only come after a few bites, but when my nose starts running I have to pay extra attention. I think.....am I still hungry or am I satisfied. I usually get to the point where I just don't feel like I should eat anymore. I'm not in pain, I'm not over-full. I just don't want anymore. If I go past that, I get what is called the "hard stop", which includes pain and pressure. I have never PB'd or vomited as a result of my eating. I feel fortunate that I have learned my body's signals, some are harder than others.

It's amazing that with this journey we really have to be in-tune with our body and it's subtle signs. Eat slowly, pay attention and you'll get it after a while.

My problem is knowing when I'm hungrey at this point (not a bad problem to have)...

I'm trying to decide between head hunger and real hunger. Also I can go all day without eating but then I get a headache and feel real bad. I'm glad I'm at the point I have to "remember to eat"... it's a good feeling.

To answer your question - at this point I'm a bit too tight so I know when to stop from "Pain"...

I don't think it will always be that way but the doctor wants to wait longer before he removes any fill. Actually I guess he's right because it's been two weeks and I'm getting more in at each meal. (still it's only about 1/2 cup but that's ok with me)

Yesterday I rolled cheese and turkey with a slice of avacado in the middle, wrapped in lettuce.

It was small, about the length of my palm. All protien except for the avacado and lettuce.

I ate it too fast. It was officially my first real food.

I quickly felt like I needed to throw up and had to burp several times to get the feeling to pass.

It wasn't extremly painful, and it passed quickly.

So I have a little restriction, and am looking forward to being tighter!!!!

I am so hopful that on May 28th, when get my first fill, I have some great restriction!!!

The golfball thing SUX. SO far that's the only problem I've ever encountered. No PB, Sliming, etc.

However, it's kinda funny and I try not to do it. But when I'm SATISFIED...I put my hands behind my head and lean back.

I try to remember not to do this in public but it's so instinctive. I don't even mean to do it, but my fiance thinks it's funny. But at least I have a pretty easy signal to recognize.

:eekB: Kristin