What does your restriction feel like?

[MyTurn 4]

I was just banded on Oct. 13 so I'm new at this. I was wondering if you could post what your restriction/sweet spot feels like. I thought I had restriction but it was gas!! Now I'm not sure what I'm feeling inside me.

Someone mentioned in the chat room that you feel like you're going to throw up. Is this the same for everybody?

Thanks!!

[lipstix64 1]

When you find out, please let me know. I just had my surgery on Oct 16th and I am hungry. My stomach keeps growliing. I'm not eating enough to feel any restriction. I'm assuming its because I'm only having one shake per day, plus teas, Water , and crystal lite.

[Shrtnsweet8 0]

I was banded on 10/15. I am eating full liquids and feel like I am going to throw up after eating or drinking. My understanding is that my band has nothing in it right now so I am unclear as to why I feel sick after eating or drinking too fast. I am eating Jello, popsicles, Soup, liquids like that. Other than that I feel great. If I could just not eat I would be fine. :-) Would love to hear an explanation from someone that has been through it!

Good luck to you all and would love to keep track of you all since we are so close to the same banding date. We should go through the same things about the same time.

[petlover 0]

mine was 10-1 - nothing to be put into band until 11-5. No restriction whatsoever - just me & the willpower I don't have! It's torture!

I'm on moderate solids & I'm HUNGRY!

[MyTurn 4]

Oh, dear. I'm greatful that people responded but this wasn't really what I wanted (lol)!! Let's hope more "seasoned" members of the board read this post and share their experences with us.

And yes, absolutely, let's keep an eye on each other. The more buddies I have the better!!

[kimmyv 0]

Hey--- I was banded 9/15-- so about a month before you all. I just got my first fill on Wed 10/15. And I can tell you it was none too soon. I wasn't that hungry the first 2 weeks but oh my goodness... Once you are healed it comes back big time. The term on here is "bandster hell". Yeppers and how.

In my short experience... Make sure that you are really trying to stick to the portion size your doc says. For me- 4oz meals 3 times a day. I think that this really trained my mind to get adjusted to the portion size-even if I didn't have restriction. The rest of the time I drink (hot tea or water) thru the hunger. It is MUCH better now that I got a fill.

I can already tell I need more fill but it is a learning procss too about what foods keep you full. (I am getting hungry at like 3 hrs and wanting to snack).

During mushie/semi solid stage and even now-- no mashed potatoes-or potatoes at all for me--makes me more hungry. But I am a carb addict. Use this time to break the old habits and food addictions.

Good luck! We can do this together!

[TerriDoodle 6]

Being restricted just feels like a fullness 'above' your stomach....the point beyond which if you eat more you will possibly spit some up. Good restriction will also cause you to reject food that is not chewed well or eaten too quickly.

Don't worry...when you're properly restricted...you'll know it!

[Shrtnsweet8 0]

Is it normal that I don't feel like eating and when I do eat or drink I feel extremely, uncomfortably full? I was banded on Wednesday. I don't feel any pain just very uncomfortable when I eat or drink hardly anything. I just make a Protein shake and took about 4 swallops in 30 minutes and don't want any more. I also am not getting my Water in because I get the same "too full very uncomfortable feeling" after drinking Water.

I guess I am surprised because I know I have no restriction. I have never had surgery so maybe this is just my body trying to heal from surgery and the gas and moving my stomach around.

I would appreciate any guidance or assistance. Thanks.

[anniedub 0]

Being restricted just feels like a fullness 'above' your stomach....the point beyond which if you eat more you will possibly spit some up. Good restriction will also cause you to reject food that is not chewed well or eaten too quickly.

Don't worry...when you're properly restricted...you'll know it!

Agreed entirely. For me, restriction just feels like you're satisfied and full -- but a helluva lot quicker than ever before. This is why it's important to eat slowly, otherwise by the time your pouch is full, you will have already gulped down 4 or 5 more bites and there ain't nowhere to go but up again, baby!

[Jachut 487]

Early on, for about 12 weeks after surgery, it always felt like I'd just eaten a big meal, I was very UNhungry. When I ate, I got full super duper quickly.

THen it mellowed out. Eventually it became so I feel normal. I get hungry, as normal, but I fill up quicker, that's it. Occasionally get pain or discomfort with certain foods and occasionally get stuck. But I just feel "normal'

[Jodi_620 37]

When I am restricted where I like to be, the food goes down slowly and if I eat too fast I get a gurgling sensation that tells me SLOW DOWN NOW!, At proper restriction I also fill up on a small plate of food and I don't get hungry for at least five hours.

I have had four fills and scheduled my fifth for next Tuesday. The first did nothing, the second and third gave me restriction but once I lost weight the restriction was lost(within about two weeks). The fourth fill was just over a month ago and I am just now losing my restriction and seeing myself eating a little more which tells me I need a fill. As a matter of fact, I called to schedule my next fill just a few minutes ago.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Jodi_620

[aubrie 6]

Just walking around normally, you shouldn't feel anything. No pain. You should be able to drink liquids with no problem what so ever. However, when you eat dense, solid food, when you are full, you should feel some minor discomfort or fullness. Sometimes food will get stuck, and you'll have the feeling of a flaming golf ball in your throat. It will eventually pass through. I can usually feel mine pass and go kerplop into my stomach. If you have having PBs on a regular basis, and urping up your food and sliming a lot, you're to tight and need a tiny bit removed. You shouldn't be vomiting at all. It's dangerous and you can slip your band or cause erosion. Not to mention you're not getting the nutrition your body needs. You want to be healthy and lose, not sickly and lose.

[petlover 0]

where is it that food gets stuck? stoma? i can have pain w/1st couple bites, so it's obviously not overfilled pouch.

how can something be stuck unless going thru band?

and doesn't a meal stay in pouch for a time before moving down? so what's my pain?

[Jodi_620 37]

where is it that food gets stuck? stoma? i can have pain w/1st couple bites, so it's obviously not overfilled pouch.

how can something be stuck unless going thru band?

and doesn't a meal stay in pouch for a time before moving down? so what's my pain?

The food can get stuck either passing into the stoma or through the band. In my experience, eating too fast, too much or the wrong foods causes you to get stuck above the band. You feel uncomfortably full, the food feels like it is in the back of your throat and/or you burp it up (PB). Many of us have a higher tendancy to have this problem in the morning.

I can't give you an answer on the "why" we get stuck above the band but I can say for sure that I do and more ofthen there than at the band.

I got stuck at the band a couple times and the horrible feeling lasted longer than what I described above. That happens for me when I swallow something I shouldn't or something too big...one time was fairly large pills and the other was dried apricots. It is a gaggy feeling and you keep getting mucus backing up.