After a few bites I feel this cramping, tightening feeling in my chest ... it feels like its right at the bottom of my esophagus. I never feel "full/satisfied" in what I remember to be my stomach. Is this what satisfied feels like? Or is this the feeling when you eat too fast? Or... is this what it feels like when the food doesn't agree with you??

Confused .... looking FORWARD to "figuring this sleeve thing out".

I would get that tight feeling in the chest/top of the esophagus when I ate too much. You will get the hang of it, I promise!

I'm not sure, but most people have a burp or hiccup when they get full. You should be measuring everything right now to make sure you don't over eat. Then you will get to know the sensation of fullness before its too much. I bought 1/2 cup tupperware containers and only filled them half way (to equal a 1/4 cup) with food. I would take them with me to work so I knew exactly the volume of what I ate. For the first 3 months, I couldn't even finish the 1/4 cup - but I knew for sure that I wasn't eating too much. To this day, if I eyeball my plate without properly measuring, I will eat a little too much.

Give yourself a chance to feel the different sensations. Also, you do need to eat slowly - at least a minute between bites - so your food can register in your stomach. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it!

Good luck---

How far out from surgery are you?

I remember getting those pains too for the first 2-3 weeks post op. I would even take tiny sips, wait in between - it just didn't matter. Every swallow hurt.

If this is what's happening to you, just know that it's quite normal in a lot of us and it will go away in a few weeks. Continue to take tiny sips, or itty bitty bites, wait a little between each one and definitely measure your portions.

*hugs*

even if you havent eaten much, when you get that feeling like you cant pick up your spoon no more at a buffet restaraunt....stop....lol

I'm 3 weeks post Op and drinking isn't an issue for me. I never get a bad feeling and don't have to sip sip sip. I only get that weird feeling when I eat something.

I'm 3 weeks post Op and drinking isn't an issue for me. I never get a bad feeling and don't have to sip sip sip. I only get that weird feeling when I eat something.

I am four weeks out and I get that feeling when I eat too. Most of the time I get it when I eat too fast. If I slow down and take small bites, wait in between for a minute or two, I dont get it as much. You are right... if that is the new full feeling, its WAY different than the full stomach feeling we all know and love. I am just trying to learn mine too and I hope this helps some. I think if we slow down some, measure the food if we need to and take smaller bites, it will be easier to tell when we are satisfied, not full.

I'm 3 weeks post Op and drinking isn't an issue for me. I never get a bad feeling and don't have to sip sip sip. I only get that weird feeling when I eat something.

Okay then yes it sounds to me like maybe you're either eating too fast or too large bites. Make your bites pea sized and space out each bite by a minute or two. You won't have to eat like this forever, just for the first month or 6 weeks.

Good luck!

In the beginning, I ate very slowly and very small bites and stopped way before I probably had to. It wasn't til solids that I really felt the restriction of my sleeve, so I did measure everything and didn't rely on any kind of "full" feeling. I have read that we may not even have a full feeling for a while, due to the trauma/cutting of the stomach. But I did sometimes have weird feelings and sensations that seemed improved if I made sure to take my PPI/acid reducer. Acid after the sleeve doesn't feel the same as my heartburn or acid indigestion before surgery, so I wouldn't have known that was the problem if I hadn't read so much about it on the boards. You may be on a PPI already, but if not, give it a try and see if it makes a difference. At 3 wks your tummy is still healing and probably still have some swelling, which contributes to the acid problem. The PPI also helps protect the stomach lining while your sleeve heals. I am 3 months out and am off the PPI. I haven't had a problem with Acid yet, but there have been a few evenings I have felt hungrier, so I may have to go back on them a bit longer. A lot of drs recommend 6 months, and a lot of patients stay on them for longer than that. It just takes a while to adjust to everything too.

In the beginning, I ate very slowly and very small bites and stopped way before I probably had to. It wasn't til solids that I really felt the restriction of my sleeve, so I did measure everything and didn't rely on any kind of "full" feeling. I have read that we may not even have a full feeling for a while, due to the trauma/cutting of the stomach. But I did sometimes have weird feelings and sensations that seemed improved if I made sure to take my PPI/acid reducer. Acid after the sleeve doesn't feel the same as my heartburn or acid indigestion before surgery, so I wouldn't have known that was the problem if I hadn't read so much about it on the boards. You may be on a PPI already, but if not, give it a try and see if it makes a difference. At 3 wks your tummy is still healing and probably still have some swelling, which contributes to the acid problem. The PPI also helps protect the stomach lining while your sleeve heals. I am 3 months out and am off the PPI. I haven't had a problem with Acid yet, but there have been a few evenings I have felt hungrier, so I may have to go back on them a bit longer. A lot of drs recommend 6 months, and a lot of patients stay on them for longer than that. It just takes a while to adjust to everything too.

As far as the PPI's...which one did you take, and did you have to crush it, or is there one small enough just to take whole? I am only 3 days out... I was sleeved on Wed. 9/7. I am doing pretty well, just dealing with bad gas pains, especially when I take sips of Water. The Protein shakes and Soups don't seem to bother me as much. I am ready to get my drain out and get back to normal. I love this site and the wealth of information that everyone shares. Looking forward to joining all of you on the loser's bench.