I am able to eat more than I think I can and the feeling of fullness is not where it should be. I am filled up to 8.0 something. is it easier to cheat if you drink when you eat? sometimes I feel like I have to drink in order to not PB. I think I prepare a drink so I do not panic.

Thoughts?

Yes....you can totally defeat the purpose of the band by cheating...eating the wrong foods that are easier to get down will sabotage your efforts with the band....like ice cream, cream Soups, alcohol, etc.

It isn't wise to drink while eating, having a drink ready in case you get that stuck feeling isn't such a great idea....for most of us, drinking when we get that feeling just makes it even worse.

Just follow your Drs instructions on what, and how much you are suppose to be eating and you will be okay.....sooner than later you will reach an adequate level of restriction with your fills and as long as you don't overdo it with high calorie food choices you'll be fine.

Carol

When you 'wash stuff down' with liquids, it defeats the entire purpose of the band... you are washing stuff past the band, so it's not staying in the top portion of your stomach long enough to give you a full feeling, and to keep you from feeling hungry.

I understand wanting to avoid PBing, but if you get 'stuck' alot like that, probably you are eating too fast, taking to big of a bite, or not chewing well enough. I know that when I am actually stuck and trying to avoid a PB, if I drink something, a PB is guaranteed, because the drink has no where to go. It's possible that the feeling you are washing down is the feeling of fullness that you are going to get... it's not the same as what preband 'full' felt like.

"I can eat more than I think I can"...

That's part of the problem...you're putting too much in front of you. It's really important, especially during this learning phase and while you're working toward proper restriction to make sure you're putting proper portions on your plate and not expecting the band to force you to stop midway through a too-large meal. This is one of the most common mistakes new bandsters make.

If you're feeling like you're about to PB a lot, you're doing something wrong. Give up the crutch of washing the problem away with drinking during meals and address the problem. You're either not chewing enough or rushing your bites (put your fork down between bites to help slow you down), taking too-large bites or eating foods your band doesn't tolerate, or simply too tight. It also might mean you are ignoring your actual full signals. Full post-op means something different than pre-op. Pre-op, full meant stuffed/uncomfortable...post-op it means "not physically hungry anymore". We need to look for our "soft stop" which can be something like a burp, runny nose, sneeze, hiccup, a little sigh. Evaluate physical hunger levels after every bite (another reason not to rush) and see if you notice anything like that...that's the point where you need to stop eating.

Ditch the Water at meals...you're sabotaging your band by continuing to drink with meals.

Nancy

-156

I have a slightly different take. When I drink with meals, and when I do not, I am full with the same amount of food. So for me, the drink doesn't "flush" the food and make my hunger last, or indirectly make me eat more. It just keeps me from getting thirsty while I eat.

I can't drink to avoid a PB though. If I get stuck, drinking anything leads to immediate and powerful pain.

Can you cheat? Absolutely. Eat a gallon of ice cream a day, or drink nothing but OJ, and see how much weight you lose.