taking bites every few minutes

[shantelw75 22]

Hey guys! I was banded 5/6 and this week I am able to start eating things like oatmeal and small curd cottage cheese. I am having such a hard time waiting to take another bite! I am hungry lol plus I often forget. Now, since last night I've felt like I had something stuck in my throat. What can I do to get it down? I've tried jumping up and down, coughing, hot lemonade... nothing is working. And how did u guys learn to break the bad habit? Thanks

[2muchfun 8,927]

I had no other choice. It was eat slower or get stuck more often. The pain and discomfort was enough to make me pay attention to how fast and how big I ate

You're probably swollen from eating too much, too big and too fast. Go back to liquids for 24 hours and give your esophagus and pouch a chance to heal. Until then the stoma is too small to get a lot of solid food through.

[shantelw75 22]

Idk about eating too much but I'll def agree with the other two. Too fast and too big. I think I finally got it down but I will go back to liquids for a little while. I tried some oatmeal tonight and it Took me an hr to eat one bowl. Ur right the discomfort really trains u on its own. Thanks for the advice

[B-52 7,113]

For me...the Mantra (and secret to my success) is "Listen To Your Band"

My Dr. has this poster hanging on one of the Exam room walls, printed by the Realize Co....

In other words, once your band gets properly adjusted, it will tell you when you are eating too much, too fast, when to stop, etc.

The center where I had my surgery, they had me learning and practicing these rules weeks before I even had surgery...I asked them why more than once, and they said eventually, when the band starts to work, following these rules will be the only way you can live with the band....(or you can get less fills and eat anyway you want)

After a lifetime living with the bad Rules that made me morbidly obese....the sooner I start adapting new rules for the new lifestyle to come, the better....

and this part was not easy for me, hard to break old habits....it can be a big learning curve...

U can now say, coming up on 4 years, I do not need to remind myself anymore, it is now second nature, part of the new life...and if I should wander off the straight and narrow path, the band is always there to remind and warn me, keep me in check..........

Follow and learn your Dr,'s rules, get regular check-ups and band adjustments.....and come to this forum and see/read about others experiences....good and bad...and somewhere in the middle you will learn what is true for you......

Edited May 15, 2014 by B-52

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

I downloaded an app on my phone called Eat Slower -- it's a little timer that will vibrate your phone at intervals you set. So, I can set it to vibrate every 2 minutes. I'll take a bite when it vibrates then chew, chew, chew and swallow and wait until it vibrates before taking another bite. I'm going to up the time to 3 minutes between bites.

Just an idea that might help.

[shantelw75 22]

Thanks I downloaded that app. It took me nearly 2 hours to eat yesterday. On the plus side, I got up and cleaned while eating bc it took so long and I got bored sitting! By the time I was in my satiety stage it looked as if I hadn't even touched my food but I quit eating anyway. I don't want anything else to....ever...get stuck lol

Edited May 17, 2014 by shantelw75

[Wendydarling19 310]

You are newly banded so you have yet to experience bandster hell. You might feel like this is all great right now but you are 10 days post op and still swollen. Wait until the swelling goes down and bandster hell kicks in. You won't really have that sensation of things are hard to swollow anymore until you start your fills.

[shantelw75 22]

I've been seeing the term bandster hell used alot. What exactly is it?!

[2muchfun 8,927]

I've been seeing the term bandster hell used alot. What exactly is it?!

Post surgery, most of us had no saline or very little saline injected into our bands so the opening(stoma) is wide open. The period of time between surgery and getting the right adjustment is called Bandster Hell. I think it's because we're so anxious to get our journey on it's way we feel famished all the time. Overwhelming hunger until we get the fill that gives us enough restriction/satiety to not be hungry for several hours.

Frustration, hunger, anger, disappointment are all manifested from this period. It doesn't happen to everyone, but I'd say Bandster Hell happens to most?

[Wendydarling19 310]

Exactly what 2muchfun said. Once the swelling goes away you don't have as much restriction before your fill so you feel like the band has already failed you so early on. It's extremely scary and frustrating and you wonder if you went through it all for nothing. Once you are able to get some fills and start losing though you will feel much better. What I mean by my reply is that the swelling will subside and bandster hell may take place and you will long for that taking two hours two eat lol. I know I did.

[Wendydarling19 310]

To eat**

[Healthymama2 32]

I'm in the bandster hell stage now. About a month post op, no fill at all and dr won't fill until six weeks. Once the swelling went down and my appetite came back, it really came back. I lost 23 pounds so far, right now I'm basically focusing on maintaining that until I start fills and not getting discouraged.

The good news is the weight I did lose was enough to let me wear some clothes out of my closet and feel a little better going into summer. Hoping that first fill in a couple of weeks makes a big difference.

[shantelw75 22]

I got the iband. Anyone think that will make a difference? ! By any chance

[SandyM 1,956]

I got the iband. Anyone think that will make a difference? ! By any chance

Iband is plication added. I have that and never experienced bandster hell and have heard from a few others that say the same thing. As for taking so long to eat, with Iband you also have more swelling and for longer than with band alone cuz they manipulated more of the stomach. Also if you were fortunate enough to have hiatel hernia repair, as most do, factor that in. I'd go back to liquid and give it a little more time for swelling to go down. It shouldn't take you two hours for oatmeal to go down and chances are, you might need primer Fluid removed until swelling is gone. Stay hydrated and by Monday if not better it wouldn't hurt to call surgeon and see what they think.

[shantelw75 22]

Thanks sandy. It didn't take 3 hrs for the oatmeal to go down I just set a timer on my phone to take bites every 2mins and that's how long it ended up taking to eat. I was better that day after I drank lemonade and nd have been doing better ever since. Glad to hear u did t experience bandster hell. I think I'll be ok even if I do. I've lost 18 lbs and that has been motivating me to do what I need to do. I have been wondering about energy pills though if anyone knows of they r ok to take? I forgot to ask. Nothing new to me I've been taking them for yrs but will they affect anything? As long as I drink plenty of Water and take my Vitamins? !