Hello everyone, I just got banded about six weeks ago and am able to eat solid foods. This has been a real chanllenge because I am finding myself eating more then a cup of food. Before when I was on mushies, I would get full soon after a few bites. Now that I can have food with consistancy, it seems that I can have a whole plate. The problem that I am also having is that I am eating and not feeling full, then all of a sudden I have this horrible pain on the left side of my stomach. I am not sure if my pouch has stretched but at the rate I am going, I can see this as a sure thing. My doctor does not want to give me a fill yet because I have been having discomfort. But I am afraid that I have ruined my pouch by not knowing when to stop eating. Has anyone gone thorugh this or am I just not doing what I am supposed to be doing .

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Well, you sound as if you need to eat more slowly to allow your body to send warning signals before you get pain. Chew chew chew and all that. Really make an effort to slow down.

Serve yourself less to start with and just allow yourself what's on your plate - really, its probably very soon before you have your first fill and that will make it easier. YOu have to mentally dig in at this stage and really find some willpower, but you dont have to rely on that forever.

As to overeating and the cup of food thing, well there are really no hard and fast rules on that one. If you're not getting pain, pbing and stupendous fullness, then you're not overstuffing your pouch, your body will tell you when you do this. The half cup to a cup thing never applies to some people, if you're unrestricted you can eat more than that and some people still lose on the larger amounts of food, so try to listen to your body and not some externally enforced "rule".

I've had that pain you speak of...I had Pasta (even though i shouldnt have because im only 4 weeks in) jachut is right i ate to much at once and didnt chew chew chew... I thought it was maybe blockage or that my stomach was working overtime to process the food and caused a little pain cause the band is there....but it scared me so i take it easy...the next couple of days i just did liquid to make sure i was good

TAKE IT EASY!! WHEN U EAT SOMETHING JUST EAT TO KNOW U HAVE SOMETHING...THEN WHEN U GET HUNGRY AGAIN "SIP SIP SIP"

Well, you sound as if you need to eat more slowly to allow your body to send warning signals before you get pain. Chew chew chew and all that. Really make an effort to slow down.

Serve yourself less to start with and just allow yourself what's on your plate - really, its probably very soon before you have your first fill and that will make it easier. YOu have to mentally dig in at this stage and really find some willpower, but you dont have to rely on that forever.

As to overeating and the cup of food thing, well there are really no hard and fast rules on that one. If you're not getting pain, pbing and stupendous fullness, then you're not overstuffing your pouch, your body will tell you when you do this. The half cup to a cup thing never applies to some people, if you're unrestricted you can eat more than that and some people still lose on the larger amounts of food, so try to listen to your body and not some externally enforced "rule".

Jacqui, have I told you lately that I LOVE you?????? I thank you soooooo much for your no-nonsense approach to all of this.

thank you everyone for your great advice and support. It feels nice to know that I am not alone, and I will get through this one of many hurdles.

Joanna:)

I am really afraid of stretching my pouch. What are the long term affects if it is stretched. Is there away to shrink it again?

I am really afraid of stretching my pouch. What are the long term affects if it is stretched. Is there away to shrink it again?

Most common treatment for a dilated banded pouch is a complete unfill and full liquids for 2-3 weeks.

With a dilated pouch you just won't lose weight well and you end up eating more and more food. Eventually you could also end up with a dilated esophagus. Best cure is to avoid doing it to begin with. Only way to diagnose it is under fluoro.