To fill or not to fill...

[KimK813 2]

I have an appointment scheduled for next Wednesday and I am not sure if I should get a fill or not. I currently have 10cc in a 14cc band and some restriction. Depending on what it is, I can eat up to 2C of food, but bread, rice, and Pasta are big No-No's (they so get stuck!) I am losing between 1.5-2lbs a week, so I know I am on track, yet I still get hungry every 3-4 hours, but sometimes I cannot tell head hunger from real hunger. I finally buckled and have an appointment with a counselor, but it is after my surgeon appointment. ARGGGHHH! Advice, suggestions, experiences? HELP!!

Good luck, everyone!

[bandwhisperer 1]

I have an appointment scheduled for next Wednesday and I am not sure if I should get a fill or not. I currently have 10cc in a 14cc band and some restriction. Depending on what it is, I can eat up to 2C of food, but bread, rice, and Pasta are big No-No's (they so get stuck!) I am losing between 1.5-2lbs a week, so I know I am on track, yet I still get hungry every 3-4 hours, but sometimes I cannot tell head hunger from real hunger. I finally buckled and have an appointment with a counselor, but it is after my surgeon appointment. ARGGGHHH! Advice, suggestions, experiences? HELP!!

Good luck, everyone!

The 4 questions to ask yourself if you are wondering if you need a fill are:

1. Are our portions at a cup or less, more can dilate your pouch and esophagus.

2. Are you STARVING between meals?

3. If you are not careful, will foods get stuck?

4. Did you lose weight?

If 1,3 and 4 are answered yes and 2 is no, DON'T GET A FILL!

Sounds to me you don't need a fill but need to work on Portion Control. Have a small snack between meals and have your provider do a barium swallow to make sure you are not dilating your pouch and esophagus.

[Rachel412 116]

Honestly, I think you're OK where you are. I agree that you need to work on Portion Control, and learning to tell head hunger and real hunger apart. If an appropriately sized meal keep you full for 4 hours (and "appropriate" is whatever your doctor told you to eat) then you're in a good spot. If you're already having problems with certain foods, I'd think a fill would just make that problem worse.

[KimK813 2]

Thanks for the advice. I was always told that asking for advice is getting someone to tell you what you already know. I don't think I need a fill, but I am going to work on portion control!!!

Thanks again.

Good luck everyone!

[dlucia 2]

I was banded on 4-28-11 and have had two fills so far. I am in the same situation. I am not sure if I need a fill or not. The onIy difference I can notice after the 2nd fill is that I now have to chew my food up real good or it will get stuck. But...... after I eat (usually about 1 cup or less depending upon what I am eating - chicken vs tuna Sald) - I am still hungry. I take the alloted time of at least 20 minutes to eat, do not drink 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after a meal. And I still do not even get satisfied. I am always hungry. I am getting my protien but I do supplement the total amount a day with protien shots and/or proten shakes. I was suppose to get a fill today but I canceled it after reading the above questions to ask yourslef. I am tired of this thing they call will power. If I had this much will power I would have never needed to get the band. I know it is a tool and I have been using it as a tool and I have been losing weight. But I know myself and my will power is starting to fade. I had two choc chip Cookies last week and felt terrible about eating them (afterwards of course). I have never had a satisfied or full feeling since I have been banded. Now you know my life story on the band..... My questions are ...... Since I do get restriction when I eat as far as having to chew my food, just nothing satisfies me or ever have that full feeling, should I get a fill? And if I get a fill and they tighten the band, is that going to make the band too tight so I can not get Water down? I had no idea that getting a fill or not getting a fill was going to be so hard to determine.

Any help or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

.

[bandwhisperer 1]

Does your stomach "growl" soon after eating? If so, the reason it does is because the stomach below the band contains most of the gastric juice for digestion and the stomach produces a lot of this juice in anticipation of the food you ate. But the food does not make to the lower stomach, it sits in your pouch. The stomach will growl and send a "backdoor " signal to the brain telling you to eat. If my patients c/o this, I will have them take a few (2-3) chewable Tums before the meal and after. This will reduce the stomach acid and prevent the "backdoor" signal to eat. You may even want to try a Prilosec or a Zantac daily in addition to the Tums. Remember to eat your Protein portion first and I have a few patients that chew too well. Every bite is almost a liquid consistency before they swallow it. If chewed too well the food passes thru the band w/o accumulating in the pouch, thus, never getting a full feeling.

Hope this helps

[Rachel412 116]

But the food does not make to the lower stomach, it sits in your pouch... Every bite is almost a liquid consistency before they swallow it. If chewed too well the food passes thru the band w/o accumulating in the pouch, thus, never getting a full feeling.

My understanding is the latest research shows all food passes through the band within a minute of it being swallowed, and food never accumulates in our pouches... Every time I swallow a bite or a gulp of liquid, I feel when it passes through my band.

[size10again 11]

I think expecting to feel full is not a good indicator of the need to eat more or not. I don't feel full but more like a feeling of being done, that I have had enough to eat. I don't think I ever feel full like I did pre-band, my full signal is just not the same, LOL!

Joan

[dlucia 2]

Thanks for the information everyone. As for my stomach growling. When I first got banded it did nothing but make noises all the time. Now I do not hear my stomach growl at al, no noises ever. I have wondered if I chew my food up real good what makes it stay in the pouch area. I thought the whole point of having the band was to have the food sit in the pouch area and that is what is suppose to make you feel full/satisfied/content with what you are eating. I am just so confused. You would think this should be an easy call... Do I get a fill or don't I? I still have no clue. Ugggggg

[KimK813 2]

I had my appointment yesterday. I decided on NO fill. I am glad I did, too. The NP said she would've talked me out of it. I lost 20lbs (YEAH!) since my last appointment exactly 2 months ago! I started using MyFitnessPal.com to track my calories, exercise, and Water intake and it has been a god send!

Talk to the staff at your doctor's office and then make your decision.

Good luck, everyone!