first 2-3 bites....

shellyj · October 29, 2003

i have noticed when i first start to eat i have to take extra small bites if i dont i get the golf ball severe pain thing. it's weird because after the first bite or two i can eat without problems. my bandster twin is having this really bad and i told her i'd start a thread because i have heard people mention this before and wonder if their are any other tricks. (i of course couldnt find the posts that mention this!)

my *twin* had her 3rd fill 2 weeks ago and is STILL on Soups. she doesnt want to give up any of her fill by having it removed. she is trying to wait and see if it loosens up any. but when she eats anything of substance she has the golf ball severe pain thing. she tried starting her meal last night with pudding to lube the throat but when she moved to chicken it was pain pain pain...

any thoughts please!

i had my 3rd fill yesterday and was still able to drink a whole can of Soup. i ate 1 cup of cottage cheese for Breakfast. 4th fill scheduled for 11-6.

shellyj · October 29, 2003

forgot to mention in the past 2 weeks she gained 3 pounds!!!! i told her with the reduced intake her body is probably freaking and holding on to everything she eats... thoughts on this to please!

thanks you all are great!! (in advance)

~c~ · October 29, 2003

donali · October 29, 2003

Not knowing exactly what she's eating/drinking, my guess is that the weight is due to Fluid retention. If she is not drinking enough pure Water, she is not flushing out all the fluids the salty Soup will have her retain. Also, with all this focus on her fill/food, maybe it's her time of the month and she's forgotten.

She could continue to work with this fill if she is willing to forego solids for a few weeks, but the only way to do that safely would be to make sure she's getting in her Protein with Protein shakes. If she is not getting in her Protein, the weight she does lose is more likely to be divided between muscle and fat, not mostly fat.

Let's all remember that MUSCLE is what burns fat, so we should protect ourselves as much as possible from losing any of that stuff!! Also, as good as exercise in and of itself is for us, the more important part is the fact that it builds MUSCLE, which raises our metabolism by burning more calories.

Whatever she chooses to do, she must at all costs avoid PBing, or she's opening the door to significant problems. So my advice is either consciously choose to do high protein liquids with a gallon of Water a day (.5 oz per pound of body wieght - whatever that works out to for her), or to get a slight unfill.

Wishing you both the best -

donali · October 29, 2003

Oh, forgot to mention I have heard several Bandsters complain the first few bites are the hardest, myself included. For myself, I blame eating those first two bites too fast and not chewing them enough. It's almost like my stomach needs "priming" first.

I try always to drink a quart of Water before I start to eat - that helps keep me hydrated, gives me the benefit of Water loading, and helps prepare my stomach for something more substantial. This is not chugging a quart prior to my meal, but getting it in during the hour prior to eating.

Then I try to remember not to let myself get too hungry before eating, so that when I do eat I can make my first two bites very small, chew them very well, and wait a few minutes in between to give my stoma a chance to get "primed."

GeezerSue · November 1, 2003

I'm thinking that your twin is experiencing the weight gain that is indicative of being overfilled! Also known as "soft food syndrome."

When we cannot handle solids (which we need to make the band do its thing), we start eating soft and liquid foods. And we gain weight, because we are "eating around the band." Some people need a day or a few days post-adjustment to let the trauma of the fill (or unfill) subside so that the mucosal lining of the stomach is no longer swollen, and then they can return to solids.

Sounds to me as though your twin either has an EXTREMELY sensitive stomach (how long post-op until she was able to eat?) or she is overfilled and will continue to gain weight because she will have no choice but to "eat around the band."

Sue

GeezerSue · November 1, 2003

And, oh yeah (I'm senile and repeating what Donali said...I do this a lot) ONE can of Soup will likely contain 70% (or more) of the sodium she needs for the day. So if she's taking in two or more cans of soup per day, she is consuming way too much sodium, and that's the cause. I'm very sensitive and on diuretics for edema because of weight, heart/lung issues old age (?) etc., but she MAY have some of these issues, so...how are the shoes fitting? And rings? Puffy ankles? Simple cotton socks cause ribbing lines in her feet/ankles? All of those Soups are just turning her into a sponge.

I think from now on I'm just going to write "What Donali said."

Sue