I feel like 8.5 cc's is just REALLY tight compared to other people. Some people find their sweet spot at as low as 4ccs! I have been choking in the middle of the night ever since my previous fill to 8cc's. I thought maybe that was the sweet spot, but I was able to eat an entire meatball sub from subway. What gives? I got my .5 cc fill to 8.5 on Tuesday and it has been a nightmare ever since. I wake up choking on my spit in the middle of the night...

I WOULD go in for an "unfill" - but that's really stupid that I can eat a full sandwich at 8cc's. When I went in for my fill, my doc put the needle in and said that my band was so full it pushed out some saline into the syringe.

Seriously...what's going on?

I WOULD go in for an "unfill" - but that's really stupid that I can eat a full sandwich at 8cc's. When I went in for my fill, my doc put the needle in and said that my band was so full it pushed out some saline into the syringe.

Seriously...what's going on?

How long did it take you to eat that sandwich? If it took you more than 30 minutes, I'd (my .02 only) classify that as 'grazing' and the band won't stop us from doing that. If you could tuck it all in during the 20-30 minute meal time without feeling any sense of fullness, I'd call and talk to your doc and ask him why you have no problem with eating food, but you're having difficulty swallowing your own saliva. It may have nothing to do with your band being 'too tight'.

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It is amazing that you could finish a whole sandwich like that and be so tight. I agree with Elfiepoo and wonder how long it took you to eat it. Also, I find that I stay full for a really long time so for instance, sometimes in the afternoon for my first meal of the day, I can eat a little more and then for dinner, I can hardly eat a thing because I am still digesting and full. Also, did you drink any liquids while you ate the sandwich? That could be a reason you were able to eat it all. I am sure you know that you are not supposed to drink liquids at the same time you eat a meal but if you did, it might explain the ability to eat like that. I am at 6.2cc's in my 10cc band and I am very, very restricted most of the time. Of course, there are those times when I feel like I could eat the moon and I have to have restraint but for the most part my band stops me.

but I was able to eat an entire meatball sub from subway

This worries me a little. It is impossible to see the emotion behind what was written but to me it almost sounds as though you were challenging yourself to eat it, that it was some sort of test.

We need to be very careful and understnd the difference between what we can do and what we should do.

For instance it is possible that I could eat a whole tub of icecream(I haven't tried). The band won't stop me from doing that. But it's not something I should do so I don't.

Remember the band is only a tool . Do not rely on it to stop you eating the wrong things or even too much. Eat the amount that you have been told to eat by your Dr. You may or may not feel full. What you should feel is no longer hungry - a sensation we need to learn to recognise and you shouldn't get hungry again for approx 4 hrs. This is how the band works.

If you are depending on the band to stop you eating too much you will probably be dissappointed. You will end up being so tight that you can only eat high calorie slider foods and you will end up with the associated problems of a tight band such as heartburn.

The key is to work with the band not to expect it to do all the work.

I think it sounds as though you are too tight and that you should go for a small unfill. Good luck

Do not rely on it to stop you eating the wrong things or even too much. Eat the amount that you have been told to eat by your Dr. You may or may not feel full. What you should feel is no longer hungry - a sensation we need to learn to recognise and you shouldn't get hungry again for approx 4 hrs. This is how the band works.

If you are depending on the band to stop you eating too much you will probably be dissappointed.

Umm...I think that's exactly what the band was designed to do...keep us from eating too much. That's exactly how it worked for me when I had restriction (due to still being a bit swollen) after surgery. I was able to eat solid foods 2 weeks after surgery, but the band kept me from overdoing it. I pretty much had to bypass bread completely. Even now, with no restriction but 3 cc's in my band, french bread is a no-no.

When I had restriction, I would stop after a small meal because of the fullness/sense of pressure caused by the band. It really has nothing to do with hunger for me because I've never had a hungry day in my life. It's more of quantity control. Something needs to remind me to stop or there will be *immediate* consequences to pay.

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But it doesn't.

If I want chocolate I can eat it. If I want cake I can eat it.If I want dessert I can eat it. The band won't stop me.

A lot of what the band does is more subtle than people realise. A very big part is that it helps you feel satisfied on less food and not get hungry as quickly. You still have to learn how satisfied feels as it is a lot different from full. You need to learn to stop eating when satisfied and not carry on until you are full as chances are if you do that you will actually overdo it.

If I want chocolate I can eat it. If I want cake I can eat it.If I want dessert I can eat it. The band won't stop me.

Of course not...but it will stop you from eating half the cake.

Yes, you can eat chocolate cake and anything else you want *but* if the band is doing its job, you won't be able to eat those things in excess. The band will stop you...either because you will end up in serious discomfort or pain because you've eatent too much and have to stop or because you will learn the signs for 'full' and stop prior to that point because you know what will happen if you don't.

As one poster said in another thread...now she eats just one piece of pizza instead of half a pizza.

April, you may have to measure your meals, and use your personal willpower to stop eating. By the time I finish my small meal, I'm no longer hungry and that happens fairly quickly (so it's not as if I'm depriving myself physically), but I'm also far from stuffed. If your doctor hasn't given you a set amount to eat, I would suggest you ask, since it sounds like you're body's reaction is similar to mine, in that you can overeat before you get those soft (or hard) signals to stop. If you continue to overeat, in all likelihood, you'll end up with a stretched pouch and a band slip.

If, after eating the size meals you should be eating, you still have reflux, you need a slight unfill. Reflux is VERY unhealthy and can lead to serious health problems. After I eat a 1/2 cup solid meal, I have satiety for 4+ hours. Just because you can eat large meals, doesn't mean you should or that your band is not too tight.

I haven't tested my band to that extent, but I'm pretty sure that I could eat a six inch sub with only very small stop signals or possibly minor discomfort, but only at the point of overeating. Now, if April is talking about a 12 inch sub, all bets are off. I imagine I'd be hacking up my left lung if I ate that much.

I have fantastic restriction (~11 cc in 9 cc band), and 1/2 cup meals keep me satisfied for several hours. My body doesn't give those clear stop signals when I stop at 1/2 cup. I stop because I'm very conscientious about the possibility stretching of my pouch, and because that's my doctor's rule.

Two weeks ago, my husband and I "split" an 8 inch meatball sub. I ate three inches of it, and he ate the rest. I had no clear physical signal to stop. I'm over a year out from surgery, and don't have clear stops *unless* I overeat, which I rarely do. If I relied on a runny nose, hiccup, etc, I'd be routinely eating too much for my personal requirements. If I stopped at the first sensation of fullness, I'd be undereating and soon hungry again.

One thing that's a proven with the band...our bodies are unique and it's important to understand and work with the band in a way that best suits our individual needs.

Yes I just got banded Oct 14th and am learning now to eat when satisfied. I do find myself sometimes over eating and yes it doesn't feel good either. I just ate lunch and ate til I wasn't hungry anymore and feeling satisfied. I guess im so used to over eating from before surgery it takes time to learn to just eat til your hunger goes away.