Hello all!

My History: I was banded Oct 29, 2008. I have lost 22 pounds. I feel like this isn't enough and am getting ashamed to be seen by the people that know I have been banded.

I have had 2 fills which brings me to 5 cc in my Realize band. I started exercising vigoriously 2 weeks ago at 1 hour a day x3 days - which is quite a turn around from what I had been doing...mostly sitting all day. In this 2 weeks I have only lost 4 pounds....which bums me out...but nevertheless...I am going to keep on doing it because I feel a difference even with the 4 pounds. My last fill was not quite a week ago - I am finding more foods are harder to tolerate - so I do feel a difference with the feel. I hurt when I don't chew well enough, etc.

My questions are:

1. I have never PBd or slimed. When I am stuck....I hurt....it feels like a spasm. My instinct is to stand up for some reason...and arch my back - dunno why...but it seems to semi-relieve it. here is the ? - How do I know when I am full if I don't PB or slime. Is there something that happens when you shouldn't take another bite? Am I getting it all wrong - There are times when I should push back the plate...but I don't....I want something to happen, whether it be PB or slime, when I SHOULD NOT take another bite. What are your symptoms of fullness? Will I ever slime or PB?

2. I asked my doc this...his response was trust the process - I have never gotten a straight answer - tell me your thoughts: If you chew and take small bites so as not to get stuck - food goes through the pouch right? Well...how do you get that full feeling any quicker than the non-banded person if no food is staying in the pouch - because if food stayed in the pouch...you would be stuck right? Does this make any sense?

Anyway, I am trying to work with my band nowadays and the scale did move 4 pounds. I admit I was someone who expected it to be easy - now I am trying to do my part and exercise....but I don't see how this is any different than dieting....I don't see it any easier either When I reach the "sweet spot" I read about - what will it feel like? I already can't hardly eat a bananna w/o it hurting! Will I ever only be able to eat half a sandwhich? What happens that tells you to stop at a half?

I really hope someone answers this question soon too. I was banded on 11/19/08 and have only lost 25 pounds. Maybe I was expecting too much too soon. I have only had one fill at 2cc in a 9 cc band. I am watching what I eat and I do exercise daily. So I know how you are feeling!!

Trust me you DO NOT want to PB or slime! It is not fun at all, and something that you especially don't want to do everytime you eat.

I know that I am full when it feels like food is in my throat. I am on the brink of too full. When I feel almost like I have heartburn I have to stop NOW! or it will get stuck and I'll be pbing and sliming and possibly throwing up. If the hiccups start it is definately too late. You will know the difference eventually.

Eventhough you chew your food so that it will go through the stoma to the bottom of the stomach, it takes a while to do that. It isn't liquid so it will slowly pass through, that's how you keep the full feeling longer with the band. The trouble starts when food isn't chewed enough and it blocks the stoma, preventing anything, even liquid, from going through. That's when you pb, slime and throw up.

You will get the hang of it. I was banded on Oct. 7th, had 2 fills, for a total of 4cc's. I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which tightens my band on especially bad days so I have to be very careful with my food. I take a bite, chew, then wait a while to see if it will sit ok or not.

Anyway, I am trying to work with my band nowadays and the scale did move 4 pounds. I admit I was someone who expected it to be easy - now I am trying to do my part and exercise....but I don't see how this is any different than dieting....I don't see it any easier either When I reach the "sweet spot" I read about - what will it feel like? I already can't hardly eat a bananna w/o it hurting! Will I ever only be able to eat half a sandwhich? What happens that tells you to stop at a half?

Let your band work for you...............................

You should not be calling this a diet because isn't this where we have always failed? This is a new way of life for us and we HAVE TO relearn how to eat, take our time in eating, do not drink while you are eating, don't wait until you get sick before you stop eating.........you could be starting to become Bulemic and have another disorder.

In my experience I have never been specifically told by my doctor what to eat. I was always told though by everyone that you do not have to change what you are eating but you will have no choice but to limit the amount that you eat. Over 3 years ago I chose to change my menu and it has worked for me. I was in control of my band and I made the changes necessary to change my life. I have yet to use my band as others have had to but I do know that it is there if I still need it. It could be that I never needed the band but my PAST HISTORY tells me different. I just found a new respect for food and its purpose and exercise as well.

You have got to try to do this sensibly and with the upmost care and respect for your band. You don't want to throw up and whatever other negativity that you have as you will sabotage your new way of life and quite possibly harm the band. How badly do you want to change your life, live your life. The band isn't a quick fix for some, for most. You need to help guide it along. You have to begin with changing yourself and your thinking.

If you need some pointers then email me. I would always love to help someone in need but only as long as they are truthful to themselves and open for suggestions.

Josephine

1. What are your symptoms of fullness? Will I ever slime or PB?

Measuring my food is key for me to stop eating. I measure 1/2 cup. At 5cc's in your band, if you can eat more than 1 cup of food, and you're getting hungry fairly soon after eating, you probably need a fill. I'm at 8.5cc's now, and getting to that point, I usually felt restriction for the first two weeks, and then it tapered off, and I would get a fill. I've never had a PB, thankfully, and I had one experience with slime, and I don't want to go there again, ever.

If I've eaten too quickly or taken too big of a bite, I start to get a pain in my chest. I've also recently found out, that my nose starts to run, and I hiccup. However, I don't want to eat so much that I get far. For me, those things happen when I'm starting to get a little stuck.

2. If you chew and take small bites so as not to get stuck - food goes through the pouch right? Well...how do you get that full feeling any quicker than the non-banded person if no food is staying in the pouch - because if food stayed in the pouch...you would be stuck right? Does this make any sense?

My doctor has told me to NOT chew my food until it's liquid, but to stop when it's well chewed (I think he said paste like - yuck, I know). That had made sense to me, and I haven't been one to chew my food to death. It's important to chew your food enough that it doesn't cause a stuck episode, but not so much that it looses it's consistency. You're right, you do want it to stick around in the pouch area for awhile.

3. When I reach the "sweet spot" I read about - what will it feel like? I already can't hardly eat a banana w/o it hurting! Will I ever only be able to eat half a sandwhich? What happens that tells you to stop at a half?

You'll know you have good restriction when you feel satisfied with 1/2 cup (volume) of food and you're satisfied (no physical hunger for 3 to 4 hours). The pouch is big enough to hold 4 oz of food, so that's what you want to eat. Some people rely on feeling full alone, and don't measure, but my doctor says to measure, and that's what is working for me. Now if you're working with head hunger, and I'm sure all of are from time to time, that's a different animal, but when I'm feeling satisfied from my meal, the head hunger is almost extinguished. Sometimes, it takes a little time for you head to register that your stomach is full. By measuring, you're taking away the old habit of overeating, because once the food is gone, you're done. If your band fill is at the right level, you should feel satisfied for 3 - 4 hours.

Hello. I too was banded in October and have only lost 20lbs. I felt a little discouraged until Friday. I had a fill of 1.5cc's and I can definately tell! I feel confident about this fill. This puts me at a total of 6cc's. I have already lost 4lbs!!! Just keep your head up. Losing is losing and some of us lose slower that others. I have decided that there is nothing wrong with that and I don't need to compare my self to others who are banded. I would rather lose than gain!

I too felt normal...like I didn't have a band until this last fill. Then I went to eat and ate too fast. I threw up for the first time. :w00t: Well, now I know to slow down and chew my food.

My NP told me that I should really start feeling and seeing a difference on my 2nd or 3rd fill. I am on my 2nd fill and IM FEELING IT!

Good luck and chin up!

You mentioned that you started exercising a few weeks ago. It may be that you hadn't been prior to that, and that may have slowed your loss. The band helps to control portion size, but exercise is a big part of the picture. You don't have to kill yourself at the gym. You can take a walk. I mostly walk (a park near home has a 2 mile nature trail, and I carry peanuts to feed the squirrels). How fast I walk depends on how many squirrels I run into. I do twice around most of the time, and occasionally a third time (or even a fourth if it is a beautifal day and I don't have to be somewhere). I stop to feed the squirrels or pet dogs I see sometimes. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes. As an alternative until daylight savings comes back, I do Curves with an occasional Water aerobics class. I try to do something every day, but occasionally I need to run errands so I take a day off.

I have a hard time recognizing satisfaction, but I do know when I am full, similar to another post. I feel the food in my throat, or I start to get tight in my chest. I have gotten the hiccups (which don't necessarily lead to sliming) and that is my signal that more is not good. Sliming occurs when something is stuck in the opening. For some reason your body reacts by producing an impressive amount of saliva, which has no place to go but up and out. I had it happen in a restaurant. I thought I could get away with mozzarella sticks and a salad, but the cheese got stuck (and I eat cheese--usually fat free--all the time). I excused myself and went to the restroom and tried to discreetly expel the slime. I was gone long enough that my friends asked me if I was okay. I just said the cheese disagreed with me. You really don't want to eat routinely to the point of sliming; I would think that could cause your band to shift over time. Sliming usually happens by accident. I have read a lot of people get hiccups if they are pushing the limit. I do too. I use the tight feeling in my chest as a guide when to stop. If I feel tight, I stop.

Edited January 26, 200917 yr by PATCHELTON

Hi -

Does the WV in WVGal30 refer to West (by God) Virginia? If so, where do you live and who did your surgery?

Was banded 12/16 had 3cc from surgery ina 10cc Allergan band , had been hungary hungary for 2weeks till I had my 1st fill Fri. 2more cc's so 5cc in 10cc band. What a difference Ive been back on mainly liquids all weekend, just had a 4oz container of cottage cheese, I couldnt finish it all.I feel full when it feels like the food is sort of stuck at the bottom of my throat. Also I drink 3 , 20oz bottles of water a day 1 in am, 1 in pm and 1 in evening, then a little more.

So far down 16lbs since surgery

I know how you feel. I was banded 9-30-08 and have been stuck at 30 pounds for several weeks. It just won't budge!