Hi everybody...I have a couple questions for those of you that have had the surgery. I am possibly going to have a surgery date of October 6th. Gulp.

Anyway...I have started practicing a few things :-).

One of them is chewing my food up a whole bunch. What I've found is that when my food gets parcially chewed, my crazy tongue moves it to the back of my throat all by itself and I can't get it back to chew more. Has anyone else had this happen? I can chew gum fine, so I know my tongue can do it, but I think I need to retrain it. What the heck is that all about?

Also, how do you get in enough Water by just taking little sips? Can you use a straw? I drink about 50-60 oz. a day now, but I drink it in some pretty big gulps. What do we need to do, strap a bottle onto the hip with a super long straw?

Funny the kinds of things concern me late at night :-).

Any help or stories would be great.

You guys are the best...

Megan

Megan, great minds think alike! I asked these exact two questions on SmartBandsters months and months ago. Well, not exactly with the crazy tongue, but I was having a real problem figuring out how people chew more than a few times before swallowing something. I still don't know; I haven't reached a point where swallowing a bigger bite causes me any problems. But I can see where it will when I have restriction--and I'm positive that will provide all the motivation needed to change my behavior. Negative reinforcement is a powerful thing!!

As for Water, I've been told that it's really not necessary to take tiny sips. You will figure out how much you can swallow at a time, and it may be gulps, even. I've been drinking in a sort of modified chug--swallow, breathe, swallow, breathe, swallow, breathe, put bottle down. I can take in easily 8-10 ozs at a time this way.

Of course, that may change too when I have restriction, but even then I don't think tiny sips will be necessary. Straws can be problematic for some people, anyway; sometimes they can increase the amount of air swallowed which can be uncomfortable for bandsters.

Hey Megan,

I would like to answer these questions.

Regarding the swallowing and tongue issue. If you cut your food up really really small when you eat and only take small portions of everything before you put it in your mouth, you will never have trouble or worry if you accidently swallow before you are finished masticating. You will never have a problem, because you have not created one by putting too much in your mouth in the first place.

The Water issue: I drink water just like I used to. I dont guzzle and I try not to suck in to much air through my nose when I swallow. If I drink to fast, nothing really happens other than I can sometimes hear gurgling noises at the band site as the water goes through to the lower stomach pouch. I trust this answers some of your questions.

Babs in TX

334/285/180

6/23/03

i am like alexandra in that i can get away with swallowing some things now that i wont be able to later... i have been trying to chew chew chew but i know when i am properly restricted i WILL HAVE TO CHEW CHEW CHEW!!

i have had the food wondering to the back of throat thing... its like it just autmatically heads down even though my mouth isnt ready!

with the Water right now i have no problems semi chugging sometimes when i take a mouthfull of water i can feel that i shouldnt swallow just yet and will hold in my mouth till i know its safe!!

Thanks for the responses. I thought maybe my tongue was going to give me trouble, but I think the idea of only taking tiny bites will reduce that.

I'm glad to hear we can still drink Water at a decent pace. It sounds kind of cool to be able to hear the water go through your band...sounds like a good party trick :-). Boy, am I going to be popular with that.

:-)

Thanks again!

Megan

Megan,

You are hysterical. I sometimes keep myself entertained in the day with all the gurgly noises that eminate from my stomach. I will say that one of the problems I have encountered being banded is that I have a lot of air coming out the back end. I know.... tooo much information!!! Most bandsters I know get a lot of gas which I understand comes from swallowing lots of air. So you have it coming out of both ends!!!! See if your doctor tells you this much information!!!!!

Babs inTX

I have been concerned about the same issues. It seems that when I concentrate on chewing really well, I do fine, but with the slightest distraction, I swollow too soon. I also think that I have been used to swallowing my food almost whole!! Perhaps that is why I am in this situation...hmmm...

I was told that I should not use a straw ever after surgery, due to too much air going in.

As for fun party tricks, you could entertain everyone in the room if you had a microphone and held it up to your band site...I know I am looking forward to trying that!!

Sheryl