By that title I suppose you can assume that I'm breaking a few.

Remember, I have no fill yet....

1st, I eat more than a 1/2 cup food at a time. Will this hurt me right now eventhough it feels like the food goes right down?

2nd, I don't always remember to chew stuff to shreds and I accidently swallow it. Will this hurt me in the long run? I don't do it every time....it's just I catch myself in my old habits!

A question I never have found the answer to is....

When I get to my goal, can I then drink Water w/ meals if I want to or is there something about drinking w/ meals that will harm the band?

Thanks guys :nervous

Drinking with meals only empties your pouch quicker , the liquids wash it through faster, so if your pouch is emptying quicker, you will be hungry again quicker and will eat again probably sooner then you need too.

Once you get your fills, the first time you forget to chew your food to shreds you will know it in a big time way and will never do it again, it is very painful, thats where the dreaded PB comes into play with a bite too big, now is the time to practice this rule and get accustomed to it in a big time way because the tighter you get with more fills the more and more you need to focus on small bites and chewing, one thing that works great for me to take smaller bites is to use a very small fork ( crab fork)

I have 1.5 cc's on my band and am plenty tight and I eat more then 1/2 cup of food, the thing for me is now how much I eat but what I eat that matters to me, I do not eat for more then 20 minutes at meal time

Mercedes,

I was banded on 8/9/05 and I too find myself eating way more than 1/2 cup. Without a fill, everything goes straight down....no problem what-so-ever! Since I don't have a fill yet, I do drink a little with my meals, but I try to limit the amount. I have probably broken every band rule there is but I try and do better each and every day. I'm eating soft foods but NOWHERE near the amount that I could eat before banding. So maybe I do indeed have some restriction. I have managed to lose 21lbs, but I know that I will face some challenging times when I am allowed all foods!

Good Luck,

Ray

280/259/180

While I know that I should be following every rule I was given, there's not a rule out there I haven't broken atleast once lol.

There have been occassions, where in a social situation, I've drank with my meal (or directly after my meal). There have been occassions where I've had liquid calories (I'm a big fan of fruit smoothies for Breakfast with a bit of Protein Powder added for good measure). There have been times when I haven't chewed properly .. and let me tell ya, it bit me on the arse for sure.

I was eating about 1 cup of food at a sitting before my first few fills. Now I'm lucky to get half a cup down on a normal day. I'm fine with that. Like La_Madam said though, once you've hit restriction, you'll chew better. It's all a learning process.

Will any of those broken rules hurt the band?

I obeyed every rule for the first 3 weeks....

Will any of those broken rules hurt the band?

I obeyed every rule for the first 3 weeks....[/quote

Your answer is no. They will not physically hurt the band at this time. That is drinking while eating or not chewing to tiny teeney pieces ect. **BUT** You need to follow them from here on out. What can hurt the band is a PB or any form of a PB. This can dislodge or move the band from its stitched position & cause slippage or even worse. You would than most likely need another operation. Typically if your stomach isn't swollen at this stage & there is no fill PBs are not likely to happen. BUT they may & all precautions should be taken to not have them happen.

As far as hurting the band, its tubing & port = well this really wouldn't be able to be done with food & water-more likely with a needle or PB or acid in the stomach. Even in the latter two - the band would be fine - it would just be either slipped or have the stomach erode over it. But as far as the band its silicone & very non-distructable.

**** I was told a min. of 2 months for the band to really be secure & healed into place --PLUS -- even then to becareful of pb's****

With that being said- Back on track for you :0) Follow the rules - they are there for good reasons;0)

After the stuff I have been through the last 7 weeks I would really have to say dont get stuck in the soft food syndrome. Eating things that are easier instead of your proteins first etc. i actually had myself convinced at 8.9mls that I had no restriction. After getting back on track and getting away from the soft stuff and back on proteins I find I do have very good restriction if I work with the band. You have to work with the band for it to work, unfortunately it isnt a magic cure. I thought I would have surgery and the weight would fall off so easy..uh uh. Its been a struggle, but I am getting there.

I think the top rule to not be broken is Chew to Goo. Pain is a harsh mistress.

Avoid at all costs drinking with, or just after meals. Again, pain is a harsh mistress. (that and you don't want to wash the food out of your pouch.)

Avoid the soft food, liquid calories. They don't fill your pouch.

I have been following the rules of Protein first etc. and I am doing fairly well w/ remembering to chew chew chew....

I don't drink w/ meals even though I want to.

I have never BP'd or barfed.

The rules I'm finding very hard to keep are the portion sizes and calories.

Instead of 1/2 c. per meal, I'm eating 1 c. breakfast, usually 85 cal. yogurt (as I do feel very tight then)

Then another 1/2 c to 1 c for a mid morning snack.

By lunch time I have been eating about 1 1/2 c.

of food and same for dinner usually. Not mushie food, real food, like fish, steak, veggies etc.

So I'm eating 4 times a day and usually the middle of the day I'm thinking I'm filling my stomach too full....But I don't feel full unless I eat that much.

It's lessn than what I could eat or used to eat, but the guilt still gets me bad.

I'm obsessive and don't exhibit self control, what can I say??? If I had self control, I'd not have a weight problem. Right?

i have been told the number one rule to never break is EXERCISE EVERYDAY!!! I have broken it myself and was pleasantly reminded by my personal trainer that she could tell that i havent been exercising.

I found an atricle about eating after surgery i will try to share it with you here:

After surgery, you will find that you need to make changes in your eating patterns, not only to prevent pain and vomiting, but also to produce the desired weightloss. Perhaps even more important is the development of appropriate eating habits to prevent band slippage and obstruction of the stoma( the opening for food leaving the upper stomach).

EAT SLOWLY AND CHEW FOODS UNTIL THEY REACH A MUSHY CONSISTENCY. Swallowing food in chunks may block the opening and prevent the passage of food. the following are some hints to help you eat more slowly.

1.Set aside 30-45 minutes to eat each meal.

2. Actually count the number of times you chew each bite. Aim for 30.

3. Make an EAT SLOWLY sign and place on the table infront of you .

4. Explain to family members why you must eat slowly so they will not urge you to eat faster.

5. Take small bites of food. You may want to try eating with a baby spoon.

6. Pay attention to taste. Learn to savor each bite, noticing its flavor, texture, and consistency.

7. Chew well. Ground or very soft food may be necessary if you have dentures.

Stop eating as soon as you are full. Besides causing you to vomit, extra food over a period of time may stretch your stomach. Indications of fullness may be:

1. A feeling of pressure or fullness in the center of your abdomen just below the rib cage.

2. Feelings of nausea.

3. Pain in your shoulder area or upper chest.

If you start vomiting, and it continues throughout the day, stop eating solid foods and just sip clear liquids(gelain, clear juice, broth, and tea). The vomiting may indicate that your outlet is blocked. If intermittent vomiting comtinues for more than 24 hours, contact your doctor. Most vomiting episodes can be prevented. The causes of vomiting are:

1. Eating too fast and not chewing food properly.

2. Eating too much at a meal.

3. Drinking liquids right after eating.

4. Lying down after a meal.

5. Eating foods that don't agree with you.

A half cup per meal really isn't reasonable for the most part. Alot of us restricted bandsters can eat more than that per meal. You should probably aim for 1200 to 1500 calories per day, and break that down into your meals.

Don't drink with meals.

This is the easiest trap to fall into and will sabotage your weight loss like nothing else! I got stuck doing this and didn't stop for like 6 months. It was hard to break the habit but when I did I started losing weight again.

Hi Faux,

I know that while I'm trying to lose it would do me wrong, but once I am at my goal weight I could every now and then, right?

I guess I really was concerned that somehow it is actually physically bad for my stomach and the band to ever do it again.

I think I understand that it isn't going to do anything bad except wash the food through too quickly. If that is the only reason that I shouldn't, then it should be fine to do it now and then when I reach goal weight. If I gain a little then I stop doing it until I'm back in place.

This is what I have gathered so far. If I'm wrong correct me somebody : )

Oh, one more thing.

Drinking may once again be fine to do w/ meals at goal weight, but I know that drinking pop is strictly prohibited forever. Haven't missed that a bit.

The only problem with drinking that could actually damage the band is that it can sometimes lead to PBs. If it just pushes the food through, I think you are probably not doing damage to the band, just to the number on the scale.

Hi Faux,

I know that while I'm trying to lose it would do me wrong, but once I am at my goal weight I could every now and then, right?

I guess I really was concerned that somehow it is actually physically bad for my stomach and the band to ever do it again.

I think I understand that it isn't going to do anything bad except wash the food through too quickly. If that is the only reason that I shouldn't, then it should be fine to do it now and then when I reach goal weight. If I gain a little then I stop doing it until I'm back in place.

This is what I have gathered so far. If I'm wrong correct me somebody : )

My top rule is no carbonation. Call me crazy, but I just don't want to chance it. Don't miss it at all either. Which is REALLY surprising to me.