how full is your band and how much can you eat?

[rachelmom]

hi there. so i went back today to the dr. for my second fill after she informed me that the reason i'd be getting that stabbing pain feeling in my chest means those are foods to avoid. so basically my favorite foods are kind of problematic. if i wanted to eat cottage cheese and scrambled eggs, i wouldn't be so fat. it's the mac and cheese and pizza and french fries that have always been my favorite foes. i spoke to my husband on the way home from the dr visit and i'm like, listen, i don't ever want to go back to eating an entire pizza, but i want to be able to enjoy a slice now and then, or eat half a sandwhich now and then.... i mean. i don't want to be depriving myself of my favorite foods forever. i mean, as i told the dr. i ate two small teaspoons of kraft macaronie and cheese, (which i thought would be ok because it is kinda soft and saucey) and those two bites caused horrible pains.... so what am i saying. i guess i'm just confused because i thought the lap band would be a tool to help me manage my caloric intake? i never realized i would be eating completely different foods (although i knew i had to give up my diet coke-gasp, which i was going to have to cope with)

so now my band is filled as of today to 1.5 cc. and i'm just wondering if other people eat until they feel full/ satisfied? what is a typical intake for a meal? less than 1 cup? are any of you guys struggling with having to give up some of your favorite foods? i love eating carbs so much!?

i guess i'm just kind of down becuase everyone seems so positive, and yea, i'm loosing weight. but when your only eating bitefuls of food and excersing, that's got to happen right? i mean i wish i could say i was eating until i was satisfied but i'm not. i'm eating to avoid horrible pain in my chest--which depending on what it is i'm eating, is a very small ammount. i mean, i won't ever be able to eat a burrito again, big sigh. this is just so hard??! did any of you have any similar experiences in the beginning? does the band adjust over time, so that while i might not be able to eat a bite of sandwhich now, maybe in a few weeks i will?

gosh. this post is just a long rant, so i'm sorry. i'm just frustrated and wondering if any of you guys can relate to this place i'm at now?? if so, would LOVE to hear how your are managing??!

thanks so much!!!

rachel

[Teri]

hi there. so i went back today to the dr. for my second fill after she informed me that the reason i'd be getting that stabbing pain feeling in my chest means those are foods to avoid. so basically my favorite foods are kind of problematic. if i wanted to eat cottage cheese and scrambled eggs, i wouldn't be so fat. it's the mac and cheese and pizza and french fries that have always been my favorite foes. i spoke to my husband on the way home from the dr visit and i'm like, listen, i don't ever want to go back to eating an entire pizza, but i want to be able to enjoy a slice now and then, or eat half a sandwhich now and then.... i mean. i don't want to be depriving myself of my favorite foods forever. i mean, as i told the dr. i ate two small teaspoons of kraft macaronie and cheese, (which i thought would be ok because it is kinda soft and saucey) and those two bites caused horrible pains.... so what am i saying. i guess i'm just confused because i thought the lap band would be a tool to help me manage my caloric intake? i never realized i would be eating completely different foods (although i knew i had to give up my diet coke-gasp, which i was going to have to cope with)

so now my band is filled as of today to 1.5 cc. and i'm just wondering if other people eat until they feel full/ satisfied? what is a typical intake for a meal? less than 1 cup? are any of you guys struggling with having to give up some of your favorite foods? i love eating carbs so much!?

i guess i'm just kind of down becuase everyone seems so positive, and yea, i'm loosing weight. but when your only eating bitefuls of food and excersing, that's got to happen right? i mean i wish i could say i was eating until i was satisfied but i'm not. i'm eating to avoid horrible pain in my chest--which depending on what it is i'm eating, is a very small ammount. i mean, i won't ever be able to eat a burrito again, big sigh. this is just so hard??! did any of you have any similar experiences in the beginning? does the band adjust over time, so that while i might not be able to eat a bite of sandwhich now, maybe in a few weeks i will?

gosh. this post is just a long rant, so i'm sorry. i'm just frustrated and wondering if any of you guys can relate to this place i'm at now?? if so, would LOVE to hear how your are managing??!

thanks so much!!!

rachel

Hi Rachel,

I'm still newly banded, but have had 4 fills and an unfill, so I am a little familar. You will be able to eat foods you like again, just not a lot of them. It all depends on your fill amounts. I am way to tight right now and am trying to hold off until the fill Dr. will be in town in a week. I may not be able to hold off, because today, my band tightened again, and water is a problem. It was loosining my first 3 fills, THEN OH MY GOSH, it decides to tighten. I'm a little flustered at the moment. After you lose some weight, you will start to see yourself eating more, and be able to eat the foods you love too. Some foods though, may be off limits completely for you depending on any given day. Some days it may work, and the next day, forget it. Any way, good luck to you, and keep us posted.

Teri

[collegegirl9696]

Hi!! Okay, so first off take a breath!! lol! I just had my first fill last Monday- I had 1.6 ccs put in. I still eat most of the foods I like- but I have to really - really - really chew. The hard thing is chewing it all that time without swallowing any of it in the process! I do know that I am not able to eat much of it at all but I can eat what I like as long as I chew like crazy. last night my dinner consisted of 3 fish sticks and 2 bites of salad. not quite a MEAL - but it was stuff I like. Today i only ate dinner- which was 4 bites of chicken and 3 bites of mashed potatoes. Just take it really slow- I know it is hard- but it will let u eat what u like sweetie. best of luck. Oh and make sure not to drink afterwards because for some reason it makes me fell sick to my stomach. I know I wasnt supposed to but sometimes I feel like I need to...... DONT DO IT! take care and I hope this was helpful.

[GregNE]

I have found that I am still able to eat any food that I ate before being banded, but I do avoid many foods. Everyone is so different in how the band affects their eating. Burritos, pizza, fibrous meat--all no problem, if eaten in moderation. Chewing and chewing is the key to being able to eat many things.

It may sound a little gross, and I know others must also have experienced this, but I seem to have the ability to 'regurgitate' food that is about halfway down my esophagus. Food that accidently gets swallowed as I chew is easily and painlessly brought back up to finish chewing. I have had too many painful episodes of food getting stuck, so I seem to have picked up this Avian skill.

Mornings are still my most restricted time, when even a protein shake seems to be hard to get down. Eggs almost always cause a 20-30 minute chest pain experience. Lunch time is hit and miss, and usually I stop eating after a very small portion.

Evenings, it seems, I can eat way to much. I do limit my food intake, but my band seems very 'loose'. This is my 'will power' meal. I have starting going heavy on meat and protein dinners, as I want to limit carb intake.

But, my overall response is, in time, in some way, you will be able to eat most of your favorite foods. It is the quantity that will change.

[Chieferman]

Well I feel a lot better after reading some posts. All the literature the doc and TV gives you makes it sound so Rosy and nice like you will be able to eat exactly what you did before and just get "full" sooner. Well, what they don't tell you about is the sliming, the chest pain, the PBs and "golf ball in the throat" feeling. But I guess I am not alone in what I have experienced. I was banded 12/15/06 and down about 50lbs to date. About 20 of those I lost pre-op with low fat "starve myself" diet the doc put me on. After surgery I felt a bit of restriction for a few weeks then I could eat anything I wanted. I had my first fill 1.5 cc first of February and still could eat just about anything. 2 weeks ago I had another fill and the do only added about .30 cc and I was feeling like it would be a waste of time. But hardly. I felt restricted immediately. I could feel every bite and drink I swallowed. Aside from a couple instances of blockage (brisket and onion strings are a no-no for me) I have done pretty well and hope I don't have to get another fill. Down about 10 lbs in the last 2 weeks. Each day is different right now. Lately mornings feel more restricted and some days the smallest bite causes pain in my chest. I have never had that "full" feeling that I had pre-band and I suppose I never will. I am amazed and pleased that I do lose my appetite pretty quickly when I get my new "full" feeling which is part minor pain, part burpiness, part...your body won't let you swallow that next bite very well. But after being on every diet known to man and losing litteraly hundreds of pounds in the last 20 years I feel less like I am on a diet than ever before. I do look forward to my goad weight of 200 lbs. hopefully by next Christmas. Haven't seen that weight since....well....lets just say since Carter was in office!

Highest weight 320

surgery day weight 290

currently 262

Goal 200!

[Teri]

Well I feel a lot better after reading some posts. All the literature the doc and TV gives you makes it sound so Rosy and nice like you will be able to eat exactly what you did before and just get "full" sooner. Well, what they don't tell you about is the sliming, the chest pain, the PBs and "golf ball in the throat" feeling. But I guess I am not alone in what I have experienced. I was banded 12/15/06 and down about 50lbs to date. About 20 of those I lost pre-op with low fat "starve myself" diet the doc put me on. After surgery I felt a bit of restriction for a few weeks then I could eat anything I wanted. I had my first fill 1.5 cc first of February and still could eat just about anything. 2 weeks ago I had another fill and the do only added about .30 cc and I was feeling like it would be a waste of time. But hardly. I felt restricted immediately. I could feel every bite and drink I swallowed. Aside from a couple instances of blockage (brisket and onion strings are a no-no for me) I have done pretty well and hope I don't have to get another fill. Down about 10 lbs in the last 2 weeks. Each day is different right now. Lately mornings feel more restricted and some days the smallest bite causes pain in my chest. I have never had that "full" feeling that I had pre-band and I suppose I never will. I am amazed and pleased that I do lose my appetite pretty quickly when I get my new "full" feeling which is part minor pain, part burpiness, part...your body won't let you swallow that next bite very well. But after being on every diet known to man and losing litteraly hundreds of pounds in the last 20 years I feel less like I am on a diet than ever before. I do look forward to my goad weight of 200 lbs. hopefully by next Christmas. Haven't seen that weight since....well....lets just say since Carter was in office!

Highest weight 320

surgery day weight 290

currently 262

Goal 200!

Congratulations!!!!!! on your weight loss!! it's a great feeling to feel lighter!!!!!!!!!! I like how you put the "But after being on every diet know to man and losing literally hundreds of pounds in the last 20 years I feel less like I am on a diet then ever before" this is one of the best thing about the band!!!

Teri

[PAMMIE]

It may sound a little gross, and I know others must also have experienced this, but I seem to have the ability to 'regurgitate' food that is about halfway down my esophagus. Food that accidently gets swallowed as I chew is easily and painlessly brought back up to finish chewing. I have had too many painful episodes of food getting stuck, so I seem to have picked up this Avian skill.

GEEZ GREG, HERE I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THAT TALENT LOL =D>

[Pam P]

hi there. so i went back today to the dr. for my second fill after she informed me that the reason i'd be getting that stabbing pain feeling in my chest means those are foods to avoid. so basically my favorite foods are kind of problematic. if i wanted to eat cottage cheese and scrambled eggs, i wouldn't be so fat. it's the mac and cheese and pizza and french fries that have always been my favorite foes. i spoke to my husband on the way home from the dr visit and i'm like, listen, i don't ever want to go back to eating an entire pizza, but i want to be able to enjoy a slice now and then, or eat half a sandwhich now and then.... i mean. i don't want to be depriving myself of my favorite foods forever. i mean, as i told the dr. i ate two small teaspoons of kraft macaronie and cheese, (which i thought would be ok because it is kinda soft and saucey) and those two bites caused horrible pains.... so what am i saying. i guess i'm just confused because i thought the lap band would be a tool to help me manage my caloric intake? i never realized i would be eating completely different foods (although i knew i had to give up my diet coke-gasp, which i was going to have to cope with)

so now my band is filled as of today to 1.5 cc. and i'm just wondering if other people eat until they feel full/ satisfied? what is a typical intake for a meal? less than 1 cup? are any of you guys struggling with having to give up some of your favorite foods? i love eating carbs so much!?

i guess i'm just kind of down becuase everyone seems so positive, and yea, i'm loosing weight. but when your only eating bitefuls of food and excersing, that's got to happen right? i mean i wish i could say i was eating until i was satisfied but i'm not. i'm eating to avoid horrible pain in my chest--which depending on what it is i'm eating, is a very small ammount. i mean, i won't ever be able to eat a burrito again, big sigh. this is just so hard??! did any of you have any similar experiences in the beginning? does the band adjust over time, so that while i might not be able to eat a bite of sandwhich now, maybe in a few weeks i will?

gosh. this post is just a long rant, so i'm sorry. i'm just frustrated and wondering if any of you guys can relate to this place i'm at now?? if so, would LOVE to hear how your are managing??!

thanks so much!!!

rachel