Hi all...

Weight loss has slowed right down for me lately ... been struggling to lose...there are many factors in this i am aware of and don't need advice on this (i know what needs to be done to fix ... just current sit is proving tough)

Anyway ... on to my main topic ...

I am wondering whether or not i should need/have another band fill....i have only had 1 so far ... i'm now 4 months post-surgery..

Reason i am asking is that i feel i am in a little bit of a catch 22....if i eat the wrong food in the wrong way (stuff like chicken in chunks without chewing properly) i cannot eat more than a single piece without knowing instantly that i am gonna suffer big time with PB etc

However, if i eat something better or more appropriate (some soft slow cooked meat or whatever) and chew like there is no tomorrow i can eat quick a substantial amount without really feeling restricted ..

The way i see it is that if i stick to food that suits the band and work with it properly its not really affecting my consumption and it basically ends up almost like eating puree food.

So my question is...should i even with pureed food feel a restriction and therefore feel full for the time it needs for the signals in the pouch to hit my brain to make me satisfied.

Sorry for long post but its been playing on my mind for a couple of weeks now.

Well, you shouldn't be eating foods that are too soft on a normal basis. Like a medium sized chicken breast would probably be better than something crock potted and falling off the bone because it's so soft. Mushies really shouldn't be restricted all that much, but solids should.

I can eat a good sized bandster meal with chicken, veggies, maybe mashed potatoes, and not feel guilty about the amount, while still feeling satisfied. If I try and eat something like a chicken nugget, most days I can only get down a couple before feeling stuck and icky.

I guess first I would try and make heathier more solid choices, and see how much you can eat then. If you can eat more than you think you should, then yes get the fill. If you get a fill, it will probably be even hard to eat things like chicken nuggets, which might be a good thing.

Ok ... i'll expand a little more ..... i am not *always* picking mushies .... i am mainly avoiding chicken/pork/beef

I am eating some salads and wraps etc .... but if i have a chicken curry for example which has been cooked for say 20 minutes so its not mush i really struggle to eat more than say a single cube 1 inch even if i chew really well...it just seems to stick....same with most meats and Pasta, breads etc

So i end up having softer choices or low resistance things which i agree would seem to defeat the point a little since its not really restrictive.

Even when i manage to eat something more solid i end up chewing it so much its mush and doesn't really sit as solid .... if i don't chew so much i find i can hardly eat anything before i feel get that lovely slimy feeling and start hicuping and wanting to get rid of it.

I'm just getting a little confused my lunches are now made up of ready made (by my surgery company) soft veggie meals or Protein Bars and then i end up having a Protein Shake (or a self made milkshake with fresh fruit) for my evening meal rather than go out (i live for 5 days in a hotel)

My surgeon told me that you should feel restriction when you eat a normal meal. Of course, we must remember that "normal" is what is recommended by the dietician and NOT by an obese person's standards. From what you're describing, it sounds like you have perfect restriction and another fill might actually be painful. Have you tried increasing your exercise to kick start the weight loss? Have you considered the fact that you might not be eating enough calories in a day to promote weight loss?

Living in a hotel and working all day (up to 13 hours) at a computer keyboard isn't the best career in the world for promoting weight loss ... having said that its finally started again (albeit slowly)

I do need to take up some more excercise but try telling that to my brain after a 13 hour day!

I am going into my clinic on monday to have a good chat about how i feel, what i can eat etc .... get some professional advice/opinion....just wanted a moan in a way .... you all know how it is sometimes

heres my thoughts for what there worth!

sounds to me like you have some restriction. if i were you and *i* were getting a fill i would not get more than .1 or .2cc.

i would make that decision based:

*on how much of the time you are physically hungry, like hunger pains and thinking about food all day.

*how much solid food can you eat. to me a *part* of a normal meal includes a side dish and veggie and a lot of times they ARE mushy.

*how tight are you in the morning?

*how often are you PB'ing and sliming?

*how comfortable are you with your food levels?

have you ever tried eating your meals this way (lunch or dinner):

eat your mushy side dish/veggie first and then eat your SOLID piece of meat. to me eating the mushy firsts 'get me going' its like once i am open i can eat a little better with less fear! when i have restriction, eating that way allows me to get my veggies in but also get the fullness from eating the dense protien. once i start eating the meat i fill up quick.

*to me* good restriction is when i can eat 1/2 cup mushy veggies, 1/4 cup of a starch and about 3 oz of meat. i am most comfortable when i can eat that on most any given day without *fear* of a pb.

you SHOULD definitally be chewing the heck out of solid meat. you will still have restriction because it still will sit in your pouch longer than other foods. you dont want to be getting your meat all saucey though, because that will make it slip on through.

ok, that's kind of different. If you can't eat good solid food, what you may actually want is a .1cc or .2cc UNfill. If you get stuck every time you try to eat good solid food, it's no wonder you are on protien bars and shakes, those are just easier sometimes (and a much better idea than what I did when I was having that problem, lol).

But, what happens when you take a bite of something, it gets stuckish and you wait a while? For me, just as often as not, the first bite or 2 feels that way, but once it moves along, I can enjoy a good meal (first bite syndrom). If that's the case, you may just have to deal with it. Drinking tea or broth before a meal helps sometimes, but other times it seems to just happen anyway...

Ok ... i'll expand a little more ..... i am not *always* picking mushies .... i am mainly avoiding chicken/pork/beef

I am eating some salads and wraps etc .... but if i have a chicken curry for example which has been cooked for say 20 minutes so its not mush i really struggle to eat more than say a single cube 1 inch even if i chew really well...it just seems to stick....same with most meats and Pasta, breads etc

i would also say try dark meat chicken and the fattier/moister cuts of beef and pork. i can eat meat etc. but i have a terrible time with the white meats that all dieters are so familiar with. they sell skinless boneless chicken thigh and i use those instead of chicken breast whenever i cook myself. and if i'm out, i always ask for dark meat chicken. if you're adamant about the white meat, make sure there's a sauce with what you're eating.

I guess an overall problem is that i feel slightly afraid to eat solid food ... if i go out to a restaurant i tend to choose meat cooked in sauces or things like chili con carne....

I mostly eat (being british) cottage pie (minced meat cooked in meat gravy with mash on top), slow cooked meat, fish

I avoid the following:

Plain cooked Steak/Beef , chicken (all kinds), pork, bread, cheese

All these feel like they will get stuck....also i am not 100% sure i know the difference between "full" and "stuck pending" .... i guess i need someone to present me with a plate of band quantity and compatible food and see if i can eat it ... i just don't feel i know my own band ..

For Breakfast i can eat 3 (1/2 slices) pieces of toast .... if i ate something like a croissant it would stick after the first bite .

Help me!! i'm just going in circles i feel

You know, I was talking to my husband about that very same question yesterday. We were eating out and I got that stuck feeling. He literally took my plate away and told me time to stop. He said if you're full, quit now. I told him I didn't know if I was full or something was just stuck. How in the world you tell the difference I don't know.