some questions bout what to expect

[tracey1964 0]

hi im not banded yet , thinking about it and checking out all my options befor i commit , i have some questions

i love Water and drink lots of it in summer i can drink 3 cups at a time , will i still be able to or will i only be able to drink it slowly? how long would it take me to drink the 3 cups if i was banded?

i eat fast and i know i will have to slow down to eat if i get banded so how long would it take me to eat my dinner as to a person who eats at a normal speed and isent banded

how much food will i be able to eat at one sitting , im not a big eater but i would like to be able to eat a smallish normal size meal , im not in the habet of eating them , but lets say a plain hamburger could i finsh something of that size?

when you move around can you feel the band? fill port??

what happens if you get sick and need to vomit say you have a tummy bug and it has to come up can it ? would it hert?

im 45kgs over weight do you think if i got from my 103kgs back to my norm of 65 kgs will i feel like i have more energy ?

Pasta is one of my main foods i make it form scratch and just love it will i have to give this up?

so the people i need to help give me the answers to some of these questions would have to be someone who has been banded for some time and knows how i feels and i know not all people are the same so im hoping a few of you out there that have the time can give me some idea on what to expect..thanks

[Asherscrashers 43]

i have only been banded for 6 days now but i know that i can't chug a drink too fast or i feel it for sure. you will have to change your eating habits... not just cut portions down but make healthier choices. I am told Pasta doesn't go through the band too good and expands in your stomach more like bread. so if you eat that you may not be able to eat more Protein that you need at the same meal.

you have to chew everything like 25- 45 times before you swallow it so it will take a lot longer to eat then everyone else. it's also good to put your fork down in between bites so that it makes you slow down more. Also don't drink with your meals stop drinking at least 15 minutes before and 45 minutes after a meal so you don't eat as much. The liquid will push the food through and make room for more instead of a small amount satisfying you.

like i said i only had the band 6 days ago so i can't say much more then that from experience

best of luck to you!

[pamela3782 17]

Hi Tracey,

I'm glad you came to this site to get your information. You can read all you want but there's nothing like someones personal experiences. I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.....

Question 1: Once you are banded the ask you to drink AT LEAST 64 oz. of Water per day. At first the drinking will have to be fairly slow however once the stomach swelling goes down from surgery liquids will go down more easily.

Question 2: They say to make your meals last for at least 20 minutes. You will need to take smaller bites and you will need to chew your food thoroughly. Like Ash said chew each bite 25-45 times. If something is not breaking down in your mouth after that amount of time it's not the best idea to ingest a lot of it if any. Getting "stuck" is not fun. It is very uncomfortable and you want to avoid that feeling as much as possible. The reasoning behind the 20 minutes is because it takes the brain 20 minutes to realize that you are full and only the top part of the stomach can detect that. That is why the band is placed so high.

Question 3: Every stage of your banding process will be different. 4 oz. is standard at the beginning but the pouch will stretch and you will eventually be able to eat a bit more. The top portion of your stomach is a harder part to stretch so your going to feel it when it does. bread may be a problem so you may want to eat the burger without or instead of bread put it between 2 large pieces of lettuce. You are going to be asked to eat your Proteins first when you eat.

Question 4: I personally can't feel the band when I move but if I push in on my stomach I can feel the port. I can also feel it when I am laying down but I do still have swelling.

Question 5: Most people don't have an issue when getting sick but everybody is different. I know that slippage can be a result of that but its highly unlikely.

Question 6: Some people have problems with Pasta, others don't. Like I had mentioned earlier starches are harder to process and you should always put your Protein first. Granted there are going to be meals that you will have minimal Protein but you have to make that change to not do that as often.

This is just as much a mental change as a physical change. If you don't go in to this with the right mind frame I suggest you wait. You will have to make sacrifices because the band is not a quick fix. It is a tool and you REALLY have to work hard at what you do. Counting calories, burning calories through exercise, getting in your protein (usually 50 grams a day for a woman) drinking Water, planning meals, and taking control of your emotions and finding out what triggered you to get to where you are now and figuring out how to fix it so you don't go back. It is a huge lifestyle change but it can also change your life for the better. The band doesn't work for you, you work for it.

Good luck with your decision

~Pam

hi im not banded yet , thinking about it and checking out all my options befor i commit , i have some questions

i love water and drink lots of it in summer i can drink 3 cups at a time , will i still be able to or will i only be able to drink it slowly? how long would it take me to drink the 3 cups if i was banded?

i eat fast and i know i will have to slow down to eat if i get banded so how long would it take me to eat my dinner as to a person who eats at a normal speed and isent banded

how much food will i be able to eat at one sitting , im not a big eater but i would like to be able to eat a smallish normal size meal , im not in the habet of eating them , but lets say a plain hamburger could i finsh something of that size?

when you move around can you feel the band? fill port??

what happens if you get sick and need to vomit say you have a tummy bug and it has to come up can it ? would it hert?

im 45kgs over weight do you think if i got from my 103kgs back to my norm of 65 kgs will i feel like i have more energy ?

Pasta is one of my main foods i make it form scratch and just love it will i have to give this up?

so the people i need to help give me the answers to some of these questions would have to be someone who has been banded for some time and knows how i feels and i know not all people are the same so im hoping a few of you out there that have the time can give me some idea on what to expect..thanks

[HeatherinCA 10]

hi im not banded yet , thinking about it and checking out all my options befor i commit , i have some questions

i love Water and drink lots of it in summer i can drink 3 cups at a time , will i still be able to or will i only be able to drink it slowly? how long would it take me to drink the 3 cups if i was banded?

i eat fast and i know i will have to slow down to eat if i get banded so how long would it take me to eat my dinner as to a person who eats at a normal speed and isent banded

how much food will i be able to eat at one sitting , im not a big eater but i would like to be able to eat a smallish normal size meal , im not in the habet of eating them , but lets say a plain hamburger could i finsh something of that size?

when you move around can you feel the band? fill port??

what happens if you get sick and need to vomit say you have a tummy bug and it has to come up can it ? would it hert?

im 45kgs over weight do you think if i got from my 103kgs back to my norm of 65 kgs will i feel like i have more energy ?

Pasta is one of my main foods i make it form scratch and just love it will i have to give this up?

so the people i need to help give me the answers to some of these questions would have to be someone who has been banded for some time and knows how i feels and i know not all people are the same so im hoping a few of you out there that have the time can give me some idea on what to expect..thanks

You can drink as much as you want. It goes right through... you may not WANT 3 cups at a time though. But yea you need to drink 64oz a day, so drink away

I spend about 10-15 minutes on dinner. It depends on your tightness and how your band reacts... But you need to eat smaller bites.. it's more about tricking your brain into being satisfied with the small amount of food. Also for some people if you eat too fat it gets stuck and you puke it right back up.

I can feel my port if I touch it.. but doesn't really feel like anything inside me.

You can vomit, I don't see why it'd hurt anymore than usual.. Unless it's during the first few days when you are healing.

OF course you get more energy when you lose weight

I can eat Pasta, some people can't.. but it's not great for you, and it has a lot of calories, and you can't eat very much it, so I usually just don't have it... or whole wheat that has Protein in it is a better option.

[tracey1964 0]

i have only been banded for 6 days now but i know that i can't chug a drink too fast or i feel it for sure. you will have to change your eating habits... not just cut portions down but make healthier choices. I am told Pasta doesn't go through the band too good and expands in your stomach more like bread. so if you eat that you may not be able to eat more Protein that you need at the same meal.

you have to chew everything like 25- 45 times before you swallow it so it will take a lot longer to eat then everyone else. it's also good to put your fork down in between bites so that it makes you slow down more. Also don't drink with your meals stop drinking at least 15 minutes before and 45 minutes after a meal so you don't eat as much. The liquid will push the food through and make room for more instead of a small amount satisfying you.

like i said i only had the band 6 days ago so i can't say much more then that from experience

best of luck to you!

thanks for that yes im looking to hear from somone who has had it for about a year or so ..good luck and thank you!

[tracey1964 0]

thanks for that pam and good luck ,,,tracey

Hi Tracey,

I'm glad you came to this site to get your information. You can read all you want but there's nothing like someones personal experiences. I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.....

Question 1: Once you are banded the ask you to drink AT LEAST 64 oz. of Water per day. At first the drinking will have to be fairly slow however once the stomach swelling goes down from surgery liquids will go down more easily.

Question 2: They say to make your meals last for at least 20 minutes. You will need to take smaller bites and you will need to chew your food thoroughly. Like Ash said chew each bite 25-45 times. If something is not breaking down in your mouth after that amount of time it's not the best idea to ingest a lot of it if any. Getting "stuck" is not fun. It is very uncomfortable and you want to avoid that feeling as much as possible. The reasoning behind the 20 minutes is because it takes the brain 20 minutes to realize that you are full and only the top part of the stomach can detect that. That is why the band is placed so high.

Question 3: Every stage of your banding process will be different. 4 oz. is standard at the beginning but the pouch will stretch and you will eventually be able to eat a bit more. The top portion of your stomach is a harder part to stretch so your going to feel it when it does. bread may be a problem so you may want to eat the burger without or instead of bread put it between 2 large pieces of lettuce. You are going to be asked to eat your Proteins first when you eat.

Question 4: I personally can't feel the band when I move but if I push in on my stomach I can feel the port. I can also feel it when I am laying down but I do still have swelling.

Question 5: Most people don't have an issue when getting sick but everybody is different. I know that slippage can be a result of that but its highly unlikely.

Question 6: Some people have problems with Pasta, others don't. Like I had mentioned earlier starches are harder to process and you should always put your Protein first. Granted there are going to be meals that you will have minimal Protein but you have to make that change to not do that as often.

This is just as much a mental change as a physical change. If you don't go in to this with the right mind frame I suggest you wait. You will have to make sacrifices because the band is not a quick fix. It is a tool and you REALLY have to work hard at what you do. Counting calories, burning calories through exercise, getting in your protein (usually 50 grams a day for a woman) drinking Water, planning meals, and taking control of your emotions and finding out what triggered you to get to where you are now and figuring out how to fix it so you don't go back. It is a huge lifestyle change but it can also change your life for the better. The band doesn't work for you, you work for it.

Good luck with your decision

~Pam

[tracey1964 0]

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HELP ME OUT AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR WEIGHT LOSS..TRACEY

You can drink as much as you want. It goes right through... you may not WANT 3 cups at a time though. But yea you need to drink 64oz a day, so drink away

I spend about 10-15 minutes on dinner. It depends on your tightness and how your band reacts... But you need to eat smaller bites.. it's more about tricking your brain into being satisfied with the small amount of food. Also for some people if you eat too fat it gets stuck and you puke it right back up.

I can feel my port if I touch it.. but doesn't really feel like anything inside me.

You can vomit, I don't see why it'd hurt anymore than usual.. Unless it's during the first few days when you are healing.

OF course you get more energy when you lose weight

I can eat Pasta, some people can't.. but it's not great for you, and it has a lot of calories, and you can't eat very much it, so I usually just don't have it... or whole wheat that has Protein in it is a better option.

[vickyd 24]

I haven't been banded for a year, but I have been banded for 5 months so I think I can answer your questions:

1. At first, I couldn't drink as fast as I used to but now I drink the same way I did before being banded. I was never a person who took big gulps of Water so if that is the way you drink you may have some issues...

2. It normally takes me 15-20 minutes to eat dinner. Ever since I was able to eat solids I have always weighed and measured my food (4 oz Protein, 1/2 cup veggies) and when it is gone I stop eating. If I am eating out, I ask for a To Go Box when my food is served and then estimate my portions. Anything over my normal portions are immediately boxed up so I can't pick at them. This has worked for me.

3. As I said before, I eat 4 oz Protein and 1/2 cup veggies at each meal (except Breakfast where I normally have egg beaters with cheese and turkey sausage). I think this is a very normal sized meal. I haven't tried to eat a hamburger with the bun but I can easily eat a hamburger patty with a side of veggies.

4. I haven't been sick yet since being banded so I can't tell you about that sort of throwing up. I have PBd once (totally my fault for eating too fast and not chewing well enough) and that was more sort of coughing and having the food come up...it didn't hurt at all.

5. As you lose weight, you will definately have more energy. I used to live an extremely sedentary life and now I am always doing something.

Good luck to you!

6. Personally, there are no foods that my band doesn't tolerate (including pasta). That said, I have chosen to not eat bread, Pasta, rice and potatoes because I find that I lose better if I don't eat them. Before surgery, I was obsessed with Pasta (and, like you, made my own) but I really don't miss it at all. There are a lot of people on here whose bands don't tolerate bread and pasta at all...the only way you can know for sure is to try it.

[NJGirl32 43]

Hi Tracey,

I'm glad you came to this site to get your information. You can read all you want but there's nothing like someones personal experiences. I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.....

Question 1: Once you are banded the ask you to drink AT LEAST 64 oz. of Water per day. At first the drinking will have to be fairly slow however once the stomach swelling goes down from surgery liquids will go down more easily.

Question 2: They say to make your meals last for at least 20 minutes. You will need to take smaller bites and you will need to chew your food thoroughly. Like Ash said chew each bite 25-45 times. If something is not breaking down in your mouth after that amount of time it's not the best idea to ingest a lot of it if any. Getting "stuck" is not fun. It is very uncomfortable and you want to avoid that feeling as much as possible. The reasoning behind the 20 minutes is because it takes the brain 20 minutes to realize that you are full and only the top part of the stomach can detect that. That is why the band is placed so high.

Question 3: Every stage of your banding process will be different. 4 oz. is standard at the beginning but the pouch will stretch and you will eventually be able to eat a bit more. The top portion of your stomach is a harder part to stretch so your going to feel it when it does. bread may be a problem so you may want to eat the burger without or instead of bread put it between 2 large pieces of lettuce. You are going to be asked to eat your Proteins first when you eat.

Question 4: I personally can't feel the band when I move but if I push in on my stomach I can feel the port. I can also feel it when I am laying down but I do still have swelling.

Question 5: Most people don't have an issue when getting sick but everybody is different. I know that slippage can be a result of that but its highly unlikely.

Question 6: Some people have problems with Pasta, others don't. Like I had mentioned earlier starches are harder to process and you should always put your Protein first. Granted there are going to be meals that you will have minimal Protein but you have to make that change to not do that as often.

This is just as much a mental change as a physical change. If you don't go in to this with the right mind frame I suggest you wait. You will have to make sacrifices because the band is not a quick fix. It is a tool and you REALLY have to work hard at what you do. Counting calories, burning calories through exercise, getting in your protein (usually 50 grams a day for a woman) drinking Water, planning meals, and taking control of your emotions and finding out what triggered you to get to where you are now and figuring out how to fix it so you don't go back. It is a huge lifestyle change but it can also change your life for the better. The band doesn't work for you, you work for it.

Good luck with your decision

~Pam

Great reply! I learned a lot-thanks for taking the time to give us all that useful info!