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Can you give us more info? What do you expect to feel with restriction? Can you eat as much as you want of solid foods? It sounds like you must have SOME restriction or else you wouldn't have problems getting bread down. There are many foods - bread among them - that are not band-friendly.

Nancy

Well, it's true that with proper restriction you should feel full pretty easily when eating solid Protein such as meat. And only you know what you are feeling, but I'd be willing to wager that the food is getting stuck in your band and not your esophagus. This feeling is felt in the chest/throat area usually. Which is good. It means you do have some restriction, but maybe not quite enough. Are you losing weight? I do agree that figuring out the band is complicated. I've decided that my relationship with my band is like any healthy relationship: We both have to learn how to talk to and listen to each other.

Nancy

You will never feel that 'full' Thanksgiving full again, unless you are eating soft foods that go around the band.

Alot of people are waiting for their tummies to get full like before we were banded and it just does not happen. Remember, your food is going into the little bitty pouch ABOVE your band and your tummy. This pouch should only hold about 4 ozs above the band, so yes, you will feel as if it stops in your throat or esophagus because it does. And it should. If you are eating hard Proteins it should take hours for it to fully empty into the lower stomach.

It does sound as if you do have restriction. If bread is stopping you in your tracks, it's because foods with gluten(bread, tortillas, etc) will swell and gum up in the stoma. With restriction, this will be much more noticeable than when your band is wide open.

Try to listen to your body. It will tell you when you are 'full' or maybe a better way to look at it (since you will never be 'full' again) is to think of it as being 'done' eating. Often, my mind is ready for more. It's not 'full', but even more often, my band tells me when I'm 'done'. lol. Hiccups, a sudden onset of coughing or sneezing, runny nose, pain in the shoulder/diaphram, that 'golf ball' feeling in your esophagus - all signs of being 'done'.

Good luck!

Leatha

Kim, I get a similar feeling of the food getting stuck. I regard this as "I'm finished eating!". It just hits in one bite with no warning! It is the strangest thing. And I think Leatha is right on the money about feeling full. I believe it is a thing of the past, but I can live without it, as long as I don't have a gnawing hunger. I haven't had that since I've been banded. Thank you Lord for that!

I haven't had a fill yet and continue to lose weight and here is my take on my feeling of restriction. I am sure I still have some restriction because every time I have a memory lapse and forget to chew some difficult food I'll PB. It doesn't happen very often. Yesterday was the first time in 3 weeks and it was on a steak that got cooked too well done. It wasn't after a normal portion it was on the first BITE! Of course I didn't realize it immediately and took another bite or two. That did it. It was history. On the other hand on occassion I do truly get a full feeling from the small portions. My husband and I shared a plate of seafood last weekend and I really didn't eat all that much and I felt stuffed all the way home on a 2 hour drive. Other times I'll eat and will only feel that "I'm not hungry anymore" sensation. It is confusing. Maybe your not at a good fill level. After my first few bites of anything I'll feel something happen in the band area. It's like a pre-PB feeling sort of. I'll often pause about then and make sure it truly isn't anything serious, kind of feel it out I guess. If I don't feel any further uncomfort I'll go ahead and slowly finish the rest of my portion. I never eat anymore than my dished up portion and rarely any less. I try to dish it up pretty accurately. Best of luck, Teresa

Hello Kim, as i'm sure you have found out the band is a very fickle thing, i was told before i was banded i would never feel full like befor, i find my "full" sign's are a runny nose, hicups, i have a Midband and i had very little ristriction as soon as the band was put in place,some have none until their first fill.:banana