Hello everyone!

Okay, I am confused. I had my FIRST fill last Monday. They put 1.4 CCs in my 4 CC band. I was on liquids the first day or so, then mushies, then on Thanksgiving I ate a few solids and am fine. ALMOST TOO FINE!

I will eat something, and be fine, and then I start getting pressuresome in the chest. For lunch I ate ALMOST the whole can of Fat Free Chef Boy R Dee Raviolis????? :phanvan I thought at first fill our pouches are only supposed to hold about a half a cup of food.

My issue: I DO NOT KNOW WHEN I AM FULL AND SHOULD STOP. I get a little bit of a heartburning feel, so I stop. THEN, I am hungry 30 minutes later?

AM I TOO LOOSE?

AM I NOT EATING THE RIGHT FOODS?

So, on my way home, I was ravenous!! I ate a cheeseburger from McDonald's AND a McChicken SANDWICH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a gluttonous pig! I didn't spend $15,000 on this surgery to feel like this.

ANY HELP??:angry

Take a deep breath and calm down.

Honestly, it might be that you will need another fill. If you physically CAN eat a cheeseburger and a mcChicken - then I would say you will definitely need another fill.

If you are a gluttonous pig - then so am I - and I am sure we are not the only ones - cause I know we are not the first, nor will we be the last to eat two sandwiches from McD's in one sitting.

The past is over - so it's just a matter of what you do now.

First - try to throw out the concept of "full". That isn't what we are going for. Try for Satisfied. Can I stop eating now, without feeling deprived?

Now, if you are really hungry in 30 minutes - then eat some raw vegetables. I have grown particularly fond of Cabeza Squash - Raw, peeled, with just a bit of lowfat ranch dip. (looks like a light colored zuccinni)

What you are eating will play a part. You want good firm solid food. Canned Pasta would be considered mushy or soft food. It is designed to slide right through the tiny little opening into your lower stomach. Of course you can eat more of that than good solid food.

Try Protein - lean chicken or fish if you have it. And - if you feel hunger - true stomach hunger - after 30 minutes, then revert to the raw veggies.

Sadly - until you do get the best restriction, you will be ABLE to do pretty much anything you did before. It will be a matter of self control. (yep - not our best thing). The band is just a tool - and you have to be the one to use it skillfully to create the body you want.

I would advise that if you must eat fast food (really, must you?) then try for a salad with chicken on it - or a GRILLED chicken sandwich with the bun removed. You know how - we all know how. Right now, you will have to count calories. And it sucks that we still have to do it after getting the surgery - but eventually, you will get to the right level of restriction and it will be a whole lot easier to do what you know you need to do.

Sadly - even with perfect restriction - YOU are still the one that has to do right. The band won't stop chocolate, or Starbucks lattes. You have to be the one to make the right decisions.

Come here a lot. You are not alone in anything. We all understand EXACTLY what you mean, and how you feel. It's a long haul - but it's easier with friends.

hugs!

Great response ReneBean!!!!!!!!!!!!

I too can eat anything and everything. Right now I am relying on willpower and that is not going to last much longer. Thank goodness I get my first fill on Thurs.

I've got 3 ml in a 4ml band and I can STILL eat a cheeseburger from McDonalds pretty easily (albeit slowly). Some foods that go down for you may really surprise you just as how you may not be able to work out why you cant eat others.

But its early days for you, it can take ages to find a good restriction level, and everybody has a different ability to work with what they have too.

Its not gluttony to eat when you're hungry. Just try to make better choices than fast food most of the time, personally I think its way more important in terms of long term maintenance to learn how to listen to your body - therefore eat until you're satiated, no matter how much that is - rather than count calories and relinquish control over your intake to a calculator or pen and paper.

And if you were eating too much, to the point where you may stretch out your pouch, you'd probably know it - pain, sliming and PBs would probably follow.

Well, first you have to eat like a bandster to get any accurate idea if you have proper restriction. You cannot test restriction on mushy or junky foods.

A properly restricted bandster should be eating between 1 to 1 1/2 cups per meal, which means 3-4 oz solid Protein, 1 serving (1/2 cup) nonstarchy veggies and up to 1 serving (1/2 cup) starch if there's room...eaten in that order. Small bites, pause between bites (put the fork down if that helps), chew to almost liquid.

If you're getting discomfort after just a couple of bites, you might be experiencing "first bite syndrome" aka esophagal spasms. To test (and fix) this, before you start eating, have some hot liquid...hot tea, broth, something light, but hot. If that allows you to eat your meal comfortably, then that's what's going on. If that doesn't help, and you know you're chewing and not rushing, you probably are too tight.

Chef Boyardee Ravioli...not a good choice...it's a mushy.

Fast food sandwiches...not a good choice.

First adjust the eating habits then, if those are fine, adjust the band (either fill or unfill, as warranted).

If you're unsure of how to eat a healthy balanced diet based around solid foods, get a good nutritionist to help you ASAP...a bandster's diet is really something any sensible weight loss diet will have already taught you...basic nutrition, based on healthy solid foods, treats/junk very sparingly.

Nancy

-156

You've got some good responses, and all are worthy of spending time really considering the content. A big part of being banded is doing your "head work." It is hard, and it takes a long time. It requires patience and persistence, and yes...courage. It also requires that you stop beating up on yourself and insulting yourself. This will cause more bad feelings, and if you are like a lot of us, what do we do when we feel bad about ourselves????? EAT! So, stop that right now! Take your journey one step at a time...you will learn what "satisfied" means. It will blow your mind! You will find yourself laughing inside to see what you eat, and compare it to what you used to eat. This TAKES TIME!!! You are worth this time and effort, so get after it! Do your head work. Come here to find encouragement and understanding, and some good advice!

I just loved your post Mousecrazy. thank you for posting encouraging and kind words.

I don't know about you guys but it seems like I have been reading a lot more negative, often rude and inconsiderate posts lately? (NOT this thread) I do hope the trend doesn't continue.

I come here for good, HONEST advice. I love to hear other peoples experiences, struggles and stories. Although we are all "strangers" it seems we have a bond that would be hard to find anyplace else.

Keep up the good work.

Please let us all know how the fills went this week and how you are all doing!

You shouldn't be able to eat that quanitity of food even if you think it is head hunger. You will definitely know when to stop after you get to the right fill level. I can only eat 1/2 of a hamburger at McDonalds and I've had at least 3 fills. I would consider another fill. Good luck to you. Keep the fill faith!

Start your day with Protein, hard Proteins, they will stay in your pouch longer and satisfy your hunger longer. carbs will only crave more carbs so you wil lbe hungry sooner and often. Also look forsome kind of soft stop signal from your body telling you that you are full. for me it was an ice cream headache, others get a runny nose or a hiccup or a pain in their shoulder. maybe yours is the heartburn. Remember just becasue you can eat it does not mean you shouldeat it, the band is a tool not a magic wand we still have to do some of the work.

Chef Boyardee Ravioli...not a good choice...it's a mushy.

Also loaded with carbs.

Water load between meals, this will help you to feel full..more protein less carbs will also help. Hang in there you are not alone . I was once where you are at. it gets better. Justtakes time, it is a learning thing

So what exactly is a "hard protein"?

I'm assuming you mean chicken or tuna or some other meat or fish?? I'm having trouble eating solid meat at the moment and you can only eat so much tuna!

Any suggestions?? I'd be very grateful as I'm in the "too much carb" zone at the moment where I know a piece of toast will satisfy me and is so easy to prepare.

Ground meats can count as Solid Protein - Turkey, Hamburger, etc.

Yeah - toast is easy - but you would honestly be better off eating a slice of lowfat cheese or a couple of spoonfuls of cottage cheese than you would eating the toast.

For me - toast, chips, candy - any of that high carb stuff just triggers the "eat everything you can lay your hands on" mode.

And hey - no toast is complete without half a stick of butter, right? :]

I also try to keep some sliced veggies around - and I make a lowfat, low carb dip to eat with them

2 parts Lowfat or no fat mayo

1 part lowfat feta cheese

2 parts FF Sour Cream

Whiz it up in a food processor until it is mostly smooth and then throw in a packet of Ranch dressing mix. You can add your favorite Soup mix if you prefer. Blend until the powdered dressing packet is evenly mixed in.

You have to blend the cheese and the mayo and the sour cream FIRST - because otherwise it works the food processor too hard when the dressing mix starts to thicken the mixture.

This makes a very strong tasting dip - that is relatively low in fat & calories. The strong flavor is important, too - cause you don't use as much if the flavor is almost overwhelming.

Having the dip in the fridge and the veggies pre-sliced means that if I get hungry - I can just grab those instead of making toast.

You can do the same with solid Proteins. Cook up some chicken breasts or a turkey breast and slice them up. The dip works with the chicken breast, too.

So long as you use the dip sparingly - you shouldn't get into too much trouble, this way.

Preparedness is half the battle with lap banding.

With the proteins - take very small bites and then chew them until they are properly pulverized.

Good Luck!!