Fill Or Not To Fill ?!

[DRCS 2]

Please help me I don't get it ! I was banded last Sept almost a year now and was doing great until about 4 months ago. I have only had one fill in the very beginning. I am never full and am not sure on a fill. I still get stuck very quick unless things are chewed until practically a liquid. Another fill will make it that much harder to get food down. Right? I don't know what to do. I need to feel full before I gain my weight back. It takes me well over the 30 min recommendation to eat otherwise I am stuck, and the pain and horribly uncomfortable feeling scares me to death yet still happens 2 or 3 times a week. I need a fill but will it do anything besides make it harder yet to swallow? Please any suggestions and/or comments would really be appreciated.

[Kimmypoo38 5]

Definetly don't sound like you need a fill. If its taking over 30 minutes to eat then that can hinder your weigh loss. How much Saline do you have in your band? Get a fill will cause reflux and more stuck episode. How much do you exercise? Increase that and see if the #'s change.

[YngGram 73]

Wow, I have been banded over 3 yrs., doc says it's only about 5cc in my band. Funny thing is I decided to get a fill next week, saw him last week and low and behold.....I realize that I don't know what I'm doing. I don't understand how to measure my food, (I haven't made much effort in doing so) and I did today. I felt very different when I ate. I am rereading the guide book I was given and I am getting a better understanding. Doc says we should be able to eat most anything, just smaller amounts. Today I had chicken parm, Pasta and broccoli, I didn"t feel stuffed or uncomfortable.

The band is supposed to help us stay full longer on less food. There are many who mange to loose without adjustments and others who don"t with many adjustments. I haven't had many problems, that's just been luck; but I am just starting to see what I should have done to keep things moving. I stopped loosing and recently started to gain. HORROR!!! This is what I have learned.

My bites are to large, no problem chewing but when I swallow it is to much and I get uncomforatble. This is what makes me eat what I shouldn't.

Hunger is not nor never has been my problem, I am a mindless eater. I nibble and such.

I forgot that I still need to sip my liquids. I can get the stuck feeling on water; now I am starting to see these things. Today, I feel very different than I had been feeling.

I got overexcited about the 63lbs. I lost. I did it without much work, just gave up lots of sugar. Occasionally I exercised, but no rotuine to it or regularity. Because of this I am slipping into some bad habits The weight is coming back, so that's why the fill on Mon. I plan to get my head in it and work with the tool I have.

Take a good look at what you're doing and you might find (as I did) that you aren't doing things the way you should. I don't drink with meals, and until today I thought the uncomfortable feeling was the way it was suppposed to be. If you don't find an answere to your problem then a fill might make you feel like it's to much and you end up going in for an unfill. Good Luck

[jennifer1 180]

I agree..maybe ur bites are too big...if you are losing weight and not hungry till after 4-5 hours I wouldn't get a fill

[DRCS 2]

Thanks to everyone. It is true I do think that sometimes my bites are too big even thou I chew a lot. I never really feel full or satisfied. My Doc said I should never eat until I'm full just comfortable. I do know that I need to start working out more. I have Multiple Sclerosis and there isn't a whole lot I can do for any length of time but short spurts are fine. Niterun I'm with you going to reread all my material. I need to start over.