I just dont get it, how the hell does it work

[fatbutnot4eva]

Hi
Ok I know I should be used to this darn thing by now but NO.
Ok I had my band 10th January have had three fills (one at time of op)
so I have 8.5ml in it (dont know size of band they didnt know when I asked)
I eat quite large meals still.
I can eat chicken fillet jacket pot and salad easy as 1 2 3.
I cant really eat bread or toast (but then some days I can)
I will eat something and staight away it is stuck and I have to bring it back up as even a drink wont get it down.
now why is it that I eat and the second it has gone down it tries to get through my bad to my bottom stomach, should it not be sitting above the band for a few hours (thsi is why i am starving all the time)
so is my band too full or not full enough or am I doing it all wrong.
I have lost 9lb in 2 weeks so not bad going but that is because I have been dieting for 2 weeks.

I eat healthy i.e salad brown bread (when I can eat it) I just dont understand why my food seems to go straight through the band.

Sorry to moan but this is really getting to me and I am just so upset.

Helen
x

 

[Neen]

It's a pain for you Helen and I'm sorry you feel like it's not going well for you. I think we do have to still do a lot of the effort with a band, and it doesn't help that one day you can eat more normally than the next.
I know if you are stressing it will probably get tighter (mine does)
It would be good to get the team to look at the band capacity you have, I have about 8mils in mine and it will hold 10...I had half a mil defilled and I can eat everything ! WEIRD!!!
Before I could hardly tolerate anything and no way could I even think about anything like potatoes /rice etc.

Keep eating your lean meat/protein first...maybe a little tuna salad with no dressing (tuna is filling) and maybe leave the starchy stuff til last so it can't swell or block you.
I think go even drier and crunchier on your foods? It's hard to know exactly what to suggest given the problems you are having.
Make sure that you eat without sauces etc and just nibble really slowly. As each meal seems to be a contradiction for you at the moment.
Maybe try to write down honestly what you are having and show it to your dietician / surgery team...they may have suggestions for you.
It could be you notice a particular food that always gets stuck or maybe the texture of what you have at another time might be softer and there fore go right down.
More doughy white breads I'm guessing would get stuck but maybe something like a ryevita / wholegrain stuff would not clump together and make you sick, yet stay put for a bit?
Have you tried scrambled egg / omlettes? They might stick around for a bit if you can eat them without being sick.
The fact that you've lost 9 lbs hopefully will be making you feel better, if you were eating too little you would go into starvation mode, losing weight means you must be getting enough down most of the time.
I feel for you because it's a daily pain in the neck to not know wether food is going to stay put in the pouch. Part of life with a band to a degree but I would try and make notes of what you eat and what happens for a few days and show it to an expert. xxxx

 

[cazbandy]

Hi
Ok I know I should be used to this darn thing by now but NO.
First of all, you are still relatively early days, not even being 6 months post op. I am 18 months post op and I still have times where I get tripped up by it. So stop being so hard on yourself and try to relax. Getting worked up over it will make the band feel tighter

Ok I had my band 10th January have had three fills (one at time of op)
so I have 8.5ml in it (dont know size of band they didnt know when I asked)
You may well have a 14ml band, so it might take a few more fills to get to the right restriction for you. Your provider should know what size band you have, so next time you are there or speak to them ask to know, it is your right to know what is inside you.

I eat quite large meals still.
When you say large - how large?

I can eat chicken fillet jacket pot and salad easy as 1 2 3.
I can eat a whole chicken breast fillet, possibly half a potato and salad too, so this sounds about NORMAL to me and it's good healthy choices, so no problems there

I cant really eat bread or toast (but then some days I can)
I was advised against eating pasta, rice and bread, so the fact you can't might be for the best anyway, as these foods can swell after you eat and put pressure on the pouch.

I will eat something and staight away it is stuck and I have to bring it back up as even a drink wont get it down.
Food getting stuck is a sign that you are either taking too big a mouthful or eating too fast. A meal should take about 20 minutes to eat, so the brain has a chance to catch up and trigger the full chemicals to say you are full. You should try not to drink at same time as this will make foods slide thru quicker. Once you get used to eating smaller mouthfuls and I mean mouthfuls about the size of hazlenut, and chew chew chewing, you will find quantity tends to reduce as you will find you get fuller quicker.

now why is it that I eat and the second it has gone down it tries to get through my bad to my bottom stomach, should it not be sitting above the band for a few hours (thsi is why i am starving all the time)
so is my band too full or not full enough or am I doing it all wrong.
Food does not sit above the band like you describe, think of it as slowly moving through a funnel. If you drink too close to eating you will flush the food through. Dense foods help stave off the hunger to a degree but a lot of it is still our head hunger taking over. To me it sounds like you need another fill too.

I have lost 9lb in 2 weeks so not bad going but that is because I have been dieting for 2 weeks.
This is bloody marvellous amount so stop worrying about things so much...I am lucky if I lose a pound!

I eat healthy i.e salad brown bread (when I can eat it) I just dont understand why my food seems to go straight through the band.
I think it's time to have a bit more fill and to eat slower and less at a time and you will be fine...just stop beating yourself up over this OK!

Sorry to moan but this is really getting to me and I am just so upset.

Helen
x

hope this helps

 

[Mandie]

Hi
what you describe is me to a T , my band was fitted Feb so far i have had 1 fill 8.5ml in a 14ml band,i have another booked for end of May, i am still able to eat large meals ,(i mean a whole lasagne & salad),it started well after the fill but as the wks have gone by the restriction has lessened. I am aware that i need to eat much slower and chew more but old habbits die hard ! sometimes things get stuck and have to come back up , but it is usually down to how fast i have eaten , anyway i just wanted to show you your not alone with this , maybe another fill would do us both good , but i think we still have a lot to learn. Good luck .x

 

[BandyEmm]

This is also me down to a T too, i feel your pain and frustration xx

 

[phatmomma]

This band business sounds like real hard work. I take my hat off to all of you who have embraced it and are working hard at it....

I don't normally wish people to lose pounds but i sure hope the lbs keep going for you guys xx

 

[archiesmum]

Ditto Cazbandy. I can't stress enough that I was told that it would be unlikely that I would be able to eat bread, pasta or rice. I haven't had bread for 10 months and I can only eat rice and pasta when I am due for a fill. Your weight loss is great. Did you get a bunch of stuff about diet after your op? Is it helpful? Do you see a dietician? Do they help? For me the dietician really only told me what I already knew from the literature that I was given by the bariatric team so I don't see her now but I did find the literature helpful - when I remember to read it!! Pasta, rice, scrambled egg, chicken, beef etc all make me sick (the first two give me pain too). Some of that has to do with me not doing the chew chew chew thing - I can't be bothered sometimes - and then I hurl.............. Or I eat too quickly - and it has the same effect - it's a real steep learing curve but I would say that the majority of times I'm ok and stick to the unofficial rules. Boring and not easy but worthwhile in the end.

 

[LBD]

I am having similar problems to you. I worry that I seem to be being sick quite a lot still. I had my op on 7th Feb and have had two fills. I have lost 32lb which I am pleased with. I knew it would be a slow process.

What I find difficult is that some days I can eat anything and other days one mouthful of something and I am in pain and eventually am sick - this can sometimes go on for an hour or so until it sorts itself out.

I don't eat bread, rice or pasta - haven't even tried them to be honest. I can eat potatoes and they really fill me up. Some meats are difficult but chicken is fine and so is salmon and tuna.

I find breakfast quite tricky and I am often sick whatever I eat.

It is most definitely a learning process. Some days I think I have it all sussed and then something trips me up and I feel useless all over again.

I feel your pain but we need to stick with it and remember the rules!!

 

[archiesmum]

I understand what you mean about one day you can have something and the next you can't. I'm the same. I normally have a ready made slimfast shake for breakfast - I have tried other things but I end up being sick. Hey Ho - onwards and downwards I hope!!

 

[Neen]

Hope you're OK now Helen, I must be the odd one out band wise..nearly two years out and still 100 lbs to lose..I would disregard anything I say! Perhaps I should just keep quiet till I get to goal instead of chipping in eh
I think just don't give up and don't struggle on alone if you want reassurance from your surgery team. You are entitled to all their know how and assistance and they are there to help you succeed. I would keep checking in with them as they know you and your individual body etc.
Hugs x

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Hi Helen sorry i missed this thread, Cazbandy has pretty much covered what i was going to say anyway, its all trial and error and it takes some time to learn to live with a band as its a matter of re learning how and what to eat, good luck and you know where i am if you want a chat x

 

[thinkbethin]

Helen I can't add any more than what Caz has said to you. I'm nearly a year post op and I'm still learning so don't worry. This is why I love this forum because there's always some one with knowledge to help us through. Good luck and well done on the weight loss xxx