I have a question that I do not think is a repeat but if it is somewhere on this board I apoligize.

I understand how the band is placed but I do not understand how food can go into the pouch and lay over the stoma but can get stuck at times. I am not getting full so I assume my stoma is open too much. However, I do get food stuck often. Two to Four times a week at least. I have never gotten full yet. I am a little over 4 months out, 3 fills so far, 7.5 cc's in a larger band that I have yet to find out the size.

Also, does the food stay in the small pouch until the stomach turns it into a liquid then proceeds to the larger stomach?

I am so sorry if this has been answered.

It is sorta confusing isn't it!

This is my understanding---we are encouraged to chew our food to mush so that it can pass through the stoma slowly---when we fail to chew well enough, then we get things stuck. Other times you can chew, and it is just the nature of the food to ball up, as in breads or foods with a high gluten content---they dough back up as they break down---so can turn into a giant ball of dough, which is difficult to pass through.

If we chew our small bites to a slurry texture, then it is heavy enough to move slowly, and allow our pouches to feel full---and yet it is able to move through---without becoming stuck.

When you chew it properly, and drink too soon, it simply liquifies everything and allows it to move through to quickly to feel full.

I don't know if you have ever used a cake decorating bag or not, but I kind of see it the same way. The frosting is soft, and easily moves out of the bag, but it must be squeezed, it does not just flow through if it is the right consitency. But when you squeeze it down to the tip, it goes through. When we put food into our stomachs--or the pouch, it automatically begins digesting---kneading and moving the food around to break it down for digestion---much like we would squeeze the bag of icing. Now if we toss something in the frosting, that does not easily fit through the tip---it stops up everything. They tapered shape does not allow it to roll back up out of the way, it is simply stuck, until it either breaks down, or is removed---or in the case of our stomachs, it is stuck until is either breaks down, or is PB'd.

Sorry for the lack of technical explanation---this is just the best way I can visualize what I want to do with my band, and the food going into it.

You are almost half way -- good job!!!

Kat

Wow. What a great analogy!

You also need to consider what you are trying to feel as "full". Likely you will never have that "thanksgiving stuffed" full feeling again. The only way I get any feeling that relates to that is when I drink too much iced tea, heh.

The signal you are looking for is more akin to "not hungry anymore". You don't need to be "full" to be "not hungry".

Kat,

I absolutely LOVE your analolgy. That is the best way that I have heard the band explained in plain english ever. I am going to use that to explain it to my family from now on. I use all the technical terms and they just get confused and walk away. Cake icing they will understand, since I am a cake decorator, wannabe. :cursing:

Thanks

patti

Good post.

I don't think so. There aren't enough gastric juices to breakdown the food enough to turn it into liquid.

I'm sure it softens the edges, makes it more viable so it can pass.

Love the responses!

Kat, I use a cookie press when I make my deviled eggs. I mix up the yolks and whatever I'm using for the filling, and put it into the cookie press, and it makes filling the eggs up much easier. That being said, if my mixture is lumpy, it gets stuck in there, and I usually have to end up digging it out. I never made that connection with my band before! That makes perfect sense!

Thank you!

Yeah, since being banded, my decorating bag---gets used to pipe in the deviled egg mixture much more often than it does for icing a cake!!

Some people simply rolled their eyes at the analogy before, I am really glad someone understood what I was saying---I feel validated!!! Just kidding!!! :cursing:

I am the type of person if I can wrap my mind around what I want to do, and what might be happening to me, I can deal with it better, and this keeps me chewing things well!!

Still I have to relate EVERYTHING to food????

Kat

LOL, we may never be able to stop with the food analogies!

Kat, Thank you so much. I too love your analogy. I finally understand and for the first time know why I should not drink with meals. I think it also told me I definitly need a fill. I think my food is going through the stoma. I do not chew any differently than before and can eat two hot dogs with the bun and chips. I wish I could see inside my stomach. I have been afraid of having another fill. I have had 3 but I have read some fearful things about not being able to swallow spit, not being able to sleep, horrible feeling in the chest and I guess it scared me so I have been trying to do this without another fill. Thanks Kat again!!

Kat, I'm with everyone else--your analogy rocks!!!

In fact, I think it should be put in all the reading material about the band--people really can relate to the icing bag more than a "stoma"...

Thanks for the creativity, girl! :smile2:

Kat is apparent that your wisdom and success have helped all of us to better understand our bands operation.....I agree with the consensus that you should have that somewhere new bandsters can read!!

Thanks for the great visual Lady you are always an inspiration to me!!

Wow, Kat, that is the best, yet easiest to understand explanation I have ever heard. YOU ROCK!! :biggrin:

Wow girls-----I am feelin' the love!!! j/k! I am glad it made sense to someone besides me!!

Kat

We bow to your wisdom oh KatWoman! When I read your analogy it was an AHA moment for sure!

It is a perfect analogy and a great visual to boot.

Triny