Hi everyone. This is my first time visiting this site. It appears to be a great resource. Since my surgery, I've been able to eat pretty much anything I want, just alot less of everything. I have lost 35 pounds since my surgery on April 20, even without a fill. I feel very blessed. I have stalled in the last month, so I got my first fill yesterday. I am extremely nervous! I keep hearing about getting "stuck". I am wandering when I will know that there is a problem? Will I know as soon as I attempt to swallow something that it is not working, or will I seem to be eating just fine and then have pain and/or vomitting later? If so, how much later? At what point can I relax and know that what I have eaten has worked out okay? I really appreciate any feedback you all can provide. Thanks!

I think I posted this in the wrong place before. Oops!:drool:

You'll know. You'll feel pressure, maybe pain, you'll realize you don't really "want" to swallow anything else. Although it isn't a feeling we usually experience before the band, your body will cue you in. No...you won't eat fine and then have pain later.

What MAY happen is you'll be eating and enjoying it and get a cue to QUIT and ignore it...and then have pain much later, but at least for me, that has only happened once or twice when I totally disregard that cue to stop now.

Some people get the hiccups, some begin to burp, some just "know" it's time to stop. You'll go from hungry to NOT hungry and you'll learn to recognize that. You won't (or shouldn't) feel "full" like Thanksgiving dinner full, once you have good restriction, but you will realize you aren't needing more food.

MOST stuck episodes are caused by operator error. You don't chew well enough, you take bites that are too big (my normal bite now is about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of my old bit. Substantially larger than the "pencil eraser" size I read on here, but smaller than preband) or you eat too fast. This happens to most of us when we either are really hungry and forget the band rules, or are dining with someone else and get involved in conversation and forget the band rules.

Don't worry; you'll recognize it, it will probably happen at least a few times (there are probably some who NEVER experience it but it's common, and has a learning curve) and you'll learn from it. But it won't sneak up on you. LIsten to your body, pay attention to the "rules" and you'll be fine!

Some people get the hiccups, some begin to burp, some just "know" it's time to stop. You'll go from hungry to NOT hungry and you'll learn to recognize that. You won't (or shouldn't) !

Is that why I've got hiccups a couple of times? I wondered. Sometimes I think I can feel things going down. I may burp once in awhile. These are signs I need to slow down?

Losing4life, often hiccups is a full signal. A lot of people experience that when it is time to put the fork down and walk away from the food. You might try stopping as soon as you hiccup and see if you are full at that point.

Is that why I've got hiccups a couple of times? I wondered. Sometimes I think I can feel things going down. I may burp once in awhile. These are signs I need to slow down?

it sure means that for me. Hiccups=stop! :drool:

And the burping means I need to stop for a bit, assess, and then if I keep eating, proceed with caution.

It's hard to learn all these "new" cues, but one cause of hiccups even in unbanded people is eating too much and/or too fast...

We're configured differently internally so most of us burp more, but especially now that I'm so far out, if I burp while I'm eating it is a sign of DANGER DANGER! Anytime I've disregarded a burp and plowed on without checking my chewing etc, I've regretted it.

If my experience is any indication, you'll feel it if you get stuck. I had my first (and I pray only) "stuck" yesterday, and it hurt like heck! Since I'm only 6 weeks into this journey, I know that I will make mistakes. Yesterday's was probably a combination of eating something that I should have (likely sausage) and eating it too quickly (a working lunch and I was talking while eating). Today I have stayed on liquids and mushies just to make sure that all is well. I certainly don't ever want to feel that pain just below my breast bone again.

You've already gotten some good advice here--keep asking the questions and reading for answers.