Too Tight? What do you think?

Jazlady · February 18, 2008

I am banded 10 months and am 11 lbs. from goal. I've only lost about 1 lb. a month for the last few months because my eatting is out of control. I still feel like I eat a lot because I can eat pretty much anything, bread and all, gulp liquids etc. The only problem I have is that I have trouble with meats, so I don't eat much of them. I tend to eat mushies, fried foods and sweets. My nurse said she thinks I need an unfill. That eatting mushies is not the way to live with the band. It should be Protein first (I know that) and it should stay on top of the band for awhile. She said that since I can eat a lot of mushie type foods, it's slipping too fast thru the band. I'm scared to get an unfill. I think I'll gain weight because of my food choices. I'm at 3.5. I know I need to get my choices in order. What do you think?

VegasGrace · February 18, 2008

Wow. Thanks for sharing.

The band is just a tool...use it correctly you will lose weight. Don't use it correctly and it's a waste of money.

You didn't mention gaining weight.... so I don't think an unfill, even slight, is in order. Wait until you reach goal to do that.

If you start to gain weight, get another fill.

good luck

realmccoy · February 18, 2008

I just had a fill last week-my third and coming up on 9 months since my band. I was due for a fill a while ago because I could eat larger amounts that ever! Still couldn't eat bread and meats but large amounts of other stuff. I waited for a fill because we were going on a 3 week cruise and I wanted a little freedom. I still lost weight too.

Anyway-when I went for my fill the doctor told me that I shouldn't be hungry and shouldn't be able to eat more than 1/2 cup of anything........so he gave me 1/2cc fill and told me to come back in 3 weeks for another 1/2 cc fill. As of today (6 days since fill)I can only eat a couple of bites of mushy food-after that hurts too much. Call the doctor and the nurse told me mushy foods were fine as long as I loose weight and I don't need an un-fill.

I do find I eat a lot more mushy food since the band. Hard food seems to hurt no matter how much I chew it. I guess it's going to be mushy foods for me from here on out. I just had 4 bites of Chunky chicken Noodle Soup......and I'm done. Seems too full for me, but they won't give me an un fill either.

Make a long story short.........my doc says mushy foods are a fine way of life as long as you get your protein!

Frustrated · February 18, 2008

II tend to eat mushies, fried foods and sweets.

I think this is what's at the heart of your problem. The fried foods and sweets especially. Mushies can mean mashed vegetables, cottage cheese, yoghurts, which in and of themselves aren't bad.

It's not about making easy choices, it's about making good choices. For me, potato chips and Cookies go down really easily, and when I'm hungry and know that putting a piece of bread in my mouth will have me bent over a toilet bowl for half an hour, the "easy" choice would be potato chips or Cookies. The "right" choice would be fruit, vegetables or fish.

You need to get your focus back again onto what is good for you. If you need that fried feeling, go for something like microwave bacon and cook it a little longer to get it crispy. If you want something sweet, try different combos of fruit and make a smoothy. Make sure you're hungry first and don't just want to eat. We can confuse thirst with hunger. Have some Water and if you're still hungry 20 minutes later, reach for a snack.< /p>

Allow yourself a treat once in a while. If I stuck with health foods 24/7 it'd drive me insane. So I'll allow myself a treat once or twice a week. Sometimes it's just a sliver of chocolate cake. I only NEED a sliver. I'd love to have more, absolutely, but it's not about eating what I want until I can't have any more, it's about allowing myself to treat me every once in a while for doing a good job. And not all my treats are food related. Sometimes I'll take a night off in the kitchen and tell hubby and son to figure themselves out because I've earned a rest. I'll spend an extra 30 minutes in the tub with bubbles, candles and a trashy novel. If you've earned your treat, you don't feel guilty and it's far more satisfying and enjoyable.

But I disagree with your nurse about needing an unfill. If you're able to get larger amounts of food down, no matter what it is, the last thing you need is to make more room for that food. And you know what? It's also okay to disagree with your medical team once in a while. Their opinions are based on experience and knowledge of what works in most situations. But the key word there is 'most'. What works for most doesn't always work for ME. And you need to figure out what the "me" solution is.

Jazlady · February 18, 2008

Thanks. I'm going to try to work on my head and then I'll decide about an unfill. You're right. We know our own bodies.

REDGIRL · February 18, 2008

I am scheduled for a fill today, but i went earlier this morning and got sinus medcine that is making me feel a little qizzy. I don't know when the Dr. will be able to see me again for my fill, should i suck it up and go or should i rescedule my appt? Dr saud I have bad sinus infection!:wub:

Frustrated · February 18, 2008

I am scheduled for a fill today, but i went earlier this morning and got sinus medcine that is making me feel a little qizzy. I don't know when the Dr. will be able to see me again for my fill, should i suck it up and go or should i rescedule my appt? Dr saud I have bad sinus infection!:wub:

I'd call my fill doctor and see what they say. Let them know you're worried you won't be able to get in soon enough for a fill and see if they can squeeze you in at a later point. There may be someone on their list who may want to swap and take your appt today instead of their own later in the week or next.

Kat817 · February 18, 2008

Hi Jeanie---

When you say you cannot eat meat without pain, are you seriously chewing it properly---in small enough bites to get it to the consistency it needs to be? The food in our bands has to be of the proper consistency or it will not pass or will not pass without pain. Once we chew the food to the right paste there should not be a problem with every kind of meat out there, or every type of Protein.

Breads often cause problems as they break down due to the glutens in the bread---that is common. Chewing well does not seem to affect the bread issue.

It does with meat. Some meats seem too dry to properly chew---to a pasty texture...and will cause pain. But not all meat should.

My suggestion is to take very small bites, chew it very, very well. Then wait! Don't take another bite for a minute or 2---that is actually a lot longer when you are eating than it sounds! Then try another bite. Quit after half a dozen bites, and see how you feel.

Then when you find some sort of Protein you can eat without issue---make yourself a deal---no sweets or no fried foods, until the protein is in. Then the veggies---and no sweets until the protein and veggies are in. Train your body to accept the new food, and then trick yourself into eating it in a healthier manner.

The more sweets, fried foods, carbs in general you eat, the more you want----so limiting the amounts, and eventually eliminating the vast majority is the best thing you can do, not just for weight loss but for overall health. I do not totally eliminate them from my diet, that is too hard core for me!!! But I eat so much less of them than pre band it is unbelievable!!! And the more I eat them----the more I want them~~so it causes an evil cycle. It is due to the raising of the blood sugars.

It is not easy to get back on track---but boy the band makes it so much easier to jump back on plan that without it!!!!

The easiest way for me to do it has been to pick a date, clear the house of off limits for now foods, and stock up on options for healthy eating, and tell everyone on here, so I have lots of support--and GO FOR IT!!! I know you can do it!

It does not sound like an unfill situation to me, it sounds like you need to revisit the bandster eating rules----and work them!

On another thread, I used an example of a cake decorating bag---with it being your stomach. When you chew your food to the proper consistency, it should be like the frosting in the decorating bag. It will simply sit there---not automatically flow through----which it will if it is too much liquid or you drink with your meal. But it should not stay there indefinitely....it should squeeze out just like the frosting as your stomach begins digesting, and kneading and squeezing the food out, just as we would squeeze the bag of icing. If you try to eat the meat, and do not chew it to the proper point, then when it gets to the stoma to pass through, it is too big, and blocks everything up--same as if you dropped something into the decorating bag----you either have to wait it out, and see if you can digest it enough to pass---or PB it-----either way it has to get out of the way of the opening. If you can keep a visual of how well you want to chew your food it will help.

I would do some work with my band before I began the unfill/refill process.

Kat

happy2be · February 18, 2008

this was a really great post thanks to all for sharing..I was wondering about the mushies and the unfills..I'm pretty tight since my first fill about a month ago. I can get down mashed potatoes, Soups and veggies but no meat or bread at all and I've been wondering about an unfill but afraid that I would go back to overeating..I think I'll continue on :-)

Thanks to all for sharing this really helped me out

Happy

Jazlady · February 19, 2008

Thanks everyone. I'm so glad I have a place to come to with all of this. Thanks for helping me get on track. And no, I don't chew meat well enough. I will definetly focus on this this week.