I was banded 3/9/09 and something that has surprised me is how different some things are than what I expected. I researched a lot, I read this board for months and months, and I feel that I know my body pretty well. It surprises me now how everything everyone on the boards are saying - make so much more sense. For example, I know everyone says this is a tool - but I thought I understood what that meant! But some thing still are surprising or different than what I expected. What about you? What have you learned that surprised you?

1. I'm surprised still at how much control I have over what I eat but at the same time how much control this band has over me. I thought the weight loss would be easier - but I still have to choose NOT to eat. Choose and plan healthy choices, Choose to get up off my butt and EXERCISE! I'm also still surprised at how the band chooses to be tight at times when I really don't want it to be! I'm realizing now that it is at PRECISELY those moments - that I need to be eating less - and it was in those moments in the past that I overate - and is what made me fat!

2. I'm surprised at how it feels when I have trouble eating or getting something stuck. I never could really undersand that. Its like a lump in your throat and its a real hard and sharp pain in your throat that involves your neck not just your stomach. I never really realized that in all the posts I read about what that felt like.

I'm really interested in hearing what you all have to say!:tt2:

i am surprised that when i eat too fast, i feel restriction at the base of my neck.

i am also surprised that when something feels stuck in my throat, i start 'sliming'

I am surprised, that I get stuck at all. I thought, from research that if you get stuck you ate too fast or didn't chew well enough.

Well, it turns out that dry meat is not going down no matter how much you chew. And even though I chew 30 times and take pea size bites, I can still get stuck in the morning, but later that day, I might have no restriction at all.

I'm surprised at how MUCH the restriction level changes, daily, hourly, and sometimes by the minute. It is very frustrating.

I just had an unfill, to try and make it a little less of a problem, but you know then it takes more will power. It is definitely easier then dieting without the band, but it is definitely harder then I expected.

I'm with you Steve on restriction level changing by the minute.

I can be fine all day and then bam! I find myself getting stuck or I can be very tight and not able to eat anything and then I'm fine. My band is very temperamental and everyday I have figure out what kind of mood it's in.

I'm also surprised at how much I miss food. I dream about food all the time but I don't indulge because my band has put so much fear in me. Am I going to be able to eat something ok or am I going to get stuck and possibly end up puking. I'm very deliberate about my food choices.

So true!! Just today - I was trying to eat tunafish mixed with light olive oil mayo. The tiniest bite and I felt horrible when it got stuck. Yesterday, one tiny bite of a tortilla chip - I pulverized it and ate with a sip of water. That was horrible too!

Then later that day - I can eat and nothing gets stuck.

I'm surprised - just as you both said - at how tempermental it all is. It almost makes me a little desperate for food when I know I'm able to eat. I find myself wanting to eat more than I need b/c I worry the very next time it will get stuck.

I'm also finding - the very first meal of the day - no matter what time of day it is - and no matter what it is - tends to get stuck. Or if I happen to go a long time without eating - the first bite of anything seems to get stuck.

I'm having major issues with my first meal of the day....I start of with tea and I wait but no matter what I still get stuck. It's weird because come evening time I'll be able to eat whatever I want.

I am so surprised that none of this has happened to me at all. I can pretty much eat anything and I have never gotten stuck...

I have had one fill of 3.5cc's and I'm going back for my 2nd fill this week but I haven't had the restriction I hoped for, or thought it would be.

I did alot of reading for at least 6 months prior to my surgery and I thought I would have more problems than I'm having...is there something wrong with me?

I am so surprised that none of this has happened to me at all. I can pretty much eat anything and I have never gotten stuck...

I have had one fill of 3.5cc's and I'm going back for my 2nd fill this week but I haven't had the restriction I hoped for, or thought it would be.

I did alot of reading for at least 6 months prior to my surgery and I thought I would have more problems than I'm having...is there something wrong with me?

Gabi,

Just wait until you get your fill and have more restriction. I didn't get my restriction until I was filled to 6cc's. Holy Moly!

Just give it some time and you'll be making posts like ours lol.